Generation of mice with a conditional allele for Trim33

Trim33 (Tif1Γ, ectodermin, moonshine), a member of the TIF1 family of transcriptional coactivators and corepressors, is a large nuclear protein that contains an N-terminal tripartite (Trim) domain composed of a RING domain, two B-box domains, and a coiled coil domain. It has been suggested that Trim33 (Ectodermin) mediates ectodermal induction in the Xenopus by functioning as a Smad4 ubiquitin ligase, while in the zebrafish Trim33 (moonshine) has been reported to act as a R-Smad binding protein in induction of erythroid differentiation. Since the developmental role of Trim33 in mammals is currently unknown, we generated mice carrying the conditional Trim33 ( Trim33 FX ) allele by flanking exons 2–4 encoding most of the functionally critical N-terminal tripartite domain by loxP sites. We confirmed the null genotype by using the EIIa-Cre transgenic approach to create mice that lack exons 2–4. Embryos deficient in Trim33 die during early somitogenesis, demonstrating that Trim33 plays an important nonredundant role in mammalian embryonic development. genesis 46:329–333, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/60227/1/20401_ftp.pd

Shade trees decrease pest abundances on brassica crops in Kenya

Agroforestry practices may mitigate the current loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services due to deforestation and agricultural intensification. To examine the effects of agroforestry on the ecosystem service of pest regulation, we assessed pest abundances and biological control potential in shaded and open kale (Brassica oleracea L. acephala) fields in Western Kenya. Specifically, we compared the abundance of pest aphids and caterpillars, ground-dwelling ants, spiders and predatory beetles, and examined aphid parasitism rates, predation rates on diamondback moth eggs, attack rates on surrogate caterpillars and bird predation on aphids. Shade trees effectively reduced abundances of aphids, caterpillars and increased abundances of spiders and predatory beetles, but neither affected ant abundances, or predation and parasitism rates. Our results suggest that presence of shade trees can decrease pest abundances, but that this is not only due to improved biological control by natural enemies but also due to microclimatic conditions affecting pest performance and bottom-up processes such as changes in plant quality and soil conditions. We encourage studies exploring simultaneously how top-down and bottom-up processes affect pest regulation in agroforestry settings

Radiation exposure to fetus from extremity CBCT examinations

Purpose: To evaluate fetal doses from extremity CBCT examinations at different stages of pregnancy and to investigate different methods of fetal dose optimization.Method: Fetal doses were measured in an anthropomorphic phantom for two CBCT examination protocols - knee and elbow. The measurements were made at three different heights representing the three trimesters during pregnancy and three different depths in the phantom. The effect of soft tissue layer, tube voltage, add-on device shield and body angulation on fetal dose were investigated.Results: The fetal doses in clinical examination protocols were in the range of 3.4 to 6.0 mu Gy during knee ex-aminations and 2.9 to 7.7 mu Gy during elbow examinations depending on the depth of the fetus and the stage of pregnancy. A soft tissue layer representing variative body composition above abdomen region decreased the fetal dose up to 19 % in knee and up to 21 % in elbow examinations. Using lower tube voltage decreased the fetal doses up to 45 % (knee) and 51 % (elbow). An add-on device shield decreased the fetal doses up to 91 % (knee) and up to 75 % (elbow). Turning the body away from the device bore reduced the fetal doses up to 62 %. The conversion factor to convert an entrance surface dose to the fetal dose ranged from 0.4 to 0.6.Conclusions: The fetal doses from CBCT examinations of extremities are low and do not produce a concern about radiation detriment to the fetus. The most efficient way found to reduce the fetal dose was to use the add-on device shielding.Peer reviewe

A Comprehensive User Modeling Framework and a Recommender System for Personalizing Well-Being Related Behavior Change Interventions: Development and Evaluation

publishedVersionPeer reviewe

Cross-sectional associations between the diversity of sport activities and the type of low back pain in adulthood

