Development of a Low-Cost Stem-Loop Real-Time Quantification PCR Technique for EBV miRNA Expression Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Bergallo, Massimiliano; Merlino, Chiara; Montin, Davide; Galliano, Ilaria; Gambarino, Stefano; Mareschi, Katia; Fagioli, Franca; Montanari, Paola; Martino, Silvana; Tovo, Pier-Angelo

2016-09-01

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short, single stranded, non-coding RNA molecules. They are produced by many different species and are key regulators of several physiological processes. miRNAs are also encoded by the genomes of multiple virus families, such as herpesvirus family. In particular, miRNAs from Epstein Barr virus were found at high concentrations in different associated pathologies, such as Burkitt's lymphoma, Hodgkin disease, and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Thanks to their stability, these molecules could possibly serve as biomarkers for EBV-associated diseases. In this study, a stem-loop real-time PCR for miR-BART2-5p, miR-BART15, and miR-BART22 EBV miRNAs detection and quantification has been developed. Evaluation of these miRNAs in 31 serum samples (12 from patients affected by primary immunodeficiency, 9 from X-linked agammaglobulinemia and 10 from healthy subjects) has been carried out. The amplification performance showed a wide dynamic range (10(8)-10(2) copies/reaction) and sensibility equal to 10(2) copies/reaction for all the target tested. Serum samples analysis, on the other hand, showed a statistical significant higher level of miR-BART22 in primary immunodeficiency patients (P = 0.0001) compared to other groups and targets. The results confirmed the potential use of this assay as a tool for monitoring EBV-associated disease and for miRNAs expression profile analysis.

Evaluation of miR-182/miR-100 Ratio for Diagnosis and Survival Prediction in Bladder Cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Zhanguo; Wu, Lili; Lin, Qi; Shi, Jing; Lin, Xiangyang; Shi, Liang

2016-09-01

Abnormal expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) plays an important role in development of several cancer types, including bladder cancer (BCa). However, the relationship between the ratio of miR-181/miR-100 and the prognosis of BCa has not been studied yet. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of miR-182, miR-100 and their clinical significance in BCa. Upregulation of miR-182 and down-regulation of miR-100 were validated in tissue specimens of 134 BCa cases compared with 148 normal bladder epithelia (NBE) specimens  using TaqMan-based real-time reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). The diagnostic and prognostic evaluation of miR-182, miR-100, and miR-182/miR-100 ratio was also performed. miR-182 was upregulated in BCa and miR-100 was down-regulated in BCa compared with NBE (P ratio increased the diagnostic performance, yielding an AUC of 0.981 (97.01% sensitivity and 90.54% specificity). Moreover, miR-182/miR-100 ratio was associated with pT-stage, histological grade, BCa recurrence and carcinoma in situ (P analysis indicated that miR-182/miR-100 ratio was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (Hazard ratio: 7.142; 95% CI: 2.106 - 9.891; P analysis revealed that high-level of miR-182/miR-100 ratio was significantly correlated with shortened survival time for BCa patients (P ratio may serve as a novel promising biomarker for diagnosis and survival prediction in BCa. Further studies are needed to elucidate the role of miR-182/miR-100 ratio as a non‑invasive diagnostic tool for BCa.

Clinical relevance of microRNA miR-21, miR-31, miR-92a, miR-101, miR-106a and miR-145 in colorectal cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schee, Kristina; Boye, Kjetil; Abrahamsen, Torveig Weum; Fodstad, Øystein; Flatmark, Kjersti

2012-01-01

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate gene expression by binding to mRNA, and can function as oncogenes or tumor suppressors depending on the target. In this study, using qRT-PCR, we examined the expression of six miRNAs (miR-21, miR-31, miR-92a, miR-101, miR-106a and miR-145) in tumors from 193 prospectively recruited patients with colorectal cancer, and associations with clinicopathological parameters and patient outcome were analyzed. The miRNAs were chosen based on previous studies for their biomarker potential and suggested biological relevance in colorectal cancer. The miRNA expression was examined by qRT-PCR. Associations between miRNA expression and clinicopathological variables were explored using Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis test while survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. MiR-101 was hardly expressed in the tumor samples, while for the other miRNAs, variable expression levels and expression ranges were observed, with miR-21 being most abundantly expressed relative to the reference (RNU44). In our study cohort, major clinical significance was demonstrated only for miR-31, as high expression was associated with advanced tumor stage and poor differentiation. No significant associations were found between expression of the investigated miRNAs and metastasis-free or overall survival. Investigating the expression of six miRNAs previously identified as candidate biomarkers in colorectal cancer, few clinically relevant associations were detected in our patient cohort. Our results emphasize the importance of validating potential tumor markers in independent patient cohorts, and indicate that the role of miRNAs as colorectal cancer biomarkers is still undetermined

Integrated approaches to miRNAs target definition: time-series analysis in an osteosarcoma differentiative model.

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Grilli, A; Sciandra, M; Terracciano, M; Picci, P; Scotlandi, K

2015-06-30

microRNAs (miRs) are small non-coding RNAs involved in the fine regulation of several cellular processes by inhibiting their target genes at post-transcriptional level. Osteosarcoma (OS) is a tumor thought to be related to a molecular blockade of the normal process of osteoblast differentiation. The current paper explores temporal transcriptional modifications comparing an osteosarcoma cell line, Saos-2, and clones stably transfected with CD99, a molecule which was found to drive OS cells to terminally differentiate. Parental cell line and CD99 transfectants were cultured up to 14 days in differentiating medium. In this setting, OS cells were profiled by gene and miRNA expression arrays. Integration of gene and miRNA profiling was performed by both sequence complementarity and expression correlation. Further enrichment and network analyses were carried out to focus on the modulated pathways and on the interactions between transcriptome and miRNome. To track the temporal transcriptional modification, a PCA analysis with differentiated human MSC was performed. We identified a strong (about 80 %) gene down-modulation where reversion towards the osteoblast-like phenotype matches significant enrichment in TGFbeta signaling players like AKT1 and SMADs. In parallel, we observed the modulation of several cancer-related microRNAs like miR-34a, miR-26b or miR-378. To decipher their impact on the modified transcriptional program in CD99 cells, we correlated gene and microRNA time-series data miR-34a, in particular, was found to regulate a distinct subnetwork of genes with respect to the rest of the other differentially expressed miRs and it appeared to be the main mediator of several TGFbeta signaling genes at initial and middle phases of differentiation. Integration studies further highlighted the involvement of TGFbeta pathway in the differentiation of OS cells towards osteoblasts and its regulation by microRNAs. These data underline that the expression of miR-34a and down

miR-192, miR-194 and miR-215: a convergent microRNA network suppressing tumor progression in renal cell carcinoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Khella, H W Z; Bakhet, M; Allo, G; Jewett, M A S; Girgis, A H; Latif, A; Girgis, H; Von Both, I; Bjarnason, G A; Yousef, G M

2013-10-01

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a crucial role in tumor progression and metastasis. We, and others, recently identified a number of miRNAs that are dysregulated in metastatic renal cell carcinoma compared with primary renal cell carcinoma. Here, we investigated three miRNAs that are significantly downregulated in metastatic tumors: miR-192, miR-194 and miR-215. Gain-of-function analyses showed that restoration of their expression decreases cell migration and invasion in renal cell carcinoma cell line models, whereas knockdown of these miRNAs resulted in enhancing cellular migration and invasion abilities. We identified three targets of these miRNAs with potential role in tumor aggressiveness: murine double minute 2, thymidylate synthase, and Smad Interacting protein 1/zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 2. We observed a convergent effect (the same molecule can be targeted by all three miRNAs) and a divergent effect (the same miRNA can control multiple targets) for these miRNAs. We experimentally validated these miRNA-target interactions using three independent approaches. First, we observed that miRNA overexpression significantly reduces the mRNA and protein levels of their targets. In the second, we observed significant reduction of the luciferase signal of a vector containing the 3'UTR of the target upon miRNA overexpression. Finally, we show the presence of inverse correlation between miRNA changes and the expression levels of their targets in patient specimens. We also examined the prognostic significance of miR-215 in renal cell carcinoma. Lower expression of miR-215 is associated with significantly reduced disease-free survival time. These findings were validated on an independent data set from The Cancer Genome Atlas. These results can pave the way to the clinical use of miRNAs as prognostic markers and therapeutic targets.

Potential role of miR-9 and miR-223 in recurrent ovarian cancer

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McGuinness Eamonn

2008-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background MicroRNAs (miRNAs are small, noncoding RNAs that negatively regulate gene expression by binding to target mRNAs. miRNAs have not been comprehensively studied in recurrent ovarian cancer, yet an incurable disease. Results Using real-time RT-PCR, we obtained distinct miRNA expression profiles between primary and recurrent serous papillary ovarian adenocarcinomas (n = 6 in a subset of samples previously used in a transcriptome approach. Expression levels of top dysregulated miRNA genes, miR-223 and miR-9, were examined using TaqMan PCR in independent cohorts of fresh frozen (n = 18 and FFPE serous ovarian tumours (n = 22. Concordance was observed on TaqMan analysis for miR-223 and miR-9 between the training cohort and the independent test cohorts. Target prediction analysis for the above miRNA "recurrent metastatic signature" identified genes previously validated in our transcriptome study. Common biological pathways well characterised in ovarian cancer were shared by miR-9 and miR-223 lists of predicted target genes. We provide strong evidence that miR-9 acts as a putative tumour suppressor gene in recurrent ovarian cancer. Components of the miRNA processing machinery, such as Dicer and Drosha are not responsible for miRNA deregulation in recurrent ovarian cancer, as deluded by TaqMan and immunohistochemistry. Conclusion We propose a miRNA model for the molecular pathogenesis of recurrent ovarian cancer. Some of the differentially deregulated miRNAs identified correlate with our previous transcriptome findings. Based on integrated transcriptome and miRNA analysis, miR-9 and miR-223 can be of potential importance as biomarkers in recurrent ovarian cancer.

Motivational counselling and SMS-reminders for reduction of daily sitting time in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thomsen, T; Aadahl, Mette; Beyer, Nina Ann-Marie

2016-01-01

for daily leisure time sitting > 4 h. The 16-week intervention included 1) three individual motivational counselling sessions and 2) individual text message reminders aimed at reducing daily sitting time. The control group was encouraged to maintain their usual lifestyles. Outcomes were assessed at baseline...... and screened before 20 met eligibility criteria and consented; reasons for declining study participation were mostly flares, lack of time and co-morbidities. One patient from the control group dropped out before end of intervention (due to a RA flare). Intervention participants completed all counselling...... tailored, theory-based behavioural intervention targeting reduction in daily sitting time in patients with RA. METHODS: A randomised, controlled trial with two parallel groups. RA patients >18 years of age and Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) score 

Evolution of the miR5200-FLOWERING LOCUS T flowering time regulon in the temperate grass subfamily Pooideae.

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McKeown, Meghan; Schubert, Marian; Preston, Jill C; Fjellheim, Siri

2017-09-01

Flowering time is a carefully regulated trait controlled primarily through the action of the central genetic regulator, FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT). Recently it was demonstrated that a microRNA, miR5200, targets the end of the second exon of FT under short-day photoperiods in the grass subfamily Pooideae, thus preventing FT transcripts from reaching threshold levels under non-inductive conditions. Pooideae are an interesting group in that they rapidly diversified from the tropics into the northern temperate region during a major global cooling event spanning the Eocene-Oligocene transition. We hypothesize that miR5200 photoperiod-sensitive regulation of Pooideae flowering time networks assisted their transition into northern seasonal environments. Here, we test predictions derived from this hypothesis that miR5200, originally found in bread wheat and later identified in Brachypodium distachyon, (1) was present in the genome of the Pooideae common ancestor, (2) is transcriptionally regulated by photoperiod, and (3) is negatively correlated with FT transcript abundance, indicative of miR5200 regulating FT. Our results demonstrate that miR5200 did evolve at or around the base of Pooideae, but only acquired photoperiod-regulated transcription within the Brachypodium lineage. Based on expression profiles and previous data, we posit that the progenitor of miR5200 was co-regulated with FT by an unknown mechanism. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evolutionary relationships between miRNA genes and their activity.

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Zhu, Yan; Skogerbø, Geir; Ning, Qianqian; Wang, Zhen; Li, Biqing; Yang, Shuang; Sun, Hong; Li, Yixue

2012-12-22

The emergence of vertebrates is characterized by a strong increase in miRNA families. MicroRNAs interact broadly with many transcripts, and the evolution of such a system is intriguing. However, evolutionary questions concerning the origin of miRNA genes and their subsequent evolution remain unexplained. In order to systematically understand the evolutionary relationship between miRNAs gene and their function, we classified human known miRNAs into eight groups based on their evolutionary ages estimated by maximum parsimony method. New miRNA genes with new functional sequences accumulated more dynamically in vertebrates than that observed in Drosophila. Different levels of evolutionary selection were observed over miRNA gene sequences with different time of origin. Most genic miRNAs differ from their host genes in time of origin, there is no particular relationship between the age of a miRNA and the age of its host genes, genic miRNAs are mostly younger than the corresponding host genes. MicroRNAs originated over different time-scales are often predicted/verified to target the same or overlapping sets of genes, opening the possibility of substantial functional redundancy among miRNAs of different ages. Higher degree of tissue specificity and lower expression level was found in young miRNAs. Our data showed that compared with protein coding genes, miRNA genes are more dynamic in terms of emergence and decay. Evolution patterns are quite different between miRNAs of different ages. MicroRNAs activity is under tight control with well-regulated expression increased and targeting decreased over time. Our work calls attention to the study of miRNA activity with a consideration of their origin time.

The 'reformation' of counselling

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G.A. Lotter

2001-08-01

Full Text Available Although the Reformation took place some four hundred years ago, one area in which reformation is really needed today is the counselling of people. Since Wilhelm Wundt started the “study of the mind” in 1879, William James and Sigmund Freud followed and secular psychology gradually has developed to take the “front seat”; hence moving Biblical counselling, which has been practised since the times of the New Testament, to the “back burner”. This development had been going on for the greater part of the 20th century, up to the publication of Competent to Counsel by Jay E. Adams in 1970. In the model for counselling suggested by Adams, the principles of the Reformation of the sixteenth century, Soli Deo Gloria, Soli Scriptura, Soli Fidei, Sola Gratia, etc. were again implemented in assisting and counselling people with personal and interpersonal problems. The epistomological and anthropological approach of secular psychology differs radically from that of Biblical principles, thus necessitating a new “reformation” of counselling. Within this new form counselling, inter alia, implies the following: the Word of God has its rightful place, sin has to be taken seriously and the work of the Holy Spirit should be recognised. In this article it is proposed that the “reformation” of counselling was started by scholars with a Biblical Reformational approach and that this method of counselling followed the parameters of the Reformation of the sixteenth century. This “reformation” developed into a new direction in counselling and still continues today with fascinating new frontiers opening up for Biblical counselling.

MiR-29c regulates the expression of miR-34c and miR-449a by targeting DNA methyltransferase 3a and 3b in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Niu, Man; Gao, Dan; Wen, Qiuyuan; Wei, Pingpin; Pan, Suming; Shuai, Cijun; Ma, Huiling; Xiang, Juanjuan; Li, Zheng; Fan, Songqing; Li, Guiyuan; Peng, Shuping

2016-01-01

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is prevalent in South East Asia and Southern China particularly, despite the reported 5-year survival ratio is relative higher than other deadly cancers such as liver, renal, pancreas cancer, the lethality is characterized by high metastatic potential in the early stage and high recurrence rate after radiation treatment. MicroRNA-29c was found to be down-regulated in the serum as well as in the tissue of nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissue. In this study, we found accidentally that the transfection of pre-miR-29c or miR-29c mimics significantly increases the expression level of miR-34c and miR-449a but doesn’t affect that of miR-222 using real-time quantitative PCR in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines. To explore the molecular mechanism of the regulatory role, the cells are treated with 5-Aza-2-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-CdR) treatment and the level of miR-34c and miR-449a but not miR-222 accumulated by the treatment. DNA methyltransferase 3a, 3b were down-regulated by the 5-Aza-CdR treatment with western blot and real-time quantitative PCR. We found that pre-miR-29c or miR-29c mimics significantly increases the expression level of miR-34c and miR-449a. We further found DNA methyltransferase 3a and 3b are the target gene of miR-29c. Restoration of miR-29c in NPC cells down-regulated DNA methyltransferase 3a, 3b, but not DNA methyltransferase T1. The regulation of miR-29c/DNMTs/miR-34c/449a is an important molecular axis of NPC development and targeting DNMTs or restoring of miR-29c might be a promising therapy strategy for the prevention of NPC

Early Sámi visual artists - Western fine art meets Sámi culture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tuija Hautala-Hirvioja

2014-04-01

modernization and assimilation. Therefore, I also discuss how the conflicts of the time influenced the art of these three early Sámi artists.

Diagnostic accuracy of serum miR-122 and miR-199a in women with endometriosis.

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Maged, Ahmed M; Deeb, Wesam S; El Amir, Azza; Zaki, Sherif S; El Sawah, Heba; Al Mohamady, Maged; Metwally, Ahmed A; Katta, Maha A

2018-04-01

To evaluate the value of serum microRNA-122 (miR-122) and miR-199a as reliable noninvasive biomarkers in the diagnosis of endometriosis. During 2015-2016, at a teaching hospital in Egypt, a prospective cohort study was conducted on 45 women with pelvic endometriosis and 35 women who underwent laparoscopy for pelvic pain but were not diagnosed with endometriosis. Blood and peritoneal fluid (PF) samples were collected; interleukin-6 (IL-6) was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and miR-122 and miR-199a expression was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The serum and PF levels of IL-6, miR-122, and miR-199a were significantly higher in women with endometriosis than in controls (Pendometriosis. Serum miR-122 and miR-199a were significantly increased in endometriosis, indicating that these microRNAs might serve as biomarkers for the diagnosis of endometriosis. © 2017 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.

Association of miR-548c-5p, miR-7-5p, miR-210-3p, miR-128-3p with recurrence in systemically untreated breast cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Block, Ines; Burton, Mark; Sørensen, Kristina Pilekær

2018-01-01

. To validate their prognostic potential, we analyzed microRNA expression in an independent cohort (n = 110) using a pairmatched study design minimizing dependence of classical markers. The expression of hsa-miR-548c-5p was significantly associated with abridged disease-free survival (hazard ratio [HR]:1.96, p...... = 0.027). Contradicting published results, high hsa-miR516-3p expression was associated with favorable outcome (HR:0.29, p = 0.0068). The association is probably time-dependent indicating later relapse. Additionally, re-analysis of previously published expression data of two matching cohorts (n = 100......, n = 255) supports an association of hsa-miR-128-3p with shortened diseasefree survival (HR:2.48, p = 0.0033) and an upregulation of miR-7-5p (p = 0.0038; p = 0.039) and miR-210-3p (p = 0.031) in primary tumors of patients who experienced metastases. Further analysis may verify the prognostic...

[Group counselling for the second trimester ultrasound: can group counselling be an alternative for individual counselling?].

Science.gov (United States)

de Lau, Hinke; Depmann, Martine; Laeven, Yvo J M; Stoutenbeek, Philip H; Pistorius, Lou R; van Beek, Erik; Schuitemaker, Nico W E

2013-01-01

To compare group counselling to individual counselling with respect to the second trimester ultrasound. A prospective cohort study at two hospitals. At one hospital, 100 pregnant women were counselled on the risks and benefits of the second trimester ultrasound in groups of up to 15 patients. Shortly before the ultrasound they were asked to fill out a questionnaire. Results were compared to 100 women who were counselled individually at another hospital. The primary outcome was the level of informed choice whether or not to undergo the ultrasound, defined as sufficient knowledge and a value-consistent decision. The secondary outcome measures were level of understanding of the second trimester ultrasound and the degree of satisfaction with the counselling. The resulting level of informed choice was 87.0% after group counselling compared to 79.4% after individual counselling (p = 0.47). The mean knowledge score was 8.8 for the women who attended group counselling; women who were individually counselled had a mean score of 7.4 (p counselling was 7.0 for group counselling and 6.2 for individual counselling (p group counselling was associated with higher post-counselling knowledge and satisfaction scores. Group counselling should therefore be considered as an alternative counselling method.

Counselling adults who experience a first seizure.

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Legg, Karen T; Newton, Mark

2017-07-01

A first seizure can result in significant uncertainty, fear and apprehension. One of the key roles of the clinician in the setting of first seizure is to provide accurate, timely information and counselling. We review the numerous components to be considered when counselling an adult patient after a first seizure. We provide a framework and manner to provide that counselling. We focus on an individualized approach and provide recommendations and information on issues of diagnosis, etiology, prognosis, the role and importance of medical testing, lifestyle considerations, driving, medication and other key counselling considerations. Accurate, timely counselling can allay fears and anxieties, remove misconceptions and reduce the risk for injury in seizure recurrence. Copyright © 2016 British Epilepsy Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis decreases human macrophage IFN-γ responsiveness through miR-132 and miR-26a.

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Ni, Bin; Rajaram, Murugesan V S; Lafuse, William P; Landes, Michelle B; Schlesinger, Larry S

2014-11-01

IFN-γ-activated macrophages play an essential role in controlling intracellular pathogens; however, macrophages also serve as the cellular home for the intracellular pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Based on previous evidence that M. tuberculosis can modulate host microRNA (miRNA) expression, we examined the miRNA expression profile of M. tuberculosis-infected primary human macrophages. We identified 31 differentially expressed miRNAs in primary human macrophages during M. tuberculosis infection by NanoString and confirmed our findings by quantitative real-time RT-PCR. In addition, we determined a role for two miRNAs upregulated upon M. tuberculosis infection, miR-132 and miR-26a, as negative regulators of transcriptional coactivator p300, a component of the IFN-γ signaling cascade. Knockdown expression of miR-132 and miR-26a increased p300 protein levels and improved transcriptional, translational, and functional responses to IFN-γ in human macrophages. Collectively, these data validate p300 as a target of miR-132 and miR-26a, and demonstrate a mechanism by which M. tuberculosis can limit macrophage responses to IFN-γ by altering host miRNA expression. Copyright © 2014 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.

miRConnect: Identifying Effector Genes of miRNAs and miRNA Families in Cancer Cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hua, Youjia; Duan, Shiwei; Murmann, Andrea E

2011-01-01

have generated custom data sets containing expression information of 54 miRNA families sharing the same seed match. We have developed a novel strategy for correlating miRNAs with individual genes based on a summed Pearson Correlation Coefficient (sPCC) that mimics an in silico titration experiment......micro(mi)RNAs are small non-coding RNAs that negatively regulate expression of most mRNAs. They are powerful regulators of various differentiation stages, and the expression of genes that either negatively or positively correlate with expressed miRNAs is expected to hold information....... By focusing on the genes that correlate with the expression of miRNAs without necessarily being direct targets of miRNAs, we have clustered miRNAs into different functional groups. This has resulted in the identification of three novel miRNAs that are linked to the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT...

Expression profiling of miR-96, miR-584 and miR-422a in colon ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Purpose: To determine the correlation between miRNAs; miR-96, miR-422a and miR584, and colon cancer, and also to test whether any of these miRNAs can act as non-invasive biomarkers in colon cancer. Methods: The tumor samples and the corresponding normal mucosa used in this study were collected from 60 ...

Identification of miR-93 as a suitable miR for normalizing miRNA in plasma of tuberculosis patients.

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Barry, Simone E; Chan, Brian; Ellis, Magda; Yang, YuRong; Plit, Marshall L; Guan, Guangyu; Wang, Xiaolin; Britton, Warwick J; Saunders, Bernadette M

2015-07-01

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major public health issue. New tests to aid diagnoses and monitor the response to therapy are urgently required. There is growing interest in the use of microRNA (miRNA) profiles as diagnostic, prognostic or predictive markers in a range of clinical and infectious diseases, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, however, challenges exist to accurately normalise miRNA levels in cohorts. This study examined the appropriateness of 12 miRs and RNU6B to normalise circulating plasma miRNA levels in individuals with active TB from 2 different geographical and ethnic regions. Twelve miRs (let-7, miR-16, miR-22, miR-26, miR-93, miR-103, miR-191, miR-192, miR-221, miR-423, miR-425 and miR-451) and RNU6B were selected based on their reported production by lung cells, expression in blood and previous use as a reference miRNA. Expression levels were analysed in the plasma of newly diagnosed TB patients from Australia and China compared with individuals with latent TB infection and healthy volunteers. Analysis with both geNorm and NormFinder software identified miR-93 as the most suitable reference miR in both cohorts, either when analysed separately or collectively. Interestingly, there were large variations in the expression levels of some miRs, in particular miR-192 and let-7, between the two cohorts, independent of disease status. These data identify miR-93 is a suitable reference miR for normalizing miRNA levels in TB patients, and highlight how environmental, and possibly ethnic, factors influence miRNA expression levels, demonstrating the necessity of assessing the suitability of reference miRs within the study population. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine.

Cardiovascular Risk and Statin Eligibility of Young Adults After an MI: Partners YOUNG-MI Registry.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Avinainder; Collins, Bradley L; Gupta, Ankur; Fatima, Amber; Qamar, Arman; Biery, David; Baez, Julio; Cawley, Mary; Klein, Josh; Hainer, Jon; Plutzky, Jorge; Cannon, Christopher P; Nasir, Khurram; Di Carli, Marcelo F; Bhatt, Deepak L; Blankstein, Ron

2018-01-23

Despite significant progress in primary prevention, the rate of MI has not declined in young adults. The purpose of this study was to evaluate statin eligibility based on the 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines for treatment of blood cholesterol and 2016 U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations for statin use in primary prevention in a cohort of adults who experienced a first-time myocardial infarction (MI) at a young age. The YOUNG-MI registry is a retrospective cohort from 2 large academic centers, which includes patients who experienced an MI at age ≤50 years. Diagnosis of type 1 MI was adjudicated by study physicians. Pooled cohort risk equations were used to estimate atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk score based on data available prior to MI or at the time of presentation. Of 1,685 patients meeting inclusion criteria, 210 (12.5%) were on statin therapy prior to MI and were excluded. Among the remaining 1,475 individuals, the median age was 45 years, there were 294 (20%) women, and 846 (57%) had ST-segment elevation MI. At least 1 cardiovascular risk factor was present in 1,225 (83%) patients. The median 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk score of the cohort was 4.8% (interquartile range: 2.8% to 8.0%). Only 724 (49%) and 430 (29%) would have met criteria for statin eligibility per the 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines and 2016 U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations, respectively. This finding was even more pronounced in women, in whom 184 (63%) were not eligible for statins by either guideline, compared with 549 (46%) men (p adults who present with an MI at a young age would not have met current guideline-based treatment thresholds for statin therapy prior to their MI. These findings highlight the need for better risk assessment tools among young adults. Copyright © 2018 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by

MiRNA-155 and miRNA-132 as potential diagnostic biomarkers for pulmonary tuberculosis: A preliminary study.

