Early childhood teachers\u27 self-reported beliefs and practices about play

This study examined early childhood teachers\u27 self-reported beliefs and practices about play. Three instruments were administered to 98 preschool teachers (58 in Study I and 40 in Study II) and 60 parents: The Preschool Teacher\u27s Beliefs and Practices about Play, The Modified Classroom Practices Inventory (CPI), and The Pre-K Survey of Beliefs and Practices. Study I was a pilot study in which test administration procedures and test construction of The Preschool Teachers\u27 Beliefs and Practices about Play were adjusted. In Study II, The Preschool Teachers\u27 Beliefs and Practices about Play was found to be reliable (internal consistency of the subscales ranged from . 72 to .95) and valid ( concurrent validity with Pre-K Survey of Beliefs and Practices, r = .87). Scores on the CPI were not correlated with the other instruments. Teachers\u27 beliefs and practices about play were highly correlated; parents\u27 beliefs about DAP were not significantly different from teachers\u27 beliefs about DAP. Interestingly, teachers\u27 beliefs about constructive play were significantly more teacher-directed than their beliefs about manipulative and pretend play; but there were no significant differences in their practices in the three categories of play. Teachers did not appear to value play as a way to promote the development of children\u27s thinking skills. These findings were congruent with responses to specific questions on the CPI where both parents and teachers indicated a belief in inappropriate practices ( e.g., the need for planned activities in specific academic content areas). The findings were discussed with regard to best practices in the field of early childhood education about how to balance teacher-directed and non-directed approaches to play-based preschool curricula

Program, Classroom, and Teachers Characteristics: Their Associations with Classroom Quality in State-Funded Pre-K Classrooms

With data from the NCEDL Multi-State Pre-Kindergarten Study, the relationship between the characteristics of program, classroom, and teachers and classroom quality was examined in this study. Classroom quality was measured by the Classroom Assessment Scoring System and the Emerging Academics Snapshot. The sample consisted of 227 pre-k teachers in state-funded programs from six states. The percentage of children from low-income families in the classroom and the number of children with limited English proficiency (the only two predictive variables that described children’s characteristics) were found to be statistically significant predictors of classroom process quality. These findings were discussed with regard to the need for more in-depth thinking about research on the relationship of structural quality and process quality in early childhood classrooms. The Snapshot was eliminated from the analyses because of low means and limited variances. In contrast to some literature, teacher qualification variables were not statistically significant predictors in this study. This was discussed with regard to the need for consistent definitions and measures of teacher qualifications and teacher training

Genome-wide analysis to predict protein sequence variations that change phosphorylation sites or their corresponding kinases

We define phosphovariants as genetic variations that change phosphorylation sites or their interacting kinases. Considering the essential role of phosphorylation in protein functions, it is highly likely that phosphovariants change protein functions and may constitute a proportion of the mechanisms by which genetic variations cause individual differences or diseases. We categorized phosphovariants into three subtypes and developed a system that predicts them. Our method can be used to screen important polymorphisms and help to identify the mechanisms of genetic diseases