Leisure-time physical activity has a complex relationship with low back pain (LBP). Thus, we aimed to investigate whether the diversity of sport activities is associated with the type of LBP. In the FinnTwin16 study, 4246 (55% females) Finnish twins at mean age 34.1 years replied to a health behaviour survey in 2010-2012. Based on the participation in different sport activities, we created two measures of diversity: quantity (i.e. the number of sport activities: 1, 2, 3, 4 and >= 5) and quality (i.e. the type of sport activity: endurance, strength, body care, etc.). Based on the frequency, duration and type of LBP, we created three groups: no history of LBP lasting more than one day, radiating LBP and non-radiating LBP. The associations between the quantity and quality of sport activities and the type of LBP were investigated with logistic regression analyses. Participation in >= 5 sport activities associated with less radiating and non-radiating LBP in analyses pooled across sex (odds ratio 0.46, 95% CI 0.30-0.69 and 0.66, 0.44-0.99, respectively). However, the associations attenuated after adjusting for several confounders. Participation in endurance sports was associated with less radiating (0.58, 0.43-0.76) and non-radiating (0.60, 0.44-0.81) LBP, whereas strength sports and body care only with less radiating LBP (0.76, 0.58-1.00 and 0.26, 0.09-0.74, respectively) adjusted for all sport types. On a sport-specific level, running and cycling were associated with less radiating and non-radiating LBP. In adulthood, the diversity of sport activities, particularly participation in endurance sports, may be associated with less radiating and non-radiating LBP.Peer reviewe

Soluble Urokinase Plasminogen Activator Receptor (suPAR) in the Emergency Department (Ed): A Tool for the Assessment of Elderly Patients

Emergency department (ED) overcrowding is a global issue setting challenges to all care providers. Elderly patients are frequent visitors of the ED and their risk stratification is demanding due to insufficient assessment methods. A prospective cohort study was conducted to determine the risk-predicting value of a prognostic biomarker, soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR), in the ED, concentrating on elderly patients. SuPAR levels were determined as part of standard blood sampling of 1858 ED patients. The outcomes were assessed in the group o

Defective ALK5 signaling in the neural crest leads to increased postmigratory neural crest cell apoptosis and severe outflow tract defects

BACKGROUND: Congenital cardiovascular diseases are the most common form of birth defects in humans. A substantial portion of these defects has been associated with inappropriate induction, migration, differentiation and patterning of pluripotent cardiac neural crest stem cells. While TGF-β-superfamily signaling has been strongly implicated in neural crest cell development, the detailed molecular signaling mechanisms in vivo are still poorly understood. RESULTS: We deleted the TGF-β type I receptor Alk5 specifically in the mouse neural crest cell lineage. Failure in signaling via ALK5 leads to severe cardiovascular and pharyngeal defects, including inappropriate remodeling of pharyngeal arch arteries, abnormal aortic sac development, failure in pharyngeal organ migration and persistent truncus arteriosus. While ALK5 is not required for neural crest cell migration, our results demonstrate that it plays an important role in the survival of post-migratory cardiac neural crest cells. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that ALK5-mediated signaling in neural crest cells plays an essential cell-autonomous role in the pharyngeal and cardiac outflow tract development

Kaivannaisjätteen luokittelu pysyväksi – Louhinassa muodostuvat sivukivet

Kaivannaisjäte voidaan kaivannaisjäteasetuksen (379/2008) mukaisesti luokitella pysyväksi, kun kaivannaisjäte täyttää asetuksessa mainitut kriteerit. Oppaan tarkoituksena on auttaa kaivannaisalan toimijoita ja viranomaisia louhinnassa syntyvän kaivannaisjätteen luokittelussa pysyväksi. Oppaassa esitetään menettelyt kaivannaisteollisuudessa syntyvän sivukiven luokittelulle kaivannaisjäteasetuksen mukaisesti pysyväksi jokokansallisen pysyvien kivilajien luettelon tai tapauskohtaisen arvioinnin avulla

Generation of mice with a conditional allele for the p75 NTR neurotrophin receptor gene

The p75 NTR neurotrophin receptor has been implicated in multiple biological and pathological processes. While significant advances have recently been made in understanding the physiologic role of p75 NTR , many details and aspects remain to be determined. This is in part because the two existing knockout mouse models (Exons 3 or 4 deleted, respectively), both display features that defy definitive conclusions. Here we describe the generation of mice that carry a conditional p75 NTR (p75 NTR‐FX ) allele made by flanking Exons 4–6, which encode the transmembrane and all cytoplasmic domains, by loxP sites. To validate this novel conditional allele, both neural crest‐specific p75 NTR /Wnt1‐Cre mutants and conventional p75 NTR null mutants were generated. Both mutants displayed abnormal hind limb reflexes, implying that loss of p75 NTR in neural crest‐derived cells causes a peripheral neuropathy similar to that seen in conventional p75 NTR mutants. This novel conditional p75 NTR allele will offer new opportunities to investigate the role of p75 NTR in specific tissues and cells. genesis 49:862–869, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Periodicals, Inc.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/88029/1/20747_ftp.pd