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Zheng, Meng-Li; Zhou, Nai-Kang; Luo, Cheng-Hua

2016-11-01

In our study, we aimed to profile a panel microRNAs (miRNAs) as potential biomarkers for the early diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and to illuminate the molecular mechanisms in the development of PTB. Firstly, gene expression profile of E-GEOD-49951 was downloaded from ArrayExpress database, and quantile-adjusted conditional maximum likelihood method was utilized to identify statistical difference between miRNAs of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB)-infected individuals and healthy subjects. Furthermore, in order to assess the performance of our methodology, random forest (RF) classification model was utilized to identify the top 10 miRNAs with better Area Under The Curve (AUC) using 10-fold cross-validation method. Additionally, Monte Carlo Cross-Validation was repeated 50 times to explore the best miRNAs. In order to learn more about the differentially-expressed miRNAs, the target genes of differentially-expressed miRNAs were retrieved from TargetScan database and Ingenuity Pathways Analysis (IPA) was used to screen out biological pathways where target genes were involved. After normalization, a total of 478 miRNAs with higher than 0.25-fold quantile average across all samples were required. Based on the differential expression analysis, 38 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified when the significance was set as false discovery rate (FDR) < 0.01. Among the top 10 differentially expressed miRNAs, miRNA-155 obtained a highest AUC value 0.976, showing a good performance between PTB and control groups. Similarly, miRNA-449a, miRNA-212 and miRNA-132 revealed also a good performance with AUC values 0.947, 0.931 and 0.930, respectively. Moreover, miRNA-155, miRNA-449a, miRNA-29b-1* and miRNA-132 appeared in 50, 49, 49 and 48 bootstraps. Thus, miRNA-155 and miRNA-132 might be important in the progression of PTB and thereby, might present potential signatures for diagnosis of PTB. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Early Psychological Counseling for the Prevention of Posttraumatic Stress Induced by Acute Coronary Syndrome: The MI-SPRINT Randomized Controlled Trial.

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von Känel, Roland; Barth, Jürgen; Princip, Mary; Meister-Langraf, Rebecca E; Schmid, Jean-Paul; Znoj, Hansjörg; Herbert, Claudia; Schnyder, Ulrich

2018-01-01

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS)-induced posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and clinically significant PTSD symptoms (PTSS) are found in 4 and 12% of patients, respectively. We hypothesized that trauma-focused counseling prevents the incidence of ACS-induced PTSS. Within 48 h of hospital admission, 190 patients with high distress during ACS were randomized to a single-session intervention of either trauma-focused counseling or an active control intervention targeting the general role of stress in patients with heart disease. Blind interviewer-rated PTSS (primary outcome) and additional health outcomes were assessed at 3 months of follow-up. Trial results about prevalence were compared with data from previous studies on the natural incidence of ACS-induced PTSS/PTSD. Intention-to-treat analyses revealed no difference in interviewer-rated PTSS between trauma-focused counseling (mean, 11.33; 95% Cl, 9.23-13.43) and stress counseling (9.88; 7.36-12.40; p = 0.40), depressive symptoms (6.01, 4.98-7.03, vs. 4.71, 3.65-5.77; p = 0.08), global psychological distress (5.15, 4.07-6.23, vs. 3.80, 2.60-5.00; p = 0.11), and the risk for cardiovascular-related hospitalization/all-cause mortality (OR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.37-1.23). Self-rated PTSS indicated less beneficial effects with trauma-focused (6.54; 4.95-8.14) versus stress counseling (3.74; 2.39-5.08; p = 0.017). The completer analysis (154 cases) confirmed these findings. The prevalence rates of interviewer-rated PTSD (0.5%, 1/190) and self-rated PTSS were in this trial much lower than in meta-analyses and observation studies from the same cardiology department. Benefits were not seen for trauma-focused counseling when compared with an active control intervention. Nonetheless, in distressed ACS patients, individual, single-session, early psychological counseling shows potential as a means to prevent posttraumatic responses, but trauma-focused early treatments should probably be avoided. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Measurement of target and double-spin asymmetries for the mi>e>→<mi>p→→eπ+(n>) reaction in the nucleon resonance region at low mi>Q>2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zheng, X.; Adhikari, K. P.; Bosted, P.; Deur, A.; Drozdov, V.; El Fassi, L.; Kang, Hyekoo; Kovacs, K.; Kuhn, S.; Long, E.; Phillips, S. K.; Ripani, M.; Slifer, K.; Smith, L. C.; Adikaram, D.; Akbar, Z.; Amaryan, M. J.; Anefalos Pereira, S.; Asryan, G.; Avakian, H.; Badui, R. A.; Ball, J.; Baltzell, N. A.; Battaglieri, M.; Batourine, V.; Bedlinskiy, I.; Biselli, A. S.; Briscoe, W. J.; Bültmann, S.; Burkert, V. D.; Carman, D. S.; Celentano, A.; Chandavar, S.; Charles, G.; Chen, J. -P.; Chetry, T.; Choi, Seonho; Ciullo, G.; Clark, L.; Colaneri, L.; Cole, P. L.; Compton, N.; Contalbrigo, M.; Crede, V.; D' Angelo, A.; Dashyan, N.; De Vita, R.; De Sanctis, E.; Djalali, C.; Dodge, G. E.; Dupre, R.; Egiyan, H.; El Alaoui, A.; Elouadrhiri, L.; Eugenio, P.; Fanchini, E.; Fedotov, G.; Fersch, R.; Filippi, A.; Fleming, J. A.; Gevorgyan, N.; Ghandilyan, Y.; Gilfoyle, G. P.; Giovanetti, K. L.; Girod, F. X.; Gleason, C.; Golovach, E.; Gothe, R. W.; Griffioen, K. A.; Guidal, M.; Guler, N.; Guo, L.; Hanretty, C.; Harrison, N.; Hattawy, M.; Hicks, K.; Holtrop, M.; Hughes, S. M.; Ilieva, Y.; Ireland, D. G.; Ishkhanov, B. S.; Isupov, E. L.; Jenkins, D.; Jiang, H.; Jo, H. S.; Joosten, S.; Keller, D.; Khachatryan, G.; Khandaker, M.; Kim, A.; Kim, W.; Klein, F. J.; Kubarovsky, V.; Lanza, L.; Lenisa, P.; Livingston, K.; MacGregor, I. J. D.; Markov, N.; McKinnon, B.; Mirazita, M.; Mokeev, V.; Movsisyan, A.; Munevar, E.; Munoz Camacho, C.; Murdoch, G.; Nadel-Turonski, P.; Net, L. A.; Ni, A.; Niccolai, S.; Niculescu, G.; Niculescu, I.; Osipenko, M.; Ostrovidov, A. I.; Paolone, M.; Paremuzyan, R.; Park, K.; Pasyuk, E.; Peng, P.; Pisano, S.; Pogorelko, O.; Price, J. W.; Puckett, A. J. R.; Raue, B. A.; Rizzo, A.; Rosner, G.; Rossi, P.; Roy, P.; Sabatié, F.; Salgado, C.; Schumacher, R. A.; Sharabian, Y. G.; Skorodumina, Iu.; Smith, G. D.; Sokhan, D.; Sparveris, N.; Stankovic, I.; Strakovsky, I. I.; Strauch, S.; Taiuti, M.; Tian, Ye; Ungaro, M.; Voskanyan, H.; Voutier, E.; Walford, N. K.; Watts, D. P.; Wei, X.; Weinstein, L. B.; Wood, M. H.; Zachariou, N.; Zhang, J.; Zonta, I.

2016-10-01

We report measurements of target- and double-spin asymmetries for the exclusive channel mi>e>→<mi>p→→eπ+(n>) in the nucleon resonance region at Jefferson Lab using the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS). These asymmetries were extracted from data obtained using a longitudinally polarized NH3 target and a longitudinally polarized electron beam with energies 1.1, 1.3, 2.0, 2.3, and 3.0 GeV. The new results are consistent with previous CLAS publications but are extended to a low Q² range from 0.0065 to 0.35 (GeV/c)². The Q² access was made possible by a custom-built Cherenkov detector that allowed the detection of electrons for scattering angles as low as 6 degrees. These results are compared with the unitary isobar models JANR and MAID, the partial-wave analysis prediction from SAID, and the dynamic model DMT. In many kinematic regions our results, in particular results on the target asymmetry, help to constrain the polarization-dependent components of these models.

Genetic versus Non-Genetic Regulation of miR-103, miR-143 and miR-483-3p Expression in Adipose Tissue and Their Metabolic Implications—A Twin Study

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Jette Bork-Jensen

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Murine models suggest that the microRNAs miR-103 and miR-143 may play central roles in the regulation of subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT and development of type 2 diabetes (T2D. The microRNA miR-483-3p may reduce adipose tissue expandability and cause ectopic lipid accumulation, insulin resistance and T2D. We aimed to explore the genetic and non-genetic factors that regulate these microRNAs in human SAT, and to investigate their impact on metabolism in humans. Levels of miR-103, miR-143 and miR-483-3p were measured in SAT biopsies from 244 elderly monozygotic and dizygotic twins using real-time PCR. Heritability estimates were calculated and multiple regression analyses were performed to study associations between these microRNAs and measures of metabolism, as well as between these microRNAs and possible regulating factors. We found that increased BMI was associated with increased miR-103 expression levels. In addition, the miR-103 levels were positively associated with 2 h plasma glucose levels and hemoglobin A1c independently of BMI. Heritability estimates for all three microRNAs were low. In conclusion, the expression levels of miR-103, miR-143 and miR-483-3p in adipose tissue are primarily influenced by non-genetic factors, and miR-103 may be involved in the development of adiposity and control of glucose metabolism in humans.

An integrative genomic approach reveals coordinated expression of intronic miR-335, miR-342, and miR-561 with deregulated host genes in multiple myeloma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Agnelli Luca

2008-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The role of microRNAs (miRNAs in multiple myeloma (MM has yet to be fully elucidated. To identify miRNAs that are potentially deregulated in MM, we investigated those mapping within transcription units, based on evidence that intronic miRNAs are frequently coexpressed with their host genes. To this end, we monitored host transcript expression values in a panel of 20 human MM cell lines (HMCLs and focused on transcripts whose expression varied significantly across the dataset. Methods miRNA expression was quantified by Quantitative Real-Time PCR. Gene expression and genome profiling data were generated on Affymetrix oligonucleotide microarrays. Significant Analysis of Microarrays algorithm was used to investigate differentially expressed transcripts. Conventional statistics were used to test correlations for significance. Public libraries were queried to predict putative miRNA targets. Results We identified transcripts specific to six miRNA host genes (CCPG1, GULP1, EVL, TACSTD1, MEST, and TNIK whose average changes in expression varied at least 2-fold from the mean of the examined dataset. We evaluated the expression levels of the corresponding intronic miRNAs and identified a significant correlation between the expression levels of MEST, EVL, and GULP1 and those of the corresponding miRNAs miR-335, miR-342-3p, and miR-561, respectively. Genome-wide profiling of the 20 HMCLs indicated that the increased expression of the three host genes and their corresponding intronic miRNAs was not correlated with local copy number variations. Notably, miRNAs and their host genes were overexpressed in a fraction of primary tumors with respect to normal plasma cells; however, this finding was not correlated with known molecular myeloma groups. The predicted putative miRNA targets and the transcriptional profiles associated with the primary tumors suggest that MEST/miR-335 and EVL/miR-342-3p may play a role in plasma cell homing and

Factors for Personal Counseling among Counseling Trainees

Science.gov (United States)

Byrne, J. Stephen; Shufelt, Brett

2014-01-01

The present study explored the use of counseling among counselor trainees and the characteristics of consumers and nonconsumers. Approximately 61% of those surveyed (n = 85) reported that they had received counseling, with the majority being mental health counseling trainees. Nonconsumers (n = 54) indicated that they coped with problems in other…

Circulating miR-192 and miR-193b are markers of prediabetes and are modulated by an exercise intervention.

Science.gov (United States)

Párrizas, Marcelina; Brugnara, Laura; Esteban, Yaiza; González-Franquesa, Alba; Canivell, Sílvia; Murillo, Serafín; Gordillo-Bastidas, Elizabeth; Cussó, Roser; Cadefau, Joan A; García-Roves, Pablo M; Servitja, Joan-Marc; Novials, Anna

2015-03-01

Diabetes is frequently diagnosed late, when the development of complications is almost inevitable, decreasing the quality of life of patients. However, early detection of affected individuals would allow the implementation of timely and effective therapies. Here we set to describe the profile of circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) in prediabetic patients with the intention of identifying novel diagnostic and therapeutic tools. We used real-time RT-PCR to measure the abundance of 176 miRNAs in serum of a cohort of 92 control and prediabetic individuals with either impaired fasting glucose or impaired glucose tolerance, as well as newly diagnosed diabetic patients. We validated the results in a second cohort of control and prediabetic subjects undergoing a therapeutic exercise intervention, as well as in a mouse model of glucose intolerance. We identified two miRNAs, miR-192 and miR-193b, whose abundance is significantly increased in the prediabetic state but not in diabetic patients. Strikingly, these miRNAs are also increased in plasma of glucose-intolerant mice. Moreover, circulating levels of miR-192 and miR-193b return to baseline in both prediabetic humans and glucose-intolerant mice undergoing a therapeutic intervention consisting in chronic exercise, which succeeded in normalizing metabolic parameters. Our data show that the pattern of circulating miRNAs is modified by defects in glucose metabolism in a similar manner in mice and humans. This circulating miRNA signature for prediabetes could be used as a new diagnostic tool, as well as to monitor response to intervention.

miRSeqNovel

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Qian, Kui; Auvinen, Eeva; Greco, Dario

2012-01-01

We present miRSeqNovel, an R based workflow for miRNA sequencing data analysis. miRSeqNovel can process both colorspace (SOLiD) and basespace (Illumina/Solexa) data by different mapping algorithms. It finds differentially expressed miRNAs and gives conservative prediction of novel miRNA candidates...... with customized parameters. miRSeqNovel is freely available at http://sourceforge.net/projects/mirseq/files....

Circulating miRNAs miR-34a and miR-150 associated with colorectal cancer progression

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Aherne, S.T.; Madden, S.F.; Hughes, D. J.; Pardini, B.; Naccarati, A.; Levý, M.; Vodička, Pavel; Neary, P.; Dowling, P.; Clynes, M.

2015-01-01

Roč. 15, apr 30 (2015), s. 2-13 ISSN 1471-2407 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP304/10/1286 Institutional support: RVO:68378041 Keywords : colorectal cancer * circulating miRNAs * miR-34a * miR-150 * miR-923 Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 3.265, year: 2015

Increased Brain-Specific MiR-9 and MiR-124 in the Serum Exosomes of Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qiuhong Ji

Full Text Available The aims of this study were to examine the alternation in serum exosome concentrations and the levels of serum exosomal miR-9 and miR-124, two brain-specific miRNAs, in acute ischemic stroke (AIS patients and to explore the predictive values of these miRNAs for AIS diagnosis and damage evaluation. Sixty-five patients with AIS at the acute stage were enrolled and 66 non-stroke volunteers served as controls. Serum exosomes isolated by ExoQuick precipitations were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, nanoparticle-tracking analysis and western blotting. The levels of exosomal miR-9 and miR-124 were determined by real-time quantitative PCR. Compared with controls, the concentration of serum exosomes and the median levels of serum exosomal miR-9 and miR-124 were significantly higher in AIS patients (p<0.01. The levels of both miR-9 and miR-124 were positively correlated with National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS scores, infarct volumes and serum concentrations of IL-6. The areas under the curve for exosomal miR-9 and miR-124 were 0.8026 and 0.6976, respectively. This proof of concept study suggests that serum exosomal miR-9 and miR-124 are promising biomarkers for diagnosing AIS and evaluating the degree of damage caused by ischemic injury. However, further studies are needed to explore the potential roles of the exosomes released from brain tissues in post stroke complications.

miREE: miRNA recognition elements ensemble

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Background Computational methods for microRNA target prediction are a fundamental step to understand the miRNA role in gene regulation, a key process in molecular biology. In this paper we present miREE, a novel microRNA target prediction tool. miREE is an ensemble of two parts entailing complementary but integrated roles in the prediction. The Ab-Initio module leverages upon a genetic algorithmic approach to generate a set of candidate sites on the basis of their microRNA-mRNA duplex stability properties. Then, a Support Vector Machine (SVM) learning module evaluates the impact of microRNA recognition elements on the target gene. As a result the prediction takes into account information regarding both miRNA-target structural stability and accessibility. Results The proposed method significantly improves the state-of-the-art prediction tools in terms of accuracy with a better balance between specificity and sensitivity, as demonstrated by the experiments conducted on several large datasets across different species. miREE achieves this result by tackling two of the main challenges of current prediction tools: (1) The reduced number of false positives for the Ab-Initio part thanks to the integration of a machine learning module (2) the specificity of the machine learning part, obtained through an innovative technique for rich and representative negative records generation. The validation was conducted on experimental datasets where the miRNA:mRNA interactions had been obtained through (1) direct validation where even the binding site is provided, or through (2) indirect validation, based on gene expression variations obtained from high-throughput experiments where the specific interaction is not validated in detail and consequently the specific binding site is not provided. Conclusions The coupling of two parts: a sensitive Ab-Initio module and a selective machine learning part capable of recognizing the false positives, leads to an improved balance between

About miRNAs, miRNA seeds, target genes and target pathways.

Science.gov (United States)

Kehl, Tim; Backes, Christina; Kern, Fabian; Fehlmann, Tobias; Ludwig, Nicole; Meese, Eckart; Lenhof, Hans-Peter; Keller, Andreas

2017-12-05

miRNAs are typically repressing gene expression by binding to the 3' UTR, leading to degradation of the mRNA. This process is dominated by the eight-base seed region of the miRNA. Further, miRNAs are known not only to target genes but also to target significant parts of pathways. A logical line of thoughts is: miRNAs with similar (seed) sequence target similar sets of genes and thus similar sets of pathways. By calculating similarity scores for all 3.25 million pairs of 2,550 human miRNAs, we found that this pattern frequently holds, while we also observed exceptions. Respective results were obtained for both, predicted target genes as well as experimentally validated targets. We note that miRNAs target gene set similarity follows a bimodal distribution, pointing at a set of 282 miRNAs that seems to target genes with very high specificity. Further, we discuss miRNAs with different (seed) sequences that nonetheless regulate similar gene sets or pathways. Most intriguingly, we found miRNA pairs that regulate different gene sets but similar pathways such as miR-6886-5p and miR-3529-5p. These are jointly targeting different parts of the MAPK signaling cascade. The main goal of this study is to provide a general overview on the results, to highlight a selection of relevant results on miRNAs, miRNA seeds, target genes and target pathways and to raise awareness for artifacts in respective comparisons. The full set of information that allows to infer detailed results on each miRNA has been included in miRPathDB, the miRNA target pathway database (https://mpd.bioinf.uni-sb.de).

miRiadne: a web tool for consistent integration of miRNA nomenclature.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonnal, Raoul J P; Rossi, Riccardo L; Carpi, Donatella; Ranzani, Valeria; Abrignani, Sergio; Pagani, Massimiliano

2015-07-01

The miRBase is the official miRNA repository which keeps the annotation updated on newly discovered miRNAs: it is also used as a reference for the design of miRNA profiling platforms. Nomenclature ambiguities generated by loosely updated platforms and design errors lead to incompatibilities among platforms, even from the same vendor. Published miRNA lists are thus generated with different profiling platforms that refer to diverse and not updated annotations. This greatly compromises searches, comparisons and analyses that rely on miRNA names only without taking into account the mature sequences, which is particularly critic when such analyses are carried over automatically. In this paper we introduce miRiadne, a web tool to harmonize miRNA nomenclature, which takes into account the original miRBase versions from 10 up to 21, and annotations of 40 common profiling platforms from nine brands that we manually curated. miRiadne uses the miRNA mature sequence to link miRBase versions and/or platforms to prevent nomenclature ambiguities. miRiadne was designed to simplify and support biologists and bioinformaticians in re-annotating their own miRNA lists and/or data sets. As Ariadne helped Theseus in escaping the mythological maze, miRiadne will help the miRNA researcher in escaping the nomenclature maze. miRiadne is freely accessible from the URL http://www.miriadne.org. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Pharmaco-miR

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rukov, Jakob Lewin; Wilentzik, Roni; Jaffe, Ishai

2014-01-01

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short regulatory RNAs that down-regulate gene expression. They are essential for cell homeostasis and active in many disease states. A major discovery is the ability of miRNAs to determine the efficacy of drugs, which has given rise to the field of 'miRNA pharmacogenomics......' through 'Pharmaco-miRs'. miRNAs play a significant role in pharmacogenomics by down-regulating genes that are important for drug function. These interactions can be described as triplet sets consisting of a miRNA, a target gene and a drug associated with the gene. We have developed a web server which...... links miRNA expression and drug function by combining data on miRNA targeting and protein-drug interactions. miRNA targeting information derive from both experimental data and computational predictions, and protein-drug interactions are annotated by the Pharmacogenomics Knowledge base (Pharm...

Genetic variation in IL-16 miRNA target site and time to prostate cancer diagnosis in African American men

Science.gov (United States)

Hughes, Lucinda; Ruth, Karen; Rebbeck, Timothy R.; Giri, Veda N.

2013-01-01

Background Men with a family history of prostate cancer and African American men are at high risk for prostate cancer and in need of personalized risk estimates to inform screening decisions. This study evaluated genetic variants in genes encoding microRNA (miRNA) binding sites for informing of time to prostate cancer diagnosis among ethnically-diverse, high-risk men undergoing prostate cancer screening. Methods The Prostate Cancer Risk Assessment Program (PRAP) is a longitudinal screening program for high-risk men. Eligibility includes men ages 35-69 with a family history of prostate cancer or African descent. Participants with ≥ 1 follow-up visit were included in the analyses (n=477). Genetic variants in regions encoding miRNA binding sites in four target genes (ALOX15, IL-16, IL-18, and RAF1) previously implicated in prostate cancer development were evaluated. Genotyping methods included Taqman® SNP Genotyping Assay (Applied Biosystems) or pyrosequencing. Cox models were used to assess time to prostate cancer diagnosis by risk genotype. Results Among 256 African Americans with ≥ one follow-up visit, the TT genotype at rs1131445 in IL-16 was significantly associated with earlier time to prostate cancer diagnosis vs. the CC/CT genotypes (p=0.013), with a suggestive association after correction for false-discovery (p=0.065). Hazard ratio after controlling for age and PSA for TT vs. CC/CT among African Americans was 3.0 (95% CI 1.26-7.12). No association to time to diagnosis was detected among Caucasians by IL-16 genotype. No association to time to prostate cancer diagnosis was found for the other miRNA target genotypes. Conclusions Genetic variation in IL-16 encoding miRNA target site may be informative of time to prostate cancer diagnosis among African American men enrolled in prostate cancer risk assessment, which may inform individualized prostate cancer screening strategies in the future. PMID:24061634

The efficacy of motivational counseling and SMS-reminders on daily sitting time in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Esbensen, Bente Appel; Thomsen, Tanja; Hetland, Merete L

2015-01-01

group receiving usual care. The intervention includes: 1) individual motivational counseling (in total 3 sessions) on reduction of daily sitting time in combination with 2) individual Short Text Message Service (SMS) reminders over a 16-week intervention period. Primary outcome is change in daily...... that SB can be reduced by behavioural interventions in healthy populations. However, it remains unexplored whether it is valid for patients with RA also. Therefore, the aim of this trial is to investigate the efficacy of an individually tailored, theory-based motivational counseling intervention......, and finally to assess the cost-effectiveness of the intervention. METHODS/DESIGN: For this parallel group randomized trial, 150 patients with RA and at least 5 hours of sitting time per day, will be recruited from a rheumatology outpatient clinic, and block-randomized to the intervention group or the control...

Time-sequential changes of differentially expressed miRNAs during the process of anterior lumbar interbody fusion using equine bone protein extract, rhBMP-2 and autograft

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Da-Fu; Zhou, Zhi-Yu; Dai, Xue-Jun; Gao, Man-Man; Huang, Bao-Ding; Liang, Tang-Zhao; Shi, Rui; Zou, Li-Jin; Li, Hai-Sheng; Bünger, Cody; Tian, Wei; Zou, Xue-Nong

2014-03-01

The precise mechanism of bone regeneration in different bone graft substitutes has been well studied in recent researches. However, miRNAs regulation of the bone formation has been always mysterious. We developed the anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) model in pigs using equine bone protein extract (BPE), recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) on an absorbable collagen sponge (ACS), and autograft as bone graft substitute, respectively. The miRNA and gene expression profiles of different bone graft materials were examined using microarray technology and data analysis, including self-organizing maps, KEGG pathway and Biological process GO analyses. We then jointly analyzed miRNA and mRNA profiles of the bone fusion tissue at different time points respectively. Results showed that miRNAs, including let-7, miR-129, miR-21, miR-133, miR-140, miR-146, miR-184, and miR-224, were involved in the regulation of the immune and inflammation response, which provided suitable inflammatory microenvironment for bone formation. At late stage, several miRNAs directly regulate SMAD4, Estrogen receptor 1 and 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin) receptor 2C for bone formation. It can be concluded that miRNAs play important roles in balancing the inflammation and bone formation.

Indigenous counseling: A needed area in school counseling in Nigeria

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Indigenous counselling has not been given attention in Nigeria's school counselling programme. This counselling gap was created by European colonialism, which succeeded in developing in the minds of the African that anything indigenous is local, unscientific and unorthodox. Indigenous counselling is one of the ...

Virginia Tech's Cook Counseling Center receives international counseling accreditation

OpenAIRE

DeLauder, Rachel

2010-01-01

The Virginia Tech Thomas E. Cook Counseling Center has been accredited by the International Association of Counseling Services, Inc., an organization of United States, Canadian, and Australian counseling agencies based in Alexandria, Va.

Viruses and miRNAs: More Friends than Foes.

Science.gov (United States)

Bruscella, Patrice; Bottini, Silvia; Baudesson, Camille; Pawlotsky, Jean-Michel; Feray, Cyrille; Trabucchi, Michele

2017-01-01

There is evidence that eukaryotic miRNAs (hereafter called host miRNAs) play a role in the replication and propagation of viruses. Expression or targeting of host miRNAs can be involved in cellular antiviral responses. Most times host miRNAs play a role in viral life-cycles and promote infection through complex regulatory pathways. miRNAs can also be encoded by a viral genome and be expressed in the host cell. Viral miRNAs can share common sequences with host miRNAs or have totally different sequences. They can regulate a variety of biological processes involved in viral infection, including apoptosis, evasion of the immune response, or modulation of viral life-cycle phases. Overall, virus/miRNA pathway interaction is defined by a plethora of complex mechanisms, though not yet fully understood. This article review summarizes recent advances and novel biological concepts related to the understanding of miRNA expression, control and function during viral infections. The article also discusses potential therapeutic applications of this particular host-pathogen interaction.

