Identifying the necessary and sufficient number of risk factors for predicting academic failure.

PubMed

Lucio, Robert; Hunt, Elizabeth; Bornovalova, Marina

2012-03-01

Identifying the point at which individuals become at risk for academic failure (grade point average [GPA] < 2.0) involves an understanding of which and how many factors contribute to poor outcomes. School-related factors appear to be among the many factors that significantly impact academic success or failure. This study focused on 12 school-related factors. Using a thorough 5-step process, we identified which unique risk factors place one at risk for academic failure. Academic engagement, academic expectations, academic self-efficacy, homework completion, school relevance, school safety, teacher relationships (positive relationship), grade retention, school mobility, and school misbehaviors (negative relationship) were uniquely related to GPA even after controlling for all relevant covariates. Next, a receiver operating characteristic curve was used to determine a cutoff point for determining how many risk factors predict academic failure (GPA < 2.0). Results yielded a cutoff point of 2 risk factors for predicting academic failure, which provides a way for early identification of individuals who are at risk. Further implications of these findings are discussed. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved.

Suicidal thinking and behavior among youth involved in verbal and social bullying: risk and protective factors.

PubMed

Borowsky, Iris Wagman; Taliaferro, Lindsay A; McMorris, Barbara J

2013-07-01

To identify risk and protective factors associated with thinking about or attempting suicide among youth involved in verbal and social bullying. We analyzed data on 130,908 students in the sixth, ninth, and twelfth grades responding to the 2010 Minnesota Student Survey. Among students involved in frequent bullying (once a week or more during the past 30 days), we compared those who did and did not report suicidal ideation or a suicide attempt during the past year. Separate analyses were conducted for perpetrators only, victims only, and bully-victims. Overall, 6.1% of students reported frequent perpetration only, 9.6% frequent victimization only, and 3.1% both. Suicidal thinking or a suicide attempt was reported by 22% of perpetrators only, 29% of victims only, and 38% of bully-victims. In logistic regression models controlling for demographic and other risk and protective factors, a history of self-injury and emotional distress were risk factors that cross-cut the three bullying involvement groups. Physical abuse, sexual abuse, a mental health problem, and running away from home were additional risk factors for perpetrators only and victims only. Parent connectedness was a cross-cutting protective factor, whereas stronger perceived caring by friends and by nonparental adults were additional protective factors for some groups. A range of risk and protective factors were associated with suicidal ideation and a suicide attempt among youth involved in verbal and social bullying. Findings may assist in identifying youth at increased risk for suicidal thinking and behavior and in promoting key protective factors. Copyright © 2013 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Factors influencing the degree and pattern of parental involvement in play therapy for sexually abused children.

PubMed

Hill, Andrew

2009-01-01

Although much has been written about the role of therapists in children's recovery from child sexual abuse, relatively little attention has been paid to the role of nonoffending parents. This study investigated the work of a team of therapists who sometimes included such parents in therapy sessions with children. The study sought to understand what factors were influencing the degree and pattern of parental involvement and to understand what effect these patterns of parental involvement were having on the process and outcomes of therapy. The study successfully identified a range of factors influencing the patterns of parental involvement, but more research will be needed to understand the effect on outcomes.

Patterns of justice involvement among adults with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder: key risk factors.

PubMed

Robertson, Allison G; Swanson, Jeffrey W; Frisman, Linda K; Lin, Hsiuju; Swartz, Marvin S

2014-07-01

Adults with serious mental illness have a relatively high risk of criminal justice involvement. Some risk factors for justice involvement are known, but the specific interaction of these risk factors has not been examined. This study explored the interaction of gender, substance use disorder, and psychiatric diagnosis among patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder to identify subgroups at higher risk of justice involvement. Administrative service records of 25,133 adults with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder who were clients of Connecticut's public behavioral health system during 2005-2007 were merged with state records of criminal convictions, incarceration, and other measures of justice involvement. The main effects and the effects of interactions of gender, substance use disorder, and psychiatric diagnosis on risk of justice involvement ("offending") were estimated by using multivariable logistic regression. Men with bipolar disorder and co-occurring substance use disorder had the highest absolute risk of offending in every category of justice involvement. For both men and women, bipolar disorder was associated with an increased risk of offending versus schizophrenia, but the increase was significantly greater for women. Substance use disorder also increased risk of offending more among women than men, especially among those with schizophrenia. Men and women with bipolar disorder and substance use disorders have much higher risk of justice involvement than those with schizophrenia, especially those without a substance use disorder. Research is needed to validate these effects in other populations and specify risk factors for justice involvement among adults with mental illness.

Global analysis of WRKY transcription factor superfamily in Setaria identifies potential candidates involved in abiotic stress signaling.

PubMed

Muthamilarasan, Mehanathan; Bonthala, Venkata S; Khandelwal, Rohit; Jaishankar, Jananee; Shweta, Shweta; Nawaz, Kashif; Prasad, Manoj

2015-01-01

Transcription factors (TFs) are major players in stress signaling and constitute an integral part of signaling networks. Among the major TFs, WRKY proteins play pivotal roles in regulation of transcriptional reprogramming associated with stress responses. In view of this, genome- and transcriptome-wide identification of WRKY TF family was performed in the C4model plants, Setaria italica (SiWRKY) and S. viridis (SvWRKY), respectively. The study identified 105 SiWRKY and 44 SvWRKY proteins that were computationally analyzed for their physicochemical properties. Sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis classified these proteins into three major groups, namely I, II, and III with majority of WRKY proteins belonging to group II (53 SiWRKY and 23 SvWRKY), followed by group III (39 SiWRKY and 11 SvWRKY) and group I (10 SiWRKY and 6 SvWRKY). Group II proteins were further classified into 5 subgroups (IIa to IIe) based on their phylogeny. Domain analysis showed the presence of WRKY motif and zinc finger-like structures in these proteins along with additional domains in a few proteins. All SiWRKY genes were physically mapped on the S. italica genome and their duplication analysis revealed that 10 and 8 gene pairs underwent tandem and segmental duplications, respectively. Comparative mapping of SiWRKY and SvWRKY genes in related C4 panicoid genomes demonstrated the orthologous relationships between these genomes. In silico expression analysis of SiWRKY and SvWRKY genes showed their differential expression patterns in different tissues and stress conditions. Expression profiling of candidate SiWRKY genes in response to stress (dehydration and salinity) and hormone treatments (abscisic acid, salicylic acid, and methyl jasmonate) suggested the putative involvement of SiWRKY066 and SiWRKY082 in stress and hormone signaling. These genes could be potential candidates for further characterization to delineate their functional roles in abiotic stress signaling.

Factors involved in fatal vehicle crashes

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-09-01

This report examines factors that contribute to fatal crashes involving a motor vehicle (e.g., car, truck, or bus). Accident level data was obtained from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administrations (NHTSAs) Fatality Analysis Reporting S...

Identification of a neuronal transcription factor network involved in medulloblastoma development

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Medulloblastomas, the most frequent malignant brain tumours affecting children, comprise at least 4 distinct clinicogenetic subgroups. Aberrant sonic hedgehog (SHH) signalling is observed in approximately 25% of tumours and defines one subgroup. Although alterations in SHH pathway genes (e.g. PTCH1, SUFU) are observed in many of these tumours, high throughput genomic analyses have identified few other recurring mutations. Here, we have mutagenised the Ptch+/- murine tumour model using the Sleeping Beauty transposon system to identify additional genes and pathways involved in SHH subgroup medulloblastoma development. Results Mutagenesis significantly increased medulloblastoma frequency and identified 17 candidate cancer genes, including orthologs of genes somatically mutated (PTEN, CREBBP) or associated with poor outcome (PTEN, MYT1L) in the human disease. Strikingly, these candidate genes were enriched for transcription factors (p=2x10-5), the majority of which (6/7; Crebbp, Myt1L, Nfia, Nfib, Tead1 and Tgif2) were linked within a single regulatory network enriched for genes associated with a differentiated neuronal phenotype. Furthermore, activity of this network varied significantly between the human subgroups, was associated with metastatic disease, and predicted poor survival specifically within the SHH subgroup of tumours. Igf2, previously implicated in medulloblastoma, was the most differentially expressed gene in murine tumours with network perturbation, and network activity in both mouse and human tumours was characterised by enrichment for multiple gene-sets indicating increased cell proliferation, IGF signalling, MYC target upregulation, and decreased neuronal differentiation. Conclusions Collectively, our data support a model of medulloblastoma development in SB-mutagenised Ptch+/- mice which involves disruption of a novel transcription factor network leading to Igf2 upregulation, proliferation of GNPs, and tumour formation. Moreover, our

Identification of a neuronal transcription factor network involved in medulloblastoma development.

PubMed

Lastowska, Maria; Al-Afghani, Hani; Al-Balool, Haya H; Sheth, Harsh; Mercer, Emma; Coxhead, Jonathan M; Redfern, Chris P F; Peters, Heiko; Burt, Alastair D; Santibanez-Koref, Mauro; Bacon, Chris M; Chesler, Louis; Rust, Alistair G; Adams, David J; Williamson, Daniel; Clifford, Steven C; Jackson, Michael S

2013-07-11

Medulloblastomas, the most frequent malignant brain tumours affecting children, comprise at least 4 distinct clinicogenetic subgroups. Aberrant sonic hedgehog (SHH) signalling is observed in approximately 25% of tumours and defines one subgroup. Although alterations in SHH pathway genes (e.g. PTCH1, SUFU) are observed in many of these tumours, high throughput genomic analyses have identified few other recurring mutations. Here, we have mutagenised the Ptch+/- murine tumour model using the Sleeping Beauty transposon system to identify additional genes and pathways involved in SHH subgroup medulloblastoma development. Mutagenesis significantly increased medulloblastoma frequency and identified 17 candidate cancer genes, including orthologs of genes somatically mutated (PTEN, CREBBP) or associated with poor outcome (PTEN, MYT1L) in the human disease. Strikingly, these candidate genes were enriched for transcription factors (p=2x10-5), the majority of which (6/7; Crebbp, Myt1L, Nfia, Nfib, Tead1 and Tgif2) were linked within a single regulatory network enriched for genes associated with a differentiated neuronal phenotype. Furthermore, activity of this network varied significantly between the human subgroups, was associated with metastatic disease, and predicted poor survival specifically within the SHH subgroup of tumours. Igf2, previously implicated in medulloblastoma, was the most differentially expressed gene in murine tumours with network perturbation, and network activity in both mouse and human tumours was characterised by enrichment for multiple gene-sets indicating increased cell proliferation, IGF signalling, MYC target upregulation, and decreased neuronal differentiation. Collectively, our data support a model of medulloblastoma development in SB-mutagenised Ptch+/- mice which involves disruption of a novel transcription factor network leading to Igf2 upregulation, proliferation of GNPs, and tumour formation. Moreover, our results identify rational

A novel transcription factor gene FHS1 is involved in the DNA damage response in Fusarium graminearum

PubMed Central

Son, Hokyoung; Fu, Minmin; Lee, Yoonji; Lim, Jae Yun; Min, Kyunghun; Kim, Jin-Cheol; Choi, Gyung Ja; Lee, Yin-Won

2016-01-01

Cell cycle regulation and the maintenance of genome integrity are crucial for the development and virulence of the pathogenic plant fungus Fusarium graminearum. To identify transcription factors (TFs) related to these processes, four DNA-damaging agents were applied to screen a F. graminearum TF mutant library. Sixteen TFs were identified to be likely involved in DNA damage responses. Fhs1 is a fungal specific Zn(II)2Cys6 TF that localises exclusively to nuclei. fhs1 deletion mutants were hypersensitive to hydroxyurea and defective in mitotic cell division. Moreover, deletion of FHS1 resulted in defects in perithecia production and virulence and led to the accumulation of DNA damage. Our genetic evidence demonstrated that the FHS1-associated signalling pathway for DNA damage response is independent of the ATM or ATR pathways. This study identified sixteen genes involved in the DNA damage response and is the first to characterise the novel transcription factor gene FHS1, which is involved in the DNA damage response. The results provide new insights into mechanisms underlying DNA damage responses in fungi, including F. graminearum. PMID:26888604

Associations Between Bullying Involvement, Protective Factors, and Mental Health Among American Indian Youth.

PubMed

Gloppen, Kari; McMorris, Barbara; Gower, Amy; Eisenberg, Marla

2017-08-17

Bullying involvement as a victim or perpetrator is associated with depression and suicidality, and American Indian (AI) youth experience a disproportionately high rate of these mental health issues. This study assessed whether AI young people involved in bullying were more likely to experience negative mental health problems than AI youth who were not involved in bullying, and identified protective factors that might support this particularly vulnerable population. Data come from 1,409 8th, 9th, and 11th Grade AI students who completed the 2013 Minnesota Student Survey. Logistic regression models estimated associations between bullying involvement and internalizing symptoms and suicidality. Selected protective factors (internal assets, empowerment, positive student-teacher relationships, and feeling safe at school) were also examined as independent variables. All forms of bullying perpetration and victimization were associated with increased risk for mental health problems (odds ratio [OR]: 1.57-2.87). AI youth who reported higher levels of protective factors were less likely to report internalizing symptoms and suicidality even in the presence of bullying involvement. For example, AI youth who reported high levels of internal assets had half the odds of reporting internalizing symptoms compared with those with low levels of internal assets (OR = 0.53, confidence interval [CI] 0.38, 0.74). Findings suggest that, similar to a general sample of students, bullying-involved AI students are significantly more likely to experience mental health problems. Promoting school as a safe place and incorporating culturally relevant programming to promote internal assets such as positive identity, social competence, and empowerment among AI students could help reduce the negative effects of bullying involvement. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Identification and Characterization of Soluble Factors Involved in Delayed Effects of Low Dose Radiation. Final report

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

Baulch, Janet

2013-09-11

This is a 'glue grant' that was part of a DOE Low Dose project entitled 'Identification and Characterization of Soluble Factors Involved in Delayed Effects of Low Dose Radiation'. This collaborative program has involved Drs. David L. Springer from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), John H. Miller from Washington State University, Tri-cities (WSU) and William F. Morgan then from the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB). In July 2008, Dr. Morgan moved to PNNL and Dr. Janet E. Baulch became PI for this project at University of Maryland. In November of 2008, a one year extension with no new funds wasmore » requested to complete the proteomic analyses. The project stemmed from studies in the Morgan laboratory demonstrating that genomically unstable cells secret a soluble factor or factors into the culture medium, that cause cytogenetic aberrations and apoptosis in normal parental GM10115 cells. The purpose of this project was to identify the death inducing effect (DIE) factor or factors, estimate their relative abundance, identify the cell signaling pathways involved and finally recapitulate DIE in normal cells by exogenous manipulation of putative DIE factors in culture medium. As reported in detail in the previous progress report, analysis of culture medium from the parental cell line, and stable and unstable clones demonstrated inconsistent proteomic profiles as relate to candidate DIE factors. While the proposed proteomic analyses did not provide information that would allow DIE factors to be identified, the analyses provided another important set of observations. Proteomic analysis suggested that proteins associated with the cellular response to oxidative stress and mitochondrial function were elevated in the medium from unstable clones in a manner consistent with mitochondrial dysfunction. These findings correlate with previous studies of these clones that demonstrated functional differences between the mitochondria of stable and unstable clones

Microarray and differential display identify genes involved in jasmonate-dependent anther development.

PubMed

Mandaokar, Ajin; Kumar, V Dinesh; Amway, Matt; Browse, John

2003-07-01

Jasmonate (JA) is a signaling compound essential for anther development and pollen fertility in Arabidopsis. Mutations that block the pathway of JA synthesis result into male sterility. To understand the processes of anther and pollen maturation, we used microarray and differential display approaches to compare gene expression pattern in anthers of wild-type Arabidopsis and the male-sterile mutant, opr3. Microarray experiment revealed 25 genes that were up-regulated more than 1.8-fold in wild-type anthers as compared to mutant anthers. Experiments based on differential display identified 13 additional genes up-regulated in wild-type anthers compared to opr3 for a total of 38 differentially expressed genes. Searches of the Arabidopsis and non-redundant databases disclosed known or likely functions for 28 of the 38 genes identified, while 10 genes encode proteins of unknown function. Northern blot analysis of eight representative clones as probes confirmed low expression in opr3 anthers compared with wild-type anthers. JA responsiveness of these same genes was also investigated by northern blot analysis of anther RNA isolated from wild-type and opr3 plants, In these experiments, four genes were induced in opr3 anthers within 0.5-1 h of JA treatment while the remaining genes were up-regulated only 1-8 h after JA application. None of these genes was induced by JA in anthers of the coil mutant that is deficient in JA responsiveness. The four early-induced genes in opr3 encode lipoxygenase, a putative bHLH transcription factor, epithiospecifier protein and an unknown protein. We propose that these and other early components may be involved in JA signaling and in the initiation of developmental processes. The four late genes encode an extensin-like protein, a peptide transporter and two unknown proteins, which may represent components required later in anther and pollen maturation. Transcript profiling has provided a successful approach to identify genes involved in

Risk and Protective Factors of Suicidal Ideation and Attempt among Adolescents with Different Types of School Bullying Involvement.

PubMed

Yen, Cheng-Fang; Liu, Tai-Ling; Yang, Pinchen; Hu, Huei-Fan

2015-01-01

Suicide has been found to be prevalent among adolescents involved in bullying; however, there has been a lack of research examining whether the risk and protective factors of suicidal ideation and attempt are different among adolescents with different types of bullying involvement. The aims of this study were to examine the risk and protective factors of suicidal ideation and attempt among adolescents with different experiences of bullying involvement, victimization, and perpetration. A total of 4,533 adolescents participated in this study. Different groups of bullying involvement, victimization, and perpetration were determined through use of the Chinese version of the School Bullying Experience Questionnaire. The associations of suicidal ideation and attempt with possible risk factors (domestic violence, overweight, depression, anxiety, and alcohol abuse) and protective factors (family support and self-esteem) were examined using logistic regression analysis. Pure victims, pure perpetrators, and victim-perpetrators were more likely to report suicidal ideation and attempt than the neutral group. The risk and protective factors of suicidal ideation and attempt were different across adolescents with different experiences of bullying involvement, victimization, and perpetrators. The risk of suicide should be monitored among adolescents who are involved in any type of bullying. The risk and protective factors of suicide identified in this study should be taken into consideration in prevention and intervention programs for suicide in adolescents involved in bullying.

Removing the College Involvement "Research Asterisk": Identifying and Rethinking Predictors of American Indian College Student Involvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garland, John L.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify campus environmental predictors of American Indian college student involvement. The American Indian research asterisk, or not including American Indian data, has prevailed over student development research for decades. As a result, student affairs professionals have been limited in their ability to develop…

Global analysis of WRKY transcription factor superfamily in Setaria identifies potential candidates involved in abiotic stress signaling

PubMed Central

Muthamilarasan, Mehanathan; Bonthala, Venkata S.; Khandelwal, Rohit; Jaishankar, Jananee; Shweta, Shweta; Nawaz, Kashif; Prasad, Manoj

2015-01-01

Transcription factors (TFs) are major players in stress signaling and constitute an integral part of signaling networks. Among the major TFs, WRKY proteins play pivotal roles in regulation of transcriptional reprogramming associated with stress responses. In view of this, genome- and transcriptome-wide identification of WRKY TF family was performed in the C4model plants, Setaria italica (SiWRKY) and S. viridis (SvWRKY), respectively. The study identified 105 SiWRKY and 44 SvWRKY proteins that were computationally analyzed for their physicochemical properties. Sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis classified these proteins into three major groups, namely I, II, and III with majority of WRKY proteins belonging to group II (53 SiWRKY and 23 SvWRKY), followed by group III (39 SiWRKY and 11 SvWRKY) and group I (10 SiWRKY and 6 SvWRKY). Group II proteins were further classified into 5 subgroups (IIa to IIe) based on their phylogeny. Domain analysis showed the presence of WRKY motif and zinc finger-like structures in these proteins along with additional domains in a few proteins. All SiWRKY genes were physically mapped on the S. italica genome and their duplication analysis revealed that 10 and 8 gene pairs underwent tandem and segmental duplications, respectively. Comparative mapping of SiWRKY and SvWRKY genes in related C4 panicoid genomes demonstrated the orthologous relationships between these genomes. In silico expression analysis of SiWRKY and SvWRKY genes showed their differential expression patterns in different tissues and stress conditions. Expression profiling of candidate SiWRKY genes in response to stress (dehydration and salinity) and hormone treatments (abscisic acid, salicylic acid, and methyl jasmonate) suggested the putative involvement of SiWRKY066 and SiWRKY082 in stress and hormone signaling. These genes could be potential candidates for further characterization to delineate their functional roles in abiotic stress signaling. PMID:26635818

Factors Inhibiting Hispanic Parents' School Involvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Jay; Stern, Kenneth; Shatrova, Zhanna

2008-01-01

Factors inhibiting Hispanic parental involvement in non-metropolitan area schools were studied. With the mandates of No Child Left Behind intensifying the need to improve the academic achievement of all at-risk groups of students in American schools, and with the relatively new phenomenon of large numbers of Hispanics settling in non-metropolitan…

Temporomandibular joint involvement as a positive clinical prognostic factor in necrotising external otitis.

PubMed

Yeheskeli, E; Eta, R Abu; Gavriel, H; Kleid, S; Eviatar, E

2016-05-01

Necrotising otitis externa is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. This study investigated whether temporomandibular joint involvement had any prognostic effect on the course of necrotising otitis externa in patients who had undergone hyperbaric oxygen therapy after failed medical and sometimes surgical therapy. A retrospective case series was conducted of patients in whom antibiotic treatment and surgery had failed, who had been hospitalised for further treatment and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Twenty-three patients with necrotising otitis externa were identified. The temporomandibular joint was involved in four patients (17 per cent); these patients showed a constant gradual improvement in C-reactive protein and were eventually discharged free of disease, except one patient who was lost to follow up. Four patients (16 per cent) without temporomandibular joint involvement died within 90 days of discharge, while all patients with temporomandibular joint involvement were alive. Three patients (13 per cent) without temporomandibular joint involvement needed recurrent hospitalisation including further hyperbaric oxygen therapy; no patients with temporomandibular joint involvement required such treatment. Patients with temporomandibular joint involvement had lower rates of recurrent disease and no mortality. Therefore, we suggest considering temporomandibular joint involvement as a positive prognostic factor in necrotising otitis externa management.

Father involvement: Identifying and predicting family members' shared and unique perceptions.

PubMed

Dyer, W Justin; Day, Randal D; Harper, James M

2014-08-01

Father involvement research has typically not recognized that reports of involvement contain at least two components: 1 reflecting a view of father involvement that is broadly recognized in the family, and another reflecting each reporter's unique perceptions. Using a longitudinal sample of 302 families, this study provides a first examination of shared and unique views of father involvement (engagement and warmth) from the perspectives of fathers, children, and mothers. This study also identifies influences on these shared and unique perspectives. Father involvement reports were obtained when the child was 12 and 14 years old. Mother reports overlapped more with the shared view than father or child reports. This suggests the mother's view may be more in line with broadly recognized father involvement. Regarding antecedents, for fathers' unique view, a compensatory model partially explains results; that is, negative aspects of family life were positively associated with fathers' unique view. Children's unique view of engagement may partially reflect a sentiment override with father antisocial behaviors being predictive. Mothers' unique view of engagement was predicted by father and mother work hours and her unique view of warmth was predicted by depression and maternal gatekeeping. Taken, together finding suggests a far more nuanced view of father involvement should be considered.

Diurnal rhythmicity in biological processes involved in bioavailability of functional food factors.

PubMed

Tsurusaki, Takashi; Sakakibara, Hiroyuki; Aoshima, Yoshiki; Yamazaki, Shunsuke; Sakono, Masanobu; Shimoi, Kayoko

2013-05-01

In the past few decades, many types of functional factors have been identified in dietary foods; for example, flavonoids are major groups widely distributed in the plant kingdom. However, the absorption rates of the functional food factors are usually low, and many of these are difficult to be absorbed in the intact forms because of metabolization by biological processes during absorption. To gain adequate beneficial effects, it is therefore mandatory to know whether functional food factors are absorbed in sufficient quantity, and then reach target organs while maintaining beneficial effects. These are the reasons why the bioavailability of functional food factors has been well investigated using rodent models. Recently, many of the biological processes have been reported to follow diurnal rhythms recurring every 24 h. Therefore, absorption and metabolism of functional food factors influenced by the biological processes may vary with time of day. Consequently, the evaluation of the bioavailability of functional food factors using rodent models should take into consideration the timing of consumption. In this review, we provide a perspective overview of the diurnal rhythm of biological processes involved in the bioavailability of functional food factors, particularly flavonoids.

Identifying Factors for Worker Motivation in Zambia's Rural Health Facilities.

PubMed

Cross, Samuel S; Baernholdt, Dr Marianne

2017-01-01

Within Zambia there is a shortage of health workers in rural areas. This study aims to identify motivating factors for retaining rural health workers. Sixty rural health workers completed surveys and 46 were interviewed. They rated the importance of six motivating factors and discussed these and other factors in interviews. An interview was conducted with a Government Human Resources Manager (HR Manager) to elicit contextual information. All six factors were identified as being very important motivators, as were two additional factors. Additional career training was identified by many as the most important factor. Comparison of results and the HR Manager interview revealed that workers lacked knowledge about opportunities and that the HR manager was aware of barriers to career development. The Zambian government might better motivate and retain rural health workers by offering them any combination of identified factors, and by addressing the barriers to career development.

Comparative Transcriptome Analysis Identifies Putative Genes Involved in the Biosynthesis of Xanthanolides in Xanthium strumarium L.

PubMed

Li, Yuanjun; Gou, Junbo; Chen, Fangfang; Li, Changfu; Zhang, Yansheng

2016-01-01

Xanthium strumarium L. is a traditional Chinese herb belonging to the Asteraceae family. The major bioactive components of this plant are sesquiterpene lactones (STLs), which include the xanthanolides. To date, the biogenesis of xanthanolides, especially their downstream pathway, remains largely unknown. In X. strumarium, xanthanolides primarily accumulate in its glandular trichomes. To identify putative gene candidates involved in the biosynthesis of xanthanolides, three X. strumarium transcriptomes, which were derived from the young leaves of two different cultivars and the purified glandular trichomes from one of the cultivars, were constructed in this study. In total, 157 million clean reads were generated and assembled into 91,861 unigenes, of which 59,858 unigenes were successfully annotated. All the genes coding for known enzymes in the upstream pathway to the biosynthesis of xanthanolides were present in the X. strumarium transcriptomes. From a comparative analysis of the X. strumarium transcriptomes, this study identified a number of gene candidates that are putatively involved in the downstream pathway to the synthesis of xanthanolides, such as four unigenes encoding CYP71 P450s, 50 unigenes for dehydrogenases, and 27 genes for acetyltransferases. The possible functions of these four CYP71 candidates are extensively discussed. In addition, 116 transcription factors that are highly expressed in X. strumarium glandular trichomes were also identified. Their possible regulatory roles in the biosynthesis of STLs are discussed. The global transcriptomic data for X. strumarium should provide a valuable resource for further research into the biosynthesis of xanthanolides.

Human Factors in Accidents Involving Remotely Piloted Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Merlin, Peter William

2013-01-01

This presentation examines human factors that contribute to RPA mishaps and provides analysis of lessons learned. RPA accident data from U.S. military and government agencies were reviewed and analyzed to identify human factors issues. Common contributors to RPA mishaps fell into several major categories: cognitive factors (pilot workload), physiological factors (fatigue and stress), environmental factors (situational awareness), staffing factors (training and crew coordination), and design factors (human machine interface).

Identifying Barriers That Hinder Onsite Parental Involvement in a School-Based Health Promotion Program

PubMed Central

Garcia-Dominic, Oralia; Wray, Linda A.; Treviño, Roberto P.; Hernandez, Arthur E.; Yin, Zenong; Ulbrecht, Jan S.

2009-01-01

We investigated whether barriers to onsite parental involvement in the Bienestar Health Program Parent Component could be identified and whether participation rates could be increased by addressing these barriers. All nonparticipating parents of fourth-grade students of San Antonio Independent School District from 4 schools, which were selected randomly from 20 intervention schools in Bienestar, were invited to take part in this study. A total of 47 of 223 (21%) parents engaged in one of four focus groups offered. Parents identified barriers to their involvement in Bienestar that fit into five descriptive categories: (a) low value, (b) high cost, (c) competing family demands, (d) concerns about the program design, and (e) social role norms. The Bienestar Parent Component was then modified according to the focus group findings, which resulted in a marked increase in parental involvement from 17% to 37% overall. These findings suggest that even when parents are involved in the initial design of parent-friendly and culturally sensitive programs, as was the case for Bienestar, maximizing parental involvement may require additional assessment, identification, and remediation of barriers. PMID:19339644

Exploiting genomic data to identify proteins involved in abalone reproduction.

PubMed

Mendoza-Porras, Omar; Botwright, Natasha A; McWilliam, Sean M; Cook, Mathew T; Harris, James O; Wijffels, Gene; Colgrave, Michelle L

2014-08-28

Aside from their critical role in reproduction, abalone gonads serve as an indicator of sexual maturity and energy balance, two key considerations for effective abalone culture. Temperate abalone farmers face issues with tank restocking with highly marketable abalone owing to inefficient spawning induction methods. The identification of key proteins in sexually mature abalone will serve as the foundation for a greater understanding of reproductive biology. Addressing this knowledge gap is the first step towards improving abalone aquaculture methods. Proteomic profiling of female and male gonads of greenlip abalone, Haliotis laevigata, was undertaken using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Owing to the incomplete nature of abalone protein databases, in addition to searching against two publicly available databases, a custom database comprising genomic data was used. Overall, 162 and 110 proteins were identified in females and males respectively with 40 proteins common to both sexes. For proteins involved in sexual maturation, sperm and egg structure, motility, acrosomal reaction and fertilization, 23 were identified only in females, 18 only in males and 6 were common. Gene ontology analysis revealed clear differences between the female and male protein profiles reflecting a higher rate of protein synthesis in the ovary and higher metabolic activity in the testis. A comprehensive mass spectrometry-based analysis was performed to profile the abalone gonad proteome providing the foundation for future studies of reproduction in abalone. Key proteins involved in both reproduction and energy balance were identified. Genomic resources were utilised to build a database of molluscan proteins yielding >60% more protein identifications than in a standard workflow employing public protein databases. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparative Transcriptome Analysis Identifies Putative Genes Involved in the Biosynthesis of Xanthanolides in Xanthium strumarium L.

PubMed Central

Li, Yuanjun; Gou, Junbo; Chen, Fangfang; Li, Changfu; Zhang, Yansheng

2016-01-01

Xanthium strumarium L. is a traditional Chinese herb belonging to the Asteraceae family. The major bioactive components of this plant are sesquiterpene lactones (STLs), which include the xanthanolides. To date, the biogenesis of xanthanolides, especially their downstream pathway, remains largely unknown. In X. strumarium, xanthanolides primarily accumulate in its glandular trichomes. To identify putative gene candidates involved in the biosynthesis of xanthanolides, three X. strumarium transcriptomes, which were derived from the young leaves of two different cultivars and the purified glandular trichomes from one of the cultivars, were constructed in this study. In total, 157 million clean reads were generated and assembled into 91,861 unigenes, of which 59,858 unigenes were successfully annotated. All the genes coding for known enzymes in the upstream pathway to the biosynthesis of xanthanolides were present in the X. strumarium transcriptomes. From a comparative analysis of the X. strumarium transcriptomes, this study identified a number of gene candidates that are putatively involved in the downstream pathway to the synthesis of xanthanolides, such as four unigenes encoding CYP71 P450s, 50 unigenes for dehydrogenases, and 27 genes for acetyltransferases. The possible functions of these four CYP71 candidates are extensively discussed. In addition, 116 transcription factors that are highly expressed in X. strumarium glandular trichomes were also identified. Their possible regulatory roles in the biosynthesis of STLs are discussed. The global transcriptomic data for X. strumarium should provide a valuable resource for further research into the biosynthesis of xanthanolides. PMID:27625674

Proteomic Approaches Identify Members of Cofilin Pathway Involved in Oral Tumorigenesis

PubMed Central

Polachini, Giovana M.; Sobral, Lays M.; Mercante, Ana M. C.; Paes-Leme, Adriana F.; Xavier, Flávia C. A.; Henrique, Tiago; Guimarães, Douglas M.; Vidotto, Alessandra; Fukuyama, Erica E.; Góis-Filho, José F.; Cury, Patricia M.; Curioni, Otávio A.; Michaluart Jr, Pedro; Silva, Adriana M. A.; Wünsch-Filho, Victor; Nunes, Fabio D.; Leopoldino, Andréia M.; Tajara, Eloiza H.

2012-01-01

The prediction of tumor behavior for patients with oral carcinomas remains a challenge for clinicians. The presence of lymph node metastasis is the most important prognostic factor but it is limited in predicting local relapse or survival. This highlights the need for identifying biomarkers that may effectively contribute to prediction of recurrence and tumor spread. In this study, we used one- and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, mass spectrometry and immunodetection methods to analyze protein expression in oral squamous cell carcinomas. Using a refinement for classifying oral carcinomas in regard to prognosis, we analyzed small but lymph node metastasis-positive versus large, lymph node metastasis-negative tumors in order to contribute to the molecular characterization of subgroups with risk of dissemination. Specific protein patterns favoring metastasis were observed in the “more-aggressive” group defined by the present study. This group displayed upregulation of proteins involved in migration, adhesion, angiogenesis, cell cycle regulation, anti-apoptosis and epithelial to mesenchymal transition, whereas the “less-aggressive” group was engaged in keratinocyte differentiation, epidermis development, inflammation and immune response. Besides the identification of several proteins not yet described as deregulated in oral carcinomas, the present study demonstrated for the first time the role of cofilin-1 in modulating cell invasion in oral carcinomas. PMID:23227181

Diabetes, cardiac disorders and asthma as risk factors for severe organ involvement among adult dengue patients: A matched case-control study.

PubMed

Pang, Junxiong; Hsu, Jung Pu; Yeo, Tsin Wen; Leo, Yee Sin; Lye, David C

2017-01-03

Progression to severe organ involvement due to dengue infection has been associated with severe dengue disease, intensive care treatment, and mortality. However, there is a lack of understanding of the impact of pre-existing comorbidities and other risk factors of severe organ involvement among dengue adults. The aim of this retrospective case-control study is to characterize and identify risk factors that predispose dengue adults at risk of progression with severe organ involvement. This study involved 174 dengue patients who had progressed with severe organ involvement and 865 dengue patients without severe organ involvement, matched by the year of presentation of the cases, who were admitted to Tan Tock Seng Hospital between year 2005 and 2008. Age group of 60 years or older, diabetes, cardiac disorders, asthma, and having two or more pre-existing comorbidities were independent risk factors of severe organ involvement. Abdominal pain, clinical fluid accumulation, and hematocrit rise and rapid platelet count drop at presentation were significantly associated with severe organ involvement. These risk factors, when validated in a larger study, will be useful for triage by clinicians for prompt monitoring and clinical management at first presentation, to minimize the risk of severe organ involvement and hence, disease severity.

siRNA Screen Identifies Trafficking Host Factors that Modulate Alphavirus Infection

PubMed Central

Radoshitzky, Sheli R.; Pegoraro, Gianluca; Chī, Xiǎolì; Dǒng, Lián; Chiang, Chih-Yuan; Jozwick, Lucas; Clester, Jeremiah C.; Cooper, Christopher L.; Courier, Duane; Langan, David P.; Underwood, Knashka; Kuehl, Kathleen A.; Sun, Mei G.; Caì, Yíngyún; Yú, Shuǐqìng; Burk, Robin; Zamani, Rouzbeh; Kota, Krishna; Kuhn, Jens H.; Bavari, Sina

2016-01-01

Little is known about the repertoire of cellular factors involved in the replication of pathogenic alphaviruses. To uncover molecular regulators of alphavirus infection, and to identify candidate drug targets, we performed a high-content imaging-based siRNA screen. We revealed an actin-remodeling pathway involving Rac1, PIP5K1- α, and Arp3, as essential for infection by pathogenic alphaviruses. Infection causes cellular actin rearrangements into large bundles of actin filaments termed actin foci. Actin foci are generated late in infection concomitantly with alphavirus envelope (E2) expression and are dependent on the activities of Rac1 and Arp3. E2 associates with actin in alphavirus-infected cells and co-localizes with Rac1–PIP5K1-α along actin filaments in the context of actin foci. Finally, Rac1, Arp3, and actin polymerization inhibitors interfere with E2 trafficking from the trans-Golgi network to the cell surface, suggesting a plausible model in which transport of E2 to the cell surface is mediated via Rac1- and Arp3-dependent actin remodeling. PMID:27031835

Risk factor assessment and prognosis of eye involvement in Behcet's disease in Turkey.

PubMed

Demiroğlu, H; Barişta, I; Dündar, S

1997-04-01

Behcet's disease (BD) shows great regional differences in clinical manifestations and prognosis, including eye involvement. Thus, it is hard to predict in which patient the eyes will be involved and what the outcome will be. In this study we assessed various risk factors for eye involvement and attempted to predict the visual outcome in our patient population in Turkey. Data from a total of 224 patients with BD, diagnosed between 1982 and 1996, were analyzed retrospectively. A detailed physical examination and ophthalmologic work up were performed on each patient. Factors that might contribute to eye involvement were investigated, after which prognostic factors for vision were evaluated. Eighty-eight patients had eye involvement during a median follow-up of 32 months. The risk of involvement was highest within the first year of diagnosis. Young age was the most significant factor for eye involvement (P < 0.0001), but vascular thrombosis, central nervous system (CNS) involvement, and male gender were other risk factors (P < 0.001; P < 0.01; and P < 0.05, respectively). The most important determinant for the prognosis of vision was CNS involvement (P < 0.0001). Vascular thrombosis and an age of < or = 32 were other risk factors for visual impairment (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, respectively). The risk of eye involvement and prognosis for vision were similar with different treatment regimens (P > 0.05). It is suggested that the first 2 years after diagnosis is the most critical period for eye involvement, and conventional forms of therapy generally are unsuccessful in preventing such involvement. It seems reasonable to treat patients who are at increased risk for eye involvement more aggressively, especially within the first 2 years of disease onset.

The influence of contextual factors on patient involvement during follow-up consultations after colorectal cancer surgery: a case study.

PubMed

Thomsen, Thora G; Soelver, Lisbeth; Hølge-Hazelton, Bibi

2017-11-01

To identify the contextual factors that influence individual patient involvement during colorectal cancer surgical follow-up consultations. The healthcare system is subject to the requirement and expectation of greater involvement of patients and relatives. Increased patient involvement requires the development and implementation of new communication initiatives. Research shows that it is also necessary to consider the contextual circumstances surrounding patient involvement in specific situations. Case study of a single Danish outpatient clinic, which allows the issues and circumstances involved in an everyday situation to be captured. 12 nonparticipative observations of outpatient visits and, subsequently, seven in-depth patient interviews. Content analysis based on a dialogical, interactive framework, which underpinned the identification of current contextual factors. The results showed five contextual factors that seemed to have an impact on patient involvement. The first, 'Two dimensions of patient involvement: treatment-oriented and person-oriented' highlighted a dual interpretation of patient involvement in the consultation situation. The two dimensions seemed to be influenced by four additional factors: 'Doctors leading the agenda', 'Traditional health professional roles', 'Unclear responsibilities' and 'Guidance primarily focused on treatment'. The results showed how patient involvement in clinical practice could be understood as a two-way movement, in which patients are invited to participate in clinical practice, while health professionals are invited to participate in the patients' lives. The movement will change from situation to situation and is influenced by several contextual factors. The results can help doctors and nurses to navigate using a goal-oriented approach towards patient involvement. The study makes visible the need for research-based development of the independent role of the nursing profession in cancer care follow-up, with a view to

Mycobacterium biofilms: factors involved in development, dispersal, and therapeutic strategies against biofilm-relevant pathogens.

PubMed

Xiang, Xiaohong; Deng, Wanyan; Liu, Minqiang; Xie, Jianping

2014-01-01

Many bacteria can develop biofilm (BF), a multicellular structure largely combining bacteria and their extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). The formation of biofilm results in an alternative existence in which microbes ensure their survival in adverse environments. Biofilm-relevant infections are more persistent, resistant to most antibiotics, and more recalcitrant to host immunity. Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis, can develop biofilm, though whether M. tuberculosis can form biofilm within tuberculosis patients has yet to be determined. Here, we summarize the factors involved in the development and dispersal of mycobacterial biofilms, as well as underlying regulatory factors and inhibitors against biofilm to deepen our understanding of their development and to elucidate potential novel modes of action for future antibiotics. Key factors in biofilm formation identified as drug targets represent a novel and promising avenue for developing better antibiotics.

Are Outness and Community Involvement Risk or Protective Factors for Alcohol and Drug Abuse Among Sexual Minority Women?

PubMed

Feinstein, Brian A; Dyar, Christina; London, Bonita

2017-07-01

Sexual minority women (SMW) are at increased risk for substance abuse compared to heterosexual women. Two psychosocial factors that have been implicated in SMW's substance abuse are outness and LGBT community involvement, but findings have been mixed as to whether these are risk or protective factors. One possible explanation is that they may have different consequences for subgroups of SMW (lesbians, bisexual women, and queer women). While being open about one's sexual orientation and involved in the community may be protective for lesbians, discrimination against bisexual women may lead these same factors to contribute to substance abuse for bisexual women. It is unclear how these associations will operate for queer women, given limited research on this subpopulation. The current study examined whether sexual identity moderated the associations between outness and community involvement with alcohol and drug abuse. We also examined whether perceived discrimination would help explain why these associations may be different for subgroups of SMW. A sample of 288 self-identified SMW (113 lesbians, 106 bisexual women, and 69 queer women) completed an online survey. Higher outness was associated with higher alcohol and drug abuse for bisexual women, but not for lesbians or queer women. Similarly, higher community involvement was associated with higher drug abuse for bisexual women, but not for lesbians or queer women. Among bisexual women, the association between community involvement and drug abuse was mediated by perceived discrimination. Further, the association between outness and drug abuse was mediated by both community involvement and perceived discrimination. Findings demonstrate that outness and community involvement function as risk factors for substance abuse for bisexual women, in part due to their associations with discrimination.

Factors associated with civilian drivers involved in crashes with emergency vehicles.

PubMed

Drucker, Christopher; Gerberich, Susan G; Manser, Michael P; Alexander, Bruce H; Church, Timothy R; Ryan, Andrew D; Becic, Ensar

2013-06-01

Motor vehicle crashes involving civilian and emergency vehicles (EVs) have been a known problem that contributes to fatal and nonfatal injuries; however, characteristics associated with civilian drivers have not been examined adequately. This study used data from The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality Analysis Reporting System and the National Automotive Sampling System General Estimates System to identify driver, roadway, environmental, and crash factors, and consequences for civilian drivers involved in fatal and nonfatal crashes with in-use and in-transport EVs. In general, drivers involved in emergency-civilian crashes (ECCs) were more often driving: straight through intersections (vs. same direction) of four-points or more (vs. not at intersection); where traffic signals were present (vs. no traffic control device); and at night (vs. midday). For nonfatal ECCs, drivers were more often driving: distracted (vs. not distracted); with vision obstructed by external objects (vs. no obstruction); on dark but lighted roads (vs. daylight); and in opposite directions (vs. same directions) of the EVs. Consequences included increased risk of injury (vs. no injury) and receiving traffic violations (vs. no violation). Fatal ECCs were associated with driving on urban roads (vs. rural), although these types of crashes were less likely to occur on dark roads (vs. daylight). The findings of this study suggest drivers may have difficulties in visually detecting EVs in different environments. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors associated with sex work involvement among transgender women in Jamaica: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Logie, Carmen H; Wang, Ying; Lacombe-Duncan, Ashley; Jones, Nicolette; Ahmed, Uzma; Levermore, Kandasi; Neil, Ava; Ellis, Tyrone; Bryan, Nicolette; Marshall, Annecka; Newman, Peter A

2017-04-06

Transgender women are disproportionately impacted by HIV. Transgender women involved in sex work may experience exacerbated violence, social exclusion, and HIV vulnerabilities, in comparison with non-sex work-involved transgender women. Scant research has investigated sex work among transgender women in the Caribbean, including Jamaica, where transgender women report pervasive violence. The study objective was to examine factors associated with sex work involvement among transgender women in Jamaica. In 2015, we implemented a cross-sectional survey using modified peer-driven recruitment with transgender women in Kingston and Ocho Rios, Jamaica, in collaboration with a local community-based AIDS service organization. We conducted multivariable logistic regression analyses to identify factors associated with paid sex and transactional sex. Exchanging oral, anal or vaginal sex for money only was categorized as paid sex. Exchanging sex for survival needs (food, accommodation, transportation), drugs or alcohol, or for money along with survival needs and/or drugs/alcohol, was categorized as transactional sex. Among 137 transgender women (mean age: 24.0 [SD: 4.5]), two-thirds reported living in the Kingston area. Overall, 25.2% reported being HIV-positive. Approximately half (n = 71; 51.82%) reported any sex work involvement, this included sex in exchange for: money (n = 64; 47.06%); survival needs (n = 27; 19.85%); and drugs/alcohol (n = 6; 4.41%). In multivariable analyses, paid sex and transactional sex were both associated with: intrapersonal (depression), interpersonal (lower social support, forced sex, childhood sexual abuse, intimate partner violence, multiple partners/polyamory), and structural (transgender stigma, unemployment) factors. Participants reporting transactional sex also reported increased odds of incarceration perceived to be due to transgender identity, forced sex, homelessness, and lower resilience, in comparison with participants reporting

Factors associated with sex work involvement among transgender women in Jamaica: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Logie, Carmen H; Wang, Ying; Lacombe-Duncan, Ashley; Jones, Nicolette; Ahmed, Uzma; Levermore, Kandasi; Neil, Ava; Ellis, Tyrone; Bryan, Nicolette; Marshall, Annecka; Newman, Peter A

2017-01-01

Abstract Introduction: Transgender women are disproportionately impacted by HIV. Transgender women involved in sex work may experience exacerbated violence, social exclusion, and HIV vulnerabilities, in comparison with non-sex work-involved transgender women. Scant research has investigated sex work among transgender women in the Caribbean, including Jamaica, where transgender women report pervasive violence. The study objective was to examine factors associated with sex work involvement among transgender women in Jamaica. Methods: In 2015, we implemented a cross-sectional survey using modified peer-driven recruitment with transgender women in Kingston and Ocho Rios, Jamaica, in collaboration with a local community-based AIDS service organization. We conducted multivariable logistic regression analyses to identify factors associated with paid sex and transactional sex. Exchanging oral, anal or vaginal sex for money only was categorized as paid sex. Exchanging sex for survival needs (food, accommodation, transportation), drugs or alcohol, or for money along with survival needs and/or drugs/alcohol, was categorized as transactional sex. Results: Among 137 transgender women (mean age: 24.0 [SD: 4.5]), two-thirds reported living in the Kingston area. Overall, 25.2% reported being HIV-positive. Approximately half (n = 71; 51.82%) reported any sex work involvement, this included sex in exchange for: money (n = 64; 47.06%); survival needs (n = 27; 19.85%); and drugs/alcohol (n = 6; 4.41%). In multivariable analyses, paid sex and transactional sex were both associated with: intrapersonal (depression), interpersonal (lower social support, forced sex, childhood sexual abuse, intimate partner violence, multiple partners/polyamory), and structural (transgender stigma, unemployment) factors. Participants reporting transactional sex also reported increased odds of incarceration perceived to be due to transgender identity, forced sex, homelessness, and lower resilience

Epistaxis: the factors involved in determining medicolegal liability.

PubMed

Khan, Mohemmed N; Blake, Danielle M; Vazquez, Alejandro; Setzen, Michael; Baredes, Soly; Eloy, Jean Anderson

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine litigation involving epistaxis and analyze factors that determine liability. Jury verdicts and settlements regarding cases involving epistaxis were gathered utilizing the Westlaw database. Factors involved in litigation gathered included demographics, defendant specialty, procedure, alleged cause of malpractice, outcome, monetary award, and other variables. A total of 26 cases were analyzed. The majority of cases (57.7%) were decided in favor of the plaintiff or settled out of court. Total awards amounted to $24,501,252. Average awards for cases decided in favor of the plaintiff were $2,260,893 and ranged from $499,845 to $9,022,643. Settlements averaged $1,084,375 and ranged from $300,000 to $3,800,000. Common causes of malpractice encountered included delay in diagnosis, complications from medical procedures, and failure to recognize complications in a timely manner. Contrary to previous reports analyzing malpractice for varying medical procedures and complications, litigation in epistaxis is more commonly resolved in favor of the plaintiff or resolved through out-of-court settlements. Substantial financial awards and therapeutic complications from blindness to death make epistaxis a candidate for litigation. Of importance from a medicolegal stand is the fact that 30.8% (8) of the patients involved in epistaxis litigation died, either from complications of therapy or from experiencing epistaxis as a complication of another procedure/pathology. Using necessary diagnostic imaging, ensuring proper management techniques, and recognizing complications in a timely manner can serve to limit legal liability and enhance patient safety. © 2013 ARS-AAOA, LLC.

Teacher Involvement as a Protective Factor from the Association between Race-Based Bullying and Smoking Initiation.

PubMed

Earnshaw, Valerie A; Rosenthal, Lisa; Carroll-Scott, Amy; Peters, Susan M; McCaslin, Catherine; Ickovics, Jeannette R

2014-06-01

Experiencing bullying as a victim is associated with negative health and health behavior outcomes, including substance use, among adolescents. However, understandings of protective factors - factors that enhance adolescents' resilience to the negative consequences of bullying - remain limited. The current study investigates whether teacher involvement protects adolescent students from the association between being bullied due to race and smoking initiation. Students were recruited from 12 Kindergarten through 8 th grade schools in an urban school district in the Northeast United States. The analytic sample included 769 students who responded to surveys in 5 th or 6 th grade (2009), and two years later in 7 th or 8 th grade (2011). Students primarily identified as Latino and/or Black, and 90% were eligible for free or reduced lunch. Fifty-four (7%) students initiated smoking between survey time points. Among students reporting lower teacher involvement, race-based bullying was associated with higher likelihood of smoking initiation (OR = 1.69, p = .03). In contrast, among students reporting higher teacher involvement, racebased bullying was not associated with higher likelihood of smoking initiation (OR = 0.95, p = .81). Results suggest that teacher involvement may protect students from the association between race-based bullying and smoking initiation. Enhancing teacher involvement among students experiencing race-based bullying in schools may limit smoking initiation.

Genome-wide characterization and expression analysis of citrus NUCLEAR FACTOR-Y (NF-Y) transcription factors identified a novel NF-YA gene involved in drought-stress response and tolerance.

PubMed

Pereira, Suzam L S; Martins, Cristina P S; Sousa, Aurizangela O; Camillo, Luciana R; Araújo, Caroline P; Alcantara, Grazielle M; Camargo, Danielle S; Cidade, Luciana C; de Almeida, Alex-Alan F; Costa, Marcio G C

2018-01-01

Nuclear factor Y (NF-Y) is a ubiquitous transcription factor found in eukaryotes. It is composed of three distinct subunits called NF-YA, NF-YB and NF-YC. NF-Ys have been identified as key regulators of multiple pathways in the control of development and tolerance to biotic and abiotic factors. The present study aimed to identify and characterize the complete repertoire of genes coding for NF-Y in citrus, as well as to perform the functional characterization of one of its members, namely CsNFYA5, in transgenic tobacco plants. A total of 22 genes coding for NF-Y were identified in the genomes of sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) and Clementine mandarin (C. clementina), including six CsNF-YAs, 11 CsNF-YBs and five CsNF-YCs. Phylogenetic analyses showed that there is a NF-Y orthologous in the Clementine genome for each sweet orange NF-Y gene; this was not observed when compared to Arabidopsis thaliana. CsNF-Y proteins shared the same conserved domains with their orthologous proteins in other organisms, including mouse. Analysis of gene expression by RNA-seq and EST data demonstrated that CsNF-Ys have a tissue-specific and stress inducible expression profile. qRT-PCR analysis revealed that CsNF-YA5 exhibits differential expression in response to water deficit in leaves and roots of citrus plants. Overexpression of CsNF-YA5 in transgenic tobacco plants contributed to the reduction of H2O2 production under dehydration conditions and increased plant growth and photosynthetic rate under normal conditions and drought stress. These biochemical and physiological responses to drought stress promoted by CsNF-YA5 may confer a productivity advantage in environments with frequent short-term soil water deficit.

Naturalistic Cycling Study: Identifying Risk Factors for On-Road Commuter Cyclists

PubMed Central

Johnson, Marilyn; Charlton, Judith; Oxley, Jennifer; Newstead, Stuart

2010-01-01

The study aim was to identify risk factors for collisions/near-collisions involving on-road commuter cyclists and drivers. A naturalistic cycling study was conducted in Melbourne, Australia, with cyclists wearing helmet-mounted video cameras. Video recordings captured cyclists’ perspective of the road and traffic behaviours including head checks, reactions and manoeuvres. The 100-car naturalistic driving study analysis technique was adapted for data analysis and events were classified by severity: collision, near-collision and incident. Participants were adult cyclists and each filmed 12 hours of commuter cycling trips over a 4-week period. In total, 127 hours and 38 minutes were analysed for 13 participants, 54 events were identified: 2 collisions, 6 near-collisions and 46 incidents. Prior to events, 88.9% of cyclists travelled in a safe/legal manner. Sideswipe was the most frequent event type (40.7%). Most events occurred at an intersection/intersection-related location (70.3%). The vehicle driver was judged at fault in the majority of events (87.0%) and no post-event driver reaction was observed (83.3%). Cross tabulations revealed significant associations between event severity and: cyclist reaction, cyclist post-event manoeuvre, pre-event driver behaviour, other vehicle involved, driver reaction, visual obstruction, cyclist head check (left), event type and vehicle location (p<0.05). Frequent head checks suggest cyclists had high situational awareness and their reactive behaviour to driver actions led to successful avoidance of collisions/near-collisions. Strategies to improve driver awareness of on-road cyclists and to indicate early before turning/changing lanes when sharing the roadway with cyclists are discussed. Findings will contribute to the development of effective countermeasures to reduce cyclist trauma. PMID:21050610

Naturalistic cycling study: identifying risk factors for on-road commuter cyclists.

PubMed

Johnson, Marilyn; Charlton, Judith; Oxley, Jennifer; Newstead, Stuart

2010-01-01

The study aim was to identify risk factors for collisions/near-collisions involving on-road commuter cyclists and drivers. A naturalistic cycling study was conducted in Melbourne, Australia, with cyclists wearing helmet-mounted video cameras. Video recordings captured cyclists' perspective of the road and traffic behaviours including head checks, reactions and manoeuvres. The 100-car naturalistic driving study analysis technique was adapted for data analysis and events were classified by severity: collision, near-collision and incident. Participants were adult cyclists and each filmed 12 hours of commuter cycling trips over a 4-week period. In total, 127 hours and 38 minutes were analysed for 13 participants, 54 events were identified: 2 collisions, 6 near-collisions and 46 incidents. Prior to events, 88.9% of cyclists travelled in a safe/legal manner. Sideswipe was the most frequent event type (40.7%). Most events occurred at an intersection/intersection-related location (70.3%). The vehicle driver was judged at fault in the majority of events (87.0%) and no post-event driver reaction was observed (83.3%). Cross tabulations revealed significant associations between event severity and: cyclist reaction, cyclist post-event manoeuvre, pre-event driver behaviour, other vehicle involved, driver reaction, visual obstruction, cyclist head check (left), event type and vehicle location (p<0.05). Frequent head checks suggest cyclists had high situational awareness and their reactive behaviour to driver actions led to successful avoidance of collisions/near-collisions. Strategies to improve driver awareness of on-road cyclists and to indicate early before turning/changing lanes when sharing the roadway with cyclists are discussed. Findings will contribute to the development of effective countermeasures to reduce cyclist trauma.

Stakeholders’ perceptions on factors influencing male involvement in prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV services in Blantyre, Malawi

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Male Involvement (MI) in the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) services is essential in a patriarchal society where men are decision makers of the household. Male partners have a role in the woman’s risk of acquiring HIV, uptake of HIV testing and participation in Mother to Child Transmission (MTCT) prevention programmes. Although MI is important for uptake of PMTCT interventions, it remains low in Africa. The purpose of this study was to identify factors that promote and hinder MI in PMTCT services in antenatal care (ANC) services in Blantyre, Malawi. Understanding of the factors that influence MI will assist in developing strategies that will involve men more in the programme thereby improving the uptake of PMTCT and HIV testing and counselling services by women and men respectively. Methods An exploratory qualitative study was conducted from December 2012 to January 2013 at South Lunzu Health Centre (SLHC) in Blantyre, Malawi. It consisted of six face to face Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with health care workers and four Focus Group discussions (FGDs) with 18 men and 17 pregnant women attending antenatal care at the clinic. The FGDs were divided according to sex and age. All FGDs and KIIs were digitally recorded and simultaneously transcribed and translated verbatim into English. Data were analysed using thematic content analysis. Results Participants in both FGDs and KIIs identified the following barriers: lack of knowledge of MI in PMTCT, socioeconomic factors, relationship issues, timidity to be seen in a woman’s domain, unplanned and or extramarital pregnancies, fear of knowing one's HIV status, unwillingness to be associated with the service, health facility based factors, peer influence and cultural factors. The factors that would potentially promote male involvement were categorized into community, health facility and personal or family level factors. Conclusions The factors that may

4-H Alumni: Techniques and Strategies of Identifying and Involving 4-H Alumni.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reese, Cheryl C.

Techniques and strategies of identifying and involving 4-H alumni are discussed and described via a model of the Tennessee 4-H Alumni, Inc., which began in 1975. Following an introduction, the guide begins with a section on finding and organizing alumni which encompasses alumni organizers (organizational decisions, model alumni association);…

[Rbf1 (RPG-box binding factor), a transcription factor involved in yeast-hyphal transition of Candida albicans].

PubMed

Aoki, Y; Ishii, N; Watanabe, M; Yoshihara, F; Arisawa, M

1998-01-01

The major fungal pathogen for fungal diseases which have become a major medical problem in the last few years is Candida albicans, which can grow both in yeast and hyphae forms. This ability of C. albicans is thought to contribute to its colonization and dissemination within host tissues. In a recent few years, accompanying the introduction of molecular biological tools into C. albicans organism, several factors involved in the signal transduction pathway for yeast-hyphal transition have been identified. One MAP kinase pathway in C. albicans, similar to that leading to STE12 activation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, has been reported. C. albicans strains mutant in these genes show retarded filamentous growth on a solid media but no impairment of filamentous growth in mice. These results suggest two scenarios that a kinase signaling cascade plays a part in stimulating the morphological transition in C. albicans, and that there would be another signaling pathway effective in animals. In this latter true hyphal pathway, although some candidate proteins, such as Efg1 (transcription factor), Int1 (integrin-like membrane protein), or Phr1 (pH-regulated membrane protein), have been identified, it is still too early to say that we understand the whole picture of that cascade. We have cloned a C. albicans gene encoding a novel DNA binding protein, Rbf1, that predominantly localizes in the nucleus, and shows transcriptional activation capability. Disruption of the functional RBF1 genes of C. albicans induced the filamentous growth on all solid and liquid media tested, suggesting that Rbf1 might be another candidate for the true hyphal pathway. Relationships with other factors described above, and the target (regulated) genes of Rbf1 is under investigation.

Novel genetic factors involved in resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis in Plutella xylostella.

PubMed

Ayra-Pardo, C; Raymond, B; Gulzar, A; Rodríguez-Cabrera, L; Morán-Bertot, I; Crickmore, N; Wright, D J

2015-12-01

The widespread and sustainable exploitation of the entomopathogen Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) in pest control is threatened by the evolution of resistance. Although resistance is often associated with loss of binding of the Bt toxins to the insect midgut cells, other factors have been implicated. Here we used suppressive subtractive hybridization and gene expression suppression to identify additional molecular components involved in Bt-resistance in Plutella xylostella. We isolated transcripts from genes that were differentially expressed in the midgut of larvae from a resistant population, following ingestion of a Bt kurstaki HD1 strain-based commercial formulation (DiPel), and compared with a genetically similar susceptible population. Quantitative real-time polymerase-chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis confirmed the differential basal expression of a subset of these genes. Gene expression suppression of three of these genes (P. xylostella cyclin-dependent kinase 5 regulatory subunit associated protein 1-like 1, stromal cell-derived factor 2-like 1 and hatching enzyme-like 1) significantly increased the pathogenicity of HD1 to the resistant population. In an attempt to link the multitude of factors reportedly influencing resistance to Bt with the well-characterized loss of toxin binding, we also considered Bt-resistance models in P. xylostella and other insects. © 2015 The Royal Entomological Society.

Identifying the substance abuse treatment needs of caregivers involved with child welfare.

PubMed

Chuang, Emmeline; Wells, Rebecca; Bellettiere, John; Cross, Theodore P

2013-07-01

Parental substance use significantly increases risk of child maltreatment, but is often under-identified by child protective services. This study examined how agency use of standardized substance use assessments and child welfare investigative caseworker education, experience, and caseload affected caseworkers' identification of parental substance abuse treatment needs. Data are from a national probability sample of permanent, primary caregivers involved with child protective services whose children initially remained at home and whose confidential responses on two validated instruments indicated harmful substance use or dependence. Investigative caseworkers reported use of a formal assessment in over two thirds of cases in which substance use was accurately identified. However, weighted logistic regression indicated that agency provision of standardized assessment instruments was not associated with caseworker identification of caregiver needs. Caseworkers were also less likely to identify substance abuse when their caseloads were high and when caregivers were fathers. Implications for agency practice are discussed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Identifying the Substance Abuse Treatment Needs of Caregivers Involved with Child Welfare

PubMed Central

Wells, Rebecca; Bellettiere, John; Cross, Theodore P.

2013-01-01

Parental substance use significantly increases risk of child maltreatment, but is often under-identified by child protective services. This study examined how agency use of standardized substance use assessments and child welfare investigative caseworker education, experience, and caseload affected caseworkers’ identification of parental substance abuse treatment needs. Data are from a national probability sample of permanent, primary caregivers involved with child protective services whose children initially remained at home and whose confidential responses on two validated instruments indicated harmful substance use or dependence. Investigative caseworkers reported use of a formal assessment in over two thirds of cases in which substance use was accurately identified. However, weighted logistic regression indicated that agency provision of standardized assessment instruments was not associated with caseworker identification of caregiver needs. Caseworkers were also less likely to identify substance abuse when their caseloads were high and when caregivers were fathers. Implications for agency practice are discussed. PMID:23453481

Risk Factors Associated with Renal Involvement in Childhood Henoch-Schönlein Purpura: A Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Chan, Han; Tang, Yan-Ling; Lv, Xiao-Hang; Zhang, Gao-Fu; Wang, Mo; Yang, Hai-Ping; Li, Qiu

2016-01-01

Background and objective Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) is an important cause of chronic kidney disease in children. This meta-analysis identified risk factors associated with renal involvement in childhood HSP. Methods PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science were searched. The quality of all eligible studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale criteria. An analysis of possible risk factors was conducted to report the odds ratio (OR) and weighted mean difference (WMD). Results Thirteen studies (2398 children) revealed 20 possible and 13 significant risk factors associated with renal involvement in HSP, with the following meta-analysis estimates of OR and WMD, with 95% confidence intervals: older age (0.90, 0.61–1.19); age > 10 y (3.13, 1.39–7.07); male gender (1.36, 1.07–1.74); abdominal pain (1.94,1.24–3.04); gastrointestinal bleeding (1.86, 1.30–2.65); severe bowel angina (3.38, 1.17–9.80); persistent purpura (4.02, 1.22–13.25); relapse (4.70, 2.42–9.14); WBC > 15 × 109/L (2.42, 1.39–4.22); platelets > 500 × 109/L (2.98, 1.22–7.25); elevated antistreptolysin O (ASO) (2.17, 1.29–3.64); and decreased complement component 3 (C3) (3.13, 1.62–6.05). Factors not significantly associated with renal involvement were: blood pressure; orchitis; elevated C-reactive protein; elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR); and elevated serum IgA/IgE or IgG. Arthritis/arthralgia may be a risk factor according to the criteria of the American College of Rheumatology (1.41, 1.01–1.96). Conclusion The following are associated with renal involvement in pediatric HSP: male gender; > 10 y old; severe gastrointestinal symptoms (abdominal pain, gastrointestinal bleeding, and severe bowel angina); arthritis/arthralgia; persistent purpura or relapse; WBC > 15 × 109/L; platelets > 500 × 109/L; elevated ASO; and low C3. Relevant clinical interventions for these risk factors may exert positive effects on the prevention of kidney disease during the early

Identifying influential factors of business process performance using dependency analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wetzstein, Branimir; Leitner, Philipp; Rosenberg, Florian; Dustdar, Schahram; Leymann, Frank

2011-02-01

We present a comprehensive framework for identifying influential factors of business process performance. In particular, our approach combines monitoring of process events and Quality of Service (QoS) measurements with dependency analysis to effectively identify influential factors. The framework uses data mining techniques to construct tree structures to represent dependencies of a key performance indicator (KPI) on process and QoS metrics. These dependency trees allow business analysts to determine how process KPIs depend on lower-level process metrics and QoS characteristics of the IT infrastructure. The structure of the dependencies enables a drill-down analysis of single factors of influence to gain a deeper knowledge why certain KPI targets are not met.