Role of TNF-α on progressive glomerulosclerosis in Alport nephropathy

The pathomechanisms of the progression of chronic kidney diseases involve progressive glomerulosclerosis with renal parenchymal cell loss by proapoptotic factors. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) is a proapoptotic cytokine that is produced by macrophages as well as by a variety of cell types. TNF-α signaling regulates cell survival and death. Like in other inflammatory renal diseases, the increased intrarenal TNF-α expression contributes to the disease progression of Alport nephropathy, “a non-inflammatory” murine CKD model. I show that TNF-α expressed by podocytes as well as by infiltrating leukocytes progressively activates renal parenchymal cells, inducing apoptotic pathways that can trigger glomerulosclerosis in Alport disease. The blockade of TNF-α by etanercept prolonged mean survival of Col4a3-deficient mice. The beneficial effect on life span was associated with a significant improvement of the glomerulosclerosis, proteinuria, and the glomerular filtration rate (GFR). In particular, etanercept treatment significantly increased the number of glomerular podocytes (WT-1 and nephrin co-staining) and the renal mRNA expression of nephrin and podocin without affecting markers of renal inflammation. The increased number of podocytes was consistent with less TUNEL-positive podocytes that undergo apoptosis. Importantly, exogenous signals, e.g. infections or toxins, have the potential to regulate the influx of immune cells including dendritic cells, macrophages, neutrophils, and T cells. Here I report a large influx of leukocyte subsets that are mostly dendritic cells and macrophages in Col4a3-deficient mice as compared to wildtype mice. While bacterial endotoxin treatment had no effect on the renal disease progression, bacterial cytosine-guanine (CpG)-DNA exacerbated all aspects of Alport nephropathy and reduced the overall life span of Col4a3-deficient mice. This effect of CpG-DNA was associated with a significant increase of renal CD11b+/Ly6Chigh macrophages, intrarenal production of TNF-α, iNOS, IL-12, and CXCL10. CpG-DNA switched intrarenal macrophages from non-activated phenotype (M2) towards the classically activated form (M1). These M1 macrophages increased the secretion of TNF-α, which accelerated the disease progression of Alport nephropathy by inducing podocyte loss. Taken together, I demonstrated that TNF-α is a crucial cytokine which induces podocyte loss in the natural course of the progression of Alport nephropathy. Moreover, the expression of TNF-α is enhanced by selective exogenous factors, e.g. TLR9 activation, which alter the phenotype of renal macrophages towards the M1 phenotype. TNF-α blockade might therefore represent a novel therapeutical option to delay the progression of Alport nephropathy and potentially of other forms of glomerulosclerosis in non-inflammatory and inflammatory conditions.Die Pathogenese des chronischen Nierenversagens beinhaltet die progrediente Glomerulosklerose mit dem Verlust von Nierenparenchymzellen durch proapoptotische Faktoren. Tumor-Nekrose-Faktor-alpha (TNF-α) ist ein proapoptotisches Zytokin, das sowohl von Makrophagen als auch von einer Vielzahl anderer Zellen gebildet und freigesetzt wird. Der TNF-α Signalweg reguliert Zellüberleben und Zelltod. Wie in anderen inflammatorischen Nierenerkrankungen trägt die gesteigerte intrarenale TNF-α- Expression zum Fortschreiten der Alport-Nephropathie, einer "nicht-inflammatorischen" chronischen Nierenerkrankung, im Mausmodell bei. TNF-α, das in Podozyten und infiltrierenden Leukozyten experimiert wird, aktiviert Nierenparenchymzellen über apoptotische Signalwege, was zu Alport-Glomerulosklerose führen kann. In der vorliegenden Dissertation berichte ich, dass die Blockade von TNF-α durch Etanercept die Lebensdauer von Col4a3-defizienten Mäusen verlängerte. Dieser positive Effekt auf die Lebensspanne war mit einer signifikanten Verbesserung der Glomerulosklerose, der Proteinurie und der glomerulären Filtrationsrate (GFR) verbunden. Vor allem die Etanercept-Behandlung erhöhte signifikant die glomeruläre Podozytenzahl und die renale mRNA-Expression von Nephrin und Podocin, ohne jedoch Marker der renalen Inflammation zu beeinflussen. Die zunehmende Zahl der Podozyten war mit einer Abnahme apoptotischer Podozyten assoziiert. Desweiteren können exogene Stimuli, wie zum Beispiel Infektionen oder Toxine, die Rekrutierung von Immunzellen (dendritische Zellen, Makrophagen, Neutrophile, T-Lymphozyten) modulieren. Im Vergleich zu Nieren von Wildtyp-Mäusen beobachtete ich eine vermehrte Infiltration von Leukozyten, größtenteils bestehend aus dendritischen Zellen und Makrophagen in Col4a3-defizienten Nieren. Während das bakterielle Endotoxin LPS keinen Effekt auf die Progression des Krankheitsgeschehens hatte, führte die Stimulation mit Cytosine-Guanin-reicher DNA (CpG-DNA) zu einer Aggravation in allen Aspekten der Alport-Nephropathie und insbesondere zu einer verkürzten Lebensdauer der Col4a3-defizienten Mäuse. Dieser Effekt der CpG-DNA-Stimulation war assoziiert mit einer signifikant erhöhten Anzahl von renalen CD11b+/Ly6Chigh-Makrophagen sowie einer vermehrten intrarenalen Produktion von TNF-α, iNOS, IL-12 und CXCL10. CpG-DNA vermittelte die Makrophagen-Differenzierung vom unaktivierten M2-Phänotyp zum klassisch-aktivierten M1-Phänotyp. Interessanterweise sezernieren diese M1-Makrophagen vermehrt TNF-α, was die Progression der Alport-Nephropathie durch zusätzlichen Verlust von Podozyten beschleunigt. Zusammenfassend konnte ich zeigen, dass TNF-α ein entscheidendes Zytokin bei der Induktion des Podozytenverlustes in der Pathogenese der Alport-Nephropathie ist. Darüber hinaus wird die Expression von TNF-α durch einzelne exogene Stimuli wie z.B. TLR9-Aktivierung hochreguliert, was den Phänotyp der renalen Makrophagen in Richtung M1 verschiebt. Die TNF-α-Blockade könnte daher eine therapeutische Option im Rahmen der Behandlung der Alport-Nephropathie sowie anderer Formen der nicht-inflammatorischen und inflammatorischen Glomerulosklerose darstellen