34A, miRNA-944, miRNA-101 and miRNA-218 in cervical cancer

African Journals Online (AJOL)

RNAs (21 - 24 nucleotides in length) that are critical for many important processes such as development, ... RNA extraction and reverse transcription. Total RNA was extracted from each of the experimental groups using ... used as an endogenous control to normalize the expression of miRNA-143, miRNA-34A, miRNA-.

Application of WRF - SWAT OpenMI 2.0 based models integration for real time hydrological modelling and forecasting

Science.gov (United States)

Bugaets, Andrey; Gonchukov, Leonid

2014-05-01

Intake of deterministic distributed hydrological models into operational water management requires intensive collection and inputting of spatial distributed climatic information in a timely manner that is both time consuming and laborious. The lead time of the data pre-processing stage could be essentially reduced by coupling of hydrological and numerical weather prediction models. This is especially important for the regions such as the South of the Russian Far East where its geographical position combined with a monsoon climate affected by typhoons and extreme heavy rains caused rapid rising of the mountain rivers water level and led to the flash flooding and enormous damage. The objective of this study is development of end-to-end workflow that executes, in a loosely coupled mode, an integrated modeling system comprised of Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) atmospheric model and Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT 2012) hydrological model using OpenMI 2.0 and web-service technologies. Migration SWAT into OpenMI compliant involves reorganization of the model into a separate initialization, performing timestep and finalization functions that can be accessed from outside. To save SWAT normal behavior, the source code was separated from OpenMI-specific implementation into the static library. Modified code was assembled into dynamic library and wrapped into C# class implemented the OpenMI ILinkableComponent interface. Development of WRF OpenMI-compliant component based on the idea of the wrapping web-service clients into a linkable component and seamlessly access to output netCDF files without actual models connection. The weather state variables (precipitation, wind, solar radiation, air temperature and relative humidity) are processed by automatic input selection algorithm to single out the most relevant values used by SWAT model to yield climatic data at the subbasin scale. Spatial interpolation between the WRF regular grid and SWAT subbasins centroid (which are

Expression profiling of miR-96, miR-584 and miR-422a in colon ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

. Lower miRNA ... Thus, the ratio of miR-96/miR-638 in plasma is a potential non- ... leading cause of cancer related deaths. ... breast cancer cells have revealed a total of 51 ... Corresponding negative control ..... The American Joint Committee.

34 CFR 106.36 - Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling... Programs or Activities Prohibited § 106.36 Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials. (a) Counseling. A recipient shall not discriminate against any person on the basis of sex in the counseling or...

Identification and expression analysis of miR-144-5p and miR-130b-5p in dairy cattle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Z. Li

2017-07-01

Full Text Available MicroRNAs (miRNAs can coordinate the main pathways involved in innate and adaptive immune responses by regulating gene expression. To explore the resistance to mastitis in cows, miR-144-5p and miR-130b-5p were identified in bovine mammary gland tissue and 14 potential target genes belonging to the chemokine signaling pathway, the arginine and proline metabolism pathway and the mRNA surveillance pathway were predicted. Subsequently, we estimated the relative expression of miR-144-5p and miR-130b-5p in cow mammary tissues by using stem-loop quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The results showed that the relative expression of miR-144-5p and miR-130b-5p in the mastitis-infected mammary tissues (n = 5 was significantly downregulated 0.14-fold (p < 0. 01 and upregulated 3.34-fold (p < 0. 01, respectively, compared to healthy tissues (n = 5. Our findings reveal that miR-144-5p and miR-130b-5p may have important roles in resistance to mastitis in dairy cattle.

45 CFR 618.425 - Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling... Activities Prohibited § 618.425 Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials. (a) Counseling. A recipient shall not discriminate against any person on the basis of sex in the counseling or guidance of...

45 CFR 2555.425 - Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling... Activities Prohibited § 2555.425 Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials. (a) Counseling. A recipient shall not discriminate against any person on the basis of sex in the counseling or guidance of...

32 CFR 196.425 - Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling... Programs or Activities Prohibited § 196.425 Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials. (a) Counseling. A recipient shall not discriminate against any person on the basis of sex in the counseling or...

Circulating microRNA (miRNA Expression Profiling in Plasma of Patients with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Reveals Upregulation of miRNA miR-330-3p

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guido Sebastiani

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM is characterized by insulin resistance accompanied by low/absent beta-cell compensatory adaptation to the increased insulin demand. Although the molecular mechanisms and factors acting on beta-cell compensatory response during pregnancy have been partially elucidated and reported, those inducing an impaired beta-cell compensation and function, thus evolving in GDM, have yet to be fully addressed. MicroRNAs (miRNAs are a class of small endogenous non-coding RNAs, which negatively modulate gene expression through their sequence-specific binding to 3′UTR of mRNA target. They have been described as potent modulators of cell survival and proliferation and, furthermore, as orchestrating molecules of beta-cell compensatory response and function in diabetes. Moreover, it has been reported that miRNAs can be actively secreted by cells and found in many biological fluids (e.g., serum/plasma, thus representing both optimal candidate disease biomarkers and mediators of tissues crosstalk(s. Here, we analyzed the expression profiles of circulating miRNAs in plasma samples obtained from n = 21 GDM patients and from n = 10 non-diabetic control pregnant women (24–33 weeks of gestation using TaqMan array microfluidics cards followed by RT-real-time PCR single assay validation. The results highlighted the upregulation of miR-330-3p in plasma of GDM vs non-diabetics. Furthermore, the analysis of miR-330-3p expression levels revealed a bimodally distributed GDM patients group characterized by high or low circulating miR-330 expression and identified as GDM-miR-330high and GDM-miR-330low. Interestingly, GDM-miR-330high subgroup retained lower levels of insulinemia, inversely correlated to miR-330-3p expression levels, and a significant higher rate of primary cesarean sections. Finally, miR-330-3p target genes analysis revealed major modulators of beta-cell proliferation and of insulin secretion, such as the

Counseling on Sun Protection and Indoor Tanning.

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Balk, Sophie J; Gottschlich, Elizabeth A; Holman, Dawn M; Watson, Meg

2017-12-01

The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends clinical counseling for individuals ages 10 to 24 years to decrease skin cancer risk. A national, random sample of US American Academy of Pediatrics members practicing primary care in 2002 (response rate 55%) and 2015 (response rate 43%). Surveys explored attitudes and experiences regarding sun protection counseling; indoor tanning questions were added in 2015. χ 2 tests compared demographics and counseling responses across years, and multivariable logistic regression models examined counseling predictors. More pediatricians in 2015 (34%) than in 2002 (23%) reported discussing sun protection during recent summer months with ≥75% of patients. This pattern held across all patient age groups (each P tanning at least once with 10 to 13 year-old patients; approximately half discussed this with older adolescents. Most (70%) did not know if their states had laws on minors' indoor tanning access; those stating they knew whether a law existed counseled more. Although improved, sun protection counseling rates remain low. Indoor tanning counseling can be improved. Because early-life exposure to UV radiation increases risk and clinician counseling can positively impact prevention behaviors, pediatricians have an important role in skin cancer prevention; counseling may save lives. Time constraints remain a barrier. Copyright © 2017 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

miR-15a/miR-16 cluster inhibits invasion of prostate cancer cells by suppressing TGF-β signaling pathway.

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Jin, Wei; Chen, Fangjie; Wang, Kefeng; Song, Yan; Fei, Xiang; Wu, Bin

2018-05-23

To determine whether and how miR15a/16 regulate TGF-β signaling pathways during the progression of prostate cancer. We used bioinformatics prediction, reporter gene assay, real-time PCR, Matrigel invasion assay and Western blot to dissect the molecular mechanism of how miR-15a/miR-16 may cause metastasis in prostate tumor. MiR-15a/16 targeted and inhibited the expression of endogenous Smad3 and ACVR2A proteins. The overexpression of miR15a/16 down-regulated p-smad3 expression, affected the expression of both MMP2 and E-cadherin, and down-regulated the expression of the EMT-mediated factors Snail and Twist in LNCaP prostate cancer cells. The overexpression of miR15a/16 decreased the invasion of LNCaP cells. MiR-15a/miR-16 cluster could reverse the invasion of activin A-mediated prostate cancer cells. After the inhibition of the activin/smad signaling pathway, the inhibitory effect of invasion in prostate cancer cells by miR-15a/miR-16 cluster disappeared. Our data indicated that miR15a/16 inhibited the components of TGF-β signaling pathways in LNCaP cell line, which might relate to the progression and metastasis of prostate cancer. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

MiR-107 and MiR-185 can induce cell cycle arrest in human non small cell lung cancer cell lines.

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Yukari Takahashi

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: MicroRNAs (miRNAs are short single stranded noncoding RNAs that suppress gene expression through either translational repression or degradation of target mRNAs. The annealing between messenger RNAs and 5' seed region of miRNAs is believed to be essential for the specific suppression of target gene expression. One miRNA can have several hundred different targets in a cell. Rapidly accumulating evidence suggests that many miRNAs are involved in cell cycle regulation and consequentially play critical roles in carcinogenesis. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Introduction of synthetic miR-107 or miR-185 suppressed growth of the human non-small cell lung cancer cell lines. Flow cytometry analysis revealed these miRNAs induce a G1 cell cycle arrest in H1299 cells and the suppression of cell cycle progression is stronger than that by Let-7 miRNA. By the gene expression analyses with oligonucleotide microarrays, we find hundreds of genes are affected by transfection of these miRNAs. Using miRNA-target prediction analyses and the array data, we listed up a set of likely targets of miR-107 and miR-185 for G1 cell cycle arrest and validate a subset of them using real-time RT-PCR and immunoblotting for CDK6. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: We identified new cell cycle regulating miRNAs, miR-107 and miR-185, localized in frequently altered chromosomal regions in human lung cancers. Especially for miR-107, a large number of down-regulated genes are annotated with the gene ontology term 'cell cycle'. Our results suggest that these miRNAs may contribute to regulate cell cycle in human malignant tumors.

Decreased neutrophil-associated miRNA and increased B-cell associated miRNA expression during tuberculosis.

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van Rensburg, I C; du Toit, L; Walzl, G; du Plessis, N; Loxton, A G

2018-05-20

MicroRNAs are short non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression by binding to, and suppressing the expression of genes. Research show that microRNAs have potential to be used as biomarkers for diagnosis, treatment response and can be used for therapeutic interventions. Furthermore, microRNA expression has effects on immune cell functions, which may lead to disease. Considering the important protective role of neutrophils and B-cells during M.tb infection, we evaluated the expression of microRNAs, known to alter function of these cells, in the context of human TB. We utilised real-time PCR to evaluate the levels of microRNA transcripts in the peripheral blood of TB cases and healthy controls. We found that neutrophil-associated miR-197-3p, miR-99b-5p and miR-191-5p transcript levels were significantly lower in TB cases. Additionally, B-cell-associated miR-320a, miR-204-5p, miR331-3p and other transcript levels were higher in TB cases. The miRNAs differentially expressed in neutrophils are predominantly implicated in signalling pathways leading to cytokine productions. Here, the decreased expression in TB cases may imply a lack of suppression on signalling pathways, which may lead to increased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interferon-gamma. Furthermore, the miRNAs differentially expressed in B-cells are mostly involved in the induction/suppression of apoptosis. Further functional studies are however required to elucidate the significance and functional effects of changes in the expression of these microRNAs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

miR-29b, miR-205 and miR-221 enhance chemosensitivity to gemcitabine in HuH28 human cholangiocarcinoma cells.

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Kinya Okamoto

Full Text Available BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA is highly resistant to chemotherapy, including gemcitabine (Gem treatment. MicroRNAs (miRNAs are endogenous, non-coding, short RNAs that can regulate multiple genes expression. Some miRNAs play important roles in the chemosensitivity of tumors. Here, we examined the relationship between miRNA expression and the sensitivity of CCA cells to Gem. METHODS: Microarray analysis was used to determine the miRNA expression profiles of two CCA cell lines, HuH28 and HuCCT1. To determine the effect of candidate miRNAs on Gem sensitivity, expression of each candidate miRNA was modified via either transfection of a miRNA mimic or transfection of an anti-oligonucleotide. Ontology-based programs were used to identify potential target genes of candidate miRNAs that were confirmed to affect the Gem sensitivity of CCA cells. RESULTS: HuCCT1 cells were more sensitive to Gem than were HuH28 cells, and 18 miRNAs were differentially expressed whose ratios over ± 2log2 between HuH28 and HuCCT1. Among these 18 miRNAs, ectopic overexpression of each of three downregulated miRNAs in HuH28 (miR-29b, miR-205, miR-221 restored Gem sensitivity to HuH28. Suppression of one upregulated miRNA in HuH28, miR-125a-5p, inhibited HuH28 cell proliferation independently to Gem treatment. Selective siRNA-mediated downregulation of either of two software-predicted targets, PIK3R1 (target of miR-29b and miR-221 or MMP-2 (target of miR-29b, also conferred Gem sensitivity to HuH28. CONCLUSIONS: miRNA expression profiling was used to identify key miRNAs that regulate Gem sensitivity in CCA cells, and software that predicts miRNA targets was used to identify promising target genes for anti-tumor therapies.

Decreased Expression of miR-21, miR-26a, miR-29a, and miR-142-3p in CD4+ T Cells and Peripheral Blood from Tuberculosis Patients

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Schattling, Stefanie; Kohns, Malte; Sander-Jülch, Claudia; Walzl, Gerhard; Hesseling, Anneke; Mayatepek, Ertan; Fleischer, Bernhard; Marx, Florian M.; Jacobsen, Marc

2013-01-01

The vast majority of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) infected individuals are protected from developing tuberculosis and T cells are centrally involved in this process. MicroRNAs (miRNA) regulate T-cell functions and are biomarker candidates of disease susceptibility and treatment efficacy in M. tuberculosis infection. We determined the expression profile of 29 selected miRNAs in CD4+ T cells from tuberculosis patients and contacts with latent M. tuberculosis infection (LTBI). These analyses showed lower expression of miR-21, miR-26a, miR-29a, and miR-142-3p in CD4+ T cells from tuberculosis patients. Whole blood miRNA candidate analyses verified decreased expression of miR-26a, miR-29a, and miR-142-3p in children with tuberculosis as compared to healthy children with LTBI. Despite marked variances between individual donor samples, trends of increased miRNA candidate expression during treatment and recovery were observed. Functional in vitro analysis identified increased miR-21 and decreased miR-26a expression after re-stimulation of T cells. In vitro polarized Interleukin-17 positive T-cell clones showed activation-dependent miR-29a up-regulation. In order to characterize the role of miR-29a (a described suppressor of Interferon-γ in tuberculosis), we analyzed M. tuberculosis specific Interferon-γ expressing T cells in children with tuberculosis and healthy contacts but detected no correlation between miR-29a and Interferon-γ expression. Suppression of miR-29a in primary human T cells by antagomirs indicated no effect on Interferon-γ expression after in vitro activation. Finally, classification of miRNA targets revealed only a moderate overlap between the candidates. This may reflect differential roles of miR-21, miR-26a, miR-29a, and miR-142-3p in T-cell immunity against M. tuberculosis infection and disease. PMID:23613882

GPC1 Regulated by miR-96-5p, Rather than miR-182-5p, in Inhibition of Pancreatic Carcinoma Cell Proliferation

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Chunlong Li

2014-04-01

Full Text Available To determine the relationships between miR-96-5p/-182-5p and GPC1 in pancreatic cancer (PC, we conducted the population and in vitro studies. We followed 38 pancreatic cancer patients, measured and compared the expression of miR-96-5p/-182-5p, GPC1, characteristics and patients’ survival time of different miR-96-5p/-182-5p expression levels in PC tissues. In an in vitro study, we investigated the proliferation, cycle and apotosis in cells transfected with mimics/inhibitors of the two miRNAs, and determine their effects on GPC1 by dual-luciferase assay. In the follow-up study, we found that the expressions of miR-96-5p/-182-5p were lower/higher in PC tissues; patients with lower/higher levels of miR-96-5p/-182-5p suffered poorer characteristics and decreased survival time. In the in vitro study, the expressions of miR-96-5p/-182-5p were different in cells. Proliferation of cells transfected with miR-96-5p mimics/inhibitors was lower/higher in Panc-1/BxPC-3; when transfected with miR-182-5p mimics/inhibitors, proliferation of cells were higher/lower in AsPC-1/Panc-1. In a cell cycle study, panc-1 cells transfected with miR-96-5p mimics was arrested at G0/G1; BxPC-3 cells transfected with miR-96-5p inhibitors showed a significantly decrease at G0/G1; AsPC-1 cells transfected with miR-182-5p mimics was arrested at S; Panc-1 cells transfected with miR-182-5p inhibitors showed a decrease at S. MiR-96-5p mimics increased the apoptosis rate in Panc-1 cells, and its inhibitors decreased the apoptosis rate in BxPC-3. Dual luciferase assay revealed that GPC1 was regulated by miR-96-5p, not -182-5p. We found that miR-96-5p/-182-5p as good markers for PC; miR-96-5p, rather than -182-5p, inhibits GPC1 to suppress proliferation of PC cells.

Psychology, Counseling Psychology, and Professional Counseling: Shared Roots, Challenges, and Opportunities

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Peggy Brady-Amoon

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Psychology, counseling psychology, and professional counseling are at a crossroad. The growing movement to establish professional counseling as a distinct profession, based on an increasingly narrow definition of professional identity, is particularly relevant to counseling psychologists and professional counselors and has implications for the broader field of psychology. A brief systematic historical analysis of these professional specialties in the U.S. provides the context to examine current challenges, including proposed restriction of master’s level training, licensure or other authorization to practice, and employment to graduates of programs accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP. These restrictions reduce services to the public and threaten the viability of counseling psychology and professional counseling in the U.S. These challenges also have significant implications for counseling psychologists in Europe and internationally given similar efforts. Going beyond a call to action, the article concludes with recommendations for counseling psychologists and allied professionals to address shared challenges, maximize shared opportunities, and foster enhanced intra- and inter-professional collaboration and cooperation.

Counseling activity in single-session online counseling with adolescents: an adherence study.

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Chardon, Lydia; Bagraith, Karl S; King, Robert John

2011-09-01

While online counseling is increasingly utilized, little is known about what counseling work takes place in the online environment. The aim of this study was to quantify online counseling activity by determining counselors' adherence to the widely used model in which they had been trained. Transcripts (n=85) of online counseling with adolescents were evaluated, using a standardized and psychometrically sound instrument. We found that, while counseling in 53% of transcripts progressed through each of the key stages of counseling, the focus of most sessions was information gathering; and goal exploration and action planning were typically superficial and often absent. Possible reasons for low counseling depth are discussed and recommendations made for the further development of online counseling.

Circulating and Urinary miR-210 and miR-16 Increase during Cardiac Surgery Using Cardiopulmonary Bypass - A Pilot Study.

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Mazzone, Annette L; Baker, Robert A; McNicholas, Kym; Woodman, Richard J; Michael, Michael Z; Gleadle, Jonathan M

2018-03-01

A pilot study to measure and compare blood and urine microRNAs miR-210 and miR-16 in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting surgery. Frequent serial blood and urine samples were taken from patients undergoing cardiac surgery with CPB (n = 10) and undergoing off-pump cardiac surgery (n = 5) before, during, and after surgery. Circulating miR-210 and miR-16 levels were determined by relative quantification real-time polymerase chain reaction. Levels of plasma-free haemoglobin (fHb), troponin-T, creatine kinase, and creatinine were measured. Perioperative serum miR-210 and miR-16 were elevated significantly compared to preoperative levels in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with CPB (CPB vs. Pre Op and Rewarm vs. Pre Op; p Octopus on vs. Pre Op); however, the release was less marked when compared to cardiac surgery with CPB. A significant association was observed between both miR-16 and miR-210 and plasma fHb when CPB was used ( r = -.549, p red cell, and renal injury during cardiac surgery.

14 CFR 1253.425 - Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials.

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2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials. 1253.425 Section 1253.425 Aeronautics and Space NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE... § 1253.425 Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials. (a) Counseling. A recipient shall...

38 CFR 23.425 - Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials.

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2010-07-01

... 38 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials. 23.425 Section 23.425 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief DEPARTMENT... Activities Prohibited § 23.425 Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials. (a) Counseling. A...

13 CFR 113.425 - Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials.

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2010-01-01

... 13 Business Credit and Assistance 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials. 113.425 Section 113.425 Business Credit and Assistance SMALL BUSINESS... Activities Prohibited § 113.425 Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials. (a) Counseling. A...

MicroRNAs 142-3p, miR-155 and miR-203 Are Deregulated in Gastric MALT Lymphomas Compared to Chronic Gastritis.

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Fernández, Concepción; Bellosillo, Beatriz; Ferraro, Mariana; Seoane, Agustín; Sánchez-González, Blanca; Pairet, Silvia; Pons, Aina; Barranco, Luis; Vela, María Carmen; Gimeno, Eva; Colomo, Lluís; Besses, Carles; Navarro, Alfons; Salar, Antonio

2017-01-02

Over the last years, our knowledge on pathogenesis of gastric MALT lymphoma has greatly improved, but its morphological diagnosis is still hampered by overlapping histological features with advanced chronic gastritis. MicroRNAs are deregulated in lymphomas, but their role and usefulness in gastric MALT lymphoma has not been extensively investigated. We analyzed the expression of 384 miRNAs using TaqMan microRNA assay in a training series of 10 gastric MALT lymphomas, 3 chronic gastritis and 2 reactive lymph nodes. Then, significantly deregulated miRNAs were individually assessed by real-time PCR in a validation series of 16 gastric MALT lymphomas and 12 chronic gastritis. Gastric MALT lymphoma is characterized by a specific miRNA expression profile. Among the differentially expressed miRNAs, a significant overexpression of miR-142-3p and miR-155 and down-regulation of miR-203 was observed in gastric MALT lymphoma when compared to chronic gastritis. miR-142-3p, miR-155 and miR-203 expression levels might be helpful biomarkers for the differential diagnosis between gastric MALT lymphomas and chronic gastritis. Copyright© 2017, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.

Circulating miR-1, miR-133a, and miR-206 levels are increased after a half-marathon run.

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Gomes, Clarissa P C; Oliveira, Getúlio P; Madrid, Bibiano; Almeida, Jeeser A; Franco, Octávio L; Pereira, Rinaldo W

2014-11-01

Circulating miRNAs are potential biomarkers that can be important molecules driving cell-to-cell communication. To investigate circulating muscle-specific miRNAs in recreational athletes. Three miRNAs from whole plasma before and after a half-marathon were analyzed by qPCR. MiR-1, -133a, and -206 significantly increased after the race. Increased levels of miRNAs after exercise point to potential biomarkers and to the possibility of being functional players following endurance training. These miRNAs are potential biomarkers of muscle damage or adaptation to exercise.

24 CFR 3.425 - Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials.

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2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials. 3.425 Section 3.425 Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department... Activities Prohibited § 3.425 Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials. (a) Counseling. A...

29 CFR 36.425 - Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials.

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2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials. 36... in Education Programs or Activities Prohibited § 36.425 Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials. (a) Counseling. A recipient shall not discriminate against any person on the basis of...

31 CFR 28.425 - Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials.

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2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials. 28.425 Section 28.425 Money and Finance: Treasury Office of the Secretary of the....425 Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials. (a) Counseling. A recipient shall not...

10 CFR 1042.425 - Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials.

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2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials... on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Prohibited § 1042.425 Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials. (a) Counseling. A recipient shall not discriminate against any person on...

49 CFR 25.425 - Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials.

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2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling... Discrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Prohibited § 25.425 Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials. (a) Counseling. A recipient shall not discriminate against any person on...

18 CFR 1317.425 - Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials.

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2010-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials. 1317.425 Section 1317.425 Conservation of Power and Water Resources... Activities Prohibited § 1317.425 Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials. (a) Counseling. A...

22 CFR 146.425 - Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials.

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2010-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling... Discrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Prohibited § 146.425 Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials. (a) Counseling. A recipient shall not discriminate against any person on...

22 CFR 229.425 - Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials.

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2010-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling... Discrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Prohibited § 229.425 Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials. (a) Counseling. A recipient shall not discriminate against any person on...

45 CFR 86.36 - Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials.

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2010-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling... Discrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Prohibited § 86.36 Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials. (a) Counseling. A recipient shall not discriminate against any person on...

6 CFR 17.425 - Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials.

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2010-01-01

... 6 Domestic Security 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling... Discrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Prohibited § 17.425 Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials. (a) Counseling. A recipient shall not discriminate against any person on...

10 CFR 5.425 - Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials.

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2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials... in Education Programs or Activities Prohibited § 5.425 Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials. (a) Counseling. A recipient shall not discriminate against any person on the basis of sex in the...

miRNAtools: Advanced Training Using the miRNA Web of Knowledge.

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Stępień, Ewa Ł; Costa, Marina C; Enguita, Francisco J

2018-02-16

Micro-RNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that act as negative regulators of the genomic output. Their intrinsic importance within cell biology and human disease is well known. Their mechanism of action based on the base pairing binding to their cognate targets have helped the development not only of many computer applications for the prediction of miRNA target recognition but also of specific applications for functional assessment and analysis. Learning about miRNA function requires practical training in the use of specific computer and web-based applications that are complementary to wet-lab studies. In order to guide the learning process about miRNAs, we have created miRNAtools (http://mirnatools.eu), a web repository of miRNA tools and tutorials. This article compiles tools with which miRNAs and their regulatory action can be analyzed and that function to collect and organize information dispersed on the web. The miRNAtools website contains a collection of tutorials that can be used by students and tutors engaged in advanced training courses. The tutorials engage in analyses of the functions of selected miRNAs, starting with their nomenclature and genomic localization and finishing with their involvement in specific cellular functions.

miR-371, miR-138, miR-544, miR-145, and miR-214 could modulate Th1/Th2 balance in asthma through the combinatorial regulation of Runx3.