Factors Affecting Adolescents' Involvement in Cyberbullying: What Divides the 20% from the 80%?

PubMed

Shin, Namin; Ahn, Hwasil

2015-07-01

Despite some variations among cyberbullying studies, about 20% of the youth population surveyed appears to be involved in cyberbullying. Coincidentally, the current study found that exactly 20% of the students surveyed were involved in cyberbullying as bullies (7.8%), victims (7.5%), and bully/victims (4.7%). What divides those 20% from the 80% of noninvolved students? This study aimed to produce a parsimonious and accurate model that can predict the occurrence of involvement in cyberbullying among youth. Data were collected from a questionnaire survey administered to 1,036 students enrolled in secondary schools in South Korea. Stepwise logistic regression (SLR) was carried out to predict the dichotomous dependent variable (involved/noninvolved) with 10 independent variables grouped into three categories: (a) demographic, (b) media-related, and (c) school and psychology factors. The result of the SLR analysis yielded a four-step model including the variables of cyber-confidence, weekday game time, mobile activities, and age as being significant in explaining the 20/80 division (model χ(2)=34.306, df=4, p<0.001, Nagelkerke R(2)=0.071). This finding suggests that younger students who spend more time playing games on weekdays while being more confident in cyberspace and active in using mobile phones are more likely to be involved in cyberbullying than other students. In particular, the construct of cyber-confidence calls for further elaboration and research, given its controversial function with respect to adolescents' involvement in cyberbullying. Also, this study may bring about insights into practical considerations needed for concerned researchers, teachers, and parents to identify who is inside the group involved in cyberbullying so as to help the participating adolescents escape from the circle of cyberbullying.

Identifying Unstable Regions of Proteins Involved in Misfolding Diseases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guest, Will; Cashman, Neil; Plotkin, Steven

2009-05-01

Protein misfolding is a necessary step in the pathogenesis of many diseases, including Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) and familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (fALS). Identifying unstable structural elements in their causative proteins elucidates the early events of misfolding and presents targets for inhibition of the disease process. An algorithm was developed to calculate the Gibbs free energy of unfolding for all sequence-contiguous regions of a protein using three methods to parameterize energy changes: a modified G=o model, changes in solvent-accessible surface area, and all-atoms molecular dynamics. The entropic effects of disulfide bonds and post-translational modifications are treated analytically. It incorporates a novel method for finding local dielectric constants inside a protein to accurately handle charge effects. We have predicted the unstable parts of prion protein and superoxide dismutase 1, the proteins involved in CJD and fALS respectively, and have used these regions as epitopes to prepare antibodies that are specific to the misfolded conformation and show promise as therapeutic agents.

Environmental Volunteers: Factors Influencing Their Involvement in Environmental Action

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liarakou, Georgia; Kostelou, Eleni; Gavrilakis, Costas

2011-01-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate the factors that influence volunteers to become involved in environmental action. The research focused on volunteers undertaking action in summer camps organised by an environmental non-governmental organisation (NGO) in Greece. The results suggest that the environmental issues addressed in volunteer…

Traffic Accidents Involving Cyclists Identifying Causal Factors Using Questionnaire Survey, Traffic Accident Data, and Real-World Observation.

PubMed

Oikawa, Shoko; Hirose, Toshiya; Aomura, Shigeru; Matsui, Yasuhiro

2016-11-01

The purpose of this study is to clarify the mechanism of traffic accidents involving cyclists. The focus is on the characteristics of cyclist accidents and scenarios, because the number of traffic accidents involving cyclists in Tokyo is the highest in Japan. First, dangerous situations in traffic incidents were investigated by collecting data from 304 cyclists in one city in Tokyo using a questionnaire survey. The survey indicated that cyclists used their bicycles generally while commuting to work or school in the morning. Second, the study investigated the characteristics of 250 accident situations involving cyclists that happened in the city using real-world bicycle accident data. The results revealed that the traffic accidents occurred at intersections of local streets, where cyclists collided most often with vehicles during commute time in the morning. Third, cyclists' behavior was observed at a local street intersection in the morning in the city using video pictures. In one hour during the morning commute period, 250 bicycles passed through the intersection. The results indicated that one of the reasons for traffic accidents involving cyclists might be the combined effect of low visibility, caused by the presence of box-like building structures close to the intersections, and the cyclists' behavior in terms of their velocity and no confirming safety. It was observed that, on average, bicycle velocity was 3.1 m/s at the initial line of an intersection. The findings from this study could be useful in developing new technologies to improve cyclist safety, such as alert devices for cyclists and vehicle drivers, wireless communication systems between cyclists and vehicle drivers, or advanced vehicles with bicycle detection and collision mitigation systems.

Microarray analysis identified Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici genes involved in infection and sporulation.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst) causes stripe rust, one of the most important diseases of wheat worldwide. To identify Pst genes involved in infection and sporulation, a custom oligonucleotide Genechip was made using sequences of 442 genes selected from Pst cDNA libraries. Microarray analy...

Identifying Causal Risk Factors for Violence among Discharged Patients

PubMed Central

Coid, Jeremy W.; Kallis, Constantinos; Doyle, Mike; Shaw, Jenny; Ullrich, Simone

2015-01-01

Background Structured Professional Judgement (SPJ) is routinely administered in mental health and criminal justice settings but cannot identify violence risk above moderate accuracy. There is no current evidence that violence can be prevented using SPJ. This may be explained by routine application of predictive instead of causal statistical models when standardising SPJ instruments. Methods We carried out a prospective cohort study of 409 male and female patients discharged from medium secure services in England and Wales to the community. Measures were taken at baseline (pre-discharge), 6 and 12 months post-discharge using the Historical, Clinical and Risk-20 items version 3 (HCR-20v3) and Structural Assessment of Protective Factors (SAPROF). Information on violence was obtained via the McArthur community violence instrument and the Police National Computer. Results In a lagged model, HCR-20v3 and SAPROF items were poor predictors of violence. Eight items of the HCR-20v3 and 4 SAPROF items did not predict violent behaviour better than chance. In re-analyses considering temporal proximity of risk/ protective factors (exposure) on violence (outcome), risk was elevated due to violent ideation (OR 6.98, 95% CI 13.85–12.65, P<0.001), instability (OR 5.41, 95% CI 3.44–8.50, P<0.001), and poor coping/ stress (OR 8.35, 95% CI 4.21–16.57, P<0.001). All 3 risk factors were explanatory variables which drove the association with violent outcome. Self-control (OR 0.13, 95% CI 0.08–0.24, P<0.001) conveyed protective effects and explained the association of other protective factors with violence. Conclusions Using two standardised SPJ instruments, predictive (lagged) methods could not identify risk and protective factors which must be targeted in interventions for discharged patients with severe mental illness. Predictive methods should be abandoned if the aim is to progress from risk assessment to effective risk management and replaced by methods which identify factors

Factors Influencing Parental Involvement Among Minors Seeking an Abortion: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Dekleva, Anna; Tristan, Sigrid; Gilliam, Melissa L.

2014-01-01

Objectives. We explored factors that influenced whether minors involved or excluded a parent when seeking an abortion. Methods. In the summer of 2010, we conducted interviews with 30 minors who sought an abortion in a state that did not require parental involvement at the time. Interviews were coded and analyzed following the principles of the grounded theory method. Results. The majority of minors involved a parent. Commonly cited factors were close or supportive parental relationships, a sense that disclosure was inevitable, a need for practical assistance, and compelled disclosure. Motivations for not wanting to involve a parent, although some minors ultimately did, included preservation of the parent–daughter relationship, fear or detachment, and preservation of autonomy. Conclusions. Minors were motivated to involve parents and other adults who were engaged in their lives at the time of the pregnancy, particularly those who supported them in obtaining an abortion. Motivations to exclude a parent were often based on particular family circumstances or experiences that suggested that involvement would not be helpful, might be harmful, or might restrict a minor’s ability to obtain an abortion. PMID:25211726

Using factor analysis to identify neuromuscular synergies during treadmill walking

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Merkle, L. A.; Layne, C. S.; Bloomberg, J. J.; Zhang, J. J.

1998-01-01

Neuroscientists are often interested in grouping variables to facilitate understanding of a particular phenomenon. Factor analysis is a powerful statistical technique that groups variables into conceptually meaningful clusters, but remains underutilized by neuroscience researchers presumably due to its complicated concepts and procedures. This paper illustrates an application of factor analysis to identify coordinated patterns of whole-body muscle activation during treadmill walking. Ten male subjects walked on a treadmill (6.4 km/h) for 20 s during which surface electromyographic (EMG) activity was obtained from the left side sternocleidomastoid, neck extensors, erector spinae, and right side biceps femoris, rectus femoris, tibialis anterior, and medial gastrocnemius. Factor analysis revealed 65% of the variance of seven muscles sampled aligned with two orthogonal factors, labeled 'transition control' and 'loading'. These two factors describe coordinated patterns of muscular activity across body segments that would not be evident by evaluating individual muscle patterns. The results show that factor analysis can be effectively used to explore relationships among muscle patterns across all body segments to increase understanding of the complex coordination necessary for smooth and efficient locomotion. We encourage neuroscientists to consider using factor analysis to identify coordinated patterns of neuromuscular activation that would be obscured using more traditional EMG analyses.

Factors Predictive of Sentinel Lymph Node Involvement in Primary Breast Cancer.

PubMed

Malter, Wolfram; Hellmich, Martin; Badian, Mayhar; Kirn, Verena; Mallmann, Peter; Krämer, Stefan

2018-06-01

Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has replaced axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) for axillary staging in patients with early-stage breast cancer. The need for therapeutic ALND is the subject of ongoing debate especially after the publication of the ACOSOG Z0011 trial. In a retrospective trial with univariate and multivariate analyses, factors predictive of sentinel lymph node involvement should be analyzed in order to define tumor characteristics of breast cancer patients, where SLNB should not be spared to receive important indicators for adjuvant treatment decisions (e.g. thoracic wall irradiation after mastectomy with or without reconstruction). Between 2006 and 2010, 1,360 patients with primary breast cancer underwent SLNB with/without ALND with evaluation of tumor localization, multicentricity and multifocality, histological subtype, tumor size, grading, lymphovascular invasion (LVI), and estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 status. These characteristics were retrospectively analyzed in univariate and multivariate logistic regression models to define significant predictive factors for sentinel lymph node involvement. The multivariate analysis demonstrated that tumor size and LVI (p<0.001) were independent predictive factors for metastatic sentinel lymph node involvement in patients with early-stage breast cancer. Because of the increased risk for metastatic involvement of axillary sentinel nodes in cases with larger breast cancer or diagnosis of LVI, patients with these breast cancer characteristics should not be spared from SLNB in a clinically node-negative situation in order to avoid false-negative results with a high potential for wrong indication of primary breast reconstruction or wrong non-indication of necessary post-mastectomy radiation therapy. The prognostic impact of avoidance of axillary staging with SLNB is analyzed in the ongoing prospective INSEMA trial. Copyright© 2018, International

The influence of patient factors on patient-reported outcomes of orthopedic surgery involving implantable devices: a systematic review.

PubMed

Waheeb, Androu; Zywiel, Michael G; Palaganas, Marvilyn; Venkataramanan, Viji; Davis, Aileen M

2015-02-01

Recent evidence suggests that patient factors can influence response to medical and surgical treatment and may play an under-recognized role in predicting treatment outcomes. However, the current state of knowledge concerning potential associations following orthopedic surgery in particular is unclear. The purpose of the present study was to systematically review current literature to investigate the currently known associations between pre-operative patient factors and patient-reported outcomes following orthopedic surgery. A systematic review was performed of the PubMed database to identify original studies that investigated the relationships between one or more patient factors and patient-reported outcomes of primary orthopedic surgical procedures involving implantation of a medical device. A total of 10,174 records were identified, with 83 studies included in the final review. The most commonly assessed patient factors included age, sex, and body mass index (BMI), reported in 63%, 55%, and 48% of studies, respectively. The only other patient factors identified were socioeconomic status and race, both of which were assessed in a single study. Considerable heterogeneity was observed in the methods used to stratify subjects by patient factors, patient-reported outcome constructs assessed, and follow-up intervals. Only 10% of studies performed appropriate sample size or power calculations, only 51% used methodologies to control for potentially confounding factors, and 6% assessed responder status. Overall, variable and conflicting findings were seen. While female sex and increasing BMI did appear to be associated with worse absolute outcomes, these differences did not appear to be maintained when differences in baseline status were considered. No clear associations between age and outcomes were identified. The present understanding of these relationships between patient factors and patient-reported outcomes following orthopedic surgery is limited. There is a need

Genome-wide strategies identify downstream target genes of chick connective tissue-associated transcription factors.

PubMed

Orgeur, Mickael; Martens, Marvin; Leonte, Georgeta; Nassari, Sonya; Bonnin, Marie-Ange; Börno, Stefan T; Timmermann, Bernd; Hecht, Jochen; Duprez, Delphine; Stricker, Sigmar

2018-03-29

Connective tissues support organs and play crucial roles in development, homeostasis and fibrosis, yet our understanding of their formation is still limited. To gain insight into the molecular mechanisms of connective tissue specification, we selected five zinc-finger transcription factors - OSR1, OSR2, EGR1, KLF2 and KLF4 - based on their expression patterns and/or known involvement in connective tissue subtype differentiation. RNA-seq and ChIP-seq profiling of chick limb micromass cultures revealed a set of common genes regulated by all five transcription factors, which we describe as a connective tissue core expression set. This common core was enriched with genes associated with axon guidance and myofibroblast signature, including fibrosis-related genes. In addition, each transcription factor regulated a specific set of signalling molecules and extracellular matrix components. This suggests a concept whereby local molecular niches can be created by the expression of specific transcription factors impinging on the specification of local microenvironments. The regulatory network established here identifies common and distinct molecular signatures of limb connective tissue subtypes, provides novel insight into the signalling pathways governing connective tissue specification, and serves as a resource for connective tissue development. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Factors Affecting Teen Involvement in Pennsylvania 4-H Programming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gill, Bart E.; Ewing, John C.; Bruce, Jacklyn A.

2010-01-01

The study reported here determined the factors that affect teen involvement in 4-H programming. The design of the study was descriptive and correlational in nature. Using a purposive sampling procedure, a survey questionnaire was distributed to all (N=214) 4-H members attending the 4-H State Leadership Conference. The major findings of the study…

Application of wide selected-ion monitoring data-independent acquisition to identify tomato fruit proteins regulated by the CUTIN DEFICIENT2 transcription factor

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

We describe here the use of label-free wide selected-ion monitoring data-independent acquisition (WiSIM-DIA) to identify proteins that are involved in the formation of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit cuticles and that are regulated by the transcription factor CUTIN DEFICIENT2 (CD2). A spectral l...

Factors associated with involvement in nonmetropolitan LGBTQ organizations: Proximity? Generativity? Minority stress? Social location?

PubMed

Paceley, Megan S; Oswald, Ramona Faith; Hardesty, Jennifer L

2014-01-01

Little is known about involvement in LGBTQ organizations. Factors associated with involvement in nonmetropolitan LGBTQ organizations were examined using logistic regression and survey data from 426 LGBTQ individuals residing in a nonmetropolitan region. Involvement was examined in five types of organizations (professional, social/recreational, religious, political, and community center/charity). The same model testing proximity, generativity, minority stress, and social location hypotheses was repeated for each organization type. Results demonstrate that the generativity hypothesis is most strongly supported. Indeed, emotional attachment to the LGBTQ community significantly increased the odds of involvement in every type of organization. However, the factors associated with involvement otherwise differed by organization type. Implications for organizational leaders are discussed.

Factors leading to the involvement of Forensic Advisors in the Belgian criminal justice system.

PubMed

Bitzer, Sonja

2018-04-01

Forensic Advisors at the National Institute for Criminalistics and Criminology in Brussels act as advising body to the magistrate regarding analytical possibilities and the usefulness of trace analysis in a case. Initially, their function was devised to assist in complex murder cases with unknown offender. However, in a previous study, the increasing diversity of the cases they are requested for has been observed (Bitzer et al., in press). In order to deepen our understanding of the decision steps in the criminal investigation process, the decision to involve a Forensic Advisor and the factors leading to their involvement were evaluated. The study focused on homicide, robbery and burglary cases with and without requests for a Forensic Advisor between January 2014 and June 2016. The factors were categorised into five knowledge dimensions: strategic, immediate, physical, criminal and utility. Decision tree modelling was carried out in order to identify the factors influencing the request for a Forensic Advisor in the case. The decision to request a Forensic Advisor differs between different types of offences. It also depends on the complexity of the case in terms of the number of traces and objects collected at the crime scene, and the availability of witness reports. Indeed, Forensic Advisors take the role of trace analysis coordinator by providing an overview of all available traces, objects, analyses and results. According to the principal implication factors and the performed case study, the contribution of Forensic Advisors consists mainly in summarising all information and advise on potential additional analyses. This might be explained by a loss of overview of the information and the possibilities regarding trace analysis by the magistrate responsible of the case. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Identifying the participant characteristics that predict recruitment and retention of participants to randomised controlled trials involving children: a systematic review.

PubMed

Robinson, Louise; Adair, Pauline; Coffey, Margaret; Harris, Rebecca; Burnside, Girvan

2016-06-22

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) are recommended as the 'gold standard' in evaluating health care interventions. The conduct of RCTs is often impacted by difficulties surrounding recruitment and retention of participants in both adult and child populations. Factors influencing recruitment and retention of children to RCTs can be more complex than in adults. There is little synthesised evidence of what influences participation in research involving parents and children. To identify predictors of recruitment and retention in RCTs involving children. A systematic review of RCTs was conducted to synthesise the available evidence. An electronic search strategy was applied to four databases and restricted to English language publications. Quantitative studies reporting participant predictors of recruitment and retention in RCTs involving children aged 0-12 were identified. Data was extracted and synthesised narratively. Quality assessment of articles was conducted using a structured tool developed from two existing quality evaluation checklists. Twenty-eight studies were included in the review. Of the 154 participant factors reported, 66 were found to be significant predictors of recruitment and retention in at least one study. These were classified as parent, child, family and neighbourhood characteristics. Parent characteristics (e.g. ethnicity, age, education, socioeconomic status (SES)) were the most commonly reported predictors of participation for both recruitment and retention. Being young, less educated, of an ethnic minority and having low SES appear to be barriers to participation in RCTs although there was little agreement between studies. When analysed according to setting and severity of the child's illness there appeared to be little variation between groups. The quality of the studies varied. Articles adhered well to reporting guidelines around provision of a scientific rationale for the study and background information as well as displaying good

Identifying critical success factors (CSFs) of implementing building information modeling (BIM) in Malaysian construction industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yaakob, Mazri; Ali, Wan Nur Athirah Wan; Radzuan, Kamaruddin

2016-08-01

Building Information Modeling (BIM) is defined as existing from the earliest concept to demolition and it involves creating and using an intelligent 3D model to inform and communicate project decisions. This research aims to identify the critical success factors (CSFs) of BIM implementation in Malaysian construction industry. A literature review was done to explore previous BIM studies on definitions and history of BIM, construction issues, application of BIM in construction projects as well as benefits of BIM. A series of interviews with multidisciplinary Malaysian construction experts will be conducted purposely for data collection process guided by the research design and methodology approach of this study. The analysis of qualitative data from the process will be combined with criteria identified in the literature review in order to identify the CSFs. Finally, the CSFs of BIM implementation will be validated by further Malaysian industrialists during a workshop. The validated CSFs can be used as a term of reference for both Malaysian practitioners and academics towards measuring BIM effectiveness level in their organizations.

Involvement of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor in Late-Life Depression

PubMed Central

Dwivedi, Yogesh

2013-01-01

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), one of the major neurotrophic factors, plays an important role in the maintenance and survival of neurons, synaptic integrity, and synaptic plasticity. Evidence suggests that BDNF is involved in major depression, such that the level of BDNF is decreased in depressed patients and that antidepressants reverse this decrease. Stress, a major factor in depression, also modulates BDNF expression. These studies have led to the proposal of the neurotrophin hypothesis of depression. Late-life depression is associated with disturbances in structural and neural plasticity as well as impairments in cognitive behavior. Stress and aging also play a crucial role in late-life depression. Many recent studies have suggested that not only expression of BDNF is decreased in the serum/plasma of patients with late-life depression, but structural abnormalities in the brain of these patients may be associated with a polymorphism in the BDNF gene, and that there is a relationship between a BDNF polymorphism and antidepressant remission rates. This review provides a critical review of the involvement of BDNF in major depression, in general, and in late-life depression, in particular. PMID:23570887

Identifying molecular subtypes related to clinicopathologic factors in pancreatic cancer

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most lethal tumors and usually presented with locally advanced and distant metastasis disease, which prevent curative resection or treatments. In this regard, we considered identifying molecular subtypes associated with clinicopathological factor as prognosis factors to stratify PDAC for appropriate treatment of patients. Results In this study, we identified three molecular subtypes which were significant on survival time and metastasis. We also identified significant genes and enriched pathways represented for each molecular subtype. Considering R0 resection patients included in each subtype, metastasis and survival times are significantly associated with subtype 1 and subtype 2. Conclusions We observed three PDAC molecular subtypes and demonstrated that those subtypes were significantly related with metastasis and survival time. The study may have utility in stratifying patients for cancer treatment. PMID:25560450

Diapause in tardigrades: a study of factors involved in encystment.

PubMed

Guidetti, Roberto; Boschini, Deborah; Altiero, Tiziana; Bertolani, Roberto; Rebecchi, Lorena

2008-07-01

Stressful environmental conditions limit survival, growth and reproduction, or these conditions induce resting stages indicated as dormancy. Tardigrades represent one of the few animal phyla able to perform both forms of dormancy: quiescence and diapause. Different forms of cryptobiosis (quiescence) are widespread and well studied, while little attention has been devoted to the adaptive meaning of encystment (diapause). Our goal was to determine the environmental factors and token stimuli involved in the encystment process of tardigrades. The eutardigrade Amphibolus volubilis, a species able to produce two types of cyst (type 1 and type 2), was considered. Laboratory experiments and long-term studies on cyst dynamics of a natural population were conducted. Laboratory experiments demonstrated that active tardigrades collected in April produced mainly type 2 cysts, whereas animals collected in November produced mainly type 1 cysts, indicating that the different responses are functions of the physiological state at the time they were collected. The dynamics of the two types of cyst show opposite seasonal trends: type 2 cysts are present only during the warm season and type 1 cysts are present during the cold season. Temperature represents the environmental factor involved in induction, maintenance and termination of the cyst. We also obtained evidence that A. volubilis is able to perform both diapause and cryptobiosis, even overlapping the two phenomena. The induction phase of tardigrade encystment can be compared to the induction phase of insect diapause, also indicating an involvement of endogenous factors in tardigrade encystment. As in insect diapause, tardigrade encystment can be considered a diapausing state controlled by exogenous and endogenous stimuli.

Factors associated with family-centered involvement in family practice--a cross-sectional multivariate analysis.

PubMed

Deutsch, Tobias; Frese, Thomas; Sandholzer, Hagen

2014-01-01

The importance of a family-centered approach in family practice has been emphasized. Knowledge about factors associated with higher family-centered involvement seems beneficial to stimulate its realization. German office-based family physicians completed a questionnaire addressing several aspects of family-centered care. Logistic regression was used to identify associations with the involvement overall and in different domains: routine inquiry and documentation of family-related information, family orientation regarding diagnosis and treatment, family-oriented dialogues, family conferences, and case-related collaboration with marriage and family therapists. We found significant associations between physicians' family-centered involvement and expected patient receptiveness, perceived impact of the family's influence on health, self-perceived psychosocial family-care competences (overall and concerning concepts for family orientation, psychosocial intervention in family conferences, and the communication of the idea of family counseling), advanced training in psychosocial primary care (PPC), personal acquaintance with family therapists (regarding case-related collaboration), and rural office environment. Increased emphasis on the family's influence on health in medical education and training, the provision of concepts for a family-centered perspective, and versatile skills for psychosocial intervention and inquiry of patient preferences, as well as the strengthening of networking between family physicians and family therapists, might promote the family-centered approach in family practice.

Molecular genetic analysis of activation-tagged transcription factors thought to be involved in photomorphogenesis

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

Neff, Michael M.

This is a final report for Department of Energy Grant No. DE-FG02-08ER15927 entitled “Molecular Genetic Analysis of Activation-Tagged Transcription Factors Thought to be Involved in Photomorphogenesis”. Based on our preliminary photobiological and genetic analysis of the sob1-D mutant, we hypothesized that OBP3 is a transcription factor involved in both phytochrome and cryptochrome-mediated signal transduction. In addition, we hypothesized that OBP3 is involved in auxin signaling and root development. Based on our preliminary photobiological and genetic analysis of the sob2-D mutant, we also hypothesized that a related gene, LEP, is involved in hormone signaling and seedling development.

Factors that Impact West Virginia Head Start Parental Involvement in Early Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clausell, Arlene Midget

2010-01-01

The research problem is: Many parents are not involved in their children's early literacy education. Some Head Start parents experience issues that keep them from teaching their children early literacy skills. The research questions were: What are the factors for parental involvement in the support of early literacy skill development for their…

Transcription factors involved in retinogenesis are co-opted by the circadian clock following photoreceptor differentiation

PubMed Central

Laranjeiro, Ricardo; Whitmore, David

2014-01-01

The circadian clock is known to regulate a wide range of physiological and cellular processes, yet remarkably little is known about its role during embryo development. Zebrafish offer a unique opportunity to explore this issue, not only because a great deal is known about key developmental events in this species, but also because the clock starts on the very first day of development. In this study, we identified numerous rhythmic genes in zebrafish larvae, including the key transcriptional regulators neurod and cdx1b, which are involved in neuronal and intestinal differentiation, respectively. Rhythmic expression of neurod and several additional transcription factors was only observed in the developing retina. Surprisingly, these rhythms in expression commenced at a stage of development after these transcription factors are known to have played their essential role in photoreceptor differentiation. Furthermore, this circadian regulation was maintained in adult retina. Thus, once mature photoreceptors are formed, multiple retinal transcription factors fall under circadian clock control, at which point they appear to play a new and important role in regulating rhythmic elements in the phototransduction pathway. PMID:24924194

Integration of transcriptomic and metabolic data reveals hub transcription factors involved in drought stress response in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.).

PubMed

Moschen, Sebastián; Di Rienzo, Julio A; Higgins, Janet; Tohge, Takayuki; Watanabe, Mutsumi; González, Sergio; Rivarola, Máximo; García-García, Francisco; Dopazo, Joaquin; Hopp, H Esteban; Hoefgen, Rainer; Fernie, Alisdair R; Paniego, Norma; Fernández, Paula; Heinz, Ruth A

2017-07-01

By integration of transcriptional and metabolic profiles we identified pathways and hubs transcription factors regulated during drought conditions in sunflower, useful for applications in molecular and/or biotechnological breeding. Drought is one of the most important environmental stresses that effects crop productivity in many agricultural regions. Sunflower is tolerant to drought conditions but the mechanisms involved in this tolerance remain unclear at the molecular level. The aim of this study was to characterize and integrate transcriptional and metabolic pathways related to drought stress in sunflower plants, by using a system biology approach. Our results showed a delay in plant senescence with an increase in the expression level of photosynthesis related genes as well as higher levels of sugars, osmoprotectant amino acids and ionic nutrients under drought conditions. In addition, we identified transcription factors that were upregulated during drought conditions and that may act as hubs in the transcriptional network. Many of these transcription factors belong to families implicated in the drought response in model species. The integration of transcriptomic and metabolomic data in this study, together with physiological measurements, has improved our understanding of the biological responses during droughts and contributes to elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved under this environmental condition. These findings will provide useful biotechnological tools to improve stress tolerance while maintaining crop yield under restricted water availability.

Grandmother Involvement as a Protective Factor for Early Childhood Social Adjustment

PubMed Central

Barnett, Melissa A.; Scaramella, Laura V.; Neppl, Tricia K.; Ontai, Lenna L.; Conger, Rand D.

2010-01-01

Despite high rates of grandmother involvement with young grandchildren, very little research has examined the associations between non-residential grandmother involvement and grandchild social adjustment. The present study draws 127 families enrolled in the Family Transitions Project to consider the degree to which mother-reported maternal grandmother involvement buffers 3- and 4-year old grandchildren from economic, parenting, and child temperamental risks for reduced social competence and elevated externalizing behaviors. Findings indicate that higher levels of mother-reported grandmother involvement reduced the negative association between observed grandchild negative emotional reactivity and social competence. Further, high levels of mother-reported grandmother involvement protected grandchildren from the positive association between observed harsh mother parenting and grandchild externalizing behaviors. These findings underscore the relevance of moving beyond the nuclear family to understand factors linked to social adjustment during early childhood. PMID:20954774

The NAC transcription factor family in maritime pine (Pinus Pinaster): molecular regulation of two genes involved in stress responses.

PubMed

Pascual, Ma Belén; Cánovas, Francisco M; Ávila, Concepción

2015-10-24

NAC transcription factors comprise a large plant-specific gene family involved in the regulation of diverse biological processes. Despite the growing number of studies on NAC transcription factors in various species, little information is available about this family in conifers. The goal of this study was to identify the NAC transcription family in maritime pine (Pinus pinaster), to characterize ATAF-like genes in response to various stresses and to study their molecular regulation. We have isolated two maritime pine NAC genes and using a transient expression assay in N. benthamiana leaves estudied the promoter jasmonate response. In this study, we identified 37 NAC genes from maritime pine and classified them into six main subfamilies. The largest group includes 12 sequences corresponding to stress-related genes. Two of these NAC genes, PpNAC2 and PpNAC3, were isolated and their expression profiles were examined at various developmental stages and in response to various types of stress. The expression of both genes was strongly induced by methyl jasmonate (MeJA), mechanical wounding, and high salinity. The promoter regions of these genes were shown to contain cis-elements involved in the stress response and plant hormonal regulation, including E-boxes, which are commonly found in the promoters of genes that respond to jasmonate, and binding sites for bHLH proteins. Using a transient expression assay in N. benthamiana leaves, we found that the promoter of PpNAC3 was rapidly induced upon MeJA treatment, while this response disappeared in plants in which the transcription factor NbbHLH2 was silenced. Our results suggest that PpNAC2 and PpNAC3 encode stress-responsive NAC transcription factors involved in the jasmonate response in pine. Furthermore, these data also suggest that the jasmonate signaling pathway is conserved between angiosperms and gymnosperms. These findings may be useful for engineering stress tolerance in pine via biotechnological approaches.

Transcript Profiling Identifies NAC-Domain Genes Involved in Regulating Wall Ingrowth Deposition in Phloem Parenchyma Transfer Cells of Arabidopsis thaliana

PubMed Central

Wu, Yuzhou; Hou, Jiexi; Yu, Fen; Nguyen, Suong T. T.; McCurdy, David W.

2018-01-01

Transfer cells (TCs) play important roles in facilitating enhanced rates of nutrient transport at key apoplasmic/symplasmic junctions along the nutrient acquisition and transport pathways in plants. TCs achieve this capacity by developing elaborate wall ingrowth networks which serve to increase plasma membrane surface area thus increasing the cell's surface area-to-volume ratio to achieve increased flux of nutrients across the plasma membrane. Phloem parenchyma (PP) cells of Arabidopsis leaf veins trans-differentiate to become PP TCs which likely function in a two-step phloem loading mechanism by facilitating unloading of photoassimilates into the apoplasm for subsequent energy-dependent uptake into the sieve element/companion cell (SE/CC) complex. We are using PP TCs in Arabidopsis as a genetic model to identify transcription factors involved in coordinating deposition of the wall ingrowth network. Confocal imaging of pseudo-Schiff propidium iodide-stained tissue revealed different profiles of temporal development of wall ingrowth deposition across maturing cotyledons and juvenile leaves, and a basipetal gradient of deposition across mature adult leaves. RNA-Seq analysis was undertaken to identify differentially expressed genes common to these three different profiles of wall ingrowth deposition. This analysis identified 68 transcription factors up-regulated two-fold or more in at least two of the three experimental comparisons, with six of these transcription factors belonging to Clade III of the NAC-domain family. Phenotypic analysis of these NAC genes using insertional mutants revealed significant reductions in levels of wall ingrowth deposition, particularly in a double mutant of NAC056 and NAC018, as well as compromised sucrose-dependent root growth, indicating impaired capacity for phloem loading. Collectively, these results support the proposition that Clade III members of the NAC-domain family in Arabidopsis play important roles in regulating wall ingrowth

Transcript Profiling Identifies NAC-Domain Genes Involved in Regulating Wall Ingrowth Deposition in Phloem Parenchyma Transfer Cells of Arabidopsis thaliana.

PubMed

Wu, Yuzhou; Hou, Jiexi; Yu, Fen; Nguyen, Suong T T; McCurdy, David W

2018-01-01

Transfer cells (TCs) play important roles in facilitating enhanced rates of nutrient transport at key apoplasmic/symplasmic junctions along the nutrient acquisition and transport pathways in plants. TCs achieve this capacity by developing elaborate wall ingrowth networks which serve to increase plasma membrane surface area thus increasing the cell's surface area-to-volume ratio to achieve increased flux of nutrients across the plasma membrane. Phloem parenchyma (PP) cells of Arabidopsis leaf veins trans -differentiate to become PP TCs which likely function in a two-step phloem loading mechanism by facilitating unloading of photoassimilates into the apoplasm for subsequent energy-dependent uptake into the sieve element/companion cell (SE/CC) complex. We are using PP TCs in Arabidopsis as a genetic model to identify transcription factors involved in coordinating deposition of the wall ingrowth network. Confocal imaging of pseudo-Schiff propidium iodide-stained tissue revealed different profiles of temporal development of wall ingrowth deposition across maturing cotyledons and juvenile leaves, and a basipetal gradient of deposition across mature adult leaves. RNA-Seq analysis was undertaken to identify differentially expressed genes common to these three different profiles of wall ingrowth deposition. This analysis identified 68 transcription factors up-regulated two-fold or more in at least two of the three experimental comparisons, with six of these transcription factors belonging to Clade III of the NAC-domain family. Phenotypic analysis of these NAC genes using insertional mutants revealed significant reductions in levels of wall ingrowth deposition, particularly in a double mutant of NAC056 and NAC018 , as well as compromised sucrose-dependent root growth, indicating impaired capacity for phloem loading. Collectively, these results support the proposition that Clade III members of the NAC-domain family in Arabidopsis play important roles in regulating wall

Identification of Bacterial Factors Involved in Type 1 Fimbria Expression using an Escherichia coli K12 Proteome Chip*

PubMed Central

Chen, Yi-Wen; Teng, Ching-Hao; Ho, Yu-Hsuan; Jessica Ho, Tien Yu; Huang, Wen-Chun; Hashimoto, Masayuki; Chiang, I-Yuan; Chen, Chien-Sheng

2014-01-01

Type 1 fimbriae are filamentous structures on Escherichia coli. These structures are important adherence factors. Because binding to the host cells is the first step of infection, type 1 fimbria is an important virulence factor of pathogenic E. coli. Expression of type 1 fimbria is regulated by a phase variation in which each individual bacterium can alternate between fimbriated (phase-ON) and nonfimbriated (phase-OFF) states. The phase variation is regulated by the flipping of the 314-bp fimS fragment, which contains the promoter driving the expression of the genes required for the synthesis of type 1 fimbria. Thus, the bacterial proteins able to interact with fimS are likely to be involved in regulating the expression of type 1 fimbria. To identify novel type 1 fimbria-regulating factors, we used an E. coli K12 proteome chip to screen for the bacterial factors able to interact with a 602-bp DNA fragment containing fimS and its adjacent regions. The Spr protein was identified by the proteome chip-based screening and further confirmed to be able to interact with fimS by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Deletion of spr in the neonatal meningitis E. coli strain RS218 significantly increased the ratio of the bacterial colonies that contained the type 1 fimbria phase-ON cells on agar plates. In addition, Spr interfered with the interactions of fimS with the site-specific recombinases, FimB and FimE, which are responsible for mediating the flipping of fimS. These results suggest that Spr is involved in the regulation of type 1 fimbria expression through direct interaction with the invertible element fimS. These findings facilitate our understanding of the regulation of type 1 fimbria. PMID:24692643

Epigenomic study identifies a novel mesenchyme homeobox2-GLI1 transcription axis involved in cancer drug resistance, overall survival and therapy prognosis in lung cancer patients

PubMed Central

Armas-López, Leonel; Piña-Sánchez, Patricia; Arrieta, Oscar; de Alba, Enrique Guzman; Ortiz-Quintero, Blanca; Santillán-Doherty, Patricio; Christiani, David C.; Zúñiga, Joaquín; Ávila-Moreno, Federico

2017-01-01

Several homeobox-related gene (HOX) transcription factors such as mesenchyme HOX-2 (MEOX2) have previously been associated with cancer drug resistance, malignant progression and/or clinical prognostic responses in lung cancer patients; however, the mechanisms involved in these responses have yet to be elucidated. Here, an epigenomic strategy was implemented to identify novel MEOX2 gene promoter transcription targets and propose a new molecular mechanism underlying lung cancer drug resistance and poor clinical prognosis. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays derived from non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLC) hybridized on gene promoter tiling arrays and bioinformatics analyses were performed, and quantitative, functional and clinical validation were also carried out. We statistically identified a common profile consisting of 78 gene promoter targets, including Hedgehog-GLI1 gene promoter sequences (FDR≤0.1 and FDR≤0.2). The GLI-1 gene promoter region from −2,192 to −109 was occupied by MEOX2, accompanied by transcriptionally active RNA Pol II and was epigenetically linked to the active histones H3K27Ac and H3K4me3; these associations were quantitatively validated. Moreover, siRNA genetic silencing assays identified a MEOX2-GLI1 axis involved in cellular cytotoxic resistance to cisplatinum in a dose-dependent manner, as well as cellular migration and proliferation. Finally, Kaplan-Maier survival analyses identified significant MEOX2-dependent GLI-1 protein expression associated with clinical progression and poorer overall survival using an independent cohort of NSCLC patients undergoing platinum-based oncological therapy with both epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-non-mutated and EGFR-mutated status. In conclusion, this is the first study to investigate epigenome-wide MEOX2-transcription factor occupation identifying a novel overexpressed MEOX2-GLI1 axis and its clinical association with platinum-based cancer drug resistance and EGFR

Factors Affecting Academics' Involvement in TEL Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

AlMutlaq, Abdullah; Dimitriadi, Yota; McCrindle, Rachel

2017-01-01

Reinforcing the level of essentiality of understanding the factors that influence the involvement in TEL-oriented CPD and the challenges to the sustained expansion of their expertise not only for academics, but also professional bodies and educational developer for effective integration of digital technologies in teaching and learning remains is…

The Extent of Consumer Product Involvement in Paediatric Injuries

PubMed Central

Catchpoole, Jesani; Walker, Sue; Vallmuur, Kirsten

2016-01-01

A challenge in utilising health sector injury data for Product Safety purposes is that clinically coded data have limited ability to inform regulators about product involvement in injury events, given data entry is bound by a predefined set of codes. Text narratives collected in emergency departments can potentially address this limitation by providing relevant product information with additional accompanying context. This study aims to identify and quantify consumer product involvement in paediatric injuries recorded in emergency department-based injury surveillance data. A total of 7743 paediatric injuries were randomly selected from Queensland Injury Surveillance Unit database and associated text narratives were manually reviewed to determine product involvement in the injury event. A Product Involvement Factor classification system was used to categorise these injury cases. Overall, 44% of all reviewed cases were associated with consumer products, with proximity factor (25%) being identified as the most common involvement of a product in an injury event. Only 6% were established as being directly due to the product. The study highlights the importance of utilising injury data to inform product safety initiatives where text narratives can be used to identify the type and involvement of products in injury cases. PMID:27399744

The Extent of Consumer Product Involvement in Paediatric Injuries.

PubMed

Catchpoole, Jesani; Walker, Sue; Vallmuur, Kirsten

2016-07-07

A challenge in utilising health sector injury data for Product Safety purposes is that clinically coded data have limited ability to inform regulators about product involvement in injury events, given data entry is bound by a predefined set of codes. Text narratives collected in emergency departments can potentially address this limitation by providing relevant product information with additional accompanying context. This study aims to identify and quantify consumer product involvement in paediatric injuries recorded in emergency department-based injury surveillance data. A total of 7743 paediatric injuries were randomly selected from Queensland Injury Surveillance Unit database and associated text narratives were manually reviewed to determine product involvement in the injury event. A Product Involvement Factor classification system was used to categorise these injury cases. Overall, 44% of all reviewed cases were associated with consumer products, with proximity factor (25%) being identified as the most common involvement of a product in an injury event. Only 6% were established as being directly due to the product. The study highlights the importance of utilising injury data to inform product safety initiatives where text narratives can be used to identify the type and involvement of products in injury cases.

Assessing vulnerability to drought: identifying underlying factors across Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urquijo, Julia; Gonzalez Tánago, Itziar; Ballesteros, Mario; De Stefano, Lucia

2015-04-01

Drought is considered one of the most severe and damaging natural hazards in terms of people and sectors affected and associated losses. Drought is a normal and recurrent climatic phenomenon that occurs worldwide, although its spatial and temporal characteristics vary significantly among climates. In the case of Europe, in the last thirty years, the region has suffered several drought events that have caused estimated economic damages over a €100 billion and have affected almost 20% of its territory and population. In recent years, there has been a growing awareness among experts and authorities of the need to shift from a reactive crisis approach to a drought risk management approach, as well as of the importance of designing and implementing policies, strategies and plans at country and river basin levels to deal with drought. The identification of whom and what is vulnerable to drought is a central aspect of drought risk mitigation and planning and several authors agree that societal vulnerability often determines drought risk more than the actual precipitation shortfalls. The final aim of a drought vulnerability assessment is to identify the underlying sources of drought impact, in order to develop policy options that help to enhance coping capacity and therefore to prevent drought impact. This study identifies and maps factors underlying vulnerability to drought across Europe. The identification of factors influencing vulnerability starts from the analysis of past drought impacts in four European socioeconomic sectors. This analysis, along with an extensive literature review, led to the selection of vulnerability factors that are both relevant and adequate for the European context. Adopting the IPCC model, vulnerability factors were grouped to describe exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity. The aggregation of these components has resulted in the mapping of vulnerability to drought across Europe at NUTS02 level. Final results have been compared with

Incidence Rate and Risk Factors for Contralateral Eye Involvement among Patients with AIDS and Cytomegalovirus Retinitis Treated with Local Therapy.

PubMed

Sittivarakul, Wantanee; Benjhawaleemas, Thanyapat; Aui-Aree, Nipat; Jirarattanasopa, Pichai; Liabsuetrakul, Tippawan

2016-10-01

To calculate the incidence of, and to identify the risk factors for developing contralateral eye involvement among patients with AIDS and unilateral cytomegalovirus retinitis (CMV retinitis), who were treated, in the era of highly-active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), with repetitive intravitreal ganciclovir injections. The clinical records of 119 patients were included. The main outcome measurement was the occurrence of contralateral eye involvement. Over a mean follow-up period of 1.6 years, the overall incidence rate of contralateral involvement was 0.17/person-year. The cumulative incidence of contralateral involvement at 6 months and 1 year was 23.8% and 28.4%, respectively. Receiving HAART at the visit before the event was associated with a decreased risk of developing contralateral retinitis (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.26, P = 0.002). The use of HAART, associated with subsequent immune recovery, significantly reduced the incidence of contralateral eye involvement by approximately 75% among patients in our setting.

Expression of Tissue Factor in Epithelial Ovarian Carcinoma Is Involved in the Development of Venous Thromboembolism.

PubMed

Sakurai, Manabu; Matsumoto, Koji; Gosho, Masahiko; Sakata, Akiko; Hosokawa, Yoshihiko; Tenjimbayashi, Yuri; Katoh, Takashi; Shikama, Ayumi; Komiya, Haruna; Michikami, Hiroo; Tasaka, Nobutaka; Akiyama-Abe, Azusa; Nakao, Sari; Ochi, Hiroyuki; Onuki, Mamiko; Minaguchi, Takeo; Yoshikawa, Hiroyuki; Satoh, Toyomi

2017-01-01

Our 2007 study of 32 patients with ovarian cancer reported the possible involvement of tissue factor (TF) in the development of venous thromboembolism (VTE) before treatment, especially in clear cell carcinoma (CCC). This follow-up study further investigated this possibility in a larger cohort. We investigated the intensity of TF expression (ITFE) and other variables for associations with VTE using univariate and multivariate analyses in 128 patients with epithelial ovarian cancer initially treated between November 2004 and December 2010, none of whom had received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Before starting treatment, all patients were ultrasonographically screened for VTE. The ITFE was graded based on immunostaining of surgical specimens. Histological types were serous carcinoma (n = 42), CCC (n = 12), endometrioid carcinoma (n = 15), mucinous carcinoma (n = 53), and undifferentiated carcinoma (n = 6). The prevalence of VTE was significantly higher in CCC (34%) than in non-CCC (17%, P = 0.03). As ITFE increased, the frequencies of CCC and VTE increased significantly (P < 0.001 and P = 0.014, respectively). Multivariate analysis identified TF expression and pretreatment dimerized plasmin fragment D level as significant independent risk factors for VTE development. These factors showed particularly strong impacts on advanced-stage disease (P = 0.021). The 2007 cohort was small, preventing multivariate analysis. This study of a larger cohort yielded stronger evidence that the development of VTE in epithelial ovarian cancer may involve TF expression in cancer tissues.

De Novo Sequencing of Hypericum perforatum Transcriptome to Identify Potential Genes Involved in the Biosynthesis of Active Metabolites

PubMed Central

He, Miao; Wang, Ying; Hua, Wenping; Zhang, Yuan; Wang, Zhezhi

2012-01-01

Background Hypericum perforatum L. (St. John’s wort) is a medicinal plant with pharmacological properties that are antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, anti-cancer, and antibacterial. Its major active metabolites are hypericins, hyperforins, and melatonin. However, little genetic information is available for this species, especially that concerning the biosynthetic pathways for active ingredients. Methodology/Principal Findings Using de novo transcriptome analysis, we obtained 59,184 unigenes covering the entire life cycle of these plants. In all, 40,813 unigenes (68.86%) were annotated and 2,359 were assigned to secondary metabolic pathways. Among them, 260 unigenes are involved in the production of hypericin, hyperforin, and melatonin. Another 2,291 unigenes are classified as potential Type III polyketide synthase. Our BlastX search against the AGRIS database reveals 1,772 unigenes that are homologous to 47 known Arabidopsis transcription factor families. Further analysis shows that 10.61% (6,277) of these unigenes contain 7,643 SSRs. Conclusion We have identified a set of putative genes involved in several secondary metabolism pathways, especially those related to the synthesis of its active ingredients. Our results will serve as an important platform for public information about gene expression, genomics, and functional genomics in H. perforatum. PMID:22860059

De Novo Transcriptome Sequencing of Olea europaea L. to Identify Genes Involved in the Development of the Pollen Tube.

PubMed

Iaria, Domenico; Chiappetta, Adriana; Muzzalupo, Innocenzo

2016-01-01

In olive (Olea europaea L.), the processes controlling self-incompatibility are still unclear and the molecular basis underlying this process are still not fully characterized. In order to determine compatibility relationships, using next-generation sequencing techniques and a de novo transcriptome assembly strategy, we show that pollen tubes from different olive plants, grown in vitro in a medium containing its own pistil and in combination pollen/pistil from self-sterile and self-fertile cultivars, have a distinct gene expression profile and many of the differentially expressed sequences between the samples fall within gene families involved in the development of the pollen tube, such as lipase, carboxylesterase, pectinesterase, pectin methylesterase, and callose synthase. Moreover, different genes involved in signal transduction, transcription, and growth are overrepresented. The analysis also allowed us to identify members in actin and actin depolymerization factor and fibrin gene family and member of the Ca(2+) binding gene family related to the development and polarization of pollen apical tip. The whole transcriptomic analysis, through the identification of the differentially expressed transcripts set and an extended functional annotation analysis, will lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms of pollen germination and pollen tube growth in the olive.

Predictors of justice system involvement: Maltreatment and education.

PubMed

Robertson, Angela A; Walker, Courtney S

2018-02-01

Decades of research have established that experience of abuse and/or neglect in childhood is related to negative outcomes, such as juvenile delinquency. Existing research has shown that involvement in child welfare services is also related to juvenile delinquency, particularly for children who are victims of neglect. Research has also identified educational factors such as chronic absenteeism as significant predictors of involvement in the juvenile justice system. However, little research has investigated the combined influence of educational factors, child abuse, and involvement in child protective services on justice system involvement. The current study examined the influence of educational factors and involvement in child protective services on justice system involvement. The study utilized records from an educational database of children who attended a school within a county of Mississippi in any year from 2003 through 2013. Cases were then matched with records from the county Youth Court, Law Enforcement agencies, and Child Protection Services. A multivariate logistic regression controlling for gender, race, current age, and time at risk was conducted to involvement in the justice system. In general, educational factors were stronger predictors of justice system involvement than allegations of maltreatment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Identification of pathogenic factors potentially involved in Staphylococcus aureus keratitis using proteomics.

PubMed

Khan, Shamila; Cole, Nerida; Hume, Emma B H; Garthwaite, Linda L; Nguyen-Khuong, Terry; Walsh, Bradley J; Willcox, Mark D P

2016-10-01

Staphylococcus is a leading cause of microbial keratitis, characterized by destruction of the cornea by bacterial exoproteins and host-associated factors. The aim of this study was to compare extracellular and cell-associated proteins produced by two different isolates of S. aureus, a virulent clinical isolate (Staph 38) and a laboratory strain (Staphylococcus aureus 8325-4) of weaker virulence in the mouse keratitis model. Proteins were analyzed using 2D polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and identified by subsequent mass spectrometry. Activity of staphylococcal adhesins was assessed by allowing strains to bind to various proteins adsorbed onto polymethylmethacrylate squares. Thirteen proteins in the extracellular fraction and eight proteins in the cell-associated fractions after bacterial growth were produced in increased amounts in the clinical isolate Staph 38. Four of these proteins were S. aureus virulence factor adhesins, fibronectin binding protein A, staphopain, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase 2 and extracellular adherence protein. The clinical isolate Staph 38 adhered to a greater extent to all mammalian proteins tested, indicating the potential of the adhesins to be active on its surface. Other proteins with increased expression in Staph 38 included potential moonlighting proteins and proteins involved in transcription or translation. This is the first demonstration of the proteome of S. aureus isolates from keratitis. These results indicate that the virulent clinical isolate produces more potentially important virulence factors compared to the less virulent laboratory strain and these may be associated with the ability of a S. aureus strain to cause more severe keratitis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Transcription factors involved in retinogenesis are co-opted by the circadian clock following photoreceptor differentiation.

PubMed

Laranjeiro, Ricardo; Whitmore, David

2014-07-01

The circadian clock is known to regulate a wide range of physiological and cellular processes, yet remarkably little is known about its role during embryo development. Zebrafish offer a unique opportunity to explore this issue, not only because a great deal is known about key developmental events in this species, but also because the clock starts on the very first day of development. In this study, we identified numerous rhythmic genes in zebrafish larvae, including the key transcriptional regulators neurod and cdx1b, which are involved in neuronal and intestinal differentiation, respectively. Rhythmic expression of neurod and several additional transcription factors was only observed in the developing retina. Surprisingly, these rhythms in expression commenced at a stage of development after these transcription factors are known to have played their essential role in photoreceptor differentiation. Furthermore, this circadian regulation was maintained in adult retina. Thus, once mature photoreceptors are formed, multiple retinal transcription factors fall under circadian clock control, at which point they appear to play a new and important role in regulating rhythmic elements in the phototransduction pathway. © 2014. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Clinical trials involving cats: what factors affect owner participation?

PubMed

Gruen, Margaret E; Jiamachello, Katrina N; Thomson, Andrea; Lascelles, B Duncan X

2014-09-01

Clinical trials are frequently hindered by difficulties in recruiting eligible participants, increasing the timeline and limiting generalizability of results. In veterinary medicine, where proxy enrollment is required, no studies have detailed what factors influence owner participation in clinical trials involving cats. We aimed to investigate these factors through a survey of owners at first opinion practices. The survey was designed using feedback from a pilot study and input from clinical researchers. Owners were asked demographic questions and whether they would, would not, or were unsure about participating in a clinical trial with their cat. They then ranked the importance and influence of various factors on participation using a five-point Likert-type scale, and incentives from most to least encouraging. A total of 413 surveys were distributed to cat owners at four hospitals, two feline-only and two multi-species; 88.6% were completed. Data for importance and influence factors as well as incentive rankings were analyzed overall, and by hospital type, location and whether owners would consider participating. The most influential factors were trust in the organization, benefit to the cat and veterinarian recommendation. Importance and influence factors varied by willingness to participate. Ranked incentives were not significantly different across groups, with 'Free Services' ranked highest. This study provides a first look at what factors influence participation in clinical trials with cats. Given the importance placed in the recommendation of veterinarians, continued work is needed to determine veterinarian-related factors affecting clinical trial participation. The results provide guidance towards improved clinical trial design, promotion and education. © ISFM and AAFP 2014.

Involvement of WRKY Transcription Factors in Abscisic-Acid-Induced Cold Tolerance of Banana Fruit.

PubMed

Luo, Dong-Lan; Ba, Liang-Jie; Shan, Wei; Kuang, Jian-Fei; Lu, Wang-Jin; Chen, Jian-Ye

2017-05-10

Phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) and plant-specific WRKY transcription factors (TFs) have been implicated to play important roles in various stress responses. The involvement of WRKY TFs in ABA-mediated cold tolerance of economical fruits, such as banana fruit, however remains largely unknown. Here, we reported that ABA application could induce expressions of ABA biosynthesis-related genes MaNCED1 and MaNCED2, increase endogenous ABA contents, and thereby enhance cold tolerance in banana fruit. Four banana fruit WRKY TFs, designated as MaWRKY31, MaWRKY33, MaWRKY60, and MaWRKY71, were identified and characterized. All four of these MaWRKYs were nuclear-localized and displayed transactivation activities. Their expressions were induced by ABA treatment during cold storage. More importantly, the gel mobility shift assay and transient expression analysis revealed that MaWRKY31, MaWRKY33, MaWRKY60, and MaWRKY71 directly bound to the W-box elements in MaNCED1 and MaNCED2 promoters and activated their expressions. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that banana fruit WRKY TFs are involved in ABA-induced cold tolerance by, at least in part, increasing ABA levels via directly activating NECD expressions.

Identification of gonadal soma-derived factor involvement in Monopterus albus (protogynous rice field eel) sex change.

PubMed

Zhu, Yefei; Wang, Chunlei; Chen, Xiaowu; Guan, Guijun

2016-07-01

We studied molecular events and potential mechanisms underlying the process of female-to-male sex transformation in the rice field eel (Monopterus albus), a protogynous hermaphrodite fish in which the gonad is initially a female ovary and transforms into male testes. We cloned and identified a novel gonadal soma derived factor (GSDF), which encodes a member of the transforming growth factor-beta superfamily. gsdf expression was measured in gonads of female, intersex and male with reverse transcription-PCR and gsdf's role in sex transformation was studied with qPCR, histological analysis and dual-color in situ hybridization assays and compared to other sex-related genes. gsdf was correlated to Sertoli cell differentiation, indicating involvement in testicular differentiation and sex transformation from female to male in this species. A unique expression pattern reveals a potential role of gsdf essential for the sex transformation of rice field eels.

Promoting Responsible Fatherhood Programming: Factors Affecting Low-Income Fathers' Involvement in Child Protection Services and Court-Restricted Access to Their Children

PubMed Central

Gordon, Derrick M.; Iwamoto, Derek; Watkins, Natasha D.; Kershaw, Trace; Mason, Diana; Judkins, Anthony

2013-01-01

This study investigates how unemployment, traumatic sexual experiences, substance use, intimate partner violence, and parental involvement collectively contribute to involvement with child protective system (CPS) and court-restricted access to children among low-income, ethnically diverse fathers. Participants were 164 fathers involved in a statewide fatherhood program. The majority of the fathers in the program were unemployed (76%) and ethnic minorities (66%). Logistic regression revealed that traumatic sexual experiences and number of children were significant predictors of CPS involvement, whereas employment and traumatic sexual experience were associated with court-restricted access to their children. The results elucidate that clinicians and father-hood programs may need to attend to the history of traumatic experiences, as well as other contextual factors, of fathers and identify how, through trauma-focused interventions, to positively affect them and their children. PMID:24273406

Arthritis patients' motives for (not) wanting to be involved in medical decision-making and the factors that hinder or promote patient involvement.

PubMed

Nota, Ingrid; Drossaert, Constance H C; Taal, Erik; van de Laar, Mart A F J

2016-05-01

The aim of this study is to gain insight into arthritis patients' motives for (not) wanting to be involved in medical decision-making (MDM) and the factors that hinder or promote patient involvement. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 29 patients suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). Many patients perceived the questions about involvement in MDM as difficult, mostly because they were unaware of having a choice. Shared decision-making (SDM) was generally preferred, but the preferred level of involvement varied between and within individuals. Preference regarding involvement may vary according to the type of treatment and the severity of the complaints. A considerable group of respondents would have liked more participation than they had experienced in the past. Perceived barriers could be divided into doctor-related (e.g. a paternalistic attitude), patient-related (e.g. lack of knowledge) and context-related (e.g. too little time to decide) factors. This study demonstrates the complexity of predicting patients' preferences regarding involvement in MDM: most RA patients prefer SDM, but their preference may vary according to the situation they are in and the extent to which they experience barriers in getting more involved. Unawareness of having a choice is still a major barrier for patient participation. The attending physician seems to have an important role as facilitator in enhancing patient participation by raising awareness and offering options, but implementing SDM is a shared responsibility; all parties need to be involved and educated.

Identification of Key Factors Involved in the Biosorption of Patulin by Inactivated Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) Cells.

PubMed

Wang, Ling; Wang, Zhouli; Yuan, Yahong; Cai, Rui; Niu, Chen; Yue, Tianli

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify the key factors involved in patulin adsorption by heat-inactivated lactic acid bacteria (LAB) cells. For preventing bacterial contamination, a sterilization process was involved in the adsorption process. The effects of various physical, chemical, and enzymatic pre-treatments, simultaneous treatments, and post-treatments on the patulin adsorption performances of six LAB strains were evaluated. The pre-treated cells were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results showed that the removal of patulin by viable cells was mainly based on adsorption or degradation, depending on the specific strain. The adsorption abilities were widely increased by NaOH and esterification pre-treatments, and reduced by trypsin, lipase, iodate, and periodate pre-treatments. Additionally, the adsorption abilities were almost maintained at pH 2.2-4.0, and enhanced significantly at pH 4.0-6.0. The effects of sodium and magnesium ions on the adsorption abilities at pH 4 were slight and strain-specific. A lower proportion of patulin was released from the strain with higher adsorption ability. Analyses revealed that the physical structure of peptidoglycan was not a principal factor. Vicinal OH and carboxyl groups were not involved in patulin adsorption, while alkaline amino acids, thiol and ester compounds were important for patulin adsorption. Additionally, besides hydrophobic interaction, electrostatic interaction also participated in patulin adsorption, which was enhanced with the increase in pH (4.0-6.0).

The Availability and Utility of Services to Address Risk Factors for Recidivism among Justice-Involved Veterans

PubMed Central

Blonigen, Daniel M.; Rodriguez, Allison L.; Manfredi, Luisa; Britt, Jessica; Nevedal, Andrea; Finlay, Andrea K.; Rosenthal, Joel; Smelson, David; Timko, Christine

2016-01-01

The availability and utility of services to address recidivism risk factors among justice-involved veterans is unknown. We explored these issues through qualitative interviews with 63 Specialists from the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Veterans Justice Programs. To guide the interviews, we utilized the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) model of offender rehabilitation. Specialists reported that justice-involved veterans generally have access to services to address most RNR-based risk factors (substance abuse; lack of positive school/work involvement; family/marital dysfunction; lack of prosocial activities/interests), but have less access to services targeting risk factors of antisocial tendencies and associates and empirically-based treatments for recidivism in VA. Peer-based services, motivational interviewing/cognitive-behavioral therapy, and Veterans Treatment Courts were perceived as useful to address multiple risk factors. These findings highlight potential gaps in provision of evidence-based care to address recidivism among justice-involved veterans, as well as promising policy-based solutions that may have widespread impact on reducing recidivism in this population. PMID:26924887

An apple MYB transcription factor, MdMYB3, is involved in regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis and flower development.

PubMed

Vimolmangkang, Sornkanok; Han, Yuepeng; Wei, Guochao; Korban, Schuyler S

2013-11-07

Red coloration of fruit is an important trait in apple, and it is mainly attributed to the accumulation of anthocyanins, a class of plant flavonoid metabolites. Anthocyanin biosynthesis is genetically determined by structural and regulatory genes. Plant tissue pigmentation patterns are mainly controlled by expression profiles of regulatory genes. Among these regulatory genes are MYB transcription factors (TFs), wherein the class of two-repeats (R2R3) is deemed the largest, and these are associated with the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway. Although three MdMYB genes, almost identical in nucleotide sequences, have been identified in apple, it is likely that there are other R2R3 MYB TFs that are present in the apple genome that are also involved in the regulation of coloration of red color pigmentation of the skin of apple fruits. In this study, a novel R2R3 MYB gene has been isolated and characterized in apple. This MYB gene is closely related to the Arabidopsis thaliana AtMYB3, and has been designated as MdMYB3. This TF belongs to the subgroup 4 R2R3 family of plant MYB transcription factors. This apple MdMYB3 gene is mapped onto linkage group 15 of the integrated apple genetic map. Transcripts of MdMYB3 are detected in all analyzed tissues including leaves, flowers, and fruits. However, transcripts of MdMYB3 are higher in excocarp of red-skinned apple cultivars than that in yellowish-green skinned apple cultivars. When this gene is ectopically expressed in Nicotiana tabacum cv. Petite Havana SR1, flowers of transgenic tobacco lines carrying MdMYB3 have exhibited increased pigmentation and accumulate higher levels of anthocyanins and flavonols than wild-type flowers. Overexpression of MdMYB3 has resulted in transcriptional activation of several flavonoid pathway genes, including CHS, CHI, UFGT, and FLS. Moreover, peduncles of flowers and styles of pistils of transgenic plants overexpressing MdMYB3 are longer than those of wild-type plants, thus suggesting that this

Grapevine Botryosphaeria dieback fungi have specific aggressiveness factor repertory involved in wood decay and stilbene metabolization.

PubMed

Stempien, Elodie; Goddard, Mary-Lorène; Wilhelm, Kim; Tarnus, Céline; Bertsch, Christophe; Chong, Julie

2017-01-01

Grapevine trunk diseases: Eutypa dieback, esca and Botryosphaeria dieback, which incidence has increased recently, are associated with several symptoms finally leading to the plant death. In the absence of efficient treatments, these diseases are a major problem for the viticulture; however, the factors involved in disease progression are not still fully identified. In order to get a better understanding of Botryosphaeria dieback development in grapevine, we have investigated different factors involved in Botryosphaeriaceae fungi aggressiveness. We first evaluated the activity of the wood-degrading enzymes of different isolates of Neofusicoccum parvum and Diplodia seriata, two major fungi associated with Botryosphaeria dieback. We further examinated the ability of these fungi to metabolize major grapevine phytoalexins: resveratrol and δ-viniferin. Our results demonstrate that Botryosphaeriaceae were characterized by differential wood decay enzymatic activities and have the capacity to rapidly degrade stilbenes. N. parvum is able to degrade parietal polysaccharides, whereas D. seriata has a better capacity to degrade lignin. Growth of both fungi exhibited a low sensitivity to resveratrol, whereas δ-viniferin has a fungistatic effect, especially on N. parvum Bourgogne S-116. We further show that Botryosphaeriaceae are able to metabolize rapidly resveratrol and δ-viniferin. The best stilbene metabolizing activity was measured for D. seriata. In conclusion, the different Botryosphaeriaceae isolates are characterized by a specific aggressiveness repertory. Wood and phenolic compound decay enzymatic activities could enable Botryosphaeriaceae to bypass chemical and physical barriers of the grapevine plant. The specific signature of Botryosphaeriaceae aggressiveness factors could explain the importance of fungi complexes in synergistic activity in order to fully colonize the host.

[Assessment of psychometric properties of the academic involvement questionnaire, expectations version].

PubMed

Pérez V, Cristhian; Ortiz M, Liliana; Fasce H, Eduardo; Parra P, Paula; Matus B, Olga; McColl C, Peter; Torres A, Graciela; Meyer K, Andrea; Márquez U, Carolina; Ortega B, Javiera

2015-11-01

Academic Involvement Questionnaire, Expectations version (CIA-A), assesses the expectations of involvement in studies. It is a relevant predictor of student success. However, the evidence of its validity and reliability in Chile is low, and in the case of Medical students, there is no evidence at all. To evaluate the factorial structure and internal consistency of the CIA-A in Chilean Medical school freshmen. The survey was applied to 340 Medicine freshmen, chosen by non-probability quota sampling. They answered a back-translated version of CIA-A from Portuguese to Spanish, plus a sociodemographic questionnaire. For psychometric analysis of the CIA-A, an exploratory factor analysis was carried on, the reliability of the factors was calculated, a descriptive analysis was conducted and their correlation was assessed. Five factors were identified: vocational, institutional and social involvement, use of resources and student participation. Their reliabilities ranged between Cronbach's alpha values of 0.71 to 0.87. Factors also showed statistically significant correlations between each other. Identified factor structure is theoretically consistent with the structure of original version. It just disagrees in one factor. In addition, the factors' internal consistency were adequate for using them in research. This supports the construct validity and reliability of the CIA-A to assess involvement expectations in medical school freshmen.