Influence of roadkill during breeding migration on the sex ratio of land crab (Sesarma haematoche)

Adult land crabs generally live on land while their larvae live in the sea. In the case of Sesarma haematoche, female crabs migrate from land to sea to release the larvae at the high tide of syzygy night. Artificial structures along coastal areas are being obstacles for the migration of land crabs and causing synchronized roadkills on coastal roads during breeding migration. In this research, we compared the sex ratios of crab populations in coastal areas with coastal roads and uninhabited island areas with no road. The proportion of females in inland habitats with coastal roads was significantly smaller than island habitats. In particular, females are exposed to the risk of annually repeated roadkills, and the proportion of females decreases rapidly with their growth. If this tendency is general for land crab populations in the coastal areas with roads, significant road mortality of female land crabs during breeding migration can lead to severe population decline in coastal areas. Therefore, it is necessary to take an action to save land crabs crossing coastal roads

Broussonetia papyrifera Root Bark Extract Exhibits Anti-inflammatory Effects on Adipose Tissue and Improves Insulin Sensitivity Potentially Via AMPK Activation

The chronic low-grade inflammation in adipose tissue plays a causal role in obesity-induced insulin resistance and its associated pathophysiological consequences. In this study, we investigated the effects of extracts of Broussonetia papyrifera root bark (PRE) and its bioactive components on inflammation and insulin sensitivity. PRE inhibited TNF-alpha-induced NF-kappa B transcriptional activity in the NF-kappa B luciferase assay and pro-inflammatory genes' expression by blocking phosphorylation of I kappa B and NF-kappa B in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, which were mediated by activating AMPK. Ten-week-high fat diet (HFD)-fed C57BL6 male mice treated with PRE had improved glucose intolerance and decreased inflammation in adipose tissue, as indicated by reductions in NF-kappa B phosphorylation and pro-inflammatory genes' expression. Furthermore, PRE activated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and reduced lipogenic genes' expression in both adipose tissue and liver. Finally, we identified broussoflavonol B (BF) and kazinol J (KJ) as bioactive constituents to suppress pro-inflammatory responses via activating AMPK in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Taken together, these results indicate the therapeutic potential of PRE, especially BF or KJ, in metabolic diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes

Copy number variation at leptin receptor gene locus associated with metabolic traits and the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Recent efforts have been made to link complex human traits and disease susceptibility to DNA copy numbers. The leptin receptor (LEPR) has been implicated in obesity and diabetes. Mutations and genetic variations of <it>LEPR </it>gene have been discovered in rodents and humans. However, the association of DNA copy number variations at the <it>LEPR </it>gene locus with human complex diseases has not been reported. In an attempt to study DNA copy number variations associated with metabolic traits and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), we targeted the <it>LEPR </it>gene locus in DNA copy number analyses.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We identified DNA copy number variations at the <it>LEPR </it>gene locus among a Korean population using genome-wide SNP chip data, and then quantified copy numbers of the E2 DNA sequence in the first two exons overlapped between <it>LEPR </it>and <it>LEPROT </it>genes by the quantitative multiplex PCR of short fluorescent fragment (QMPSF) method. Among the non-diabetic subjects (n = 1,067), lower E2 DNA copy numbers were associated with higher fasting glucose levels in men (<it>p </it>= 1.24 × 10^-7) and women (<it>p </it>= 9.45 × 10^-5), as well as higher total cholesterol levels in men (<it>p </it>= 9.96 × 10^-7). In addition, the significant association between lower E2 DNA copy numbers and lower level of postprandial 2hr insulin was evident only in non-diabetic women, whereas some obesity-related phenotypes and total cholesterol level exhibited significant associations only in non-diabetic men. Logistic regression analysis indicated that lower E2 DNA copy numbers were associated with T2DM (odds ratio, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.26~2.96; p < 0.003) in our nested case-control study. Interestingly, the E2 DNA copy number exhibited a negative correlation with LEPR gene expression, but a positive correlation with LEPROT gene expression.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This work suggests that a structural variation at the <it>LEPR </it>gene locus is functionally associated with complex metabolic traits and the risk of T2DM.</p

Molecular characterization of the Tobacco rattle virus RNA2 genome isolated from Gladiolus

Tobacco rattle virus (TRV-K) was first identified in a symptomatic Gladiolus plant cultivated in Korea. We analyzed the TRV-K genome and compared its phylogeny with other TRV isolates. After constructing of a full-length genomic RNA2 strand clone, a complete sequence was generated from several overlapping clones. The cloned genome was 3261 bases in length, identical to TRV-K, and had three open reading frames. TRV-K had the highest sequence identity with the American isolate TRV-ORY. Sequence analysis of the RNA2 genome showed that TRV-K contains an intact 2a, 2b, and 2c coding sequence and an RNA1-related 3′ terminus, which is typical of TRV RNA2. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that TRV-K is in the same cluster as the American isolates and another Korean isolate, TRV-SK; however, it was in a different cluster than the European isolates

The Association Between Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) and Cancer Risk in Korea: A Prospective Cohort Study within the KoGES-HEXA Study

Several epidemiological studies have shown that there are consistently positive associations between dietary inflammatory index (DII (R)) scores and cancer incidence in Western populations. However, few DII-cancer studies have been conducted in East Asian populations. In a large cohort representative of the general Korean population, we investigated whether the DII is associated with overall cancer risk. A total of 163,660 participants (56,781 males and 106,879 females) had evaluable data for analyses. This follow-up study was carried out over the course of 7.9 years. DII scores were calculated based on Semi-Quantitative Food-Frequency Questionnaire (SQ-FFQ) data for 106 food items. Cancers were self-reported based on notification by the participants\u27 medical doctors. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). After the follow-up, 1643 incident cases of cancer (520 males and 1123 females) had developed. In a fully adjusted model, women in the highest DII quintile showed a 44% increased risk of getting cancer (HRQ5vsQ1 = 1.44; 95% CI = 1.14-1.82; p-trend = 0.0006), while men showed no apparent association (HRQ5vsQ1 = 0.80; 95% CI = 0.58-1.10). These results indicate that in Korean women, a more pro-inflammatory diet is associated with a higher risk of incident cancer