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Qiu, Yu-Ying; Zhang, Ying-Wei; Qian, Xiu-Fen; Bian, Tao

2017-01-01

Asthma is tightly related to the imbalance of Th1/Th2 cells, and Runx3 plays a pivotal role in the differentiation of T helper cells. The present study aimed to investigate dysregulated microRNAs that may target Runx3 in CD4 + T cells from asthmatic patients and reveal Runx3 function in Th1/Th2 balance regulation. We detected the levels of Th1- and Th2-related cytokines by ELISA and analyzed the differentiation marker gene of T helper cells by qRT-PCR. Results indicated that an imbalance of Th1/Th2 cells was present in our asthmatic subject. Runx3 expression was reduced in the CD4 + T cells from asthmatic patients. Overexpression of Runx3 could restore the Th1/Th2 balance. After performing microRNA microarray assay, we found a series of microRNAs that were considerably altered in the CD4 + T cells from asthmatic patients. Among these upregulated microRNAs, eight microRNAs that may target Runx3 were selected by bioinformatics prediction. Five microRNAs, namely miR-371, miR-138, miR-544, miR-145, and miR-214, were confirmed by qRT-PCR and selected as candidate microRNAs. Luciferase reporter assay showed that these five microRNAs could directly target the 3'-UTR of Runx3. However, only simultaneous inhibition of these five microRNAs could alter the expression of Runx3. Most importantly, only simultaneous inhibition could improve the Th1/Th2 balance. Thus, we suggest that miR-371, miR-138, miR-544, miR-145, and miR-214 can modulate the Th1/Th2 balance in asthma by regulating Runx3 in a combinatorial manner.

miR-191 and miR-135 are required for long-lasting spine remodelling associated with synaptic long-term depression

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Hu, Zhonghua; Yu, Danni; Gu, Qin-Hua; Yang, Yanqin; Tu, Kang; Zhu, Jun; Li, Zheng

2014-02-01

Activity-dependent modification of dendritic spines, subcellular compartments accommodating postsynaptic specializations in the brain, is an important cellular mechanism for brain development, cognition and synaptic pathology of brain disorders. NMDA receptor-dependent long-term depression (NMDAR-LTD), a prototypic form of synaptic plasticity, is accompanied by prolonged remodelling of spines. The mechanisms underlying long-lasting spine remodelling in NMDAR-LTD, however, are largely unclear. Here we show that LTD induction causes global changes in miRNA transcriptomes affecting many cellular activities. Specifically, we show that expression changes of miR-191 and miR-135 are required for maintenance but not induction of spine restructuring. Moreover, we find that actin depolymerization and AMPA receptor exocytosis are regulated for extended periods of time by miRNAs to support long-lasting spine plasticity. These findings reveal a miRNA-mediated mechanism and a role for AMPA receptor exocytosis in long-lasting spine plasticity, and identify a number of candidate miRNAs involved in LTD.

Dynamics of miRNA biogenesis and nuclear transport

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Kotipalli Aneesh

2016-12-01

Full Text Available MicroRNAs (miRNAs are short noncoding RNA sequences ~22 nucleotides in length that play an important role in gene regulation-transcription and translation. The processing of these miRNAs takes place in both the nucleus and the cytoplasm while the final maturation occurs in the cytoplasm. Some mature miRNAs with nuclear localisation signals (NLS are transported back to the nucleus and some remain in the cytoplasm. The functional roles of these miRNAs are seen in both the nucleus and the cytoplasm. In the nucleus, miRNAs regulate gene expression by binding to the targeted promoter sequences and affect either the transcriptional gene silencing (TGS or transcriptional gene activation (TGA. In the cytoplasm, targeted mRNAs are translationally repressed or cleaved based on the complementarity between the two sequences at the seed region of miRNA and mRNA. The selective transport of mature miRNAs to the nucleus follows the classical nuclear import mechanism. The classical nuclear import mechanism is a highly regulated process, involving exportins and importins. The nuclear pore complex (NPC regulates all these transport events like a gate keeper. The half-life of miRNAs is rather low, so within a short time miRNAs perform their function. Temporal studies of miRNA biogenesis are, therefore, useful. We have carried out simulation studies for important miRNA biogenesis steps and also classical nuclear import mechanism using ordinary differential equation (ODE solver in the Octave software.

Decreased expression of miR-21, miR-26a, miR-29a, and miR-142-3p in CD4⁺ T cells and peripheral blood from tuberculosis patients.

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Kleinsteuber, Katja; Heesch, Kerrin; Schattling, Stefanie; Kohns, Malte; Sander-Jülch, Claudia; Walzl, Gerhard; Hesseling, Anneke; Mayatepek, Ertan; Fleischer, Bernhard; Marx, Florian M; Jacobsen, Marc

2013-01-01

The vast majority of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) infected individuals are protected from developing tuberculosis and T cells are centrally involved in this process. MicroRNAs (miRNA) regulate T-cell functions and are biomarker candidates of disease susceptibility and treatment efficacy in M. tuberculosis infection. We determined the expression profile of 29 selected miRNAs in CD4(+) T cells from tuberculosis patients and contacts with latent M. tuberculosis infection (LTBI). These analyses showed lower expression of miR-21, miR-26a, miR-29a, and miR-142-3p in CD4(+) T cells from tuberculosis patients. Whole blood miRNA candidate analyses verified decreased expression of miR-26a, miR-29a, and miR-142-3p in children with tuberculosis as compared to healthy children with LTBI. Despite marked variances between individual donor samples, trends of increased miRNA candidate expression during treatment and recovery were observed. Functional in vitro analysis identified increased miR-21 and decreased miR-26a expression after re-stimulation of T cells. In vitro polarized Interleukin-17 positive T-cell clones showed activation-dependent miR-29a up-regulation. In order to characterize the role of miR-29a (a described suppressor of Interferon-γ in tuberculosis), we analyzed M. tuberculosis specific Interferon-γ expressing T cells in children with tuberculosis and healthy contacts but detected no correlation between miR-29a and Interferon-γ expression. Suppression of miR-29a in primary human T cells by antagomirs indicated no effect on Interferon-γ expression after in vitro activation. Finally, classification of miRNA targets revealed only a moderate overlap between the candidates. This may reflect differential roles of miR-21, miR-26a, miR-29a, and miR-142-3p in T-cell immunity against M. tuberculosis infection and disease.

Embryonic miRNA profiles of normal and ectopic pregnancies.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francisco Dominguez

Full Text Available Our objective was to investigate the miRNA profile of embryonic tissues in ectopic pregnancies (EPs and controlled abortions (voluntary termination of pregnancy; VTOP. Twenty-three patients suffering from tubal EP and twenty-nine patients with a normal ongoing pregnancy scheduled for a VTOP were recruited. Embryonic tissue samples were analyzed by miRNA microarray and further validated by real time PCR. Microarray studies showed that four miRNAs were differentially downregulated (hsa-mir-196b, hsa-mir-30a, hsa-mir-873, and hsa-mir-337-3p and three upregulated (hsa-mir-1288, hsa-mir-451, and hsa-mir-223 in EP compared to control tissue samples. Hsa-miR-196, hsa-miR-223, and hsa-miR-451 were further validated by real time PCR in a wider population of EP and control samples. We also performed a computational analysis to identify the gene targets and pathways which might be modulated by these three differentially expressed miRNAs. The most significant pathways found were the mucin type O-glycan biosynthesis and the ECM-receptor-interaction pathways. We also checked that the dysregulation of these three miRNAs was able to alter the expression of the gene targets in the embryonic tissues included in these pathways such as GALNT13 and ITGA2 genes. In conclusion, analysis of miRNAs in ectopic and eutopic embryonic tissues shows different expression patterns that could modify pathways which are critical for correct implantation, providing new insights into the understanding of ectopic implantation in humans.

Declining Counseling Research in Counseling Psychology Journals: Is the Sky Falling?

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Lichtenberg, James W.

2011-01-01

Scheel et al. note a rather precipitous decline over the past 30 years in the number and proportion of counseling-related research articles appearing in "Journal of Counseling Psychology" ("JCP") and "The Counseling Psychologist" ("TCP"). Certainly, counseling psychology as a field has changed over its 65-year history, and a great deal of that…

Altered expression of four miRNA (miR-1238-3p, miR-202-3p, miR-630 and miR-766-3p) and their potential targets in peripheral blood from vitiligo patients.

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Shang, Zhiwei; Li, Hongwen

2017-10-01

Vitiligo is an acquired skin disease with pigmentary disorder. Autoimmune destruction of melanocytes is thought to be major factor in the etiology of vitiligo. miRNA-based regulators of gene expression have been reported to play crucial roles in autoimmune disease. Therefore, we attempt to profile the miRNA expressions and predict their potential targets, assessing the biological functions of differentially expressed miRNA. Total RNA was extracted from peripheral blood of vitiligo (experimental group, n = 5) and non-vitiligo (control group, n = 5) age-matched patients. Samples were hybridized to a miRNA array. Box, scatter and principal component analysis plots were performed, followed by unsupervised hierarchical clustering analysis to classify the samples. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was conducted for validation of microarray data. Three different databases, TargetScan, PITA and microRNA.org, were used to predict the potential target genes. Gene ontology (GO) annotation and pathway analysis were performed to assess the potential functions of predicted genes of identified miRNA. A total of 100 (29 upregulated and 71 downregulated) miRNA were filtered by volcano plot analysis. Four miRNA were validated by quantitative RT-PCR as significantly downregulated in the vitiligo group. The functions of predicted target genes associated with differentially expressed miRNA were assessed by GO analysis, showing that the GO term with most significantly enriched target genes was axon guidance, and that the axon guidance pathway was most significantly correlated with these miRNA. In conclusion, we identified four downregulated miRNA in vitiligo and assessed the potential functions of target genes related to these differentially expressed miRNA. © 2017 Japanese Dermatological Association.

Role for DNA methylation in the regulation of miR-200c and miR-141 expression in normal and cancer cells

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Vrba, Lukas; Jensen, Taylor J.; Garbe, James C.; Heimark, Ronald L.; Cress, Anne E.; Dickinson, Sally; Stampfer, Martha R.; Futscher, Bernard W.

2009-12-23

BACKGROUND: The microRNA-200 family participates in the maintenance of an epithelial phenotype and loss of its expression can result in epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). Furthermore, the loss of expression of miR-200 family members is linked to an aggressive cancer phenotype. Regulation of the miR-200 family expression in normal and cancer cells is not fully understood. METHODOLOGY/ PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Epigenetic mechanisms participate in the control of miR-200c and miR-141 expression in both normal and cancer cells. A CpG island near the predicted mir-200c/mir-141 transcription start site shows a striking correlation between miR-200c and miR-141 expression and DNA methylation in both normal and cancer cells, as determined by MassARRAY technology. The CpG island is unmethylated in human miR-200/miR-141 expressing epithelial cells and in miR-200c/miR-141 positive tumor cells. The CpG island is heavily methylated in human miR-200c/miR-141 negative fibroblasts and miR-200c/miR-141 negative tumor cells. Mouse cells show a similar inverse correlation between DNA methylation and miR-200c expression. Enrichment of permissive histone modifications, H3 acetylation and H3K4 trimethylation, is seen in normal miR-200c/miR-141-positive epithelial cells, as determined by chromatin immunoprecipitation coupled to real-time PCR. In contrast, repressive H3K9 dimethylation marks are present in normal miR-200c/miR-141-negative fibroblasts and miR-200c/miR-141 negative cancer cells and the permissive histone modifications are absent. The epigenetic modifier drug, 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine, reactivates miR-200c/miR-141 expression showing that epigenetic mechanisms play a functional role in their transcriptional control. CONCLUSIONS/ SIGNIFICANCE: We report that DNA methylation plays a role in the normal cell type-specific expression of miR-200c and miR-141 and this role appears evolutionarily conserved, since similar results were obtained in mouse. Aberrant DNA methylation

Studying Dynamic Features in Myocardial Infarction Progression by Integrating miRNA-Transcription Factor Co-Regulatory Networks and Time-Series RNA Expression Data from Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells.

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Hongbo Shi

Full Text Available Myocardial infarction (MI is a serious heart disease and a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Although some molecules (genes, miRNAs and transcription factors (TFs associated with MI have been studied in a specific pathological context, their dynamic characteristics in gene expressions, biological functions and regulatory interactions in MI progression have not been fully elucidated to date. In the current study, we analyzed time-series RNA expression data from peripheral blood mononuclear cells. We observed that significantly differentially expressed genes were sharply up- or down-regulated in the acute phase of MI, and then changed slowly until the chronic phase. Biological functions involved at each stage of MI were identified. Additionally, dynamic miRNA-TF co-regulatory networks were constructed based on the significantly differentially expressed genes and miRNA-TF co-regulatory motifs, and the dynamic interplay of miRNAs, TFs and target genes were investigated. Finally, a new panel of candidate diagnostic biomarkers (STAT3 and ICAM1 was identified to have discriminatory capability for patients with or without MI, especially the patients with or without recurrent events. The results of the present study not only shed new light on the understanding underlying regulatory mechanisms involved in MI progression, but also contribute to the discovery of true diagnostic biomarkers for MI.

A path-based measurement for human miRNA functional similarities using miRNA-disease associations

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Ding, Pingjian; Luo, Jiawei; Xiao, Qiu; Chen, Xiangtao

2016-09-01

Compared with the sequence and expression similarity, miRNA functional similarity is so important for biology researches and many applications such as miRNA clustering, miRNA function prediction, miRNA synergism identification and disease miRNA prioritization. However, the existing methods always utilized the predicted miRNA target which has high false positive and false negative to calculate the miRNA functional similarity. Meanwhile, it is difficult to achieve high reliability of miRNA functional similarity with miRNA-disease associations. Therefore, it is increasingly needed to improve the measurement of miRNA functional similarity. In this study, we develop a novel path-based calculation method of miRNA functional similarity based on miRNA-disease associations, called MFSP. Compared with other methods, our method obtains higher average functional similarity of intra-family and intra-cluster selected groups. Meanwhile, the lower average functional similarity of inter-family and inter-cluster miRNA pair is obtained. In addition, the smaller p-value is achieved, while applying Wilcoxon rank-sum test and Kruskal-Wallis test to different miRNA groups. The relationship between miRNA functional similarity and other information sources is exhibited. Furthermore, the constructed miRNA functional network based on MFSP is a scale-free and small-world network. Moreover, the higher AUC for miRNA-disease prediction indicates the ability of MFSP uncovering miRNA functional similarity.

38 CFR 21.3100 - Counseling.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 38 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Counseling. 21.3100.... Chapter 35 Counseling § 21.3100 Counseling. (a) Purpose of counseling. The purpose of counseling is to...)) (b) Availability of counseling. Counseling assistance is available for— (1) Identifying and removing...

7 CFR 15a.36 - Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials.

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2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling... Education Programs and Activities Prohibited § 15a.36 Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials. (a) Counseling. A recipient shall not discriminate against any person on the basis of sex in the...

Altered regulation of miR-34a and miR-483-3p in alcoholic hepatitis and DDC fed mice.

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Liu, Hui; French, Barbara A; Li, Jun; Tillman, Brittany; French, Samuel W

2015-12-01

MicroRNAs are small noncoding RNAs that negatively regulate gene expression by binding to the untranslated regions of their target mRNAs. Deregulation of miRNAs is shown to play pivotal roles in tumorigenesis and progression. Mallory-Denk Bodies (MDBs) are prevalent in various liver diseases including alcoholic hepatitis (AH) and are formed in mice livers by feeding DDC. By comparing AH livers where MDBs had formed with normal livers, there were significant changes of miR-34a and miR-483-3p by RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) analyses. Real-time PCR further shows a 3- and 6-fold upregulation (respectively) of miR-34a in the AH livers and in the livers of DDC re-fed mice, while miR-483-3p was significantly downregulated in AH and DDC re-fed mice livers. This indicates that miR-34a and miR-483-3p may be crucial for liver MDB formation. P53 mRNA was found to be significantly downregulated both in the AH livers and in the livers of DDC re-fed mice, indicating that the upregulation of miR-34a is permitted by the decrease of p53 in AH since miR-34a is a main target of p53. Overexpression of miR-34a leads to an increase of p53 targets such as p27, which inhibits the cell cycle leading to cell cycle arrest. Importantly, BRCA1 is a target gene of miR-483-3p by RNA-Seq analyses and the downregulation of miR-483-3p may be the mechanism for liver MDB formation since the BRCA1 signal was markedly upregulated in AH livers. These results constitute a demonstration of the altered regulation of miR-34a and miR-483-3p in the livers of AH and mice fed DDC where MDBs formed, providing further insight into the mechanism of MDB formation mediated by miR-34a and miR-483-3p in AH. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Aberrant expression of miR-218 and miR-204 in human mesial temporal lobe epilepsy and hippocampal sclerosis-Convergence on axonal guidance

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Kaalund, Sanne S; Venø, Morten T; Bak, Mads

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) is one of the most common types of the intractable epilepsies and is most often associated with hippocampal sclerosis (HS), which is characterized by pronounced loss of hippocampal pyramidal neurons. microRNAs (miRNAs) have been shown...... to be dysregulated in epilepsy and neurodegenerative diseases, and we hypothesized that miRNAs could be involved in the pathogenesis of MTLE and HS. METHODS: miRNA expression was quantified in hippocampal specimens from human patients using miRNA microarray and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction RT...

Towards Clinical Applications of Blood-Borne miRNA Signatures: The Influence of the Anticoagulant EDTA on miRNA Abundance.

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Petra Leidinger

Full Text Available Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs from blood are increasingly recognized as biomarker candidates for human diseases. Clinical routine settings frequently include blood sampling in tubes with EDTA as anticoagulant without considering the influence of phlebotomy on the overall miRNA expression pattern. We collected blood samples from six healthy individuals each in an EDTA blood collection tube. Subsequently, the blood was transferred into PAXgeneTM tubes at three different time points, i.e. directly (0 min, 10 min, and 2 h after phlebotomy. As control blood was also directly collected in PAXgeneTM blood RNA tubes that contain a reagent to directly lyse blood cells and stabilize their content. For all six blood donors at the four conditions (24 samples we analyzed the abundance of 1,205 miRNAs by human Agilent miRNA V16 microarrays.While we found generally a homogenous pattern of the miRNA abundance in all 24 samples, the duration of the EDTA treatment appears to influence the miRNA abundance of specific miRNAs. The most significant changes are observed after longer EDTA exposition. Overall, the impact of the different blood sample conditions on the miRNA pattern was substantially lower than intra-individual variations. While samples belonging to one of the six individuals mostly cluster together, there was no comparable clustering for any of the four tested blood sampling conditions. The most affected miRNA was miR-769-3p that was not detected in any of the six PAXgene blood samples, but in all EDTA 2h samples. Accordingly, hsa-miR-769-3p was also the only miRNA that showed a significantly different abundance between the 4 blood sample conditions by an ANOVA analysis (Benjamini-Hochberg adjusted p-value of 0.003. Validation by qRT-PCR confirmed this finding.The pattern of blood-borne miRNA abundance is rather homogenous between the four tested blood sample conditions of six blood donors. There was a clustering between the miRNA profiles that belong

Evaluation of miR-21 and miR-375 as prognostic biomarkers in esophageal cancer

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Winther, Mette; Alsner, Jan; Tramm, Trine

2015-01-01

analyses identified miR-21 as an independent prognostic marker for DSS in EAC [HR 3.52 (95% CI 1.06-11.69)]. High miR-375 was not correlated with improved prognosis in either histology. However, Forest plots demonstrated that both miR-21 and miR-375 were of prognostic impact in ESCC. CONCLUSION...... chemotherapy were analyzed. Expression levels of miR-21 and miR-375 were quantified using Affymetrix GeneChip miRNA 1.0 Array. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to assess the correlation of miR-21 and miR-375 with disease-specific survival (DSS) and overall survival (OS). Forest plots were performed...... to evaluate the prognostic impact of miR-21 and miR-375 in the present study and previously published reports. RESULTS: In ESCC, patients with miR-21 expression levels above median showed a trend towards poorer DSS and OS. When dividing miR-21 expression by tertiles, high levels of miR-21 significantly...

Online Counseling: Reviewing the Literature from a Counseling Psychology Framework

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Mallen, Michael J.; Vogel, David L.; Rochlen, Aaron B.; Day, Susan X.

2005-01-01

This article reviews the online-counseling literature with an emphasis on current applications and considerations for future research. It focuses on primary themes of counseling psychology including the history of process-outcome research and multiculturalism. It explores current gaps in the literature from a counseling psychology framework,…

Introduction to the Major Contribution: Counseling Psychology and Online Counseling

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Mallen, Michael J.; Vogel, David L.

2005-01-01

This article introduces the Major Contribution, which focuses on online counseling. Several acronyms and terms are presented to familiarize the reader with distance-communication technology, including a definition of online counseling. The authors show how counseling psychology provides a framework for specific questions related to the theory,…

The Ghosts of Counseling Psychology: Is Counseling Research Really Dead?

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Murdock, Nancy L.

2011-01-01

Scheel et al. offer an interesting analysis on the publication rate of counseling-related research articles in counseling psychology's two major journals. In this reaction to their work, the author considers various aspects of their results and contemplates possible explanations for the decline of counseling-related publications. The author…

36 CFR 1211.425 - Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials.

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2010-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials. 1211.425 Section 1211.425 Parks, Forests, and Public Property NATIONAL... Education Programs or Activities Prohibited § 1211.425 Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling...

miR-181a and miR-630 regulate cisplatin-induced cancer cell death.

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Galluzzi, Lorenzo; Morselli, Eugenia; Vitale, Ilio; Kepp, Oliver; Senovilla, Laura; Criollo, Alfredo; Servant, Nicolas; Paccard, Caroline; Hupé, Philippe; Robert, Thomas; Ripoche, Hugues; Lazar, Vladimir; Harel-Bellan, Annick; Dessen, Philippe; Barillot, Emmanuel; Kroemer, Guido

2010-03-01

MicroRNAs (miRNA) are noncoding RNAs that regulate multiple cellular processes, including proliferation and apoptosis. We used microarray technology to identify miRNAs that were upregulated by non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) A549 cells in response to cisplatin (CDDP). The corresponding synthetic miRNA precursors (pre-miRNAs) per se were not lethal when transfected into A549 cells yet affected cell death induction by CDDP, C2-ceramide, cadmium, etoposide, and mitoxantrone in an inducer-specific fashion. Whereas synthetic miRNA inhibitors (anti-miRNAs) targeting miR-181a and miR-630 failed to modulate the response of A549 to CDDP, pre-miR-181a and pre-miR-630 enhanced and reduced CDDP-triggered cell death, respectively. Pre-miR-181a and pre-miR-630 consistently modulated mitochondrial/postmitochondrial steps of the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis, including Bax oligomerization, mitochondrial transmembrane potential dissipation, and the proteolytic maturation of caspase-9 and caspase-3. In addition, pre-miR-630 blocked early manifestations of the DNA damage response, including the phosphorylation of the ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) kinase and of two ATM substrates, histone H2AX and p53. Pharmacologic and genetic inhibition of p53 corroborated the hypothesis that pre-miR-630 (but not pre-miR-181a) blocks the upstream signaling pathways that are ignited by DNA damage and converge on p53 activation. Pre-miR-630 arrested A549 cells in the G0-G1 phase of the cell cycle, correlating with increased levels of the cell cycle inhibitor p27(Kip1) as well as with reduced proliferation rates and resulting in greatly diminished sensitivity of A549 cells to the late S-G2-M cell cycle arrest mediated by CDDP. Altogether, these results identify miR-181a and miR-630 as novel modulators of the CDDP response in NSCLC.

Diagnostic potential of miR-126, miR-143, miR-145, and miR-652 in malignant pleural mesothelioma

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Andersen, Morten; Grauslund, Morten; Ravn, Jesper

2014-01-01

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is difficult to distinguish from reactive mesothelial proliferations (RMPs). It is uncertain whether miRNAs are useful biomarkers for differentiating MPM from RMPs. Thus, we screened with a quantitative RT-PCR (RT-qPCR)-based platform the expression of 742 miR...

Mechanism research of miR-181 regulating human lens epithelial cell apoptosis

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Yu Qin

2015-05-01

Full Text Available AIM: To investigate the expression of miR-181 in the lens tissue of cataract and the regulating mechanism of miR-181 on apoptosis of human lens epithelial cell.METHODS:Real time q-PCR was used to measure the expression of miR-181 in the anterior lens capsules of age-related cataract and human lens epithelial cell apoptosis model. miR-181 mimic and inhibitor were transfected using Lipofectamine 2 000 to regulate the expression of miR-181, and then Real time q-PCR was used to verify transfection efficiency. Flow cytometry was used to detect the change of cell apoptosis rate. RESULTS: Compared with control group, the expression of miR-181 was significantly higher in both the anterior lens capsules of age-related cataract and human lens epithelial cell apoptosis model; the relative expression of miR-181 in lens epithelial cells transfected with miR-181 mimic was increased, whereas decreased in cells transfected with miR-181 inhibitor; the apoptosis rate of cells transfected with miR-181 mimic was increased, while reduced in miR-181 inhibitor group. Each result was statistically significant(PCONCLUSION: High expression of miR-181 is detected in anterior lens capsule of age-related cataract. miR-181 might play a certain role in the pathogenesis of cataract via promoting human lens epithelial cell apoptosis. miR-181 probably becomes a new approach for the nonoperative treatment of cataract, but the concrete mechanism still needs to be further studied.

miR-4443 Participates in the Malignancy of Breast Cancer.

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Xiu Chen

Full Text Available Chemo-resistance is the leading cause of failure in cancer therapy, however, much remains to be understood about the intrinsic mechanisms. In the present study, we discovered the novel miR-4443 that regulated malignancy of breast cancer both in vitro and in vivo.We examined the expression of miR-4443 in MDA-MB-231/S and MDA-MB-231 Epirubicin-resistant cell lines with 76 breast cancer formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues by real-time PCR. Also, we investigated the loss- and gain-functions of miR-4443 by MTT assay and flow cytometry. Furthermore, we detected miR-4443 mediated tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 2 expression in cells by TargetScan, RT-qPCR and western blot.We identified the up-regulated expression of miR-4443 in Epi-resistant cell lines versus MDA-MB-231/S cell(Epi versus S and in post-chemotherapy FFPE tissues, along with statistically differential expressions in PR(partial response versus SD(stable disease/PD(progressive disease patients. Overexpression of miR-4443 increased the IC50 value of Epi for the target cells transfected, while inhibition of miR-4443 could restored sensitivity of the target cells to Epi. Besides, down-regulation of endogenous miR-4443 by miRNA-inhibitors significantly enhanced Epi-induced apoptosis while up-regulation of miR-4443 by miRNA-mimics lead to less Epi-induced apoptotic cells. Consequently, changes in TIMP2 mRNA and protein expression revealed that miR-4443 mimics suppressed expression of TIMP2 and induced migration in breast cancer cells. Furthermore, TIMP2 expression associated with better prognosis(HR = 0.721, 95%CI: 0.529-0.983.We revealed that miR-4443 induced malignancy of breast cancer mainly in chemo-resistance aspect for the very first time, providing a novel biomarker in breast cancer diagnosis and therapy.

Prognostic significance of miR-205 in endometrial cancer.