To be involved or not to be involved: a survey of public preferences for self-involvement in decision-making involving mental capacity (competency) within Europe.

PubMed

Daveson, Barbara A; Bausewein, Claudia; Murtagh, Fliss E M; Calanzani, Natalia; Higginson, Irene J; Harding, Richard; Cohen, Joachim; Simon, Steffen T; Deliens, Luc; Bechinger-English, Dorothee; Hall, Sue; Koffman, Jonathan; Ferreira, Pedro Lopes; Toscani, Franco; Gysels, Marjolein; Ceulemans, Lucas; Haugen, Dagny F; Gomes, Barbara

2013-05-01

The Council of Europe has recommended that member states of European Union encourage their citizens to make decisions about their healthcare before they lose capacity to do so. However, it is unclear whether the public wants to make such decisions beforehand. To examine public preferences for self-involvement in end-of-life care decision-making and identify associated factors. A population-based survey with 9344 adults in England, Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain. Across countries, 74% preferred self-involvement when capable; 44% preferred self-involvement when incapable through, for example, a living will. Four factors were associated with a preference for self-involvement across capacity and incapacity scenarios, respectively: higher educational attainment ((odds ratio = 1.93-2.77), (odds ratio = 1.33-1.80)); female gender ((odds ratio = 1.27, 95% confidence interval = 1.14-1.41), (odds ratio = 1.30, 95% confidence interval = 1.20-1.42)); younger-middle age ((30-59 years: odds ratio = 1.24-1.40), (50-59 years: odds ratio = 1.23, 95% confidence interval = 1.04-1.46)) and valuing quality over quantity of life or valuing both equally ((odds ratio = 1.49-1.58), (odds ratio = 1.35-1.53)). Those with increased financial hardship (odds ratio = 0.64-0.83) and a preference to die in hospital (not a palliative care unit) (odds ratio = 0.73, 95% confidence interval = 0.60-0.88), a nursing home or residential care (odds ratio = 0.73, 95% confidence interval = 0.54-0.99) were less likely to prefer self-involvement when capable. For the incapacity scenario, single people were more likely to prefer self-involvement (odds ratio = 1.34, 95% confidence interval = 1.18-1.53). Self-involvement in decision-making is important to the European public. However, a large proportion of the public prefer to not make decisions about their care in advance of incapacity. Financial hardship, educational attainment, age, and preferences regarding quality and quantity

Identifying Key Drivers of Return Reversal with Dynamical Bayesian Factor Graph

PubMed Central

Zhao, Shuai; Tong, Yunhai; Wang, Zitian; Tan, Shaohua

2016-01-01

In the stock market, return reversal occurs when investors sell overbought stocks and buy oversold stocks, reversing the stocks’ price trends. In this paper, we develop a new method to identify key drivers of return reversal by incorporating a comprehensive set of factors derived from different economic theories into one unified dynamical Bayesian factor graph. We then use the model to depict factor relationships and their dynamics, from which we make some interesting discoveries about the mechanism behind return reversals. Through extensive experiments on the US stock market, we conclude that among the various factors, the liquidity factors consistently emerge as key drivers of return reversal, which is in support of the theory of liquidity effect. Specifically, we find that stocks with high turnover rates or high Amihud illiquidity measures have a greater probability of experiencing return reversals. Apart from the consistent drivers, we find other drivers of return reversal that generally change from year to year, and they serve as important characteristics for evaluating the trends of stock returns. Besides, we also identify some seldom discussed yet enlightening inter-factor relationships, one of which shows that stocks in Finance and Insurance industry are more likely to have high Amihud illiquidity measures in comparison with those in other industries. These conclusions are robust for return reversals under different thresholds. PMID:27893780

Identifying Key Drivers of Return Reversal with Dynamical Bayesian Factor Graph.

PubMed

Zhao, Shuai; Tong, Yunhai; Wang, Zitian; Tan, Shaohua

2016-01-01

In the stock market, return reversal occurs when investors sell overbought stocks and buy oversold stocks, reversing the stocks' price trends. In this paper, we develop a new method to identify key drivers of return reversal by incorporating a comprehensive set of factors derived from different economic theories into one unified dynamical Bayesian factor graph. We then use the model to depict factor relationships and their dynamics, from which we make some interesting discoveries about the mechanism behind return reversals. Through extensive experiments on the US stock market, we conclude that among the various factors, the liquidity factors consistently emerge as key drivers of return reversal, which is in support of the theory of liquidity effect. Specifically, we find that stocks with high turnover rates or high Amihud illiquidity measures have a greater probability of experiencing return reversals. Apart from the consistent drivers, we find other drivers of return reversal that generally change from year to year, and they serve as important characteristics for evaluating the trends of stock returns. Besides, we also identify some seldom discussed yet enlightening inter-factor relationships, one of which shows that stocks in Finance and Insurance industry are more likely to have high Amihud illiquidity measures in comparison with those in other industries. These conclusions are robust for return reversals under different thresholds.

Functional analyses of interacting factors involved in both pre-mRNA splicing and cell cycle progression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PubMed Central

Russell, C S; Ben-Yehuda, S; Dix, I; Kupiec, M; Beggs, J D

2000-01-01

Through a genetic screen to search for factors that interact with Prp17/Cdc40p, a protein involved in both cell cycle progression and pre-mRNA splicing, we identify three novel factors, which we call Syf1p, Syf2p, and Syf3 (SYnthetic lethal with cdc Forty). Here we present evidence that all three proteins are spliceosome associated, that they associate weakly or transiently with U6 and U5 snRNAs, and that Syf1p and Syf3p (also known as Clf1p) are required for pre-mRNA splicing. In addition we show that depletion of Syf1p or Syf3p results in cell cycle arrest at the G2/M transition. Thus, like Prp17/Cdc40p, Syf1p and Syf3p are involved in two distinct cellular processes. We discuss the likelihood that Syf1p, Syf2p, and Syf3p are components of a protein complex that assembles into spliceosomes and also regulates cell cycle progression. PMID:11105756

Functional analyses of interacting factors involved in both pre-mRNA splicing and cell cycle progression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PubMed

Russell, C S; Ben-Yehuda, S; Dix, I; Kupiec, M; Beggs, J D

2000-11-01

Through a genetic screen to search for factors that interact with Prp17/Cdc40p, a protein involved in both cell cycle progression and pre-mRNA splicing, we identify three novel factors, which we call Syf1p, Syf2p, and Syf3 (SYnthetic lethal with cdc Forty). Here we present evidence that all three proteins are spliceosome associated, that they associate weakly or transiently with U6 and U5 snRNAs, and that Syf1p and Syf3p (also known as Clf1p) are required for pre-mRNA splicing. In addition we show that depletion of Syf1p or Syf3p results in cell cycle arrest at the G2/M transition. Thus, like Prp17/Cdc40p, Syf1p and Syf3p are involved in two distinct cellular processes. We discuss the likelihood that Syf1p, Syf2p, and Syf3p are components of a protein complex that assembles into spliceosomes and also regulates cell cycle progression.

Women psychiatrists and research: so far, no further? An Australasian perspective on factors that encourage and hinder women psychiatrists' involvement in research.

PubMed

Favilla, Amanda; Bloch, Sidney

2004-06-01

Relatively few women psychiatrists conduct research during their careers. Little is known as to what accounts for this consistent finding. We sought to ascertain factors that might be pertinent among women Fellows of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP). Our long-term goal is to identify measures that could boost the proportion of women who become involved in research. We submitted a questionnaire to the 670 women Fellows of the RANZCP in which we asked them whether they participated in research and what factors they considered helpful or detrimental to the pursuit of an interest in research. Of the 375 (56%) respondents, 116 (31%) could be assigned to a researcher group (RG). Members of the RG more often identified features in their professional environment and access to mentors as facilitating research involvement compared to the non-researcher group (NRG). The RG had dedicated more time to research as well as to teaching, and less to clinical practice, compared to the NRG. Although family obligations affected both groups, the RG cited these as exerting less of an impact on their career than their non-researching colleagues. Given the factors that distinguish researching from non-researching Fellows, attention needs to be paid to the ethos of the professional environment, mentoring, and training opportunities in research in order to increase the recruitment of women investigators.

A Regulatory Pathway, Ecdysone-Transcription Factor Relish-Cathepsin L, Is Involved in Insect Fat Body Dissociation

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yao; Lu, Yu-Xuan; Liu, Jian; Yang, Cui; Feng, Qi-Li; Xu, Wei-Hua

2013-01-01

Insect fat body is the organ for intermediary metabolism, comparable to vertebrate liver and adipose tissue. Larval fat body is disintegrated to individual fat body cells and then adult fat body is remodeled at the pupal stage. However, little is known about the dissociation mechanism. We find that the moth Helicoverpa armigera cathepsin L (Har-CL) is expressed heavily in the fat body and is released from fat body cells into the extracellular matrix. The inhibitor and RNAi experiments demonstrate that Har-CL functions in the fat body dissociation in H. armigera. Further, a nuclear protein is identified to be transcription factor Har-Relish, which was found in insect immune response and specifically binds to the promoter of Har-CL gene to regulate its activity. Har-Relish also responds to the steroid hormone ecdysone. Thus, the dissociation of the larval fat body is involved in the hormone (ecdysone)-transcription factor (Relish)-target gene (cathepsin L) regulatory pathway. PMID:23459255

A modified reverse one-hybrid screen identifies transcriptional activation in Phyochrome-Interacting Factor 3

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Transcriptional activation domains (TAD) are difficult to predict and identify, since they are not conserved and have little consensus. Here, we describe a yeast-based screening method that is able to identify individual amino acid residues involved in transcriptional activation in a high throughput...

Growth factor involvement in tension-induced skeletal muscle growth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vandenburgh, Herman H.

1993-01-01

Long-term manned space travel will require a better understanding of skeletal muscle atrophy which results from microgravity. Astronaut strength and dexterity must be maintained for normal mission operations and for emergency situations. Although exercise in space slows the rate of muscle loss, it does not prevent it. A biochemical understanding of how gravity/tension/exercise help to maintain muscle size by altering protein synthesis and/or degradation rate should ultimately allow pharmacological intervention to prevent muscle atrophy in microgravity. The overall objective is to examine some of the basic biochemical processes involved in tension-induced muscle growth. With an experimental in vitro system, the role of exogenous and endogenous muscle growth factors in mechanically stimulated muscle growth are examined. Differentiated avian skeletal myofibers can be 'exercised' in tissue culture using a newly developed dynamic mechanical cell stimulator device which simulates different muscle activity patterns. Patterns of mechanical activity which significantly affect muscle growth and metabolic characteristics were found. Both exogenous and endogenous growth factors are essential for tension-induced muscle growth. Exogenous growth factors found in serum, such as insulin, insulin-like growth factors, and steroids, are important regulators of muscle protein turnover rates and mechanically-induced muscle growth. Endogenous growth factors are synthesized and released into the culture medium when muscle cells are mechanically stimulated. At least one family of mechanically induced endogenous factors, the prostaglandins, help to regulate the rates of protein turnover in muscle cells. Endogenously synthesized IGF-1 is another. The interaction of muscle mechanical activity and these growth factors in the regulation of muscle protein turnover rates with our in vitro model system is studied.

Working with Parents and Family: Factors that Influence Chinese Teachers' Attitudes toward Parent Involvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gu, Wei; Yawkey, Thomas D.

2010-01-01

Student achievement and teacher-parent collaboration are strongly correlated to teachers' attitudes toward involvement (Muller & Kerbow, 1993; Swap, 1993). However, there is very little research in China (Gu, 2006) on examining factors that are well documented to show impacts on teachers' attitudes toward parent involvement. This research…

Next-generation sequencing identifies equine cartilage and subchondral bone miRNAs and suggests their involvement in osteochondrosis physiopathology.

PubMed

Desjardin, Clémence; Vaiman, Anne; Mata, Xavier; Legendre, Rachel; Laubier, Johan; Kennedy, Sean P; Laloe, Denis; Barrey, Eric; Jacques, Claire; Cribiu, Edmond P; Schibler, Laurent

2014-09-17

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are an abundant class of small single-stranded non-coding RNA molecules ranging from 18 to 24 nucleotides. They negatively regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level and play key roles in many biological processes, including skeletal development and cartilage maturation. In addition, miRNAs involvement in osteoarticular diseases has been proved and some of them were identified as suitable biomarkers for pathological conditions. Equine osteochondrosis (OC) is one of the most prevalent juvenile osteoarticular disorders in horses and represents a major concern for animal welfare and economic reasons. Its etiology and pathology remain controversial and biological pathways as well as molecular mechanisms involved in the physiopathology are still unclear. This study aims to investigate the potential role of miRNAs in equine osteochondrosis (OC) physiopathology.Short-read NGS technology (SOLID™, Life Technologies) was used to establish a comprehensive repertoire of miRNA expressed in either equine cartilage or subchondral bone. Undamaged cartilage and subchondral bone samples from healthy (healthy samples) and OC-affected (predisposed samples) 10-month Anglo-Arabian foals were analysed. Samples were also subjected or not to an experimental mechanical loading to evaluate the role of miRNAs in the regulation of mechano-transduction pathways. Predicted targets of annotated miRNAs were identified using miRmap. Epiphyseal cartilage and subchondral bone miRNome were defined, including about 300 new miRNAs. Differentially expressed miRNAs were identified between bone and cartilage from healthy and OC foals, as well as after an experimental mechanical loading. In cartilage, functional annotation of their predicted targets suggests a role in the maintenance of cartilage integrity through the control of cell cycle and differentiation, energy production and metabolism as well as extracellular matrix structure and dynamics. In bone, mi

Cox17 Protein Is an Auxiliary Factor Involved in the Control of the Mitochondrial Contact Site and Cristae Organizing System.

PubMed

Chojnacka, Magdalena; Gornicka, Agnieszka; Oeljeklaus, Silke; Warscheid, Bettina; Chacinska, Agnieszka

2015-06-12

The mitochondrial contact site and cristae organizing system (MICOS) is a recently discovered protein complex that is crucial for establishing and maintaining the proper inner membrane architecture and contacts with the outer membrane of mitochondria. The ways in which the MICOS complex is assembled and its integrity is regulated remain elusive. Here, we report a direct link between Cox17, a protein involved in the assembly of cytochrome c oxidase, and the MICOS complex. Cox17 interacts with Mic60, thereby modulating MICOS complex integrity. This interaction does not involve Sco1, a partner of Cox17 in transferring copper ions to cytochrome c oxidase. However, the Cox17-MICOS interaction is regulated by copper ions. We propose that Cox17 is a newly identified factor involved in maintaining the architecture of the MICOS complex. © 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Transactional Sex Involvement: Exploring Risk and Promotive Factors Among Substance-Using Youth in an Urban Emergency Department

PubMed Central

Patton, Rikki A; Cunningham, Rebecca M; Blow, Frederic C; Zimmerman, Marc A; Booth, Brenda M; Walton, Maureen A

2014-01-01

Objective: The current study aims to evaluate individual, relational, and community-level risk and promotive factors for transactional sex involvement among substance-using youth. Method: Youth (ages 14–24 years) presenting for care in an urban emergency department, who reported drug use within the past 6 months, were surveyed as part of a larger study assessing violence. Of the 600 youth enrolled in this study, 350 presented to the emergency department with violent injury. Based on youth presenting with violent injury, a proportionally selected (age and gender) comparison group of youth (n = 250) presenting without violent injury were enrolled. Participants were queried about both risk and promotive factors at the individual, relational, and community levels. Results: Of the sample, 7.3% reported involvement in transactional sex within the past month. Regression analyses indicated that being African American or other race (as compared with White), having more than one sexual partner, depressive symptoms, negative peer influence, and substance use treatment utilization were positively associated with transactional sex involvement. Increased school involvement was negatively related to involvement in transactional sex. Conclusions: Drug-using youth who reported recent transactional sex involvement are more likely to experience increased HIV risk, depressive symptoms, and negative peer influence and are less likely to experience the promotive factors of school involvement. Future research is needed to better understand the bidirectional relationship between transactional sex involvement and both risk and promotive factors at multiple ecological levels. PMID:24988256

Identifying transcription factor functions and targets by phenotypic activation

PubMed Central

Chua, Gordon; Morris, Quaid D.; Sopko, Richelle; Robinson, Mark D.; Ryan, Owen; Chan, Esther T.; Frey, Brendan J.; Andrews, Brenda J.; Boone, Charles; Hughes, Timothy R.

2006-01-01

Mapping transcriptional regulatory networks is difficult because many transcription factors (TFs) are activated only under specific conditions. We describe a generic strategy for identifying genes and pathways induced by individual TFs that does not require knowledge of their normal activation cues. Microarray analysis of 55 yeast TFs that caused a growth phenotype when overexpressed showed that the majority caused increased transcript levels of genes in specific physiological categories, suggesting a mechanism for growth inhibition. Induced genes typically included established targets and genes with consensus promoter motifs, if known, indicating that these data are useful for identifying potential new target genes and binding sites. We identified the sequence 5′-TCACGCAA as a binding sequence for Hms1p, a TF that positively regulates pseudohyphal growth and previously had no known motif. The general strategy outlined here presents a straightforward approach to discovery of TF activities and mapping targets that could be adapted to any organism with transgenic technology. PMID:16880382

The Promise of Virtual Teams: Identifying Key Factors in Effectiveness and Failure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horwitz, Frank M.; Bravington, Desmond; Silvis, Ulrik

2006-01-01

Purpose: The aim of the investigation is to identify enabling and disenabling factors in the development and operation of virtual teams; to evaluate the importance of factors such as team development, cross-cultural variables, leadership, communication and social cohesion as contributors to virtual team effectiveness. Design/methodology/approach:…

Grapevine Botryosphaeria dieback fungi have specific aggressiveness factor repertory involved in wood decay and stilbene metabolization

PubMed Central

Wilhelm, Kim; Tarnus, Céline; Bertsch, Christophe

2017-01-01

Grapevine trunk diseases: Eutypa dieback, esca and Botryosphaeria dieback, which incidence has increased recently, are associated with several symptoms finally leading to the plant death. In the absence of efficient treatments, these diseases are a major problem for the viticulture; however, the factors involved in disease progression are not still fully identified. In order to get a better understanding of Botryosphaeria dieback development in grapevine, we have investigated different factors involved in Botryosphaeriaceae fungi aggressiveness. We first evaluated the activity of the wood-degrading enzymes of different isolates of Neofusicoccum parvum and Diplodia seriata, two major fungi associated with Botryosphaeria dieback. We further examinated the ability of these fungi to metabolize major grapevine phytoalexins: resveratrol and δ-viniferin. Our results demonstrate that Botryosphaeriaceae were characterized by differential wood decay enzymatic activities and have the capacity to rapidly degrade stilbenes. N. parvum is able to degrade parietal polysaccharides, whereas D. seriata has a better capacity to degrade lignin. Growth of both fungi exhibited a low sensitivity to resveratrol, whereas δ-viniferin has a fungistatic effect, especially on N. parvum Bourgogne S-116. We further show that Botryosphaeriaceae are able to metabolize rapidly resveratrol and δ-viniferin. The best stilbene metabolizing activity was measured for D. seriata. In conclusion, the different Botryosphaeriaceae isolates are characterized by a specific aggressiveness repertory. Wood and phenolic compound decay enzymatic activities could enable Botryosphaeriaceae to bypass chemical and physical barriers of the grapevine plant. The specific signature of Botryosphaeriaceae aggressiveness factors could explain the importance of fungi complexes in synergistic activity in order to fully colonize the host. PMID:29261692

Proteomics analysis identified peroxiredoxin 2 involved in early-phase left ventricular impairment in hamsters with cardiomyopathy.

PubMed

Kuzuya, Kentaro; Ichihara, Sahoko; Suzuki, Yuka; Inoue, Chisa; Ichihara, Gaku; Kurimoto, Syota; Oikawa, Shinji

2018-01-01

Given the hypothesis that inflammation plays a critical role in the progression of cardiovascular diseases, the aim of the present study was to identify new diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of myocardial proteins involved in early-phase cardiac impairment, using proteomics analysis. Using the two-dimensional fluorescence difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) combined with MALDI-TOF/TOF tandem mass spectrometry, we compared differences in the expression of proteins in the whole left ventricles between control hamsters, dilated cardiomyopathic hamsters (TO-2), and hypertrophy cardiomyopathic hamsters (Bio14.6) at 6 weeks of age (n = 6, each group). Proteomic analysis identified 10 protein spots with significant alterations, with 7 up-regulated and 3 down-regulated proteins in the left ventricles of both TO-2 and Bio 14.6 hamsters, compared with control hamsters. Of the total alterations, peroxiredoxin 2 (PRDX2) showed significant upregulation in the left ventricles of TO-2 and Bio 14.6 hamsters. Our data suggest that PRDX2, a redox regulating molecule, is involved in early-phase left ventricular impairment in hamsters with cardiomyopathy.

Identifying Key Hospital Service Quality Factors in Online Health Communities

PubMed Central

Jung, Yuchul; Hur, Cinyoung; Jung, Dain

2015-01-01

Background The volume of health-related user-created content, especially hospital-related questions and answers in online health communities, has rapidly increased. Patients and caregivers participate in online community activities to share their experiences, exchange information, and ask about recommended or discredited hospitals. However, there is little research on how to identify hospital service quality automatically from the online communities. In the past, in-depth analysis of hospitals has used random sampling surveys. However, such surveys are becoming impractical owing to the rapidly increasing volume of online data and the diverse analysis requirements of related stakeholders. Objective As a solution for utilizing large-scale health-related information, we propose a novel approach to identify hospital service quality factors and overtime trends automatically from online health communities, especially hospital-related questions and answers. Methods We defined social media–based key quality factors for hospitals. In addition, we developed text mining techniques to detect such factors that frequently occur in online health communities. After detecting these factors that represent qualitative aspects of hospitals, we applied a sentiment analysis to recognize the types of recommendations in messages posted within online health communities. Korea’s two biggest online portals were used to test the effectiveness of detection of social media–based key quality factors for hospitals. Results To evaluate the proposed text mining techniques, we performed manual evaluations on the extraction and classification results, such as hospital name, service quality factors, and recommendation types using a random sample of messages (ie, 5.44% (9450/173,748) of the total messages). Service quality factor detection and hospital name extraction achieved average F1 scores of 91% and 78%, respectively. In terms of recommendation classification, performance (ie, precision) is

Identifying key hospital service quality factors in online health communities.

PubMed

Jung, Yuchul; Hur, Cinyoung; Jung, Dain; Kim, Minki

2015-04-07

The volume of health-related user-created content, especially hospital-related questions and answers in online health communities, has rapidly increased. Patients and caregivers participate in online community activities to share their experiences, exchange information, and ask about recommended or discredited hospitals. However, there is little research on how to identify hospital service quality automatically from the online communities. In the past, in-depth analysis of hospitals has used random sampling surveys. However, such surveys are becoming impractical owing to the rapidly increasing volume of online data and the diverse analysis requirements of related stakeholders. As a solution for utilizing large-scale health-related information, we propose a novel approach to identify hospital service quality factors and overtime trends automatically from online health communities, especially hospital-related questions and answers. We defined social media-based key quality factors for hospitals. In addition, we developed text mining techniques to detect such factors that frequently occur in online health communities. After detecting these factors that represent qualitative aspects of hospitals, we applied a sentiment analysis to recognize the types of recommendations in messages posted within online health communities. Korea's two biggest online portals were used to test the effectiveness of detection of social media-based key quality factors for hospitals. To evaluate the proposed text mining techniques, we performed manual evaluations on the extraction and classification results, such as hospital name, service quality factors, and recommendation types using a random sample of messages (ie, 5.44% (9450/173,748) of the total messages). Service quality factor detection and hospital name extraction achieved average F1 scores of 91% and 78%, respectively. In terms of recommendation classification, performance (ie, precision) is 78% on average. Extraction and

Pilot Critical Incident Reports as a Means to Identify Human Factors of Remotely Piloted Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hobbs, Alan; Cardoza, Colleen; Null, Cynthia

2016-01-01

It has been estimated that aviation accidents are typically preceded by numerous minor incidents arising from the same causal factors that ultimately produced the accident. Accident databases provide in-depth information on a relatively small number of occurrences, however incident databases have the potential to provide insights into the human factors of Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) operations based on a larger volume of less-detailed reports. Currently, there is a lack of incident data dealing with the human factors of unmanned aircraft systems. An exploratory study is being conducted to examine the feasibility of collecting voluntary critical incident reports from RPAS pilots. Twenty-three experienced RPAS pilots volunteered to participate in focus groups in which they described critical incidents from their own experience. Participants were asked to recall (1) incidents that revealed a system flaw, or (2) highlighted a case where the human operator contributed to system resilience or mission success. Participants were asked to only report incidents that could be included in a public document. During each focus group session, a note taker produced a de-identified written record of the incident narratives. At the end of the session, participants reviewed each written incident report, and made edits and corrections as necessary. The incidents were later analyzed to identify contributing factors, with a focus on design issues that either hindered or assisted the pilot during the events. A total of 90 incidents were reported. Human factor issues included the impact of reduced sensory cues, traffic separation in the absence of an out-the-window view, control latencies, vigilance during monotonous and ultra-long endurance flights, control station design considerations, transfer of control between control stations, the management of lost link procedures, and decision-making during emergencies. Pilots participated willingly and enthusiastically in the study

Proteomic analysis of polyribosomes identifies splicing factors as potential regulators of translation during mitosis

PubMed Central

Hofmann, Sarah; Elman, Tamar; Shenoy, Anjana; Geiger, Tamar; Elkon, Ran; Ehrlich, Marcelo

2017-01-01

Abstract Precise regulation of mRNA translation is critical for proper cell division, but little is known about the factors that mediate it. To identify mRNA-binding proteins that regulate translation during mitosis, we analyzed the composition of polysomes from interphase and mitotic cells using unbiased quantitative mass-spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). We found that mitotic polysomes are enriched with a subset of proteins involved in RNA processing, including alternative splicing and RNA export. To demonstrate that these may indeed be regulators of translation, we focused on heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein C (hnRNP C) as a test case and confirmed that it is recruited to elongating ribosomes during mitosis. Then, using a combination of pulsed SILAC, metabolic labeling and ribosome profiling, we showed that knockdown of hnRNP C affects both global and transcript-specific translation rates and found that hnRNP C is specifically important for translation of mRNAs that encode ribosomal proteins and translation factors. Taken together, our results demonstrate how proteomic analysis of polysomes can provide insight into translation regulation under various cellular conditions of interest and suggest that hnRNP C facilitates production of translation machinery components during mitosis to provide daughter cells with the ability to efficiently synthesize proteins as they enter G1 phase. PMID:28460002

A Morpholino-based screen to identify novel genes involved in craniofacial morphogenesis

PubMed Central

Melvin, Vida Senkus; Feng, Weiguo; Hernandez-Lagunas, Laura; Artinger, Kristin Bruk; Williams, Trevor

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND The regulatory mechanisms underpinning facial development are conserved between diverse species. Therefore, results from model systems provide insight into the genetic causes of human craniofacial defects. Previously, we generated a comprehensive dataset examining gene expression during development and fusion of the mouse facial prominences. Here, we used this resource to identify genes that have dynamic expression patterns in the facial prominences, but for which only limited information exists concerning developmental function. RESULTS This set of ~80 genes was used for a high throughput functional analysis in the zebrafish system using Morpholino gene knockdown technology. This screen revealed three classes of cranial cartilage phenotypes depending upon whether knockdown of the gene affected the neurocranium, viscerocranium, or both. The targeted genes that produced consistent phenotypes encoded proteins linked to transcription (meis1, meis2a, tshz2, vgll4l), signaling (pkdcc, vlk, macc1, wu:fb16h09), and extracellular matrix function (smoc2). The majority of these phenotypes were not altered by reduction of p53 levels, demonstrating that both p53 dependent and independent mechanisms were involved in the craniofacial abnormalities. CONCLUSIONS This Morpholino-based screen highlights new genes involved in development of the zebrafish craniofacial skeleton with wider relevance to formation of the face in other species, particularly mouse and human. PMID:23559552

RNA sequencing on Amomum villosum Lour. induced by MeJA identifies the genes of WRKY and terpene synthases involved in terpene biosynthesis.

PubMed

He, Xueying; Wang, Huan; Yang, Jinfen; Deng, Ke; Wang, Teng

2018-02-01

Amomum villosum Lour. is an important Chinese medicinal plant that has diverse medicinal functions, and mainly contains volatile terpenes. This study aims to explore the WRKY transcription factors (TFs) and terpene synthase (TPS) unigenes that might be involved in terpene biosynthesis in A. villosum, and thus providing some new information on the regulation of terpenes in plants. RNA sequencing of A. villosum induced by methyl jasmonate (MeJA) revealed that the WRKY family was the second largest TF family in the transcriptome. Thirty-six complete WRKY domain sequences were expressed in response to MeJA. Further, six WRKY unigenes were highly correlated with eight deduced TPS unigenes. Ultimately, we combined the terpene abundance with the expression of candidate WRKY TFs and TPS unigenes to presume a possible model wherein AvWRKY61, AvWRKY28, and AvWRKY40 might coordinately trans-activate the AvNeoD promoter. We propose an approach to further investigate TF unigenes that might be involved in terpenoid biosynthesis, and identified four unigenes for further analyses.

Transcriptome analysis identifies genes involved in ethanol response of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in Agave tequilana juice.

PubMed

Ramirez-Córdova, Jesús; Drnevich, Jenny; Madrigal-Pulido, Jaime Alberto; Arrizon, Javier; Allen, Kirk; Martínez-Velázquez, Moisés; Alvarez-Maya, Ikuri

2012-08-01

During ethanol fermentation, yeast cells are exposed to stress due to the accumulation of ethanol, cell growth is altered and the output of the target product is reduced. For Agave beverages, like tequila, no reports have been published on the global gene expression under ethanol stress. In this work, we used microarray analysis to identify Saccharomyces cerevisiae genes involved in the ethanol response. Gene expression of a tequila yeast strain of S. cerevisiae (AR5) was explored by comparing global gene expression with that of laboratory strain S288C, both after ethanol exposure. Additionally, we used two different culture conditions, cells grown in Agave tequilana juice as a natural fermentation media or grown in yeast-extract peptone dextrose as artificial media. Of the 6368 S. cerevisiae genes in the microarray, 657 genes were identified that had different expression responses to ethanol stress due to strain and/or media. A cluster of 28 genes was found over-expressed specifically in the AR5 tequila strain that could be involved in the adaptation to tequila yeast fermentation, 14 of which are unknown such as yor343c, ylr162w, ygr182c, ymr265c, yer053c-a or ydr415c. These could be the most suitable genes for transforming tequila yeast to increase ethanol tolerance in the tequila fermentation process. Other genes involved in response to stress (RFC4, TSA1, MLH1, PAU3, RAD53) or transport (CYB2, TIP20, QCR9) were expressed in the same cluster. Unknown genes could be good candidates for the development of recombinant yeasts with ethanol tolerance for use in industrial tequila fermentation.

An apple MYB transcription factor, MdMYB3, is involved in regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis and flower development

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Red coloration of fruit is an important trait in apple, and it is mainly attributed to the accumulation of anthocyanins, a class of plant flavonoid metabolites. Anthocyanin biosynthesis is genetically determined by structural and regulatory genes. Plant tissue pigmentation patterns are mainly controlled by expression profiles of regulatory genes. Among these regulatory genes are MYB transcription factors (TFs), wherein the class of two-repeats (R2R3) is deemed the largest, and these are associated with the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway. Although three MdMYB genes, almost identical in nucleotide sequences, have been identified in apple, it is likely that there are other R2R3 MYB TFs that are present in the apple genome that are also involved in the regulation of coloration of red color pigmentation of the skin of apple fruits. Results In this study, a novel R2R3 MYB gene has been isolated and characterized in apple. This MYB gene is closely related to the Arabidopsis thaliana AtMYB3, and has been designated as MdMYB3. This TF belongs to the subgroup 4 R2R3 family of plant MYB transcription factors. This apple MdMYB3 gene is mapped onto linkage group 15 of the integrated apple genetic map. Transcripts of MdMYB3 are detected in all analyzed tissues including leaves, flowers, and fruits. However, transcripts of MdMYB3 are higher in excocarp of red-skinned apple cultivars than that in yellowish-green skinned apple cultivars. When this gene is ectopically expressed in Nicotiana tabacum cv. Petite Havana SR1, flowers of transgenic tobacco lines carrying MdMYB3 have exhibited increased pigmentation and accumulate higher levels of anthocyanins and flavonols than wild-type flowers. Overexpression of MdMYB3 has resulted in transcriptional activation of several flavonoid pathway genes, including CHS, CHI, UFGT, and FLS. Moreover, peduncles of flowers and styles of pistils of transgenic plants overexpressing MdMYB3 are longer than those of wild-type plants, thus

Transcription factor 7-like 1 is involved in hypothalamo–pituitary axis development in mice and humans

PubMed Central

Gaston-Massuet, Carles; McCabe, Mark J.; Scagliotti, Valeria; Young, Rodrigo M.; Carreno, Gabriela; Gregory, Louise C.; Jayakody, Sujatha A.; Pozzi, Sara; Gualtieri, Angelica; Basu, Basudha; Koniordou, Markela; Wu, Chun-I; Bancalari, Rodrigo E.; Rahikkala, Elisa; Veijola, Riitta; Lopponen, Tuija; Graziola, Federica; Turton, James; Signore, Massimo; Mousavy Gharavy, Seyedeh Neda; Charolidi, Nicoletta; Sokol, Sergei Y.; Merrill, Bradley J.; Dattani, Mehul T.; Martinez-Barbera, Juan Pedro

2016-01-01

Aberrant embryonic development of the hypothalamus and/or pituitary gland in humans results in congenital hypopituitarism (CH). Transcription factor 7-like 1 (TCF7L1), an important regulator of the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway, is expressed in the developing forebrain and pituitary gland, but its role during hypothalamo–pituitary (HP) axis formation or involvement in human CH remains elusive. Using a conditional genetic approach in the mouse, we first demonstrate that TCF7L1 is required in the prospective hypothalamus to maintain normal expression of the hypothalamic signals involved in the induction and subsequent expansion of Rathke’s pouch progenitors. Next, we reveal that the function of TCF7L1 during HP axis development depends exclusively on the repressing activity of TCF7L1 and does not require its interaction with β-catenin. Finally, we report the identification of two independent missense variants in human TCF7L1, p.R92P and p.R400Q, in a cohort of patients with forebrain and/or pituitary defects. We demonstrate that these variants exhibit reduced repressing activity in vitro and in vivo relative to wild-type TCF7L1. Together, our data provide support for a conserved molecular function of TCF7L1 as a transcriptional repressor during HP axis development in mammals and identify variants in this transcription factor that are likely to contribute to the etiology of CH. PMID:26764381

Bone involvement at diagnosis as a predictive factor in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

PubMed

Tragiannidis, A; Vasileiou, E; Papageorgiou, M; Damianidou, L; Hatzipantelis, E; Gombakis, N; Giannopoulos, A

2016-01-01

Bone involvement represents a common symptom at diagnosis in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and its prognostic value is not entirely clarified. The aim of this study was to evaluate bone involvement at diagnosis in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia as a predictive factor and to correlate its presence with other demographic, clinical, and laboratory findings. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 97 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia diagnosed from January 2005 to December 2014. The mean age of patients was 5.7 years, and 83 (85.6 %) of them were diagnosed with B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Among the 97 children, 46 (47.4 %) reported bone involvement at the time of diagnosis. Among children with B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia 43/83 (51.8 %) reported bone involvement, while among children with T-acute lymphoblastic leukemia only 3/14 (21.4 %) (p =0.04). Bone involvement was registered more frequently among males (30/59; 50.8 %) in comparison to females (16/38; 42.2 %) (p =0.414). The mean white blood cell count at diagnosis was lower among children with bone involvement (109,800/mm 3 vs. 184,700/mm 3 ) (p =0.092). The mean age of patients with bone involvement was four years, which differs significantly from those without bone involvement (p =0.029). Moreover, children with bone involvement at diagnosis were prednisone "good responders" (79.5 %) when compared with those without bone involvement (58.8 %) (p =0.046). Additionally, mean serum phosphate values were higher at diagnosis among children with bone involvement (5.3 mg/dl vs. 4.8 mg/dl, p =0.035). The presence of bone involvement at diagnosis is related with immunophenotype of B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia, lower mean age, lower mean white blood cell count and good prednisone response. According to presented data, we conclude that the presence of bone involvement at diagnosis represents a positive predictive factor for outcome/survival. Hippokratia 2016, 20(3): 227-230.

Bone involvement at diagnosis as a predictive factor in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

PubMed Central

Tragiannidis, A; Vasileiou, E; Papageorgiou, M; Damianidou, L; Hatzipantelis, E; Gombakis, N; Giannopoulos, A

2016-01-01

Background: Bone involvement represents a common symptom at diagnosis in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and its prognostic value is not entirely clarified. The aim of this study was to evaluate bone involvement at diagnosis in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia as a predictive factor and to correlate its presence with other demographic, clinical, and laboratory findings. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 97 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia diagnosed from January 2005 to December 2014. The mean age of patients was 5.7 years, and 83 (85.6 %) of them were diagnosed with B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Results: Among the 97 children, 46 (47.4 %) reported bone involvement at the time of diagnosis. Among children with B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia 43/83 (51.8 %) reported bone involvement, while among children with T-acute lymphoblastic leukemia only 3/14 (21.4 %) (p =0.04). Bone involvement was registered more frequently among males (30/59; 50.8 %) in comparison to females (16/38; 42.2 %) (p =0.414). The mean white blood cell count at diagnosis was lower among children with bone involvement (109,800/mm3 vs. 184,700/mm3) (p =0.092). The mean age of patients with bone involvement was four years, which differs significantly from those without bone involvement (p =0.029). Moreover, children with bone involvement at diagnosis were prednisone “good responders” (79.5 %) when compared with those without bone involvement (58.8 %) (p =0.046). Additionally, mean serum phosphate values were higher at diagnosis among children with bone involvement (5.3 mg/dl vs. 4.8 mg/dl, p =0.035). Conclusions: The presence of bone involvement at diagnosis is related with immunophenotype of B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia, lower mean age, lower mean white blood cell count and good prednisone response. According to presented data, we conclude that the presence of bone involvement at diagnosis represents a positive predictive factor for

Molecular Genetic Analysis of Activation-tagged Transcription Factors Thought to be Involved in Photomorphogenesis

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

Neff, Michael

2011-06-23

Plants utilize light as a source of information via families of photoreceptors such as the red/far-red absorbing phytochromes (PHY) and the blue/UVA absorbing cryptochromes (CRY). The main goal of the Neff lab is to use molecular-genetic mutant screens to elucidate signaling components downstream of these photoreceptors. Activation-tagging mutagenesis led to the identification of two putative transcription factors that may be involved in both photomorphogenesis and hormone signaling pathways. sob1-D (suppressor of phyB-dominant) mutant phenotypes are caused by the over-expression of a Dof transcription factor previously named OBP3. Our previous studies indicate that OBP3 is a negative regulator of light-mediated cotyledonmore » expansion and may be involved in modulating responsiveness to the growth-regulating hormone auxin. The sob2-D mutant uncovers a role for LEP, a putative AP2/EREBP-like transcription factor, in seed germination, hypocotyl elongation and responsiveness to the hormone abscisic acid. Based on photobiological and genetic analysis of OBP3-knockdown and LEP-null mutations, we hypothesize that these transcription factors are involved in both light-mediated seedling development and hormone signaling. To examine the role that these genes play in photomorphogenesis we will: 1) Further explore the genetic role of OBP3 in cotyledon/leaf expansion and other photomorphogenic processes as well as examine potential physical interactions between OBP3 and CRY1 or other signaling components that genetically interact with this transcription factor 2) Test the hypothesis that OBP3 is genetically involved in auxin signaling and root development as well as examine the affects of this hormone and light on OBP3 protein accumulation. 3) Test the hypothesis that LEP is involved in seed germination, seedling photomorphogenesis and hormone signaling. Together these experiments will lead to a greater understanding of the complexity of interactions between photoreceptors

What Makes Sports Fans Interactive? Identifying Factors Affecting Chat Interactions in Online Sports Viewing

PubMed Central

Yeo, Jaeryong; Lee, Juyeong

2016-01-01

Sports fans are able to watch games from many locations using TV services while interacting with other fans online. In this paper, we identify the factors that affect sports viewers’ online interactions. Using a large-scale dataset of more than 25 million chat messages from a popular social TV site for baseball, we extract various game-related factors, and investigate the relationships between these factors and fans’ interactions using a series of multiple regression analyses. As a result, we identify several factors that are significantly related to viewer interactions. In addition, we determine that the influence of these factors varies according to the user group; i.e., active vs. less active users, and loyal vs. non-loyal users. PMID:26849568

Combining Knowledge and Data Driven Insights for Identifying Risk Factors using Electronic Health Records

PubMed Central

Sun, Jimeng; Hu, Jianying; Luo, Dijun; Markatou, Marianthi; Wang, Fei; Edabollahi, Shahram; Steinhubl, Steven E.; Daar, Zahra; Stewart, Walter F.

2012-01-01

Background: The ability to identify the risk factors related to an adverse condition, e.g., heart failures (HF) diagnosis, is very important for improving care quality and reducing cost. Existing approaches for risk factor identification are either knowledge driven (from guidelines or literatures) or data driven (from observational data). No existing method provides a model to effectively combine expert knowledge with data driven insight for risk factor identification. Methods: We present a systematic approach to enhance known knowledge-based risk factors with additional potential risk factors derived from data. The core of our approach is a sparse regression model with regularization terms that correspond to both knowledge and data driven risk factors. Results: The approach is validated using a large dataset containing 4,644 heart failure cases and 45,981 controls. The outpatient electronic health records (EHRs) for these patients include diagnosis, medication, lab results from 2003–2010. We demonstrate that the proposed method can identify complementary risk factors that are not in the existing known factors and can better predict the onset of HF. We quantitatively compare different sets of risk factors in the context of predicting onset of HF using the performance metric, the Area Under the ROC Curve (AUC). The combined risk factors between knowledge and data significantly outperform knowledge-based risk factors alone. Furthermore, those additional risk factors are confirmed to be clinically meaningful by a cardiologist. Conclusion: We present a systematic framework for combining knowledge and data driven insights for risk factor identification. We demonstrate the power of this framework in the context of predicting onset of HF, where our approach can successfully identify intuitive and predictive risk factors beyond a set of known HF risk factors. PMID:23304365

Factors influencing first-time fathers' involvement in their wives' pregnancy and childbirth: A correlational study.

PubMed

Xue, Weilin Lynn; He, Hong-Gu; Chua, Ying Jie; Wang, Wenru; Shorey, Shefaly

2018-07-01

To examine factors influencing first-time fathers' involvement in their wives' pregnancy and childbirth in Singapore. A cross-sectional descriptive correlational study was conducted in a public tertiary hospital in Singapore. A total of 182 first-time fathers whose wives were hospitalized at four obstetric wards were recruited from November 2015 to January 2016. Data were collected by three newly developed and validated instruments, namely Father's Involvement in Pregnancy and Childbirth, Father's Informational and Sources of Support, and Father's Attitude Towards Involvement in Pregnancy and Childbirth, as well as the 16-item Couple Satisfaction Index and Family of Origin Questionnaire. The participants were generally involved in their wives' pregnancy and childbirth, with 35.2% being highly involved. There was no significant difference in fathers' levels of involvement between or among any sociodemographic subgroups. Significant Spearman's correlations were found between fathers' levels of involvement and levels of informational support as well as fathers' attitudes towards involvement. However, the logistic regression showed the level of informational support was the only significant factor that influenced first-time fathers' high levels of involvement in their wives' pregnancy and childbirth. The study revealed the importance of providing sufficient informational support to first-time fathers so that they can be highly involved in their wife's pregnancy and childbirth. Future studies can develop technology-based intervention programmes to improve fathers' involvement in their wife's pregnancy and childbirth. Healthcare professionals should examine and improve the existing informational support for first-time fathers and ensure its relevance and convenient access. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Parallel analysis of tagged deletion mutants efficiently identifies genes involved in endoplasmic reticulum biogenesis.

PubMed

Wright, Robin; Parrish, Mark L; Cadera, Emily; Larson, Lynnelle; Matson, Clinton K; Garrett-Engele, Philip; Armour, Chris; Lum, Pek Yee; Shoemaker, Daniel D

2003-07-30

Increased levels of HMG-CoA reductase induce cell type- and isozyme-specific proliferation of the endoplasmic reticulum. In yeast, the ER proliferations induced by Hmg1p consist of nuclear-associated stacks of smooth ER membranes known as karmellae. To identify genes required for karmellae assembly, we compared the composition of populations of homozygous diploid S. cerevisiae deletion mutants following 20 generations of growth with and without karmellae. Using an initial population of 1,557 deletion mutants, 120 potential mutants were identified as a result of three independent experiments. Each experiment produced a largely non-overlapping set of potential mutants, suggesting that differences in specific growth conditions could be used to maximize the comprehensiveness of similar parallel analysis screens. Only two genes, UBC7 and YAL011W, were identified in all three experiments. Subsequent analysis of individual mutant strains confirmed that each experiment was identifying valid mutations, based on the mutant's sensitivity to elevated HMG-CoA reductase and inability to assemble normal karmellae. The largest class of HMG-CoA reductase-sensitive mutations was a subset of genes that are involved in chromatin structure and transcriptional regulation, suggesting that karmellae assembly requires changes in transcription or that the presence of karmellae may interfere with normal transcriptional regulation. Copyright 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Sexual harassment: identifying risk factors.

PubMed

O'Hare, E A; O'Donohue, W

1998-12-01

A new model of the etiology of sexual harassment, the four-factor model, is presented and compared with several models of sexual harassment including the biological model, the organizational model, the sociocultural model, and the sex role spillover model. A number of risk factors associated with sexually harassing behavior are examined within the framework of the four-factor model of sexual harassment. These include characteristics of the work environment (e.g., sexist attitudes among co-workers, unprofessional work environment, skewed sex ratios in the workplace, knowledge of grievance procedures for sexual harassment incidents) as well as personal characteristics of the subject (e.g., physical attractiveness, job status, sex-role). Subjects were 266 university female faculty, staff, and students who completed the Sexual Experience Questionnaire to assess the experience of sexual harassment and a questionnaire designed to assess the risk factors stated above. Results indicated that the four-factor model is a better predictor of sexual harassment than the alternative models. The risk factors most strongly associated with sexual harassment were an unprofessional environment in the workplace, sexist atmosphere, and lack of knowledge about the organization's formal grievance procedures.

Identifying Sociological Factors for the Success of Space Exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lundquist, C. A.; Tarter, D.; Coleman, A.

Astrosociology factors relevant to success of future space exploration may best be identified through studies of sociological circumstances of past successful explorations, such as the Apollo-Lunar Missions. These studies benefit from access to primary records of the past programs. The Archives and Special Collections Division of the Salmon Library at the University of Alabama Huntsville (UAH) houses large collections of material from the early periods of the space age. The Huntsville campus of the University of Alabama System had its birth in the mid-1950s at the time when the von Braun rocket team was relocated from Texas to Huntsville. The University, the City of Huntsville and the US Government rocket organizations developed in parallel over subsequent years. As a result, the University has a significant space heritage and focus. This is true not only for the engineering and science disciplines, but also for the social sciences. The life of the University spans the period when Huntsville government and industrial organizations were responsible for producing the rocket vehicles to first take mankind to the Moon. That endeavor was surely as significant sociologically as technologically. In the 1980s, Donald E. Tarter, conducted a series of video interviews with some leading members of the original von Braun team. Although the interviews ranged over many engineering subjects, they also recorded personal features of people involved in the Apollo lunar exploration program and the interactions between these people. Such knowledge was of course an objective. These interviews are now in the collections of the UAH Library Archives, along with extensive documentation from the same period. Under sponsorship of the Archives and the NASA-Marshall Retiree Association, the interview series was restarted in 2006 to obtain comparable oral-history interviews with more than fifty US born members of the rocket team from the 1960s. Again these video interviews are rich with

A genome-wide screen identifies Salmonella Enteritidis lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis and the HtrA heat shock protein as crucial factors involved in egg white persistence at chicken body temperature.

PubMed

Raspoet, R; Shearer, N; Appia-Ayme, C; Haesebrouck, F; Ducatelle, R; Thompson, A; Van Immerseel, F

2014-05-01

Eggs contaminated with Salmonella Enteritidis are an important source of human foodborne Salmonella infections. Salmonella Enteritidis is able to contaminate egg white during formation of the egg within the chicken oviduct, and it has developed strategies to withstand the antimicrobial properties of egg white to survive in this hostile environment. The mechanisms involved in the persistence of Salmonella Enteritidis in egg white are likely to be complex. To address this issue, a microarray-based transposon library screen was performed to identify genes necessary for survival of Salmonella Enteritidis in egg white at chicken body temperature. The majority of identified genes belonged to the lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis pathway. Additionally, we provide evidence that the serine protease/heat shock protein (HtrA) appears essential for the survival of Salmonella Enteritidis in egg white at chicken body temperature.

RM-DEMATEL: a new methodology to identify the key factors in PM2.5.

PubMed

Chen, Yafeng; Liu, Jie; Li, Yunpeng; Sadiq, Rehan; Deng, Yong

2015-04-01

Weather system is a relative complex dynamic system, the factors of the system are mutually influenced PM2.5 concentration. In this paper, a new method is proposed to quantify the influence on PM2.5 by other factors in the weather system and identify the most important factors for PM2.5 with limited resources. The relation map (RM) is used to figure out the direct relation matrix of 14 factors in PM2.5. The decision making trial and evaluation laboratory(DEMATEL) is applied to calculate the causal relationship and extent to a mutual influence of 14 factors in PM2.5. According to the ranking results of our proposed method, the most important key factors is sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NO(X)). In addition, the other factors, the ambient maximum temperature (T(max)), concentration of PM10, and wind direction (W(dir)), are important factors for PM2.5. The proposed method can also be applied to other environment management systems to identify key factors.

Hazardous drinking and military community functioning: identifying mediating risk factors.

PubMed

Foran, Heather M; Heyman, Richard E; Slep, Amy M Smith

2011-08-01

Hazardous drinking is a serious societal concern in military populations. Efforts to reduce hazardous drinking among military personnel have been limited in effectiveness. There is a need for a deeper understanding of how community-based prevention models apply to hazardous drinking in the military. Community-wide prevention efforts may be most effective in targeting community functioning (e.g., support from formal agencies, community cohesion) that impacts hazardous drinking via other proximal risk factors. The goal of the current study is to inform community-wide prevention efforts by testing a model of community functioning and mediating risk factors of hazardous drinking among active duty U.S. Air Force personnel. A large, representative survey sample of U.S. Air Force active duty members (N = 52,780) was collected at 82 bases worldwide. Hazardous drinking was assessed with the widely used Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (Saunders, Aasland, Babor, de la Fuente, & Grant, 1993). A variety of individual, family, and community measures were also assessed. Structural equation modeling was used to test a hypothesized model of community functioning, mediating risk factors and hazardous drinking. Depressive symptoms, perceived financial stress, and satisfaction with the U.S. Air Force were identified as significant mediators of the link between community functioning and hazardous drinking for men and women. Relationship satisfaction was also identified as a mediator for men. These results provide a framework for further community prevention research and suggest that prevention efforts geared at increasing aspects of community functioning (e.g., the U.S. Air Force Community Capacity model) may indirectly lead to reductions in hazardous drinking through other proximal risk factors.

Cofactors involved in light-driven charge separation in photosystem I identified by subpicosecond infrared spectroscopy.

PubMed

Di Donato, Mariangela; Stahl, Andreas D; van Stokkum, Ivo H M; van Grondelle, Rienk; Groot, Marie-Louise

2011-02-01

Photosystem I is one of the key players in the conversion of solar energy into chemical energy. While the chlorophyll dimer P(700) has long been identified as the primary electron donor, the components involved in the primary charge separation process in PSI remain undetermined. Here, we have studied the charge separation dynamics in Photosystem I trimers from Synechococcus elongatus by femtosecond vis-pump/mid-infrared-probe spectroscopy upon excitation at 700, 710, and 715 nm. Because of the high specificity of the infrared region for the redox state and small differences in the molecular structure of pigments, we were able to clearly identify specific marker bands indicating chlorophyll (Chl) oxidation. Magnitudes of chlorophyll cation signals are observed to increase faster than the time resolution of the experiment (~0.2 ps) upon both excitation conditions: 700 nm and selective red excitation. Two models, involving either ultrafast charge separation or charge transfer character of the red pigments in PSI, are discussed to explain this observation. A further increase in the magnitudes of cation signals on a subpicosecond time scale (0.8-1 ps) indicates the formation of the primary radical pair. Evolution in the cation region with time constants of 7 and 40 ps reveals the formation of the secondary radical pair, involving a secondary electron donor. Modeling of the data allows us to extract the spectra of the two radical pairs, which have IR signatures consistent with A+A₀- and P₇₀₀+A₁-. We conclude that the cofactor chlorophyll A acts as the primary donor in PSI. The existence of an equilibrium between the two radical pairs we interpret as concerted hole/electron transfer between the pairs of electron donors and acceptors, until after 40 ps, relaxation leads to a full population of the P₇₀₀+A₁. radical pair.

Using an interdisciplinary approach to identify factors that affect clinicians' compliance with evidence-based guidelines.

PubMed

Gurses, Ayse P; Marsteller, Jill A; Ozok, A Ant; Xiao, Yan; Owens, Sharon; Pronovost, Peter J

2010-08-01

Our objective was to identify factors that affect clinicians' compliance with the evidence-based guidelines using an interdisciplinary approach and develop a conceptual framework that can provide a comprehensive and practical guide for designing effective interventions. A literature review and a brainstorming session with 11 researchers from a variety of scientific disciplines were used to identify theoretical and conceptual models describing clinicians' guideline compliance. MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and the bibliographies of the papers identified were used as data sources for identifying the relevant theoretical and conceptual models. Thirteen different models that originated from various disciplines including medicine, rural sociology, psychology, human factors and systems engineering, organizational management, marketing, and health education were identified. Four main categories of factors that affect compliance emerged from our analysis: clinician characteristics, guideline characteristics, system characteristics, and implementation characteristics. Based on these findings, we developed an interdisciplinary conceptual framework that specifies the expected interrelationships among these four categories of factors and their impact on clinicians' compliance. An interdisciplinary approach is needed to improve clinicians' compliance with evidence-based guidelines. The conceptual framework from this research can provide a comprehensive and systematic guide to identify barriers to guideline compliance and design effective interventions to improve patient safety.

Predictors of criminal justice involvement in severe mania.

PubMed

McCabe, Patrick J; Christopher, Paul P; Pinals, Debra A; Fisher, William H

2013-07-01

Criminal justice problems among those with bipolar disorder lead to disruption in social functioning, treatment, and recovery. Understanding factors that contribute to arrest during episodes of illness can help inform approaches to risk management and improve clinical care. Data from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC), a longitudinal, nationally representative survey conducted in two waves were used to identify factors that predicted inter-wave criminal justice involvement during bipolar I manic episodes. Over 10% of respondents experienced legal involvement during their most severe manic episode. Risk was found in a range of historical, clinical, and contextual factors. Multivariate analyses suggest risk is particularly high for those who are unemployed, non-white, have past juvenile detention, have a prior arrest (while using substances or when manic), used an illicit drug in the past year, and whose mania is characterized by both social and occupational impairment. Legal problems were particularly elevated among those who lacked health insurance while experiencing both social and occupational impairment. Respondents did not include prisoners and hospital inpatients; criminal justice problems were only assessed with regard to the most severe manic episode. The particular array of factors that elevate the risk of legal involvement during manic episodes offers guidance when identifying prevention strategies and evaluating patients in clinical and forensic settings. Reducing such involvement will require that these issues be dealt with in the broader context of mental health and other services, which in turn necessitates providing adequate access to healthcare. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Using host-pathogen protein interactions to identify and characterize Francisella tularensis virulence factors.

PubMed

Wallqvist, Anders; Memišević, Vesna; Zavaljevski, Nela; Pieper, Rembert; Rajagopala, Seesandra V; Kwon, Keehwan; Yu, Chenggang; Hoover, Timothy A; Reifman, Jaques

2015-12-29

Francisella tularensis is a select bio-threat agent and one of the most virulent intracellular pathogens known, requiring just a few organisms to establish an infection. Although several virulence factors are known, we lack an understanding of virulence factors that act through host-pathogen protein interactions to promote infection. To address these issues in the highly infectious F. tularensis subsp. tularensis Schu S4 strain, we deployed a combined in silico, in vitro, and in vivo analysis to identify virulence factors and their interactions with host proteins to characterize bacterial infection mechanisms. We initially used comparative genomics and literature to identify and select a set of 49 putative and known virulence factors for analysis. Each protein was then subjected to proteome-scale yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) screens with human and murine cDNA libraries to identify potential host-pathogen protein-protein interactions. Based on the bacterial protein interaction profile with both hosts, we selected seven novel putative virulence factors for mutant construction and animal validation experiments. We were able to create five transposon insertion mutants and used them in an intranasal BALB/c mouse challenge model to establish 50 % lethal dose estimates. Three of these, ΔFTT0482c, ΔFTT1538c, and ΔFTT1597, showed attenuation in lethality and can thus be considered novel F. tularensis virulence factors. The analysis of the accompanying Y2H data identified intracellular protein trafficking between the early endosome to the late endosome as an important component in virulence attenuation for these virulence factors. Furthermore, we also used the Y2H data to investigate host protein binding of two known virulence factors, showing that direct protein binding was a component in the modulation of the inflammatory response via activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases and in the oxidative stress response. Direct interactions with specific host proteins and the

Transcriptome analysis of the exocarp of apple fruit identifies light-induced genes involved in red color pigmentation.

PubMed

Vimolmangkang, Sornkanok; Zheng, Danman; Han, Yuepeng; Khan, M Awais; Soria-Guerra, Ruth Elena; Korban, Schuyler S

2014-01-15

Although the mechanism of light regulation of color pigmentation of apple fruit is not fully understood, it has been shown that light can regulate expression of genes in the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway by inducing transcription factors (TFs). Moreover, expression of genes encoding enzymes involved in this pathway may be coordinately regulated by multiple TFs. In this study, fruits on trees of apple cv. Red Delicious were covered with paper bags during early stages of fruit development and then removed prior to maturation to analyze the transcriptome in the exocarp of apple fruit. Comparisons of gene expression profiles of fruit covered with paper bags (dark-grown treatment) and those subjected to 14 h light treatment, following removal of paper bags, were investigated using an apple microarray of 40,000 sequences. Expression profiles were investigated over three time points, at one week intervals, during fruit development. Overall, 736 genes with expression values greater than two-fold were found to be modulated by light treatment. Light-induced products were classified into 19 categories with highest scores in primary metabolism (17%) and transcription (12%). Based on the Arabidopsis gene ontology annotation, 18 genes were identified as TFs. To further confirm expression patterns of flavonoid-related genes, these were subjected to quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) using fruit of red-skinned apple cv. Red Delicious and yellow-skinned apple cv. Golden Delicious. Of these, two genes showed higher levels of expression in 'Red Delicious' than in 'Golden Delicious', and were likely involved in the regulation of fruit red color pigmentation. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Four structural risk factors identify most fibril-forming kappa light chains.

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

Stevens, F. J.; Biosciences Division

2000-09-01

Antibody light chains (LCs) comprise the most structurally diverse family of proteins involved in amyloidosis. Many antibody LCs incorporate structural features that impair their stability and solubility, leading to their assembly into fibrils and to their subsequent pathological deposition when produced in excess during multiple myeloma and primary amyloidosis. The particular amino acid variations in antibody LCs that account for fibril formation and amyloidogenesis have not been identified. This study focuses on amyloidogenesis within the Kl family of human LCs. Reanalysis of the current database of primary structures of proteins from more than 100 patients who produced Kl LCS, 37more » of which were amyloidogenic, reveals apparent structural features that may contribute to amyloidosis. These features include loss of conserved residues or the gain of particular residues through mutation at sites involving a repertoire of approximately 20% of the amino acid positions in the light chain variable domain (V{sub L}). Moreover, 80% of all K1 amyloidogenic V{sub L}s are identifiable by the presence of at least one of three single-site substitutions or the acquisition of an N-linked glycosylation site through mutations. These findings suggest that it is feasible to predict fibril propensity by analysis of primary structure.« less

Identifying Dust Sources by Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Engelbrecht, Johann P.

2010-05-01

elemental species was modeled by PMF. A five factor solution identified three soil factors, a silicate soil, limestone soil, and a gypsum soil, as well as a salt factor and an anthropogenic metal factor. Similarly, a set of 362 quartz filter samples analyzed for 10 selected chemical species was modeled by PMF. A five factor solution provided a limestone-gypsum soil, diesel combustion, secondary ammonium sulfate, salt and agricultural-burnpit combustion source type. Examples of time series plots of PMF factor contributions for each of six sampling sites (Balad, Baghdad, Tallil, Tikrit, Taji, and Al Asad) will be discussed. Engelbrecht , J. P., McDonald, E. V., Gillies, J. A., Jayanty, R. K. M., Casuccio, G., and Gertler, A. W., 2009, Characterizing mineral dusts and other aerosols from the Middle East - Part 1: Ambient sampling: Inhalation Toxicology, v. 21, p. 297-326.

Thyroid Gland Involvement in Carcinoma Larynx and Hypopharynx-Predictive Factors and Prognostic Significance.

PubMed

Iype, Elizabeth Mathew; Jagad, Vijay; Nochikattil, Santhosh Kumar; Varghese, Bipin T; Sebastian, Paul

2016-02-01

Intraoperative management of thyroid gland in laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer is controversial. The objectives of this study were to determine the incidence of thyroid gland invasion in patients undergoing surgery for laryngeal or hypopharyngeal carcinoma, to assess predictive factors and to assess the prognosis in patients with and without thyroid gland invasion. One hundred and thirty-three patients who underwent surgery for carcinoma larynx and hypopharynx from 2006 to 2010 were reviewed retrospectively. Surgical specimens were examined to determine the incidence of thyroid gland invasion and predictive factors were analysed. The recurrence rate and the survival in patients with and without thyroid gland invasion were also analysed. Out of the 133 patients with carcinoma larynx and hypopharynx who underwent surgery, histological thyroid gland invasion was observed in 28/133 (21%) patients. Significant relationship was found between histological thyroid gland invasion and preoperative evidence of thyroid cartilage erosion by CT scan and also when gross thyroid gland involvement observed during surgery. There is significant association between thyroid gland invasion when there is upper oesophageal or subglottic involvement. After analysing the retrospective data from our study, we would like to suggest that thyroid gland need not be removed routinely in all laryngectomies, unless there is advanced disease with thyroid cartilage erosion and gross thyroid gland involvement or disease with significant subglottic or oesophageal involvement.

Identifying important motivational factors for professionals in Greek hospitals

PubMed Central

Kontodimopoulos, Nick; Paleologou, Victoria; Niakas, Dimitris

2009-01-01

Background The purpose of this study was to identify important motivational factors according to the views of health-care professionals in Greek hospitals and particularly to determine if these might differ in the public and private sectors. Methods A previously developed -and validated- instrument addressing four work-related motivators (job attributes, remuneration, co-workers and achievements) was used. Three categories of health care professionals, doctors (N = 354), nurses (N = 581) and office workers (N = 418), working in public and private hospitals, participated and motivation was compared across socio-demographic and occupational variables. Results The range of reported motivational factors was mixed and Maslow's conclusions that lower level motivational factors must be met before ascending to the next level were not confirmed. The highest ranked motivator for the entire sample, and by professional subgroup, was achievements (P < 0.001). Within subgroups, motivators were similar, and only one significant difference was observed, namely between doctors and nurses in respect to co-workers (P < 0.05). Remuneration (and salary in particular) was reported as a significant incentive only for professionals in managerial positions. Health professionals in private hospitals were motivated by all factors significantly more than their public-hospital counterparts. Conclusion The results are in agreement with the literature which focuses attention to management approaches employing both monetary and non-monetary incentives to motivate health care workers. This study showed that intrinsic factors are particularly important and should become a target for effective employee motivation. PMID:19754968

Evidence for a hierarchical transcriptional circuit in Drosophila male germline involving testis-specific TAF and two gene-specific transcription factors, Mod and Acj6.

PubMed

Jiang, Mei; Gao, Zhengliang; Wang, Jian; Nurminsky, Dmitry I

2018-01-01

To analyze transcription factors involved in gene regulation by testis-specific TAF (tTAF), tTAF-dependent promoters were mapped and analyzed in silico. Core promoters show decreased AT content, paucity of classical promoter motifs, and enrichment with translation control element CAAAATTY. Scanning of putative regulatory regions for known position frequency matrices identified 19 transcription regulators possibly contributing to tTAF-driven gene expression. Decreased male fertility associated with mutation in one of the regulators, Acj6, indicates its involvement in male reproduction. Transcriptome study of testes from male mutants for tTAF, Acj6, and previously characterized tTAF-interacting factor Modulo implies the existence of a regulatory hierarchy of tTAF, Modulo and Acj6, in which Modulo and/or Acj6 regulate one-third of tTAF-dependent genes. © 2017 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

Adventitious root formation in tree species: involvement of transcription factors.

