Search

Interactive book reading (IBR) is an effective method to foster children's language development. Previous studies pointed at smaller gains for children at risk for language and literacy impairments due to socio-economic, ethnic, or minority background or due to home language. However, possible differences in interaction patterns with children at risk were not investigated. Therefore, this research provides an integrated view on input and interaction during reading with a group of at-risk and a group of not-at-risk children. Videos of small-group reading sessions were transcribed verbatim (16 hours, 53 minutes, and 23 seconds of IBR), divided into 18,995 single units of language and coded with a good interrater agreement (? = 0.84, p < 0.001). A literature-based detailed coding scheme was used for coding. Negative binomial models show similar general input patterns. However, upon closer examination, significant differences on specific features in reading between both groups are present, showing that IBR to children with an at-risk background is related to less stimulating input and interaction during reading. To counter Matthew effects and use the full potential of IBR for every group of children, it is imperative that teachers and other adult readers guarantee qualitative interaction on all input features during IBR.

Abstract Tau protein aggregates in several neurodegenerative disorders, referred to as tauopathies. The tau isoforms observed in post mortem human brain aggregates is used to classify tauopathies. However, distinguishing tauopathies ante mortem remains challenging, potentially due to differences between insoluble tau in aggregates and soluble tau in body fluids. Here, we demonstrated that tau isoforms differ between tauopathies in insoluble aggregates, but not in soluble brain extracts. We therefore characterized post-translational modifications of both the aggregated and the soluble tau protein obtained from post mortem human brain tissue of patients with Alzheimer’s disease, cortico-basal degeneration, Pick’s disease, and frontotemporal lobe degeneration. We found specific soluble signatures for each tauopathy and its specific aggregated tau isoforms: including ubiquitination on Lysine 369 for cortico-basal degeneration and acetylation on Lysine 311 for Pick’s disease. These findings provide potential targets for future development of fluid-based biomarker assays able to distinguish tauopathies in vivo.

A strong vocabulary is crucial for language acquisition and can profoundly influence academic and societal success. Interactive book reading (IBR) offers an effective approach for vocabulary instruction as it provides a dynamic and engaging word-learning context. However, as children progress from preschool to primary grades, the emphasis on IBR declines, despite the persistent need for comprehensive literacy education, particularly for emergent bilinguals. This study aims to uncover the reasons underlying the diminishing use of IBR and focuses on the dispositions (i.e., knowledge and beliefs) of pre-service teachers regarding L2 vocabulary instruction during IBR with emergent bilinguals. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 36 pre-service teachers in Flanders. Thematic analysis revealed a foundational knowledge base for vocabulary instruction during IBR, with most beliefs aligning with scientific evidence. Nevertheless, some beliefs contradicted research findings, particularly concerning the deliberate use of IBR to achieve specific learning objectives, harnessing students’ home languages and fully realizing IBR’s potential for optimal vocabulary acquisition. Furthermore, preconditions at the class, school, educational policy and parental levels emerged as crucial factors for effectively implementing vocabulary instruction during IBR. These findings serve as pivotal starting points for further refining pre-service teacher education and developing in-service professional development in Flanders.

In recent decades, a growing number of studies have addressed connections between ecological and evolutionary concepts in biologic invasions. These connections may be crucial for understanding the processes underlying invaders' success. However, the extent to which scientists have worked on the integration of the ecology and evolution of invasive plants is poorly documented, as few attempts have been made to evaluate these efforts in invasion biology research. Such analysis can facilitate recognize well-documented relationships and identify gaps in our knowledge. In this study, we used a network-based method for visualizing the connections between major aspects of ecology and evolution in the primary research literature. Using the family Poaceae as an example, we show that ecological concepts were more studied and better interconnected than were evolutionary concepts. Several possible connections were not documented at all, representing knowledge gaps between ecology and evolution of invaders. Among knowledge gaps, the concepts of plasticity, gene flow, epigenetics and human influence were particularly under-connected. We discuss five possible research avenues to better understand the relationships between ecology and evolution in the success of Poaceae, and of alien plants in general.

In recent decades, a growing number of studies have addressed connections between ecological and evolutionary concepts in biologic invasions. These connections may be crucial for understanding the processes underlying invaders' success. However, the extent to which scientists have worked on the integration of the ecology and evolution of invasive plants is poorly documented, as few attempts have been made to evaluate these efforts in invasion biology research. Such analysis can facilitate recognize well-documented relationships and identify gaps in our knowledge. In this study, we used a network-based method for visualizing the connections between major aspects of ecology and evolution in the primary research literature. Using the family Poaceae as an example, we show that ecological concepts were more studied and better interconnected than were evolutionary concepts. Several possible connections were not documented at all, representing knowledge gaps between ecology and evolution of invaders. Among knowledge gaps, the concepts of plasticity, gene flow, epigenetics and human influence were particularly under-connected. We discuss five possible research avenues to better understand the relationships between ecology and evolution in the success of Poaceae, and of alien plants in general.

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) accumulate in adipose tissue and some are described to possess endocrine disrupting capacities. Therefore, it is important to evaluate their effects on key endocrine pathways in adipose tissue (AT), to further evaluate their potential role in metabolic pathologies such as obesity.THE AIM IS TWOFOLD: (i) evaluate gene expression levels of obesity marker genes, i.e. the adipokines leptin (LEP), adiponectin (ADIPOQ) and Tumor Necrosis Factor α (TNFα) and the nuclear receptor, Peroxisome Proliferator Activated Receptor γ (PPARγ) in paired subcutaneous (SAT) and visceral (VAT) AT of obese subjects (n = 50) and to relate these values to serum concentrations of LEP and ADIPOQ (ii) evaluate the association of expression levels of marker genes in AT and serum with POP concentrations in AT.Leptin and adiponectin levels in serum were positively correlated to respectively expression levels of leptin in SAT and adiponectin in VAT. Our study shows more significant correlations between gene expression of obesity marker genes and POP concentrations in VAT compared to SAT. Since VAT is more important than SAT in pathologies associated with obesity, this suggests that POPs are able to influence the association between obesity and the development of associated pathologies. Moreover, this finding reveals the importance of VAT when investigating the obesogen hypothesis. Concerning PPARγ expression in VAT, negative correlations with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) concentrations were found in non T2D patients. LEP serum concentrations correlated with several PCBs in women whereas in men no correlations were found. This strengthens the potential importance of gender differences in obesity and within the obesogen hypothesis.