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Mihriban Karaayvaz

Full Text Available microRNAs have emerged as key regulators of gene expression, and their altered expression has been associated with tumorigenesis and tumor progression. Thus, microRNAs have potential as both cancer biomarkers and/or potential novel therapeutic targets. Although accumulating evidence suggests the role of aberrant microRNA expression in endometrial carcinogenesis, there are still limited data available about the prognostic significance of microRNAs in endometrial cancer. The goal of this study is to investigate the prognostic value of selected key microRNAs in endometrial cancer by the analysis of archival formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues.Total RNAs were extracted from 48 paired normal and endometrial tumor specimens using Trizol based approach. The expression of miR-26a, let-7g, miR-21, miR-181b, miR-200c, miR-192, miR-215, miR-200c, and miR-205 were quantified by real time qRT-PCR expression analysis. Targets of the differentially expressed miRNAs were quantified using immunohistochemistry. Statistical analysis was performed by GraphPad Prism 5.0.The expression levels of miR-200c (P<0.0001 and miR-205 (P<0.0001 were significantly increased in endometrial tumors compared to normal tissues. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that high levels of miR-205 expression were associated with poor patient overall survival (hazard ratio, 0.377; Logrank test, P = 0.028. Furthermore, decreased expression of a miR-205 target PTEN was detected in endometrial cancer tissues compared to normal tissues.miR-205 holds a unique potential as a prognostic biomarker in endometrial cancer.

Decreased miR-128 and increased miR-21 synergistically cause podocyte injury in sepsis.

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Wang, Shanshan; Wang, Jun; Zhang, Zengdi; Miao, Hongjun

2017-08-01

Glomerular podocytes are injured in sepsis. We studied, in a sepsis patient, whether microRNAs (miRNAs) play a role in the podocyte injury. Podocytes were cultured and treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Filtration barrier function of podocyte was analyzed with albumin influx assay. Nephrin level was analyzed with reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blot. MiRNAs were detected using miRNAs PCR Array and in situ hybridization. MiRNA target sites were evaluated with luciferase reporter assays. LPS impaired the filtration barrier function of podocytes. MiR-128 level was decreased and miR-21 level was increased in podocytes in vitro and in the sepsis patient. The decrease in miR-128 was sufficient to induce the loss of nephrin and the impairment of filtration barrier function, while the increase of miR-21 exacerbated the process. Snail and phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) were identified as the targets of miR-128 and miR-21. Decreased miR-128 induced Snail expression, and the increased miR-21 stabilized Snail by regulating the PTEN/Akt/GSK3β pathway. Supplementation of miR-128 and inhibition of miR-21 suppressed Snail expression and prevented the podocyte injury induced by LPS. Our study suggests that decreased miR-128 and increased miR-21 synergistically cause podocyte injury and are the potential therapeutic targets in sepsis.

Investigation of the Application of miR10b and miR135b in the Identification of Semen Stains

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Xue, Tianyu; Ma, Xiaoyan; Zhang, Jinxiang; Ou, Xueling; Cheng, Jianding; Sun, Hongyu

2015-01-01

To evaluate the identification method using the microRNA markers miR10b and miR135b to distinguish semen stains from menstrual blood, peripheral blood, vaginal fluid and so on body fluid stains. The expression levels of miR10b and miR35b in semen stains and menstrual blood and so on were detected utilizing a real-time quantitative PCR technique with a specific fluorescence-labeled TaqMan probe. RNU6b was used as the internal reference gene; the difference in their expression was analyzed, and the specificity, sensitivity, and detection capability of the techniques were evaluated. The expression of miR10b and miR135b in semen stains was significantly higher than that of other body fluid stains, with a mean value of ΔCт from-6 to-7. However, it ranged from-2 to-4 for other body fluid stains. The initial criteria for judging which semen stains can be identified were determined by analyzing the research results. When the threshold value was set to 0.04, the CT value could be detected in the target genes miR10b, miR135b and in the internal reference gene RNU6b, and CT values are<40, ΔCT[10b-U6]<-5.5, and ΔCT[135b-U6]<-6, respectively, and the semen stain could be identified. The expression levels of miR10b and miR135b are higher in semen with strong tissue specificity; thus, they can be used to differentiate semen stains from other body fluid stains in forensic science. PMID:26355456

Investigation of the Application of miR10b and miR135b in the Identification of Semen Stains.

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Dayue Tong

Full Text Available To evaluate the identification method using the microRNA markers miR10b and miR135b to distinguish semen stains from menstrual blood, peripheral blood, vaginal fluid and so on body fluid stains. The expression levels of miR10b and miR35b in semen stains and menstrual blood and so on were detected utilizing a real-time quantitative PCR technique with a specific fluorescence-labeled TaqMan probe. RNU6b was used as the internal reference gene; the difference in their expression was analyzed, and the specificity, sensitivity, and detection capability of the techniques were evaluated. The expression of miR10b and miR135b in semen stains was significantly higher than that of other body fluid stains, with a mean value of ΔCт from-6 to-7. However, it ranged from-2 to-4 for other body fluid stains. The initial criteria for judging which semen stains can be identified were determined by analyzing the research results. When the threshold value was set to 0.04, the CT value could be detected in the target genes miR10b, miR135b and in the internal reference gene RNU6b, and CT values are<40, ΔCT[10b-U6]<-5.5, and ΔCT[135b-U6]<-6, respectively, and the semen stain could be identified. The expression levels of miR10b and miR135b are higher in semen with strong tissue specificity; thus, they can be used to differentiate semen stains from other body fluid stains in forensic science.

Measurement of the Single Top Quark Production Cross Section and mi>Vtb>| in Events with One Charged Lepton, Large Missing Transverse Energy, and Jets at CDF

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Aaltonen, T.; Amerio, S.; Amidei, D.; Anastassov, A.; Annovi, A.; Antos, J.; Apollinari, G.; Appel, J. A.; Arisawa, T.; Artikov, A.; Asaadi, J.; Ashmanskas, W.; Auerbach, B.; Aurisano, A.; Azfar, F.; Badgett, W.; Bae, T.; Barbaro-Galtieri, A.; Barnes, V. E.; Barnett, B. A.; Barria, P.; Bartos, P.; Bauce, M.; Bedeschi, F.; Behari, S.; Bellettini, G.; Bellinger, J.; Benjamin, D.; Beretvas, A.; Bhatti, A.; Bland, K. R.; Blumenfeld, B.; Bocci, A.; Bodek, A.; Bortoletto, D.; Boudreau, J.; Boveia, A.; Brigliadori, L.; Bromberg, C.; Brucken, E.; Budagov, J.; Budd, H. S.; Burkett, K.; Busetto, G.; Bussey, P.; Butti, P.; Buzatu, A.; Calamba, A.; Camarda, S.; Campanelli, M.; Canelli, F.; Carls, B.; Carlsmith, D.; Carosi, R.; Carrillo, S.; Casal, B.; Casarsa, M.; Castro, A.; Catastini, P.; Cauz, D.; Cavaliere, V.; Cerri, A.; Cerrito, L.; Chen, Y. C.; Chertok, M.; Chiarelli, G.; Chlachidze, G.; Cho, K.; Chokheli, D.; Clark, A.; Clarke, C.; Convery, M. E.; Conway, J.; Corbo, M.; Cordelli, M.; Cox, C. A.; Cox, D. J.; Cremonesi, M.; Cruz, D.; Cuevas, J.; Culbertson, R.; d’Ascenzo, N.; Datta, M.; de Barbaro, P.; Demortier, L.; Deninno, M.; D’Errico, M.; Devoto, F.; Di Canto, A.; Di Ruzza, B.; Dittmann, J. R.; Donati, S.; D’Onofrio, M.; Dorigo, M.; Driutti, A.; Ebina, K.; Edgar, R.; Elagin, A.; Erbacher, R.; Errede, S.; Esham, B.; Farrington, S.; Fernández Ramos, J. P.; Field, R.; Flanagan, G.; Forrest, R.; Franklin, M.; Freeman, J. C.; Frisch, H.; Funakoshi, Y.; Galloni, C.; Garfinkel, A. F.; Garosi, P.; Gerberich, H.; Gerchtein, E.; Giagu, S.; Giakoumopoulou, V.; Gibson, K.; Ginsburg, C. M.; Giokaris, N.; Giromini, P.; Glagolev, V.; Glenzinski, D.; Gold, M.; Goldin, D.; Golossanov, A.; Gomez, G.; Gomez-Ceballos, G.; Goncharov, M.; González López, O.; Gorelov, I.; Goshaw, A. T.; Goulianos, K.; Gramellini, E.; Grosso-Pilcher, C.; Group, R. C.; Guimaraes da Costa, J.; Hahn, S. R.; Han, J. Y.; Happacher, F.; Hara, K.; Hare, M.; Harr, R. F.; Harrington-Taber, T.; Hatakeyama, K.; Hays, C.; Heinrich, J.; Herndon, M.; Hirschbuehl, D.; Hocker, A.; Hong, Z.; Hopkins, W.; Hou, S.; Hughes, R. E.; Husemann, U.; Hussein, M.; Huston, J.; Introzzi, G.; Iori, M.; Ivanov, A.; James, E.; Jang, D.; Jayatilaka, B.; Jeon, E. J.; Jindariani, S.; Jones, M.; Joo, K. K.; Jun, S. Y.; Junk, T. R.; Kambeitz, M.; Kamon, T.; Karchin, P. E.; Kasmi, A.; Kato, Y.; Ketchum, W.; Keung, J.; Kilminster, B.; Kim, D. H.; Kim, H. S.; Kim, J. E.; Kim, M. J.; Kim, S. H.; Kim, S. B.; Kim, Y. J.; Kim, Y. K.; Kimura, N.; Kirby, M.; Knoepfel, K.; Kondo, K.; Kong, D. J.; Konigsberg, J.; Kotwal, A. V.; Kreps, M.; Kroll, J.; Kruse, M.; Kuhr, T.; Kurata, M.; Laasanen, A. T.; Lammel, S.; Lancaster, M.; Lannon, K.; Latino, G.; Lee, H. S.; Lee, J. S.; Leo, S.; Leone, S.; Lewis, J. D.; Limosani, A.; Lipeles, E.; Lister, A.; Liu, H.; Liu, Q.; Liu, T.; Lockwitz, S.; Loginov, A.; Lucchesi, D.; Lucà, A.; Lueck, J.; Lujan, P.; Lukens, P.; Lungu, G.; Lys, J.; Lysak, R.; Madrak, R.; Maestro, P.; Malik, S.; Manca, G.; Manousakis-Katsikakis, A.; Marchese, L.; Margaroli, F.; Marino, P.; Matera, K.; Mattson, M. E.; Mazzacane, A.; Mazzanti, P.; McNulty, R.; Mehta, A.; Mehtala, P.; Mesropian, C.; Miao, T.; Mietlicki, D.; Mitra, A.; Miyake, H.; Moed, S.; Moggi, N.; Moon, C. S.; Moore, R.; Morello, M. J.; Mukherjee, A.; Muller, Th.; Murat, P.; Mussini, M.; Nachtman, J.; Nagai, Y.; Naganoma, J.; Nakano, I.; Napier, A.; Nett, J.; Neu, C.; Nigmanov, T.; Nodulman, L.; Noh, S. Y.; Norniella, O.; Oakes, L.; Oh, S. H.; Oh, Y. D.; Oksuzian, I.; Okusawa, T.; Orava, R.; Ortolan, L.; Pagliarone, C.; Palencia, E.; Palni, P.; Papadimitriou, V.; Parker, W.; Pauletta, G.; Paulini, M.; Paus, C.; Phillips, T. J.; Pianori, E.; Pilot, J.; Pitts, K.; Plager, C.; Pondrom, L.; Poprocki, S.; Potamianos, K.; Pranko, A.; Prokoshin, F.; Ptohos, F.; Punzi, G.; Redondo Fernández, I.; Renton, P.; Rescigno, M.; Rimondi, F.; Ristori, L.; Robson, A.; Rodriguez, T.; Rolli, S.; Ronzani, M.; Roser, R.; Rosner, J. L.; Ruffini, F.; Ruiz, A.; Russ, J.; Rusu, V.; Sakumoto, W. K.; Sakurai, Y.; Santi, L.; Sato, K.; Saveliev, V.; Savoy-Navarro, A.; Schlabach, P.; Schmidt, E. E.; Schwarz, T.; Scodellaro, L.; Scuri, F.; Seidel, S.; Seiya, Y.; Semenov, A.; Sforza, F.; Shalhout, S. Z.; Shears, T.; Shepard, P. F.; Shimojima, M.; Shochet, M.; Shreyber-Tecker, I.; Simonenko, A.; Sliwa, K.; Smith, J. R.; Snider, F. D.; Song, H.; Sorin, V.; St. Denis, R.; Stancari, M.; Stentz, D.; Strologas, J.; Sudo, Y.; Sukhanov, A.; Suslov, I.; Takemasa, K.; Takeuchi, Y.; Tang, J.; Tecchio, M.; Teng, P. K.; Thom, J.; Thomson, E.; Thukral, V.; Toback, D.; Tokar, S.; Tollefson, K.; Tomura, T.; Tonelli, D.; Torre, S.; Torretta, D.; Totaro, P.; Trovato, M.; Ukegawa, F.; Uozumi, S.; Vázquez, F.; Velev, G.; Vellidis, C.; Vernieri, C.; Vidal, M.; Vilar, R.; Vizán, J.; Vogel, M.; Volpi, G.; Wagner, P.; Wallny, R.; Wang, S. M.; Waters, D.; Wester, W. C.; Whiteson, D.; Wicklund, A. B.; Wilbur, S.; Williams, H. H.; Wilson, J. S.; Wilson, P.; Winer, B. L.; Wittich, P.; Wolbers, S.; Wolfe, H.; Wright, T.; Wu, X.; Wu, Z.; Yamamoto, K.; Yamato, D.; Yang, T.; Yang, U. K.; Yang, Y. C.; Yao, W. -M.; Yeh, G. P.; Yi, K.; Yoh, J.; Yorita, K.; Yoshida, T.; Yu, G. B.; Yu, I.; Zanetti, A. M.; Zeng, Y.; Zhou, C.; Zucchelli, S.

2014-12-31

We report a measurement of single top quark production in proton-antiproton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of mi>s>=1.96 mi>TeV> using a data set corresponding to 7.5 mi>fb>-1 of integrated luminosity collected by the Collider Detector at Fermilab. We select events consistent with the single top quark decay process mi>t>→mi>Wb>→ℓmi>νb> by requiring the presence of an electron or muon, a large imbalance of transverse momentum indicating the presence of a neutrino, and two or three jets including at least one originating from a bottom quark. An artificial neural network is used to discriminate the signal from backgrounds. We measure a single top quark production cross section of 3.04-0.53+0.57 mi>pb> and set a lower limit on the magnitude of the coupling between the top quark and bottom quark |mi>V

Clinical significance of miR-140-5p and miR-193b expression in patients with breast cancer and relationship to IGFBP5

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Gökçe Güllü

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The functional role of IGFBP5 in breast cancer is complicated. Experimental and bioinformatics studies have shown that IGFBP5 is targeted by miR-140-5p and miR-193b, although this has not yet been proven in clinical samples. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of miR-140-5p and miR-193b in breast cancer and adjacent normal tissue and assess its correlation with IGFBP5 and the clinicopathological characteristics of the tumors. IGFBP5 protein expression was analyzed immunohistochemically and IGFBP5, miR-140 and miR-193b mRNA expression levels were analyzed with real-time RT-PCR. Tumor tissue had higher miR-140-5p expression than adjacent normal tissue (p = 0.015. Samples with no immunohistochemical staining for IGFBP5 showed increased miR-140-5p expression (p = 0.009. miR-140-5p expression was elevated in invasive ductal carcinomas (p = 0.002, whereas basal-like tumors had decreased expression of miR-140-5p compared to other tumors (p = 0.008. Lymph node-positive samples showed an approximately 13-fold increase in miR-140-5p expression compared to lymph node-negative tissue (p = 0.049. These findings suggest that miR-140-5p, but not miR-193b, could be an important determinant of IGFBP5 expression and clinical phenotype in breast cancer patients. Further studies are needed to clarify the expressional regulation of IGFBP5 by miR-140-5p.

Counseling in teacher education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mølgaard, Dorthe Busk

Counseling is about supporting and challenging students in making decisions, being adaptive, seeing opportunities and acquiring self-knowledge. Literaturesearch of articles about counseling research in nordic teacher education 2008-2013 shows no results. We started a participant-orientated pilotp......Counseling is about supporting and challenging students in making decisions, being adaptive, seeing opportunities and acquiring self-knowledge. Literaturesearch of articles about counseling research in nordic teacher education 2008-2013 shows no results. We started a participant......-orientated pilotproject about counseling in teacher education. The aim was to acquire knowledge about how students perceive counseling. This knowledge could help uncover potential areas of development for counselingpractice. In the pilotproject it is tested if the chosen method is suitable for bigger qualitative study....... The study is a qualitative questionnaire survey. The “lifeworld” is central, therefore a phenomenological and hermeneutical approach was chosen, where the student’s perception of the counseling is studied. Central themes: Setting of the counseling and progress of the counselingcourse, content and shape...

miRNAs in brain development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petri, Rebecca; Malmevik, Josephine; Fasching, Liana; Åkerblom, Malin; Jakobsson, Johan

2014-01-01

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNAs that negatively regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. In the brain, a large number of miRNAs are expressed and there is a growing body of evidence demonstrating that miRNAs are essential for brain development and neuronal function. Conditional knockout studies of the core components in the miRNA biogenesis pathway, such as Dicer and DGCR8, have demonstrated a crucial role for miRNAs during the development of the central nervous system. Furthermore, mice deleted for specific miRNAs and miRNA-clusters demonstrate diverse functional roles for different miRNAs during the development of different brain structures. miRNAs have been proposed to regulate cellular functions such as differentiation, proliferation and fate-determination of neural progenitors. In this review we summarise the findings from recent studies that highlight the importance of miRNAs in brain development with a focus on the mouse model. We also discuss the technical limitations of current miRNA studies that still limit our understanding of this family of non-coding RNAs and propose the use of novel and refined technologies that are needed in order to fully determine the impact of specific miRNAs in brain development. - Highlights: • miRNAs are essential for brain development and neuronal function. • KO of Dicer is embryonically lethal. • Conditional Dicer KO results in defective proliferation or increased apoptosis. • KO of individual miRNAs or miRNA families is necessary to determine function

Monitoring the Spatiotemporal Activities of miRNAs in Small Animal Models Using Molecular Imaging Modalities

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Patrick Baril

2015-03-01

Full Text Available MicroRNAs (miRNAs are a class of small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression by binding mRNA targets via sequence complementary inducing translational repression and/or mRNA degradation. A current challenge in the field of miRNA biology is to understand the functionality of miRNAs under physiopathological conditions. Recent evidence indicates that miRNA expression is more complex than simple regulation at the transcriptional level. MiRNAs undergo complex post-transcriptional regulations such miRNA processing, editing, accumulation and re-cycling within P-bodies. They are dynamically regulated and have a well-orchestrated spatiotemporal localization pattern. Real-time and spatio-temporal analyses of miRNA expression are difficult to evaluate and often underestimated. Therefore, important information connecting miRNA expression and function can be lost. Conventional miRNA profiling methods such as Northern blot, real-time PCR, microarray, in situ hybridization and deep sequencing continue to contribute to our knowledge of miRNA biology. However, these methods can seldom shed light on the spatiotemporal organization and function of miRNAs in real-time. Non-invasive molecular imaging methods have the potential to address these issues and are thus attracting increasing attention. This paper reviews the state-of-the-art of methods used to detect miRNAs and discusses their contribution in the emerging field of miRNA biology and therapy.

Monitoring the spatiotemporal activities of miRNAs in small animal models using molecular imaging modalities.

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Baril, Patrick; Ezzine, Safia; Pichon, Chantal

2015-03-04

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression by binding mRNA targets via sequence complementary inducing translational repression and/or mRNA degradation. A current challenge in the field of miRNA biology is to understand the functionality of miRNAs under physiopathological conditions. Recent evidence indicates that miRNA expression is more complex than simple regulation at the transcriptional level. MiRNAs undergo complex post-transcriptional regulations such miRNA processing, editing, accumulation and re-cycling within P-bodies. They are dynamically regulated and have a well-orchestrated spatiotemporal localization pattern. Real-time and spatio-temporal analyses of miRNA expression are difficult to evaluate and often underestimated. Therefore, important information connecting miRNA expression and function can be lost. Conventional miRNA profiling methods such as Northern blot, real-time PCR, microarray, in situ hybridization and deep sequencing continue to contribute to our knowledge of miRNA biology. However, these methods can seldom shed light on the spatiotemporal organization and function of miRNAs in real-time. Non-invasive molecular imaging methods have the potential to address these issues and are thus attracting increasing attention. This paper reviews the state-of-the-art of methods used to detect miRNAs and discusses their contribution in the emerging field of miRNA biology and therapy.

miRNA profiles in cerebrospinal fluid from patients with central hypersomnias

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holm, Anja; Bang-Berthelsen, Claus Heiner; Knudsen, Stine

2014-01-01

addressed whether miRNA levels are altered in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with central hypersomnias. We conducted high-throughput analyses of miRNAs in CSF from patients using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction panels. We identified 13, 9, and 11 miRNAs with a more than two...

Cell type-specific deficiency of c-kit gene expression in mutant mice of mi/mi genotype.

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Isozaki, K.; Tsujimura, T.; Nomura, S.; Morii, E.; Koshimizu, U.; Nishimune, Y.; Kitamura, Y.

1994-01-01

The mi locus of mice encodes a novel member of the basic-helix-loop-helix-leucine zipper protein family of transcription factors (hereafter called mi factor). In addition to microphthalmus, osteopetrosis, and lack of melanocytes, mice of mi/mi genotype are deficient in mast cells. Since the c-kit receptor tyrosine kinase plays an important role in the development of mast cells, and since the c-kit expression by cultured mast cells from mi/mi mice is deficient in both mRNA and protein levels, the mast cell deficiency of mi/mi mice has been attributed at least in part to the deficient expression of c-kit. However, it remained to be examined whether the c-kit expression was also deficient in tissues of mi/mi mice. In the present study, we examined the c-kit expression by mi/mi skin mast cells using in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. Moreover, we examined the c-kit expression by various cells other than mast cells in tissues of mi/mi mice. We found that the c-kit expression was deficient in mast cells but not in erythroid precursors, testicular germ cells, and neurons of mi/mi mice. This suggested that the regulation of the c-kit transcription by the mi factor was dependent on cell types. Mice of mi/mi genotype appeared to be a useful model to analyze the function of transcription factors in the whole-animal level. Images Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 PMID:7524330

Excess fertilizer responsive miRNAs revealed in Linum usitatissimum L.

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Melnikova, Nataliya V; Dmitriev, Alexey A; Belenikin, Maxim S; Speranskaya, Anna S; Krinitsina, Anastasia A; Rachinskaia, Olga A; Lakunina, Valentina A; Krasnov, George S; Snezhkina, Anastasiya V; Sadritdinova, Asiya F; Uroshlev, Leonid A; Koroban, Nadezda V; Samatadze, Tatiana E; Amosova, Alexandra V; Zelenin, Alexander V; Muravenko, Olga V; Bolsheva, Nadezhda L; Kudryavtseva, Anna V

2015-02-01

Effective fertilizer application is necessary to increase crop yields and reduce risk of plant overdosing. It is known that expression level of microRNAs (miRNAs) alters in plants under different nutrient concentrations in soil. The aim of our study was to identify and characterize miRNAs with expression alterations under excessive fertilizer in agriculturally important crop - flax (Linum usitatissimum L.). We have sequenced small RNAs in flax grown under normal and excessive fertilizer using Illumina GAIIx. Over 14 million raw reads was obtained for two small RNA libraries. 84 conserved miRNAs from 20 families were identified. Differential expression was revealed for several flax miRNAs under excessive fertilizer according to high-throughput sequencing data. For 6 miRNA families (miR395, miR169, miR408, miR399, miR398 and miR168) expression level alterations were evaluated on the extended sampling using qPCR. Statistically significant up-regulation was revealed for miR395 under excessive fertilizer. It is known that target genes of miR395 are involved in sulfate uptake and assimilation. However, according to our data alterations of the expression level of miR395 could be associated not only with excess sulfur application, but also with redundancy of other macro- and micronutrients. Furthermore expression level was evaluated for miRNAs and their predicted targets. The negative correlation between miR399 expression and expression of its predicted target ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2 gene was shown in flax for the first time. So we suggested miR399 involvement in phosphate regulation in L. usitatissimum. Revealed in our study expression alterations contribute to miRNA role in flax response to excessive fertilizer. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. and Société française de biochimie et biologie Moléculaire (SFBBM). All rights reserved.

Options Counseling for the Pregnant Adolescent Patient.

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Hornberger, Laurie L

2017-09-01

Each year, more than 500 000 girls and young women younger than 20 years become pregnant. It is important for pediatricians to have the ability and the resources in their offices to make a timely pregnancy diagnosis in their adolescent patients and provide them with nonjudgmental pregnancy options counseling. Counseling includes an unbiased discussion of the adolescent's legal options to either continue or terminate her pregnancy, supporting the adolescent in the decision-making process, and referring the adolescent to appropriate resources and services. Pediatricians who choose not to provide such discussions should promptly refer pregnant adolescent patients to a health care professional who will offer developmentally appropriate pregnancy options counseling. This approach to pregnancy options counseling has not changed since the original 1989 American Academy of Pediatrics statement on this issue. Copyright © 2017 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Radiosensitizing Effects of Ectopic miR-101 on Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer Cells Depend on the Endogenous miR-101 Level

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Susie; Wang Hongyan; Ng, Wooi Loon; Curran, Walter J.; Wang Ya

2011-01-01

Purpose: Previously, we showed that ectopic miR-101 could sensitize human tumor cells to radiation by targeting ATM and DNA-PK catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs) to inhibit DNA repair, as the endogenous miR-101 levels are low in tumors in general. However, the heterogeneity of human cancers may result in an exception. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that a few tumor cell lines with a high level of endogenous miR-101 would prove less response to ectopic miR-101. Methods and Materials: Fourteeen non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines and one immortalized non-malignant lung epithelial cell line (NL20) were used for comparing endogenous miR-101 levels by real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction. Based on the different miR-101 levels, four cell lines with different miR-101 levels were chosen for transfection with a green fluorescent protein–lentiviral plasmid encoding miR-101. The target protein levels were measured by using Western blotting. The radiosensitizing effects of ectopic miR-101 on these NSCLC cell lines were determined by a clonogenic assay and xenograft mouse model. Results: The endogenous miR-101 level was similar or lower in 13 NSCLC cell lines but was 11-fold higher in one cell line (H157) than in NL20 cells. Although ectopic miR-101 efficiently decreased the ATM and DNA-PKcs levels and increased the radiosensitization level in H1299, H1975, and A549 cells, it did not change the levels of the miR-101 targets or radiosensitivity in H157 cells. Similar results were observed in xenograft mice. Conclusions: A small number of NSCLC cell lines could have a high level of endogenous miR-101. The ectopic miR-101 was able to radiosensitize most NSCLC cells, except for the NSCLC cell lines that had a much higher endogenous miR-101 level. These results suggest that when we choose one miRNA as a therapeutic tool, the endogenous level of the miRNA in each tumor should be considered.