PubMed

Legué, Valérie; Rigal, Adeline; Bhalerao, Rishikesh P

2014-06-01

Adventitious rooting is an essential step in the vegetative propagation of economically important horticultural and woody species. Populus has emerged as an experimental model for studying processes that are important in tree growth and development. It is highly useful for molecular genetic analysis of adventitious roots in trees. In this short review, we will highlight the recent progress made in the identification of transcription factors involved in the control of adventitious rooting in woody species. Their regulation will be discussed. © 2014 Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society.

The degree of circumferential tumour involvement as a prognostic factor in oesophageal cancer.

PubMed

Sillah, Karim; Pritchard, Susan A; Watkins, Gillian R; McShane, James; West, Catharine M; Page, Richard; Welch, Ian M

2009-08-01

Tumour length is an adverse prognostic factor in oesophageal cancer. However, the prognostic role of the degree of oesophageal circumference (DOC) involved by tumour with or without resection margin invasion is not clear. This work assessed the relationship between DOC involved by tumour, clinico-pathological variables and prognosis. The clinico-pathological details of 320 patients who underwent potentially curative oesophagogastrectomy for cancer between 1994 and 2007 were analysed. The DOC involved with tumour measured macroscopically on the resected specimen was classified as small (<2.5 cm, n = 115), large (> or = 2.5 cm, n = 144) or circumferential (i.e. involving the whole circumference, n = 61). Univariate and multivariate survival analyses were carried out. The DOC with tumour was higher in ulcerating tumours than stenosing or polypoidal types (p = 0.017). Tumour length, T-stage, neoadjuvant chemotherapy and vascular invasion were independently associated with DOC with tumour on multivariate analysis (p < 0.05 for all). DOC > or = 2.5 cm was an adverse prognostic factor in univariate analysis (p = 0.002) with a hazard ratio of 1.52 [95% CI 1.13-2.04] compared with those <2.5 cm. Circumferential tumours had a similar prognosis to tumours > or = 2.5 cm (p = 0.60). The prognostic significance of DOC with tumour was lost in multivariate analysis where the factors retaining independence were patient age, T-stage, lymph node metastasis, vascular invasion and positive resection margins. However, when patients were stratified by use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (n = 121), the DOC with tumour retained prognostic significance on multivariate analysis in the 199 patients who did not undergo neoadjuvant chemotherapy (p = 0.04). The DOC with tumour appears to provide prognostic information in oesophageal cancer surgery, especially in patients who do not undergo preoperative chemotherapy.

Identifying factors for optimal development of health-related websites: a delphi study among experts and potential future users.

PubMed

Schneider, Francine; van Osch, Liesbeth; de Vries, Hein

2012-02-14

The Internet has become a popular medium for offering tailored and targeted health promotion programs to the general public. However, suboptimal levels of program use in the target population limit the public health impact of these programs. Optimizing program development is considered as one of the main processes to increase usage rates. To distinguish factors potentially related to optimal development of health-related websites by involving both experts and potential users. By considering and incorporating the opinions of experts and potential users in the development process, involvement in the program is expected to increase, consequently resulting in increased appreciation, lower levels of attrition, and higher levels of sustained use. We conducted a systematic three-round Delphi study through the Internet. Both national and international experts (from the fields of health promotion, health psychology, e-communication, and technical Web design) and potential users were invited via email to participate. During this study an extensive list of factors potentially related to optimal development of health-related websites was identified, by focusing on factors related to layout, general and risk information provision, questionnaire use, additional services, and ease of use. Furthermore, we assessed the extent to which experts and potential users agreed on the importance of these factors. Differences as well as similarities among experts and potentials users were deduced. In total, 20 of 62 contacted experts participated in the first round (32% response rate); 60 of 200 contacted experts (30% response rate) and 210 potential users (95% response rate) completed the second-round questionnaire, and 32 of 60 contacted experts completed the third round (53% response rate). Results revealed important factors consented upon by experts and potential users (eg, ease of use, clear structure, and detailed health information provision), as well as differences regarding

Class I ADP-Ribosylation Factors Are Involved in Enterovirus 71 Replication

PubMed Central

Wang, Jianmin; Du, Jiang; Jin, Qi

2014-01-01

Enterovirus 71 is one of the major causative agents of hand, foot, and mouth disease in infants and children. Replication of enterovirus 71 depends on host cellular factors. The viral replication complex is formed in novel, cytoplasmic, vesicular compartments. It has not been elucidated which cellular pathways are hijacked by the virus to create these vesicles. Here, we investigated whether proteins associated with the cellular secretory pathway were involved in enterovirus 71 replication. We used a loss-of-function assay, based on small interfering RNA. We showed that enterovirus 71 RNA replication was dependent on the activity of Class I ADP-ribosylation factors. Simultaneous depletion of ADP-ribosylation factors 1 and 3, but not three others, inhibited viral replication in cells. We also demonstrated with various techniques that the brefeldin-A-sensitive guanidine nucleotide exchange factor, GBF1, was critically important for enterovirus 71 replication. Our results suggested that enterovirus 71 replication depended on GBF1-mediated activation of Class I ADP-ribosylation factors. These results revealed a connection between enterovirus 71 replication and the cellular secretory pathway; this pathway may represent a novel target for antiviral therapies. PMID:24911624

Identifying critical success factors for designing selection processes into postgraduate specialty training: the case of UK general practice.

PubMed

Plint, Simon; Patterson, Fiona

2010-06-01

The UK national recruitment process into general practice training has been developed over several years, with incremental introduction of stages which have been piloted and validated. Previously independent processes, which encouraged multiple applications and produced inconsistent outcomes, have been replaced by a robust national process which has high reliability and predictive validity, and is perceived to be fair by candidates and allocates applicants equitably across the country. Best selection practice involves a job analysis which identifies required competencies, then designs reliable assessment methods to measure them, and over the long term ensures that the process has predictive validity against future performance. The general practitioner recruitment process introduced machine markable short listing assessments for the first time in the UK postgraduate recruitment context, and also adopted selection centre workplace simulations. The key success factors have been identified as corporate commitment to the goal of a national process, with gradual convergence maintaining locus of control rather than the imposition of change without perceived legitimate authority.

Proteomic analysis of polyribosomes identifies splicing factors as potential regulators of translation during mitosis.

PubMed

Aviner, Ranen; Hofmann, Sarah; Elman, Tamar; Shenoy, Anjana; Geiger, Tamar; Elkon, Ran; Ehrlich, Marcelo; Elroy-Stein, Orna

2017-06-02

Precise regulation of mRNA translation is critical for proper cell division, but little is known about the factors that mediate it. To identify mRNA-binding proteins that regulate translation during mitosis, we analyzed the composition of polysomes from interphase and mitotic cells using unbiased quantitative mass-spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). We found that mitotic polysomes are enriched with a subset of proteins involved in RNA processing, including alternative splicing and RNA export. To demonstrate that these may indeed be regulators of translation, we focused on heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein C (hnRNP C) as a test case and confirmed that it is recruited to elongating ribosomes during mitosis. Then, using a combination of pulsed SILAC, metabolic labeling and ribosome profiling, we showed that knockdown of hnRNP C affects both global and transcript-specific translation rates and found that hnRNP C is specifically important for translation of mRNAs that encode ribosomal proteins and translation factors. Taken together, our results demonstrate how proteomic analysis of polysomes can provide insight into translation regulation under various cellular conditions of interest and suggest that hnRNP C facilitates production of translation machinery components during mitosis to provide daughter cells with the ability to efficiently synthesize proteins as they enter G1 phase. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Involvement of school students in fights with weapons: prevalence and associated factors in Brazil.

PubMed

Melo, Alice Cristina Medeiros; Garcia, Leila Posenato

2016-09-22

Violence, as well as other behaviors, is often intensified during adolescence and early adulthood. The objective of this study is estimate the prevalence of Brazilian school students involvement in fights with weapons and to analyze the associated factors. This is a cross-sectional study using data from the National School Student Health Survey conducted in 2012 with 9 th grade elementary school students attending 2842 schools in all 27 Brazilian Federative Units. The outcome studied was involvement in fights with firearms and/or cold weapons in the 30 days prior to the interview. Poisson regression was used to estimate the prevalence ratios and 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CI). The analyses were stratified by sex. Fifty seven thousand and eighty nine female students and 52,015 male students were included; the prevalence of their involvement in fights with weapons was 7.2 (95 % CI 6.9-7.5) and 13.8 (95 % CI 13.4-14.3), respectively. In the adjusted analysis the factors associated with male student involvement in fights with weapons were: being older, working, having smoked a cigarette, consumed alcoholic beverages and illicit drugs recently, insomnia, not having any close friends, skipping classes without parental supervision, having suffered aggression from a family member, reporting feeling unsafe on the way to or from school and/or at school. The same associated factors were found among female students in addition to not living with their father and/or mother and having suffered bullying. There was no association with type of school in either sex. Involvement in fights with weapons was greater among older male students. Health-risk behaviors, mental health characteristics, parental supervision and context of violence also showed association with the outcomes.

Identifying and exploring factors influencing career choice, recruitment and retention of anaesthesia trainees in the UK.

PubMed

Moore, J N; McDiarmid, A J; Johnston, P W; Cleland, J A

2017-02-01

Many acute hospital specialties are experiencing low recruitment and high attrition of trainees. Understanding what is important to current trainees is critical in terms of identifying and addressing factors which adversely affect recruitment and retention. To identify and explore factors involved in anaesthetic trainees' career decision making. This was a mixed methods study using a questionnaire survey (assessing how influential 18 different factors were when choosing anaesthetics, using a five-point Likert scale), supplemented by semi-structured interviews, carried out in August-December 2014, in Scotland, UK. 42/68 (62%) completed responses were received, representing over half of all core (58%) and Acute Care Common Stem (65%) trainees across Scotland. Overall, questionnaire data indicated that the following were most important in career decision making: perceived job satisfaction among those already in the specialty, structured training, the nature of the work (practical, varied, immediate outcomes). Thirteen interviews were carried out. These highlighted that prior positive exposure and experience with anaesthetists encouraged trainees into the specialty. Enthusiastic, supportive colleagues and structured training (including clear milestones, regular teaching and feedback) were considered to enhance the quality of training. Sustainable working conditions, flexibility within programme and out-of-programme opportunities were valued. Respondents reported concerns about the impact of increasing service delivery demands on training quality. Many of the elements important to today's anaesthetics trainees are related to positive learning and working environments. This fits with research findings from other professional groups. These findings can inform the development of programmes which cultivate trainee commitment to, and enthusiasm for, anaesthetics. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence

Shared Genetic Factors Involved in Celiac Disease, Type 2 Diabetes and Anorexia Nervosa Suggest Common Molecular Pathways for Chronic Diseases.

PubMed

Mostowy, Joanna; Montén, Caroline; Gudjonsdottir, Audur H; Arnell, Henrik; Browaldh, Lars; Nilsson, Staffan; Agardh, Daniel; Torinsson Naluai, Åsa

2016-01-01

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified several genetic regions involved in immune-regulatory mechanisms to be associated with celiac disease. Previous GWAS also revealed an over-representation of genes involved in type 2 diabetes and anorexia nervosa associated with celiac disease, suggesting involvement of common metabolic pathways for development of these chronic diseases. The aim of this study was to extend these previous analyses to study the gene expression in the gut from children with active celiac disease. Thirty six target genes involved in type 2 diabetes and four genes associated with anorexia nervosa were investigated for gene expression in small intestinal biopsies from 144 children with celiac disease at median (range) age of 7.4 years (1.6-17.8) and from 154 disease controls at a median (range) age 11.4.years (1.4-18.3). A total of eleven of genes were differently expressed in celiac patients compared with disease controls of which CD36, CD38, FOXP1, SELL, PPARA, PPARG, AGT previously associated with type 2 diabetes and AKAP6, NTNG1 with anorexia nervosa remained significant after correction for multiple testing. Shared genetic factors involved in celiac disease, type 2 diabetes and anorexia nervosa suggest common underlying molecular pathways for these diseases.

Early rheumatoid disease. II. Patterns of joint involvement.

PubMed Central

Fleming, A; Benn, R T; Corbett, M; Wood, P H

1976-01-01

Data from the first research clinic visit (Fleming and others, 1976) have been subjected to factor analysis to identify early patterns of joint involvement. Nine patterns emerged. Two patterns, if present early, were found to have prognostic significance. An eventually more severe disease was associated with a pattern of large joint involvement (shoulder, elbow, wrist, knee) and a pattern based on metatarsophalangeal joints I and III. PMID:970995

Motivational and Cognitive Factors Affecting Involvement in Goal Pursuit: A Reconfirmation and Extension of Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hagen, Anastasia S.; And Others

This study, fourth in a series examining factors related to involvement in academic tasks, considers the ways in which cognitive, affective, and motivational variables associated with involvement change over various phases of completing an actual academic task (studying for a final examination). The phases of studying were: (1) just about to begin…

Virus-induced gene silencing unravels multiple transcription factors involved in floral growth and development in Phalaenopsis orchids.

PubMed

Hsieh, Ming-Hsien; Pan, Zhao-Jun; Lai, Pei-Han; Lu, Hsiang-Chia; Yeh, Hsin-Hung; Hsu, Chia-Chi; Wu, Wan-Lin; Chung, Mei-Chu; Wang, Shyh-Shyan; Chen, Wen-Huei; Chen, Hong-Hwa

2013-09-01

Orchidaceae, one of the largest angiosperm families, has significant commercial value. Isolation of genes involved in orchid floral development and morphogenesis, scent production, and colouration will advance knowledge of orchid flower formation and facilitate breeding new varieties to increase the commercial value. With high-throughput virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS), this study identified five transcription factors involved in various aspects of flower morphogenesis in the orchid Phalaenopsis equestris. These genes are PeMADS1, PeMADS7, PeHB, PebHLH, and PeZIP. Silencing PeMADS1 and PebHLH resulted in reduced flower size together with a pelaloid column containing petal-like epidermal cells and alterations of epidermal cell arrangement in lip lateral lobes, respectively. Silencing PeMADS7, PeHB, and PeZIP alone resulted in abortion of the first three fully developed flower buds of an inflorescence, which indicates the roles of the genes in late flower development. Furthermore, double silencing PeMADS1 and PeMADS6, C- and B-class MADS-box genes, respectively, produced a combinatorial phenotype with two genes cloned in separate vectors. Both PeMADS1 and PeMADS6 are required to ensure the normal development of the lip and column as well as the cuticle formation on the floral epidermal cell surface. Thus, VIGS allows for unravelling the interaction between two classes of MADS transcription factors for dictating orchid floral morphogenesis.

Virus-induced gene silencing unravels multiple transcription factors involved in floral growth and development in Phalaenopsis orchids

PubMed Central

Hsieh, Ming-Hsien; Pan, Zhao-Jun; Lai, Pei-Han; Lu, Hsiang-Chia; Yeh, Hsin-Hung; Hsu, Chia-Chi; Wu, Wan-Lin; Chung, Mei-Chu; Wang, Shyh-Shyan; Chen, Wen-Huei; Chen, Hong-Hwa

2013-01-01

Orchidaceae, one of the largest angiosperm families, has significant commercial value. Isolation of genes involved in orchid floral development and morphogenesis, scent production, and colouration will advance knowledge of orchid flower formation and facilitate breeding new varieties to increase the commercial value. With high-throughput virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS), this study identified five transcription factors involved in various aspects of flower morphogenesis in the orchid Phalaenopsis equestris. These genes are PeMADS1, PeMADS7, PeHB, PebHLH, and PeZIP. Silencing PeMADS1 and PebHLH resulted in reduced flower size together with a pelaloid column containing petal-like epidermal cells and alterations of epidermal cell arrangement in lip lateral lobes, respectively. Silencing PeMADS7, PeHB, and PeZIP alone resulted in abortion of the first three fully developed flower buds of an inflorescence, which indicates the roles of the genes in late flower development. Furthermore, double silencing PeMADS1 and PeMADS6, C- and B-class MADS-box genes, respectively, produced a combinatorial phenotype with two genes cloned in separate vectors. Both PeMADS1 and PeMADS6 are required to ensure the normal development of the lip and column as well as the cuticle formation on the floral epidermal cell surface. Thus, VIGS allows for unravelling the interaction between two classes of MADS transcription factors for dictating orchid floral morphogenesis. PMID:23956416

Identifying mediating factors of moral reasoning in science education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeidler, Dana L.; Schafer, Larry E.

The purpose of this research was to examine how science content knowledge, moral reasoning ability, attitudes, and past experiences mediate the formation of moral judgments on environmental dilemmas. The study was conducted in two phases using environmental science majors and nonscience majors of college age. Phase One determined if environmental science majors exhibited higher levels of moral reasoning on nontechnical environmental social issues than on general social issues and examined the extent to which possible mediating factors accounted for differences in moral reasoning. Phase Two was qualitative in nature, the purpose of which was to observe and identify trends in conversations between subjects as to how certain mediating factors are revealed as people form moral judgments. The framework on which this study was constructed incorporates a progressive educational position; a position that views science education as being interdisciplinary, and a social means to a social end.

Let's stay together? Intrinsic and extrinsic factors involved in pair bond dissolution in a recolonizing wolf population.

PubMed

Milleret, Cyril; Wabakken, Petter; Liberg, Olof; Åkesson, Mikael; Flagstad, Øystein; Andreassen, Harry Peter; Sand, Håkan

2017-01-01

For socially monogamous species, breeder bond dissolution has important consequences for population dynamics, but the extent to which extrinsic or intrinsic population factors causes pair dissolution remain poorly understood, especially among carnivores. Using an extensive life-history data set, a survival analysis and competing risks framework, we examined the fate of 153 different wolf (Canis lupus) pairs in the recolonizing Scandinavian wolf population, during 14 winters of snow tracking and DNA monitoring. Wolf pair dissolution was generally linked to a mortality event and was strongly affected by extrinsic (i.e. anthropogenic) causes. No divorce was observed, and among the pair dissolution where causes have been identified, death of one or both wolves was always involved. Median time from pair formation to pair dissolution was three consecutive winters (i.e. approximately 2 years). Pair dissolution was mostly human-related, primarily caused by legal control actions (36·7%), verified poaching (9·2%) and traffic-related causes (2·1%). Intrinsic factors, such as disease and age, accounted for only 7·7% of pair dissolutions. The remaining 44·3% of dissolution events were from unknown causes, but we argue that a large portion could be explained by an additional source of human-caused mortality, cryptic poaching. Extrinsic population factors, such as variables describing the geographical location of the pair, had a stronger effect on risk of pair dissolution compared to anthropogenic landscape characteristics. Population intrinsic factors, such as the inbreeding coefficient of the male pair member, had a negative effect on pair bond duration. The mechanism behind this result remains unknown, but might be explained by lower survival of inbred males or more complex inbreeding effects mediated by behaviour. Our study provides quantitative estimates of breeder bond duration in a social carnivore and highlights the effect of extrinsic (i.e. anthropogenic) and

Comparative Transcriptional Analysis of Loquat Fruit Identifies Major Signal Networks Involved in Fruit Development and Ripening Process.

PubMed

Song, Huwei; Zhao, Xiangxiang; Hu, Weicheng; Wang, Xinfeng; Shen, Ting; Yang, Liming

2016-11-04

Loquat ( Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.) is an important non-climacteric fruit and rich in essential nutrients such as minerals and carotenoids. During fruit development and ripening, thousands of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) from various metabolic pathways cause a series of physiological and biochemical changes. To better understand the underlying mechanism of fruit development, the Solexa/Illumina RNA-seq high-throughput sequencing was used to evaluate the global changes of gene transcription levels. More than 51,610,234 high quality reads from ten runs of fruit development were sequenced and assembled into 48,838 unigenes. Among 3256 DEGs, 2304 unigenes could be annotated to the Gene Ontology database. These DEGs were distributed into 119 pathways described in the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database. A large number of DEGs were involved in carbohydrate metabolism, hormone signaling, and cell-wall degradation. The real-time reverse transcription (qRT)-PCR analyses revealed that several genes related to cell expansion, auxin signaling and ethylene response were differentially expressed during fruit development. Other members of transcription factor families were also identified. There were 952 DEGs considered as novel genes with no annotation in any databases. These unigenes will serve as an invaluable genetic resource for loquat molecular breeding and postharvest storage.

Combining gene expression and genetic analyses to identify candidate genes involved in cold responses in pea.

PubMed

Legrand, Sylvain; Marque, Gilles; Blassiau, Christelle; Bluteau, Aurélie; Canoy, Anne-Sophie; Fontaine, Véronique; Jaminon, Odile; Bahrman, Nasser; Mautord, Julie; Morin, Julie; Petit, Aurélie; Baranger, Alain; Rivière, Nathalie; Wilmer, Jeroen; Delbreil, Bruno; Lejeune-Hénaut, Isabelle

2013-09-01

Cold stress affects plant growth and development. In order to better understand the responses to cold (chilling or freezing tolerance), we used two contrasted pea lines. Following a chilling period, the Champagne line becomes tolerant to frost whereas the Terese line remains sensitive. Four suppression subtractive hybridisation libraries were obtained using mRNAs isolated from pea genotypes Champagne and Terese. Using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) performed on 159 genes, 43 and 54 genes were identified as differentially expressed at the initial time point and during the time course study, respectively. Molecular markers were developed from the differentially expressed genes and were genotyped on a population of 164 RILs derived from a cross between Champagne and Terese. We identified 5 candidate genes colocalizing with 3 different frost damage quantitative trait loci (QTL) intervals and a protein quantity locus (PQL) rich region previously reported. This investigation revealed the role of constitutive differences between both genotypes in the cold responses, in particular with genes related to glycine degradation pathway that could confer to Champagne a better frost tolerance. We showed that freezing tolerance involves a decrease of expression of genes related to photosynthesis and the expression of a gene involved in the production of cysteine and methionine that could act as cryoprotectant molecules. Although it remains to be confirmed, this study could also reveal the involvement of the jasmonate pathway in the cold responses, since we observed that two genes related to this pathway were mapped in a frost damage QTL interval and in a PQL rich region interval, respectively. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Factors Involved in Iranian Women Heads of Household’s Health Promotion Activities: A Grounded Theory Study

PubMed Central

Rafii, Forough; Seyedfatemi, Naima; Rezaei, Mahboubeh

2013-01-01

We aimed to explore and describe the factors involved in Iranian women heads of household’s health promotion activities. Grounded theory was used as the method. Sixteen women heads of household were recruited. Data were generated by semi structured interviews. Our findings indicated that remainder of resources (money, time and energy) alongside perceived severity of health risk were two main factors whereas women’s personal and socio-economic characteristics were two contextual factors involved in these women's health promotion activities. To help these women improve their health status, we recommended that the government, non-governmental organizations and health care professionals provide them with required resources and increase their knowledge by holding training sessions. PMID:24039645

Identifying critical success factors (CSFs) of Facilities Management (FM) in non-low cost high-rise residential buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dahlan, F. M.; Zainuddin, A.

2018-02-01

Critical success factors (CSFs) are important key areas of activity that must be performed well in any Facilities Management (FM) organisation to achieve its missions, objectives or goals. Before implementing CSFs, an FM organisation must identify the key areas where things must be done properly to enable the business to flourish. Although many performance measurements in FM organisation have been discussed in previous research, not much research has been done on CSFs from the perspective of FM business in non-low cost high-rise residential buildings. The purpose of this study is to develop a methodology in developing the CSFs group and CSFs for FM organisation in non-low cost residential buildings. This research will involve three (3) phases of research strategy to achieve the objective of this research.

Genome-Wide siRNA Screen Identifies Complementary Signaling Pathways Involved in Listeria Infection and Reveals Different Actin Nucleation Mechanisms during Listeria Cell Invasion and Actin Comet Tail Formation

PubMed Central

Kühbacher, Andreas; Emmenlauer, Mario; Rämo, Pauli; Kafai, Natasha; Dehio, Christoph

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT Listeria monocytogenes enters nonphagocytic cells by a receptor-mediated mechanism that is dependent on a clathrin-based molecular machinery and actin rearrangements. Bacterial intra- and intercellular movements are also actin dependent and rely on the actin nucleating Arp2/3 complex, which is activated by host-derived nucleation-promoting factors downstream of the cell receptor Met during entry and by the bacterial nucleation-promoting factor ActA during comet tail formation. By genome-wide small interfering RNA (siRNA) screening for host factors involved in bacterial infection, we identified diverse cellular signaling networks and protein complexes that support or limit these processes. In addition, we could precise previously described molecular pathways involved in Listeria invasion. In particular our results show that the requirements for actin nucleators during Listeria entry and actin comet tail formation are different. Knockdown of several actin nucleators, including SPIRE2, reduced bacterial invasion while not affecting the generation of comet tails. Most interestingly, we observed that in contrast to our expectations, not all of the seven subunits of the Arp2/3 complex are required for Listeria entry into cells or actin tail formation and that the subunit requirements for each of these processes differ, highlighting a previously unsuspected versatility in Arp2/3 complex composition and function. PMID:25991686

Using decision tree analysis to identify risk factors for relapse to smoking

PubMed Central

Piper, Megan E.; Loh, Wei-Yin; Smith, Stevens S.; Japuntich, Sandra J.; Baker, Timothy B.

2010-01-01

This research used classification tree analysis and logistic regression models to identify risk factors related to short- and long-term abstinence. Baseline and cessation outcome data from two smoking cessation trials, conducted from 2001 to 2002, in two Midwestern urban areas, were analyzed. There were 928 participants (53.1% women, 81.8% white) with complete data. Both analyses suggest that relapse risk is produced by interactions of risk factors and that early and late cessation outcomes reflect different vulnerability factors. The results illustrate the dynamic nature of relapse risk and suggest the importance of efficient modeling of interactions in relapse prediction. PMID:20397871

School and Community Factors Involved in Chilean Students' Perception of School Safety

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

López, Verónica; Torres-Vallejos, Javier; Villalobos-Parada, Boris; Gilreath, Tamika D.; Ascorra, Paula; Bilbao, Marian; Morales, Macarena; Carrasco, Claudia

2017-01-01

Identifying and understanding predictors of school safety perceptions is important due to its consequences for students. However, it is not clear what school-related factors most contribute to explaining students' perception of school safety, and how they relate to community-related factors such as neighborhood safety. The purpose of this study…

Plastic Biliary Stent Occlusion: Factors Involved and Possible Preventive Approaches

PubMed Central

Donelli, Gianfranco; Guaglianone, Emilio; Di Rosa, Roberta; Fiocca, Fausto; Basoli, Antonio

2007-01-01

Endoscopic biliary stenting is today the most common palliative treatment for patients suffering from obstructive jaundice associated with malignant hepatobiliary tumors or benign strictures. However, recurrent jaundice, with or without cholangitis, is a major complication of a biliary endoprosthesis insertion. Thus, stent removal and replacement with a new one frequently occurs as a consequence of device blockage caused by microbial biofilm growth and biliary sludge accumulation in the lumen. Factors and mechanisms involved in plastic stent clogging arising from epidemiological, clinical and experimental data, as well as the possible strategies to prevent biliary stent failure, will be reviewed and discussed. PMID:17456835

The pain drawing as an instrument for identifying cervical spine nerve involvement in chronic whiplash-associated disorders.

PubMed

Bernhoff, Gabriella; Landén Ludvigsson, Maria; Peterson, Gunnel; Bertilson, Bo Christer; Elf, Madeleine; Peolsson, Anneli

2016-01-01

The aim of the study was to investigate the psychometric properties of a standardized assessment of pain drawing with regard to clinical signs of cervical spine nerve root involvement. This cross-sectional study included data collected in a randomized controlled study. Two hundred and sixteen patients with chronic (≥6 months) whiplash-associated disorders, grade 2 or 3, were included in this study. The validity, sensitivity, and specificity of a standardized pain drawing assessment for determining nerve root involvement were analyzed, compared to the clinical assessment. In addition, we analyzed the interrater reliability with 50 pain drawings. Agreement was poor between the standardized pain drawing assessment and the clinical assessment (kappa =0.11, 95% CI: -0.03 to 0.20). Sensitivity was high (93%), but specificity was low (19%). Interrater reliability was good (kappa =0.64, 95% CI: 0.53 to 0.76). The standardized pain drawing assessment of nerve root involvement in chronic whiplash-associated disorders was not in agreement with the clinical assessment. Further research is warranted to optimize the utilization of a pain/discomfort drawing as a supportive instrument for identifying nerve involvement in cervical spinal injuries.

A functional network involved in the recycling of nucleocytoplasmic pre-60S factors

PubMed Central

Lebreton, Alice; Saveanu, Cosmin; Decourty, Laurence; Rain, Jean-Christophe; Jacquier, Alain; Fromont-Racine, Micheline

2006-01-01

Eukaryotic pre-ribosomes go through cytoplasmic maturation steps before entering translation. The nucleocytoplasmic proteins participating in these late stages of maturation are reimported to the nucleus. In this study, we describe a functional network focused on Rei1/Ybr267w, a strictly cytoplasmic pre-60S factor indirectly involved in nuclear 27S pre-ribosomal RNA processing. In the absence of Rei1, the nuclear import of at least three other pre-60S factors is impaired. The accumulation in the cytoplasm of a small complex formed by the association of Arx1 with a novel factor, Alb1/Yjl122w, inhibits the release of the putative antiassociation factor Tif6 from the premature large ribosomal subunits and its recycling to the nucleus. We propose a model in which Rei1 is a key factor for the coordinated dissociation and recycling of the last pre-60S factors before newly synthesized large ribosomal subunits enter translation. PMID:16651379

Nightmares in the general population: identifying potential causal factors.

PubMed

Rek, Stephanie; Sheaves, Bryony; Freeman, Daniel

2017-09-01

Nightmares are inherently distressing, prevent restorative sleep, and are associated with a number of psychiatric problems, but have rarely been the subject of empirical study. Negative affect, linked to stressful events, is generally considered the key trigger of nightmares; hence nightmares have most often been considered in the context of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, many individuals with heightened negative affect do not have nightmares. The objective of this study was to identify mechanistically plausible factors, beyond negative affect, that may explain why individuals experience nightmares. 846 participants from the UK general population completed an online survey about nightmare occurrence and severity (pre-occupation, distress, and impairment), negative affect, worry, depersonalisation, hallucinatory experiences, paranoia, alcohol use, sleep duration, physical activity levels, PTSD symptoms, and stressful life events. Associations of nightmares with the putative predictive factors were tested controlling for levels of negative affect. Analyses were also repeated controlling for levels of PTSD and the recent occurrence of stressful life events. Nightmare occurrence, adjusting for negative affect, was associated with higher levels of worry, depersonalisation, hallucinatory experiences, paranoia, and sleep duration (odds ratios 1.25-1.45). Nightmare severity, controlling for negative affect, was associated with higher levels of worry, depersonalisation, hallucinatory experiences, and paranoia (R 2 s: 0.33-0.39). Alcohol use and physical activity levels were not associated with nightmares. The study identifies a number of potential predictors of the occurrence and severity of nightmares. Causal roles require testing in future longitudinal, experimental, and treatment studies.

An Evolutionary Genomic Approach to Identify Genes Involved in Human Birth Timing

PubMed Central

Orabona, Guilherme; Morgan, Thomas; Haataja, Ritva; Hallman, Mikko; Puttonen, Hilkka; Menon, Ramkumar; Kuczynski, Edward; Norwitz, Errol; Snegovskikh, Victoria; Palotie, Aarno; Fellman, Vineta; DeFranco, Emily A.; Chaudhari, Bimal P.; McGregor, Tracy L.; McElroy, Jude J.; Oetjens, Matthew T.; Teramo, Kari; Borecki, Ingrid; Fay, Justin; Muglia, Louis

2011-01-01

Coordination of fetal maturation with birth timing is essential for mammalian reproduction. In humans, preterm birth is a disorder of profound global health significance. The signals initiating parturition in humans have remained elusive, due to divergence in physiological mechanisms between humans and model organisms typically studied. Because of relatively large human head size and narrow birth canal cross-sectional area compared to other primates, we hypothesized that genes involved in parturition would display accelerated evolution along the human and/or higher primate phylogenetic lineages to decrease the length of gestation and promote delivery of a smaller fetus that transits the birth canal more readily. Further, we tested whether current variation in such accelerated genes contributes to preterm birth risk. Evidence from allometric scaling of gestational age suggests human gestation has been shortened relative to other primates. Consistent with our hypothesis, many genes involved in reproduction show human acceleration in their coding or adjacent noncoding regions. We screened >8,400 SNPs in 150 human accelerated genes in 165 Finnish preterm and 163 control mothers for association with preterm birth. In this cohort, the most significant association was in FSHR, and 8 of the 10 most significant SNPs were in this gene. Further evidence for association of a linkage disequilibrium block of SNPs in FSHR, rs11686474, rs11680730, rs12473870, and rs1247381 was found in African Americans. By considering human acceleration, we identified a novel gene that may be associated with preterm birth, FSHR. We anticipate other human accelerated genes will similarly be associated with preterm birth risk and elucidate essential pathways for human parturition. PMID:21533219

Crash Data Safety Factors Evaluation

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-11-30

The purpose of this project was to identify annual trends and contributory factors of crashes involving mature drivers, vulnerable road users, fatal and injury crashes involving guiderail, and collisions resulting from vehicle failures. Three years o...

The Involvement of University Faculty Members in Social Planning: Motivating and Hindering Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boehm, Amnon

2008-01-01

The research examines factors that affect the involvement of university faculty members in social planning activities. It examines the impact of philanthropic views compared with the exchange relations approach, both on personal and organizational levels, as well as the contribution of several characteristics of the relationship between faculty…

Male Partner's Involvement in HIV Counselling and Testing and Associated Factors among Partners of Pregnant Women in Gondar Town, Northwest Ethiopia

PubMed Central

Zenebe, Alemu; Gebeyehu, Abebaw; Derseh, Lemma

2016-01-01

Background. Despite the existence of several programmes promoting male involvement in HIV counselling and testing during their wife's pregnancy as a part of PMTCT, few men have heeded the call. The aim of this study was to assess male partner's involvement in HCT and its associated factors. Methods. This study was based on institution based cross-sectional study design that used systematic random sampling technique. A total of 416 partners were interviewed in the data collection. Multivariable logistic regression model was fitted to identify the independent predictors. Result. In this study, the prevalence of male involvement in HCT was found to be 40.1% (95% CI: 35.3%–44.7%). The independent predictors of male involvement were partners who were younger, were cohabitant, were with multigravida wives, were knowledgeable on route of mother-to-child transmission, and discussed HCT. Conclusion. The prevalence of male involvement in HCT was found to be suboptimal compared to similar studies in Ethiopia. There is a need of interventions on partners who are older, separated, and with lower gravidity wife. Awareness creation campaign should also be created on the route of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and on the importance of discussion with wife. PMID:27555968

Male Partner's Involvement in HIV Counselling and Testing and Associated Factors among Partners of Pregnant Women in Gondar Town, Northwest Ethiopia.

PubMed

Zenebe, Alemu; Gebeyehu, Abebaw; Derseh, Lemma; Ahmed, Kedir Y

2016-01-01

Background. Despite the existence of several programmes promoting male involvement in HIV counselling and testing during their wife's pregnancy as a part of PMTCT, few men have heeded the call. The aim of this study was to assess male partner's involvement in HCT and its associated factors. Methods. This study was based on institution based cross-sectional study design that used systematic random sampling technique. A total of 416 partners were interviewed in the data collection. Multivariable logistic regression model was fitted to identify the independent predictors. Result. In this study, the prevalence of male involvement in HCT was found to be 40.1% (95% CI: 35.3%-44.7%). The independent predictors of male involvement were partners who were younger, were cohabitant, were with multigravida wives, were knowledgeable on route of mother-to-child transmission, and discussed HCT. Conclusion. The prevalence of male involvement in HCT was found to be suboptimal compared to similar studies in Ethiopia. There is a need of interventions on partners who are older, separated, and with lower gravidity wife. Awareness creation campaign should also be created on the route of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and on the importance of discussion with wife.

Drinking reasons, drinking locations, and automobile accident involvement among collegians.

PubMed

Pang, M G; Wells-Parker, E; McMillen, D L

1989-03-01

Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the relationship of five drinking reason factors to drinking locations and consumption variables within a random sample of drinking college students surveyed by telephone. Hypotheses relating self-reported accident involvement after drinking and two specific reason factors - Opposite Sex/Drunkenness and Pleasure - were tested. Both Pleasure and Opposite Sex/Drunkenness were directly related to quantity consumed and to drinking in several away-from-home locations. Opposite Sex/Drunkenness reasons and frequency of drinking in cars significantly contributed to identifying males who reported accident involvement following drinking.

Suppressed Expression of T-Box Transcription Factors is Involved in Senescence in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

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

Acquaah-Mensah, George; Malhotra, Deepti; Vulimiri, Madhulika

2012-06-19

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major global health problem. The etiology of COPD has been associated with apoptosis, oxidative stress, and inflammation. However, understanding of the molecular interactions that modulate COPD pathogenesis remains only partly resolved. We conducted an exploratory study on COPD etiology to identify the key molecular participants. We used information-theoretic algorithms including Context Likelihood of Relatedness (CLR), Algorithm for the Reconstruction of Accurate Cellular Networks (ARACNE), and Inferelator. We captured direct functional associations among genes, given a compendium of gene expression profiles of human lung epithelial cells. A set of genes differentially expressed in COPD,more » as reported in a previous study were superposed with the resulting transcriptional regulatory networks. After factoring in the properties of the networks, an established COPD susceptibility locus and domain-domain interactions involving protein products of genes in the generated networks, several molecular candidates were predicted to be involved in the etiology of COPD. These include COL4A3, CFLAR, GULP1, PDCD1, CASP10, PAX3, BOK, HSPD1, PITX2, and PML. Furthermore, T-box (TBX) genes and cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (CDKN2A), which are in a direct transcriptional regulatory relationship, emerged as preeminent participants in the etiology of COPD by means of senescence. Contrary to observations in neoplasms, our study reveals that the expression of genes and proteins in the lung samples from patients with COPD indicate an increased tendency towards cellular senescence. The expression of the anti-senescence mediators TBX transcription factors, chromatin modifiers histone deacetylases, and sirtuins was suppressed; while the expression of TBX-regulated cellular senescence markers such as CDKN2A, CDKN1A, and CAV1 was elevated in the peripheral lung tissue samples from patients with COPD. The critical balance between

Using a Delphi Method to Identify Human Factors Contributing to Nursing Errors.

PubMed

Roth, Cheryl; Brewer, Melanie; Wieck, K Lynn

2017-07-01

The purpose of this study was to identify human factors associated with nursing errors. Using a Delphi technique, this study used feedback from a panel of nurse experts (n = 25) on an initial qualitative survey questionnaire followed by summarizing the results with feedback and confirmation. Synthesized factors regarding causes of errors were incorporated into a quantitative Likert-type scale, and the original expert panel participants were queried a second time to validate responses. The list identified 24 items as most common causes of nursing errors, including swamping and errors made by others that nurses are expected to recognize and fix. The responses provided a consensus top 10 errors list based on means with heavy workload and fatigue at the top of the list. The use of the Delphi survey established consensus and developed a platform upon which future study of nursing errors can evolve as a link to future solutions. This list of human factors in nursing errors should serve to stimulate dialogue among nurses about how to prevent errors and improve outcomes. Human and system failures have been the subject of an abundance of research, yet nursing errors continue to occur. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Hepatic nuclear factor 3 and nuclear factor 1 regulate 5-aminolevulinate synthase gene expression and are involved in insulin repression.

PubMed

Scassa, María E; Guberman, Alejandra S; Ceruti, Julieta M; Cánepa, Eduardo T

2004-07-02

Although the negative regulation of gene expression by insulin has been widely studied, the transcription factors responsible for the insulin effect are still unknown. The purpose of this work was to explore the molecular mechanisms involved in the insulin repression of the 5-aminolevulinate synthase (ALAS) gene. Deletion analysis of the 5'-regulatory region allowed us to identify an insulin-responsive region located at -459 to -354 bp. This fragment contains a highly homologous insulin-responsive (IRE) sequence. By transient transfection assays, we determined that hepatic nuclear factor 3 (HNF3) and nuclear factor 1 (NF1) are necessary for an appropriate expression of the ALAS gene. Insulin overrides the HNF3beta or HNF3beta plus NF1-mediated stimulation of ALAS transcriptional activity. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay and Southwestern blotting indicate that HNF3 binds to the ALAS promoter. Mutational analysis of this region revealed that IRE disruption abrogates insulin action, whereas mutation of the HNF3 element maintains hormone responsiveness. This dissociation between HNF3 binding and insulin action suggests that HNF3beta is not the sole physiologic mediator of insulin-induced transcriptional repression. Furthermore, Southwestern blotting assay shows that at least two polypeptides other than HNF3beta can bind to ALAS promoter and that this binding is dependent on the integrity of the IRE. We propose a model in which insulin exerts its negative effect through the disturbance of HNF3beta binding or transactivation potential, probably due to specific phosphorylation of this transcription factor by Akt. In this regard, results obtained from transfection experiments using kinase inhibitors support this hypothesis. Due to this event, NF1 would lose accessibility to the promoter. The posttranslational modification of HNF3 would allow the binding of a protein complex that recognizes the core IRE. These results provide a potential mechanism for the insulin

Hospital Readmission and Social Risk Factors Identified from Physician Notes.

PubMed

Navathe, Amol S; Zhong, Feiran; Lei, Victor J; Chang, Frank Y; Sordo, Margarita; Topaz, Maxim; Navathe, Shamkant B; Rocha, Roberto A; Zhou, Li

2018-04-01

To evaluate the prevalence of seven social factors using physician notes as compared to claims and structured electronic health records (EHRs) data and the resulting association with 30-day readmissions. A multihospital academic health system in southeastern Massachusetts. An observational study of 49,319 patients with cardiovascular disease admitted from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2013, using multivariable logistic regression to adjust for patient characteristics. All-payer claims, EHR data, and physician notes extracted from a centralized clinical registry. All seven social characteristics were identified at the highest rates in physician notes. For example, we identified 14,872 patient admissions with poor social support in physician notes, increasing the prevalence from 0.4 percent using ICD-9 codes and structured EHR data to 16.0 percent. Compared to an 18.6 percent baseline readmission rate, risk-adjusted analysis showed higher readmission risk for patients with housing instability (readmission rate 24.5 percent; p < .001), depression (20.6 percent; p < .001), drug abuse (20.2 percent; p = .01), and poor social support (20.0 percent; p = .01). The seven social risk factors studied are substantially more prevalent than represented in administrative data. Automated methods for analyzing physician notes may enable better identification of patients with social needs. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Repressor- and Activator-Type Ethylene Response Factors Functioning in Jasmonate Signaling and Disease Resistance Identified via a Genome-Wide Screen of Arabidopsis Transcription Factor Gene Expression[w

PubMed Central

McGrath, Ken C.; Dombrecht, Bruno; Manners, John M.; Schenk, Peer M.; Edgar, Cameron I.; Maclean, Donald J.; Scheible, Wolf-Rüdiger; Udvardi, Michael K.; Kazan, Kemal

2005-01-01

To identify transcription factors (TFs) involved in jasmonate (JA) signaling and plant defense, we screened 1,534 Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) TFs by real-time quantitative reverse transcription-PCR for their altered transcript at 6 h following either methyl JA treatment or inoculation with the incompatible pathogen Alternaria brassicicola. We identified 134 TFs that showed a significant change in expression, including many APETALA2/ethylene response factor (AP2/ERF), MYB, WRKY, and NAC TF genes with unknown functions. Twenty TF genes were induced by both the pathogen and methyl JA and these included 10 members of the AP2/ERF TF family, primarily from the B1a and B3 subclusters. Functional analysis of the B1a TF AtERF4 revealed that AtERF4 acts as a novel negative regulator of JA-responsive defense gene expression and resistance to the necrotrophic fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum and antagonizes JA inhibition of root elongation. In contrast, functional analysis of the B3 TF AtERF2 showed that AtERF2 is a positive regulator of JA-responsive defense genes and resistance to F. oxysporum and enhances JA inhibition of root elongation. Our results suggest that plants coordinately express multiple repressor- and activator-type AP2/ERFs during pathogen challenge to modulate defense gene expression and disease resistance. PMID:16183832

Identification of basic/helix-loop-helix transcription factors reveals candidate genes involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis from the strawberry white-flesh mutant.

PubMed

Zhao, Fengli; Li, Gang; Hu, Panpan; Zhao, Xia; Li, Liangjie; Wei, Wei; Feng, Jiayue; Zhou, Houcheng

2018-02-09

As the second largest transcription factor family in plant, the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor family, characterized by the conserved bHLH domain, plays a central regulatory role in many biological process. However, the bHLH transcription factor family of strawberry has not been systematically identified, especially for the anthocyanin biosynthesis. Here, we identified a total of 113 bHLH transcription factors and described their chromosomal distribution and bioinformatics for the diploid woodland strawberry Fragaria vesca. In addition, transcription profiles of 113 orthologous bHLH genes from various tissues were analyzed for the cultivar 'Benihoppe', its white-flesh mutant 'Xiaobai', and the 'Snow Princess' from their fruit development to the ripening, as well as those under either the ABA or Eth treatment. Both the RT-PCR and qRT-PCR results show that seven selected FabHLH genes (FabHLH17, FabHLH25, FabHLH27, FabHLH29, FabHLH40, FabHLH80, FabHLH98) are responsive to the fruit anthocyanin biosynthesis and hormone signaling according to transcript profiles where three color modes are observed for strawberry's fruit skin and flesh. Further, prediction for the protein interaction network reveals that four bHLHs (FabHLH25, FabHLH29, FabHLH80, FabHLH98) are involved in the fruit anthocyanin biosynthesis and hormone signaling transduction. These bioinformatics and expression profiles provide a good basis for a further investigation of strawberry bHLH genes.

De Novo Assembly of the Japanese Flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) Spleen Transcriptome to Identify Putative Genes Involved in Immunity

PubMed Central

Huang, Lin; Li, Guiyang; Mo, Zhaolan; Xiao, Peng; Li, Jie; Huang, Jie

2015-01-01

Background Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) is an economically important marine fish in Asia and has suffered from disease outbreaks caused by various pathogens, which requires more information for immune relevant genes on genome background. However, genomic and transcriptomic data for Japanese flounder remain scarce, which limits studies on the immune system of this species. In this study, we characterized the Japanese flounder spleen transcriptome using an Illumina paired-end sequencing platform to identify putative genes involved in immunity. Methodology/Principal Findings A cDNA library from the spleen of P. olivaceus was constructed and randomly sequenced using an Illumina technique. The removal of low quality reads generated 12,196,968 trimmed reads, which assembled into 96,627 unigenes. A total of 21,391 unigenes (22.14%) were annotated in the NCBI Nr database, and only 1.1% of the BLASTx top-hits matched P. olivaceus protein sequences. Approximately 12,503 (58.45%) unigenes were categorized into three Gene Ontology groups, 19,547 (91.38%) were classified into 26 Cluster of Orthologous Groups, and 10,649 (49.78%) were assigned to six Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways. Furthermore, 40,928 putative simple sequence repeats and 47, 362 putative single nucleotide polymorphisms were identified. Importantly, we identified 1,563 putative immune-associated unigenes that mapped to 15 immune signaling pathways. Conclusions/Significance The P. olivaceus transciptome data provides a rich source to discover and identify new genes, and the immune-relevant sequences identified here will facilitate our understanding of the mechanisms involved in the immune response. Furthermore, the plentiful potential SSRs and SNPs found in this study are important resources with respect to future development of a linkage map or marker assisted breeding programs for the flounder. PMID:25723398

The Conformational Change in Elongation Factor Tu Involves Separation of Its Domains

DOE PAGES

Lai, Jonathan; Ghaemi, Zhaleh; Luthey-Schulten, Zaida

2017-10-18

Elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu) is a highly conserved GTPase that is responsible for supplying the aminoacylated tRNA to the ribosome. Upon binding to the ribosome, EF-Tu undergoes GTP hydrolysis, which drives a major conformational change, triggering the release of aminoacylated tRNA to the ribosome. Using a combination of molecular simulation techniques, we studied the transition between the pre- and post-hydrolysis structures through two distinct pathways. Here, we show that the transition free energy is minimal along a non-intuitive pathway that involves “separation” of the GTP binding domain (domain 1) from the OB folds (domains 2 and 3), followed by domainmore » 1 rotation, and, eventually, locking the EF-Tu conformation in the post-hydrolysis state. The domain separation also leads to a slight extension of the linker connecting domain 1 to domain 2. Using docking tools and correlation-based analysis, we identified and characterized the EF-Tu conformations that release the tRNA. These calculations suggest that EF-Tu can release the tRNA before the domains separate and after domain 1 rotates by 25°. Lastly, we also examined the EF-Tu conformations in the context of the ribosome. Given the high degrees of sequence similarity with other translational GTPases, we predict a similar separation mechanism is followed.« less

The Conformational Change in Elongation Factor Tu Involves Separation of Its Domains

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

Lai, Jonathan; Ghaemi, Zhaleh; Luthey-Schulten, Zaida

Elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu) is a highly conserved GTPase that is responsible for supplying the aminoacylated tRNA to the ribosome. Upon binding to the ribosome, EF-Tu undergoes GTP hydrolysis, which drives a major conformational change, triggering the release of aminoacylated tRNA to the ribosome. Using a combination of molecular simulation techniques, we studied the transition between the pre- and post-hydrolysis structures through two distinct pathways. Here, we show that the transition free energy is minimal along a non-intuitive pathway that involves “separation” of the GTP binding domain (domain 1) from the OB folds (domains 2 and 3), followed by domainmore » 1 rotation, and, eventually, locking the EF-Tu conformation in the post-hydrolysis state. The domain separation also leads to a slight extension of the linker connecting domain 1 to domain 2. Using docking tools and correlation-based analysis, we identified and characterized the EF-Tu conformations that release the tRNA. These calculations suggest that EF-Tu can release the tRNA before the domains separate and after domain 1 rotates by 25°. Lastly, we also examined the EF-Tu conformations in the context of the ribosome. Given the high degrees of sequence similarity with other translational GTPases, we predict a similar separation mechanism is followed.« less

Identifying items to assess methodological quality in physical therapy trials: a factor analysis.

PubMed

Armijo-Olivo, Susan; Cummings, Greta G; Fuentes, Jorge; Saltaji, Humam; Ha, Christine; Chisholm, Annabritt; Pasichnyk, Dion; Rogers, Todd

2014-09-01

Numerous tools and individual items have been proposed to assess the methodological quality of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The frequency of use of these items varies according to health area, which suggests a lack of agreement regarding their relevance to trial quality or risk of bias. The objectives of this study were: (1) to identify the underlying component structure of items and (2) to determine relevant items to evaluate the quality and risk of bias of trials in physical therapy by using an exploratory factor analysis (EFA). A methodological research design was used, and an EFA was performed. Randomized controlled trials used for this study were randomly selected from searches of the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Two reviewers used 45 items gathered from 7 different quality tools to assess the methodological quality of the RCTs. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted using the principal axis factoring (PAF) method followed by varimax rotation. Principal axis factoring identified 34 items loaded on 9 common factors: (1) selection bias; (2) performance and detection bias; (3) eligibility, intervention details, and description of outcome measures; (4) psychometric properties of the main outcome; (5) contamination and adherence to treatment; (6) attrition bias; (7) data analysis; (8) sample size; and (9) control and placebo adequacy. Because of the exploratory nature of the results, a confirmatory factor analysis is needed to validate this model. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first factor analysis to explore the underlying component items used to evaluate the methodological quality or risk of bias of RCTs in physical therapy. The items and factors represent a starting point for evaluating the methodological quality and risk of bias in physical therapy trials. Empirical evidence of the association among these items with treatment effects and a confirmatory factor analysis of these results are needed to validate these items. �

Examining Socio-Cultural and Neighborhood Factors Associated with Trajectories of Mexican-Origin Mothers' Education-Related Involvement.

PubMed

Bhargava, Sakshi; Bámaca-Colbert, Mayra Y; Witherspoon, Dawn P; Pomerantz, Eva M; Robins, Richard W

2017-08-01

Parental involvement in education is an important determinant of youth's academic success. Yet, there is limited knowledge on how Latino parents' education-related involvement changes over time. Using data from a longitudinal study of 674 Mexican-origin families (mother-adolescent dyad; M age of child at Wave 1=10.4, SD = 0.60), we examined trajectories of parental involvement from 5 th to 11 th grade and the effects of socio-cultural (e.g., family SES and acculturation) and contextual (e.g., neighborhood) factors on these trajectories. Results showed that mothers reduced two aspects of the educational involvement: home-based involvement and academic aspirations, but increased on a third aspect of involvement, resource seeking. Furthermore, family SES, acculturation, and neighborhood context were differentially associated with mothers' involvement at 5 th grade and predicted changes in involvement across elementary and high school.

Latino Parents of English Learners in Catholic Schools: Home vs. School Based Educational Involvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vera, Elizabeth M.; Heineke, Amy; Carr, Andrea L.; Camacho, Daniel; Israel, Marla Susman; Goldberger, Nancy; Clawson, Angela; Hill, Martin

2017-01-01

This study sought to expand the field's understanding of the educational involvement of Latino parents whose children were English Learners and attended Catholic schools. Specifically, we attempted to identify factors that facilitate as well as prohibit involvement in two home-based types of educational involvement and two specific school-based…

Antecedents of Employees' Involvement in Work-Related Learning: A Systematic Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kyndt, Eva; Baert, Herman

2013-01-01

Involvement in work-related learning seems to be more complex than a simple supply-demand fit. An interplay of several factors can influence this involvement at different stages of the decision-making process of the employee. The aim of this systematic review is to examine which antecedents of work-related learning have been identified in previous…

Genome-Wide RNAi Screen Identifies Broadly-Acting Host Factors That Inhibit Arbovirus Infection

PubMed Central

Yasunaga, Ari; Hanna, Sheri L.; Li, Jianqing; Cho, Hyelim; Rose, Patrick P.; Spiridigliozzi, Anna; Gold, Beth; Diamond, Michael S.; Cherry, Sara

2014-01-01

Vector-borne viruses are an important class of emerging and re-emerging pathogens; thus, an improved understanding of the cellular factors that modulate infection in their respective vertebrate and insect hosts may aid control efforts. In particular, cell-intrinsic antiviral pathways restrict vector-borne viruses including the type I interferon response in vertebrates and the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway in insects. However, it is likely that additional cell-intrinsic mechanisms exist to limit these viruses. Since insects rely on innate immune mechanisms to inhibit virus infections, we used Drosophila as a model insect to identify cellular factors that restrict West Nile virus (WNV), a flavivirus with a broad and expanding geographical host range. Our genome-wide RNAi screen identified 50 genes that inhibited WNV infection. Further screening revealed that 17 of these genes were antiviral against additional flaviviruses, and seven of these were antiviral against other vector-borne viruses, expanding our knowledge of invertebrate cell-intrinsic immunity. Investigation of two newly identified factors that restrict diverse viruses, dXPO1 and dRUVBL1, in the Tip60 complex, demonstrated they contributed to antiviral defense at the organismal level in adult flies, in mosquito cells, and in mammalian cells. These data suggest the existence of broadly acting and functionally conserved antiviral genes and pathways that restrict virus infections in evolutionarily divergent hosts. PMID:24550726

Identifying depressive symptom trajectory groups among Korean adults and psychosocial factors as group determinants.

PubMed

Kwon, Tae Yeon

2015-06-01

Longitudinal research is needed to examine the depressive symptom trajectories of different groups during adulthood and their antecedents and consequences, because depressive symptoms may be changeable and heterogeneous over time. This study examined the number of trajectory groups describing the depressive symptoms of Korean adults, as well as the shape of the trajectories and the association between trajectory group membership and psychosocial factors identified based on the ecosystem model. This study used Nagin's semi-parametric group-based modeling to analyze Year 1 to Year 7 data from Korea Welfare Panel Survey (N = 13,735), a nationally representative sample of community-dwelling adults. Three distinct trajectory groups were identified: a low stable depressive symptoms group, a moderate depressive symptoms group and a high depressive symptoms group. Result from multinominal logit analysis showed that all psychosocial factors except family relationships affected the likelihood of membership in the three depressive symptoms groups. Especially, self-esteem was the psychosocial factor with the largest impact on depressive symptom trajectory group membership. When screening for depressive symptoms, individuals with a low socioeconomic status should be a primary concern and intervention should be made available to them. Prevention or intervention with members of the identified trajectory groups would likely require integrative approaches targeting psychosocial factors across multiple contexts. © The Author(s) 2015.

MMTV insertional mutagenesis identifies genes, gene families and pathways involved in mammary cancer.

PubMed

Theodorou, Vassiliki; Kimm, Melanie A; Boer, Mandy; Wessels, Lodewyk; Theelen, Wendy; Jonkers, Jos; Hilkens, John

2007-06-01

We performed a high-throughput retroviral insertional mutagenesis screen in mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV)-induced mammary tumors and identified 33 common insertion sites, of which 17 genes were previously not known to be associated with mammary cancer and 13 had not previously been linked to cancer in general. Although members of the Wnt and fibroblast growth factors (Fgf) families were frequently tagged, our exhaustive screening for MMTV insertion sites uncovered a new repertoire of candidate breast cancer oncogenes. We validated one of these genes, Rspo3, as an oncogene by overexpression in a p53-deficient mammary epithelial cell line. The human orthologs of the candidate oncogenes were frequently deregulated in human breast cancers and associated with several tumor parameters. Computational analysis of all MMTV-tagged genes uncovered specific gene families not previously associated with cancer and showed a significant overrepresentation of protein domains and signaling pathways mainly associated with development and growth factor signaling. Comparison of all tagged genes in MMTV and Moloney murine leukemia virus-induced malignancies showed that both viruses target mostly different genes that act predominantly in distinct pathways.

Quantitative and mixed analyses to identify factors that affect cervical cancer screening uptake among lesbian and bisexual women and transgender men.

PubMed

Johnson, Michael J; Mueller, Martina; Eliason, Michele J; Stuart, Gail; Nemeth, Lynne S

2016-12-01

The purposes of this study were to measure the prevalence of, and identify factors associated with, cervical cancer screening among a sample of lesbian, bisexual and queer women, and transgender men. Past research has found that lesbian, bisexual and queer women underuse cervical screening service. Because deficient screening remains the most significant risk factor for cervical cancer, it is essential to understand the differences between routine and nonroutine screeners. A convergent-parallel mixed methods design. A convenience sample of 21- to 65-year-old lesbian and bisexual women and transgender men were recruited in the USA from August-December 2014. Quantitative data were collected via a 48-item Internet questionnaire (N = 226), and qualitative data were collected through in-depth telephone interviews (N = 20) and open-ended questions on the Internet questionnaire. Seventy-three per cent of the sample was routine cervical screeners. The results showed that a constellation of factors influence the use of cervical cancer screening among lesbian, bisexual and queer women. Some of those factors overlap with the general female population, whereas others are specific to the lesbian, bisexual or queer identity. Routine screeners reported feeling more welcome in the health care setting, while nonroutine screeners reported more discrimination related to their sexual orientation and gender expression. Routine screeners were also more likely to 'out' to their provider. The quantitative and qualitative factors were also compared and contrasted. Many of the factors identified in this study to influence cervical cancer screening relate to the health care environment and to interactions between the patient and provider. Nurses should be involved with creating welcoming environments for lesbian, bisexual and queer women and their partners. Moreover, nurses play a large role in patient education and should promote self-care behaviours among lesbian women and transgender

Antibiotic discovery throughout the Small World Initiative: A molecular strategy to identify biosynthetic gene clusters involved in antagonistic activity.

PubMed

Davis, Elizabeth; Sloan, Tyler; Aurelius, Krista; Barbour, Angela; Bodey, Elijah; Clark, Brigette; Dennis, Celeste; Drown, Rachel; Fleming, Megan; Humbert, Allison; Glasgo, Elizabeth; Kerns, Trent; Lingro, Kelly; McMillin, MacKenzie; Meyer, Aaron; Pope, Breanna; Stalevicz, April; Steffen, Brittney; Steindl, Austin; Williams, Carolyn; Wimberley, Carmen; Zenas, Robert; Butela, Kristen; Wildschutte, Hans

2017-06-01

The emergence of bacterial pathogens resistant to all known antibiotics is a global health crisis. Adding to this problem is that major pharmaceutical companies have shifted away from antibiotic discovery due to low profitability. As a result, the pipeline of new antibiotics is essentially dry and many bacteria now resist the effects of most commonly used drugs. To address this global health concern, citizen science through the Small World Initiative (SWI) was formed in 2012. As part of SWI, students isolate bacteria from their local environments, characterize the strains, and assay for antibiotic production. During the 2015 fall semester at Bowling Green State University, students isolated 77 soil-derived bacteria and genetically characterized strains using the 16S rRNA gene, identified strains exhibiting antagonistic activity, and performed an expanded SWI workflow using transposon mutagenesis to identify a biosynthetic gene cluster involved in toxigenic compound production. We identified one mutant with loss of antagonistic activity and through subsequent whole-genome sequencing and linker-mediated PCR identified a 24.9 kb biosynthetic gene locus likely involved in inhibitory activity in that mutant. Further assessment against human pathogens demonstrated the inhibition of Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in the presence of this compound, thus supporting our molecular strategy as an effective research pipeline for SWI antibiotic discovery and genetic characterization. © 2017 The Authors. MicrobiologyOpen published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Linking Strengths: Identifying and Exploring Protective Factor Clusters in Academically Resilient Low-Socioeconomic Urban Students of Color

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morales, Erik E.

2010-01-01

Based on data from qualitative interviews with 50 high-achieving low-socioeconomic students of color, two "clusters" of important and symbiotic protective factors are identified and explored. Each cluster consists of a series of interrelated protective factors identified by the participants as crucial to their statistically exceptional academic…

Epigenetic priors for identifying active transcription factor binding sites.

PubMed

Cuellar-Partida, Gabriel; Buske, Fabian A; McLeay, Robert C; Whitington, Tom; Noble, William Stafford; Bailey, Timothy L

2012-01-01

Accurate knowledge of the genome-wide binding of transcription factors in a particular cell type or under a particular condition is necessary for understanding transcriptional regulation. Using epigenetic data such as histone modification and DNase I, accessibility data has been shown to improve motif-based in silico methods for predicting such binding, but this approach has not yet been fully explored. We describe a probabilistic method for combining one or more tracks of epigenetic data with a standard DNA sequence motif model to improve our ability to identify active transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs). We convert each data type into a position-specific probabilistic prior and combine these priors with a traditional probabilistic motif model to compute a log-posterior odds score. Our experiments, using histone modifications H3K4me1, H3K4me3, H3K9ac and H3K27ac, as well as DNase I sensitivity, show conclusively that the log-posterior odds score consistently outperforms a simple binary filter based on the same data. We also show that our approach performs competitively with a more complex method, CENTIPEDE, and suggest that the relative simplicity of the log-posterior odds scoring method makes it an appealing and very general method for identifying functional TFBSs on the basis of DNA and epigenetic evidence. FIMO, part of the MEME Suite software toolkit, now supports log-posterior odds scoring using position-specific priors for motif search. A web server and source code are available at http://meme.nbcr.net. Utilities for creating priors are at http://research.imb.uq.edu.au/t.bailey/SD/Cuellar2011. t.bailey@uq.edu.au Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Factor Analyses and Score Validity of the Family Emotional Involvement and Criticism Scale in an Adolescent Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelis, Sharon M.; Rae, Gordon; Liddell, Christine

2006-01-01

The factor structure of the Family Emotional Involvement and Criticism Scale (FEICS) is tested in a sample of Irish adolescents. Participants were 661 adolescents with a mean age of 15.9 years (SD = 1.26). Interpretation of both the exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis of the FEICS show support for the two-factor structure of the FEICS…

Transcriptomic Analysis Using Olive Varieties and Breeding Progenies Identifies Candidate Genes Involved in Plant Architecture.

PubMed

González-Plaza, Juan J; Ortiz-Martín, Inmaculada; Muñoz-Mérida, Antonio; García-López, Carmen; Sánchez-Sevilla, José F; Luque, Francisco; Trelles, Oswaldo; Bejarano, Eduardo R; De La Rosa, Raúl; Valpuesta, Victoriano; Beuzón, Carmen R

2016-01-01

Plant architecture is a critical trait in fruit crops that can significantly influence yield, pruning, planting density and harvesting. Little is known about how plant architecture is genetically determined in olive, were most of the existing varieties are traditional with an architecture poorly suited for modern growing and harvesting systems. In the present study, we have carried out microarray analysis of meristematic tissue to compare expression profiles of olive varieties displaying differences in architecture, as well as seedlings from their cross pooled on the basis of their sharing architecture-related phenotypes. The microarray used, previously developed by our group has already been applied to identify candidates genes involved in regulating juvenile to adult transition in the shoot apex of seedlings. Varieties with distinct architecture phenotypes and individuals from segregating progenies displaying opposite architecture features were used to link phenotype to expression. Here, we identify 2252 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated to differences in plant architecture. Microarray results were validated by quantitative RT-PCR carried out on genes with functional annotation likely related to plant architecture. Twelve of these genes were further analyzed in individual seedlings of the corresponding pool. We also examined Arabidopsis mutants in putative orthologs of these targeted candidate genes, finding altered architecture for most of them. This supports a functional conservation between species and potential biological relevance of the candidate genes identified. This study is the first to identify genes associated to plant architecture in olive, and the results obtained could be of great help in future programs aimed at selecting phenotypes adapted to modern cultivation practices in this species.