Recently the environmental obesogen hypothesis has been formulated, proposing a role for endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) in the development of obesity. To evaluate this hypothesis, a screening system for obesogenic compounds is urgently needed. In this study, we suggest a standardised protocol for obesogen screening based on the 3T3-L1 cell line, a well-characterised adipogenesis model, and direct fluorescent measurement using Nile red lipid staining technique. In a first phase, we characterised the assay using the acknowledged obesogens rosiglitazone and tributyltin. Based on the obtained dose-response curves for these model compounds, a lipid accumulation threshold value was calculated to ensure the biological relevance and reliability of statistically significant effects. This threshold based method was combined with the well described strictly standardized mean difference (SSMD) method for classification of non-, weak- or strong obesogenic compounds. In the next step, a range of EDCs, used in personal and household care products (parabens, musks, phthalates and alkylphenol compounds), were tested to further evaluate the obesogenicity screening assay for its discriminative power and sensitivity. Additionally, the peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ (PPARγ) dependency of the positive compounds was evaluated using PPARγ activation and antagonist experiments. Our results showed the adipogenic potential of all tested parabens, several musks and phthalate compounds and bisphenol A (BPA). PPARγ activation was associated with adipogenesis for parabens, phthalates and BPA, however not required for obesogenic effects induced by Tonalide, indicating the role of other obesogenic mechanisms for this compound.

Environmental pollutants have recently emerged as potential risk factors for metabolic diseases, urging systematic investigation of pollutant effects on metabolic disease processes. To enable risk assessment of these so-called metabolic disruptors the use of stable, robust and well-defined cell based screening systems has recently been encouraged. Since beta-cell (dys)functionality is central in diabetes pathophysiology, the need to develop beta-cell based pollutant screening systems is evident. In this context, the present research evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of the INS-1 832/13 pancreatic beta-cell line as diabetogenic pollutant screening system with a focus on beta-cell function. After optimization of exposure conditions, positive (exendin-4, glibenclamide) and negative (diazoxide) control compounds for acute insulin secretion responses were tested and those with the most profound effects were selected to allow potency estimations and ranking of pollutants. This was followed by a first explorative screening of acute bisphenol A and bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate effects. The same approach was applied for chronic exposures, focusing primarily on evaluation of acknowledged chronic stimulators (diazoxide, T0901317, exendin-4) or inhibitors (glibenclamide) of insulin secretion responses to select the most responsive ones for use as control compounds in a chronic pollutant testing framework. Our results showed that INS-1 832/13 cells responded conform previous observations regarding acute effects of control compounds on insulin secretion, while bisphenol A and bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate had limited acute effects. Furthermore, chronic exposure to known beta-cell reactive compounds resulted in deviating insulin secretion and insulin content profiles compared to previous reports. In conclusion, this INS-1 subclone appears to lack certain characteristics needed to respond appropriately to acute pollutant exposure or long term exposure to known beta-cell reactive compounds and thus seems to be, in our setting, inadequate as a diabetogenic pollutant screening system.

Abstract: Trichlorfon (TRC) is the most common organophosphorous insecticide used in aquaculture practices in Southeast Asian countries. Indiscriminate use of TRC can either damage or alter the enzymatic and hormonal activities in the living organisms. In this present study, therefore, toxicogenomic analyses using real time PCR was used to characterize expression levels of various genes in Pangasianodon hypophthalmus after exposure to three concentrations, the 96h 1/100LC50 (0.01mg/L), the 96h 1⁄10LC50 (0.1mg/L) and the 96h 1⁄2LC50 (0.5mg/L) of TRC for 6h, 24h, 96h, 7days, 14days, 28days and 56days respectively. The expression kinetics of stress and other cellular toxicity representative genes such as heat shock protein70 (HSP70), growth hormone, acetylcholinesterase (AChE), trypsinogen, cytochrome P4501B (CYP1B) and cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI) were investigated in liver and gills. TRC at a level of 0.1mg/L and 0.5mg/L induced a time and dose-dependent increase in the expression of the HSP70, COI and CYPIB while the transcript level of AChE, growth hormone and trypsinogen were significantly down-regulated. These results could permit to develop a “molecular biomarker system” which can be applied as a first-tier method of identifying contaminant exposure before effects at population level occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Strains of Nitrobacter mediate the second step in the nitrification process by oxidizing nitrite to nitrate. The phylogenetic diversity of the genus is currently not well investigated. In this study, a rep-PCR profile and the nearly complete 16S rRNA gene sequence of 30 strains, comprising a wide physiological as well as ecological diversity and encompassing representatives of the four species, were determined. The sequence diversity of the 16S rRNA gene between different species was low, indicating the need for additional phylogenetic markers. Therefore, primers were developed for amplifying the complete nxrX gene and a 380bp fragment of the nxrB1 gene, which are both genes involved in the nitrite oxidation process. These genes confirmed the division into phylogenetic groups revealed by the 16S rRNA gene but showed a better discriminatory power. They can be a valuable additional tool for phylogenetic analysis within the genus Nitrobacter and can assist in the identification of new Nitrobacter isolates. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]