Radiosensitizing Effects of Ectopic miR-101 on Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Cells Depend on the Endogenous miR-101 Level

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Susie; Wang Hongyan; Ng, Wooi Loon; Curran, Walter J. [Department of Radiation Oncology, School of Medicine and the Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA (United States); Wang Ya, E-mail: ywang94@emory.edu [Department of Radiation Oncology, School of Medicine and the Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA (United States)

2011-12-01

Purpose: Previously, we showed that ectopic miR-101 could sensitize human tumor cells to radiation by targeting ATM and DNA-PK catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs) to inhibit DNA repair, as the endogenous miR-101 levels are low in tumors in general. However, the heterogeneity of human cancers may result in an exception. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that a few tumor cell lines with a high level of endogenous miR-101 would prove less response to ectopic miR-101. Methods and Materials: Fourteeen non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines and one immortalized non-malignant lung epithelial cell line (NL20) were used for comparing endogenous miR-101 levels by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Based on the different miR-101 levels, four cell lines with different miR-101 levels were chosen for transfection with a green fluorescent protein-lentiviral plasmid encoding miR-101. The target protein levels were measured by using Western blotting. The radiosensitizing effects of ectopic miR-101 on these NSCLC cell lines were determined by a clonogenic assay and xenograft mouse model. Results: The endogenous miR-101 level was similar or lower in 13 NSCLC cell lines but was 11-fold higher in one cell line (H157) than in NL20 cells. Although ectopic miR-101 efficiently decreased the ATM and DNA-PKcs levels and increased the radiosensitization level in H1299, H1975, and A549 cells, it did not change the levels of the miR-101 targets or radiosensitivity in H157 cells. Similar results were observed in xenograft mice. Conclusions: A small number of NSCLC cell lines could have a high level of endogenous miR-101. The ectopic miR-101 was able to radiosensitize most NSCLC cells, except for the NSCLC cell lines that had a much higher endogenous miR-101 level. These results suggest that when we choose one miRNA as a therapeutic tool, the endogenous level of the miRNA in each tumor should be considered.

Assay reproducibility in clinical studies of plasma miRNA.

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Jonathan Rice

Full Text Available There are increasing reports of plasma miRNAs as biomarkers of human disease but few standards in methodologic reporting, leading to inconsistent data. We systematically reviewed plasma miRNA studies published between July 2013-June 2014 to assess methodology. Six parameters were investigated: time to plasma extraction, methods of RNA extraction, type of miRNA, quantification, cycle threshold (Ct setting, and methods of statistical analysis. We compared these data with a proposed standard methodologic technique. Beginning with initial screening for 380 miRNAs using microfluidic array technology and validation in an additional cohort of patients, we compared 11 miRNAs that exhibited differential expression between 16 patients with benign colorectal neoplasms (advanced adenomas and 16 patients without any neoplasm (controls. Plasma was isolated immediately, 12, 24, 48, or 72 h following phlebotomy. miRNA was extracted using two different techniques (Trizol LS with pre-amplification or modified miRNeasy. We performed Taqman-based RT-PCR assays for the 11 miRNAs with subsequent analyses using a variable Ct setting or a fixed Ct set at 0.01, 0.03, 0.05, or 0.5. Assays were performed in duplicate by two different operators. RNU6 was the internal reference. Systematic review yielded 74 manuscripts meeting inclusion criteria. One manuscript (1.4% documented all 6 methodological parameters, while < 5% of studies listed Ct setting. In our proposed standard technique, plasma extraction ≤12 h provided consistent ΔCt. miRNeasy extraction yielded higher miRNA concentrations and fewer non-expressed miRNAs compared to Trizol LS (1/704 miRNAs [0.14%] vs 109/704 miRNAs [15%], not expressed, respectively. A fixed Ct bar setting of 0.03 yielded the most reproducible data, provided that <10% miRNA were non-expressed. There was no significant intra-operator variability. There was significant inter-operator variation using Trizol LS extraction, while this was

Trainees versus Staff: Exploring Counseling Outcomes in a College Counseling Center

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Ilagan, Guy; Vinson, Mike; Sharp, Julia L.; Havice, Pamela; Ilagan, Jill

2014-01-01

Investigators compared counseling outcomes among nonpaid graduate-level trainees and professional staff at a college counseling center. Counseling outcomes for 331 college student participants were measured using the Outcome Questionnaire 45.2 (OQ45.2), employing a pretest--posttest design. The two groups of service providers did not differ…

miRNAFold: a web server for fast miRNA precursor prediction in genomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Tav, Christophe; Tempel, Sébastien; Poligny, Laurent; Tahi, Fariza

2016-07-08

Computational methods are required for prediction of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), which are involved in many biological processes, especially at post-transcriptional level. Among these ncRNAs, miRNAs have been largely studied and biologists need efficient and fast tools for their identification. In particular, ab initio methods are usually required when predicting novel miRNAs. Here we present a web server dedicated for miRNA precursors identification at a large scale in genomes. It is based on an algorithm called miRNAFold that allows predicting miRNA hairpin structures quickly with high sensitivity. miRNAFold is implemented as a web server with an intuitive and user-friendly interface, as well as a standalone version. The web server is freely available at: http://EvryRNA.ibisc.univ-evry.fr/miRNAFold. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Mi-DISCOVERER: A bioinformatics tool for the detection of mi-RNA in human genome.

Science.gov (United States)

Arshad, Saadia; Mumtaz, Asia; Ahmad, Freed; Liaquat, Sadia; Nadeem, Shahid; Mehboob, Shahid; Afzal, Muhammad

2010-11-27

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are 22 nucleotides non-coding RNAs that play pivotal regulatory roles in diverse organisms including the humans and are difficult to be identified due to lack of either sequence features or robust algorithms to efficiently identify. Therefore, we made a tool that is Mi-Discoverer for the detection of miRNAs in human genome. The tools used for the development of software are Microsoft Office Access 2003, the JDK version 1.6.0, BioJava version 1.0, and the NetBeans IDE version 6.0. All already made miRNAs softwares were web based; so the advantage of our project was to make a desktop facility to the user for sequence alignment search with already identified miRNAs of human genome present in the database. The user can also insert and update the newly discovered human miRNA in the database. Mi-Discoverer, a bioinformatics tool successfully identifies human miRNAs based on multiple sequence alignment searches. It's a non redundant database containing a large collection of publicly available human miRNAs.

Perspectives on Sámi historiography

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Lars Ivar Hansen

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The article focuses on Sámi history and historical methods. The main results and central aspects of Sámi history, in its relational context, are gone through. What effects and consequences — regarding both methodology and narrative styles — these aspects have had, and ought to have, for the processes of doing research on and writing Sámi history? The focus is on the politics of Sámi history and research. The issues, who is “allowed” to write Sámi history and the way Sámi research is demanded to stand in the service of different societal-cultural needs of the Sámi is dealt with. This expectation of applicability concerns Sámi history in general, and the more delimited efforts of presenting situated accounts of Sámi cultural practices, traditions and experience with relations to other folk groups. Finally, methodological considerations and recommendations of Sámi history are presented, in which a number of methodological competences and in-depth usage of numerous source categories are called for.

Md-miR156ab and Md-miR395 Target WRKY Transcription Factors to Influence Apple Resistance to Leaf Spot Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Qiulei; Li, Yang; Zhang, Yi; Wu, Chuanbao; Wang, Shengnan; Hao, Li; Wang, Shengyuan; Li, Tianzhong

2017-01-01

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key regulators of gene expression that post-transcriptionally regulate transcription factors involved in plant physiological activities. Little is known about the effects of miRNAs in disease resistance in apple ( Malus × domestica ). We globally profiled miRNAs in the apple cultivar Golden Delicious (GD) infected or not with the apple leaf spot fungus Alternaria alternaria f. sp. mali (ALT1), and identified 58 miRNAs that exhibited more than a 2-fold upregulation upon ALT1 infection. We identified a pair of miRNAs that target protein-coding genes involved in the defense response against fungal pathogens; Md-miR156ab targets a novel WRKY transcription factor, MdWRKYN1, which harbors a TIR and a WRKY domain. Md-miR395 targets another transcription factor, MdWRKY26, which contains two WRKY domains. Real-time PCR analysis showed that Md-miR156ab and Md-miR395 levels increased, while MdWRKYN1 and MdWRKY26 expression decreased in ALT1-inoculated GD leaves; furthermore, the overexpression of Md-miR156ab and Md-miR395 resulted in a significant reduction in MdWRKYN1 and MdWRKY26 expression. To investigate whether these miRNAs and their targets play a crucial role in plant defense, we overexpressed MdWRKYN1 or knocked down Md-miR156ab activity, which in both cases enhanced the disease resistance of the plants by upregulating the expression of the WRKY-regulated pathogenesis-related (PR) protein-encoding genes MdPR3-1, MdPR3-2, MdPR4, MdPR5, MdPR10-1 , and MdPR10-2 . In a similar analysis, we overexpressed MdWRKY26 or suppressed Md-miR395 activity, and found that many PR protein-encoding genes were also regulated by MdWRKY26 . In GD, ALT-induced Md-miR156ab and Md-miR395 suppress MdWRKYN1 and MdWRKY26 expression, thereby decreasing the expression of some PR genes, and resulting in susceptibility to ALT1.

Measurement of Ratios of mi>νμ> Charged-Current Cross Sections on C, Fe, and Pb to CH at Neutrino Energies 2–20 GeV

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tice, B. G.; Datta, M.; Mousseau, J.; Aliaga, L.; Altinok, O.; Barrios Sazo, M. G.; Betancourt, M.; Bodek, A.; Bravar, A.; Brooks, W. K.; Budd, H.; Bustamante, M. J.; Butkevich, A.; Martinez Caicedo, D. A.; Castromonte, C. M.; Christy, M. E.; Chvojka, J.; da Motta, H.; Devan, J.; Dytman, S. A.; Díaz, G. A.; Eberly, B.; Felix, J.; Fields, L.; Fiorentini, G. A.; Gago, A. M.; Gallagher, H.; Gran, R.; Harris, D. A.; Higuera, A.; Hurtado, K.; Jerkins, M.; Kafka, T.; Kordosky, M.; Kulagin, S. A.; Le, T.; Maggi, G.; Maher, E.; Manly, S.; Mann, W. A.; Marshall, C. M.; Martin Mari, C.; McFarland, K. S.; McGivern, C. L.; McGowan, A. M.; Miller, J.; Mislivec, A.; Morfín, J. G.; Muhlbeier, T.; Naples, D.; Nelson, J. K.; Norrick, A.; Osta, J.; Palomino, J. L.; Paolone, V.; Park, J.; Patrick, C. E.; Perdue, G. N.; Rakotondravohitra, L.; Ransome, R. D.; Ray, H.; Ren, L.; Rodrigues, P. A.; Savage, D. G.; Schellman, H.; Schmitz, D. W.; Simon, C.; Snider, F. D.; Solano Salinas, C. J.; Tagg, N.; Valencia, E.; Velásquez, J. P.; Walton, T.; Wolcott, J.; Zavala, G.; Zhang, D.; Ziemer, B. P.

2014-06-01

We present measurements of mi>νμ> charged-current cross section ratios on carbon, iron, and lead relative to a scintillator (CH) using the fine-grained MINERvA detector exposed to the NuMI neutrino beam at Fermilab. The measurements utilize events of energies 2<mi>Eν><20mi>GeVmi>, with (mi>Eν>)=8mi>GeV>, which have a reconstructed mi>μ>- scattering angle less than 17° to extract ratios of inclusive total cross sections as a function of neutrino energy mi>Eν> and flux-integrated differential cross sections with respect to the Bjorken scaling variable mi>x>. These results provide the first high-statistics direct measurements of nuclear effects in neutrino scattering using different targets in the same neutrino beam. Measured cross section ratios exhibit a relative

Isolation and Identification of miRNAs in Jatropha curcas

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chun Ming; Liu, Peng; Sun, Fei; Li, Lei; Liu, Peng; Ye, Jian; Yue, Gen Hua

2012-01-01

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that play crucial regulatory roles by targeting mRNAs for silencing. To identify miRNAs in Jatropha curcas L, a bioenergy crop, cDNA clones from two small RNA libraries of leaves and seeds were sequenced and analyzed using bioinformatic tools. Fifty-two putative miRNAs were found from the two libraries, among them six were identical to known miRNAs and 46 were novel. Differential expression patterns of 15 miRNAs in root, stem, leave, fruit and seed were detected using quantitative real-time PCR. Ten miRNAs were highly expressed in fruit or seed, implying that they may be involved in seed development or fatty acids synthesis in seed. Moreover, 28 targets of the isolated miRNAs were predicted from a jatropha cDNA library database. The miRNA target genes were predicted to encode a broad range of proteins. Sixteen targets had clear BLASTX hits to the Uniprot database and were associated with genes belonging to the three major gene ontology categories of biological process, cellular component, and molecular function. Four targets were identified for JcumiR004. By silencing JcumiR004 primary miRNA, expressions of the four target genes were up-regulated and oil composition were modulated significantly, indicating diverse functions of JcumiR004. PMID:22419887

38 CFR 21.7100 - Counseling.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 38 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Counseling. 21.7100... Bill-Active Duty) Counseling § 21.7100 Counseling. A veteran or servicemember may receive counseling from VA before beginning training and during training. (a) Purpose. The purpose of counseling is (1) To...

Knock-down of miR-221 and miR-222 in the radiosensitization of breast cancer cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Chunzhi; Kang Chunsheng; Cao Yongzhen; Pu Peiyu; Lu Zhonghong; Du Yue

2009-01-01

Objective: To investigate the radiosensitizing effect of knock-down of miR-221 miR-222 on MCF-7 human breast cancer cells and explore the possible mechanism. Methods: Antisense oligonucleotides of miR-221 and miR-222 (AS-miR-221 and AS-miR-222), mediated by lipofectamine, were transfected to MCF-7 cells to knock down miR-221 and miR-222, Northern blotting was conducted to detect the expression of miR-221 and miR-222 in transfected cells. The cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry and Caspase-3 and Caspase-7 activity assay. Clonogenic assay was used to measure the sensitizing enhancement ratio. Target genes of miR-221 and miR-222 relevant to radio-sensitivity were searched using bioinformatics analysis. The targeted protein expression was determined by Western blot analysis. Results: The expression of miR-221 and miR-222 in the AS-miR-221/222 cells determined by Northern blotting was significantly reduced. Compared with the control group, the cell apoptosis and mitotic cell death after the radiation were significantly higher in AS-miR-221/222 cells. The sensitizing enhancement ratio was 1.87. Based on bioinformatics analysis, PTEN was a target gene of miR-221 and miR-222 which could enhance the radiosensitivity of MCF-7 cells. In AS-miR-221/222 cells, the expression of PTEN was up-regulated while pAkt down-regulated. Conclusions: AS-miR-221 and AS-miR-222 may enhance the radiosensitivity of MCF-7 breast cancer cells by up-regulating the expression of PTEN. (authors)

Sensing miRNA: Signal Amplification by Cognate RISC for Intracellular Detection of miRNA in Live Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Kavishwar, Amol; Medarova, Zdravka

2016-01-01

The ability to detect miRNA expression in live cells would leave these cells available for further manipulation or culture. Here, we describe the design of a miRNA sensor oligonucleotide whose sequence mimics the target mRNA. The sensor has a fluorescent label on one end of the oligo and a quencher on the other. When inside the cell, the sensor is recognized by its cognate miRNA-RISC and gets cleaved, setting the fluorophore free from its quencher. This results in fluorescence "turn on." Since cleavage by the RISC complex is an enzymatic process, the described approach has a very high level of sensitivity (nM). The rate of nonspecific cleavage of the sensor is very slow permitting the collection of meaningful signal over a long period of time.

The zebrafish miR-462/miR-731 cluster is induced under hypoxic stress via hypoxia-inducible factor 1α and functions in cellular adaptations.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Chun-Xiao; Chen, Nan; Wu, Xin-Jie; Huang, Cui-Hong; He, Yan; Tang, Rong; Wang, Wei-Min; Wang, Huan-Ling

2015-12-01

Hypoxia, a unique and essential environmental stress, evokes highly coordinated cellular responses, and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) 1 in the hypoxia signaling pathway, an evolutionarily conserved cellular signaling pathway, acts as a master regulator of the transcriptional response to hypoxic stress. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a major class of posttranscriptional gene expression regulators, also play pivotal roles in orchestrating hypoxia-mediated cellular adaptations. Here, global miRNA expression profiling and quantitative real-time PCR indicated that the up-regulation of the miR-462/miR-731 cluster in zebrafish larvae is induced by hypoxia. It was further validated that miR-462 and miR-731 are up-regulated in a Hif-1α-mediated manner under hypoxia and specifically target ddx5 and ppm1da, respectively. Overexpression of miR-462 and miR-731 represses cell proliferation through blocking cell cycle progress of DNA replication, and induces apoptosis. In situ detection revealed that the miR-462/miR-731 cluster is highly expressed in a consistent and ubiquitous manner throughout the early developmental stages. Additionally, the transcripts become restricted to the notochord, pharyngeal arch, liver, and gut regions from postfertilization d 3 to 5. These data highlight a previously unidentified role of the miR-462/miR-731 cluster as a crucial signaling mediator for hypoxia-mediated cellular adaptations and provide some insights into the potential function of the cluster during embryonic development. © FASEB.

miR-370 mimic inhibits replication of Japanese encephalitis virus in glioblastoma cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Wenjuan; Cheng, Peng; Nie, Shangdan; Cui, Wen

2016-01-01

Japanese encephalitis (JE) is one of the most severe viral infections of the central nervous system. No effective treatment for JE currently exists, because its pathogenesis remains largely unknown. The present study was designed to screen the potential microRNAs (miRNAs) involved in JE. Glioblastoma cells were collected, after being infected with the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV). Total miRNAs were extracted and analyzed using an miRNA chip. One of the most severely affected miRNAs was selected, and the role of miR-370 in JEV infection was investigated. Cell viability and apoptosis of the host cells were evaluated. JEV replication was detected via analysis of gene E expression. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to determine the levels of endogenous miR-370 and expression of innate immunity-related genes. Following JEV infection, 114 miRNAs were affected, as evidenced by the miRNA chip. Among them, 30 miRNAs were upregulated and 84 were downregulated. The changes observed in five miRNAs were confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. One of the significantly downregulated miRNAs was miR-370. Therefore, miR-370 mimic was transfected into the cells, following which the levels of endogenous miR-370 were significantly elevated. Concurrently, JEV replication was significantly reduced 24 hours after transfection of miR-370 mimic. Functionally, miR-370 mimic mitigated both JEV-induced apoptosis and the inhibition of host cell proliferation. Following JEV infection, interferon-β and nuclear factor-kappa B were upregulated, whereas miR-370 mimic prevented the upregulation of the genes induced by JEV infection. The present study demonstrated that miR-370 expression in host cells is downregulated following JEV infection, which further mediates innate immunity-related gene expression. Taken together, miR-370 mimic might be useful to prevent viral replication and infection-induced host cell injury.

MDRL lncRNA regulates the processing of miR-484 primary transcript by targeting miR-361.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kun Wang

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs are emerging as new players in gene regulation, but whether lncRNAs operate in the processing of miRNA primary transcript is unclear. Also, whether lncRNAs are involved in the regulation of the mitochondrial network remains to be elucidated. Here, we report that a long noncoding RNA, named mitochondrial dynamic related lncRNA (MDRL, affects the processing of miR-484 primary transcript in nucleus and regulates the mitochondrial network by targeting miR-361 and miR-484. The results showed that miR-361 that predominantly located in nucleus can directly bind to primary transcript of miR-484 (pri-miR-484 and prevent its processing by Drosha into pre-miR-484. miR-361 is able to regulate mitochondrial fission and apoptosis by regulating miR-484 levels. In exploring the underlying molecular mechanism by which miR-361 is regulated, we identified MDRL and demonstrated that it could directly bind to miR-361 and downregulate its expression levels, which promotes the processing of pri-miR-484. MDRL inhibits mitochondrial fission and apoptosis by downregulating miR-361, which in turn relieves inhibition of miR-484 processing by miR-361. Our present study reveals a novel regulating model of mitochondrial fission program which is composed of MDRL, miR-361 and miR-484. Our work not only expands the function of the lncRNA pathway in gene regulation but also establishes a new mechanism for controlling miRNA expression.

Differential expression of miR-139, miR-486 and miR-21 in breast cancer patients sub-classified according to lymph node status

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rask, Lene; Balslev, Eva; Søkilde, Rolf

2014-01-01

PURPOSE: Therapeutic decisions in breast cancer are increasingly guided by prognostic and predictive biomarkers. Non-protein-coding microRNAs (miRNAs) have recently been found to be deregulated in breast cancers and, in addition, to be correlated with several clinico-pathological features. One...... of the most consistently up-regulated miRNAs is miR-21. Here, we specifically searched for differentially expressed miRNAs in high-risk breast cancer patients as compared to low-risk breast cancer patients. In the same patients, we also compared miR-21 expression with the expression of its presumed target...... PTEN. METHODS: Both microarray and RT-qPCR techniques were used to assess miRNA expression levels in lymph node-positive and -negative human invasive ductal carcinoma tissues. Simultaneously, PTEN protein expression levels were assessed using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: miR-486-5p and miR-139-5p...

Informed or Overwhelmed? A Legislative History of Student Loan Counseling with a Literature Review on the Efficacy of Loan Counseling. Research Report

Science.gov (United States)

Klepfer, Kasey

2015-01-01

This report (the first in a series of five) explores congressional efforts to mitigate that risk and encourage informed borrowing by enacting statutes related to student loan counseling. After introducing the relevant contemporary policy context, it examines how federal rules governing student loan counseling evolved over time to embrace online…

Global miRNA expression analysis of serous and clear cell ovarian carcinomas identifies differentially expressed miRNAs including miR-200c-3p as a prognostic marker

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vilming Elgaaen, Bente; Olstad, Ole Kristoffer; Haug, Kari Bente Foss; Brusletto, Berit; Sandvik, Leiv; Staff, Anne Cathrine; Gautvik, Kaare M; Davidson, Ben

2014-01-01

Improved insight into the molecular characteristics of the different ovarian cancer subgroups is needed for developing a more individualized and optimized treatment regimen. The aim of this study was to a) identify differentially expressed miRNAs in high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSC), clear cell ovarian carcinoma (CCC) and ovarian surface epithelium (OSE), b) evaluate selected miRNAs for association with clinical parameters including survival and c) map miRNA-mRNA interactions. Differences in miRNA expression between HGSC, CCC and OSE were analyzed by global miRNA expression profiling (Affymetrix GeneChip miRNA 2.0 Arrays, n = 12, 9 and 9, respectively), validated by RT-qPCR (n = 35, 19 and 9, respectively), and evaluated for associations with clinical parameters. For HGSC, differentially expressed miRNAs were linked to differentially expressed mRNAs identified previously. Differentially expressed miRNAs (n = 78) between HGSC, CCC and OSE were identified (FDR < 0.01%), of which 18 were validated (p < 0.01) using RT-qPCR in an extended cohort. Compared with OSE, miR-205-5p was the most overexpressed miRNA in HGSC. miR-200 family members and miR-182-5p were the most overexpressed in HGSC and CCC compared with OSE, whereas miR-383 was the most underexpressed. miR-205-5p and miR-200 members target epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) regulators, apparently being important in tumor progression. miR-509-3-5p, miR-509-5p, miR-509-3p and miR-510 were among the strongest differentiators between HGSC and CCC, all being significantly overexpressed in CCC compared with HGSC. High miR-200c-3p expression was associated with poor progression-free (p = 0.031) and overall (p = 0.026) survival in HGSC patients. Interacting miRNA and mRNA targets, including those of a TP53-related pathway presented previously, were identified in HGSC. Several miRNAs differentially expressed between HGSC, CCC and OSE have been identified, suggesting a carcinogenetic role for these mi

Universal MI definition update for cardiovascular disease.

Science.gov (United States)

White, Harvey; Thygesen, Kristian; Alpert, Joseph S; Jaffe, Allan

2014-01-01

The new third universal definition of myocardial infarction (MI) is based on troponin elevation together with ischemic symptoms, ischemic ECG changes, and imaging evidence. MIs are classified into five types as to whether they are spontaneous, secondary to imbalance between coronary artery blood supply and demand, related to sudden death, or related to revascularization procedures. The definition is based on a rise and/or fall in troponin levels occurring in a clinical setting. There have been modifications over previous definitions with adding intracoronary thrombus as a criterion, adding a new type of MI type 4c, and raising the cutpoint for the diagnosis of MI related to percutaneous coronary intervention to five times the 99(th) percentile upper reference limit and requiring evidence of ischemia or angiographic complications. In clinical practice, trials, and registries, different definitions are used. There is a need for consistency with regard to the definition of MI and the universal definition should be implemented.

MiMiR: a comprehensive solution for storage, annotation and exchange of microarray data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rahman Fatimah

2005-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The generation of large amounts of microarray data presents challenges for data collection, annotation, exchange and analysis. Although there are now widely accepted formats, minimum standards for data content and ontologies for microarray data, only a few groups are using them together to build and populate large-scale databases. Structured environments for data management are crucial for making full use of these data. Description The MiMiR database provides a comprehensive infrastructure for microarray data annotation, storage and exchange and is based on the MAGE format. MiMiR is MIAME-supportive, customised for use with data generated on the Affymetrix platform and includes a tool for data annotation using ontologies. Detailed information on the experiment, methods, reagents and signal intensity data can be captured in a systematic format. Reports screens permit the user to query the database, to view annotation on individual experiments and provide summary statistics. MiMiR has tools for automatic upload of the data from the microarray scanner and export to databases using MAGE-ML. Conclusion MiMiR facilitates microarray data management, annotation and exchange, in line with international guidelines. The database is valuable for underpinning research activities and promotes a systematic approach to data handling. Copies of MiMiR are freely available to academic groups under licence.