Determining the Involvement and Therapeutic Implications of Host Cellular Factors in Hepatitis C Virus Cell-to-Cell Spread

PubMed Central

Barretto, Naina; Sainz, Bruno; Hussain, Snawar

2014-01-01

ABSTRACT Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infects 180 million people worldwide and is a leading cause of liver diseases such as fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. It has been shown that HCV can spread to naive cells using two distinct entry mechanisms, “cell-free” entry of infectious extracellular virions that have been released by infected cells and direct “cell-to-cell” transmission. Here, we examined host cell requirements for HCV spread and found that the cholesterol uptake receptor NPC1L1, which we recently identified as being an antiviral target involved in HCV cell-free entry/spread, is also required for the cell-to-cell spread. In contrast, the very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) pathway, which is required for the secretion of cell-free infectious virus and thus has been identified as an antiviral target for blocking cell-free virus secretion/spread, is not required for cell-to-cell spread. Noting that HCV cell-free and cell-to-cell spread share some common factors but not others, we tested the therapeutic implications of these observations and demonstrate that inhibitors that target cell factors required for both forms of HCV spread exhibit synergy when used in combination with interferon (a representative inhibitor of intracellular HCV production), while inhibitors that block only cell-free spread do not. This provides insight into the mechanistic basis of synergy between interferon and HCV entry inhibitors and highlights the broader, previously unappreciated impact blocking HCV cell-to-cell spread can have on the efficacy of HCV combination therapies. IMPORTANCE HCV can spread to naive cells using distinct mechanisms: “cell-free” entry of extracellular virus and direct “cell-to-cell” transmission. Herein, we identify the host cell HCV entry factor NPC1L1 as also being required for HCV cell-to-cell spread, while showing that the VLDL pathway, which is required for the secretion of cell-free infectious virus, is not required for cell

An allosteric disulfide bond is involved in enhanced activation of factor XI by protein disulfide isomerase.

PubMed

Zucker, M; Seligsohn, U; Yeheskel, A; Mor-Cohen, R

2016-11-01

Essentials Reduction of three disulfide bonds in factor (F) XI enhances chromogenic substrate cleavage. We measured FXI activity upon reduction and identified a bond involved in the enhanced activity. Reduction of FXI augments FIX cleavage, probably by faster conversion of FXI to FXIa. The Cys362-Cys482 disulfide bond is responsible for FXI enhanced activation upon its reduction. Background Reduction of factor (F) XI by protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) has been shown to enhance the ability of FXI to cleave its chromogenic substrate. Three disulfide bonds in FXI (Cys118-Cys147, Cys362-Cys482, and Cys321-Cys321) are involved in this augmented activation. Objectives To characterize the mechanisms by which PDI enhances FXI activity. Methods FXI activity was measured following PDI reduction. Thiols that were exposed in FXI after PDI reduction were labeled with 3-(N-maleimidopropionyl)-biocytin (MPB) and detected with avidin. The rate of conversion of FXI to activated FXI (FXIa) following thrombin activation was assessed with western blotting. FXI molecules harboring mutations that disrupt the three disulfide bonds (C147S, C321S, and C482S) were expressed in cells. The antigenicity of secreted FXI was measured with ELISA, and its activity was assessed by the use of a chromogenic substrate. The effect of disulfide bond reduction was analyzed by the use of molecular dynamics. Results Reduction of FXI by PDI enhanced cleavage of both its chromogenic substrate, S2366, and its physiologic substrate, FIX, and resulted in opening of the Cys362-Cys482 bond. The rate of conversion of FXI to FXIa was increased following its reduction by PDI. C482S-FXI showed enhanced activity as compared with both wild-type FXI and C321S-FXI. MD showed that disruption of the Cys362-Cys482 bond leads to a broader thrombin-binding site in FXI. Conclusions Reduction of FXI by PDI enhances its ability to cleave FIX, probably by causing faster conversion of FXI to FXIa. The Cys362-Cys482 disulfide

Gel-based and gel-free proteomic analysis of Nicotiana tabacum trichomes identifies proteins involved in secondary metabolism and in the (a)biotic stress response.

PubMed

Van Cutsem, Emmanuel; Simonart, Géraldine; Degand, Hervé; Faber, Anne-Marie; Morsomme, Pierre; Boutry, Marc

2011-02-01

Nicotiana tabacum leaves are covered by trichomes involved in the secretion of large amounts of secondary metabolites, some of which play a major role in plant defense. However, little is known about the metabolic pathways that operate in these structures. We undertook a proteomic analysis of N. tabacum trichomes in order to identify their protein complement. Efficient trichome isolation was obtained by abrading frozen leaves. After homogenization, soluble proteins and a microsomal fraction were prepared by centrifugation. Gel-based and gel-free proteomic analyses were then performed. 2-DE analysis of soluble proteins led to the identification of 1373 protein spots, which were digested and analyzed by MS/MS, leading to 680 unique identifications. Both soluble proteins and microsomal fraction were analyzed by LC MALDI-MS/MS after trypsin digestion, leading to 858 identifications, many of which had not been identified after 2-DE, indicating that the two methods complement each other. Many enzymes putatively involved in secondary metabolism were identified, including enzymes involved in the synthesis of terpenoid precursors and in acyl sugar production. Several transporters were also identified, some of which might be involved in secondary metabolite transport. Various (a)biotic stress response proteins were also detected, supporting the role of trichomes in plant defense. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Identification of Heat Shock Transcription Factor Genes Involved in Thermotolerance of Octoploid Cultivated Strawberry

PubMed Central

Liao, Wan-Yu; Lin, Lee-Fong; Jheng, Jing-Lian; Wang, Chun-Chung; Yang, Jui-Hung; Chou, Ming-Lun

2016-01-01

Heat shock transcription factors (HSFs) are mainly involved in the activation of genes in response to heat stress as well as other abiotic and biotic stresses. The growth, development, reproduction, and yield of strawberry are strongly limited by extreme temperatures and droughts. In this study, we used Illumina sequencing and obtained transcriptome data set from Fragaria × ananassa Duchessne cv. Toyonoka. Six contigs and three unigenes were confirmed to encode HSF proteins (FaTHSFs). Subsequently, we characterized the biological functions of two particularly selected unigenes, FaTHSFA2a and FaTHSFB1a, which were classified into class A2 and B HSFs, respectively. Expression assays revealed that FaTHSFA2a and FaTHSFB1a expression was induced by heat shock and correlated well with elevated ambient temperatures. Overexpression of FaTHSFA2a and FaTHSFB1a resulted in the activation of their downstream stress-associated genes, and notably enhanced the thermotolerance of transgenic Arabidopsis plants. Besides, both FaTHSFA2a and FaTHSFB1a fusion proteins localized in the nucleus, indicating their similar subcellular distributions as transcription factors. Our yeast one-hybrid assay suggested that FaTHSFA2a has trans-activation activity, whereas FaTHSFB1a expresses trans-repression function. Altogether, our annotated transcriptome sequences provide a beneficial resource for identifying most genes expressed in octoploid strawberry. Furthermore, HSF studies revealed the possible insights into the molecular mechanisms of thermotolerance, thus rendering valuable molecular breeding to improve the tolerance of strawberry in response to high-temperature stress. PMID:27999304

Identification of Heat Shock Transcription Factor Genes Involved in Thermotolerance of Octoploid Cultivated Strawberry.

PubMed

Liao, Wan-Yu; Lin, Lee-Fong; Jheng, Jing-Lian; Wang, Chun-Chung; Yang, Jui-Hung; Chou, Ming-Lun

2016-12-17

Heat shock transcription factors (HSFs) are mainly involved in the activation of genes in response to heat stress as well as other abiotic and biotic stresses. The growth, development, reproduction, and yield of strawberry are strongly limited by extreme temperatures and droughts. In this study, we used Illumina sequencing and obtained transcriptome data set from Fragaria × ananassa Duchessne cv. Toyonoka. Six contigs and three unigenes were confirmed to encode HSF proteins (FaTHSFs). Subsequently, we characterized the biological functions of two particularly selected unigenes, FaTHSFA2a and FaTHSFB1a , which were classified into class A2 and B HSFs, respectively. Expression assays revealed that FaTHSFA2a and FaTHSFB1a expression was induced by heat shock and correlated well with elevated ambient temperatures. Overexpression of FaTHSFA2a and FaTHSFB1a resulted in the activation of their downstream stress-associated genes, and notably enhanced the thermotolerance of transgenic Arabidopsis plants. Besides, both FaTHSFA2a and FaTHSFB1a fusion proteins localized in the nucleus, indicating their similar subcellular distributions as transcription factors. Our yeast one-hybrid assay suggested that FaTHSFA2a has trans-activation activity, whereas FaTHSFB1a expresses trans-repression function. Altogether, our annotated transcriptome sequences provide a beneficial resource for identifying most genes expressed in octoploid strawberry. Furthermore, HSF studies revealed the possible insights into the molecular mechanisms of thermotolerance, thus rendering valuable molecular breeding to improve the tolerance of strawberry in response to high-temperature stress.

Identifying Items to Assess Methodological Quality in Physical Therapy Trials: A Factor Analysis

PubMed Central

Cummings, Greta G.; Fuentes, Jorge; Saltaji, Humam; Ha, Christine; Chisholm, Annabritt; Pasichnyk, Dion; Rogers, Todd

2014-01-01

Background Numerous tools and individual items have been proposed to assess the methodological quality of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The frequency of use of these items varies according to health area, which suggests a lack of agreement regarding their relevance to trial quality or risk of bias. Objective The objectives of this study were: (1) to identify the underlying component structure of items and (2) to determine relevant items to evaluate the quality and risk of bias of trials in physical therapy by using an exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Design A methodological research design was used, and an EFA was performed. Methods Randomized controlled trials used for this study were randomly selected from searches of the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Two reviewers used 45 items gathered from 7 different quality tools to assess the methodological quality of the RCTs. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted using the principal axis factoring (PAF) method followed by varimax rotation. Results Principal axis factoring identified 34 items loaded on 9 common factors: (1) selection bias; (2) performance and detection bias; (3) eligibility, intervention details, and description of outcome measures; (4) psychometric properties of the main outcome; (5) contamination and adherence to treatment; (6) attrition bias; (7) data analysis; (8) sample size; and (9) control and placebo adequacy. Limitation Because of the exploratory nature of the results, a confirmatory factor analysis is needed to validate this model. Conclusions To the authors' knowledge, this is the first factor analysis to explore the underlying component items used to evaluate the methodological quality or risk of bias of RCTs in physical therapy. The items and factors represent a starting point for evaluating the methodological quality and risk of bias in physical therapy trials. Empirical evidence of the association among these items with treatment effects and a confirmatory factor

Use of clinical risk factors to identify postmenopausal women with vertebral fractures.

PubMed

Tobias, J H; Hutchinson, A P; Hunt, L P; McCloskey, E V; Stone, M D; Martin, J C; Thompson, P W; Palferman, T G; Bhalla, A K

2007-01-01

Previous studies have been unable to identify risk factors for prevalent vertebral fractures (VF), which are suitable for use in selection strategies intended to target high-risk sub-groups for diagnostic assessment. However, these studies generally consisted of large epidemiology surveys based on questionnaires and were only able to evaluate a limited number of risk factors. Here, we investigated whether a stronger relationship exists with prevalent VF when conventional risk factors are combined with additional information obtained from detailed one-to-one assessment. Women aged 65-75 registered at four geographically distinct GP practices were invited to participate (n=1,518), of whom 540 attended for assessment as follows: a questionnaire asking about risk factors for osteoporosis such as height loss compared to age 25 and history of non-vertebral fracture (NVF), the get-up-and-go test, Margolis back pain score, measurement of wall-tragus and rib-pelvis distances, and BMD as measured by the distal forearm BMD. A lateral thoraco-lumbar spine X-ray was obtained, which was subsequently scored for the presence of significant vertebral deformities. Of the 509 subjects who underwent spinal radiographs, 37 (7.3%) were found to have one or more VF. Following logistic regression analysis, the four most predictive clinical risk factors for prevalent VF were: height loss (P=0.006), past NVF (P=0.004), history of back pain (P=0.075) and age (P=0.05). BMD was also significantly associated with prevalent VF (P=0.002), but its inclusion did not affect associations with other variables. Factors elicited from detailed one-to-one assessment were not related to the risk of one or more prevalent VFs. The area under ROC curves derived from these regressions, which suggested that models for prevalent VF had modest predictive accuracy, were as follows: 0.68 (BMD), 0.74 (four clinical risk factors above) and 0.78 (clinical risk factors + BMD). Analyses were repeated in relation to the

Identifying Common Genetic Risk Factors of Diabetic Neuropathies

PubMed Central

Witzel, Ini-Isabée; Jelinek, Herbert F.; Khalaf, Kinda; Lee, Sungmun; Khandoker, Ahsan H.; Alsafar, Habiba

2015-01-01

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a global public health problem of epidemic proportions, with 60–70% of affected individuals suffering from associated neurovascular complications that act on multiple organ systems. The most common and clinically significant neuropathies of T2DM include uremic neuropathy, peripheral neuropathy, and cardiac autonomic neuropathy. These conditions seriously impact an individual’s quality of life and significantly increase the risk of morbidity and mortality. Although advances in gene sequencing technologies have identified several genetic variants that may regulate the development and progression of T2DM, little is known about whether or not the variants are involved in disease progression and how these genetic variants are associated with diabetic neuropathy specifically. Significant missing heritability data and complex disease etiologies remain to be explained. This article is the first to provide a review of the genetic risk variants implicated in the diabetic neuropathies and to highlight potential commonalities. We thereby aim to contribute to the creation of a genetic-metabolic model that will help to elucidate the cause of diabetic neuropathies, evaluate a patient’s risk profile, and ultimately facilitate preventative and targeted treatment for the individual. PMID:26074879

Global genomics and proteomics approaches to identify host factors as targets to induce resistance against Tomato bushy stunt virus.

PubMed

Nagy, Peter D; Pogany, Judit

2010-01-01

The success of RNA viruses as pathogens of plants, animals, and humans depends on their ability to reprogram the host cell metabolism to support the viral infection cycle and to suppress host defense mechanisms. Plus-strand (+)RNA viruses have limited coding potential necessitating that they co-opt an unknown number of host factors to facilitate their replication in host cells. Global genomics and proteomics approaches performed with Tomato bushy stunt virus (TBSV) and yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) as a model host have led to the identification of 250 host factors affecting TBSV RNA replication and recombination or bound to the viral replicase, replication proteins, or the viral RNA. The roles of a dozen host factors involved in various steps of the replication process have been validated in yeast as well as a plant host. Altogether, the large number of host factors identified and the great variety of cellular functions performed by these factors indicate the existence of a truly complex interaction between TBSV and the host cell. This review summarizes the advantages of using a simple plant virus and yeast as a model host to advance our understanding of virus-host interactions at the molecular and cellular levels. The knowledge of host factors gained can potentially be used to inhibit virus replication via gene silencing, expression of dominant negative mutants, or design of specific chemical inhibitors leading to novel specific or broad-range resistance and antiviral tools against (+)RNA plant viruses. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Involvement in Transition Planning Meetings among High School Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffin, Megan M.; Taylor, Julie Lounds; Urbano, Richard C.; Hodapp, Robert M.

2014-01-01

Although students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are least likely to attend and participate in transition planning meetings, little is known about factors related to their involvement. Using a national data set, we conducted regressions to identify predictors of the involvement of 320 youth with ASD. Attendance positively related to higher…

Risk factors for the severity of injury incurred in crashes involving on-duty police cars.

PubMed

Chu, Hsing-Chung

2016-07-03

This article explores the risk factors associated with police cars on routine patrol and/or on an emergency run and their effects on the severity of injuries in crashes. The binary probit model is used to examine the effects of important factors on the risk of injuries sustained in crashes involving on-duty police cars. Several factors significantly increase the probability of crashes that cause severe injuries. Among those causes are police officers who drive at excessive speeds, traffic violations during emergency responses or pursuits, and driving during the evening (6 to 12 p.m.) or in rainy weather. Findings also indicate some potential issues associated with an increase in the probability of crashes that cause injuries. Younger police drivers were found to be more likely to be involved in crashes causing injuries than middle-aged drivers were. Distracted driving by on-duty police officers as well as civilian drivers who did not pull over to let a police car pass in emergency situations also caused serious crashes. Police cars are exempted from certain traffic laws under emergency circumstances. However, to reduce the probability of being involved in a crash resulting in severe injuries, officers are still obligated to drive safely and follow safety procedures when responding to emergencies or pursuing a car. Enhancement of training techniques for emergency situations or driving in pursuit of an offender and following the safety procedures are essential for safety in driving during an emergency run by police.

Quantitative Profiling Identifies Potential Regulatory Proteins Involved in Development from Dauer Stage to L4 Stage in Caenorhabditis elegans.

PubMed

Kim, Sunhee; Lee, Hyoung-Joo; Hahm, Jeong-Hoon; Jeong, Seul-Ki; Park, Don-Ha; Hancock, William S; Paik, Young-Ki

2016-02-05

When Caenorhabditis elegans encounters unfavorable growth conditions, it enters the dauer stage, an alternative L3 developmental period. A dauer larva resumes larval development to the normal L4 stage by uncharacterized postdauer reprogramming (PDR) when growth conditions become more favorable. During this transition period, certain heterochronic genes involved in controlling the proper sequence of developmental events are known to act, with their mutations suppressing the Muv (multivulva) phenotype in C. elegans. To identify the specific proteins in which the Muv phenotype is highly suppressed, quantitative proteomic analysis with iTRAQ labeling of samples obtained from worms at L1 + 30 h (for continuous development [CD]) and dauer recovery +3 h (for postdauer development [PD]) was carried out to detect changes in protein abundance in the CD and PD states of both N2 and lin-28(n719). Of the 1661 unique proteins identified with a < 1% false discovery rate at the peptide level, we selected 58 proteins exhibiting ≥2-fold up-regulation or ≥2-fold down-regulation in the PD state and analyzed the Gene Ontology terms. RNAi assays against 15 selected up-regulated genes showed that seven genes were predicted to be involved in higher Muv phenotype (p < 0.05) in lin-28(n791), which is not seen in N2. Specifically, two genes, K08H10.1 and W05H9.1, displayed not only the highest rate (%) of Muv phenotype in the RNAi assay but also the dauer-specific mRNA expression, indicating that these genes may be required for PDR, leading to the very early onset of dauer recovery. Thus, our proteomic approach identifies and quantitates the regulatory proteins potentially involved in PDR in C. elegans, which safeguards the overall lifecycle in response to environmental changes.

Identifying Trajectories of Adolescents' Depressive Phenomena: An Examination of Early Risk Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mazza, James J.; Fleming, Charles B.; Abbott, Robert D.; Haggerty, Kevin P.; Catalano, Richard F.

2010-01-01

Few studies have examined risk factors of childhood and early adolescent depressive symptomatology trajectories. This study examined self-report depressive symptomatology across a 6-year time period from 2nd to 8th grade to identify latent groups of individuals with similar patterns of depressive phenomena in a sample of 951 children (440 girls,…

Identifying risk factors for refractory febrile neutropenia in patients with lung cancer.

PubMed

Fujita, Masaki; Tokunaga, Shoji; Ikegame, Satoshi; Harada, Eiji; Matsumoto, Takemasa; Uchino, Junji; Watanabe, Kentaro; Nakanishi, Yoichi

2012-02-01

Information about the development of febrile neutropenia in patients with solid tumors remains insufficient. In this study, we tried to identify the risk factors for refractory febrile neutropenia in patients with lung cancer. A total of 59 neutropenic fever episodes associated with anti-tumor chemotherapy for lung cancer were retrospectively analyzed. We compared patient characteristics according to their initial response to treatment with antibiotics. For 34 of 59 (58%) episodes a response to initial antibiotics was obtained whereas 25 of 59 (42%) were refractory to treatment. Multivariate analysis demonstrated independent risk factors for refractory febrile neutropenia with lung cancer. These risk factors were the severity of febrile neutropenia (odds ratio (OR) 6.11; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.85-20.14) and C-reactive protein more than 10 mg/dl (OR 4.39; 95% CI 1.22-15.74). These factors could predict outcome for patients with lung cancer who develop refractory febrile neutropenia.

Up-Regulation of Bcl-xl by Hepatocyte Growth Factor in Human Mesothelioma Cells Involves ETS Transcription Factors

PubMed Central

Cao, Xiaobo; Littlejohn, James; Rodarte, Charles; Zhang, Lidong; Martino, Benjamin; Rascoe, Philip; Hamid, Kamran; Jupiter, Daniel; Smythe, W. Roy

2009-01-01

Bcl-xl and the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) receptor c-Met are both highly expressed in mesotheliomas, where they protect cells from apoptosis and can confer resistance to conventional therapeutic agents. In our current study, we investigate a model for the transcriptional control of Bcl-xl that involves ETS transcription factors and the HGF/Met axis. In addition, the effects of activated c-Met on the phosphorylation of the ETS family transcriptional factors were examined. The transient expression of ETS-2 and PU.1 cDNAs in mesothelioma cell lines resulted in an increase in the promoter activity of Bcl-xl and consequently in its mRNA and protein expression levels, whereas the transcriptional repressor Tel suppressed Bcl-xl transcription. The activation of the HGF/Met axis led to rapid phosphorylation of ETS family transcription factors in mesothelioma cells through the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway and via nuclear accumulation of ETS-2 and PU.1. A chromatin immunoprecipitation assay further demonstrated that the activation of c-Met enhanced the binding of ETS transcriptional factors to the Bcl-x promoter. Finally, we determined the Bcl-xl and phosphorylated c-Met expression levels in mesothelioma patient samples; these data suggest a strong correlation between Bcl-xl and phosphorylated c-Met levels. Taken together, these findings support a role for c-Met as an inhibitor of apoptosis and an activator of Bcl-xl. PMID:19834061

Identifying Stress Transcription Factors Using Gene Expression and TF-Gene Association Data

PubMed Central

Wu, Wei-Sheng; Chen, Bor-Sen

2007-01-01

Unicellular organisms such as yeasts have evolved to survive environmental stresses by rapidly reorganizing the genomic expression program to meet the challenges of harsh environments. The complex adaptation mechanisms to stress remain to be elucidated. In this study, we developed Stress Transcription Factor Identification Algorithm (STFIA), which integrates gene expression and TF-gene association data to identify the stress transcription factors (TFs) of six kinds of stresses. We identified some general stress TFs that are in response to various stresses, and some specific stress TFs that are in response to one specific stress. The biological significance of our findings is validated by the literature. We found that a small number of TFs may be sufficient to control a wide variety of expression patterns in yeast under different stresses. Two implications can be inferred from this observation. First, the adaptation mechanisms to different stresses may have a bow-tie structure. Second, there may exist extensive regulatory cross-talk among different stress responses. In conclusion, this study proposes a network of the regulators of stress responses and their mechanism of action. PMID:20066130

The Involvement in Sexual Coercive Behaviors of Spanish College Men: Prevalence and Risk Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Antonio Fuertes; Vergeles, Maribel Ramos; Acevedo, Victoria de la Orden; Sanchez, Amaia del; Visa, Susana Lazaro

2005-01-01

This study aimed to know the prevalence of sexual coercion toward women perpetrated by acquaintance Spanish college men, and some personal factors associated with the involvement in these behaviors to replicate the confluence model. An anonymous questionnaire was completed by 196 university students that included an adaptation of the Sexual…

Recent advances in the identification of the host factors involved in dengue virus replication.

PubMed

Wang, Yi; Zhang, Ping

2017-02-01

Dengue virus (DENV) belongs to the genus Flavivirus of the family Flaviviridae and it is primarily transmitted via Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. The life cycle of DENV includes attachment, endocytosis, protein translation, RNA synthesis, assembly, egress, and maturation. Recent researches have indicated that a variety of host factors, including cellular proteins and microRNAs, positively or negatively regulate the DENV replication process. This review summarizes the latest findings (from 2014 to 2016) in the identification of the host factors involved in the DENV life cycle and Dengue infection.

Comparison of gene expression in segregating families identifies genes and genomic regions involved in a novel adaptation, zinc hyperaccumulation.

PubMed

Filatov, Victor; Dowdle, John; Smirnoff, Nicholas; Ford-Lloyd, Brian; Newbury, H John; Macnair, Mark R

2006-09-01

One of the challenges of comparative genomics is to identify specific genetic changes associated with the evolution of a novel adaptation or trait. We need to be able to disassociate the genes involved with a particular character from all the other genetic changes that take place as lineages diverge. Here we show that by comparing the transcriptional profile of segregating families with that of parent species differing in a novel trait, it is possible to narrow down substantially the list of potential target genes. In addition, by assuming synteny with a related model organism for which the complete genome sequence is available, it is possible to use the cosegregation of markers differing in transcription level to identify regions of the genome which probably contain quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for the character. This novel combination of genomics and classical genetics provides a very powerful tool to identify candidate genes. We use this methodology to investigate zinc hyperaccumulation in Arabidopsis halleri, the sister species to the model plant, Arabidopsis thaliana. We compare the transcriptional profile of A. halleri with that of its sister nonaccumulator species, Arabidopsis petraea, and between accumulator and nonaccumulator F(3)s derived from the cross between the two species. We identify eight genes which consistently show greater expression in accumulator phenotypes in both roots and shoots, including two metal transporter genes (NRAMP3 and ZIP6), and cytoplasmic aconitase, a gene involved in iron homeostasis in mammals. We also show that there appear to be two QTLs for zinc accumulation, on chromosomes 3 and 7.

Meta-analysis identifies five novel loci associated with endometriosis highlighting key genes involved in hormone metabolism

PubMed Central

Sapkota, Yadav; Steinthorsdottir, Valgerdur; Morris, Andrew P.; Fassbender, Amelie; Rahmioglu, Nilufer; De Vivo, Immaculata; Buring, Julie E.; Zhang, Futao; Edwards, Todd L.; Jones, Sarah; O, Dorien; Peterse, Daniëlle; Rexrode, Kathryn M.; Ridker, Paul M.; Schork, Andrew J.; MacGregor, Stuart; Martin, Nicholas G.; Becker, Christian M.; Adachi, Sosuke; Yoshihara, Kosuke; Enomoto, Takayuki; Takahashi, Atsushi; Kamatani, Yoichiro; Matsuda, Koichi; Kubo, Michiaki; Thorleifsson, Gudmar; Geirsson, Reynir T.; Thorsteinsdottir, Unnur; Wallace, Leanne M.; Werge, Thomas M.; Thompson, Wesley K.; Yang, Jian; Velez Edwards, Digna R.; Nyegaard, Mette; Low, Siew-Kee; Zondervan, Krina T.; Missmer, Stacey A.; D'Hooghe, Thomas; Montgomery, Grant W.; Chasman, Daniel I.; Stefansson, Kari; Tung, Joyce Y.; Nyholt, Dale R.

2017-01-01

Endometriosis is a heritable hormone-dependent gynecological disorder, associated with severe pelvic pain and reduced fertility; however, its molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown. Here we perform a meta-analysis of 11 genome-wide association case-control data sets, totalling 17,045 endometriosis cases and 191,596 controls. In addition to replicating previously reported loci, we identify five novel loci significantly associated with endometriosis risk (P<5 × 10−8), implicating genes involved in sex steroid hormone pathways (FN1, CCDC170, ESR1, SYNE1 and FSHB). Conditional analysis identified five secondary association signals, including two at the ESR1 locus, resulting in 19 independent single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) robustly associated with endometriosis, which together explain up to 5.19% of variance in endometriosis. These results highlight novel variants in or near specific genes with important roles in sex steroid hormone signalling and function, and offer unique opportunities for more targeted functional research efforts. PMID:28537267

Identifying organism involved in new and regenerated production using TAG-SIP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morando, M.; Capone, D. G.

2016-02-01

The coupling of stable isotope probing (SIP) with high throughput sequencing (TAG-SIP), allows examination of DNA from individual taxa for the incorporation of a specific isotopically labeled substrate, facilitating an in-depth investigation of the activity and functional diversity of in situ microbial communities. This approach was applied to the monthly San Pedro Ocean Time-series (SPOT), during April of 2014 in order to characterize the organisms involved in new and regenerated production by investigating the assimilation of 15N-NO3-, 15N-NH4+, and 15N-urea at several light depths throughout the euphotic zone. Overall, very little variation was seen between the DNA banding patterns and density of each discrete OTU compared over multiple control treatments, i.e. unlabeled substrate was added to each control and so any disparity between the DNA banding of these OTU replicates reflects methodological variation. The lack of disparity found here further demonstrates TAG-SIP's high precision, accuracy, and more importantly validates the TAG-SIP's reproducibility in both gradient formation and DNA sedimentation with respect to density. The mean density of these discrete control OTU DNA bands (n=7) were then compared to those of their isotopically treated equivalent OTU after a 24h incubation in order to accurately assess and identify significant shifts in DNA density. Therefore we are confident that differences in density between control and treated sample DNA greater than the variation quantified among the controls themselves, is direct evidence of `heavy' isotope incorporation, i.e. metabolic activity and growth. Direct evidence of activity was found in a broad range of taxa, thought not every treatment yielded positive results. As expected the majority of the organisms identified as assimilators were found within the 15N-NH4+ treatments. Many taxa displayed evidence of uptake in one or more but not all treatments providing evidence on which taxa are metabolizing a

Bullying involvement and adolescent substance use: A multilevel investigation of individual and neighbourhood risk factors.

PubMed

Lambe, Laura J; Craig, Wendy M

2017-09-01

Youth involved with school bullying are vulnerable to many negative outcomes, including substance use. Research has yet to examine how this vulnerability operates in the context of other individual and neighbourhood differences. The current study aimed to fill this gap by using multilevel modeling to investigate both the individual and neighbourhood risk factors associated with frequent drunkenness and frequent cannabis use among adolescents. Data from the 2010 Canadian Health Behaviours in School-Aged Children (HBSC) survey were analyzed. Participants consisted of 8971 students from 173 neighbourhoods across Canada. Multilevel modeling was used to examine both individual (age, gender, bullying, victimization, peer deviancy, negative affect) and neighbourhood (socioeconomic status, crime, physical neighbourhood disorder, residential instability) risk factors. We tested whether the links between bullying involvement and frequent substance use were mediated by other risk factors. Both individual and neighbourhood risk factors were associated with an increased likelihood of frequent substance use. Specifically, bullying served as a unique risk factor for frequent substance use over and above more traditional risk factors. A cross-level interaction was observed between residential instability and peer deviancy, such that the link between peer deviancy and frequent drunkenness was stronger in more residentially-unstable neighbourhoods. Peer deviancy partially mediated the link between bullying and both types of frequent substance use, whereas both peer deviancy and negative affect mediated the link between victimization and both types of frequent substance use. Youth who bully others are vulnerable to frequent substance use across peer and neighbourhood contexts. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Transcriptomic Analysis Using Olive Varieties and Breeding Progenies Identifies Candidate Genes Involved in Plant Architecture

PubMed Central

González-Plaza, Juan J.; Ortiz-Martín, Inmaculada; Muñoz-Mérida, Antonio; García-López, Carmen; Sánchez-Sevilla, José F.; Luque, Francisco; Trelles, Oswaldo; Bejarano, Eduardo R.; De La Rosa, Raúl; Valpuesta, Victoriano; Beuzón, Carmen R.

2016-01-01

Plant architecture is a critical trait in fruit crops that can significantly influence yield, pruning, planting density and harvesting. Little is known about how plant architecture is genetically determined in olive, were most of the existing varieties are traditional with an architecture poorly suited for modern growing and harvesting systems. In the present study, we have carried out microarray analysis of meristematic tissue to compare expression profiles of olive varieties displaying differences in architecture, as well as seedlings from their cross pooled on the basis of their sharing architecture-related phenotypes. The microarray used, previously developed by our group has already been applied to identify candidates genes involved in regulating juvenile to adult transition in the shoot apex of seedlings. Varieties with distinct architecture phenotypes and individuals from segregating progenies displaying opposite architecture features were used to link phenotype to expression. Here, we identify 2252 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated to differences in plant architecture. Microarray results were validated by quantitative RT-PCR carried out on genes with functional annotation likely related to plant architecture. Twelve of these genes were further analyzed in individual seedlings of the corresponding pool. We also examined Arabidopsis mutants in putative orthologs of these targeted candidate genes, finding altered architecture for most of them. This supports a functional conservation between species and potential biological relevance of the candidate genes identified. This study is the first to identify genes associated to plant architecture in olive, and the results obtained could be of great help in future programs aimed at selecting phenotypes adapted to modern cultivation practices in this species. PMID:26973682

An independent component analysis confounding factor correction framework for identifying broad impact expression quantitative trait loci

PubMed Central

Ju, Jin Hyun; Crystal, Ronald G.

2017-01-01

Genome-wide expression Quantitative Trait Loci (eQTL) studies in humans have provided numerous insights into the genetics of both gene expression and complex diseases. While the majority of eQTL identified in genome-wide analyses impact a single gene, eQTL that impact many genes are particularly valuable for network modeling and disease analysis. To enable the identification of such broad impact eQTL, we introduce CONFETI: Confounding Factor Estimation Through Independent component analysis. CONFETI is designed to address two conflicting issues when searching for broad impact eQTL: the need to account for non-genetic confounding factors that can lower the power of the analysis or produce broad impact eQTL false positives, and the tendency of methods that account for confounding factors to model broad impact eQTL as non-genetic variation. The key advance of the CONFETI framework is the use of Independent Component Analysis (ICA) to identify variation likely caused by broad impact eQTL when constructing the sample covariance matrix used for the random effect in a mixed model. We show that CONFETI has better performance than other mixed model confounding factor methods when considering broad impact eQTL recovery from synthetic data. We also used the CONFETI framework and these same confounding factor methods to identify eQTL that replicate between matched twin pair datasets in the Multiple Tissue Human Expression Resource (MuTHER), the Depression Genes Networks study (DGN), the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA), and multiple tissue types in the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) consortium. These analyses identified both cis-eQTL and trans-eQTL impacting individual genes, and CONFETI had better or comparable performance to other mixed model confounding factor analysis methods when identifying such eQTL. In these analyses, we were able to identify and replicate a few broad impact eQTL although the overall number was small even when applying CONFETI. In

An independent component analysis confounding factor correction framework for identifying broad impact expression quantitative trait loci.

PubMed

Ju, Jin Hyun; Shenoy, Sushila A; Crystal, Ronald G; Mezey, Jason G

2017-05-01

Genome-wide expression Quantitative Trait Loci (eQTL) studies in humans have provided numerous insights into the genetics of both gene expression and complex diseases. While the majority of eQTL identified in genome-wide analyses impact a single gene, eQTL that impact many genes are particularly valuable for network modeling and disease analysis. To enable the identification of such broad impact eQTL, we introduce CONFETI: Confounding Factor Estimation Through Independent component analysis. CONFETI is designed to address two conflicting issues when searching for broad impact eQTL: the need to account for non-genetic confounding factors that can lower the power of the analysis or produce broad impact eQTL false positives, and the tendency of methods that account for confounding factors to model broad impact eQTL as non-genetic variation. The key advance of the CONFETI framework is the use of Independent Component Analysis (ICA) to identify variation likely caused by broad impact eQTL when constructing the sample covariance matrix used for the random effect in a mixed model. We show that CONFETI has better performance than other mixed model confounding factor methods when considering broad impact eQTL recovery from synthetic data. We also used the CONFETI framework and these same confounding factor methods to identify eQTL that replicate between matched twin pair datasets in the Multiple Tissue Human Expression Resource (MuTHER), the Depression Genes Networks study (DGN), the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA), and multiple tissue types in the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) consortium. These analyses identified both cis-eQTL and trans-eQTL impacting individual genes, and CONFETI had better or comparable performance to other mixed model confounding factor analysis methods when identifying such eQTL. In these analyses, we were able to identify and replicate a few broad impact eQTL although the overall number was small even when applying CONFETI. In

Molecules and mechanisms involved in the generation and migration of cortical interneurons

PubMed Central

Hernández-Miranda, Luis R; Parnavelas, John G; Chiara, Francesca

2010-01-01

The GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid)-containing interneurons of the neocortex are largely derived from the ganglionic eminences in the subpallium. Numerous studies have previously defined the migratory paths travelled by these neurons from their origins to their destinations in the cortex. We review here results of studies that have identified many of the genes expressed in the subpallium that are involved in the specification of the subtypes of cortical interneurons, and the numerous transcription factors, motogenic factors and guidance molecules that are involved in their migration. PMID:20360946

Submicroscopic deletion involving the fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 gene in a patient with combined pituitary hormone deficiency.

PubMed

Fukami, Maki; Iso, Manami; Sato, Naoko; Igarashi, Maki; Seo, Misuzu; Kazukawa, Itsuro; Kinoshita, Eiichi; Dateki, Sumito; Ogata, Tsutomu

2013-01-01

Combined pituitary hormone deficiency (CPHD), isolated hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (IHH), Kallmann syndrome (KS), and septo-optic dysplasia (SOD) are genetically related conditions caused by abnormal development of the anterior midline in the forebrain. Although mutations in the fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) gene have been implicated in the development of IHH, KS, and SOD, the relevance of FGFR1 abnormalities to CPHD remains to be elucidated. Here, we report a Japanese female patient with CPHD and FGFR1 haploinsufficiency. The patient was identified through copy-number analyses and direct sequencing of FGFR1 performed for 69 patients with CPHD. The patient presented with a combined deficiency of GH, LH and FSH, and multiple neurological abnormalities. In addition, normal TSH values along with a low free T4 level indicated the presence of central hypothyroidism. Molecular analyses identified a heterozygous ~ 8.5 Mb deletion involving 56 genes and pseudogenes. None of these genes except FGFR1 have been associated with brain development. No FGFR1 abnormalities were identified in the remaining 68 patients, although two patients carried nucleotide substitutions (p.V102I and p.S107L) that were assessed as benign polymorphism by in vitro functional assays. These results indicate a possible role of FGFR1 in anterior pituitary function and the rarity of FGFR1 abnormalities in patients with CPHD.

MALDI-FTICR MS Imaging as a Powerful Tool to Identify Paenibacillus Antibiotics Involved in the Inhibition of Plant Pathogens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Debois, Delphine; Ongena, Marc; Cawoy, Hélène; De Pauw, Edwin

2013-08-01

Nowadays, microorganisms are more and more often used as biocontrol agents for crop protection against diseases. Among them, bacteria of Bacillus and Paenibacillus genders are already used as commercial biocontrol agents. Their mode of action is supposed to be related to their production of antibiotics, such as cyclic lipopeptides, which exhibit great antimicrobial activities. We chose to work with a Paenibacillus polymyxa strain (Pp56) very resistant to various microorganisms. The bacteria were grown simultaneously with Fusarium oxysporum and we applied matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (MALDI-FTICR) mass spectrometry to identify the antibiotics compounds present in the fungus growth inhibition area. We, therefore, identified fusaricidins A, B, and C and numerous members of the LI-F antibiotics family. MALDI-FTICR mass spectrometry imaging was then used to follow the diffusion of lipopeptides involved in the inhibitory activity over time. We analyzed the molecular content of the inhibitory area at different Pp56 and Fusarium incubation durations and concluded that some lipopeptides such as fusaricidin B and a mixture of LI-F05b/06b/08a were mainly involved in the defense mechanism of Pp56. Our study confirms that MALDI imaging may be a powerful tool to quickly determine which molecular species is involved in an antagonism with another microorganism, avoiding time-consuming steps of extraction, purification, and activity tests, which are still commonly used in microbiology.

Jordanian School Counselor Involvement in School-Family-Community Partnerships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ghaith, Souad Mansour; Banat, Suhaila Mahmood; Hamad, Ghada Esmail; Albadareen, Ghaleb Salman

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify the level of partnership between the school counselor, families and the local community in Jordan, as well as highlighting the factors that affect this partnership. A "School Counselor Involvement in School-Family-Community Partnerships Scale" was developed and administered to a sample of 152…

Identifying the factors underlying discontinuation of triptans.

PubMed

Wells, Rebecca E; Markowitz, Shira Y; Baron, Eric P; Hentz, Joseph G; Kalidas, Kavita; Mathew, Paul G; Halker, Rashmi; Dodick, David W; Schwedt, Todd J

2014-02-01

To identify factors associated with triptan discontinuation among migraine patients. It is unclear why many migraine patients who are prescribed triptans discontinue this treatment. This study investigated correlates of triptan discontinuation with a focus on potentially modifiable factors to improve compliance. This multicenter cross-sectional survey (n = 276) was performed at US tertiary care headache clinics. Headache fellows who were members of the American Headache Society Headache Fellows Research Consortium recruited episodic and chronic migraine patients who were current triptan users (use within prior 3 months and for ≥1 year) or past triptan users (no use within 6 months; prior use within 2 years). Univariate analyses were first completed to compare current triptan users to past users for: migraine characteristics, other migraine treatments, triptan education, triptan efficacy, triptan side effects, type of prescribing provider, Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) scores and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scores. Then, a multivariable logistic regression model was selected from all possible combinations of predictor variables to determine the factors that best correlated with triptan discontinuation. Compared with those still using triptans (n = 207), those who had discontinued use (n = 69) had higher rates of medication overuse (30 vs. 18%, P = .04) and were more likely to have ever used opioids for migraine treatment (57 vs. 38%, P = .006) as well as higher MIDAS (mean 63 vs. 37, P = .001) and BDI scores (mean 10.4 vs. 7.4, P = .009). Compared with discontinued users, current triptan users were more likely to have had their triptan prescribed by a specialist (neurologist, headache specialist, or pain specialist) (74 vs. 54%, P = .002) and were more likely to report headache resolution (53 vs. 14%, P < .001) or a reduction in pain intensity (71 vs. 28%, P < .001) most of the time from their triptan. On a 1

76 FR 11196 - Antidumping Methodologies in Proceedings Involving Non-Market Economies: Valuing the Factor of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-01

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration Antidumping Methodologies in Proceedings Involving Non-Market Economies: Valuing the Factor of Production: Labor; Correction to Request for Comment AGENCY: Import Administration, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce DATES: Effective Date: March 1, 2011. FOR FURTHER...

Hispanic youth involvement in over-the-counter drug use: parent, peer, and school factors.

PubMed

Vidourek, Rebecca A; King, Keith A; Fehr, Sara K

2014-01-01

Research on substance use among Hispanic youth is lacking. The purpose of this study was to examine over-the-counter drug use among Hispanic youth. Of Hispanic youth, 23.9% used an over-the-counter drug for the purpose of getting high. Involvement in prosocial behaviors was correlated with decreased over-the-counter use for females and high school students. Involvement in risky behaviors increased the risk of use for males, females, junior high school students, and high school students. Significant differences were found based on parent, peer, teacher, and school factors. Prevention and intervention programs should address over-the-counter drug use among Hispanic youth.

Factor Analysis of Therapist-Identified Treatment Targets in Community-Based Children's Mental Health.

PubMed

Love, Allison R; Okado, Izumi; Orimoto, Trina E; Mueller, Charles W

2018-01-01

The present study used exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to identify underlying latent factors affecting variation in community therapists' endorsement of treatment targets. As part of a statewide practice management program, therapist completed monthly reports of treatment targets (up to 10 per month) for a sample of youth (n = 790) receiving intensive in-home therapy. Nearly 75 % of youth were diagnosed with multiple co-occurring disorders. Five factors emerged: Disinhibition, Societal Rules Evasion, Social Engagement Deficits, Emotional Distress, and Management of Biodevelopmental Outcomes. Using logistic regression, primary diagnosis predicted therapist selection of Disinhibition and Emotional Distress targets. Client age predicted endorsement of Societal Rules Evasion targets. Practice-to-research implications are discussed.

Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4α (HNF4α) Is a Transcription Factor of Vertebrate Fatty Acyl Desaturase Gene as Identified in Marine Teleost Siganus canaliculatus

PubMed Central

Dong, Yewei; Wang, Shuqi; Chen, Junliang; Zhang, Qinghao; Liu, Yang; You, Cuihong; Monroig, Óscar; Tocher, Douglas R.; Li, Yuanyou

2016-01-01

Rabbitfish Siganus canaliculatus was the first marine teleost demonstrated to have the capability of biosynthesizing long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) from C18 precursors, and to possess a Δ4 fatty acyl desaturase (Δ4 Fad) which was the first report in vertebrates, and is a good model for studying the regulatory mechanisms of LC-PUFA biosynthesis in teleosts. In order to understand regulatory mechanisms of transcription of Δ4 Fad, the gene promoter was cloned and characterized in the present study. An upstream sequence of 1859 bp from the initiation codon ATG was cloned as the promoter candidate. On the basis of bioinformatic analysis, several binding sites of transcription factors (TF) including GATA binding protein 2 (GATA-2), CCAAT enhancer binding protein (C/EBP), nuclear factor 1 (NF-1), nuclear factor Y (NF-Y), hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α (HNF4α) and sterol regulatory element (SRE), were identified in the promoter by site-directed mutation and functional assays. HNF4α and NF-1 were confirmed to interact with the core promoter of Δ4 Fad by gel shift assay and mass spectrometry. Moreover, over-expression of HNF4α increased promoter activity in HEK 293T cells and mRNA level of Δ4 Fad in rabbitfish primary hepatocytes, respectively. The results indicated that HNF4α is a TF of rabbitfish Δ4 Fad. To our knowledge, this is the first report on promoter structure of a Δ4 Fad, and also the first demonstration of HNF4α as a TF of vertebrate Fad gene involved in transcription regulation of LC-PUFA biosynthesis. PMID:27472219

Social Context and Problem Factors among Youth with Juvenile Justice Involvement Histories.

PubMed

Voisin, Dexter R; Sales, Jessica M; Hong, Jun Sung; Jackson, Jerrold M; Rose, Eve S; DiClemente, Ralph J

2017-01-01

Youth with juvenile justice histories often reside in poorly resourced communities and report high rates of depression, gang involved networks, and STI-sexual related risk behaviors, compared to their counterparts. The primary aim of this study was to examine the relationship between social context (ie, a combined index score comprised of living in public housing, being a recipient of free school lunch, and witnessing community violence) and risk factors that are disproportionately worse for juvenile justice youth such as depression, gang involved networks and STI sexual risk behaviors. Data were collected from a sample of detained youth ages 14 to 16 (N = 489). Questions assessed demographics, social context, depression, gang-involved networks, and STI risk behaviors. Multiple logistic regression models, controlling for age, gender, race, school enrollment, and family social support, indicated that participants who reported poorer social context had double the odds of reporting being depressed; three times higher odds of being in a gang; three times higher odds of personally knowing a gang member; and double the odds of having engaged in STI-risk behaviors. These results provide significant information that can help service providers target certain profiles of youth with juvenile justice histories for early intervention initiatives.

Whole genome association study identifies regions of the bovine genome and biological pathways involved in carcass trait performance in Holstein-Friesian cattle.

PubMed

Doran, Anthony G; Berry, Donagh P; Creevey, Christopher J

2014-10-01

Four traits related to carcass performance have been identified as economically important in beef production: carcass weight, carcass fat, carcass conformation of progeny and cull cow carcass weight. Although Holstein-Friesian cattle are primarily utilized for milk production, they are also an important source of meat for beef production and export. Because of this, there is great interest in understanding the underlying genomic structure influencing these traits. Several genome-wide association studies have identified regions of the bovine genome associated with growth or carcass traits, however, little is known about the mechanisms or underlying biological pathways involved. This study aims to detect regions of the bovine genome associated with carcass performance traits (employing a panel of 54,001 SNPs) using measures of genetic merit (as predicted transmitting abilities) for 5,705 Irish Holstein-Friesian animals. Candidate genes and biological pathways were then identified for each trait under investigation. Following adjustment for false discovery (q-value < 0.05), 479 quantitative trait loci (QTL) were associated with at least one of the four carcass traits using a single SNP regression approach. Using a Bayesian approach, 46 QTL were associated (posterior probability > 0.5) with at least one of the four traits. In total, 557 unique bovine genes, which mapped to 426 human orthologs, were within 500kbs of QTL found associated with a trait using the Bayesian approach. Using this information, 24 significantly over-represented pathways were identified across all traits. The most significantly over-represented biological pathway was the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) signaling pathway. A large number of genomic regions putatively associated with bovine carcass traits were detected using two different statistical approaches. Notably, several significant associations were detected in close proximity to genes with a known role in animal growth

Genome-wide RNAi screening identifies host restriction factors critical for in vivo AAV transduction

PubMed Central

Mano, Miguel; Ippodrino, Rudy; Zentilin, Lorena; Zacchigna, Serena; Giacca, Mauro

2015-01-01

Viral vectors based on the adeno-associated virus (AAV) hold great promise for in vivo gene transfer; several unknowns, however, still limit the vectors’ broader and more efficient application. Here, we report the results of a high-throughput, whole-genome siRNA screening aimed at identifying cellular factors regulating AAV transduction. We identified 1,483 genes affecting vector efficiency more than 4-fold and up to 50-fold, either negatively or positively. Most of these factors have not previously been associated to AAV infection. The most effective siRNAs were independent from the virus serotype or analyzed cell type and were equally evident for single-stranded and self-complementary AAV vectors. A common characteristic of the most effective siRNAs was the induction of cellular DNA damage and activation of a cell cycle checkpoint. This information can be exploited for the development of more efficient AAV-based gene delivery procedures. Administration of the most effective siRNAs identified by the screening to the liver significantly improved in vivo AAV transduction efficiency. PMID:26305933

A multi-factor GIS method to identify optimal geographic locations for electric vehicle (EV) charging stations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yongqin; Iman, Kory

2018-05-01

Fuel-based transportation is one of the major contributors to poor air quality in the United States. Electric Vehicle (EV) is potentially the cleanest transportation technology to our environment. This research developed a spatial suitability model to identify optimal geographic locations for installing EV charging stations for travelling public. The model takes into account a variety of positive and negative factors to identify prime locations for installing EV charging stations in Wasatch Front, Utah, where automobile emission causes severe air pollution due to atmospheric inversion condition near the valley floor. A walkable factor grid was created to store index scores from input factor layers to determine prime locations. 27 input factors including land use, demographics, employment centers etc. were analyzed. Each factor layer was analyzed to produce a summary statistic table to determine the site suitability. Potential locations that exhibit high EV charging usage were identified and scored. A hot spot map was created to demonstrate high, moderate, and low suitability areas for installing EV charging stations. A spatially well distributed EV charging system was then developed, aiming to reduce "range anxiety" from traveling public. This spatial methodology addresses the complex problem of locating and establishing a robust EV charging station infrastructure for decision makers to build a clean transportation infrastructure, and eventually improve environment pollution.

Proteomic analysis of Populus × euramericana (clone I-214) roots to identify key factors involved in zinc stress response.

PubMed

Romeo, Stefania; Trupiano, Dalila; Ariani, Andrea; Renzone, Giovanni; Scippa, Gabriella S; Scaloni, Andrea; Sebastiani, Luca

2014-07-15

Contamination of soil and water by heavy metals has become a widespread problem; environmental pollution by high zinc (Zn) concentration occurs frequently. Although poplar (Populus spp.) has been identified as suitable for phytoremediation approaches, its response to high Zn concentrations are still not clearly understood. For this reason, we investigated the effects of Zn in Populus×euramericana clone I-214 roots by proteomic analysis. Comparative experiments were conducted on rooted woody cuttings grown in nutrient solutions containing 1mM (treatment) or 1μM (control) Zn concentrations. A gel-based proteomic approach coupled with morphological and chemical analysis was used to identify differentially represented proteins in treated roots and to investigate the effect of Zn treatment on the poplar root system. Data shows that Zn was accumulated preferentially in roots, that the antioxidant system, the carbohydrate/energy and amino acid metabolisms were the main pathways modulated by Zn excess, and that mitochondria and vacuoles were the cellular organelles predominately affected by Zn stress. A coordination between cell death and proliferation/growth seems to occur under this condition to counteract the Zn-induced damage. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Identifying the Factors That Predict Degree Completion for Entirely Online Community College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brock, Kishia R.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this research study was to identify demographic characteristics, academic factors, and student behaviors that contributed to successful degree and certificate completion for entirely online, nontraditional undergraduate students at a large community college. A discrete-time event history analysis was used to model the retention of…

Identifying the critical factors of green supply chain management: Environmental benefits in Pakistan.

PubMed

Mumtaz, Ubaidullah; Ali, Yousaf; Petrillo, Antonella; De Felice, Fabio

2018-05-30

Pakistan is a developing country characterized by a growing industrialization, which is the major cause of environmental pollution in the country. To control the significant increase in pollution a green incentive has started, aiming to moderate the adverse effects of environmental pollution. Thus, Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) plays an important role in influencing the total environment impact of any organizations. This study considers ten Pakistani industries that have implemented GSCM practices. The Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory technique (DEMATEL) is used to find influential factors in selecting GSCM criteria. The results show that organizational involvement is the most important dimension useful to implement GSCM practices. In addition, commitment from senior managers, ISO 14000 certification of suppliers and recycle of waste heat are considered significant factors. The paper also signifies the casual relationship among the dimensions and the factors in the form of diagraphs. The main management implication of the paper is to help decision makers to focus on the critical dimensions/factors in order to implement the GSCM practices more effectively in Pakistan. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterization of RACK7 as a Novel Factor Involved in BRCA1 Mutation Mediated Breast Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-10-01

Characterization of RACK7 as a Novel Factor Involved in BRCA1 Mutation Mediated Breast Cancer Inder Verma, Quan Zhu, Martin Preyer, and Amy Rommel Salk...samples from 5 more human BRCA1 mutant tumors. We continue to collect more human BRCA1-mutant tumors from Dr. Petra Nederlof at the Netherland Cancer...damage pathway. Abstract: "The Novel Zinc-finger Protein ZMYND8 Is Involved in the Stabilization of Stalled Replication Forks", Martin Preyer and

Factors involved in the late failure of endoscopic treatment of vesicoureteral reflux.

PubMed

Fuentes, S; Gómez-Fraile, A; Carrillo-Arroyo, I; Tordable-Ojeda, C; Cabezalí-Barbancho, D; López, F; Aransay Bramtot, A

2018-01-31

The short-term results of endoscopic treatment of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) are excellent. Over time, however, a number of patients have been identified for whom VUR reappeared after being resolved with this technique. The aim of this study was to analyse the factors related to this event. A retrospective, analytical, case-control study included 395 ureteral units with primary VUR treated successfully at our centre, with a minimum follow-up of 3 years. We identified cases in which VUR reappeared and analysed the demographic variables, those related to VUR (grade, laterality, initial study) and those related to the operation (materials used). We identified 77 ureteral units with recurrence in the 395 included units (19.5%). The recurrence rate was 29.7% for the patients treated with dextranomer/hyaluronic acid (Dx/HA), 20.2% for those treated with polydimethylsiloxane (MP) and 12.2% for polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The onset of recurrence rose to 35% for patients treated before 1 year of age and those with gradeV VUR. Urinary dysfunction symptoms also increased the recurrence rate to 34.9%. The use of resorbable dextranomer/hyaluronic acid material was related to recurrence in the endoscopic treatment of VUR. The high-grade reflux and treatment at an early age, as well as the presence of urinary dysfunction, are also factors associated with recurrence. Copyright © 2018 AEU. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

The in vitro real-time oscillation monitoring system identifies potential entrainment factors for circadian clocks

PubMed Central

Nakahata, Yasukazu; Akashi, Makoto; Trcka, Daniel; Yasuda, Akio; Takumi, Toru

2006-01-01

Background Circadian rhythms are endogenous, self-sustained oscillations with approximately 24-hr rhythmicity that are manifested in various physiological and metabolic processes. The circadian organization of these processes in mammals is governed by the master oscillator within the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) of the hypothalamus. Recent findings revealed that circadian oscillators exist in most organs, tissues, and even in immortalized cells, and that the oscillators in peripheral tissues are likely to be coordinated by SCN, the master oscillator. Some candidates for endogenous entrainment factors have sporadically been reported, however, their details remain mainly obscure. Results We developed the in vitro real-time oscillation monitoring system (IV-ROMS) by measuring the activity of luciferase coupled to the oscillatory gene promoter using photomultiplier tubes and applied this system to screen and identify factors able to influence circadian rhythmicity. Using this IV-ROMS as the primary screening of entrainment factors for circadian clocks, we identified 12 candidates as the potential entrainment factor in a total of 299 peptides and bioactive lipids. Among them, four candidates (endothelin-1, all-trans retinoic acid, 9-cis retinoic acid, and 13-cis retinoic acid) have already been reported as the entrainment factors in vivo and in vitro. We demonstrated that one of the novel candidates, 15-deoxy-Δ12,14-prostaglandin J2 (15d-PGJ2), a natural ligand of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ), triggers the rhythmic expression of endogenous clock genes in NIH3T3 cells. Furthermore, we showed that 15d-PGJ2 transiently induces Cry1, Cry2, and Rorα mRNA expressions and that 15d-PGJ2-induced entrainment signaling pathway is PPAR-γ – and MAPKs (ERK, JNK, p38MAPK)-independent. Conclusion Here, we identified 15d-PGJ2 as an entrainment factor in vitro. Using our developed IV-ROMS to screen 299 compounds, we found eight novel and four known

De novo transcriptome sequencing in Bixa orellana to identify genes involved in methylerythritol phosphate, carotenoid and bixin biosynthesis

DOE PAGES

Cárdenas-Conejo, Yair; Carballo-Uicab, Víctor; Lieberman, Meric; ...

2015-10-28

Bixin or annatto is a commercially important natural orange-red pigment derived from lycopene that is produced and stored in seeds of Bixa orellana L. An enzymatic pathway for bixin biosynthesis was inferred from homology of putative proteins encoded by differentially expressed seed cDNAs. Some activities were later validated in a heterologous system. Nevertheless, much of the pathway remains to be clarified. For example, it is essential to identify the methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) and carotenoid pathways genes. In order to investigate the MEP, carotenoid, and bixin pathways genes, total RNA from young leaves and two different developmental stages of seeds frommore » B. orellana were used for the construction of indexed mRNA libraries, sequenced on the Illumina HiSeq 2500 platform and assembled de novo using Velvet, CLC Genomics Workbench and CAP3 software. A total of 52,549 contigs were obtained with average length of 1,924 bp. Two phylogenetic analyses of inferred proteins, in one case encoded by thirteen general, single-copy cDNAs, in the other from carotenoid and MEP cDNAs, indicated that B. orellana is closely related to sister Malvales species cacao and cotton. Using homology, we identified 7 and 14 core gene products from the MEP and carotenoid pathways, respectively. Surprisingly, previously defined bixin pathway cDNAs were not present in our transcriptome. Here we propose a new set of gene products involved in bixin pathway. In conclusion, the identification and qRT-PCR quantification of cDNAs involved in annatto production suggest a hypothetical model for bixin biosynthesis that involve coordinated activation of some MEP, carotenoid and bixin pathway genes. These findings provide a better understanding of the mechanisms regulating these pathways and will facilitate the genetic improvement of B. orellana.« less

De novo transcriptome sequencing in Bixa orellana to identify genes involved in methylerythritol phosphate, carotenoid and bixin biosynthesis

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

Cárdenas-Conejo, Yair; Carballo-Uicab, Víctor; Lieberman, Meric

Bixin or annatto is a commercially important natural orange-red pigment derived from lycopene that is produced and stored in seeds of Bixa orellana L. An enzymatic pathway for bixin biosynthesis was inferred from homology of putative proteins encoded by differentially expressed seed cDNAs. Some activities were later validated in a heterologous system. Nevertheless, much of the pathway remains to be clarified. For example, it is essential to identify the methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) and carotenoid pathways genes. In order to investigate the MEP, carotenoid, and bixin pathways genes, total RNA from young leaves and two different developmental stages of seeds frommore » B. orellana were used for the construction of indexed mRNA libraries, sequenced on the Illumina HiSeq 2500 platform and assembled de novo using Velvet, CLC Genomics Workbench and CAP3 software. A total of 52,549 contigs were obtained with average length of 1,924 bp. Two phylogenetic analyses of inferred proteins, in one case encoded by thirteen general, single-copy cDNAs, in the other from carotenoid and MEP cDNAs, indicated that B. orellana is closely related to sister Malvales species cacao and cotton. Using homology, we identified 7 and 14 core gene products from the MEP and carotenoid pathways, respectively. Surprisingly, previously defined bixin pathway cDNAs were not present in our transcriptome. Here we propose a new set of gene products involved in bixin pathway. In conclusion, the identification and qRT-PCR quantification of cDNAs involved in annatto production suggest a hypothetical model for bixin biosynthesis that involve coordinated activation of some MEP, carotenoid and bixin pathway genes. These findings provide a better understanding of the mechanisms regulating these pathways and will facilitate the genetic improvement of B. orellana.« less

Identifying Risk and Protective Factors in Recidivist Juvenile Offenders: A Decision Tree Approach

PubMed Central

Ortega-Campos, Elena; García-García, Juan; Gil-Fenoy, Maria José; Zaldívar-Basurto, Flor

2016-01-01

Research on juvenile justice aims to identify profiles of risk and protective factors in juvenile offenders. This paper presents a study of profiles of risk factors that influence young offenders toward committing sanctionable antisocial behavior (S-ASB). Decision tree analysis is used as a multivariate approach to the phenomenon of repeated sanctionable antisocial behavior in juvenile offenders in Spain. The study sample was made up of the set of juveniles who were charged in a court case in the Juvenile Court of Almeria (Spain). The period of study of recidivism was two years from the baseline. The object of study is presented, through the implementation of a decision tree. Two profiles of risk and protective factors are found. Risk factors associated with higher rates of recidivism are antisocial peers, age at baseline S-ASB, problems in school and criminality in family members. PMID:27611313

SmARF8, a transcription factor involved in parthenocarpy in eggplant.

PubMed

Du, Liming; Bao, Chonglai; Hu, Tianhua; Zhu, Qinmei; Hu, Haijiao; He, Qunyan; Mao, Weihai

2016-02-01

Parthenocarpic fruit is a very attractive trait for consumers and especially in eggplants where seeds can lead to browning of the flesh and bitterness. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying parthenocarpy in eggplant still remain unknown. Some auxin response factors have been previously shown in model species, such as Arabidopsis and tomato, to play an important role in such a process. Here, we have identified a natural parthenocarpic mutant and showed that ARF8 from eggplant (SmARF8), is down-regulated in buds compared to wild-type plants. Further characterization of SmARF8 showed that it is a nuclear protein and an active transcriptional regulator. We determined that amino acids 629-773 of SmARF8 act as the transcriptional activation domain, the C terminus of SmARF8 is the protein-binding domain, and that SmARF8 might form homodimers. Expression analysis in eggplant showed that SmARF8 is expressed ubiquitously in all tissues and organs and is responsive to auxin. Eggplant transgenic lines harboring RNA interference of SmARF8 exhibited parthenocarpy in unfertilized flowers, suggesting that SmARF8 negatively regulates fruit initiation. Interestingly, SmARF8-overexpressing Arabidopsis lines also induced parthenocarpy. These results indicate that SmARF8 could affect the dimerization of auxin/indole acetic acid repressors with SmARF8 via domains III and IV and thus induce fruit development. Furthermore, the introduction of SmARF8 full-length cDNA could partially complement the parthenocarpic phenotypes in Arabidopsis arf8-1 and arf8-4 mutants. Collectively, our results demonstrate that SmARF8 may act as a key negative regulator involved in parthenocarpic fruit development of eggplant. These findings give more insights into the conserved mechanisms leading to parthenocarpy in which auxin signaling plays a pivotal role, and provide potential target for eggplant breeding.

Summary Report of a Peer Involvement Workshop on the Development of An Exposure Factors Handbook for the Aging

EPA Science Inventory

EPA has released the final workshop report, Summary Report of a Peer Involvement Workshop on the Development of an Exposure Factors Handbook for the Aging. This report provides an overview of a meeting held February 14-15, 2007 which was organized to discuss factors affec...

Microscopy-based Assays for High-throughput Screening of Host Factors Involved in Brucella Infection of Hela Cells.

PubMed

Casanova, Alain; Low, Shyan H; Emmenlauer, Mario; Conde-Alvarez, Raquel; Salcedo, Suzana P; Gorvel, Jean-Pierre; Dehio, Christoph

2016-08-05

Brucella species are facultative intracellular pathogens that infect animals as their natural hosts. Transmission to humans is most commonly caused by direct contact with infected animals or by ingestion of contaminated food and can lead to severe chronic infections. Brucella can invade professional and non-professional phagocytic cells and replicates within endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-derived vacuoles. The host factors required for Brucella entry into host cells, avoidance of lysosomal degradation, and replication in the ER-like compartment remain largely unknown. Here we describe two assays to identify host factors involved in Brucella entry and replication in HeLa cells. The protocols describe the use of RNA interference, while alternative screening methods could be applied. The assays are based on the detection of fluorescently labeled bacteria in fluorescently labeled host cells using automated wide-field microscopy. The fluorescent images are analyzed using a standardized image analysis pipeline in CellProfiler which allows single cell-based infection scoring. In the endpoint assay, intracellular replication is measured two days after infection. This allows bacteria to traffic to their replicative niche where proliferation is initiated around 12 hr after bacterial entry. Brucella which have successfully established an intracellular niche will thus have strongly proliferated inside host cells. Since intracellular bacteria will greatly outnumber individual extracellular or intracellular non-replicative bacteria, a strain constitutively expressing GFP can be used. The strong GFP signal is then used to identify infected cells. In contrast, for the entry assay it is essential to differentiate between intracellular and extracellular bacteria. Here, a strain encoding for a tetracycline-inducible GFP is used. Induction of GFP with simultaneous inactivation of extracellular bacteria by gentamicin enables the differentiation between intracellular and extracellular

Organisational Issues for E-Learning: Critical Success Factors as Identified by HE Practitioners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McPherson, Maggie; Nunes, Miguel Baptista

2006-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to report on a research project that identified organisational critical success factors (CSFs) for e-learning implementation in higher education (HE). These CSFs can be used as a theoretical foundation upon which to base decision-making and strategic thinking about e-learning. Design/methodology/approach: The…

Regulatory network analysis of Epstein-Barr virus identifies functional modules and hub genes involved in infectious mononucleosis.

PubMed

Poorebrahim, Mansour; Salarian, Ali; Najafi, Saeideh; Abazari, Mohammad Foad; Aleagha, Maryam Nouri; Dadras, Mohammad Nasr; Jazayeri, Seyed Mohammad; Ataei, Atousa; Poortahmasebi, Vahdat

2017-05-01

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is the most common cause of infectious mononucleosis (IM) and establishes lifetime infection associated with a variety of cancers and autoimmune diseases. The aim of this study was to develop an integrative gene regulatory network (GRN) approach and overlying gene expression data to identify the representative subnetworks for IM and EBV latent infection (LI). After identifying differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in both IM and LI gene expression profiles, functional annotations were applied using gene ontology (GO) and BiNGO tools, and construction of GRNs, topological analysis and identification of modules were carried out using several plugins of Cytoscape. In parallel, a human-EBV GRN was generated using the Hu-Vir database for further analyses. Our analysis revealed that the majority of DEGs in both IM and LI were involved in cell-cycle and DNA repair processes. However, these genes showed a significant negative correlation in the IM and LI states. Furthermore, cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) - a hub gene with the highest centrality score - appeared to be the key player in cell cycle regulation in IM disease. The most significant functional modules in the IM and LI states were involved in the regulation of the cell cycle and apoptosis, respectively. Human-EBV network analysis revealed several direct targets of EBV proteins during IM disease. Our study provides an important first report on the response to IM/LI EBV infection in humans. An important aspect of our data was the upregulation of genes associated with cell cycle progression and proliferation.

Psychosocial risk and protective factors for the health and well-being of professionals working in emergency and non-emergency medical transport services, identified via questionnaires.

PubMed

Navarro Moya, P; González Carrasco, M; Villar Hoz, E

2017-09-06

Medical transport (MT) professionals are subject to considerable emotional demands due to their involvement in life-or-death situations and their exposure to the serious health problems of their clients. An increase in the demand for MT services has, in turn, increased interest in the study of the psychosocial risk factors affecting the health of workers in this sector. However, research thus far has not distinguished between emergency (EMT) and non-emergency (non-EMT) services, nor between the sexes. Furthermore, little emphasis has been placed on the protective factors involved. The main objective of the present study is to identify any existing differential exposure - for reasons of work setting (EMT and non-EMT) or of gender - to the various psychosocial risk and protective factors affecting the health of MT workers. Descriptive and transversal research with responses from 201 professionals. The scores obtained on the various psychosocial scales in our study - as indicators of future health problems - were more unfavourable for non-EMT workers than they were for EMT workers. Work setting, but not gender, was able to account for these differences. The scores obtained for the different psychosocial factors are generally more favourable for the professionals we surveyed than those obtained in previous samples. The significant differences observed between EMT and non-EMT personnel raise important questions regarding the organization of work in companies that carry out both services at the same time in the same territory. The relationships among the set of risk/protective factors suggests a need for further investigation into working conditions as well as a consideration of the workers' sense of coherence and subjective well-being as protective factors against occupational burnout syndrome.

Identifying predictive factors for long-term complications following button battery impactions: A case series and literature review.

PubMed

Eliason, Michael J; Melzer, Jonathan M; Winters, Jessica R; Gallagher, Thomas Q

2016-08-01

To complement a case series review of button battery impactions managed at our single military tertiary care center with a thorough literature review of laboratory research and clinical cases to develop a protocol to optimize patient care. Specifically, to identify predictive factors of long-term complications which can be used by the pediatric otolaryngologist to guide patient management after button battery impactions. A retrospective review of the Department of Defense's electronic medical record systems was conducted to identify patients with button battery ingestions and then characterize their treatment course. A thorough literature review complemented the lessons learned to identify potentially predictive clinical measures for long-term complications. Eight patients were identified as being treated for button battery impaction in the aerodigestive tract with two sustaining long-term complications. The median age of the patients treated was 33 months old and the median estimated time of impaction in the aerodigestive tract prior to removal was 10.5 h. Time of impaction, anatomic direction of the battery's negative pole, and identifying specific battery parameters were identified as factors that may be employed to predict sequelae. Based on case reviews, advancements in battery manufacturing, and laboratory research, there are distinct clinical factors that should be assessed at the time of initial therapy to guide follow-up management to minimize potential catastrophic sequelae of button battery ingestion. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

[Analysis of etiological factors involved in noncarious cervical lesions].

PubMed

Tomasik, Małgorzata

2006-01-01

The etiopathology of noncarious cervical lesions (NCCL) is multifactorial and still not fully understood. Tooth wear is defined as loss of dental hard tissue by a chemical or mechanical process that does not involve bacteria. This form of tooth surface loss includes attrition, abrasion, erosion, and abfraction. Noncarious cervical lesions represent loss of tooth structure at the cementoenamel junction. The purpose of this clinical study of NCCL was to analyze the etiology in relation to age and to identify the most important risk factors associated with cervical lesions, as well as patients and teeth more susceptible to NCCL with a focus on more effective treatment of this condition. The study group comprised 124 patients with NCCL, aged 15-75 years (mean = 44). A questionnaire was distributed addressing medical history--gastric disorders, dietary habits--consumption of acidic drinks, dental history, oral hygiene practices, and parafunctional habits. Clinical examination of tooth wear was performed on four tooth surfaces after air-drying. The distribution and severity of tooth wear was graded using the tooth wear index (TWI) calculated with a computer programme allowing for tooth characteristic to be determined for each decade of life. Depth of the cervical defect was measured with a periodontal probe. TWI was devised to reveal the extent of tooth surface wear irrespective of the cause. Raw scores were compared with the computer using predetermined threshold values which are set to distinguish between acceptable and unacceptable pathological levels of tooth wear for each decade of life and each tooth surface. Dentition status, oral hygiene, periodontal status, gingival recession, number of teeth and their mobility, oral symptoms of parafunction and relationship to lateral and protrusive tooth contact schemes was assessed and analyzed. Statistical analyses were performed with the Stata Statistical Software: release 5. The risk of NCCL formation was estimated with

Genomic and transcriptomic characterization of the transcription factor family R2R3-MYB in soybean and its involvement in the resistance responses to Phakopsora pachyrhizi.

PubMed

Aoyagi, Luciano N; Lopes-Caitar, Valéria S; de Carvalho, Mayra C C G; Darben, Luana M; Polizel-Podanosqui, Adriana; Kuwahara, Marcia K; Nepomuceno, Alexandre L; Abdelnoor, Ricardo V; Marcelino-Guimarães, Francismar C

2014-12-01

Myb genes constitute one of the largest transcription factor families in the plant kingdom. Soybean MYB transcription factors have been related to the plant response to biotic stresses. Their involvement in response to Phakopsora pachyrhizi infection has been reported by several transcriptional studies. Due to their apparently highly diverse functions, these genes are promising targets for developing crop varieties resistant to diseases. In the present study, the identification and phylogenetic analysis of the soybean R2R3-MYB (GmMYB) transcription factor family was performed and the expression profiles of these genes under biotic stress were determined. GmMYBs were identified from the soybean genome using bioinformatic tools, and their putative functions were determined based on the phylogenetic tree and classified into subfamilies using guides AtMYBs describing known functions. The transcriptional profiles of GmMYBs upon infection with different pathogen were revealed by in vivo and in silico analyses. Selected target genes potentially involved in disease responses were assessed by RT-qPCR after different times of inoculation with P. pachyrhizi using different genetic backgrounds related to resistance genes (Rpp2 and Rpp5). R2R3-MYB transcription factors related to lignin synthesis and genes responsive to chitin were significantly induced in the resistant genotypes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Application of wide selected-ion monitoring data-independent acquisition to identify tomato fruit proteins regulated by the CUTIN DEFICIENT2 transcription factor.

PubMed

Martin, Laetitia B B; Sherwood, Robert W; Nicklay, Joshua J; Yang, Yong; Muratore-Schroeder, Tara L; Anderson, Elizabeth T; Thannhauser, Theodore W; Rose, Jocelyn K C; Zhang, Sheng

2016-08-01

We describe here the use of label-free wide selected-ion monitoring data-independent acquisition (WiSIM-DIA) to identify proteins that are involved in the formation of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit cuticles and that are regulated by the transcription factor CUTIN DEFICIENT2 (CD2). A spectral library consisting of 11 753 unique peptides, corresponding to 2338 tomato protein groups, was used and the DIA analysis was performed at the MS1 level utilizing narrow mass windows for extraction with Skyline 2.6 software. We identified a total of 1140 proteins, 67 of which had expression levels that differed significantly between the cd2 tomato mutant and the wild-type cultivar M82. Differentially expressed proteins including a key protein involved in cutin biosynthesis, were selected for validation by target SRM/MRM and by Western blot analysis. In addition to confirming a role for CD2 in regulating cuticle formation, the results also revealed that CD2 influences pathways associated with cell wall biology, anthocyanin biosynthesis, plant development, and responses to stress, which complements findings of earlier RNA-Seq experiments. Our results provide new insights into molecular processes and aspects of fruit biology associated with CD2 function, and demonstrate that the WiSIM-DIA is an effective quantitative approach for global protein identifications. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Application of wide selected-ion monitoring data-independent acquisition to identify tomato fruit proteins regulated by the CUTIN DEFICIENT2 transcription factor

PubMed Central

Martin, Laetitia B. B.; Sherwood, Robert W.; Nicklay, Joshua J.; Yang, Yong; Muratore-Schroeder, Tara L.; Anderson, Elizabeth T.; Thannhauser, Theodore W.; Rose, Jocelyn K. C.; Zhang, Sheng

2017-01-01

We describe here the use of label-free wide selected-ion monitoring data-independent acquisition (WiSIM-DIA) to identify proteins that are involved in the formation of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit cuticles and that are regulated by the transcription factor CUTIN DEFICIENT2 (CD2). A spectral library consisting of 11 753 unique peptides, corresponding to 2338 tomato protein groups, was used and the DIA analysis was performed at the MS1 level utilizing narrow mass windows for extraction with Skyline 2.6 software. We identified a total of 1140 proteins, 67 of which had expression levels that differed significantly between the cd2 tomato mutant and the wild-type cultivar M82. Differentially expressed proteins including a key protein involved in cutin biosynthesis, were selected for validation by target SRM/MRM and by Western blot analysis. In addition to confirming a role for CD2 in regulating cuticle formation, the results also revealed that CD2 influences pathways associated with cell wall biology, anthocyanin biosynthesis, plant development, and responses to stress, which complements findings of earlier RNA-Seq experiments. Our results provide new insights into molecular processes and aspects of fruit biology associated with CD2 function, and demonstrate that the WiSIM-DIA is an effective quantitative approach for global protein identifications. PMID:27089858

Identifying at-risk profiles and protective factors for problem gambling: A longitudinal study across adolescence and early adulthood.

PubMed

Allami, Youssef; Vitaro, Frank; Brendgen, Mara; Carbonneau, René; Tremblay, Richard E

2018-05-01

Past studies have identified various risk and protective factors for problem gambling (PG). However, no study has examined the interplay between these factors using a combination of person-centered and variable-centered approaches embedded within a longitudinal design. The present study aimed to (a) identify distinct profiles in early adolescence based on a set of risk factors commonly associated with PG (impulsivity, depression, anxiety, drug-alcohol use, aggressiveness, and antisociality), (b) explore the difference in reported gambling problems between these profiles during midadolescence and early adulthood, and (c) identify family- and peer-related variables that could operate as protective or compensatory factors in this context. Two samples were used: (a) a population sample (N = 1,033) living in low socioeconomic-status neighborhoods and (b) a population sample (N = 3,017) representative of students attending Quebec schools. Latent profile analyses were conducted to identify at-risk profiles based on individual risk factors measured at age 12 years. Negative binomial regression models were estimated to compare profiles in terms of their reported gambling problems at ages 16 and 23. Finally, family- and peer-related variables measured at age 14 were included to test their protective or compensatory role with respect to the link between at-risk profiles and gambling problems. Four profiles were identified: well-adjusted, internalizing, externalizing, and comorbid. Compared to the well-adjusted profile, the externalizing and comorbid profiles reported more gambling problems at ages 16 and 23, but the internalizing profile did not differ significantly. Various protective and compensatory factors emerged for each profile at both time points. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

A model study of factors involved in adhesion of Pseudomonas fluorescens to meat.

PubMed Central

Piette, J P; Idziak, E S

1992-01-01

A study was undertaken to investigate the factors involved in the adhesion of Pseudomonas fluorescens to model meat surfaces (tendon slices). Adhesion was fast (less than 2.5 min) and was not suppressed by killing the cells with UV, gamma rays, or heat, indicating that physiological activity was not required. In various salt solutions (NaCl, KCl, CaCl2, MgCl2), adhesion increased with increasing ionic strength up to 10 to 100 mM, suggesting that, at low ionic strengths, electrostatic interactions were involved in the adhesion process. At higher ionic strengths (greater than 10 to 100 mM) or in the presence of Al3+ ions, adhesion was sharply reduced. Selectively blocking of carboxyl or amino groups at the cell surface by chemical means did not affect adhesion. These groups are therefore not directly involved in an adhesive bond with tendon. Given a sufficient cell concentration (10(10) CFU.ml-1) in the adhesion medium, the surface of tendon was almost entirely covered with adherent bacteria. This suggests that if the adhesion is specific, the attachment sites on the tendon surface must be located within collagen or proteoglycan molecules. Images PMID:1444387

A Homolog of Bacillus subtilis Trigger Factor in Listeria monocytogenes Is Involved in Stress Tolerance and Bacterial Virulence

PubMed Central

Bigot, Armelle; Botton, Eleonore; Dubail, Iharilalao; Charbit, Alain

2006-01-01

Molecular chaperones play an essential role in the folding of nascent chain polypeptides, as well as in the refolding and degradation of misfolded or aggregated proteins. They also assist in protein translocation and participate in stress functions. We identified a gene, designated tig, encoding a protein homologous to trigger factor (TF), a cytosolic ribosome-associated chaperone, in the genome of Listeria monocytogenes. We constructed a chromosomal Δtig deletion and evaluated the impact of the mutation on bacterial growth in broth under various stress conditions and on pathogenesis. The Δtig deletion did not affect cell viability but impaired survival in the presence of heat and ethanol stresses. We also identified the ffh gene, encoding a protein homologous to the SRP54 eukaryotic component of the signal recognition particle. However, a Δffh deletion was not tolerated, suggesting that Ffh is essential, as it is in Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli. Thus, although dispensable for growth, TF is involved in the stress response of L. monocytogenes. The Δtig mutant showed no or very modest intracellular survival defects in eukaryotic cells. However, in vivo it showed a reduced capacity to persist in the spleens and livers of infected mice, revealing that TF has a role in the pathogenicity of L. monocytogenes. PMID:17021213

Factor analysis in the Genetics of Asthma International Network family study identifies five major quantitative asthma phenotypes.

PubMed

Pillai, S G; Tang, Y; van den Oord, E; Klotsman, M; Barnes, K; Carlsen, K; Gerritsen, J; Lenney, W; Silverman, M; Sly, P; Sundy, J; Tsanakas, J; von Berg, A; Whyte, M; Ortega, H G; Anderson, W H; Helms, P J

2008-03-01

Asthma is a clinically heterogeneous disease caused by a complex interaction between genetic susceptibility and diverse environmental factors. In common with other complex diseases the lack of a standardized scheme to evaluate the phenotypic variability poses challenges in identifying the contribution of genes and environments to disease expression. To determine the minimum number of sets of features required to characterize subjects with asthma which will be useful in identifying important genetic and environmental contributors. Methods Probands aged 7-35 years with physician diagnosed asthma and symptomatic siblings were identified in 1022 nuclear families from 11 centres in six countries forming the Genetics of Asthma International Network. Factor analysis was used to identify distinct phenotypes from questionnaire, clinical, and laboratory data, including baseline pulmonary function, allergen skin prick test (SPT). Five distinct factors were identified:(1) baseline pulmonary function measures [forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV(1)) and forced vital capacity (FVC)], (2) specific allergen sensitization by SPT, (3) self-reported allergies, (4) symptoms characteristic of rhinitis and (5) symptoms characteristic of asthma. Replication in symptomatic siblings was consistent with shared genetic and/or environmental effects, and was robust across age groups, gender, and centres. Cronbach's alpha ranged from 0.719 to 0.983 suggesting acceptable internal scale consistencies. Derived scales were correlated with serum IgE, methacholine PC(20), age and asthma severity (interrupted sleep). IgE correlated with all three atopy-related factors, the strongest with the SPT factor whereas severity only correlated with baseline lung function, and with symptoms characteristic of rhinitis and of asthma. In children and adolescents with established asthma, five distinct sets of correlated patient characteristics appear to represent important aspects of the disease. Factor scores as

Mechanisms and factors involved in hip injuries during frontal crashes.

PubMed

Yoganandan, N; Pintar, F A; Gennarelli, T A; Maltese, M R; Eppinger, R H

2001-11-01

This study was conducted to collect data and gain insights relative to the mechanisms and factors involved in hip injuries during frontal crashes and to study the tolerance of hip injuries from this type of loading. Unembalmed human cadavers were seated on a standard automotive seat (reinforced) and subjected to knee impact test to each lower extremity. Varying combinations of flexion and adduction/abduction were used for initial alignment conditions and pre-positioning. Accelerometers were fixed to the iliac wings and twelfth thoracic vertebral spinous process. A 23.4-kg padded pendulum impacted the knee at velocities ranging from 4.3 to 7.6 m/s. The impacting direction was along the anteroposterior axis, i.e., the global X-axis, in the body-fixed coordinate system. A load cell on the front of the pendulum recorded the impact force. Peak impact forces ranged from 2,450 to 10,950 N. The rate of loading ranged from 123 to 7,664 N/msec. The impulse values ranged from 12.4 to 31.9 Nsec. Injuries were not apparent in three tests. Eight tests resulted in trauma. Fractures involving the pelvis including the acetabulum and proximal femur occurred in five out of the eight tests, and distal femoral bone fracture occurred in one test. These results underscore the importance of leg pre-positioning and the orientation of the impacting axis to produce specific types of trauma to the pelvic region of the lower extremity.

On the Threshold of Safety: A Qualitative Exploration of Nurses' Perceptions of Factors Involved in Safe Staffing Levels in Emergency Departments.

PubMed

Wolf, Lisa A; Perhats, Cydne; Delao, Altair M; Clark, Paul R; Moon, Michael D

2017-03-01

The emergency department is a unique practice environment in that the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA), which mandates a medical screening examination for all presenting patients, effectively precludes any sort of patient volume control; staffing needs are therefore fluid and unpredictable. The purpose of this study is to explore emergency nurses' perceptions of factors involved in safe staffing levels and to identify factors that negatively and positively influence staffing levels and might lend themselves to more effective interventions and evaluations. We used a qualitative exploratory design with focus group data from a sample of 26 emergency nurses. Themes were identified using a constructivist perspective and an inductive approach to content analysis. Five themes were identified: (1) unsafe environment of care, (2) components of safety, (3) patient outcomes: risky care, (4) nursing outcomes: leaving the profession, and (5) possible solutions. Participants reported that staffing levels are determined by the number of beds in the department (as in inpatient units) but not by patient acuity or the number of patients waiting for treatment. Participants identified both absolute numbers of staff, as well as experience mix, as components of safe staffing. Inability to predict the acuity of patients waiting to be seen was a major component of nurses' perceptions of unsafe staffing. Emergency nurses perceive staffing to be inadequate, and therefore unsafe, because of the potential for poor patient outcomes, including missed or delayed care, missed deterioration (failure to rescue), and additional ED visits resulting from ineffective discharge teaching. Both absolute numbers of staff, as well as skill and experience mix, should be considered to provide staffing levels that promote optimal patient and nurse outcomes. Copyright © 2017 Emergency Nurses Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Personal and Social Support Factors Involved in Students' Decision to Participate in Formal Academic Mentoring

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larose, Simon; Cyrenne, Diane; Garceau, Odette; Harvey, Marylou; Guay, Frederic; Deschenes, Claire

2009-01-01

In this study, we examined the role of personal and social support factors involved in students' decision to participate in formal academic mentoring. Three hundred and eighteen students completing Grade 11 and planning to study sciences in college filled out a questionnaire and were then asked to participate in an academic mentoring program…

Aboriginal Street-involved Youth Experience Elevated Risk of Incarceration

PubMed Central

Barker, Brittany; Alfred, Gerald Taiaiake; Fleming, Kim; Nguyen, Paul; Wood, Evan; Kerr, Thomas; DeBeck, Kora

2015-01-01

Objectives Past research has identified risk factors associated with incarceration among adult Aboriginal populations; however, less is known about incarceration among street-involved Aboriginal youth. Therefore, we undertook this study to longitudinally investigate recent reports of incarceration among a prospective cohort of street-involved youth in Vancouver, Canada. Study Design Prospective cohort study. Methods Data were collected from a cohort of street-involved, drug-using youth from September 2005 to May 2013. Multivariate generalized estimating equation analyses were employed to examine the potential relationship between Aboriginal ancestry and recent incarceration. Results Among our sample of 1050 youth, 248 (24%) reported being of aboriginal ancestry, and 378 (36%) reported being incarcerated in the previous six months at some point during the study period. In multivariate analysis controlling for a range of potential confounders including drug use patterns and other risk factors, Aboriginal ancestry remained significantly associated with recent incarceration (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=1.44; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12–1.86). Conclusions Even after adjusting for drug use patterns and other risk factors associated with incarceration, this study found that Aboriginal street-involved youth were still significantly more likely to be incarcerated than their non-Aboriginal peers. Given the established harms associated with incarceration these findings underscore the pressing need for systematic reform including culturally appropriate interventions to prevent Aboriginal youth from becoming involved with the criminal justice system. PMID:26390949

Leucine Biosynthesis Is Involved in Regulating High Lipid Accumulation in Yarrowia lipolytica

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

Kerkhoven, Eduard J.; Kim, Young-Mo; Wei, Siwei

ABSTRACT The yeastYarrowia lipolyticais a potent accumulator of lipids, and lipogenesis in this organism can be influenced by a variety of factors, such as genetics and environmental conditions. Using a multifactorial study, we elucidated the effects of both genetic and environmental factors on regulation of lipogenesis inY. lipolyticaand identified how two opposite regulatory states both result in lipid accumulation. This study involved comparison of a strain overexpressing diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGA1) with a control strain grown under either nitrogen or carbon limitation conditions. A strong correlation was observed between the responses on the transcript and protein levels. Combination ofDGA1overexpression with nitrogen limitationmore » resulted in a high level of lipid accumulation accompanied by downregulation of several amino acid biosynthetic pathways, including that of leucine in particular, and these changes were further correlated with a decrease in metabolic fluxes. This downregulation was supported by the measured decrease in the level of 2-isopropylmalate, an intermediate of leucine biosynthesis. Combining the multi-omics data with putative transcription factor binding motifs uncovered a contradictory role for TORC1 in controlling lipid accumulation, likely mediated through 2-isopropylmalate and a Leu3-like transcription factor. IMPORTANCEThe ubiquitous metabolism of lipids involves refined regulation, and an enriched understanding of this regulation would have wide implications. Various factors can influence lipid metabolism, including the environment and genetics. We demonstrated, using a multi-omics and multifactorial experimental setup, that multiple factors affect lipid accumulation in the yeastYarrowia lipolytica. Using integrative analysis, we identified novel interactions between nutrient restriction and genetic factors involving regulators that are highly conserved among eukaryotes. Given that lipid metabolism is involved in many

Involving Latino Parents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quezada, Reyes L.; Diaz, Delia M.; Sanchez, Maria

2003-01-01

Describes barriers to Latino parent involvement in educational activities, factors to consider when involving Latino parents, and two examples of Latino involvement programs in California: Family Literacy Workshop at James Monroe Elementary School, Madera Unified School District, and Parents Take P.A.R.T. (Parent Assisted Reading Training) at…

Viral and Cellular Factors Involved in Phloem Transport of Plant Viruses

PubMed Central

Hipper, Clémence; Brault, Véronique; Ziegler-Graff, Véronique; Revers, Frédéric

2013-01-01

Phloem transport of plant viruses is an essential step in the setting-up of a complete infection of a host plant. After an initial replication step in the first cells, viruses spread from cell-to-cell through mesophyll cells, until they reach the vasculature where they rapidly move to distant sites in order to establish the infection of the whole plant. This last step is referred to as systemic transport, or long-distance movement, and involves virus crossings through several cellular barriers: bundle sheath, vascular parenchyma, and companion cells for virus loading into sieve elements (SE). Viruses are then passively transported within the source-to-sink flow of photoassimilates and are unloaded from SE into sink tissues. However, the molecular mechanisms governing virus long-distance movement are far from being understood. While most viruses seem to move systemically as virus particles, some viruses are transported in SE as viral ribonucleoprotein complexes (RNP). The nature of the cellular and viral factors constituting these RNPs is still poorly known. The topic of this review will mainly focus on the host and viral factors that facilitate or restrict virus long-distance movement. PMID:23745125

A qualitative study to identify reasons for discharges against medical advice in the cardiovascular setting

PubMed Central

Saunders, Elijah; Mullins, C Daniel; Pradel, Françoise G; Zuckerman, Marni; Loh, F Ellen; Weir, Matthew R

2012-01-01

Background Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is responsible for the largest number of discharges against medical advice (AMA). However, there is limited information regarding the reasons for discharges AMA in the CVD setting. Objective To identify reasons for discharges AMA among patients with CVD. Design Qualitative study using focus group interviews (FGIs). Participants A convenience sample of patients with a CVD-related discharge diagnosis who left AMA and providers (physicians, nurses and social workers) whose patients have left AMA. Primary and secondary outcomes To identify patients' reasons for discharges AMA as identified by patients and providers. To identify strategies to reduce discharges AMA. Approach FGIs were grouped according to patients, physicians and nurses/social workers. A content analysis was performed independently by three coauthors to identify the nature and range of the participants' viewpoints on the reasons for discharges AMA. The content analysis involved specific categories of reasons as motivated by the Health Belief Model as well as reasons (ie, themes) that emerged from the interview data. Results 9 patients, 10 physicians and 23 nurses/social workers were recruited for the FGIs. Patients and providers reported the same three reasons for discharges AMA: (1) patient's preference for their own doctor, (2) long wait time and (3) factors outside the hospital. Patients identified an unmet expectation to be involved in setting the treatment plan as a reason to leave AMA. Participants identified improved communication as a solution for reducing discharges AMA. Conclusions Patients wanted more involvement in their care, exhibited a strong preference for their own primary physician, felt that they spent a long time waiting in the hospital and were motivated to leave AMA by factors outside the hospital. Providers identified similar reasons except the patients' desire for involvement. Additional research is needed to determine the applicability of

Mothers' and Fathers' Involvement in Home Activities with Their Children: Psychosocial Factors and the Role of Parental Self-Efficacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giallo, Rebecca; Treyvaud, Karli; Cooklin, Amanda; Wade, Catherine

2013-01-01

Parent involvement in play, learning, and everyday home activities is important for promoting children's cognitive and language development. The aims of the study were to (a) examine differences between mothers' and fathers' self-reported involvement with their children, (b) explore the relationship between child, parent and family factors, and…

Design Factors Affecting the Reaction Time for Identifying Toilet Signs: A Preliminary Study.

PubMed

Chen, Yi-Lang; Sie, Cai-Cin

2016-04-01

This study focused on the manner in which design factors affect the reaction time for identifying toilet signs. Taiwanese university students and staff members (50 men, 50 women; M age = 23.5 year, SD = 5.7) participated in the study. The 36 toilet signs were modified on three factors (six presenting styles, two figure-ground exchanges, and three colors), and the reaction time data of all participants were collected when the signs were presented in a simulation onscreen. Participants were quickest when reading Chinese text, followed by graphics and English texts. The findings also showed that men and women had different reaction times across various design combinations. These findings can serve as a reference for practically designing toilet signs, since design factors can lead to difficulties with comprehension based on reaction time measurements. © The Author(s) 2016.

A regression tree for identifying combinations of fall risk factors associated to recurrent falling: a cross-sectional elderly population-based study.

PubMed

Kabeshova, A; Annweiler, C; Fantino, B; Philip, T; Gromov, V A; Launay, C P; Beauchet, O

2014-06-01

Regression tree (RT) analyses are particularly adapted to explore the risk of recurrent falling according to various combinations of fall risk factors compared to logistic regression models. The aims of this study were (1) to determine which combinations of fall risk factors were associated with the occurrence of recurrent falls in older community-dwellers, and (2) to compare the efficacy of RT and multiple logistic regression model for the identification of recurrent falls. A total of 1,760 community-dwelling volunteers (mean age ± standard deviation, 71.0 ± 5.1 years; 49.4 % female) were recruited prospectively in this cross-sectional study. Age, gender, polypharmacy, use of psychoactive drugs, fear of falling (FOF), cognitive disorders and sad mood were recorded. In addition, the history of falls within the past year was recorded using a standardized questionnaire. Among 1,760 participants, 19.7 % (n = 346) were recurrent fallers. The RT identified 14 nodes groups and 8 end nodes with FOF as the first major split. Among participants with FOF, those who had sad mood and polypharmacy formed the end node with the greatest OR for recurrent falls (OR = 6.06 with p < 0.001). Among participants without FOF, those who were male and not sad had the lowest OR for recurrent falls (OR = 0.25 with p < 0.001). The RT correctly classified 1,356 from 1,414 non-recurrent fallers (specificity = 95.6 %), and 65 from 346 recurrent fallers (sensitivity = 18.8 %). The overall classification accuracy was 81.0 %. The multiple logistic regression correctly classified 1,372 from 1,414 non-recurrent fallers (specificity = 97.0 %), and 61 from 346 recurrent fallers (sensitivity = 17.6 %). The overall classification accuracy was 81.4 %. Our results show that RT may identify specific combinations of risk factors for recurrent falls, the combination most associated with recurrent falls involving FOF, sad mood and polypharmacy. The FOF emerged as the risk factor strongly associated with

Factors influencing speech and language outcomes of children with early identified severe/profound hearing loss: Clinician-identified facilitators and barriers.

PubMed

Fulcher, Anne Nivelles; Purcell, Alison; Baker, Elise; Munro, Natalie

2015-06-01

Early identification of severe/profound childhood hearing loss (HL) gives these children access to hearing devices and early intervention to facilitate improved speech and language outcomes. Predicting which infants will go on to achieve such outcomes remains difficult. This study describes clinician identified malleable and non-malleable factors that may influence speech and language outcomes for children with severe/profound HL. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six experienced auditory verbal clinicians. A collective case study design was implemented. The interviews were transcribed and coded into themes using constant comparative analysis. Clinicians identified that, for children with severe/profound HL, early identification, early amplification and commencing auditory-verbal intervention under 6 months of age may facilitate child progress. Possible barriers were living in rural/remote areas, the clinicians' lack of experience and confidence in providing intervention for infants under age 6-months and belonging to a family with a culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) background. The results indicate that multiple factors need to be considered by clinicians working with children with HL and their families to determine how each child functions within their own environment and personal contexts, consistent with the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework. Such an approach is likely to empower clinicians to carefully balance potential barriers to, and facilitators of, optimal speech and language outcomes for all children with HL.

No involvement of the nerve growth factor gene locus in hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

PubMed

Nemoto, Kiyomitsu; Sekimoto, Masashi; Fukamachi, Katsumi; Kageyama, Haruaki; Degawa, Masakuni; Hamadai, Masanori; Hendley, Edith D; Macrae, I Mhairi; Clark, James S; Dominiczak, Anna F; Ueyama, Takashi

2005-02-01

Sympathetic hyper-innervation and increased levels of nerve growth factor (NGF), an essential neurotrophic factor for sympathetic neurons, have been observed in the vascular tissues of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). Such observations have suggested that the pathogenesis of hypertension might involve a qualitative or quantitative abnormality in the NGF protein, resulting from a significant mutation in the gene's promoter or coding region. In the present study, we analyzed the nucleotide sequences of the cis-element of the NGF gene in SHRs, stroke-prone SHRs (SHRSPs), and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. The present analyses revealed some differences in the 3-kb promoter region, coding exon, and 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) for the NGF gene among those strains. However, the observed differences did not lead to changes in promoter activity or to amino acid substitution; nor did they represent a link between the 3'UTR mutation of SHRSPs and elevated blood pressure in an F2 generation produced by crossbreeding SHRSPs with WKY rats. These results suggest that the NGF gene locus is not involved in hypertension in SHR/ SHRSP strains. The present study also revealed two differences between SHRs and WKY rats, as found in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells and in mRNA prepared from each strain. First, SHRs had higher expression levels of c-fos and c-jun genes, which encode the component of the AP-1 transcription factor that activates NGF gene transcription. Second, NGF mRNAs prepared from SHRs had a longer 3'UTR than those prepared from WKY rats. Although it remains to be determined whether these events play a role in the hypertension of SHR/SHRSP strains, the present results emphasize the importance of actively searching for aberrant trans-acting factor(s) leading to the enhanced expression of the NGF gene and NGF protein in SHR/SHRSP strains.

Identifying risk factors for victimization among male prisoners in Taiwan.

PubMed

Kuo, Shih-Ya; Cuvelier, Steven J; Huang, Yung-Shun

2014-02-01

This study identified risk factors for prison victimization in Taiwan with an application of Western literature and assessed the extent of its applicability in an Eastern context. The sample was drawn from four male prisons located in Northern, Central, Southern, and Eastern Taiwan; a total of 1,181 valid surveys were collected. The results generally support the major findings of the extant Western studies. Crowding, however, was not significantly associated with the risk of victimization in any of the statistical models, which might be related to the different experiences and living conditions in the free community between Taiwanese and American inmates. This study generated clear policy implications, which may reduce prison victimization and engender a greater sense of well-being in the prison environment.

MONKEY: Identifying conserved transcription-factor binding sitesin multiple alignments using a binding site-specific evolutionarymodel

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

Moses, Alan M.; Chiang, Derek Y.; Pollard, Daniel A.

2004-10-28

We introduce a method (MONKEY) to identify conserved transcription-factor binding sites in multispecies alignments. MONKEY employs probabilistic models of factor specificity and binding site evolution, on which basis we compute the likelihood that putative sites are conserved and assign statistical significance to each hit. Using genomes from the genus Saccharomyces, we illustrate how the significance of real sites increases with evolutionary distance and explore the relationship between conservation and function.

Tissue factor pathway inhibitor-2: a novel gene involved in zebrafish central nervous system development.

PubMed

Zhang, Yanli; Wang, Lina; Zhou, Wenhao; Wang, Huijun; Zhang, Jin; Deng, Shanshan; Li, Weihua; Li, Huawei; Mao, Zuohua; Ma, Duan

2013-09-01

Tissue factor pathway inhibitor-2 (Tfpi-2) is an important serine protease inhibitor in the extracellular matrix (ECM), but its precise physiological significance remains unknown. This work is part of a series of studies intended to investigate functional roles of Tfpi-2 and explore the underlying molecular mechanisms. First, we cloned and identified zebrafish Tfpi-2 (zTfpi-2) as an evolutionarily conserved protein essential for zebrafish development. We also demonstrated that ztfpi-2 is mainly expressed in the central nervous system (CNS) of zebrafish, and embryonic depletion of ztfpi-2 caused severe CNS defects. In addition, changes of neural markers, including pax2a, egr2b, huC, ngn1, gfap and olig2, confirmed the presence of developmental abnormalities in the relevant regions of ztfpi-2 morphants. Using microarray analysis, we found that members of the Notch pathway, especially her4 and mib, which mediate lateral inhibition in CNS development, were also downregulated. Intriguingly, both her4 and mib were able to partially rescue the ztfpi-2 morphant phenotype. Furthermore, Morpholino knockdown of ztfpi-2 resulted in upregulation of neuronal markers while downregulation of glial markers, providing evidence that the Notch pathway is probably involved in ztfpi-2-mediated CNS development. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Synthetic Interaction Screen Identifies Factors Selectively Required for Proliferation and TERT Transcription in p53-Deficient Human Cancer Cells

PubMed Central

Park, Sung Mi; Zhu, Lihua J.; Debily, Marie-anne; Kittler, Ellen L. W.; Zapp, Maria L.; Lapointe, David; Gobeil, Stephane; Virbasius, Ching-Man; Green, Michael R.

2012-01-01

Numerous genetic and epigenetic alterations render cancer cells selectively dependent on specific genes and regulatory pathways, and represent potential vulnerabilities that can be therapeutically exploited. Here we describe an RNA interference (RNAi)–based synthetic interaction screen to identify genes preferentially required for proliferation of p53-deficient (p53−) human cancer cells. We find that compared to p53-competent (p53+) human cancer cell lines, diverse p53− human cancer cell lines are preferentially sensitive to loss of the transcription factor ETV1 and the DNA damage kinase ATR. In p53− cells, RNAi–mediated knockdown of ETV1 or ATR results in decreased expression of the telomerase catalytic subunit TERT leading to growth arrest, which can be reversed by ectopic TERT expression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis reveals that ETV1 binds to a region downstream of the TERT transcriptional start-site in p53− but not p53+ cells. We find that the role of ATR is to phosphorylate and thereby stabilize ETV1. Our collective results identify a regulatory pathway involving ETV1, ATR, and TERT that is preferentially important for proliferation of diverse p53− cancer cells. PMID:23284306

Identifying crash contributory factors at urban roundabouts and using association rules to explore their relationships to different crash types.

PubMed

Montella, Alfonso

2011-07-01

The use of roundabouts improves intersection safety by eliminating or altering conflict types, reducing crash severity, and causing drivers to reduce speeds. However, roundabout performances can degrade if precautions are not taken during either the design or the operation phase. Therefore, additional information on the safety of the roundabouts is extremely helpful for planners and designers in identifying existing deficiencies and in refining the design criteria currently being used. The aim of the paper was to investigate the crash contributory factors in 15 urban roundabouts located in Italy and to study the interdependences between these factors. The crash data refer to the period 2003-2008. The identification of the crash contributory factors was based on site inspections and rigorous analyses performed by a team of specialists with a relevant road safety engineering background. Each roundabout was inspected once every year from 2004 to 2009, both in daytime and in nighttime. Overall, 62 different contributory factors and 2156 total contributory factors were identified. In 51 crashes, a single contributory factor was found, whereas in the other 223 crashes, a combination of contributory factors was identified. Given the large amount of data, the interdependences between the contributory factors and between the contributory factors and the different crash types were explored by an association discovery. Association discovery is the identification of sets of items (i.e., crash contributory factors and crash types in our study) that occur together in a given event (i.e., a crash in our study). The rules were filtered by support, confidence, and lift. As a result, 112 association rules were discovered. Overall, numerous contributory factors related to the road and environment deficiencies but not related to the road user or to the vehicle were identified. The most important factors related to geometric design were the radius of deflection and the deviation angle

Dynamic analysis of the combinatorial regulation involving transcription factors and microRNAs in cell fate decisions.

PubMed

Yan, Fang; Liu, Haihong; Liu, Zengrong

2014-01-01

P53 and E2F1 are critical transcription factors involved in the choices between different cell fates including cell differentiation, cell cycle arrest or apoptosis. Recent experiments have shown that two families of microRNAs (miRNAs), p53-responsive miR34 (miRNA-34 a, b and c) and E2F1-inducible miR449 (miRNA-449 a, b and c) are potent inducers of these different fates and might have an important role in sensitizing cancer cells to drug treatment and tumor suppression. Identifying the mechanisms responsible for the combinatorial regulatory roles of these two transcription factors and two miRNAs is an important and challenging problem. Here, based in part on the model proposed in Tongli Zhang et al. (2007), we developed a mathematical model of the decision process and explored the combinatorial regulation between these two transcription factors and two miRNAs in response to DNA damage. By analyzing nonlinear dynamic behaviors of the model, we found that p53 exhibits pulsatile behavior. Moreover, a comparison is given to reveal the subtle differences of the cell fate decision process between regulation and deregulation of miR34 on E2F1. It predicts that miR34 plays a critical role in promoting cell cycle arrest. In addition, a computer simulation result also predicts that the miR449 is necessary for apoptosis in response to sustained DNA damage. In agreement with experimental observations, our model can account for the intricate regulatory relationship between these two transcription factors and two miRNAs in the cell fate decision process after DNA damage. These theoretical results indicate that miR34 and miR449 are effective tumor suppressors and play critical roles in cell fate decisions. The work provides a dynamic mechanism that shows how cell fate decisions are coordinated by two transcription factors and two miRNAs. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Computational Proteomics, Systems Biology and Clinical Implications. Guest Editor: Yudong Cai

Risk factors identified for certain lymphoma subtypes

Cancer.gov

In a large international collaborative analysis of risk factors for non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), scientists were able to quantify risk associated with medical history, lifestyle factors, family history of blood or lymph-borne cancers, and occupation for 11

Finding biomarkers in non-model species: literature mining of transcription factors involved in bovine embryo development

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Since processes in well-known model organisms have specific features different from those in Bos taurus, the organism under study, a good way to describe gene regulation in ruminant embryos would be a species-specific consideration of closely related species to cattle, sheep and pig. However, as highlighted by a recent report, gene dictionaries in pig are smaller than in cattle, bringing a risk to reduce the gene resources to be mined (and so for sheep dictionaries). Bioinformatics approaches that allow an integration of available information on gene function in model organisms, taking into account their specificity, are thus needed. Besides these closely related and biologically relevant species, there is indeed much more knowledge of (i) trophoblast proliferation and differentiation or (ii) embryogenesis in human and mouse species, which provides opportunities for reconstructing proliferation and/or differentiation processes in other mammalian embryos, including ruminants. The necessary knowledge can be obtained partly from (i) stem cell or cancer research to supply useful information on molecular agents or molecular interactions at work in cell proliferation and (ii) mouse embryogenesis to supply useful information on embryo differentiation. However, the total number of publications for all these topics and species is great and their manual processing would be tedious and time consuming. This is why we used text mining for automated text analysis and automated knowledge extraction. To evaluate the quality of this “mining”, we took advantage of studies that reported gene expression profiles during the elongation of bovine embryos and defined a list of transcription factors (or TF, n = 64) that we used as biological “gold standard”. When successful, the “mining” approach would identify them all, as well as novel ones. Methods To gain knowledge on molecular-genetic regulations in a non model organism, we offer an approach based on

Identifying Some Factors That Might Predispose Drug Abuse among Learners in a South African Township School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grobler, R.; Khatite, M.

2012-01-01

This study inquires into some of the factors that might predispose the use and abuse of drugs among secondary school learners in a township school. The objective of this research is to identify these factors and to offer a few suggestions on how the abuse may be prevented. A quantitative research strategy is used and a document analysis technique…

Acute respiratory distress syndrome without identifiable risk factors: A secondary analysis of the ARDS network trials.

PubMed

Harrington, John S; Schenck, Edward J; Oromendia, Clara; Choi, Augustine M K; Siempos, Ilias I

2018-06-02

We examined whether patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) lacking risk factors are enrolled in therapeutic trials and assessed their clinical characteristics and outcomes. We performed a secondary analysis of patient-level data pooled from the ARMA, ALVEOLI, FACTT, ALTA and EDEN ARDSNet randomized controlled trials obtained from the Biologic Specimen and Data Repository Information Coordinating Center of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. We compared baseline characteristics and clinical outcomes (before and after adjustment using Poisson regression model) of ARDS patients with versus without risk factors. Of 3733 patients with ARDS, 81 (2.2%) did not have an identifiable risk factor. Patients without risk factors were younger, had lower baseline severity of illness, were more likely to have the ARDS resolve rapidly (i.e., within 24 h) (p < 0.001) and they had more ventilator-free days (median 21; p = 0.003), more intensive care unit-free days (18; p = 0.010), and more non-pulmonary organ failure-free days (24; p < 0.001) than comparators (17, 14 and 18, respectively). Differences persisted after adjustment for potential confounders. Patients with ARDS without identifiable risk factors are enrolled in therapeutic trials and may have better outcomes, including a higher proportion of rapidly resolving ARDS, than those with risk factors. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Factors and Strategies That Influence Faculty Involvement in Public Service

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holland, Barbara A.

2016-01-01

Data from several national research and evaluation projects involving 32 diverse institutions offer insights into what motivates college-faculty involvement in public service and outreach efforts, what faculty find to be obstacles to involvement, and what institutions can do to facilitate involvement. One salient policy supporting faculty…

IBT-based quantitative proteomics identifies potential regulatory proteins involved in pigmentation of purple sea cucumber, Apostichopus japonicus.

PubMed

Xing, Lili; Sun, Lina; Liu, Shilin; Li, Xiaoni; Zhang, Libin; Yang, Hongsheng

2017-09-01

Sea cucumbers are an important economic species and exhibit high yield value among aquaculture animals. Purple sea cucumbers are very rare and beautiful and have stable hereditary patterns. In this study, isobaric tags (IBT) were first used to reveal the molecular mechanism of pigmentation in the body wall of the purple sea cucumber. We analyzed the proteomes of purple sea cucumber in early pigmentation stage (Pa), mid pigmentation stage (Pb) and late pigmentation stage (Pc), resulting in the identification of 5580 proteins, including 1099 differentially expressed proteins in Pb: Pa and 339 differentially expressed proteins in Pc: Pb. GO and KEGG analyses revealed possible differentially expressed proteins, including"melanogenesis", "melanosome", "melanoma", "pigment-biosynthetic process", "Epidermis development", "Ras-signaling pathway", "Wnt-signaling pathway", "response to UV light", and "tyrosine metabolism", involved in pigment synthesis and regulation in purple sea cucumbers. The large number of differentially expressed proteins identified here should be highly useful in further elucidating the mechanisms underlying pigmentation in sea cucumbers. Furthermore, these results may also provide the base for further identification of proteins involved in resistance mechanisms against melanoma, albinism, UV damage, and other diseases in sea cucumbers. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Identifying context factors explaining physician's low performance in communication assessment: an explorative study in general practice.

PubMed

Essers, Geurt; van Dulmen, Sandra; van Weel, Chris; van der Vleuten, Cees; Kramer, Anneke

2011-12-13

Communication is a key competence for health care professionals. Analysis of registrar and GP communication performance in daily practice, however, suggests a suboptimal application of communication skills. The influence of context factors could reveal why communication performance levels, on average, do not appear adequate. The context of daily practice may require different skills or specific ways of handling these skills, whereas communication skills are mostly treated as generic. So far no empirical analysis of the context has been made. Our aim was to identify context factors that could be related to GP communication. A purposive sample of real-life videotaped GP consultations was analyzed (N = 17). As a frame of reference we chose the MAAS-Global, a widely used assessment instrument for medical communication. By inductive reasoning, we analyzed the GP behaviour in the consultation leading to poor item scores on the MAAS-Global. In these cases we looked for the presence of an intervening context factor, and how this might explain the actual GP communication behaviour. We reached saturation after having viewed 17 consultations. We identified 19 context factors that could potentially explain the deviation from generic recommendations on communication skills. These context factors can be categorized into doctor-related, patient-related, and consultation-related factors. Several context factors seem to influence doctor-patient communication, requiring the GP to apply communication skills differently from recommendations on communication. From this study we conclude that there is a need to explicitly account for context factors in the assessment of GP (and GP registrar) communication performance. The next step is to validate our findings.

Confirmatory Factor Analyses Comparing Parental Involvement Frameworks with Secondary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duppong Hurley, Kristin; Lambert, Matthew C.; January, Stacy-Ann A.; Huscroft D'Angelo, Jacqueline

2017-01-01

Given the lack of research on measurement models used to operationalize parental involvement with secondary students, the goal of this research is to examine the measurement properties of the three-domain conceptualization of parental involvement including school-based involvement, home-based involvement, and academic socialization, compared to a…

Paraduodenal Pancreatitis: Imaging and Pathologic Correlation of 47 Cases Elucidates Distinct Subtypes and the Factors Involved in its Etiopathogenesis.

PubMed

Muraki, Takashi; Kim, Grace E; Reid, Michelle D; Mittal, Pardeep; Bedolla, Gabriela; Memis, Bahar; Pehlivanoglu, Burcin; Freedman, Alexa; Erbarut Seven, Ipek; Choi, Hyejeong; Kooby, David; Maithel, Shishir K; Sarmiento, Juan M; Krasinskas, Alyssa; Adsay, Volkan

2017-10-01

Clinicopathologic characteristics of paraduodenal (groove) pancreatitis (PDP) remain to be fully unraveled. In this study, 47 PDPs with preoperative enhanced images available were subjected to detailed comparative analysis in conjunction with pathologic findings. PDP were predominantly in males (3:1) with a mean age of 50 years, and 60% had a preoperative diagnosis of cancer. Mean lesional size was 3.1 cm. Three distinct subtypes were identified by imaging. Solid-tumoral (type-1) with groove-predominant (type-1A, 36%) forming a distinct solid band between the duodenum and pancreas often with histologic microabscesses (69% vs. 33% in others), and pancreas-involving (type-1B, 19%) forming a pseudotumoral mass spanning into the head-groove area, always diagnosed preoperatively as "cancer," but often lacked parenchymal atrophy of the body (44% vs. 92%). Cyst-forming (type-2) had groove-predominant (type-2A, 15%), often accompanied by Brunner gland hyperplasia, and pancreas-predominant (type-2B, 15%) were in younger (mean: 44 y) females (57% vs. 18%) and had less alcohol/tobacco abuse (50/33% vs. 81/69%). Ill-defined (type-3; 15%) often had main pancreatic duct dilatation (mean: 5.6 vs. 2.8 mm). The capricious presentations of PDP could be attributed to variable effects of different mechanistic and precipitative etiopathogenetic factors such as disturbed accessory duct outflow (dilated Santorini duct, 87%), aggravated by alcohol (77%) with superimposed stasis in the main ampulla (previous cholecystectomy, 47%; choledocholithiasis, 9%), strictured Wirsung duct (68%), and some likely exacerbated by ischemia (hypertension [59%], tobacco abuse [64%], arteriosclerosis in the tissue [23%]). In conclusion, our study identified 3 distinct types of PDP and each may reflect different pathogenetic contributing factors.

A Ramie bZIP Transcription Factor BnbZIP2 Is Involved in Drought, Salt, and Heavy Metal Stress Response.

PubMed

Huang, Chengjian; Zhou, Jinghua; Jie, Yucheng; Xing, Hucheng; Zhong, Yingli; Yu, Weilin; She, Wei; Ma, Yushen; Liu, Zehang; Zhang, Ying

2016-12-01

bZIP transcription factors play key roles in plant growth, development, and stress signaling. A bZIP gene BnbZIP2 (GenBank accession number: KP642148) was cloned from ramie. BnbZIP2 has a 1416 base pair open reading frame, encoding a 471 amino acid protein containing a characteristic bZIP domain and a leucine zipper. BnbZIP2 shares high sequence similarity with bZIP factors from other plants. The BnbZIP2 protein is localized to both nuclei and cytoplasm. Transcripts of BnbZIP2 were found in various tissues in ramie, with significantly higher levels in female and male flowers. Its expression was induced by drought, high salinity, and abscisic acid treatments. Analysis of the cis-elements in promoters of BnbZIP2 identified cis-acting elements involved in growth, developmental processes, and a variety of stress responses. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants' overexpression of BnbZIP2 exhibited more sensitivity to drought and heavy metal Cd stress during seed germination, whereas more tolerance to high-salinity stress than the wild type during both seed germination and plant development. Thus, BnbZIP2 may act as a positive regulator in plants' response to high-salinity stress and be an important candidate gene for molecular breeding of salt-tolerant plants.

Functional Genomic Screen Identifies Klebsiella pneumoniae Factors Implicated in Blocking Nuclear Factor κB (NF-κB) Signaling*

PubMed Central

Tomás, Anna; Lery, Leticia; Regueiro, Verónica; Pérez-Gutiérrez, Camino; Martínez, Verónica; Moranta, David; Llobet, Enrique; González-Nicolau, Mar; Insua, Jose L.; Tomas, Juan M.; Sansonetti, Philippe J.; Tournebize, Régis; Bengoechea, José A.

2015-01-01

Klebsiella pneumoniae is an etiologic agent of community-acquired and nosocomial pneumonia. It has been shown that K. pneumoniae infections are characterized by reduced early inflammatory response. Recently our group has shown that K. pneumoniae dampens the activation of inflammatory responses by antagonizing the activation of the NF-κB canonical pathway. Our results revealed that K. pneumoniae capsule polysaccharide (CPS) was necessary but not sufficient to attenuate inflammation. To identify additional Klebsiella factors required to dampen inflammation, we standardized and applied a high-throughput gain-of-function screen to examine a Klebsiella transposon mutant library. We identified 114 mutants that triggered the activation of NF-κB. Two gene ontology categories accounted for half of the loci identified in the screening: metabolism and transport genes (32% of the mutants) and envelope-related genes (17%). Characterization of the mutants revealed that the lack of the enterobactin siderophore was linked to a reduced CPS expression, which in turn underlined the NF-κB activation induced by the mutant. The lipopolysaccharide (LPS) O-polysaccharide and the pullulanase (PulA) type 2 secretion system (T2SS) are required for full effectiveness of the immune evasion. Importantly, these factors do not play a redundant role. The fact that LPS O-polysaccharide and T2SS mutant-induced responses were dependent on TLR2-TLR4-MyD88 activation suggested that LPS O-polysaccharide and PulA perturbed Toll-like receptor (TLR)-dependent recognition of K. pneumoniae. Finally, we demonstrate that LPS O-polysaccharide and pulA mutants are attenuated in the pneumonia mouse model. We propose that LPS O-polysaccharide and PulA T2SS could be new targets for the design of new antimicrobials. Increasing TLR-governed defense responses might provide also selective alternatives for the management of K. pneumoniae pneumonia. PMID:25971969

Identification of cis-Acting Elements and Splicing Factors Involved in the Regulation of BIM Pre-mRNA Splicing

PubMed Central

Juan, Wen Chun; Roca, Xavier; Ong, S. Tiong

2014-01-01

Aberrant changes in the expression of the pro-apoptotic protein, BCL-2-like 11 (BIM), can result in either impaired or excessive apoptosis, which can contribute to tumorigenesis and degenerative disorders, respectively. Altering BIM pre-mRNA splicing is an attractive approach to modulate apoptosis because BIM activity is partly determined by the alternative splicing of exons 3 or 4, whereby exon 3-containing transcripts are not apoptotic. Here we identified several cis-acting elements and splicing factors involved in BIM alternative splicing, as a step to better understand the regulation of BIM expression. We analyzed a recently discovered 2,903-bp deletion polymorphism within BIM intron 2 that biased splicing towards exon 3, and which also impaired BIM-dependent apoptosis. We found that this region harbors multiple redundant cis-acting elements that repress exon 3 inclusion. Furthermore, we have isolated a 23-nt intronic splicing silencer at the 3′ end of the deletion that is important for excluding exon 3. We also show that PTBP1 and hnRNP C repress exon 3 inclusion, and that downregulation of PTBP1 inhibited BIM-mediated apoptosis. Collectively, these findings start building our understanding of the cis-acting elements and splicing factors that regulate BIM alternative splicing, and also suggest potential approaches to alter BIM splicing for therapeutic purposes. PMID:24743263

Identification of cis-acting elements and splicing factors involved in the regulation of BIM Pre-mRNA splicing.

PubMed

Juan, Wen Chun; Roca, Xavier; Ong, S Tiong

2014-01-01

Aberrant changes in the expression of the pro-apoptotic protein, BCL-2-like 11 (BIM), can result in either impaired or excessive apoptosis, which can contribute to tumorigenesis and degenerative disorders, respectively. Altering BIM pre-mRNA splicing is an attractive approach to modulate apoptosis because BIM activity is partly determined by the alternative splicing of exons 3 or 4, whereby exon 3-containing transcripts are not apoptotic. Here we identified several cis-acting elements and splicing factors involved in BIM alternative splicing, as a step to better understand the regulation of BIM expression. We analyzed a recently discovered 2,903-bp deletion polymorphism within BIM intron 2 that biased splicing towards exon 3, and which also impaired BIM-dependent apoptosis. We found that this region harbors multiple redundant cis-acting elements that repress exon 3 inclusion. Furthermore, we have isolated a 23-nt intronic splicing silencer at the 3' end of the deletion that is important for excluding exon 3. We also show that PTBP1 and hnRNP C repress exon 3 inclusion, and that downregulation of PTBP1 inhibited BIM-mediated apoptosis. Collectively, these findings start building our understanding of the cis-acting elements and splicing factors that regulate BIM alternative splicing, and also suggest potential approaches to alter BIM splicing for therapeutic purposes.

An Exploratory Study to Measure Excessive Involvement in Multitasking Interaction with Smart Devices.

PubMed

Zhang, Yubo; Rau, Pei-Luen Patrick

2016-06-01

This study developed a scale measuring excessive involvement in multitasking interaction with smart devices. An online questionnaire was designed and surveyed in a sample of 380 respondents. The sample was split into two groups for exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, respectively. A four-factor structure was identified with an acceptable goodness of fit. The first two factors, "Obsession and neglect" and "Problematic control," described the obsessive feelings, neglect behaviors, and behavior control problems accompanied by excessive multitasking interaction with smart devices. The latter two factors, "Multitasking preference" and "Polychronic orientation," referred to multitaskers' preference of engaging in multiple media use or interaction tasks rather than a single task from the time orientation perspective. The four-factor structure indicates that excessive involvement in multitasking interaction with smart devices shares some similarities with other behavioral addiction types, but demonstrates uniqueness compared with excessive engagement in single media use.

Heparanase enhances the generation of activated factor X in the presence of tissue factor and activated factor VII.

PubMed

Nadir, Yona; Brenner, Benjamin; Fux, Liat; Shafat, Itay; Attias, Judith; Vlodavsky, Israel

2010-11-01

Heparanase is an endo-β-D-glucuronidase dominantly involved in tumor metastasis and angiogenesis. Recently, we demonstrated that heparanase is involved in the regulation of the hemostatic system. Our hypothesis was that heparanase is directly involved in activation of the coagulation cascade. Activated factor X and thrombin were studied using chromogenic assays, immunoblotting and thromboelastography. Heparanase levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. A potential direct interaction between tissue factor and heparanase was studied by co-immunoprecipitation and far-western assays. Interestingly, addition of heparanase to tissue factor and activated factor VII resulted in a 3- to 4-fold increase in activation of the coagulation cascade as shown by increased activated factor X and thrombin production. Culture medium of human embryonic kidney 293 cells over-expressing heparanase and its derivatives increased activated factor X levels in a non-enzymatic manner. When heparanase was added to pooled normal plasma, a 7- to 8-fold increase in activated factor X level was observed. Subsequently, we searched for clinical data supporting this newly identified role of heparanase. Plasma samples from 35 patients with acute leukemia at presentation and 20 healthy donors were studied for heparanase and activated factor X levels. A strong positive correlation was found between plasma heparanase and activated factor X levels (r=0.735, P=0.001). Unfractionated heparin and an inhibitor of activated factor X abolished the effect of heparanase, while tissue factor pathway inhibitor and tissue factor pathway inhibitor-2 only attenuated the procoagulant effect. Using co-immunoprecipitation and far-western analyses it was shown that heparanase interacts directly with tissue factor. Overall, our results support the notion that heparanase is a potential modulator of blood hemostasis, and suggest a novel mechanism by which heparanase increases the generation of activated

Patient Involvement in Safe Delivery: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Olfati, Forozun; Asefzadeh, Saeid; Changizi, Nasrin; Keramat, Afsaneh; Yunesian, Masud

2015-09-28

Patient involvement in safe delivery planning is considered important yet not widely practiced. The present study aimed at identifythe factors that affect patient involvementin safe delivery, as recommended by parturient women. This study was part of a qualitative research conducted by content analysis method and purposive sampling in 2013.The data were collected through 63 semi-structured interviews in4 hospitalsand analyzed using thematic content analysis. The participants in this research were women before discharge and after delivery. Findings were analyzed using Colaizzi's method. Four categories of factors that could affect patient involvement in safe delivery emerged from our analysis: patient-related (true and false beliefs, literacy, privacy, respect for patient), illness-related (pain, type of delivery, patient safety incidents), health care professional-relatedand task-related factors (behavior, monitoring &training), health care setting-related (financial aspects, facilities). More research is needed to explore the factors affecting the participation of mothers. It is therefore, recommended to: 1) take notice of mother education, their husbands, midwives and specialists; 2) provide pregnant women with insurance coverage from the outset of pregnancy, especially during prenatal period; 3) form a labor pain committee consisting of midwives, obstetricians, and anesthesiologists in order to identify the preferred painless labor methods based on the existing facilities and conditions, 4) carry out research on observing patients' privacy and dignity; 5) pay more attention on the factors affecting cesarean.

Heritability of circulating growth factors involved in the angiogenesis in healthy human population.

PubMed

Pantsulaia, I; Trofimov, S; Kobyliansky, E; Livshits, G

2004-09-21

The present study examined the extent of genetic and environmental influences on the populational variation of circulating growth factors (VEGF, EGF) involved in angiogenesis in healthy and ethnically homogeneous Caucasian families. The plasma levels of each of the studied biochemical indices were determined by enzyme-linked immunoassay in 478 healthy individuals aged 18-75 years. Quantitative genetic analysis showed that the VEGF and EGF variation was appreciably attributable to genetic effects, with heritability estimates of 79.9% and 48.4%, respectively. Yet, common environmental factors, shared by members of the same household, also played a significant role (P < 0.01) and explained between 20.1% and 32.6% of the variation. The present study additionally examined the covariations between these molecules and either transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) or tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases 1 (TIMP-1), likewise relevant for angiogenesis. Bivariate analysis revealed significant phenotypic correlations (P < 0.002) between all pairs of variables, thus indicating the possible existence of common genetic and environmental factors. The analysis suggested that the pleiotropic genetic effects were consistently the primary (or even the sole) source of correlation between all pairs of studied molecules. The results of our study affirm the existence of specific and common genetic pathways that commonly determine the greater part of the circulating variation of these molecules.

Possible involvement of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 in the gene expression of Cyp2b10 and Cyp2a5.

PubMed

Ashino, Takashi; Ohkubo-Morita, Haruyo; Yamamoto, Masayuki; Yoshida, Takemi; Numazawa, Satoshi

2014-01-01

Cytochrome P450 gene expression is altered by various chemical compounds. In this study, we used nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-deficient (Nrf2(-⧸-)) mice to investigate the involvement of Nrf2 in Cyp2b10 and Cyp2a5 gene expression. Phorone, an Nrf2 activator, strongly increased Cyp2b10 and Cyp2a5 mRNA as well as Nrf2 target genes, including NAD(P)H-quinone oxidoreductase-1 and heme oxygenase-1, in wild-type mouse livers 8 h after treatment. The phorone-induced mRNA levels in Nrf2(-⧸-) mouse livers were lower than that in wild-type mouse livers. Nrf2(-⧸-) mice showed attenuated Cyp2b10 and Cyp2a5 induction by phenobarbital, a classical Cyp2b inducer. These findings suggest that the Nrf2 pathway is involved in Cyp2b10 and Cyp2a5 gene expression.

A data mining paradigm for identifying key factors in biological processes using gene expression data.

PubMed

Li, Jin; Zheng, Le; Uchiyama, Akihiko; Bin, Lianghua; Mauro, Theodora M; Elias, Peter M; Pawelczyk, Tadeusz; Sakowicz-Burkiewicz, Monika; Trzeciak, Magdalena; Leung, Donald Y M; Morasso, Maria I; Yu, Peng

2018-06-13

A large volume of biological data is being generated for studying mechanisms of various biological processes. These precious data enable large-scale computational analyses to gain biological insights. However, it remains a challenge to mine the data efficiently for knowledge discovery. The heterogeneity of these data makes it difficult to consistently integrate them, slowing down the process of biological discovery. We introduce a data processing paradigm to identify key factors in biological processes via systematic collection of gene expression datasets, primary analysis of data, and evaluation of consistent signals. To demonstrate its effectiveness, our paradigm was applied to epidermal development and identified many genes that play a potential role in this process. Besides the known epidermal development genes, a substantial proportion of the identified genes are still not supported by gain- or loss-of-function studies, yielding many novel genes for future studies. Among them, we selected a top gene for loss-of-function experimental validation and confirmed its function in epidermal differentiation, proving the ability of this paradigm to identify new factors in biological processes. In addition, this paradigm revealed many key genes in cold-induced thermogenesis using data from cold-challenged tissues, demonstrating its generalizability. This paradigm can lead to fruitful results for studying molecular mechanisms in an era of explosive accumulation of publicly available biological data.

Solitary plasma rings and magnetic field generation involving gravity and differential rotation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coppi, B.