Expression analysis of miRNA and target mRNAs in esophageal cancer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meng, X.R. [Oncology Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou (China); Lu, P. [Gastrointestinal Surgery Department, People' s Hospital of Zhengzhou, Zhengzhou (China); Mei, J.Z.; Liu, G.J. [Medical Oncology Department, People' s Hospital of Zhengzhou, Zhengzhou (China); Fan, Q.X. [Oncology Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou (China)

2014-08-01

We aimed to investigate miRNAs and related mRNAs through a network-based approach in order to learn the crucial role that they play in the biological processes of esophageal cancer. Esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma (ESCC) and adenocarcinoma (EAC)-related miRNA and gene expression data were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database, and differentially expressed miRNAs and genes were selected. Target genes of differentially expressed miRNAs were predicted and their regulatory networks were constructed. Differentially expressed miRNA analysis selected four miRNAs associated with EAC and ESCC, among which hsa-miR-21 and hsa-miR-202 were shared by both diseases. hsa-miR-202 was reported for the first time to be associated with esophageal cancer in the present study. Differentially expressed miRNA target genes were mainly involved in cancer-related and signal-transduction pathways. Functional categories of these target genes were related to transcriptional regulation. The results may indicate potential target miRNAs and genes for future investigations of esophageal cancer.

MiR-1254 inhibits proliferation, migration and invasion of human ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

MiR-1254 inhibits proliferation, migration and invasion of human brain tumour cell lines. ... The transcripts were analysed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) ... Over-expression of miR- 1254 also led to significant decrease in cell ...

miR-24 and miR-205 expression is dependent on HPV onco-protein expression in keratinocytes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McKenna, Declan J., E-mail: dj.mckenna@ulster.ac.uk [Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, University of Ulster, Coleraine, Co. Derry BT52 1SA (United Kingdom); Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Science, Queen' s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL (United Kingdom); Patel, Daksha, E-mail: d.patel@qub.ac.uk [Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Science, Queen' s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL (United Kingdom); McCance, Dennis J., E-mail: d.mccance@qub.ac.uk [Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Science, Queen' s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL (United Kingdom)

2014-01-05

A screen of microRNA (miRNA) expression following differentiation in human foreskin keratinocytes (HFKs) identified changes in several miRNAs, including miR-24 and miR-205. We investigated how expression of Human Papilloma Virus Type-16 (HPV16) onco-proteins E6 and E7 affected expression of miR-24 and miR-205 during proliferation and differentiation of HFKs. We show that the induction of both miR-24 and miR-205 observed during differentiation of HFKs is lost in HFKs expressing E6 and E7. We demonstrate that the effect on miR-205 is due to E7 activity, as miR-205 expression is dependent on pRb expression. Finally, we provide evidence that miR-24 effects in the cell may be due to targeting of cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor p27. In summary, these results indicate that expression of both miR-24 and miR-205 are impacted by E6 and/or E7 expression, which may be one mechanism by which HPV onco-proteins can disrupt the balance between proliferation and differentiation in keratinocytes. - Highlights: • miR-24 and miR-205 are induced during keratinocyte differentiation. • This induction is lost in keratinocytes expressing HPV onco-proteins E6 and E7. • miR-205 is dependent upon pRb expression. • miR-24 targets p27 in cycling keratinocytes.

miR-24 and miR-205 expression is dependent on HPV onco-protein expression in keratinocytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McKenna, Declan J.; Patel, Daksha; McCance, Dennis J.

2014-01-01

A screen of microRNA (miRNA) expression following differentiation in human foreskin keratinocytes (HFKs) identified changes in several miRNAs, including miR-24 and miR-205. We investigated how expression of Human Papilloma Virus Type-16 (HPV16) onco-proteins E6 and E7 affected expression of miR-24 and miR-205 during proliferation and differentiation of HFKs. We show that the induction of both miR-24 and miR-205 observed during differentiation of HFKs is lost in HFKs expressing E6 and E7. We demonstrate that the effect on miR-205 is due to E7 activity, as miR-205 expression is dependent on pRb expression. Finally, we provide evidence that miR-24 effects in the cell may be due to targeting of cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor p27. In summary, these results indicate that expression of both miR-24 and miR-205 are impacted by E6 and/or E7 expression, which may be one mechanism by which HPV onco-proteins can disrupt the balance between proliferation and differentiation in keratinocytes. - Highlights: • miR-24 and miR-205 are induced during keratinocyte differentiation. • This induction is lost in keratinocytes expressing HPV onco-proteins E6 and E7. • miR-205 is dependent upon pRb expression. • miR-24 targets p27 in cycling keratinocytes

miRNA Expression Profile after Status Epilepticus and Hippocampal Neuroprotection by Targeting miR-132

Science.gov (United States)

Jimenez-Mateos, Eva M.; Bray, Isabella; Sanz-Rodriguez, Amaya; Engel, Tobias; McKiernan, Ross C.; Mouri, Genshin; Tanaka, Katsuhiro; Sano, Takanori; Saugstad, Julie A.; Simon, Roger P.; Stallings, Raymond L.; Henshall, David C.

2011-01-01

When an otherwise harmful insult to the brain is preceded by a brief, noninjurious stimulus, the brain becomes tolerant, and the resulting damage is reduced. Epileptic tolerance develops when brief seizures precede an episode of prolonged seizures (status epilepticus). MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, noncoding RNAs that function as post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression. We investigated how prior seizure preconditioning affects the miRNA response to status epilepticus evoked by intra-amygdalar kainic acid in mice. The miRNA was extracted from the ipsilateral CA3 subfield 24 hours after focal-onset status epilepticus in animals that had previously received either seizure preconditioning (tolerance) or no preconditioning (injury), and mature miRNA levels were measured using TaqMan low-density arrays. Expression of 21 miRNAs was increased, relative to control, after status epilepticus alone, and expression of 12 miRNAs was decreased. Increased miR-132 levels were matched with increased binding to Argonaute-2, a constituent of the RNA-induced silencing complex. In tolerant animals, expression responses of >40% of the injury-group-detected miRNAs differed, being either unchanged relative to control or down-regulated, and this included miR-132. In vivo microinjection of locked nucleic acid-modified oligonucleotides (antagomirs) against miR-132 depleted hippocampal miR-132 levels and reduced seizure-induced neuronal death. Thus, our data strongly suggest that miRNAs are important regulators of seizure-induced neuronal death. PMID:21945804

An Assessment of the Implementation of Guidance and Counselling ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This paper is based on a research study carried out by the author in 2003. The study assessed how Guidance and Counselling Programmes were being implemented in Gweru urban secondary schools at Ordinary level. The assessment focused on such key elements in Guidance and Counselling as time allocation, ...

Prenatal Genetic Counseling (For Parents)

Science.gov (United States)

... Videos for Educators Search English Español Prenatal Genetic Counseling KidsHealth / For Parents / Prenatal Genetic Counseling What's in ... can they help your family? What Is Genetic Counseling? Genetic counseling is the process of: evaluating family ...

44 CFR 19.425 - Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 44 Emergency Management and Assistance 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials. 19.425 Section 19.425 Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL... Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Prohibited § 19.425 Counseling and use of appraisal and...

28 CFR 54.425 - Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials. 54.425 Section 54.425 Judicial Administration DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (CONTINUED... Discrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Prohibited § 54.425 Counseling and use of...

Islamic approach in counseling.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanin Hamjah, Salasiah; Mat Akhir, Noor Shakirah

2014-02-01

A religious approach is one of the matters emphasized in counseling today. Many researchers find that there is a need to apply the religious element in counseling because religion is important in a client's life. The purpose of this research is to identify aspects of the Islamic approach applied in counseling clients by counselors at Pusat Kaunseling Majlis Agama Islam Negeri Sembilan (PKMAINS). In addition, this research also analyses the Islamic approach applied in counseling at PKMAINS with reference to al-Quran and al-Sunnah. This is a qualitative research in the form of case study at PKMAINS. The main method used in this research is interview. The research instrument used is interview protocol. The respondents in this study include 9 counselors who serve in one of the counseling centers in Malaysia. This study also uses questionnaire as an additional instrument, distributed to 36 clients who receive counseling service at the center. The findings of the study show that the Islamic approach applied in counseling at PKMAINS may be categorized into three main aspects: aqidah (faith), ibadah (worship/ultimate devotion and love for God) and akhlaq (moral conduct). Findings also show that the counseling in these aspects is in line with Islamic teachings as contained in al-Quran and al-Sunnah.

miR-20b, miR-98, miR-125b-1*, and let-7e* as new potential diagnostic biomarkers in ulcerative colitis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Coskun, Mehmet; Bjerrum, Jacob Tveiten; Seidelin, Jakob Benedict

2013-01-01

were obtained endoscopically from patients with active UC or CD, quiescent UC or CD, as well as healthy controls. Total RNA was isolated and miRNA expression assessed using the miRNA microarray Geniom Biochip miRNA Homo sapiens (Febit GmbH, Heidelberg, Germany). Data analysis was carried out...... genes involved in various pathways, such as mitogen-activated protein kinase and cytokine signaling, which are both key signaling pathways in UC. CONCLUSION: The present study provides the first evidence that miR-20b, miR-98, miR-125b-1*, and let-7e* are deregulated in patients with UC. The level...

Lethal Means Counseling for Parents of Youth Seeking Emergency Care for Suicidality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carol W. Runyan, MPH, PhD

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: A youth’s emergency department (ED visit for suicidal behaviors or ideation provides an opportunity to counsel families about securing medications and firearms (i.e., lethal means counseling. Methods: In this quality improvement project drawing on the Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM model, we trained 16 psychiatric emergency clinicians to provide lethal means counseling with parents of patients under age 18 receiving care for suicidality and discharged home from a large children’s hospital. Through chart reviews and follow-up interviews of parents who received the counseling, we examined what parents recalled, their reactions to the counseling session, and actions taken after discharge. Results: Between March and July 2014, staff counseled 209 of the 236 (89% parents of eligible patients. We conducted follow-up interviews with 114 parents, or 55% of those receiving the intervention; 48% of those eligible. Parents had favorable impressions of the counseling and good recall of the main messages. Among the parents contacted at follow up, 76% reported all medications in the home were locked as compared to fewer than 10% at the time of the visit. All who had indicated there were guns in the home at the time of the visit reported at follow up that all were currently locked, compared to 67% reporting this at the time of the visit. Conclusion: Though a small project in just one hospital, our findings demonstrate the feasibility of adding a counseling protocol to the discharge process within a pediatric psychiatric emergency service. Our positive findings suggest that further study, including a randomized control trial in more facilities, is warranted.

Analysis of microRNA expression profiling identifies miR-155 and miR-155* as potential diagnostic markers for active tuberculosis: a preliminary study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Jing; Lu, Chanyi; Diao, Ni; Zhang, Shu; Wang, Sen; Wang, Feifei; Gao, Yan; Chen, Jiazhen; Shao, Lingyun; Lu, Jingning; Zhang, Xuelian; Weng, Xinhua; Wang, Honghai; Zhang, Wenhong; Huang, Yuxian

2012-01-01

To explore biologic behaviors and disease relevance of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the development of active tuberculosis (ATB), we investigated the expression profile of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) purified protein derivative (PPD)-induced miRNAs to determine the specific miRNAs involved in the pathogenesis of ATB. The expression profile of miRNA under PPD challenge was first measured using microarray analysis in peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from ATB patients and healthy controls (HC). The remarkably reactive miRNAs were then validated in a larger cohort by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to evaluate the diagnostic value of the determined PPD-responsive miRNAs. The potential targets for those miRNAs were also predicted by computational programs. Fourteen of 866 human miRNAs exhibited at least 1.8-fold difference in the ratio of expression level before and after stimulation with PPD between the ATB and HC groups. The qRT-PCR study validated the findings from microarray-based screening, in which miR-155 exhibited a fold change of 1.4 in the HC group and 3.7 in the ATB group upon PPD stimulation (p microRNAs exhibited no differences between the ATB and HC groups. miR-155 and miR-155* exhibited characteristic expression by TB-specific antigen, suggesting that they can be potential diagnostic markers under the challenge of specific MTB antigens. Copyright © 2012 American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

miRSponge: a manually curated database for experimentally supported miRNA sponges and ceRNAs.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Peng; Zhi, Hui; Zhang, Yunpeng; Liu, Yue; Zhang, Jizhou; Gao, Yue; Guo, Maoni; Ning, Shangwei; Li, Xia

2015-01-01

In this study, we describe miRSponge, a manually curated database, which aims at providing an experimentally supported resource for microRNA (miRNA) sponges. Recent evidence suggests that miRNAs are themselves regulated by competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) or 'miRNA sponges' that contain miRNA binding sites. These competitive molecules can sequester miRNAs to prevent them interacting with their natural targets to play critical roles in various biological and pathological processes. It has become increasingly important to develop a high quality database to record and store ceRNA data to support future studies. To this end, we have established the experimentally supported miRSponge database that contains data on 599 miRNA-sponge interactions and 463 ceRNA relationships from 11 species following manual curating from nearly 1200 published articles. Database classes include endogenously generated molecules including coding genes, pseudogenes, long non-coding RNAs and circular RNAs, along with exogenously introduced molecules including viral RNAs and artificial engineered sponges. Approximately 70% of the interactions were identified experimentally in disease states. miRSponge provides a user-friendly interface for convenient browsing, retrieval and downloading of dataset. A submission page is also included to allow researchers to submit newly validated miRNA sponge data. Database URL: http://www.bio-bigdata.net/miRSponge. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press.

miR-132 and miR-212 are increased in pancreatic cancer and target the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Jong-Kook; Henry, Jon C.; Jiang, Jinmai; Esau, Christine; Gusev, Yuriy; Lerner, Megan R.; Postier, Russell G.; Brackett, Daniel J.; Schmittgen, Thomas D.

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → The expression of miR-132 and miR-212 are significantly increased in pancreatic cancer. → miR-132 and miR-212 target the tumor suppressor pRb, resulting in enhanced proliferation. → miR-132 and miR-212 expression is increased by a β2 adrenergic receptor agonist, suggesting a novel mechanism for pancreatic cancer progression. -- Abstract: Numerous microRNAs (miRNAs) are reported as differentially expressed in cancer, however the consequence of miRNA deregulation in cancer is unknown for many miRNAs. We report that two miRNAs located on chromosome 17p13, miR-132 and miR-212, are over-expressed in pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) tissues. Both miRNAs are predicted to target the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor, Rb1. Validation of this interaction was confirmed by luciferase reporter assay and western blot in a pancreatic cancer cell line transfected with pre-miR-212 and pre-miR-132 oligos. Cell proliferation was enhanced in Panc-1 cells transfected with pre-miR-132/-212 oligos. Conversely, antisense oligos to miR-132/-212 reduced cell proliferation and caused a G 2 /M cell cycle arrest. The mRNA of a number of E2F transcriptional targets were increased in cells over expressing miR-132/-212. Exposing Panc-1 cells to the β2 adrenergic receptor agonist, terbutaline, increased the miR-132 and miR-212 expression by 2- to 4-fold. We report that over-expression of miR-132 and miR-212 result in reduced pRb protein in pancreatic cancer cells and that the increase in cell proliferation from over-expression of these miRNAs is likely due to increased expression of several E2F target genes. The β2 adrenergic pathway may play an important role in this novel mechanism.

Expression of miR-15a, miR-145, and miR-182 in granulosa-lutein cells, follicular fluid, and serum of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Science.gov (United States)

Naji, Mohammad; Nekoonam, Saeid; Aleyasin, Ashraf; Arefian, Ehsan; Mahdian, Reza; Azizi, Elham; Shabani Nashtaei, Maryam; Amidi, Fardin

2018-01-01

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrinopathies that affects women in reproductive age. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play crucial roles in normal function of female reproductive system and folliculogenesis. Deregulated expression of miRNAs in PCOS condition may be significantly implicated in the pathogenesis of PCOS. We determined relative expression of miR-15a, miR-145, and miR-182 in granulosa-lutein cells (GLCs), follicular fluid (FF), and serum of PCOS patients. Human subjects were divided into PCOS (n = 20) and control (n = 21) groups. GLCs, FF, and serum were isolated and stored. RNA isolation was performed and cDNA was reversely transcribed using specific stem-loop RT primers. Relative expression of miRNAs was calculated after normalization against U6 expression. Correlation of miRNAs' expression level with basic clinical features and predictive value of miRNAs in FF and serum were appraised. Relative expression of miR-145 and miR-182 in GLCs was significantly decreased in PCOS, but miR-182 in FF of PCOS patients revealed up-regulated levels. Significant correlations between level of miRNAs in FF and serum and hormonal profile of subjects were observed. MiR-182 in FF showed a significant predictive value with AUC of 0.73, 76.4% sensitivity, and 70.5% specificity which was improved after combination of miR-182 and miR-145. A significant dysregulation of miR-145 and miR-182 in GLCs of PCOS may indicate their involvement in pathogenesis of PCOS. Differential up-regulation of miR-182 in FF of PCOS patients with its promising predictive values for discrimination of PCOS reinforced the importance of studying miRNAs' profile in FF.

40 CFR 5.425 - Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials. 5.425 Section 5.425 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GENERAL... Discrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Prohibited § 5.425 Counseling and use of...

Investigation of miRNA Biology by Bioinformatic Tools and Impact of miRNAs in Colorectal Cancer: Regulatory Relationship of c-Myc and p53 with miRNAs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yaguang Xi

2007-01-01

Full Text Available MicroRNAs (miRNAs are a class of small non-coding RNAs that mediate gene expression at the posttranscriptional and translational levels and have been demonstrated to be involved in diverse biological functions. Mounting evidence in recent years has shown that miRNAs play key roles in tumorigenesis due to abnormal expression of and mutations in miRNAs. High throughput miRNA expression profiling of several major tumor types has identified miRNAs associated with clinical diagnosis and prognosis of cancer treatment. Previously our group has discovered a novel regulatory relationship between tumor suppressor gene p53 with miRNAs expression and a number of miRNA promoters contain putative p53 binding sites. In addition, others have reported that c-myc can mediate a large number of miRNAs expression. In this review, we will emphasize algorithms to identify mRNA targets of miRNAs and the roles of miRNAs in colorectal cancer. In particular, we will discuss a novel regulatory relationship of miRNAs with tumor suppressor p53 and c-myc. miRNAs are becoming promising novel targets and biomarkers for future cancer therapeutic development and clinical molecular diagnosis.

Dysregulated miR-103 and miR-143 expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from induced prediabetes and type 2 diabetes rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Vatandoost, Nasimeh; Amini, Masoud; Iraj, Bijan; Momenzadeh, Sedigheh; Salehi, Rasoul

2015-11-01

The progression from normal glucose tolerance (NGT) to type 2 diabetes (T2D) occurs through an intermediate state of glucose intolerance known as pre-diabetes. This transition is usually a gradual phenomenon that occurs over 5-10 years. Among the routinely practiced T2D screening criteria, like, FPG, IFG, IGT or HbA1c, still the issue of a preferable one is debated. The newly emerged microRNAs are created much hope to act as a class of suitable diabetes gene signature detectable at an early stage of the disease development. Although T2D related miRNA fluctuations are reported from the main insulin target organs, sampling of these organs for the sake of screening due to its invasive nature is not practicable. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) are in constant touch with all body organs hence may exhibit the trace of miRNA changes which take place in insulin target organs. In this study we have evaluated miR-103 and miR-143 expression in three groups of rats namely; normal control, high fat diet (HFD) which is corresponding to prediabetes state, and high fat diet/streptozotocin (STZ) induced T2D. Quantitative real time PCR was used for profiling the selected miRNA expression at various time intervals of the three defined groups of rats. In prediabetes and overt diabetes stages, miR-103 showed significantly elevated expression in PBMC specimens compared to the normal healthy control group. Overexpression pattern of mir-143 was statistically significant in T2D compared to non-diabetic controls. However in HFD (prediabetic) rats also we observed an increasing pattern of miR-143 compared to the normal controls but it was not statistically significant. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Online counseling: a narrative and critical review of the literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Richards, Derek; Viganó, Noemi

2013-09-01

This article aimed to critically review the literature on online counseling. Database and hand-searches were made using search terms and eligibility criteria, yielding a total of 123 studies. The review begins with what characterizes online counseling. Outcome and process research in online counseling is reviewed. Features and cyberbehaviors of online counseling such as anonymity and disinhibition, convenience, time-delay, the loss of social signaling, and writing behavior in cyberspace are discussed. Ethical behavior, professional training, client suitability, and clients' and therapists' attitudes and experiences of online counseling are reviewed. A growing body of knowledge to date is positive in showing that online counseling can have a similar impact and is capable of replicating the facilitative conditions as face-to-face encounters. A need remains for stronger empirical evidence to establish efficacy and effectiveness and to understand better the unique mediating and facilitative variables. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Cointegrating MiDaS Regressions and a MiDaS Test

OpenAIRE

J. Isaac Miller

2011-01-01

This paper introduces cointegrating mixed data sampling (CoMiDaS) regressions, generalizing nonlinear MiDaS regressions in the extant literature. Under a linear mixed-frequency data-generating process, MiDaS regressions provide a parsimoniously parameterized nonlinear alternative when the linear forecasting model is over-parameterized and may be infeasible. In spite of potential correlation of the error term both serially and with the regressors, I find that nonlinear least squares consistent...

"Seed-Milarity" confers to hsa-miR-210 and hsa-miR-147b similar functional activity.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas Bertero

Full Text Available Specificity of interaction between a microRNA (miRNA and its targets crucially depends on the seed region located in its 5'-end. It is often implicitly considered that two miRNAs sharing the same biological activity should display similarity beyond the strict six nucleotide region that forms the seed, in order to form specific complexes with the same mRNA targets. We have found that expression of hsa-miR-147b and hsa-miR-210, though triggered by different stimuli (i.e. lipopolysaccharides and hypoxia, respectively, induce very similar cellular effects in term of proliferation, migration and apoptosis. Hsa-miR-147b only shares a "minimal" 6-nucleotides seed sequence with hsa-miR-210, but is identical with hsa-miR-147a over 20 nucleotides, except for one base located in the seed region. Phenotypic changes induced after heterologous expression of miR-147a strikingly differ from those induced by miR-147b or miR-210. In particular, miR-147a behaves as a potent inhibitor of cell proliferation and migration. These data fit well with the gene expression profiles observed for miR-147b and miR-210, which are very similar, and the gene expression profile of miR-147a, which is distinct from the two others. Bioinformatics analysis of all human miRNA sequences indicates multiple cases of miRNAs from distinct families exhibiting the same kind of similarity that would need to be further characterized in terms of putative functional redundancy. Besides, it implies that functional impact of some miRNAs can be masked by robust expression of miRNAs belonging to distinct families.

Expression of MiR-9 promotes proliferation, migration and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Purpose: To investigate the effect of miR-9 on the proliferation, differentiation and migration of human neural stem cells (NSCs). Methods: The expression of miR-9 was investigated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Cell proliferation was assessed by cell counting kit-8 (CCK8) assay, while cell ...

Philosophical counselling: Towards a ‘new approach’ in pastoral care and counselling?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel J. Louw

2011-05-01

Full Text Available The practice of pastoral counselling was dominated for several decades by the Rogerian techniques of empathetic listening. To a large extent, healing was predominately related to the realm of feelings (the affective dimension. Rational Emotive Therapy opened up other avenues. However, besides Logotherapy, the realm of meaning and its connectedness to world views and ideas (Plato: forms remained uncharted in many theories for pastoral care and counselling. In this article it was argued that philosophical counselling opens up new avenues for pastoral care and counselling. Philosophical counselling probes into the realm of different schemata of interpretation. A model for the making of a spiritual existential analysis was proposed in order to detect the impact of the Christian spiritual schema of interpretation on the dynamics of existential networking.

38 CFR 21.6100 - Counseling.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 38 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Counseling. 21.6100... Recipients Counseling § 21.6100 Counseling. General. A veteran requesting or being furnished assistance under this temporary program shall be provided professional counseling services by the Vocational...

miR-132 and miR-212 are increased in pancreatic cancer and target the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Jong-Kook [College of Pharmacy, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210 (United States); Henry, Jon C. [Department of Surgery, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210 (United States); Jiang, Jinmai [College of Pharmacy, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210 (United States); Esau, Christine [Regulus Therapeutics, Carlsbad, CA (United States); Gusev, Yuriy [Lombardi Cancer Center, Georgetown University, Washington, DC (United States); Lerner, Megan R. [Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Oklahoma City, OK (United States); Postier, Russell G. [Department of Surgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK (United States); Brackett, Daniel J. [Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Oklahoma City, OK (United States); Schmittgen, Thomas D., E-mail: Schmittgen.2@osu.edu [College of Pharmacy, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210 (United States)

2011-03-25

Research highlights: {yields} The expression of miR-132 and miR-212 are significantly increased in pancreatic cancer. {yields} miR-132 and miR-212 target the tumor suppressor pRb, resulting in enhanced proliferation. {yields} miR-132 and miR-212 expression is increased by a {beta}2 adrenergic receptor agonist, suggesting a novel mechanism for pancreatic cancer progression. -- Abstract: Numerous microRNAs (miRNAs) are reported as differentially expressed in cancer, however the consequence of miRNA deregulation in cancer is unknown for many miRNAs. We report that two miRNAs located on chromosome 17p13, miR-132 and miR-212, are over-expressed in pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) tissues. Both miRNAs are predicted to target the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor, Rb1. Validation of this interaction was confirmed by luciferase reporter assay and western blot in a pancreatic cancer cell line transfected with pre-miR-212 and pre-miR-132 oligos. Cell proliferation was enhanced in Panc-1 cells transfected with pre-miR-132/-212 oligos. Conversely, antisense oligos to miR-132/-212 reduced cell proliferation and caused a G{sub 2}/M cell cycle arrest. The mRNA of a number of E2F transcriptional targets were increased in cells over expressing miR-132/-212. Exposing Panc-1 cells to the {beta}2 adrenergic receptor agonist, terbutaline, increased the miR-132 and miR-212 expression by 2- to 4-fold. We report that over-expression of miR-132 and miR-212 result in reduced pRb protein in pancreatic cancer cells and that the increase in cell proliferation from over-expression of these miRNAs is likely due to increased expression of several E2F target genes. The {beta}2 adrenergic pathway may play an important role in this novel mechanism.

Oligoasthenoteratozoospermia and infertility in mice deficient for miR-34b/c and miR-449 loci.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefano Comazzetto

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Male fertility requires the continuous production of high quality motile spermatozoa in abundance. Alterations in all three metrics cause oligoasthenoteratozoospermia, the leading cause of human sub/infertility. Post-mitotic spermatogenesis inclusive of several meiotic stages and spermiogenesis (terminal spermatozoa differentiation are transcriptionally inert, indicating the potential importance for the post-transcriptional microRNA (miRNA gene-silencing pathway therein. We found the expression of miRNA generating enzyme Dicer within spermatogenesis peaks in meiosis with critical functions in spermatogenesis. In an expression screen we identified two miRNA loci of the miR-34 family (miR-34b/c and miR-449 that are specifically and highly expressed in post-mitotic male germ cells. A reduction in several miRNAs inclusive of miR-34b/c in spermatozoa has been causally associated with reduced fertility in humans. We found that deletion of both miR34b/c and miR-449 loci resulted in oligoasthenoteratozoospermia in mice. MiR-34bc/449-deficiency impairs both meiosis and the final stages of spermatozoa maturation. Analysis of miR-34bc-/-;449-/- pachytene spermatocytes revealed a small cohort of genes deregulated that were highly enriched for miR-34 family target genes. Our results identify the miR-34 family as the first functionally important miRNAs for spermatogenesis whose deregulation is causal to oligoasthenoteratozoospermia and infertility.