2012-12-01

A new theoretical framework for describing how magnetic fields are generated and amplified is provided by finding magneto-gravitational modes that involve gravity, density gradients, and differential rotation in an essential way. Other factors, such as the presence of a high temperature particle population or of a temperature gradient, can contribute to their excitation. These modes identified by a linearized analysis are shown to be important for the evolution of plasma disks surrounding black holes toward different configurations. Since the nonlinear development of these modes can lead to radially localized regions with a relatively small differential rotation, new stationary structures have been identified, in the (fully) nonlinear limit, which are localized radially over regions with negligible gradients of the rotation frequency. These structures, characterized by solitary plasma rings, do not involve a pre-existing "seed" magnetic field, unlike other configurations found previously. The relevant magnetic energy density is comparable to the gravitationally confined plasma pressure. The "source" of these configurations is the combination of the gravitational force and of the plasma density gradient orthogonal to it that is an important factor in the theory of magneto-gravitational modes, another important factor being an anisotropy of the plasma pressure.

Statistical Analyses of Scatterplots to Identify Important Factors in Large-Scale Simulations

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

Kleijnen, J.P.C.; Helton, J.C.

1999-04-01

The robustness of procedures for identifying patterns in scatterplots generated in Monte Carlo sensitivity analyses is investigated. These procedures are based on attempts to detect increasingly complex patterns in the scatterplots under consideration and involve the identification of (1) linear relationships with correlation coefficients, (2) monotonic relationships with rank correlation coefficients, (3) trends in central tendency as defined by means, medians and the Kruskal-Wallis statistic, (4) trends in variability as defined by variances and interquartile ranges, and (5) deviations from randomness as defined by the chi-square statistic. The following two topics related to the robustness of these procedures are consideredmore » for a sequence of example analyses with a large model for two-phase fluid flow: the presence of Type I and Type II errors, and the stability of results obtained with independent Latin hypercube samples. Observations from analysis include: (1) Type I errors are unavoidable, (2) Type II errors can occur when inappropriate analysis procedures are used, (3) physical explanations should always be sought for why statistical procedures identify variables as being important, and (4) the identification of important variables tends to be stable for independent Latin hypercube samples.« less

Random T-DNA mutagenesis identifies a Cu-Zn-superoxide dismutase gene as a virulence factor of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Agrobacterium-mediated transformation (AMT) was used to identify potential virulence factors in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Screening AMT transformants identified two mutants showing significantly reduced virulence. The mutants showed similar growth rate, colony morphology, and sclerotial and oxalate ...

Testing job typologies and identifying at-risk subpopulations using factor mixture models.

PubMed

Keller, Anita C; Igic, Ivana; Meier, Laurenz L; Semmer, Norbert K; Schaubroeck, John M; Brunner, Beatrice; Elfering, Achim

2017-10-01

Research in occupational health psychology has tended to focus on the effects of single job characteristics or various job characteristics combined into 1 factor. However, such a variable-centered approach does not account for the clustering of job attributes among groups of employees. We addressed this issue by using a person-centered approach to (a) investigate the occurrence of different empirical constellations of perceived job stressors and resources and (b) validate the meaningfulness of profiles by analyzing their association with employee well-being and performance. We applied factor mixture modeling to identify profiles in 4 large samples consisting of employees in Switzerland (Studies 1 and 2) and the United States (Studies 3 and 4). We identified 2 profiles that spanned the 4 samples, with 1 reflecting a combination of relatively low stressors and high resources (P1) and the other relatively high stressors and low resources (P3). The profiles differed mainly in terms of their organizational and social aspects. Employees in P1 reported significantly higher mean levels of job satisfaction, performance, and general health, and lower means in exhaustion compared with P3. Additional analyses showed differential relationships between job attributes and outcomes depending on profile membership. These findings may benefit organizational interventions as they show that perceived work stressors and resources more strongly influence satisfaction and well-being in particular profiles. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Background Noise Acceptance and Personality Factors Involved in Library Environment Choices by College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gordon-Hickey, Susan; Lemley, Trey

2012-01-01

For decades, academic libraries made efforts to provide study environments differing in acoustic environment. The present study aimed to provide an evidence basis for this practice by comparing background noise acceptance and personality factors of two groups of college-aged students self identified as preferring quiet or background noise when…

Interactome analysis of transcriptional coactivator multiprotein bridging factor 1 unveils a yeast AP-1-like transcription factor involved in oxidation tolerance of mycopathogen Beauveria bassiana.

PubMed

Chu, Xin-Ling; Dong, Wei-Xia; Ding, Jin-Li; Feng, Ming-Guang; Ying, Sheng-Hua

2018-02-01

Oxidation tolerance is an important determinant to predict the virulence and biocontrol potential of Beauveria bassiana, a well-known entomopathogenic fungus. As a transcriptional coactivator, multiprotein bridging factor 1 mediates the activity of transcription factor in diverse physiological processes, and its homolog in B. bassiana (BbMBF1) contributes to fungal oxidation tolerance. In this study, the BbMBF1-interactomes under oxidative stress and normal growth condition were deciphered by mass spectrometry integrated with the immunoprecipitation. BbMBF1p factor has a broad interaction with proteins that are involved in various cellular processes, and this interaction is dynamically regulated by oxidative stress. Importantly, a B. bassiana homolog of yeast AP-1-like transcription factor (BbAP-1) was specifically associated with the BbMBF1-interactome under oxidation and significantly contributed to fungal oxidation tolerance. In addition, qPCR analysis revealed that several antioxidant genes are jointly controlled by BbAP-1 and BbMBF1. Conclusively, it is proposed that BbMBF1p protein mediates BbAP-1p factor to transcribe the downstream antioxidant genes in B. bassiana under oxidative stress. This study demonstrates for the first time a proteomic view of the MBF1-interactome in fungi, and presents an initial framework to probe the transcriptional mechanism involved in fungal response to oxidation, which will provide a new strategy to improve the biocontrol efficacy of B. bassiana.

Designing Laboratory Exercises for the Undergraduate Molecular Biology/Biochemistry Student: Techniques and Ethical Implications Involved in Personalized Medicine

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weinlander, Kenneth M.; Hall, David J.

2010-01-01

Personalized medicine refers to medical care that involves genetically screening patients for their likelihood to develop various disorders. Commercial genome screening only involves identifying a consumer's genotype for a few single nucleotide polymorphisms. A phenotype (such as an illness) is greatly influenced by three factors: genes, gene…

[Analysis of dietary pattern and diabetes mellitus influencing factors identified by classification tree model in adults of Fujian].

PubMed

Yu, F L; Ye, Y; Yan, Y S

2017-05-10

Objective: To find out the dietary patterns and explore the relationship between environmental factors (especially dietary patterns) and diabetes mellitus in the adults of Fujian. Methods: Multi-stage sampling method were used to survey residents aged ≥18 years by questionnaire, physical examination and laboratory detection in 10 disease surveillance points in Fujian. Factor analysis was used to identify the dietary patterns, while logistic regression model was applied to analyze relationship between dietary patterns and diabetes mellitus, and classification tree model was adopted to identify the influencing factors for diabetes mellitus. Results: There were four dietary patterns in the population, including meat, plant, high-quality protein, and fried food and beverages patterns. The result of logistic analysis showed that plant pattern, which has higher factor loading of fresh fruit-vegetables and cereal-tubers, was a protective factor for non-diabetes mellitus. The risk of diabetes mellitus in the population at T2 and T3 levels of factor score were 0.727 (95 %CI: 0.561-0.943) times and 0.736 (95 %CI : 0.573-0.944) times higher, respectively, than those whose factor score was in lowest quartile. Thirteen influencing factors and eleven group at high-risk for diabetes mellitus were identified by classification tree model. The influencing factors were dyslipidemia, age, family history of diabetes, hypertension, physical activity, career, sex, sedentary time, abdominal adiposity, BMI, marital status, sleep time and high-quality protein pattern. Conclusion: There is a close association between dietary patterns and diabetes mellitus. It is necessary to promote healthy and reasonable diet, strengthen the monitoring and control of blood lipids, blood pressure and body weight, and have good lifestyle for the prevention and control of diabetes mellitus.

Analysis of molecular markers as predictive factors of lymph node involvement in breast carcinoma.

PubMed

Paula, Luciana Marques; De Moraes, Luis Henrique Ferreira; Do Canto, Abaeté Leite; Dos Santos, Laurita; Martin, Airton Abrahão; Rogatto, Silvia Regina; De Azevedo Canevari, Renata

2017-01-01

Nodal status is the most significant independent prognostic factor in breast cancer. Identification of molecular markers would allow stratification of patients who require surgical assessment of lymph nodes from the large numbers of patients for whom this surgical procedure is unnecessary, thus leading to a more accurate prognosis. However, up to now, the reported studies are preliminary and controversial, and although hundreds of markers have been assessed, few of them have been used in clinical practice for treatment or prognosis in breast cancer. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether protein phosphatase Mg2+/Mn2+ dependent 1D, β-1,3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase, neural precursor cell expressed, developmentally down-regulated 9, prohibitin, phosphoinositide-3-kinase regulatory subunit 5 (PIK3R5), phosphatidylinositol-5-phosphate 4-kinase type IIα, TRF1-interacting ankyrin-related ADP-ribose polymerase 2, BCL2 associated agonist of cell death, G2 and S-phase expressed 1 and PAX interacting protein 1 genes, described as prognostic markers in breast cancer in a previous microarray study, are also predictors of lymph node involvement in breast carcinoma Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis was performed on primary breast tumor tissues from women with negative lymph node involvement (n=27) compared with primary tumor tissues from women with positive lymph node involvement (n=23), and was also performed on primary tumors and paired lymph node metastases (n=11). For all genes analyzed, only the PIK3R5 gene exhibited differential expression in samples of primary tumors with positive lymph node involvement compared with primary tumors with negative lymph node involvement (P=0.0347). These results demonstrate that the PIK3R5 gene may be considered predictive of lymph node involvement in breast carcinoma. Although the other genes evaluated in the present study have been previously characterized to be involved with

Involvement of nuclear factor κB in platelet CD40 signaling.

PubMed

Hachem, Ahmed; Yacoub, Daniel; Zaid, Younes; Mourad, Walid; Merhi, Yahye

2012-08-17

CD40 ligand (CD40L) is a thrombo-inflammatory molecule that predicts cardiovascular events. Platelets constitute the major source of soluble CD40L (sCD40L), which has been shown to potentiate platelet activation and aggregation, in a CD40-dependent manner, via p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) and Rac1 signaling. In many cells, the CD40L/CD40 dyad also induces activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB). Given that platelets contain NF-κB, we hypothesized that it may be involved in platelet CD40 signaling and function. In human platelets, sCD40L induces association of CD40 with its adaptor protein the tumor necrosis factor receptor associated factor 2 and triggers phosphorylation of IκBα, which are abolished by CD40L blockade. Inhibition of IκBα phosphorylation reverses sCD40L-induced IκBα phosphorylation without affecting p38 MAPK phosphorylation. On the other hand, inhibition of p38 MAPK phosphorylation has no effect on IκBα phosphorylation, indicating a divergence in the signaling pathway originating from CD40 upon its ligation. In functional studies, inhibition of IκBα phosphorylation reverses sCD40L-induced platelet activation and potentiation of platelet aggregation in response to a sub-threshold concentration of collagen. This study demonstrates that the sCD40L/CD40 axis triggers NF-κB activation in platelets. This signaling pathway plays a critical role in platelet activation and aggregation upon sCD40L stimulation and may represent an important target against thrombo-inflammatory disorders. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Profiles of criminal justice system involvement of mentally ill homeless adults.

PubMed

Roy, Laurence; Crocker, Anne G; Nicholls, Tonia L; Latimer, Eric; Gozdzik, Agnes; O'Campo, Patricia; Rae, Jennifer

2016-01-01

This study aims to examine the rates of self-reported contacts with the criminal justice system among homeless adults with mental illness, to identify the characteristics of participants who have had contacts with the criminal justice system, to report the dimensional structure of criminal justice system involvement in this sample, and to identify typologies of justice-involved participants. Self-report data on criminal justice system involvement of 2221 adults participating in a Canadian Housing First trial were analyzed using multiple correspondence and cluster analysis. Almost half of the participants had at least one contact with the criminal justice system in the 6months prior to study enrollment. Factors associated with justice involvement included age, gender, ethnic background, diagnosis, substance misuse, impulse control, compliance, victimization, service use, and duration of homelessness. A typology of criminal justice involvement was developed. Seven criminal justice system involvement profiles emerged; substance use and impulse control distinguished the clusters, whereas demographic and contextual variables did not. The large number of profiles indicates the need for a diverse and flexible range of interventions that could be integrated within or in addition to current support of housing services, including integrated substance use and mental health interventions, risk management strategies, and trauma-oriented services. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using HFACS-Healthcare to Identify Systemic Vulnerabilities During Surgery.

PubMed

Cohen, Tara N; Francis, Sarah E; Wiegmann, Douglas A; Shappell, Scott A; Gewertz, Bruce L

2018-03-01

The Human Factors Analysis and Classification System for Healthcare (HFACS-Healthcare) was used to classify surgical near miss events reported via a hospital's event reporting system over the course of 1 year. Two trained analysts identified causal factors within each event narrative and subsequently categorized the events using HFACS-Healthcare. Of 910 original events, 592 could be analyzed further using HFACS-Healthcare, resulting in the identification of 726 causal factors. Most issues (n = 436, 60.00%) involved preconditions for unsafe acts, followed by unsafe acts (n = 257, 35.39%), organizational influences (n = 27, 3.72%), and supervisory factors (n = 6, 0.82%). These findings go beyond the traditional methods of trending incident data that typically focus on documenting the frequency of their occurrence. Analyzing near misses based on their underlying contributing human factors affords a greater opportunity to develop process improvements to reduce reoccurrence and better provide patient safety approaches.

Featured Article: Transcriptional landscape analysis identifies differently expressed genes involved in follicle-stimulating hormone induced postmenopausal osteoporosis.

PubMed

Maasalu, Katre; Laius, Ott; Zhytnik, Lidiia; Kõks, Sulev; Prans, Ele; Reimann, Ene; Märtson, Aare

2017-01-01

Osteoporosis is a disorder associated with bone tissue reorganization, bone mass, and mineral density. Osteoporosis can severely affect postmenopausal women, causing bone fragility and osteoporotic fractures. The aim of the current study was to compare blood mRNA profiles of postmenopausal women with and without osteoporosis, with the aim of finding different gene expressions and thus targets for future osteoporosis biomarker studies. Our study consisted of transcriptome analysis of whole blood serum from 12 elderly female osteoporotic patients and 12 non-osteoporotic elderly female controls. The transcriptome analysis was performed with RNA sequencing technology. For data analysis, the edgeR package of R Bioconductor was used. Two hundred and fourteen genes were expressed differently in osteoporotic compared with non-osteoporotic patients. Statistical analysis revealed 20 differently expressed genes with a false discovery rate of less than 1.47 × 10 -4 among osteoporotic patients. The expression of 10 genes were up-regulated and 10 down-regulated. Further statistical analysis identified a potential osteoporosis mRNA biomarker pattern consisting of six genes: CACNA1G, ALG13, SBK1, GGT7, MBNL3, and RIOK3. Functional ingenuity pathway analysis identified the strongest candidate genes with regard to potential involvement in a follicle-stimulating hormone activated network of increased osteoclast activity and hypogonadal bone loss. The differentially expressed genes identified in this study may contribute to future research of postmenopausal osteoporosis blood biomarkers.

Analysis of pharmacy student motivators and deterrents for professional organization involvement.

PubMed

Petersen, Erin; Wascher, Molly; Kier, Karen

2017-07-01

The purpose of this study was to determine motivators and deterrents impacting a student pharmacist's decision to join professional organizations. The goal was to create a list of meaningful factors that organizations can use for membership recruitment. This descriptive study utilized a blinded electronic survey sent to eight accredited pharmacy schools in Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky. The survey assessed motivating and hindering factors, as well as demographic data. Eight-hundred fifty-six students completed the survey, a 15.05% participation rate. Professional development and networking were the top two endorsed motivational factors, selected as significant by 88.0% and 87.5% respectively. Upon chi-square analysis, networking (p<0.001), involvement opportunities (p=0.01), and scholarships (p=0.02) were motivating factors with which membership was found to be significantly influenced. Networking and involvement opportunities were more significant for members while scholarships were a greater motivator among nonmembers. Time required for involvement and cost were the most commonly selected hindrances with 78% and 76% respectively identifying these as significant barriers. The hindering factor found to be significantly different between active members and nonmembers was bylaws/rules of the organization (p=0.032), with non-members rating this as a greater consideration than current members. Multiple factors contribute to a student's decision to join a professional organization. Those active members find greater significance in networking involvement opportunities. Non-member students found scholarships more motivating and recognize bylaws as a consideration for membership more than current members. These results emphasize the multifactorial nature of membership and may direct future membership initiatives. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

De novo assembly of the sea trout (Salmo trutta m. trutta) skin transcriptome to identify putative genes involved in the immune response and epidermal mucus secretion

PubMed Central

Wenne, Roman; Burzynski, Artur

2017-01-01

In fish, the skin is a multifunctional organ and the first barrier against pathogens. Salmonids differ in their susceptibility to microorganisms due to varied skin morphology and gene expression patterns. The brown trout is a salmonid species with important commercial and ecological value in Europe. However, there is a lack of knowledge regarding the genes involved in the immune response and mucus secretion in the skin of this fish. Thus, we characterized the skin transcriptome of anadromous brown trout using next-generation sequencing (NGS). A total of 1,348,306 filtered reads were obtained and assembled into 75,970 contigs. Of these contigs 48.57% were identified using BLAST tool searches against four public databases. KEGG pathway and Gene Ontology analyses revealed that 13.40% and 34.57% of the annotated transcripts, respectively, represent a variety of biological processes and functions. Among the identified KEGG Orthology categories, the best represented were signal transduction (23.28%) and immune system (8.82%), with a variety of genes involved in immune pathways, implying the differentiation of immune responses in the trout skin. We also identified and transcriptionally characterized 8 types of mucin proteins–the main structural components of the mucosal layer. Moreover, 140 genes involved in mucin synthesis were identified, and 1,119 potential simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were detected in 3,134 transcripts. PMID:28212382

Factors Influencing Hispanic Parental Involvement in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaw, Suzanne B.

2012-01-01

This study focused on a suburban elementary school experiencing significant growth in its Hispanic population over the last decade. Hispanic student achievement in mathematics as measured by state tests lagged behind that of European American students in the school. The literature revealed a positive relationship between parent involvement in…

Epilepsy diagnostic and treatment needs identified with a collaborative database involving tertiary centers in France.

PubMed

Chipaux, Mathilde; Szurhaj, William; Vercueil, Laurent; Milh, Mathieu; Villeneuve, Nathalie; Cances, Claude; Auvin, Stéphane; Chassagnon, Serge; Napuri, Sylvia; Allaire, Catherine; Derambure, Philippe; Marchal, Cécile; Caubel, Isabelle; Ricard-Mousnier, Brigitte; N'Guyen The Tich, Sylvie; Pinard, Jean-Marc; Bahi-Buisson, Nadia; de Baracé, Claire; Kahane, Philippe; Gautier, Agnès; Hamelin, Sophie; Coste-Zeitoun, Delphine; Rosenberg, Sarah-Dominique; Clerson, Pierre; Nabbout, Rima; Kuchenbuch, Mathieu; Picot, Marie-Christine; Kaminska, Anna

2016-05-01

To obtain perspective on epilepsy in patients referred to tertiary centers in France, and describe etiology, epilepsy syndromes, and identify factors of drug resistance and comorbidities. We performed a cross-sectional analysis of the characteristics of 5,794 pediatric and adult patients with epilepsy included in a collaborative database in France between 2007 and 2013. Comparisons between groups used Student's t-test or Fisher's exact test for binary or categorical variables. Factors associated with drug resistance and intellectual disability were evaluated in multi-adjusted logistic regression models. Mean age at inclusion was 17.9 years; children accounted for 67%. Epilepsy was unclassified in 20% of patients, and etiology was unknown in 65%, including those with idiopathic epilepsies. Etiologies differed significantly in adult- when compared to pediatric-onset epilepsy; however, among focal structural epilepsies, mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis began as often in the pediatric as in adult age range. Drug resistance concerned 53% of 4,210 patients evaluable for seizure control and was highest in progressive myoclonic epilepsy (89%), metabolic diseases (84%), focal cortical dysplasia (70%), other cortical malformations (69%), and mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis (67%). Fifty-nine percent of patients with focal structural epilepsy and 69% with epileptic encephalopathies were drug resistant; however, 40-50% of patients with West syndrome and epileptic encephalopathy with continuous spike-and-waves during sleep were seizure-free. Ages at onset in infancy and in young adults shared the highest risk of drug resistance. Epilepsy onset in infancy comprised the highest risk of intellectual disability, whereas specific cognitive impairment affected 36% of children with idiopathic focal epilepsy. Our study provides a snapshot on epilepsy in patients referred to tertiary centers and discloses needs for diagnosis and treatment

Toward Digital Citizenship: Examining Factors Affecting Participation and Involvement in the Internet Society among Higher Education Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Zahrani, Abdulrahman

2015-01-01

The current study aims to understand digital citizenship, based on the assumptions of Ribble (2014), by examining factors affecting participation and involvement in the Internet virtual societies among higher education students. A quantitative approach using a survey questionnaire was implemented. The participants were 174 students from the…

Welfare recipients’ involvement with child protective services after welfare reform

PubMed Central

Nam, Yunju; Meezan, William; Danziger, Sandra K.

2007-01-01

Objective This study identifies factors associated with child protective services (CPS) involvement among current and former welfare recipients after welfare reform legislation was passed in the US in 1996. Method Data come from the Women’s Employment Study, a longitudinal study of randomly selected welfare recipients living in a Michigan city in 1997 (N = 541). In order to identify risk factors for CPS involvement among current and former welfare recipients, multinomial logit analyses with 29 independent variables were employed on a trichotomous dependent variable: no CPS involvement, investigation only, and supervision by CPS after investigation. Results The relationship between work and involvement with CPS differs by work experience prior to welfare reform. As the percentage of months working after welfare reform increased, the risk of being investigated by CPS declined among those with prior work experience but the risk increased among those without prior work experience. However, work variables were not significant predictors of supervision by CPS after an initial investigation. Further, race, cohabitation, childhood welfare receipt, having a learning disability, having a large number of children, being newly divorced, living in a high problem neighborhood, and being convicted of a crime were associated with one’s probability of being either investigated or supervised by CPS. Conclusions These findings suggest that employment could have increased the stress levels of current or former welfare recipients without prior work experience to the point where they were prone to minor child rearing mistakes that resulted in a CPS investigation, but were not severe enough to warrant opening the case for supervision. Supports should be provided to welfare mothers who are prone to involvement with CPS; expansions in the childcare subsidy and a reduction or delay in work requirements might also help these families. PMID:17116329

Welfare recipients' involvement with child protective services after welfare reform.

PubMed

Nam, Yunju; Meezan, William; Danziger, Sandra K

2006-11-01

This study identifies factors associated with child protective services (CPS) involvement among current and former welfare recipients after welfare reform legislation was passed in the US in 1996. Data come from the Women's Employment Study, a longitudinal study of randomly selected welfare recipients living in a Michigan city in 1997 (N=541). In order to identify risk factors for CPS involvement among current and former welfare recipients, multinomial logit analyses with 29 independent variables were employed on a trichotomous dependent variable: no CPS involvement, investigation only, and supervision by CPS after investigation. The relationship between work and involvement with CPS differs by work experience prior to welfare reform. As the percentage of months working after welfare reform increased, the risk of being investigated by CPS declined among those with prior work experience but the risk increased among those without prior work experience. However, work variables were not significant predictors of supervision by CPS after an initial investigation. Further, race, cohabitation, childhood welfare receipt, having a learning disability, having a large number of children, being newly divorced, living in a high problem neighborhood, and being convicted of a crime were associated with one's probability of being either investigated or supervised by CPS. These findings suggest that employment could have increased the stress levels of current or former welfare recipients without prior work experience to the point where they were prone to minor child rearing mistakes that resulted in a CPS investigation, but were not severe enough to warrant opening the case for supervision. Supports should be provided to welfare mothers who are prone to involvement with CPS; expansions in the childcare subsidy and a reduction or delay in work requirements might also help these families.

Identifying critical factors influencing the disposal of dead pigs by farmers in China.

PubMed

Wu, Linhai; Xu, Guoyan; Wang, Xiaoli

2016-01-01

Disposal of dead pigs by pig farmers may have a direct impact on pork safety, public health, and the ecological environment in China. Drawing on the existing literature, this study analyzed and summarized the main factors that could affect the disposal of dead pigs by pig farmers by conducting a survey of 654 pig farmers in Funing County, Jiangsu Province, China. The purpose of this analysis was to investigate the disposal of dead pigs in China and provide useful regulatory strategies for the government. The interrelationships among dimensions and factors that affect the disposal of dead pigs by farmers were analyzed, and critical factors were identified by a hybrid multi-criteria decision-making method, which is a combination of decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) and analytic network process (ANP). Our results demonstrated that production characteristics were the most important dimensions and that costs and profits, scale of farming, pattern of farming, knowledge of relevant laws and regulations, and knowledge of pig disease and prevention were the five most critical factors affecting the disposal of dead pigs by farmers in China at this stage. The significance of this study lies in further discussing some management policies for the Chinese government regarding strengthen regulation of disposing dead pigs.

Identifying Environmental and Social Factors Predisposing to Pathological Gambling Combining Standard Logistic Regression and Logic Learning Machine.

PubMed

Parodi, Stefano; Dosi, Corrado; Zambon, Antonella; Ferrari, Enrico; Muselli, Marco

2017-12-01

Identifying potential risk factors for problem gambling (PG) is of primary importance for planning preventive and therapeutic interventions. We illustrate a new approach based on the combination of standard logistic regression and an innovative method of supervised data mining (Logic Learning Machine or LLM). Data were taken from a pilot cross-sectional study to identify subjects with PG behaviour, assessed by two internationally validated scales (SOGS and Lie/Bet). Information was obtained from 251 gamblers recruited in six betting establishments. Data on socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle and cognitive-related factors, and type, place and frequency of preferred gambling were obtained by a self-administered questionnaire. The following variables associated with PG were identified: instant gratification games, alcohol abuse, cognitive distortion, illegal behaviours and having started gambling with a relative or a friend. Furthermore, the combination of LLM and LR indicated the presence of two different types of PG, namely: (a) daily gamblers, more prone to illegal behaviour, with poor money management skills and who started gambling at an early age, and (b) non-daily gamblers, characterised by superstitious beliefs and a higher preference for immediate reward games. Finally, instant gratification games were strongly associated with the number of games usually played. Studies on gamblers habitually frequently betting shops are rare. The finding of different types of PG by habitual gamblers deserves further analysis in larger studies. Advanced data mining algorithms, like LLM, are powerful tools and potentially useful in identifying risk factors for PG.

Determining the Most Important Factors Involved in Ranking Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Fellowship Applicants.

PubMed

Baweja, Rishi; Kraeutler, Matthew J; Mulcahey, Mary K; McCarty, Eric C

2017-11-01

Orthopaedic surgery residencies and certain fellowships are becoming increasingly competitive. Several studies have identified important factors to be taken into account when selecting medical students for residency interviews. Similar information for selecting orthopaedic sports medicine fellows does not exist. To determine the most important factors that orthopaedic sports medicine fellowship program directors (PDs) take into account when ranking applicants. Cross-sectional study. A brief survey was distributed electronically to PDs of the 92 orthopaedic sports medicine fellowship programs that are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Each PD was asked to rank, in order, the 5 most important factors taken into account when ranking applicants based on a total list of 13 factors: the interview, the applicant's residency program, letters of recommendation (LORs), personal connections made through the applicant, research experience, an applicant's geographical ties to the city/town of the fellowship program, United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) scores, Orthopaedic In-Training Examination (OITE) scores, history of being a competitive athlete in college, extracurricular activities/hobbies, volunteer experience, interest in a career in academics, and publications/research/posters. Factors were scored from 1 to 5, with a score of 5 representing the most important factor and 1 representing the fifth-most important factor. Of the 92 PDs contacted, 57 (62%) responded. Thirty-four PDs (37%) listed the interview as the most important factor in ranking fellowship applicants (overall score, 233). LORs (overall score, 196), an applicant's residency program (overall score, 133), publications/research/posters (overall score, 115), and personal connections (overall score, 90) were reported as the second- through fifth-most important factors, respectively. According to orthopaedic sports medicine fellowship PDs, the

Environmental factors influencing the risk of autism

PubMed Central

Karimi, Padideh; Kamali, Elahe; Mousavi, Seyyed Mohammad; Karahmadi, Mojgan

2017-01-01

Autism is a developmental disability with age of onset in childhood (under 3 years old), which is characterized by definite impairments in social interactions, abnormalities in speech, and stereotyped pattern of behaviors. Due to the progress of autism in recent decades, a wide range of studies have been done to identify the etiological factors of autism. It has been found that genetic and environmental factors are both involved in autism pathogenesis. Hence, in this review article, a set of environmental factors involved in the occurrence of autism has been collected, and finally, some practical recommendations for reduction of the risk of this devastating disease in children are represented. PMID:28413424

Mother Involvement as an Influence on Father Involvement with Early Adolescents

PubMed Central

Pleck, Joseph H.; Hofferth, Sandra L.

2009-01-01

This study hypothesized that father involvement is influenced by mothers' level of involvement as well as by marital conflict, mothers' work hours, and fathers' status as biological or step father. The analysis also tested hypotheses about mother involvement as a potential mediator of the effects of marital conflict and maternal work hours on father involvement, and hypotheses about factors influencing mother involvement. Children aged 10-14 from the NLSY79 who resided with their biological or step father and with their mother reported on each parent's involvement with them. As hypothesized, father involvement was predicted by mother involvement, and the reciprocal influence was not significant. Father involvement was associated with low marital conflict and being a biological father. Mothers' involvement partially mediated the effects of marital conflict on father involvement. If the mediating role of maternal involvement is not taken into account, the effect of marital conflict on father involvement is overestimated. PMID:21776195

Involvement of Endogenous Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor in Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Activity.

PubMed

Naert, G; Zussy, C; Tran Van Ba, C; Chevallier, N; Tang, Y-P; Maurice, T; Givalois, L

2015-11-01

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) appears to be highly involved in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis regulation during adulthood, playing an important role in homeostasis maintenance. The present study aimed to determine the involvement of BDNF in HPA axis activity under basal and stress conditions via partial inhibition of this endogenous neurotrophin. Experiments were conducted in rats and mice with two complementary approaches: (i) BDNF knockdown with stereotaxic delivery of BDNF-specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) into the lateral ventricle of adult male rats and (ii) genetically induced knockdown (KD) of BDNF expression specifically in the central nervous system during the first ontogenesis in mice (KD mice). Delivery of siRNA in the rat brain decreased BDNF levels in the hippocampus (-31%) and hypothalamus (-35%) but not in the amygdala, frontal cortex and pituitary. In addition, siRNA induced no change of the basal HPA axis activity. BDNF siRNA rats exhibited decreased BDNF levels and concomitant altered adrenocortoctrophic hormone (ACTH) and corticosterone responses to restraint stress, suggesting the involvement of BDNF in the HPA axis adaptive response to stress. In KD mice, BDNF levels in the hippocampus and hypothalamus were decreased by 20% in heterozygous and by 60% in homozygous animals compared to wild-type littermates. Although, in heterozygous KD mice, no significant change was observed in the basal levels of plasma ACTH and corticosterone, both hormones were significantly increased in homozygous KD mice, demonstrating that robust cerebral BDNF inhibition (60%) is necessary to affect basal HPA axis activity. All of these results in both rats and mice demonstrate the involvement and importance of a robust endogenous pool of BDNF in basal HPA axis regulation and the pivotal function of de novo BDNF synthesis in the establishment of an adapted response to stress. © 2015 British Society for Neuroendocrinology.

Perpetual factors involved in performance of air traffic controllers using a microwave landing system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gershzohn, G.

1978-01-01

The task involved the control of two simulated aircraft targets per trial, in a 37.0 -km radius terminal area, by means of conventional radar vectoring and/or speed control. The goal was to insure that the two targets crossed the Missed Approach Point (MAP) at the runway threshold exactly 60 sec apart. The effects on controller performance of the MLS configuration under wind and no-wind conditions were examined. The data for mean separation time between targets at the MAP and the range about that mean were analyzed by appropriate analyses of variance. Significant effects were found for mean separation times as a result of the configuration of the MLS and for interaction between the configuration and wind conditions. The analysis of variance for range indicated significantly poorer performance under the wind condition. These findings are believed to be a result of certain perceptual factors involved in radar air traffic control (ATC) using the MLS with separation of targets in time.

Identifying environmental variables explaining genotype-by-environment interaction for body weight of rainbow trout (Onchorynchus mykiss): reaction norm and factor analytic models.

PubMed

Sae-Lim, Panya; Komen, Hans; Kause, Antti; Mulder, Han A

2014-02-26

Identifying the relevant environmental variables that cause GxE interaction is often difficult when they cannot be experimentally manipulated. Two statistical approaches can be applied to address this question. When data on candidate environmental variables are available, GxE interaction can be quantified as a function of specific environmental variables using a reaction norm model. Alternatively, a factor analytic model can be used to identify the latent common factor that explains GxE interaction. This factor can be correlated with known environmental variables to identify those that are relevant. Previously, we reported a significant GxE interaction for body weight at harvest in rainbow trout reared on three continents. Here we explore their possible causes. Reaction norm and factor analytic models were used to identify which environmental variables (age at harvest, water temperature, oxygen, and photoperiod) may have caused the observed GxE interaction. Data on body weight at harvest was recorded on 8976 offspring reared in various locations: (1) a breeding environment in the USA (nucleus), (2) a recirculating aquaculture system in the Freshwater Institute in West Virginia, USA, (3) a high-altitude farm in Peru, and (4) a low-water temperature farm in Germany. Akaike and Bayesian information criteria were used to compare models. The combination of days to harvest multiplied with daily temperature (Day*Degree) and photoperiod were identified by the reaction norm model as the environmental variables responsible for the GxE interaction. The latent common factor that was identified by the factor analytic model showed the highest correlation with Day*Degree. Day*Degree and photoperiod were the environmental variables that differed most between Peru and other environments. Akaike and Bayesian information criteria indicated that the factor analytical model was more parsimonious than the reaction norm model. Day*Degree and photoperiod were identified as environmental

Identifying environmental variables explaining genotype-by-environment interaction for body weight of rainbow trout (Onchorynchus mykiss): reaction norm and factor analytic models

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Identifying the relevant environmental variables that cause GxE interaction is often difficult when they cannot be experimentally manipulated. Two statistical approaches can be applied to address this question. When data on candidate environmental variables are available, GxE interaction can be quantified as a function of specific environmental variables using a reaction norm model. Alternatively, a factor analytic model can be used to identify the latent common factor that explains GxE interaction. This factor can be correlated with known environmental variables to identify those that are relevant. Previously, we reported a significant GxE interaction for body weight at harvest in rainbow trout reared on three continents. Here we explore their possible causes. Methods Reaction norm and factor analytic models were used to identify which environmental variables (age at harvest, water temperature, oxygen, and photoperiod) may have caused the observed GxE interaction. Data on body weight at harvest was recorded on 8976 offspring reared in various locations: (1) a breeding environment in the USA (nucleus), (2) a recirculating aquaculture system in the Freshwater Institute in West Virginia, USA, (3) a high-altitude farm in Peru, and (4) a low-water temperature farm in Germany. Akaike and Bayesian information criteria were used to compare models. Results The combination of days to harvest multiplied with daily temperature (Day*Degree) and photoperiod were identified by the reaction norm model as the environmental variables responsible for the GxE interaction. The latent common factor that was identified by the factor analytic model showed the highest correlation with Day*Degree. Day*Degree and photoperiod were the environmental variables that differed most between Peru and other environments. Akaike and Bayesian information criteria indicated that the factor analytical model was more parsimonious than the reaction norm model. Conclusions Day*Degree and

The hedgehog system machinery controls transforming growth factor-β-dependent myofibroblastic differentiation in humans: involvement in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

PubMed

Cigna, Natacha; Farrokhi Moshai, Elika; Brayer, Stéphanie; Marchal-Somme, Joëlle; Wémeau-Stervinou, Lidwine; Fabre, Aurélie; Mal, Hervé; Lesèche, Guy; Dehoux, Monique; Soler, Paul; Crestani, Bruno; Mailleux, Arnaud A

2012-12-01

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a devastating disease of unknown cause. Key signaling developmental pathways are aberrantly expressed in IPF. The hedgehog pathway plays a key role during fetal lung development and may be involved in lung fibrogenesis. We determined the expression pattern of several Sonic hedgehog (SHH) pathway members in normal and IPF human lung biopsies and primary fibroblasts. The effect of hedgehog pathway inhibition was assayed by lung fibroblast proliferation and differentiation with and without transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1. We showed that the hedgehog pathway was reactivated in the IPF lung. Importantly, we deciphered the cross talk between the hedgehog and TGF-β pathway in human lung fibroblasts. TGF-β1 modulated the expression of key components of the hedgehog pathway independent of Smoothened, the obligatory signal transducer of the pathway. Smoothened was required for TGF-β1-induced myofibroblastic differentiation of control fibroblasts, but differentiation of IPF fibroblasts was partially resistant to Smoothened inhibition. Furthermore, functional hedgehog pathway machinery from the primary cilium, as well as GLI-dependent transcription in the nucleus, was required for the TGF-β1 effects on normal and IPF fibroblasts during myofibroblastic differentiation. These data identify the GLI transcription factors as potential therapeutic targets in lung fibrosis. Copyright © 2012 American Society for Investigative Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An integrated genomic approach identifies persistent tumor suppressive effects of transforming growth factor-β in human breast cancer

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Introduction Transforming growth factor-βs (TGF-βs) play a dual role in breast cancer, with context-dependent tumor-suppressive or pro-oncogenic effects. TGF-β antagonists are showing promise in early-phase clinical oncology trials to neutralize the pro-oncogenic effects. However, there is currently no way to determine whether the tumor-suppressive effects of TGF-β are still active in human breast tumors at the time of surgery and treatment, a situation that could lead to adverse therapeutic responses. Methods Using a breast cancer progression model that exemplifies the dual role of TGF-β, promoter-wide chromatin immunoprecipitation and transcriptomic approaches were applied to identify a core set of TGF-β-regulated genes that specifically reflect only the tumor-suppressor arm of the pathway. The clinical significance of this signature and the underlying biology were investigated using bioinformatic analyses in clinical breast cancer datasets, and knockdown validation approaches in tumor xenografts. Results TGF-β-driven tumor suppression was highly dependent on Smad3, and Smad3 target genes that were specifically enriched for involvement in tumor suppression were identified. Patterns of Smad3 binding reflected the preexisting active chromatin landscape, and target genes were frequently regulated in opposite directions in vitro and in vivo, highlighting the strong contextuality of TGF-β action. An in vivo-weighted TGF-β/Smad3 tumor-suppressor signature was associated with good outcome in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cohorts. TGF-β/Smad3 effects on cell proliferation, differentiation and ephrin signaling contributed to the observed tumor suppression. Conclusions Tumor-suppressive effects of TGF-β persist in some breast cancer patients at the time of surgery and affect clinical outcome. Carefully tailored in vitro/in vivo genomic approaches can identify such patients for exclusion from treatment with TGF-β antagonists. PMID:24890385

Why Involvement Matters: A Review of Research on Student Involvement in the Collegiate Setting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Jody; Lovell, Cheryl D.; McGann, Tammy; Wyrick, Jason

1998-01-01

Highlights different types of student involvement, summarizes key findings, and identifies significant gaps in research regarding how student involvement on college campuses impacts student development and learning. Suggests that student affairs administrators need to continue the exploration on the importance of college student involvement.…

Participatory Design, User Involvement and Health IT Evaluation.

PubMed

Kushniruk, Andre; Nøhr, Christian

2016-01-01

End user involvement and input into the design and evaluation of information systems has been recognized as being a critical success factor in the adoption of information systems. Nowhere is this need more critical than in the design of health information systems. Consistent with evidence from the general software engineering literature, the degree of user input into design of complex systems has been identified as one of the most important factors in the success or failure of complex information systems. The participatory approach goes beyond user-centered design and co-operative design approaches to include end users as more active participants in design ideas and decision making. Proponents of participatory approaches argue for greater end user participation in both design and evaluative processes. Evidence regarding the effectiveness of increased user involvement in design is explored in this contribution in the context of health IT. The contribution will discuss several approaches to including users in design and evaluation. Challenges in IT evaluation during participatory design will be described and explored along with several case studies.

Socio-Economic Factors Affecting Parents' Involvement in Homework: Practices and Perceptions from Eight Johannesburg Public Primary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ndebele, Misheck

2015-01-01

This paper examines socio-economic factors influencing parental involvement in homework at the Foundation Phase in eight Johannesburg public primary schools. The research was conducted among over 600 parents from schools in different geographical and socio-economic areas such as the inner city, suburban and township. Two primary schools were…

Predictive Factors in Undergraduates' Involvement in Campus Secret Cults in Public Universities in Edo State of Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Azetta Arhedo, Philip; Aluede, Oyaziwo; Adomeh, Ilu O. C.

2011-01-01

This study examined the predictive factors in undergraduates' involvement in campus secret cults in public universities in Edo State of Nigeria. The study employed the descriptive method, specifically the survey format. A random sample of three hundred and eighty (380) undergraduates was drawn from the two public universities. Data were elicited…

Structural factors associated with an increased risk of HIV and sexually transmitted infection transmission among street-involved youth

PubMed Central

Marshall, Brandon DL; Kerr, Thomas; Shoveller, Jean A; Montaner, Julio SG; Wood, Evan

2009-01-01

Background The prevalence of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among street-involved youth greatly exceed that of the general adolescent population; however, little is known regarding the structural factors that influence disease transmission risk among this population. Methods Between September 2005 and October 2006, 529 street-involved youth were enroled in a prospective cohort known as the At Risk Youth Study (ARYS). We examined structural factors associated with number of sex partners using quasi-Poisson regression and consistent condom use using logistic regression. Results At baseline, 415 (78.4%) were sexually active, of whom 253 (61.0%) reported multiple sex partners and 288 (69.4%) reported inconsistent condom use in the past six months. In multivariate analysis, self-reported barriers to health services were inversely associated with consistent condom use (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.52, 95%CI: 0.25 – 1.07). Structural factors that were associated with greater numbers of sex partners included homelessness (adjusted incidence rate ratio [aIRR] = 1.54, 95%CI: 1.11 – 2.14) and having an area restriction that affects access to services (aIRR = 2.32, 95%CI: 1.28 – 4.18). Being searched or detained by the police was significant for males (aIRR = 1.36, 95%CI: 1.02 – 1.81). Conclusion Although limited by its cross-sectional design, our study found several structural factors amenable to policy-level interventions independently associated with sexual risk behaviours. These findings imply that the criminalization and displacement of street-involved youth may increase the likelihood that youth will engage in sexual risk behaviours and exacerbate the negative impact of resultant health outcomes. Moreover, our findings indicate that environmental-structural interventions may help to reduce the burden of these diseases among street youth in urban settings. PMID:19134203

Advance to and Persistence in Graduate School: Identifying the Influential Factors and Major-Based Differences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xu, Yonghong Jade

2014-01-01

Structured within an expanded econometric theoretical framework, this study uses national data sources to identify the critical factors that influence college graduates' advance to and persistence in graduate education and to compare the systematic differences between students in the STEM and non-STEM majors. The findings indicate that there is a…

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder medication use: factors involved in prescribing, safety aspects and outcomes.

PubMed

Martinez-Raga, Jose; Ferreros, Amparo; Knecht, Carlos; de Alvaro, Raquel; Carabal, Eloisa

2017-03-01

While treatment of patients with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is based on a multimodal approach that combines medication with specific psychological interventions, pharmacotherapy alone is generally considered an essential and cost-effective element. This paper aims to comprehensively and critically review factors involved in prescribing and medication use in individuals diagnosed with ADHD, focusing on the difficulties facing patients with ADHD seeking treatment, as well as the safety and tolerability aspects of ADHD pharmacotherapies, with particular attention on the cardiovascular adverse events and the potential risk of misuse or diversion of ADHD medications. A comprehensive and systematic literature search of PubMed/MEDLINE database was conducted to identify studies published in peer-reviewed journals until 1 August 2016. Children, adolescents and adults often encounter significant difficulties in the process of accessing specialist assessment and treatment for ADHD as a consequence of disparities in service organization and available treatment provision. Despite the well-established efficacy and overall safety profile, ADHD medications are not exempt from adverse events. The cardiovascular safety of pharmacotherapies used for treating individuals with ADHD has raised particular concerns; however there is little evidence of serious cardiovascular adverse events, including no serious corrected QT (QTc) abnormalities associated with stimulants, atomoxetine or α2-adrenergic receptor agonists. Although the abuse of prescription stimulant drugs, particularly, short-acting stimulants is a prevalent and growing problem, nonmedical use of prescription stimulants within the clinical context is very limited. In addition, nonstimulant ADHD medications lack any reinforcing effects and consequently any abuse potential.

Usual and unusual development of the dicot leaf: involvement of transcription factors and hormones.

PubMed

Fambrini, Marco; Pugliesi, Claudio

2013-06-01

Morphological diversity exhibited by higher plants is essentially related to the tremendous variation of leaf shape. With few exceptions, leaf primordia are initiated postembryonically at the flanks of a group of undifferentiated and proliferative cells within the shoot apical meristem (SAM) in characteristic position for the species and in a regular phyllotactic sequence. Auxin is critical for this process, because genes involved in auxin biosynthesis, transport, and signaling are required for leaf initiation. Down-regulation of transcription factors (TFs) and cytokinins are also involved in the light-dependent leaf initiation pathway. Furthermore, mechanical stresses in SAM determine the direction of cell division and profoundly influence leaf initiation suggesting a link between physical forces, gene regulatory networks and biochemical gradients. After the leaf is initiated, its further growth depends on cell division and cell expansion. Temporal and spatial regulation of these processes determines the size and the shape of the leaf, as well as the internal structure. A complex array of intrinsic signals, including phytohormones and TFs control the appropriate cell proliferation and differentiation to elaborate the final shape and complexity of the leaf. Here, we highlight the main determinants involved in leaf initiation, epidermal patterning, and elaboration of lamina shape to generate small marginal serrations, more deep lobes or a dissected compound leaf. We also outline recent advances in our knowledge of regulatory networks involved with the unusual pattern of leaf development in epiphyllous plants as well as leaf morphology aberrations, such as galls after pathogenic attacks of pests.

Transcriptomic analysis reveals numerous diverse protein kinases and transcription factors involved in desiccation tolerance in the resurrection plant Myrothamnus flabellifolia

PubMed Central

Ma, Chao; Wang, Hong; Macnish, Andrew J; Estrada-Melo, Alejandro C; Lin, Jing; Chang, Youhong; Reid, Michael S; Jiang, Cai-Zhong

2015-01-01

The woody resurrection plant Myrothamnus flabellifolia has remarkable tolerance to desiccation. Pyro-sequencing technology permitted us to analyze the transcriptome of M. flabellifolia during both dehydration and rehydration. We identified a total of 8287 and 8542 differentially transcribed genes during dehydration and rehydration treatments respectively. Approximately 295 transcription factors (TFs) and 484 protein kinases (PKs) were up- or down-regulated in response to desiccation stress. Among these, the transcript levels of 53 TFs and 91 PKs increased rapidly and peaked early during dehydration. These regulators transduce signal cascades of molecular pathways, including the up-regulation of ABA-dependent and independent drought stress pathways and the activation of protective mechanisms for coping with oxidative damage. Antioxidant systems are up-regulated, and the photosynthetic system is modified to reduce ROS generation. Secondary metabolism may participate in the desiccation tolerance of M. flabellifolia as indicated by increases in transcript abundance of genes involved in isopentenyl diphosphate biosynthesis. Up-regulation of genes encoding late embryogenesis abundant proteins and sucrose phosphate synthase is also associated with increased tolerance to desiccation. During rehydration, the transcriptome is also enriched in transcripts of genes encoding TFs and PKs, as well as genes involved in photosynthesis, and protein synthesis. The data reported here contribute comprehensive insights into the molecular mechanisms of desiccation tolerance in M. flabellifolia. PMID:26504577

Identifying sex-specific risk factors for low bone mineral density in adolescent runners.

PubMed

Tenforde, Adam Sebastian; Fredericson, Michael; Sayres, Lauren Carter; Cutti, Phil; Sainani, Kristin Lynn

2015-06-01

Adolescent runners may be at risk for low bone mineral density (BMD) associated with sports participation. Few prior investigations have evaluated bone health in young runners, particularly males. To characterize sex-specific risk factors for low BMD in adolescent runners. Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Training characteristics, fracture history, eating behaviors and attitudes, and menstrual history were measured using online questionnaires. A food frequency questionnaire was used to identify dietary patterns and measure calcium intake. Runners (female: n = 94, male: n = 42) completed dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to measure lumbar spine (LS) and total body less head (TBLH) BMD and body composition values, including android-to-gynoid (A:G) fat mass ratio. The BMD was standardized to Z-scores using age, sex, and race/ethnicity reference values. Questionnaire values were combined with DXA values to determine risk factors associated with differences in BMD Z-scores in LS and TBLH and low bone mass (defined as BMD Z-score ≤-1). In multivariable analyses, risk factors for lower LS BMD Z-scores in girls included lower A:G ratio, being shorter, and the combination of (interaction between) current menstrual irregularity and a history of fracture (all P < .01). Later age of menarche, lower A:G ratio, lower lean mass, and drinking less milk were associated with lower TBLH BMD Z-scores (P < .01). In boys, lower body mass index (BMI) Z-scores and the belief that being thinner improves performance were associated with lower LS and TBLH BMD Z-scores (all P < .05); lower A:G ratio was additionally associated with lower TBLH Z-scores (P < .01). Thirteen girls (14%) and 9 boys (21%) had low bone mass. Girls with a BMI ≤17.5 kg/m(2) or both menstrual irregularity and a history of fracture were significantly more likely to have low bone mass. Boys with a BMI ≤17.5 kg/m(2) and belief that thinness improves performance were significantly more likely to have

Ferredoxin is involved in secretion of cytotoxic necrotizing factor 1 across the cytoplasmic membrane in Escherichia coli K1.

PubMed

Yu, Hao; Kim, Kwang Sik

2010-02-01

We previously showed that cytotoxic necrotizing factor 1 (CNF1) contributes to Escherichia coli K1 invasion of human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMEC) and interacts with the receptor on the surface of HBMEC. CNF1 is the cytoplasmic protein, and it remains incompletely understood how CNF1 is secreted across the inner and outer membranes in E. coli K1. In order to investigate the genetic determinants for secretion of CNF1 in E. coli K1, we performed Tn5 mutagenesis screening by applying beta-lactamase as a reporter to monitor secretion of CNF1. We identified a Tn5 mutant that exhibited no beta-lactamase activity in the culture supernatant and in which the mutated gene encodes a ferredoxin gene (fdx). In the fdx deletion mutant, there was no evidence of translocation of CNF1 into HBMEC. Western blot analysis of the fdx deletion mutant revealed that ferredoxin is involved in translocation of CNF1 across the cytoplasmic membrane. The fdx mutant exhibited significantly decreased invasion of HBMEC, similar to the decreased HBMEC invasion observed with the CNF1 mutant. The failures to secrete CNF1 and invade HBMEC of the fdx mutant were restored to the levels of the parent strain by complementation with fdx. These findings demonstrate for the first time that ferredoxin is involved in secretion of CNF1 across the inner membrane in meningitis-causing E. coli K1.

Quantitative Proteomics Uncovers Novel Factors Involved in Developmental Differentiation of Trypanosoma brucei

PubMed Central

Dejung, Mario; Subota, Ines; Bucerius, Ferdinand; Dindar, Gülcin; Freiwald, Anja; Engstler, Markus; Boshart, Michael; Butter, Falk; Janzen, Christian J.

2016-01-01

Developmental differentiation is a universal biological process that allows cells to adapt to different environments to perform specific functions. African trypanosomes progress through a tightly regulated life cycle in order to survive in different host environments when they shuttle between an insect vector and a vertebrate host. Transcriptomics has been useful to gain insight into RNA changes during stage transitions; however, RNA levels are only a moderate proxy for protein abundance in trypanosomes. We quantified 4270 protein groups during stage differentiation from the mammalian-infective to the insect form and provide classification for their expression profiles during development. Our label-free quantitative proteomics study revealed previously unknown components of the differentiation machinery that are involved in essential biological processes such as signaling, posttranslational protein modifications, trafficking and nuclear transport. Furthermore, guided by our proteomic survey, we identified the cause of the previously observed differentiation impairment in the histone methyltransferase DOT1B knock-out strain as it is required for accurate karyokinesis in the first cell division during differentiation. This epigenetic regulator is likely involved in essential chromatin restructuring during developmental differentiation, which might also be important for differentiation in higher eukaryotic cells. Our proteome dataset will serve as a resource for detailed investigations of cell differentiation to shed more light on the molecular mechanisms of this process in trypanosomes and other eukaryotes. PMID:26910529

An extracytoplasmic function sigma factor-dependent periplasmic glutathione peroxidase is involved in oxidative stress response of Shewanella oneidensis

DOE PAGES

Dai, Jingcheng; Wei, Hehong; Tian, Chunyuan; ...

2015-01-01

Background: Bacteria use alternative sigma factors (σs) to regulate condition-specific gene expression for survival and Shewanella harbors multiple ECF (extracytoplasmic function) σ genes and cognate anti-sigma factor genes. Here we comparatively analyzed two of the rpoE-like operons in the strain MR-1: rpoE-rseA-rseB-rseC and rpoE2-chrR. Results: RpoE was important for bacterial growth at low and high temperatures, in the minimal medium, and high salinity. The degP/htrA orthologue, required for growth of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa at high temperature, is absent in Shewanella, while the degQ gene is RpoE-regulated and is required for bacterial growth at high temperature. RpoE2 was essentialmore » for the optimal growth in oxidative stress conditions because the rpoE2 mutant was sensitive to hydrogen peroxide and paraquat. The operon encoding a ferrochelatase paralogue (HemH2) and a periplasmic glutathione peroxidase (PgpD) was identified as RpoE2-dependent. PgpD exhibited higher activities and played a more important role in the oxidative stress responses than the cytoplasmic glutathione peroxidase CgpD under tested conditions. The rpoE2-chrR operon and the identified regulon genes, including pgpD and hemH2, are coincidently absent in several psychrophilic and/or deep-sea Shewanella strains. Conclusion: In S. oneidensis MR-1, the RpoE-dependent degQ gene is required for optimal growth under high temperature. The rpoE2 and RpoE2-dependent pgpD gene encoding a periplasmic glutathione peroxidase are involved in oxidative stress responses. But rpoE2 is not required for bacterial growth at low temperature and it even affected bacterial growth under salt stress, indicating that there is a tradeoff between the salt resistance and RpoE2-mediated oxidative stress responses.« less

An extracytoplasmic function sigma factor-dependent periplasmic glutathione peroxidase is involved in oxidative stress response of Shewanella oneidensis

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

Dai, Jingcheng; Wei, Hehong; Tian, Chunyuan

Background: Bacteria use alternative sigma factors (σs) to regulate condition-specific gene expression for survival and Shewanella harbors multiple ECF (extracytoplasmic function) σ genes and cognate anti-sigma factor genes. Here we comparatively analyzed two of the rpoE-like operons in the strain MR-1: rpoE-rseA-rseB-rseC and rpoE2-chrR. Results: RpoE was important for bacterial growth at low and high temperatures, in the minimal medium, and high salinity. The degP/htrA orthologue, required for growth of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa at high temperature, is absent in Shewanella, while the degQ gene is RpoE-regulated and is required for bacterial growth at high temperature. RpoE2 was essentialmore » for the optimal growth in oxidative stress conditions because the rpoE2 mutant was sensitive to hydrogen peroxide and paraquat. The operon encoding a ferrochelatase paralogue (HemH2) and a periplasmic glutathione peroxidase (PgpD) was identified as RpoE2-dependent. PgpD exhibited higher activities and played a more important role in the oxidative stress responses than the cytoplasmic glutathione peroxidase CgpD under tested conditions. The rpoE2-chrR operon and the identified regulon genes, including pgpD and hemH2, are coincidently absent in several psychrophilic and/or deep-sea Shewanella strains. Conclusion: In S. oneidensis MR-1, the RpoE-dependent degQ gene is required for optimal growth under high temperature. The rpoE2 and RpoE2-dependent pgpD gene encoding a periplasmic glutathione peroxidase are involved in oxidative stress responses. But rpoE2 is not required for bacterial growth at low temperature and it even affected bacterial growth under salt stress, indicating that there is a tradeoff between the salt resistance and RpoE2-mediated oxidative stress responses.« less

Identifying factors which enhance capacity to engage in clinical education among podiatry practitioners: an action research project.

PubMed

Abey, Sally; Lea, Susan; Callaghan, Lynne; Shaw, Steve; Cotton, Debbie

2015-01-01

Health profession students develop practical skills whilst integrating theory with practice in a real world environment as an important component of their training. Research in the area of practice placements has identified challenges and barriers to the delivery of effective placement learning. However, there has been little research in podiatry and the question of which factors impact upon clinical educators' capacity to engage with the role remains an under-researched area. This paper presents the second phase of an action research project designed to determine the factors that impact upon clinical educators' capacity to engage with the mentorship role. An online survey was developed and podiatry clinical educators recruited through National Health Service (NHS) Trusts. The survey included socio-demographic items, and questions relating to the factors identified as possible variables influencing clinical educator capacity; the latter was assessed using the 'Clinical Educator Capacity to Engage' scale (CECE). Descriptive statistics were used to explore demographic data whilst the relationship between the CECE and socio-demographic factors were examined using inferential statistics in relation to academic profile, career profile and organisation of the placement. The survey response rate was 42 % (n = 66). Multiple linear regression identified four independent variables which explain a significant proportion of the variability of the dependent variable, 'capacity to engage with clinical education', with an adjusted R2 of 0.428. The four variables were: protected mentorship time, clinical educator relationship with university, sign-off responsibility, and volunteer status. The identification of factors that impact upon clinical educators' capacity to engage in mentoring of students has relevance for strategic planning and policy-making with the emphasis upon capacity-building at an individual level, so that the key attitudes and characteristics that are linked

GhWRKY15, a member of the WRKY transcription factor family identified from cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), is involved in disease resistance and plant development.

PubMed

Yu, Feifei; Huaxia, Yifeng; Lu, Wenjing; Wu, Changai; Cao, Xuecheng; Guo, Xingqi

2012-08-12

As a large family of regulatory proteins, WRKY transcription factors play essential roles in the processes of adaptation to diverse environmental stresses and plant growth and development. Although several studies have investigated the role of WRKY transcription factors during these processes, the mechanisms underlying the function of WRKY members need to be further explored, and research focusing on the WRKY family in cotton crops is extremely limited. In the present study, a gene encoding a putative WRKY family member, GhWRKY15, was isolated from cotton. GhWRKY15 is present as a single copy gene, and a transient expression analysis indicated that GhWRKY15 was localised to the nucleus. Additionally, a group of cis-acting elements associated with the response to environmental stress and plant growth and development were detected in the promoter. Consistently, northern blot analysis showed that GhWRKY15 expression was significantly induced in cotton seedlings following fungal infection or treatment with salicylic acid, methyl jasmonate or methyl viologen. Furthermore, GhWRKY15-overexpressing tobacco exhibited more resistance to viral and fungal infections compared with wild-type tobacco. The GhWRKY15-overexpressing tobacco also exhibited increased RNA expression of several pathogen-related genes, NONEXPRESSOR OF PR1, and two genes that encode enzymes involved in ET biosynthesis. Importantly, increased activity of the antioxidant enzymes POD and APX during infection and enhanced expression of NtAPX1 and NtGPX in transgenic tobacco following methyl viologen treatment were observed. Moreover, GhWRKY15 transcription was greater in the roots and stems compared with the expression in the cotyledon of cotton, and the stems of transgenic plants displayed faster elongation at the earlier shooting stages compared with wide type tobacco. Additionally, exposure to abiotic stresses, including cold, wounding and drought, resulted in the accumulation of GhWRKY15 transcripts

Validating the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ-II) Using Set-ESEM: Identifying Psychosocial Risk Factors in a Sample of School Principals

PubMed Central

Dicke, Theresa; Marsh, Herbert W.; Riley, Philip; Parker, Philip D.; Guo, Jiesi; Horwood, Marcus

2018-01-01

School principals world-wide report high levels of strain and attrition resulting in a shortage of qualified principals. It is thus crucial to identify psychosocial risk factors that reflect principals' occupational wellbeing. For this purpose, we used the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ-II), a widely used self-report measure covering multiple psychosocial factors identified by leading occupational stress theories. We evaluated the COPSOQ-II regarding factor structure and longitudinal, discriminant, and convergent validity using latent structural equation modeling in a large sample of Australian school principals (N = 2,049). Results reveal that confirmatory factor analysis produced marginally acceptable model fit. A novel approach we call set exploratory structural equation modeling (set-ESEM), where cross-loadings were only allowed within a priori defined sets of factors, fit well, and was more parsimonious than a full ESEM. Further multitrait-multimethod models based on the set-ESEM confirm the importance of a principal's psychosocial risk factors; Stressors and depression were related to demands and ill-being, while confidence and autonomy were related to wellbeing. We also show that working in the private sector was beneficial for showing a low psychosocial risk, while other demographics have little effects. Finally, we identify five latent risk profiles (high risk to no risk) of school principals based on all psychosocial factors. Overall the research presented here closes the theory application gap of a strong multi-dimensional measure of psychosocial risk-factors. PMID:29760670

Validating the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ-II) Using Set-ESEM: Identifying Psychosocial Risk Factors in a Sample of School Principals.

PubMed

Dicke, Theresa; Marsh, Herbert W; Riley, Philip; Parker, Philip D; Guo, Jiesi; Horwood, Marcus

2018-01-01

School principals world-wide report high levels of strain and attrition resulting in a shortage of qualified principals. It is thus crucial to identify psychosocial risk factors that reflect principals' occupational wellbeing. For this purpose, we used the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ-II), a widely used self-report measure covering multiple psychosocial factors identified by leading occupational stress theories. We evaluated the COPSOQ-II regarding factor structure and longitudinal, discriminant, and convergent validity using latent structural equation modeling in a large sample of Australian school principals ( N = 2,049). Results reveal that confirmatory factor analysis produced marginally acceptable model fit. A novel approach we call set exploratory structural equation modeling (set-ESEM), where cross-loadings were only allowed within a priori defined sets of factors, fit well, and was more parsimonious than a full ESEM. Further multitrait-multimethod models based on the set-ESEM confirm the importance of a principal's psychosocial risk factors; Stressors and depression were related to demands and ill-being, while confidence and autonomy were related to wellbeing. We also show that working in the private sector was beneficial for showing a low psychosocial risk, while other demographics have little effects. Finally, we identify five latent risk profiles (high risk to no risk) of school principals based on all psychosocial factors. Overall the research presented here closes the theory application gap of a strong multi-dimensional measure of psychosocial risk-factors.

Production of Macrophage Inhibitory Factor (MIF) by Primary Sertoli Cells; Its Possible Involvement in Migration of Spermatogonial Cells.

PubMed

Huleihel, Mahmoud; Abofoul-Azab, Maram; Abarbanel, Yael; Einav, Iris; Levitas, Elyahu; Lunenfeld, Eitan

2017-10-01

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a multifunctional molecule. MIF was originally identified as a T-cell-derived factor responsible for the inhibition of macrophage migration. In testicular tissue of adult rats, MIF is constitutively expressed by Leydig cells under physiological conditions. The aim of this study was to examine MIF levels in testicular homogenates from different aged mice, and the capacity of Sertoli cells to produce it. We also examined MIF involvement in spermatogonial cell migration. Similar levels of MIF protein were detected in testicular homogenates of mice of different ages (1-8-week-old). However, the RNA expression levels of MIF were high in 1-week-old mice and significantly decreased with age compared to 1-week-old mice. MIF was stained in Sertoli, Leydig cells, and developed germ cells in the seminiferous tubules. Isolated Sertoli cells from 1-week-old mice stained to MIF. Cultures of Sertoli cells from 1-week-old mice produced and expressed high levels of MIF which significantly decreased with age. MIF was localized in the cytoplasm and nucleus of Sertoli cell cultures isolated from 1-week-old mice; however, it was localized only in the cytoplasm and branches of cultures isolated from 8-week-old mice. MIFR was detected in GFRα1 and Sertoli cells. MIF could induce migration of spermatogonial cells, and this effect was synergistic with glial cell-line neurotrophic factor. Our results show, for the first time, the capacity of Sertoli cells to produce MIF under normal conditions and that MIFR expressed in GFRα1 and Sertoli cells. We also showed that MIF induced spermatogonial cell migration. J. Cell. Physiol. 232: 2869-2877, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Risk factors for injury accidents among moped and motorcycle riders.

PubMed

Moskal, Aurélie; Martin, Jean-Louis; Laumon, Bernard

2012-11-01

To study and quantify the effect of factors related to the riders of powered two-wheelers on the risk of injury accident involvement. Based on national data held by the police from 1996 to 2005, we conducted a case-control study with responsibility for the accident as the event of interest. We estimated the odds ratios for accident responsibility. Making the hypothesis that the non-responsible riders in the study are representative of all the riders on the road, we thus identified risk factors for being responsible for injury accidents. The studied factors are age, gender, helmet wearing, alcohol consumption, validity of the subject's driving licence and for how long it has been held, the trip purpose and the presence of a passenger on the vehicle. Moped and motorcycle riders are analyzed separately, adjusting for the main characteristics of the accident. For both moped and motorcycle riders, being male, not wearing a helmet, exceeding the legal limit for alcohol and travelling for leisure purposes increased the risk of accident involvement. The youngest and oldest users had a greater risk of accident involvement. The largest risk factor was alcohol, and we identified a dose-effect relationship between alcohol consumption and accident risk, with an estimated odds ratio of over 10 for motorcycle and moped riders with a BAC of 2 g/l or over. Among motorcycle users, riders without a licence had twice the risk of being involved in an accident than those holding a valid licence. However, the number of years the rider had held a licence reduced the risk of accident involvement. One difference between moped and motorcycle riders involved the presence of a passenger on the vehicle: while carrying a passenger increased the risk of being responsible for the accident among moped riders, it protected against this risk among motorcycle riders. This analysis of responsibility has identified the major factors contributing to excess risk of injury accidents, some of which could be

[Healthcare management of an epilepsy clinic: factors involved in the demand for health care and clinical situation of patients].

PubMed

García-Martín, Guillermina; Martín-Reyes, Guillermina; Dawid-Milner, Marc Stefan; Chamorro-Muñoz, M Isabel; Pérez-Errazquin, Francisco; Romero-Acebal, Manuel

2013-05-16

Epilepsy is a chronic illness that requires a long-term periodic follow-up of the patient and this means that as time goes by the number of patients attended increases, with the ensuing added cost for the healthcare system. To determine the factors involved in the time until an epileptic patient's next visit. Our sample consisted of a selection of patients who visited the epilepsy clinic at our hospital consecutively during one year. Their clinical situation and relationship with the medical advice they were given, together with the factors involved in the time elapsed until the next visit, were analysed by means of predictive econometric models. There is a clear association between the patient's clinical situation and the modification of the treatment proposed by the neurologist in the previous visit. The factors involved in the time until the next visit were the frequency of seizures, adverse side effects from medicines -above all those that affect cognition- and the medical advice given to the patient. Polytherapy, psychoaffective disorders or the patient's social situation were not found to be significant. Follow-up visits in a specific epilepsy clinic improves the patient's situation. This is the first analysis of the demand for healthcare in patients with epilepsy conducted by means of econometric methods and from a mixed physician-patient perspective. Since the factors that determine the time until the next visit can be modified, the number of visits per year could be reduced, thus improving patients' clinical situation. We suggest a greater amount of time should be spent per visit so as to be able to have a bearing on it and thereby cut costs in the long term.

Genetic, metabolic and environmental factors involved in the development of liver cirrhosis in Mexico

PubMed Central

Ramos-Lopez, Omar; Martinez-Lopez, Erika; Roman, Sonia; Fierro, Nora A; Panduro, Arturo

2015-01-01

Liver cirrhosis (LC) is a chronic illness caused by inflammatory responses and progressive fibrosis. Globally, the most common causes of chronic liver disease include persistent alcohol abuse, followed by viral hepatitis infections and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. However, regardless of the etiological factors, the susceptibility and degree of liver damage may be influenced by genetic polymorphisms that are associated with distinct ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Consequently, metabolic genes are influenced by variable environmental lifestyle factors, such as diet, physical inactivity, and emotional stress, which are associated with regional differences among populations. This Topic Highlight will focus on the genetic and environmental factors that may influence the metabolism of alcohol and nutrients in the setting of distinct etiologies of liver disease. The interaction between genes and environment in the current-day admixed population, Mestizo and Native Mexican, will be described. Additionally, genes involved in immune regulation, insulin sensitivity, oxidative stress and extracellular matrix deposition may modulate the degree of severity. In conclusion, LC is a complex disease. The onset, progression, and clinical outcome of LC among the Mexican population are influenced by specific genetic and environmental factors. Among these are an admixed genome with a heterogenic distribution of European, Amerindian and African ancestry; a high score of alcohol consumption; viral infections; a hepatopathogenic diet; and a high prevalence of obesity. The variance in risk factors among populations suggests that intervention strategies directed towards the prevention and management of LC should be tailored according to such population-based features. PMID:26556986

An unbiased approach to identify genes involved in development in a turtle with temperature-dependent sex determination.

PubMed

Chojnowski, Jena L; Braun, Edward L

2012-07-15

Many reptiles exhibit temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD). The initial cue in TSD is incubation temperature, unlike genotypic sex determination (GSD) where it is determined by the presence of specific alleles (or genetic loci). We used patterns of gene expression to identify candidates for genes with a role in TSD and other developmental processes without making a priori assumptions about the identity of these genes (ortholog-based approach). We identified genes with sexually dimorphic mRNA accumulation during the temperature sensitive period of development in the Red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta), a turtle with TSD. Genes with differential mRNA accumulation in response to estrogen (estradiol-17β; E(2)) exposure and developmental stages were also identified. Sequencing 767 clones from three suppression-subtractive hybridization libraries yielded a total of 581 unique sequences. Screening a macroarray with a subset of those sequences revealed a total of 26 genes that exhibited differential mRNA accumulation: 16 female biased and 10 male biased. Additional analyses revealed that C16ORF62 (an unknown gene) and MALAT1 (a long noncoding RNA) exhibited increased mRNA accumulation at the male producing temperature relative to the female producing temperature during embryonic sexual development. Finally, we identified four genes (C16ORF62, CCT3, MMP2, and NFIB) that exhibited a stage effect and five genes (C16ORF62, CCT3, MMP2, NFIB and NOTCH2) showed a response to E(2) exposure. Here we report a survey of genes identified using patterns of mRNA accumulation during embryonic development in a turtle with TSD. Many previous studies have focused on examining the turtle orthologs of genes involved in mammalian development. Although valuable, the limitations of this approach are exemplified by our identification of two genes (MALAT1 and C16ORF62) that are sexually dimorphic during embryonic development. MALAT1 is a noncoding RNA that has not been implicated

Identifying Military and Combat-Specific Risk Factors for Child Adjustment: Comparing High and Low Risk Military Families and Civilian Families

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-08-01

Award Number: W81XWH-12-2-0034 TITLE: Identifying Military and Combat-Specific Risk Factors for Child Adjustment: Comparing High and Low Risk...2. REPORT TYPE Final 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 15May2012 - 31Aug2016 Identifying Military and Combat-Specific Risk Factors for Child Adjustment...deployment and has a child between the age of 3 and 7 and comparison groups of civilain single parent families (N=200) and civilian dual parent

Reorienting risk to resilience: street-involved youth perspectives on preventing the transition to injection drug use.

PubMed

Tozer, Kira; Tzemis, Despina; Amlani, Ashraf; Coser, Larissa; Taylor, Darlene; Van Borek, Natasha; Saewyc, Elizabeth; Buxton, Jane A

2015-08-19

The Youth Injection Prevention (YIP) project aimed to identify factors associated with the prevention of transitioning to injection drug use (IDU) among street-involved youth (youth who had spent at least 3 consecutive nights without a fixed address or without their parents/caregivers in the previous six months) aged 16-24 years in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia. Ten focus groups were conducted by youth collaborators (peer-researchers) with street-involved youth (n = 47) from November 2009-April 2010. Audio recordings and focus group observational notes were transcribed verbatim and emergent themes identified by open coding and categorizing. Through ongoing data analysis we identified that youth produced risk and deficiency rather than resiliency-based answers. This enabled the questioning guide to be reframed into a strengths-based guide in a timely manner. Factors youth identified that prevented them from IDU initiation were grouped into three domains loosely derived from the risk environment framework: Individual (fear and self-worth), Social Environment (stigma and group norms - including street-entrenched adults who actively discouraged youth from IDU, support/inclusion, family/friend drug use and responsibilities), and Physical/Economic Environment (safe/engaging spaces). Engaging youth collaborators in the research ensured relevance and validity of the study. Participants emphasized having personal goals and ties to social networks, supportive family and role models, and the need for safe and stable housing as key to resiliency. Gaining the perspectives of street-involved youth on factors that prevent IDU provides a complementary perspective to risk-based studies and encourages strength-based approaches for coaching and care of at-risk youth and upon which prevention programs should be built.

Identifying socio-environmental factors that facilitate resilience among Canadian palliative family caregivers: a qualitative case study.

PubMed

Giesbrecht, Melissa; Wolse, Faye; Crooks, Valorie A; Stajduhar, Kelli

2015-06-01

In Canada, friends and family members are becoming increasingly responsible for providing palliative care in the home. This is resulting in some caregivers experiencing high levels of stress and burden that may ultimately surpass their ability to cope. Recent palliative care research has demonstrated the potential for caregiver resilience within such contexts. This research, however, is primarily focused on exploring individual-level factors that contribute to resilience, minimizing the inherent complexity of this concept, and how it is simultaneously influenced by one's social context. Therefore, our study aims to identify socio-environmental factors that contribute to palliative family caregiver resilience in the Canadian homecare context. Drawing on ethnographic fieldnotes and semistructured interviews with family caregivers, care recipients, and homecare nurses, this secondary analysis employs an intersectionality lens and qualitative case study approach to identify socio-environmental factors that facilitate family caregivers' capacity for resilience. Following a case study methodology, two cases are purposely selected for analysis. Findings demonstrate that family caregiver resilience is influenced not only by individual-level factors but also by the social environment, which sets the lived context from which caregiving roles are experienced. Thematic findings of the two case studies revealed six socio-environmental factors that play a role in shaping resilience: access to social networks, education/knowledge/awareness, employment status, housing status, geographic location, and life-course stage. Findings contribute to existing research on caregiver resilience by empirically demonstrating the role of socio-environmental factors in caregiving experiences. Furthermore, utilizing an intersectional approach, these findings build on existing notions that resilience is a multidimensional and complex process influenced by numerous related variables that intersect

Frequency of auditory involvement and of associated factors in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

PubMed

Céspedes Cruz, Adriana Ivonne; Méndez Núñez, Myriam; Solís Vallejo, Eunice; Zeferino Cruz, Maritza; Torres Jiménez, Alfonso Ragnar; Ocampo Sánchez, Verónica; Flores Meza, Beatriz; Quintana Ruiz, Norma

2017-09-08

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by the presence of arthritis in children under 16 years of age for more than 6 weeks in the absence of any other known cause. The extra-articular manifestations, especially in the audiovestibular system, are related to the involvement of the joints of the ossicular chain as a result of the inflammatory process in the synovium. Previous clinical studies in pediatric patients have shown conductive or sensorineural hearing loss. The aim of this study was to assess the frequency of hearing impairment and of associated factors in patients with JIA. A prospective, analytical study was conducted from January 2013 to August 2014 in 62 patients with JIA aged between 5 and 15 years. The study was approved by the local ethics committee and parents signed their informed consent. All subjects underwent audiological examination involving otomicroscopy, audiometry, tympanometry, stapedius reflex and test for transient otoacoustic emissions (TOAE); rheumatologic evaluation included joint examination and the application of a measure of functional ability (disability) using the Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ). Measures of central tendency and of dispersion were used (chi-square for associations and P<.05 for statistical significance). Sixty-two patients were included: 56 girls and 6 boys, mean age 11.9 years and mean disease duration of 3.4 years; 46% had rheumatoid factor (RF)- positive polyarticular JIA, 40% had RF-negative polyarticular JIA, 15% had disease of systemic onset and 3% had oligoarthritis. Active disease was found in 29 patients and 33 were in remission with medication. Of the total of 124 ears evaluated according to the Jerger classification for tympanometry, abnormal findings were observed in 78 that were type As and in 1 that was type Ad, whereas there were 45 type A ears. Hearing loss was disclosed by speech audiometry, rather than by pure tone audiometry. The TOAE

Possible involvement of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 in the gene expression of Cyp2b10 and Cyp2a5☆

PubMed Central

Ashino, Takashi; Ohkubo-Morita, Haruyo; Yamamoto, Masayuki; Yoshida, Takemi; Numazawa, Satoshi

2014-01-01

Cytochrome P450 gene expression is altered by various chemical compounds. In this study, we used nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)–deficient (Nrf2−⧸−) mice to investigate the involvement of Nrf2 in Cyp2b10 and Cyp2a5 gene expression. Phorone, an Nrf2 activator, strongly increased Cyp2b10 and Cyp2a5 mRNA as well as Nrf2 target genes, including NAD(P)H-quinone oxidoreductase-1 and heme oxygenase-1, in wild-type mouse livers 8 h after treatment. The phorone-induced mRNA levels in Nrf2−⧸− mouse livers were lower than that in wild-type mouse livers. Nrf2−⧸− mice showed attenuated Cyp2b10 and Cyp2a5 induction by phenobarbital, a classical Cyp2b inducer. These findings suggest that the Nrf2 pathway is involved in Cyp2b10 and Cyp2a5 gene expression. PMID:24494203

Why Did U.S. Healthcare Professionals Become Involved in Torture During the War on Terror?

PubMed

Balfe, Myles

2016-09-01

This article examines why U.S. healthcare professionals became involved in "enhanced interrogation," or torture, during the War on Terror. A number of factors are identified including a desire on the part of these professionals to defend their country and fellow citizens from future attack; having their activities approved and authorized by legitimate command structures; financial incentives; and wanting to prevent serious harm from occurring to prisoners/detainees. The factors outlined here suggest that psychosocial factors can influence health professionals' ethical decision-making.

Using exploratory regression to identify optimal driving factors for cellular automaton modeling of land use change.

PubMed

Feng, Yongjiu; Tong, Xiaohua

2017-09-22

Defining transition rules is an important issue in cellular automaton (CA)-based land use modeling because these models incorporate highly correlated driving factors. Multicollinearity among correlated driving factors may produce negative effects that must be eliminated from the modeling. Using exploratory regression under pre-defined criteria, we identified all possible combinations of factors from the candidate factors affecting land use change. Three combinations that incorporate five driving factors meeting pre-defined criteria were assessed. With the selected combinations of factors, three logistic regression-based CA models were built to simulate dynamic land use change in Shanghai, China, from 2000 to 2015. For comparative purposes, a CA model with all candidate factors was also applied to simulate the land use change. Simulations using three CA models with multicollinearity eliminated performed better (with accuracy improvements about 3.6%) than the model incorporating all candidate factors. Our results showed that not all candidate factors are necessary for accurate CA modeling and the simulations were not sensitive to changes in statistically non-significant driving factors. We conclude that exploratory regression is an effective method to search for the optimal combinations of driving factors, leading to better land use change models that are devoid of multicollinearity. We suggest identification of dominant factors and elimination of multicollinearity before building land change models, making it possible to simulate more realistic outcomes.

Canonical correlation analysis of factors involved in the occurrence of peptic ulcers.

PubMed

Bayyurt, Nizamettin; Abasiyanik, M Fatih; Sander, Ersan; Salih, Barik A

2007-01-01

The impact of risk factors on the development of peptic ulcers has been shown to vary among different populations. We sought to establish a correlation between these factors and their involvement in the occurrence of peptic ulcers for which a canonical correlation analysis was applied. We included 7,014 patient records (48.6% women, 18.4% duodenal ulcer [DU], 4.6% gastric ulcer [GU]) of those underwent upper gastroendoscopy for the last 5 years. The variables measured are endoscopic findings (DU, GU, antral gastritis, erosive gastritis, pangastritis, pyloric deformity, bulbar deformity, bleeding, atrophy, Barret esophagus and gastric polyp) and risk factors (age, gender, Helicobacter pylori infection, smoking, alcohol, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs [NSAIDs] and aspirin intake). We found that DU had significant positive correlation with bulbar deformity (P=2.6 x 10(-23)), pyloric deformity (P=2.6 x 10(-23)), gender (P=2.6 x 10(-23)), H. pylori (P=1.4 x 10(-15)), bleeding (P=6.9 x 10(-15)), smoking (P=1.4 x 10(-7)), aspirin use (P=1.1 x 10(-4)), alcohol intake (P=7.7 x 10(-4)), and NSAIDs (P=.01). GU had a significantly positive correlation with pyloric deformity (P=1,6 x 10(-15)), age (P=2.6 x 10(-14)), bleeding (P=3.7 x 10(-8)), gender (P=1.3 x 10(-7)), aspirin use (P=1.1 x 10(-6)), bulbar deformity (P=7.4 x 10(-4)), alcohol intake (P=.03), smoking (P=.04), and Barret esophagus (P=.03). The level of significance was much higher in some variables with DU than with GU and the correlations with GU in spite of being highly significant the majority, were small in magnitude. In conclusion, Turkish patients with the following endoscopic findings bulbar deformity and pyloric deformity are high-risk patients for peptic ulcers with the risk of the occurrence of DU being higher than that of GU. Factors such as H. pylori, smoking, alcohol use, and NSAIDs use (listed in a decreasing manner) are risk factors that have significant impact on the occurrence of DU

LMX1B Mutations Cause Hereditary FSGS without Extrarenal Involvement

PubMed Central

Boyer, Olivia; Woerner, Stéphanie; Yang, Fan; Oakeley, Edward J.; Linghu, Bolan; Gribouval, Olivier; Tête, Marie-Josèphe; Duca, José S.; Klickstein, Lloyd; Damask, Amy J.; Szustakowski, Joseph D.; Heibel, Françoise; Matignon, Marie; Baudouin, Véronique; Chantrel, François; Champigneulle, Jacqueline; Martin, Laurent; Nitschké, Patrick; Gubler, Marie-Claire; Johnson, Keith J.; Chibout, Salah-Dine

2013-01-01

LMX1B encodes a homeodomain-containing transcription factor that is essential during development. Mutations in LMX1B cause nail-patella syndrome, characterized by dysplasia of the patellae, nails, and elbows and FSGS with specific ultrastructural lesions of the glomerular basement membrane (GBM). By linkage analysis and exome sequencing, we unexpectedly identified an LMX1B mutation segregating with disease in a pedigree of five patients with autosomal dominant FSGS but without either extrarenal features or ultrastructural abnormalities of the GBM suggestive of nail-patella–like renal disease. Subsequently, we screened 73 additional unrelated families with FSGS and found mutations involving the same amino acid (R246) in 2 families. An LMX1B in silico homology model suggested that the mutated residue plays an important role in strengthening the interaction between the LMX1B homeodomain and DNA; both identified mutations would be expected to diminish such interactions. In summary, these results suggest that isolated FSGS could result from mutations in genes that are also involved in syndromic forms of FSGS. This highlights the need to include these genes in all diagnostic approaches to FSGS that involve next-generation sequencing. PMID:23687361

How to Identify Success Among Networks That Promote Active Living.

PubMed

Litt, Jill; Varda, Danielle; Reed, Hannah; Retrum, Jessica; Tabak, Rachel; Gustat, Jeanette; O'Hara Tompkins, Nancy

2015-11-01

We evaluated organization- and network-level factors that influence organizations' perceived success. This is important for managing interorganizational networks, which can mobilize communities to address complex health issues such as physical activity, and for achieving change. In 2011, we used structured interview and network survey data from 22 states in the United States to estimate multilevel random-intercept models to understand organization- and network-level factors that explain perceived network success. A total of 53 of 59 "whole networks" met the criteria for inclusion in the analysis (89.8%). Coordinators identified 559 organizations, with 3 to 12 organizations from each network taking the online survey (response rate = 69.7%; range = 33%-100%). Occupying a leadership position (P < .01), the amount of time with the network (P < .05), and support from community leaders (P < .05) emerged as correlates of perceived success. Organizations' perceptions of success can influence decisions about continuing involvement and investment in networks designed to promote environment and policy change for active living. Understanding these factors can help leaders manage complex networks that involve diverse memberships, varied interests, and competing community-level priorities.

How to Identify Success Among Networks That Promote Active Living

PubMed Central

Varda, Danielle; Reed, Hannah; Retrum, Jessica; Tabak, Rachel; Gustat, Jeanette; O'Hara Tompkins, Nancy

2015-01-01

Objectives. We evaluated organization- and network-level factors that influence organizations’ perceived success. This is important for managing interorganizational networks, which can mobilize communities to address complex health issues such as physical activity, and for achieving change. Methods. In 2011, we used structured interview and network survey data from 22 states in the United States to estimate multilevel random-intercept models to understand organization- and network-level factors that explain perceived network success. Results. A total of 53 of 59 “whole networks” met the criteria for inclusion in the analysis (89.8%). Coordinators identified 559 organizations, with 3 to 12 organizations from each network taking the online survey (response rate = 69.7%; range = 33%–100%). Occupying a leadership position (P < .01), the amount of time with the network (P < .05), and support from community leaders (P < .05) emerged as correlates of perceived success. Conclusions. Organizations’ perceptions of success can influence decisions about continuing involvement and investment in networks designed to promote environment and policy change for active living. Understanding these factors can help leaders manage complex networks that involve diverse memberships, varied interests, and competing community-level priorities. PMID:26378863

IDENTIFYING ELEVEN FACTORS OF SERVICE MARKETING MIX (4PS) EFFECTIVE ON TENDENCY OF PATIENTS TOWARD PRIVATE HOSPITAL.

PubMed

Hosseini, Seyed Mojtaba; Etesaminia, Samira; Jafari, Mehrnoosh

2016-10-01

One of the important factors of correct management is to identify the reasons for patient tendency toward private hospitals. This study measures these factors based on service marketing mixes. This study used a cross sectional descriptive methodology. The study was conducted during 6 months in 2015. The studied population included patients of private hospitals in Tehran. Random sampling was used (n = 200). Data was collected by an author-made questionnaire for service marketing factors. Reliability and validity of the questionnaire were confirmed. Data analysis was done using factor analysis test in SPSS 20. The results showed that constant attendance of physicians and nurses has the highest effect (0.707%) on patient tendency toward private hospitals.

Sociotechnical Human Factors Involved in Remote Online Usability Testing of Two eHealth Interventions

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Background Research in the fields of human performance technology and human computer interaction are challenging the traditional macro focus of usability testing arguing for methods that help test moderators assess “use in context” (ie, cognitive skills, usability understood over time) and in authentic “real world” settings. Human factors in these complex test scenarios may impact on the quality of usability results being derived yet there is a lack of research detailing moderator experiences in these test environments. Most comparative research has focused on the impact of the physical environment on results, and rarely on how the sociotechnical elements of the test environment affect moderator and test user performance. Improving our understanding of moderator roles and experiences with conducting “real world” usability testing can lead to improved techniques and strategies Objective To understand moderator experiences of using Web-conferencing software to conduct remote usability testing of 2 eHealth interventions. Methods An exploratory case study approach was used to study 4 moderators’ experiences using Blackboard Collaborate for remote testing sessions of 2 different eHealth interventions. Data collection involved audio-recording iterative cycles of test sessions, collecting summary notes taken by moderators, and conducting 2 90-minute focus groups via teleconference. A direct content analysis with an inductive coding approach was used to explore personal accounts, assess the credibility of data interpretation, and generate consensus on the thematic structure of the results. Results Following the convergence of data from the various sources, 3 major themes were identified: (1) moderators experienced and adapted to unpredictable changes in cognitive load during testing; (2) moderators experienced challenges in creating and sustaining social presence and untangling dialogue; and (3) moderators experienced diverse technical demands, but were able

Sociotechnical Human Factors Involved in Remote Online Usability Testing of Two eHealth Interventions.

PubMed

Wozney, Lori M; Baxter, Pamela; Fast, Hilary; Cleghorn, Laura; Hundert, Amos S; Newton, Amanda S

2016-02-03

Research in the fields of human performance technology and human computer interaction are challenging the traditional macro focus of usability testing arguing for methods that help test moderators assess "use in context" (ie, cognitive skills, usability understood over time) and in authentic "real world" settings. Human factors in these complex test scenarios may impact on the quality of usability results being derived yet there is a lack of research detailing moderator experiences in these test environments. Most comparative research has focused on the impact of the physical environment on results, and rarely on how the sociotechnical elements of the test environment affect moderator and test user performance. Improving our understanding of moderator roles and experiences with conducting "real world" usability testing can lead to improved techniques and strategies To understand moderator experiences of using Web-conferencing software to conduct remote usability testing of 2 eHealth interventions. An exploratory case study approach was used to study 4 moderators' experiences using Blackboard Collaborate for remote testing sessions of 2 different eHealth interventions. Data collection involved audio-recording iterative cycles of test sessions, collecting summary notes taken by moderators, and conducting 2 90-minute focus groups via teleconference. A direct content analysis with an inductive coding approach was used to explore personal accounts, assess the credibility of data interpretation, and generate consensus on the thematic structure of the results. Following the convergence of data from the various sources, 3 major themes were identified: (1) moderators experienced and adapted to unpredictable changes in cognitive load during testing; (2) moderators experienced challenges in creating and sustaining social presence and untangling dialogue; and (3) moderators experienced diverse technical demands, but were able to collaboratively troubleshoot with test users

Paramecium tetraurelia chromatin assembly factor-1-like protein PtCAF-1 is involved in RNA-mediated control of DNA elimination.

PubMed

Ignarski, Michael; Singh, Aditi; Swart, Estienne C; Arambasic, Miroslav; Sandoval, Pamela Y; Nowacki, Mariusz

2014-10-29

Genome-wide DNA remodelling in the ciliate Paramecium is ensured by RNA-mediated trans-nuclear crosstalk between the germline and the somatic genomes during sexual development. The rearrangements include elimination of transposable elements, minisatellites and tens of thousands non-coding elements called internally eliminated sequences (IESs). The trans-nuclear genome comparison process employs a distinct class of germline small RNAs (scnRNAs) that are compared against the parental somatic genome to select the germline-specific subset of scnRNAs that subsequently target DNA elimination in the progeny genome. Only a handful of proteins involved in this process have been identified so far and the mechanism of DNA targeting is unknown. Here we describe chromatin assembly factor-1-like protein (PtCAF-1), which we show is required for the survival of sexual progeny and localizes first in the parental and later in the newly developing macronucleus. Gene silencing shows that PtCAF-1 is required for the elimination of transposable elements and a subset of IESs. PTCAF-1 depletion also impairs the selection of germline-specific scnRNAs during development. We identify specific histone modifications appearing during Paramecium development which are strongly reduced in PTCAF-1 depleted cells. Our results demonstrate the importance of PtCAF-1 for the epigenetic trans-nuclear cross-talk mechanism. © The Author(s) 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Identifying Military and Combat Specific Risk Factors for Child Adjustment: Comparing High and Low Risk Military Families and Civilian Families

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-01

Award Number: W81XWH-12-2-0034 TITLE: Identifying Military and Combat-Specific Risk Factors for Child Adjustment: Comparing High and Low Risk...2. REPORT TYPE Annual 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 15 May - 2013 - 14 May 2014. Identifying Military and Combat-Specific Risk Factors for Child ...parents (N=200) whose spouse/partner is currently in a “low perceived risk” deployment and has a child between the age of 3 and 7 and comparison

A pilot study on factors involved with work participation in the early stages of multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Van der Hiele, Karin; Middelkoop, Huub A M; Ruimschotel, Rob; Kamminga, Noëlle G A; Visser, Leo H

2014-01-01

Up to 30% of recently diagnosed MS patients lose their jobs in the first four years after diagnosis. Taking into account the personal and socio-economic importance of sustaining employment, it is of the utmost importance to examine factors involved with work participation. To investigate differences in self-reported functioning in recently diagnosed MS patients with and without a paid job. Self-reports of physical and cognitive functioning, depression, anxiety and fatigue were gathered from 44 relapsing-remitting MS patients diagnosed within 3 years. Patients with a paid job (57%) reported better physical functioning (p<0.001), better memory functioning (p = 0.01) and a lower physical impact of fatigue (p = 0.018) than patients without a paid job. Physical functioning was the main predictor of employment status in a logistic regression model. In those with a paid job better memory functioning (r = 0.54, p = 0.005) and a lower social impact of fatigue (r =  -0.46, p = 0.029) correlated with an increased number of working hours. Better physical functioning is the primary factor involved with increased work participation in early MS. Better self-reported memory functioning and less social fatigue were associated with increased working hours. These findings highlight the importance of battling these symptoms in the early stages of MS.

Identifying work ability promoting factors for home care aides and assistant nurses.

PubMed

Larsson, Agneta; Karlqvist, Lena; Westerberg, Mats; Gard, Gunvor

2012-01-11

In workplace health promotion, all potential resources needs to be taken into consideration, not only factors relating to the absence of injury and the physical health of the workers, but also psychological aspects. A dynamic balance between the resources of the individual employees and the demands of work is an important prerequisite. In the home care services, there is a noticeable trend towards increased psychosocial strain on employees at work. There are a high frequency of work-related musculoskeletal disorders and injuries, and a low prevalence of sustainable work ability. The aim of this research was to identify factors promoting work ability and self-efficacy in care aides and assistant nurses within home care services. This study is based on cross-sectional data collected in a municipality in northern Sweden. Care aides (n = 58) and assistant nurses (n = 79) replied to a self-administered questionnaire (response rate 46%). Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were performed to assess the influence of several independent variables on self-efficacy (model 1) and work ability (model 2) for care aides and assistant nurses separately. Perceptions of personal safety, self-efficacy and musculoskeletal wellbeing contributed to work ability for assistant nurses (R2adj of 0.36, p < 0.001), while for care aides, the safety climate, seniority and age contributed to work ability (R2adj of 0.29, p = 0.001). Self-efficacy was associated with the safety climate and the physical demands of the job in both professions (R2adj of 0.24, p = 0.003 for care aides), and also by sex and age for the assistant nurses (R2adj of 0.31, p < 0.001). The intermediate factors contributed differently to work ability in the two professions. Self-efficacy, personal safety and musculoskeletal wellbeing were important for the assistant nurses, while the work ability of the care aides was associated with the safety climate, but also with the non-changeable factors age and seniority. All

Identifying work ability promoting factors for home care aides and assistant nurses

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background In workplace health promotion, all potential resources needs to be taken into consideration, not only factors relating to the absence of injury and the physical health of the workers, but also psychological aspects. A dynamic balance between the resources of the individual employees and the demands of work is an important prerequisite. In the home care services, there is a noticeable trend towards increased psychosocial strain on employees at work. There are a high frequency of work-related musculoskeletal disorders and injuries, and a low prevalence of sustainable work ability. The aim of this research was to identify factors promoting work ability and self-efficacy in care aides and assistant nurses within home care services. Methods This study is based on cross-sectional data collected in a municipality in northern Sweden. Care aides (n = 58) and assistant nurses (n = 79) replied to a self-administered questionnaire (response rate 46%). Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were performed to assess the influence of several independent variables on self-efficacy (model 1) and work ability (model 2) for care aides and assistant nurses separately. Results Perceptions of personal safety, self-efficacy and musculoskeletal wellbeing contributed to work ability for assistant nurses (R2adj of 0.36, p < 0.001), while for care aides, the safety climate, seniority and age contributed to work ability (R2adj of 0.29, p = 0.001). Self-efficacy was associated with the safety climate and the physical demands of the job in both professions (R2adj of 0.24, p = 0.003 for care aides), and also by sex and age for the assistant nurses (R2adj of 0.31, p < 0.001). Conclusions The intermediate factors contributed differently to work ability in the two professions. Self-efficacy, personal safety and musculoskeletal wellbeing were important for the assistant nurses, while the work ability of the care aides was associated with the safety climate, but also with the non

Monkeypox Virus Host Factor Screen Using Haploid Cells Identifies Essential Role of GARP Complex in Extracellular Virus Formation.

PubMed

Realegeno, Susan; Puschnik, Andreas S; Kumar, Amrita; Goldsmith, Cynthia; Burgado, Jillybeth; Sambhara, Suryaprakash; Olson, Victoria A; Carroll, Darin; Damon, Inger; Hirata, Tetsuya; Kinoshita, Taroh; Carette, Jan E; Satheshkumar, Panayampalli Subbian

2017-06-01

Monkeypox virus (MPXV) is a human pathogen that is a member of the Orthopoxvirus genus, which includes Vaccinia virus and Variola virus (the causative agent of smallpox). Human monkeypox is considered an emerging zoonotic infectious disease. To identify host factors required for MPXV infection, we performed a genome-wide insertional mutagenesis screen in human haploid cells. The screen revealed several candidate genes, including those involved in Golgi trafficking, glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis, and glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchor biosynthesis. We validated the role of a set of vacuolar protein sorting (VPS) genes during infection, VPS51 to VPS54 (VPS51-54), which comprise the Golgi-associated retrograde protein (GARP) complex. The GARP complex is a tethering complex involved in retrograde transport of endosomes to the trans -Golgi apparatus. Our data demonstrate that VPS52 and VPS54 were dispensable for mature virion (MV) production but were required for extracellular virus (EV) formation. For comparison, a known antiviral compound, ST-246, was used in our experiments, demonstrating that EV titers in VPS52 and VPS54 knockout (KO) cells were comparable to levels exhibited by ST-246-treated wild-type cells. Confocal microscopy was used to examine actin tail formation, one of the viral egress mechanisms for cell-to-cell dissemination, and revealed an absence of actin tails in VPS52KO- or VPS54KO-infected cells. Further evaluation of these cells by electron microscopy demonstrated a decrease in levels of wrapped viruses (WVs) compared to those seen with the wild-type control. Collectively, our data demonstrate the role of GARP complex genes in double-membrane wrapping of MVs necessary for EV formation, implicating the host endosomal trafficking pathway in orthopoxvirus infection. IMPORTANCE Human monkeypox is an emerging zoonotic infectious disease caused by Monkeypox virus (MPXV). Of the two MPXV clades, the Congo Basin strain is associated with severe

Relating genes to function: identifying enriched transcription factors using the ENCODE ChIP-Seq significance tool.

PubMed

Auerbach, Raymond K; Chen, Bin; Butte, Atul J

2013-08-01

Biological analysis has shifted from identifying genes and transcripts to mapping these genes and transcripts to biological functions. The ENCODE Project has generated hundreds of ChIP-Seq experiments spanning multiple transcription factors and cell lines for public use, but tools for a biomedical scientist to analyze these data are either non-existent or tailored to narrow biological questions. We present the ENCODE ChIP-Seq Significance Tool, a flexible web application leveraging public ENCODE data to identify enriched transcription factors in a gene or transcript list for comparative analyses. The ENCODE ChIP-Seq Significance Tool is written in JavaScript on the client side and has been tested on Google Chrome, Apple Safari and Mozilla Firefox browsers. Server-side scripts are written in PHP and leverage R and a MySQL database. The tool is available at http://encodeqt.stanford.edu. abutte@stanford.edu Supplementary material is available at Bioinformatics online.

Family and individual factors associated with substance involvement and PTS symptoms among adolescents in greater New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.

PubMed

Rowe, Cynthia L; La Greca, Annette M; Alexandersson, Anders

2010-12-01

This study examined the influence of hurricane impact as well as family and individual risk factors on posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptoms and substance involvement among clinically referred adolescents affected by Hurricane Katrina. A total of 80 adolescents (87% male; 13-17 years old; mean age = 15.6 years; 38% minorities) and their parents were interviewed at the adolescent's intake into substance abuse treatment, 16 to 46 months postdisaster. Independent measures included hurricane impact variables (initial loss/disruption and perceived life threat); demographic and predisaster variables (family income, gender, predisaster adolescent substance use, predisaster trauma exposure, and parental substance abuse); postdisaster family factors (parental psychopathology, family cohesion, and parental monitoring); and postdisaster adolescent delinquency. Hierarchical multivariate regression analyses showed that adolescent substance involvement was associated with higher family income, lower parental monitoring (adolescent report), and more adolescent delinquency. Adolescent-reported PTS symptoms were associated with greater hurricane-related initial loss/disruption, lower family cohesion (adolescent report), and more adolescent delinquency, whereas parent-reported adolescent PTS symptoms were associated with greater parental psychopathology, lower parental monitoring (adolescent report), and lower family cohesion (parent report). The results suggest that hurricane impact was related only to adolescent-reported PTS. However, certain postdisaster family and individual risk factors (low family cohesion and parental monitoring, more adolescent delinquency) were associated both with adolescent substance involvement and with PTS symptoms. Identification of these factors suggests directions for future research as well as potential target areas for screening and intervention with substance-abusing adolescents after disasters. (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved.

De novo RNA sequencing transcriptome of Rhododendron obtusum identified the early heat response genes involved in the transcriptional regulation of photosynthesis

PubMed Central

Tong, Jun; Dong, Yanfang; Xu, Dongyun; Mao, Jing; Zhou, Yuan

2017-01-01

Rhododendron spp. is an important ornamental species that is widely cultivated for landscape worldwide. Heat stress is a major obstacle for its cultivation in south China. Previous studies on rhododendron principally focused on its physiological and biochemical processes, which are involved in a series of stress tolerance. However, molecular or genetic properties of rhododendron’s response to heat stress are still poorly understood. The phenotype and chlorophyll fluorescence kinetics parameters of four rhododendron cultivars were compared under normal or heat stress conditions, and a cultivar with highest heat tolerance, “Yanzhimi” (R. obtusum) was selected for transcriptome sequencing. A total of 325,429,240 high quality reads were obtained and assembled into 395,561 transcripts and 92,463 unigenes. Functional annotation showed that 38,724 unigenes had sequence similarity to known genes in at least one of the proteins or nucleotide databases used in this study. These 38,724 unigenes were categorized into 51 functional groups based on Gene Ontology classification and were blasted to 24 known cluster of orthologous groups. A total of 973 identified unigenes belonged to 57 transcription factor families, including the stress-related HSF, DREB, ZNF, and NAC genes. Photosynthesis was significantly enriched in the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway, and the changed expression pattern was illustrated. The key pathways and signaling components that contribute to heat tolerance in rhododendron were revealed. These results provide a potentially valuable resource that can be used for heat-tolerance breeding. PMID:29059200

"The co-authors of pregnancy": leveraging men's sense of responsibility and other factors for male involvement in antenatal services in Kinshasa, DRC.

PubMed

Gill, Michelle M; Ditekemena, John; Loando, Aimé; Ilunga, Vicky; Temmerman, Marleen; Fwamba, Franck

2017-12-06

Despite efforts to improve male involvement (MI), few male partners typically attend antenatal care (ANC). MI in ANC and interventions to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission have been demonstrated to be beneficial for the HIV-positive mother and her child. This study aimed to explore factors influencing partner attendance and highlight interventions with potential to improve MI within a Congolese context. This was an exploratory, qualitative study conducted in two urban and two semi-urban catchment areas of Kinshasa, DRC in June-September 2016. Two women-only and two men-only focus group discussions (FGDs) were held; participants were recruited from ANC clinics and surrounding communities. Key informants purposively selected from health facility leadership and central government were also interviewed. Guide topics included MI barriers and facilitators, experiences with couples' ANC attendance and perceptions of MI interventions and how to improve them. Data from FGDs and interviews were analyzed to determine three interventions that best addressed the identified MI facilitators and barriers. These interventions were explored further through dialogues held with representatives from community organizations. This study included 17 female and 18 male FGD participants, 3 key informants and 21 community dialogue participants. Receipt of clinic staff advice was the most commonly-reported factor facilitating male attendance. No time off work was the most commonly-reported barrier. Only men identified responsibility, referring to themselves as "authors of the pregnancy," and wanting to be tested for HIV as facilitators. The most promising interventions perceived by FGD and interview participants were male partner invitation letters, couple- and male-friendly improvements to ANC, and expert peer-to-peer outreach. Community dialogue participants provided further detail on these approaches, such as invitation letter content and counseling messages targeting men attending

Involvement of inflammatory factors in pancreatic carcinogenesis and preventive effects of anti-inflammatory agents.

PubMed

Takahashi, Mami; Mutoh, Michihiro; Ishigamori, Rikako; Fujii, Gen; Imai, Toshio

2013-03-01

Chronic inflammation is known to be a risk for many cancers, including pancreatic cancer. Heavy alcohol drinking and cigarette smoking are major causes of pancreatitis, and epidemiological studies have shown that smoking and chronic pancreatitis are risk factors for pancreatic cancer. Meanwhile, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) are elevated in pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer tissues in humans and in animal models. Selective inhibitors of iNOS and COX-2 suppress pancreatic cancer development in a chemical carcinogenesis model of hamsters treated with N-nitrosobis(2-oxopropyl)amine (BOP). In addition, hyperlipidemia, obesity, and type II diabetes are also suggested to be associated with chronic inflammation in the pancreas and involved in pancreatic cancer development. We have shown that a high-fat diet increased pancreatic cancer development in BOP-treated hamsters, along with aggravation of hyperlipidemia, severe fatty infiltration, and increased expression of adipokines and inflammatory factors in the pancreas. Of note, fatty pancreas has been observed in obese and/or diabetic cases in humans. Preventive effects of anti-hyperlipidemic/anti-diabetic agents on pancreatic cancer have also been shown in humans and animals. Taking this evidence into consideration, modulation of inflammatory factors by anti-inflammatory agents will provide useful data for prevention of pancreatic cancer.

Apolipoprotein gene involved in lipid metabolism

DOEpatents

Rubin, Edward [Berkeley, CA; Pennacchio, Len A [Sebastopol, CA

2007-07-03

Methods and materials for studying the effects of a newly identified human gene, APOAV, and the corresponding mouse gene apoAV. The sequences of the genes are given, and transgenic animals which either contain the gene or have the endogenous gene knocked out are described. In addition, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the gene are described and characterized. It is demonstrated that certain SNPs are associated with diseases involving lipids and triglycerides and other metabolic diseases. These SNPs may be used alone or with SNPs from other genes to study individual risk factors. Methods for intervention in lipid diseases, including the screening of drugs to treat lipid-related or diabetic diseases are also disclosed.

[Facilitating the diagnosis of depression and burnout by identifying demographic and work-related risk and protective factors among nurses].

PubMed

Ádám, Szilvia; Nistor, Anikó; Nistor, Katalin; Cserháti, Zoltán; Mészáros, Veronika

2015-08-09

Depression and burnout are frequent comorbidities among nurses. Despite similar symptoms, their management differ. Therefore, their timely diagnosis is essential. To identify demographic and work-related risk and protective factors of burnout and depression, and facilitate their diagnosis. A cross-sectional study among 1,713 nurses was carried out. Depression and burnout were assessed by the shortened Beck Depression Questionnaire and Maclach Burnout Inventory, respectively. Risk and protective factors were explored using t-tests and analysis of variance. The prevalence of depression and moderate-to-high burnout was 35.1% and 34-74%, respectively. Having a partner/child and longer employment in the outpatient setting protected from burnout. Lack of a partner and male sex emerged as risk factors of depression and depersonalisation, respectively. High prevalence of depression and burnout among nurses poses a significant public health issue. Familiarity with the disease-specific risk and protective factors identified in this research may facilitate timely diagnosis and effective disease management.

Increases and decreases in drug use attributed to housing status among street-involved youth in a Canadian setting.

PubMed

Cheng, Tessa; Wood, Evan; Nguyen, Paul; Kerr, Thomas; DeBeck, Kora

2014-04-10

Among a cohort of drug-using street-involved youth, we sought to identify the prevalence of reporting increases and decreases in illicit drug use due to their current housing status and to identify factors associated with reporting these changes. This longitudinal study was based on data collected between June 2008 and May 2012 from a prospective cohort of street-involved youth aged 14-26 in Vancouver, Canada. At semi-annual study follow-up visits, youth were asked if their drug use was affected by their housing status. Using generalized estimating equations, we identified factors associated with perceived increases and decreases in drug use attributed to housing status. Among our sample of 536 participants at baseline, 164 (31%) youth reported increasing their drug use due to their housing situation and 71 (13%) reported decreasing their drug use. In multivariate analysis, factors that were positively associated with perceived increases in drug use attributed to housing status included the following: being homeless, engaging in sex work and drug dealing. Regular employment was negatively associated with increasing drug use due to housing status. Among those who reported decreasing their drug use, only homelessness was significant in bivariate analysis. Perceived changes in drug use due to housing status were relatively common in this setting and were associated with being homeless and, among those who increased their drug use, engaging in risky income generation activities. These findings suggest that structural factors, particularly housing and economic opportunities, may be crucial interventions for reducing or limiting drug use among street-involved youth.

Increases and decreases in drug use attributed to housing status among street-involved youth in a Canadian setting

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Among a cohort of drug-using street-involved youth, we sought to identify the prevalence of reporting increases and decreases in illicit drug use due to their current housing status and to identify factors associated with reporting these changes. Findings This longitudinal study was based on data collected between June 2008 and May 2012 from a prospective cohort of street-involved youth aged 14–26 in Vancouver, Canada. At semi-annual study follow-up visits, youth were asked if their drug use was affected by their housing status. Using generalized estimating equations, we identified factors associated with perceived increases and decreases in drug use attributed to housing status. Among our sample of 536 participants at baseline, 164 (31%) youth reported increasing their drug use due to their housing situation and 71 (13%) reported decreasing their drug use. In multivariate analysis, factors that were positively associated with perceived increases in drug use attributed to housing status included the following: being homeless, engaging in sex work and drug dealing. Regular employment was negatively associated with increasing drug use due to housing status. Among those who reported decreasing their drug use, only homelessness was significant in bivariate analysis. Conclusion Perceived changes in drug use due to housing status were relatively common in this setting and were associated with being homeless and, among those who increased their drug use, engaging in risky income generation activities. These findings suggest that structural factors, particularly housing and economic opportunities, may be crucial interventions for reducing or limiting drug use among street-involved youth. PMID:24721725

Prevalence of HIV in pregnant women identified with a risk factor at a tertiary care hospital.

PubMed

Mahmud, Ghazala; Abbas, Shazra

2009-01-01

HIV is an epidemic quite unlike any other, combining the problems of a lifelong medical disease with immense social, psychological, economic and public health consequences. Since we are living in a global village where human interactions has become fast and frequent, diseases like HIV are no more alien to us. HIV/AIDS in Pakistan is slowly gaining recognition as a public health issue of great importance. Objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of HIV in pregnant women identified with a high risk factor/behaviour at a tertiary care hospital. It is a Descriptive study. All pregnant women attending antenatal booking clinic were assessed via a pre-designed 'Risk assessment questionnaire'. Women identified with a risk factor were offered HIV Rapid screening test (Capillus HIV1/2). Positive (reactive) results on screening test were confirmed with ELISA. During the study period (March 2007-May 2008), out of 5263 antenatal bookings 785 (14%) women were identified with a risk factor. HIV screening test was done in 779 (99%), and 6 women refused testing. Three women (0.3%) were found positive (reactive) on screening. Two out of 3 women were confirmed positive (0.2%) on ELISA. Husbands of both women were tested and one found positive (migrant from Dubai). Second women had history of blood transfusion. Her husband was HIV negative. During the study period, in addition to 2 pregnant women diagnosed as HIV positive through ANC risk screening, 6 confirmed HIV positive women, found pregnant were referred from 'HIV Treatment Centre', Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) to Prevention of Parent to Child Transmission (PPTCT) centre for obstetric care. Spouses of 5 out of 6 had history of working abroad and extramarital sexual relationships. All positive (8) women were referred to PPTCT centre for further management. A simple 'Risk Assessment Questionnaire' can help us in identifying women who need HIV screening. Sexual transmission still remains the

Research Priorities for Fertility and Conception Research as Identified by Multidisciplinary Health Care Practitioners and Researchers.

PubMed

Moran, Lisa J; Spencer, Laura; Russell, Darryl L; Hull, Mary Louise; Robertson, Sarah A; Varcoe, Tamara J; Davies, Michael J; Brown, Hannah M; Rodgers, Raymond J

2016-01-13

The Robinson Research Institute of the University of Adelaide convened a multidisciplinary group of n = 33 clinicians, researchers and representatives of government organisations on the 2 October 2014 for a workshop entitled "Promoting fertility and healthy conception. How do we generate greater reproductive health awareness?" The key aim of the workshop was to assess the body of knowledge that informs clinical practice and government policy, and to identify questions and additional information needed by health practitioners and government representatives working in the field of reproductive health and to frame future research and policy. The workshop identified topics that fell mostly into three categories: lifestyle-related, societal and biological factors. The lifestyle topics included nutrition and diet, exercise, obesity, shift work and other factors deemed to be modifiable at the level of the individual. The societal topics included discussions of matters that are structural, and resistant to change by individuals, including specific ethical issues, social disadvantage, government and educational policies. The biological factors are intrinsic physical states of the individual, and included many factors where there is a dense body of scientific knowledge which may not be readily accessible in less academic language. This workshop thus provided an opportunity to identify further actions that could be undertaken to meet the needs of diverse organisations and groups of professionals with an interest in human fertility. Since so many factors in our social and biological environment can impact fertility and preconception health, it is imperative to involve many disciplines or levels of government or societal organisations that have not traditionally been involved in this area.

Handgrip Strength Cutoff Points to Identify Mobility Limitation in Community-dwelling Older People and Associated Factors.

PubMed

Vasconcelos, K S de Souza; Dias, J M Domingues; Bastone, A de Carvalho; Vieira, R Alvarenga; Andrade, A C de Souza; Perracini, M Rodrigues; Guerra, R Oliveira; Dias, R Corrêa

2016-03-01

Sarcopenia is defined as a progressive and generalized loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength. The specific threshold of muscle weakness that leads to mobility limitations has not been identified. To determine the best cutoff point of handgrip strength for identifying mobility limitation and to investigate the factors associated with muscle weakness and mobility limitation in community-dwelling older people. Transversal study. Cities of Belo Horizonte, Barueri and Santa Cruz in Brazil. 1374 community-dwelling older people from the Frailty study in Brazilian older people (FIBRA Study). Outcomes included muscle weakness determined according to gender-specific handgrip strength cutoff points generated by Receiver Operating Characteristic curves, mobility limitation defined as a gait speed ≤ 0.8 m/s; and a combination of both muscle weakness and mobility limitation. Associated factors included socio-demographic variables, lifestyle, anthropometrics, health conditions, use of health services and disability. The cutoff points of handgrip strength with the best balancing between sensitivity and specificity for mobility limitation were 25.8 kgf for men (sensitivity 69%, specificity 73%) and 17.4 kgf (sensitivity 60%, specificity 66%) for women. Age and disability in instrumental activities of daily living were associated with all outcomes. Women had greater odds of mobility limitation than men. Physical inactivity, body fat, diabetes, depression, sleeping disturbances, number of medications and occurrence of falls remained as significant associated factors in the final model. Handgrip strength can be a useful tool to identify mobility limitation in clinical practice. Interventions to prevent or minimize impacts of sarcopenia should stimulate physical activity and improvement of body composition in addition to the management of chronic diseases and disabilities.

A Path Analysis to Identify the Psychosocial Factors Influencing Physical Activity and Bone Health in Middle-School Girls

PubMed Central

Sharma, Shreela V.; Hoelscher, Deanna M.; Kelder, Steven H.; Diamond, Pamela M.; Day, R. Sue; Hergenroeder, Albert C.

2011-01-01

Background The purpose of this study was to identify pathways used by psychosocial factors to influence physical activity and bone health in middle-school girls. Methods Baseline data from the Incorporating More Physical Activity and Calcium in Teens (IMPACT) study collected in 2001 to 2003 were used. IMPACT was a 1 1/2 years nutrition and physical activity intervention study designed to improve bone density in 717 middle-school girls in Texas. Structural Equations Modeling was used to examine the interrelationships and identify the direct and indirect pathways used by various psychosocial and environmental factors to influence physical activity and bone health. Results Results show that physical activity self-efficacy and social support (friend, family engagement, and encouragement in physical activity) had a significant direct and indirect influence on physical activity with participation in sports teams as the mediator. Participation in sports teams had a direct effect on both physical activity (β= 0.20, P < .05) and bone health and (β=0.13, P < .05). Conclusion The current study identified several direct and indirect pathways that psychosocial factors use to influence physical activity and bone health among adolescent girls. These findings are critical for the development of effective interventions for promoting bone health in this population. PMID:19953837

Identifying Frailty Levels and Associated Factors in a Population Living in the Context of Poverty and Social Vulnerability.

PubMed

Zazzetta, M S; Gomes, G A O; Orlandi, F S; Gratão, A C M; Vasilceac, F A; Gramani-Say, K; Ponti, M A; Castro, P C; Pavarini, S C I; Menezes, A L C; Nascimento, C M C; Cominetti, M R

2017-01-01

This study aimed to investigate a vulnerable population living in the context of poverty in a Brazilian municipality, in order to identify the factors that are associated with frailty syndrome in elderly people. From the total population living in the area, a random sample of 363 community-dwelling people, 60 years and older, age and gender-stratified, was selected to participate in the research. After losses, a sample of 304 older adults was classified as non-frail, pre-frail and frail. According to the Fried frailty criteria, the prevalence was 12.2% for non-frail individuals, 60.5% pre-frail and 27.3% frail. The main factors associated with frailty in the studied sample were low level of physical activity (OR: 5.2, 95%CI: 2.5-11.0), the occurrence of two or more falls within 12 months (OR: 3.1, 95%CI: 1.4-7.1), mobility deficits (OR: 3.0, 95%CI: 1.5-5.8), and depressive symptoms (OR: 1.9, 95%CI: 1.1-3.7). This study identified the most important factors that must be evaluated to identify frailty syndrome in a socially vulnerable population in the context of poverty. The data should help to encourage effective strategies concerning public health policies for this population.

A path analysis to identify the psychosocial factors influencing physical activity and bone health in middle-school girls.

PubMed

Sharma, Shreela V; Hoelscher, Deanna M; Kelder, Steven H; Diamond, Pamela M; Day, R Sue; Hergenroeder, Albert C

2009-09-01

The purpose of this study was to identify pathways used by psychosocial factors to influence physical activity and bone health in middle-school girls. Baseline data from the Incorporating More Physical Activity and Calcium in Teens (IMPACT) study collected in 2001 to 2003 were used. IMPACT was a 1 1/2 years nutrition and physical activity intervention study designed to improve bone density in 717 middle-school girls in Texas. Structural Equations Modeling was used to examine the interrelationships and identify the direct and indirect pathways used by various psychosocial and environmental factors to influence physical activity and bone health. Results show that physical activity self-efficacy and social support (friend, family engagement, and encouragement in physical activity) had a significant direct and indirect influence on physical activity with participation in sports teams as the mediator. Participation in sports teams had a direct effect on both physical activity (beta = 0.20, P < .05) and bone health and (beta = 0.13, P < .05). The current study identified several direct and indirect pathways that psychosocial factors use to influence physical activity and bone health among adolescent girls. These findings are critical for the development of effective interventions for promoting bone health in this population.

Examining American Indian Perspectives in the Central Region on Parent Involvement in Children's Education. Issues & Answers. REL 2008-No. 059

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mackety, Dawn M.; Linder-VanBerschot, Jennifer A.

2008-01-01

Parent involvement is recognized as an important factor in encouraging student achievement. However, a survey by the National Center for Education Statistics found that in public schools with 25 percent or more American Indian students, teachers identified lack of parent involvement as one of their schools' three most serious problems. At an…

Identifying Risk Factors for Drug Use in an Iranian Treatment Sample: A Prediction Approach Using Decision Trees.

PubMed

Amirabadizadeh, Alireza; Nezami, Hossein; Vaughn, Michael G; Nakhaee, Samaneh; Mehrpour, Omid

2018-05-12

Substance abuse exacts considerable social and health care burdens throughout the world. The aim of this study was to create a prediction model to better identify risk factors for drug use. A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted in South Khorasan Province, Iran. Of the total of 678 eligible subjects, 70% (n: 474) were randomly selected to provide a training set for constructing decision tree and multiple logistic regression (MLR) models. The remaining 30% (n: 204) were employed in a holdout sample to test the performance of the decision tree and MLR models. Predictive performance of different models was analyzed by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve using the testing set. Independent variables were selected from demographic characteristics and history of drug use. For the decision tree model, the sensitivity and specificity for identifying people at risk for drug abuse were 66% and 75%, respectively, while the MLR model was somewhat less effective at 60% and 73%. Key independent variables in the analyses included first substance experience, age at first drug use, age, place of residence, history of cigarette use, and occupational and marital status. While study findings are exploratory and lack generalizability they do suggest that the decision tree model holds promise as an effective classification approach for identifying risk factors for drug use. Convergent with prior research in Western contexts is that age of drug use initiation was a critical factor predicting a substance use disorder.

Alcohol Involvement in Homicide Victimization in the U.S

PubMed Central

Naimi, Timothy S.; Xuan, Ziming; Cooper, Susanna E.; Coleman, Sharon M.; Hadland, Scott E.; Swahn, Monica H.; Heeren, Timothy C.

2016-01-01

Background Although the association between alcohol and homicide is well documented, there has been no recent study of alcohol involvement in homicide victimization in U.S. states. The objective of this paper was to determine the prevalence of alcohol involvement in homicide victimization and identify socio-demographic and other factors associated with alcohol involvement in homicide victimization. Methods Data from homicide victims with a reported blood alcohol content (BAC) level were analyzed from 17 states from 2010–12 using the National Violent Death Reporting System. Logistic regression was used to investigate factors associated with the odds of homicide victims having a BAC ≥0.08%. Results Among all homicide victims, 39.9% had a positive BAC including 13.7% with a BAC between 0.01%–0.79% and 26.2% of victims with a BAC ≥0.08%. Males were twice as likely as females to have a BAC ≥0.08% (29.1% vs. 15.2%; p < 0.001). Characteristics that were independent predictors of homicide victims having a BAC ≥0.08 included male sex, American Indian/Alaska Native race, Hispanic ethnicity, history of intimate partner violence, and non-firearm homicides. Conclusions Alcohol is present in a substantial proportion of homicide victims in the U.S., with substantial variation by state, demographic and circumstantial characteristics. Future studies should explore the relationships between state-level alcohol policies and alcohol-involvement among perpetrators and victims of homicide. PMID:27676334

Leveraging blood serotonin as an endophenotype to identify de novo and rare variants involved in autism.

PubMed

Chen, Rui; Davis, Lea K; Guter, Stephen; Wei, Qiang; Jacob, Suma; Potter, Melissa H; Cox, Nancy J; Cook, Edwin H; Sutcliffe, James S; Li, Bingshan

2017-01-01

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is one of the most highly heritable neuropsychiatric disorders, but underlying molecular mechanisms are still unresolved due to extreme locus heterogeneity. Leveraging meaningful endophenotypes or biomarkers may be an effective strategy to reduce heterogeneity to identify novel ASD genes. Numerous lines of evidence suggest a link between hyperserotonemia, i.e., elevated serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine or 5-HT) in whole blood, and ASD. However, the genetic determinants of blood 5-HT level and their relationship to ASD are largely unknown. In this study, pursuing the hypothesis that de novo variants (DNVs) and rare risk alleles acting in a recessive mode may play an important role in predisposition of hyperserotonemia in people with ASD, we carried out whole exome sequencing (WES) in 116 ASD parent-proband trios with most (107) probands having 5-HT measurements. Combined with published ASD DNVs, we identified USP15 as having recurrent de novo loss of function mutations and discovered evidence supporting two other known genes with recurrent DNVs ( FOXP1 and KDM5B ). Genes harboring functional DNVs significantly overlap with functional/disease gene sets known to be involved in ASD etiology, including FMRP targets and synaptic formation and transcriptional regulation genes. We grouped the probands into High-5HT and Normal-5HT groups based on normalized serotonin levels, and used network-based gene set enrichment analysis (NGSEA) to identify novel hyperserotonemia-related ASD genes based on LoF and missense DNVs. We found enrichment in the High-5HT group for a gene network module (DAWN-1) previously implicated in ASD, and this points to the TGF-β pathway and cell junction processes. Through analysis of rare recessively acting variants (RAVs), we also found that rare compound heterozygotes (CHs) in the High-5HT group were enriched for loci in an ASD-associated gene set. Finally, we carried out rare variant group-wise transmission

IDENTIFYING ELEVEN FACTORS OF SERVICE MARKETING MIX (4PS) EFFECTIVE ON TENDENCY OF PATIENTS TOWARD PRIVATE HOSPITAL

PubMed Central

Hosseini, Seyed Mojtaba; Etesaminia, Samira; Jafari, Mehrnoosh

2016-01-01

Introduction: One of the important factors of correct management is to identify the reasons for patient tendency toward private hospitals. This study measures these factors based on service marketing mixes. Patients and methods: This study used a cross sectional descriptive methodology. The study was conducted during 6 months in 2015. The studied population included patients of private hospitals in Tehran. Random sampling was used (n = 200). Data was collected by an author-made questionnaire for service marketing factors. Reliability and validity of the questionnaire were confirmed. Data analysis was done using factor analysis test in SPSS 20. Results: The results showed that constant attendance of physicians and nurses has the highest effect (0.707%) on patient tendency toward private hospitals. PMID:27999486

Cause and Prevention of Explosions Involving DC Casting of Aluminum Sheet Ingot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richter, Ray T.; Ekenes, J. Martin

The casting of aluminum alloy sheet ingot and T-bar presents the potential for some of the most volatile situations that can occur in DC (direct chill) and EMC (Electromagnetic) casting processes. Aluminum Association explosion incident data from over 300 explosions spanning a twenty-year period were reviewed and analyzed looking for common factors and repetitive reasons for explosions. Analysis of explosions occurring during the three stages of sheet ingot casting, `start of cast', `steady state' and `end of cast', were examined and prioritized. Case studies illustrate the need for understanding both technical and non-technical factors contributing to explosions involving molten metal. This paper identifies the major causes of explosions involving DC casting of aluminum alloy sheet ingot and makes recommendations for how to prevent the recurrence of such events and minimize the risk of injury.

Application of positive matrix factorization to identify potential sources of PAHs in soil of Dalian, China.

PubMed

Wang, Degao; Tian, Fulin; Yang, Meng; Liu, Chenlin; Li, Yi-Fan

2009-05-01

Soil derived sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the region of Dalian, China were investigated using positive matrix factorization (PMF). Three factors were separated based on PMF for the statistical investigation of the datasets both in summer and winter. These factors were dominated by the pattern of single sources or groups of similar sources, showing seasonal and regional variations. The main sources of PAHs in Dalian soil in summer were the emissions from coal combustion average (46%), diesel engine (30%), and gasoline engine (24%). In winter, the main sources were the emissions from coal-fired boiler (72%), traffic average (20%), and gasoline engine (8%). These factors with strong seasonality indicated that coal combustion in winter and traffic exhaust in summer dominated the sources of PAHs in soil. These results suggested that PMF model was a proper approach to identify the sources of PAHs in soil.

Exome sequencing identifies MAX mutations as a cause of hereditary pheochromocytoma.

PubMed

Comino-Méndez, Iñaki; Gracia-Aznárez, Francisco J; Schiavi, Francesca; Landa, Iñigo; Leandro-García, Luis J; Letón, Rocío; Honrado, Emiliano; Ramos-Medina, Rocío; Caronia, Daniela; Pita, Guillermo; Gómez-Graña, Alvaro; de Cubas, Aguirre A; Inglada-Pérez, Lucía; Maliszewska, Agnieszka; Taschin, Elisa; Bobisse, Sara; Pica, Giuseppe; Loli, Paola; Hernández-Lavado, Rafael; Díaz, José A; Gómez-Morales, Mercedes; González-Neira, Anna; Roncador, Giovanna; Rodríguez-Antona, Cristina; Benítez, Javier; Mannelli, Massimo; Opocher, Giuseppe; Robledo, Mercedes; Cascón, Alberto

2011-06-19

Hereditary pheochromocytoma (PCC) is often caused by germline mutations in one of nine susceptibility genes described to date, but there are familial cases without mutations in these known genes. We sequenced the exomes of three unrelated individuals with hereditary PCC (cases) and identified mutations in MAX, the MYC associated factor X gene. Absence of MAX protein in the tumors and loss of heterozygosity caused by uniparental disomy supported the involvement of MAX alterations in the disease. A follow-up study of a selected series of 59 cases with PCC identified five additional MAX mutations and suggested an association with malignant outcome and preferential paternal transmission of MAX mutations. The involvement of the MYC-MAX-MXD1 network in the development and progression of neural crest cell tumors is further supported by the lack of functional MAX in rat PCC (PC12) cells and by the amplification of MYCN in neuroblastoma and suggests that loss of MAX function is correlated with metastatic potential.

A high-throughput virus-induced gene silencing protocol identifies genes involved in multi-stress tolerance

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Understanding the function of a particular gene under various stresses is important for engineering plants for broad-spectrum stress tolerance. Although virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) has been used to characterize genes involved in abiotic stress tolerance, currently available gene silencing and stress imposition methodology at the whole plant level is not suitable for high-throughput functional analyses of genes. This demands a robust and reliable methodology for characterizing genes involved in abiotic and multi-stress tolerance. Results Our methodology employs VIGS-based gene silencing in leaf disks combined with simple stress imposition and effect quantification methodologies for easy and faster characterization of genes involved in abiotic and multi-stress tolerance. By subjecting leaf disks from gene-silenced plants to various abiotic stresses and inoculating silenced plants with various pathogens, we show the involvement of several genes for multi-stress tolerance. In addition, we demonstrate that VIGS can be used to characterize genes involved in thermotolerance. Our results also showed the functional relevance of NtEDS1 in abiotic stress, NbRBX1 and NbCTR1 in oxidative stress; NtRAR1 and NtNPR1 in salinity stress; NbSOS1 and NbHSP101 in biotic stress; and NtEDS1, NbETR1, NbWRKY2 and NbMYC2 in thermotolerance. Conclusions In addition to widening the application of VIGS, we developed a robust, easy and high-throughput methodology for functional characterization of genes involved in multi-stress tolerance. PMID:24289810