43 CFR 41.425 - Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 43 Public Lands: Interior 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials. 41.425 Section 41.425 Public Lands: Interior Office of the Secretary of the Interior... Discrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Prohibited § 41.425 Counseling and use of...

A Time to Every Purpose: Understanding and Improving the Borrower Experience with Online Student Loan Entrance Counseling. Research Report

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandez, Chris

2015-01-01

Legally mandated student loan entrance counseling attempts to prepare first-time borrowers of federal student loans for this challenge; yet, researchers hypothesized that the online modules most borrowers use for this purpose have significant shortcomings. This report (the third in a series of five from TG Research) describes a study in which…

38 CFR 21.100 - Counseling.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 38 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Counseling. 21.100... Counseling § 21.100 Counseling. (a) General. A veteran requesting or being furnished assistance under Chapter 31 shall be provided professional counseling services by Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR...

38 CFR 21.7600 - Counseling.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 38 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Counseling. 21.7600...) VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION AND EDUCATION Educational Assistance for Members of the Selected Reserve Counseling § 21.7600 Counseling. A reservist may receive counseling from VA before beginning training and during...

Counselling women considering or seeking sterilization.

Science.gov (United States)

Jackson, T

1980-12-01

The view of counseling as assessment and advice-giving places unrealistic and unnecessary stresses on both counselor and client. The counselor-doctor feels responsible for client's subsequent happiness in life and feels guilty if his advice leads to future unhappiness for her. The client feels powerless in the decision-making process and has less incentive to take full responsibility for the direction of her life. A review of studies of emotional adjustment to sterilization revealed a lack of clearly defined goals for preoperative counseling and the failure to test in any way the effect of different models of counseling on client outcome. Issues which might be raised with a woman considering sterilization may be grouped into 4: 1) the woman's life situation; 2) her reasons for considering sterilization; 3) timing; and 4) ambivalence. Counselors should be prepared for and comfortable with the expression of emotion in counseling sessions. Counselors who themselves are unable to cope with expression of intense emotion will send conflicting messages to clients, both giving permission for and disapproving of exploration of certain levels of feeling. The concept of 'regret' as an outcome measure should be refined.

miRNA profiling of naive, effector and memory CD8 T cells.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haoquan Wu

Full Text Available microRNAs have recently emerged as master regulators of gene expression during development and cell differentiation. Although profound changes in gene expression also occur during antigen-induced T cell differentiation, the role of miRNAs in the process is not known. We compared the miRNA expression profiles between antigen-specific naïve, effector and memory CD8+ T cells using 3 different methods--small RNA cloning, miRNA microarray analysis and real-time PCR. Although many miRNAs were expressed in all the T cell subsets, the frequency of 7 miRNAs (miR-16, miR-21, miR-142-3p, miR-142-5p, miR-150, miR-15b and let-7f alone accounted for approximately 60% of all miRNAs, and their expression was several fold higher than the other expressed miRNAs. Global downregulation of miRNAs (including 6/7 dominantly expressed miRNAs was observed in effector T cells compared to naïve cells and the miRNA expression levels tended to come back up in memory T cells. However, a few miRNAs, notably miR-21 were higher in effector and memory T cells compared to naïve T cells. These results suggest that concomitant with profound changes in gene expression, miRNA profile also changes dynamically during T cell differentiation. Sequence analysis of the cloned mature miRNAs revealed an extensive degree of end polymorphism. While 3'end polymorphisms dominated, heterogeneity at both ends, resembling drosha/dicer processing shift was also seen in miR-142, suggesting a possible novel mechanism to generate new miRNA and/or to diversify miRNA target selection. Overall, our results suggest that dynamic changes in the expression of miRNAs may be important for the regulation of gene expression during antigen-induced T cell differentiation. Our study also suggests possible novel mechanisms for miRNA biogenesis and function.

Early diagnostic evaluation of miR-122 and miR-224 as biomarkers for hepatocellular carcinoma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khalda S. Amr

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC is one of the common lethal types of tumor all over the world. The lethality of HCC accounts for many reasons. One of them, the lack of reliable diagnostic markers at the early stage, in this context, serum miRNAs became promising diagnostic biomarkers. Herein, we aimed to identify the predictive value of two miRNAs (miR-122 and miR-224 in plasma of patients with HCC preceded by chronic HCV infection. Taqman miRNA assays specific for hsa-miR-122 and hsa-miR-224 were used to assess the expression levels of the chosen miRNAs in plasma samples collected from three groups; 40 patients with HCC related to HCV, 40 with CHC patients and 20 healthy volunteers. This study revealed that the mean plasma values of miRNA-122 were significantly lower among HCC group when compared to CHC and control groups (P 1.2 (RQ and (AUC = 0.93, P < 0.001, while the accuracy of AFP to diagnose HCC was (AUC: 0.619; P = 0.06. In conclusion, the expression plasma of miR-122 and miR-224 could be used as noninvasive biomarkers for the early prediction of developing HCC at the early stage.

38 CFR 21.8100 - Counseling.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 38 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Counseling. 21.8100... Vietnam Veterans-Spina Bifida and Covered Birth Defects Counseling § 21.8100 Counseling. An eligible child requesting or receiving services and assistance under this subpart will receive professional counseling by VR...

Growth inhibitory effects of miR-221 and miR-222 in non-small cell lung cancer cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamashita, Ryo; Sato, Mitsuo; Kakumu, Tomohiko; Hase, Tetsunari; Yogo, Naoyuki; Maruyama, Eiichi; Sekido, Yoshitaka; Kondo, Masashi; Hasegawa, Yoshinori

2015-01-01

Both pro- and anti-oncogenic roles of miR-221 and miR-222 microRNAs are reported in several types of human cancers. A previous study suggested their oncogenic role in invasiveness in lung cancer, albeit only one cell line (H460) was used. To further evaluate involvement of miR-221 and miR-222 in lung cancer, we investigated the effects of miR-221 and miR-222 overexpression on six lung cancer cell lines, including H460, as well as one immortalized normal human bronchial epithelial cell line, HBEC4. miR-221 and miR-222 induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-like changes in a minority of HBEC4 cells but, unexpectedly, both the microRNAs rather suppressed their invasiveness. Consistent with the prior report, miR-221 and miR-222 promoted growth in H460; however, miR-221 suppressed growth in four other cell lines with no effects in one, and miR-222 suppressed growth in three cell lines but promoted growth in two. These are the first results to show tumor-suppressive effects of miR-221 and miR-222 in lung cancer cells, and we focused on clarifying the mechanisms. Cell cycle and apoptosis analyses revealed that growth suppression by miR-221 and miR-222 occurred through intra-S-phase arrest and/or apoptosis. Finally, lung cancer cell lines transfected with miR-221 or miR-222 became more sensitive to the S-phase targeting drugs, possibly due to an increased S-phase population. In conclusion, our data are the first to show tumor-suppressive effects of miR-221 and miR-222 on lung cancer, warranting testing their potential as therapeutics for the disease

Teaching Genetic Counseling Skills: Incorporating a Genetic Counseling Adaptation Continuum Model to Address Psychosocial Complexity.

Science.gov (United States)

Shugar, Andrea

2017-04-01

Genetic counselors are trained health care professionals who effectively integrate both psychosocial counseling and information-giving into their practice. Preparing genetic counseling students for clinical practice is a challenging task, particularly when helping them develop effective and active counseling skills. Resistance to incorporating these skills may stem from decreased confidence, fear of causing harm or a lack of clarity of psycho-social goals. The author reflects on the personal challenges experienced in teaching genetic counselling students to work with psychological and social complexity, and proposes a Genetic Counseling Adaptation Continuum model and methodology to guide students in the use of advanced counseling skills.

Altering β-cell number through stable alteration of miR-21 and miR-34a expression

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Backe, Marie Balslev; Novotny, Guy Wayne; Christensen, Dan Ploug

2014-01-01

RNAs, miR-21 and miR-34a, may be involved in mediating cytokine-induced β-cell dysfunction. Therefore, manipulation of miR-21 and miR-34a levels may potentially be beneficial to β cells. To study the effect of long-term alterations of miR-21 or miR-34a levels upon net β-cell number, we stably overexpressed...

Data of expression status of miR- 29a and its putative target mitochondrial apoptosis regulatory gene DRP1 upon miR-15a and miR-214 inhibition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Ishtiaq Jan

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Data is about the mitochondrial apoptosis regulatory framework genes PUMA, DRP1 (apoptotic, and ARC (anti-apoptotic analysis after the employment of their controlling miRNAs inhibitors. The data represents putative conserved targeting of seed regions of miR-15a, miR-29a, and miR-214 with respective target genes PUMA, DRP1, and ARC. Data is of cross interference in expression levels of one miRNA family, miR-29a and its putative target DRP1 upon the inhibitory treatment of other miRNAs 15a and 214. Keywords: DRP1, miR-15a, Apoptosis, miRNAs inhibition

38 CFR 21.9580 - Counseling.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 38 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Counseling. 21.9580...) VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION AND EDUCATION Post-9/11 GI Bill Counseling § 21.9580 Counseling. An individual may receive counseling from VA before beginning training and during training. VA will apply the provisions of...

Deregulation of miR-100, miR-99a and miR-199b in tissues and plasma coexists with increased expression of mTOR kinase in endometrioid endometrial carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Torres, Anna; Torres, Kamil; Pesci, Anna; Ceccaroni, Marcello; Paszkowski, Tomasz; Cassandrini, Paola; Zamboni, Giuseppe; Maciejewski, Ryszard

2012-01-01

Alterations of mTOR gene expression have been implicated in the pathogenesis of endometrioid endometrial cancer however only few studies explored the cause of increased mTOR activation in this malignancy. miRNAs are small, noncoding RNAs, which were proven to regulated gene expression at the posttranscriptional level. The study aimed to explore deregulation of miRNAs targeting mTOR kinase (miR-99a, miR-100 and miR-199b) as a possible cause of its altered expression in EEC tissues. In addition expression of the three miRNAs was investigated in plasma of EEC patients and was assessed in terms of diagnostic and prognostic utility. We investigated expression of mTOR kinase transcripts in 46 fresh tissue samples. Expression of miR-99a, miR-100 and miR-199b was investigated in the same group of fresh samples, and in additional 58 FFPE sections as well as in 48 plasma samples using qPCR. Relative quantification was performed using experimentally validated endogenous controls. mTOR kinase expression was increased in EEC tissues and was accompanied by decreased expression of all three miRNAs. Down-regulation of the investigated miRNAs was discovered in plasma of EEC patients and miRNA signatures classified EEC tissues (miR-99a/miR-100/miR-199b) and plasma (miR-99a/miR-199b) samples with higher accuracy in comparison to single miRNAs. We also revealed that miR-100 was an independent prognostic marker of overall survival. We conclude that increased expression of mTOR kinase coexists with down-regulation of its targeting miRNAs, which could suggest a new mechanism of mTOR pathway alterations in EEC. In addition, our findings implicate that miRNA signatures can be considered promising biomarkers for early detection and prognosis of endometrioid endometrial carcinoma

Miłosz, wojna i poezja cywilna

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irena Grudzińska-Gross

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Miłosz, war and civilian poetry The article addresses the reaction of the Polish population during Second World War towards the military resistance to the occupier. The author offers a case study of the life choices of Czesław Miłosz, the poet. Considering them hopeless and counterproductive, Miłosz decided not to participate in military actions. He had no confidence in the Polish government in exile and its military decisions. Instead, the poet concentrated on writing and publishing; he also criticized what he viewed as unjustified sacrifice of life in the Warsaw Uprising of 1944. His attitude was criticized then, and today continues to be a source of attacks against the poet. The article analyses the logic of national solidarity in the times of foreign occupation and the arguments of the poet’s critics. The author of the article comes to the conclusion that Miłosz’s stand was beneficial not only for himself but also for the community as a whole.

Expression and evolutionary analyses of three acetylcholinesterase genes (Mi-ace-1, Mi-ace-2, Mi-ace-3) in the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita.

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Ruqiang; Zhang, Lei; Chen, Yuyan; Huang, Wenkun; Fan, Chengming; Wu, Qingsong; Peng, Deliang; da Silva, Washington; Sun, Xiaotang

2017-05-01

The full cDNA of Mi-ace-3 encoding an acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in Meloidogyne incognita was cloned and characterized. Mi-ace-3 had an open reading frame of 1875 bp encoding 624 amino acid residues. Key residues essential to AChE structure and function were conserved. The deduced Mi-ACE-3 protein sequence had 72% amino acid similarity with that of Ditylenchus destructor Dd-AChE-3. Phylogenetic analyses using 41 AChEs from 24 species showed that Mi-ACE-3 formed a cluster with 4 other nematode AChEs. Our results revealed that the Mi-ace-3 cloned in this study, which is orthologous to Caenorhabditis elegans AChE, belongs to the nematode ACE-3/4 subgroup. There was a significant reduction in the number of galls in transgenic tobacco roots when Mi-ace-1, Mi-ace-2, and Mi-ace-3 were knocked down simultaneously, whereas little or no effect were observed when only one or two of these genes were knocked down. This is an indication that the functions of these three genes are redundant. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Integrating miRNA and mRNA Expression Profiling Uncovers miRNAs Underlying Fat Deposition in Sheep

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Guangxian Zhou

2017-01-01

Full Text Available MicroRNAs (miRNAs are endogenous, noncoding RNAs that regulate various biological processes including adipogenesis and fat metabolism. Here, we adopted a deep sequencing approach to determine the identity and abundance of miRNAs involved in fat deposition in adipose tissues from fat-tailed (Kazakhstan sheep, KS and thin-tailed (Tibetan sheep, TS sheep breeds. By comparing HiSeq data of these two breeds, 539 miRNAs were shared in both breeds, whereas 179 and 97 miRNAs were uniquely expressed in KS and TS, respectively. We also identified 35 miRNAs that are considered to be putative novel miRNAs. The integration of miRNA-mRNA analysis revealed that miRNA-associated targets were mainly involved in the gene ontology (GO biological processes concerning cellular process and metabolic process, and miRNAs play critical roles in fat deposition through their ability to regulate fundamental pathways. These pathways included the MAPK signaling pathway, FoxO and Wnt signaling pathway, and focal adhesion. Taken together, our results define miRNA expression signatures that may contribute to fat deposition and lipid metabolism in sheep.

Inhibition of 14q32 MicroRNAs miR-329, miR-487b, miR-494, and miR-495 Increases Neovascularization and Blood Flow Recovery After Ischemia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Welten, S. M. J.; Bastiaansen, Ajnm; de Jong, R. C. M.

2014-01-01

in mice after single femoral artery ligation. Methods and Results: Gene silencing oligonucleotides (GSOs) were used to inhibit 4 14q32 microRNAs, miR-329, miR-487b, miR-494, and miR-495, 1 day before double femoral artery ligation. Blood flow recovery was followed by laser Doppler perfusion imaging. All 4...... GSOs clearly improved blood flow recovery after ischemia. Mice treated with GSO-495 or GSO-329 showed increased perfusion already after 3 days (30% perfusion versus 15% in control), and those treated with GSO-329 showed a full recovery of perfusion after 7 days (versus 60% in control). Increased...

An assessment of time involved in pre-test case review and counseling for a whole genome sequencing clinical research program.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Janet L; Faucett, W Andrew; Smith-Packard, Bethanny; Wagner, Monisa; Williams, Marc S

2014-08-01

Whole genome sequencing (WGS) is being used for evaluation of individuals with undiagnosed disease of suspected genetic origin. Implementing WGS into clinical practice will place an increased burden upon care teams with regard to pre-test patient education and counseling about results. To quantitate the time needed for appropriate pre-test evaluation of participants in WGS testing, we documented the time spent by our clinical research group on various activities related to program preparation, participant screening, and consent prior to WGS. Participants were children or young adults with autism, intellectual or developmental disability, and/or congenital anomalies, who have remained undiagnosed despite previous evaluation, and their biologic parents. Results showed that significant time was spent in securing allocation of clinical research space to counsel participants and families, and in acquisition and review of participant's medical records. Pre-enrollment chart review identified two individuals with existing diagnoses resulting in savings of $30,000 for the genome sequencing alone, as well as saving hours of personnel time for genome interpretation and communication of WGS results. New WGS programs should plan for costs associated with additional pre-test administrative planning and patient evaluation time that will be required to provide high quality care.

Four-miRNA signature as a prognostic tool for lung adenocarcinoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Yan; Lv, Yufeng; Liang, Rong; Yuan, Chunling; Zhang, Jinyan; He, Dan; Zheng, Xiaowen; Zhang, Jianfeng

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to generate a novel miRNA expression signature to accurately predict prognosis for patients with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Using expression profiles downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas database, we identified multiple miRNAs with differential expression between LUAD and paired healthy tissues. We then evaluated the prognostic values of the differentially expressed miRNAs using univariate/multivariate Cox regression analysis. This analysis was ultimately used to construct a four-miRNA signature that effectively predicted patient survival. Finally, we analyzed potential functional roles of the target genes for these four miRNAs using Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses. Based on our cutoff criteria ( P 1.0), we identified a total of 187 differentially expressed miRNAs, including 148 that were upregulated in LUAD tissues and 39 that were downregulated. Four miRNAs (miR-148a-5p, miR-31-5p, miR-548v, and miR-550a-5p) were independently associated with survival based on Kaplan-Meier analysis. We generated a signature index based on the expression of these four miRNAs and stratified patients into low- and high-risk groups. Patients in the high-risk group had significantly shorter survival times than those in the low-risk group ( P =0.002). A functional enrichment analysis suggested that the target genes of these four miRNAs were involved in protein phosphorylation and the Hippo and sphingolipid signaling pathways. Taken together, our results suggest that our four-miRNA signature can be used as a prognostic tool for patients with LUAD.

Three novel serum biomarkers, miR-1, miR-133a, and miR-206 for Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy, Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy, and Becker muscular dystrophy.

Science.gov (United States)

Matsuzaka, Yasunari; Kishi, Soichiro; Aoki, Yoshitsugu; Komaki, Hirofumi; Oya, Yasushi; Takeda, Shin-Ichi; Hashido, Kazuo

2014-11-01

Muscular dystrophies are a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of inherited myogenic disorders. In clinical tests for these diseases, creatine kinase (CK) is generally used as diagnostic blood-based biomarker. However, because CK levels can be altered by various other factors, such as vigorous exercise, etc., false positive is observed. Therefore, three microRNAs (miRNAs), miR-1, miR-133a, and miR-206, were previously reported as alternative biomarkers for duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). However, no alternative biomarkers have been established for the other muscular dystrophies. We, therefore, evaluated whether these miR-1, miR-133a, and miR-206 can be used as powerful biomarkers using the serum from muscular dystrophy patients including DMD, myotonic dystrophy 1 (DM1), limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD), facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD), becker muscular dystrophy (BMD), and distal myopathy with rimmed vacuoles (DMRV) by qualitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification assay. Statistical analysis indicated that all these miRNA levels in serum represented no significant differences between all muscle disorders examined in this study and controls by Bonferroni correction. However, some of these indicated significant differences without correction for testing multiple diseases (P < 0.05). The median values of miR-1 levels in the serum of patients with LGMD, FSHD, and BMD were approximately 5.5, 3.3 and 1.7 compared to that in controls, 0.68, respectively. Similarly, those of miR-133a and miR-206 levels in the serum of BMD patients were about 2.5 and 2.1 compared to those in controls, 1.03 and 1.32, respectively. Taken together, our data demonstrate that levels of miR-1, miR-133a, and miR-206 in serum of BMD and miR-1 in sera of LGMD and FSHD patients showed no significant differences compared with those of controls by Bonferroni correction. However, the results might need increase in sample sizes to evaluate these three miRNAs as

Identification of novel miRNAs and miRNA dependent developmental shifts of gene expression in Arabidopsis thaliana.

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Shuhua Zhan

Full Text Available microRNAs (miRNAs are small, endogenous RNAs of 20 approximately 25 nucleotides, processed from stem-loop regions of longer RNA precursors. Plant miRNAs act as negative regulators of target mRNAs predominately by slicing target transcripts, and a number of miRNAs play important roles in development. We analyzed a number of published datasets from Arabidopsis thaliana to characterize novel miRNAs, novel miRNA targets, and miRNA-regulated developmental changes in gene expression. These data include microarray profiling data and small RNA (sRNA deep sequencing data derived from miRNA biogenesis/transport mutants, microarray profiling data of mRNAs in a developmental series, and computational predictions of conserved genomic stem-loop structures. Our conservative analyses identified five novel mature miRNAs and seven miRNA targets, including one novel target gene. Two complementary miRNAs that target distinct mRNAs were encoded by one gene. We found that genes targeted by known miRNAs, and genes up-regulated or down-regulated in miRNA mutant inflorescences, are highly expressed in the wild type inflorescence. In addition, transcripts upregulated within the mutant inflorescences were abundant in wild type leaves and shoot meristems and low in pollen and seed. Downregulated transcripts were abundant in wild type pollen and seed and low in shoot meristems, roots and leaves. Thus, disrupting miRNA function causes the inflorescence transcriptome to resemble the leaf and meristem and to differ from pollen and seed. Applications of our computational approach to other species and the use of more liberal criteria than reported here will further expand the number of identified miRNAs and miRNA targets. Our findings suggest that miRNAs have a global role in promoting vegetative to reproductive transitions in A. thaliana.

Novel Triazole linked 2-phenyl benzoxazole derivatives induce apoptosis by inhibiting miR-2, miR-13 and miR-14 function in Drosophila melanogaster.

Science.gov (United States)

Mondal, Tanmoy; Lavanya, A V S; Mallick, Akash; Dadmala, Tulshiram L; Kumbhare, Ravindra M; Bhadra, Utpal; Bhadra, Manika Pal

2017-06-01

Apoptosis is an important phenomenon in multi cellular organisms for maintaining tissue homeostasis and embryonic development. Defect in apoptosis leads to a number of disorders like- autoimmune disorder, immunodeficiency and cancer. 21-22 nucleotides containing micro RNAs (miRNAs/miRs) function as a crucial regulator of apoptosis alike other cellular pathways. Recently, small molecules have been identified as a potent inducer of apoptosis. In this study, we have identified novel Triazole linked 2-phenyl benzoxazole derivatives (13j and 13h) as a negative regulator of apoptosis inhibiting micro RNAs (miR-2, miR-13 and miR-14) in a well established in vivo model Drosophila melanogaster where the process of apoptosis is very similar to human apoptosis. These compounds inhibit miR-2, miR-13 and miR-14 activity at their target sites, which induce an increased caspase activity, and in turn influence the caspase dependent apoptotic pathway. These two compounds also increase the mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) level to trigger apoptotic cell death.

Integrated Analysis Reveals That miR-193b, miR-671, and TREM-1 Correlate With a Good Response to Treatment of Human Localized Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Caused by Leishmania braziliensis

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Sara Nunes

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Localized cutaneous leishmaniasis (LCL is a chronic disease characterized by ulcerated skin lesion(s and uncontrolled inflammation. The mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of LCL are not completely understood, and little is known about posttranscriptional regulation during LCL. MicroRNAs (miRNAs are non-coding small RNAs that regulate gene expression and can be implicated in the pathogenesis of LCL. We investigated the involvement of miRNAs and their targets genes in human LCL using publicly available transcriptome data sets followed by ex vivo validation. Initial analysis highlighted that miRNA expression is altered during LCL, as patients clustered separately from controls. Joint analysis identified eight high confidence miRNAs that had altered expression (−1.5 ≤ fold change ≥ 1.5; p < 0.05 between cutaneous ulcers and uninfected skin. We found that the expression of miR-193b and miR-671 are greatly associated with their target genes, CD40 and TNFR, indicating the important role of these miRNAs in the expression of genes related to the inflammatory response observed in LCL. In addition, network analysis revealed that miR-193b, miR-671, and TREM1 correlate only in patients who show faster wound healing (up to 59 days and not in patients who require longer cure times (more than 60 days. Given that these miRNAs are associated with control of inflammation and healing time, our findings reveal that they might influence the pathogenesis and prognosis of LCL.

Comparative studies of two methods for miRNA isolation from milk whey.

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Xiao-lu; Wei, Zi-hai; Liu, Lan; Liu, Hong-yun; Liu, Jian-xin

2015-06-01

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) from milk whey have been considered for their potential as noninvasive biomarkers for milk quality control and disease diagnosis. However, standard protocols for miRNA isolation and quantification from milk whey are not well established. The objective of this study was to compare two methods for the isolation of miRNAs from milk whey. These two methods were modified phenol-based technique (Trizol LS(®) followed by phenol precipitation, the TP method) and combined phenol and column-based approach (Trizol LS(®) followed by cleanup using the miRNeasy kit, the TM method). Yield and quality of RNA were rigorously measured using a NanoDrop ND-1000 spectrophotometer and then the distribution of RNA was precisely detected in a Bioanalyzer 2100 instrument by microchip gel electrophoresis. Several endogenous miRNAs (bta-miR-141, bta-miR-146a, bta-miR-148a, bta-miR-200c, bta-miR-362, and bta-miR-375) and an exogenous spike-in synthetic control miRNA (cel-miR-39) were quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to examine the apparent recovery efficiency of milk whey miRNAs. Both methods could successfully isolate sufficient small RNA (whey, and their yields were quite similar. However, the quantification results show that the total miRNA recovery efficiency by the TM method is superior to that by the TP method. The TM method performed better than the TP for recovery of milk whey miRNA due to its consistency and good repeatability in endogenous and spike-in miRNA recovery. Additionally, quantitative recovery analysis of a spike-in miRNA may be more accurate to reflect the milk whey miRNA recovery efficiency than using traditional RNA quality analysis instruments (NanoDrop or Bioanalyzer 2100).

Comparative studies of two methods for miRNA isolation from milk whey*

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Xiao-lu; Wei, Zi-hai; Liu, Lan; Liu, Hong-yun; Liu, Jian-xin

2015-01-01

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) from milk whey have been considered for their potential as noninvasive biomarkers for milk quality control and disease diagnosis. However, standard protocols for miRNA isolation and quantification from milk whey are not well established. The objective of this study was to compare two methods for the isolation of miRNAs from milk whey. These two methods were modified phenol-based technique (Trizol LS® followed by phenol precipitation, the TP method) and combined phenol and column-based approach (Trizol LS® followed by cleanup using the miRNeasy kit, the TM method). Yield and quality of RNA were rigorously measured using a NanoDrop ND-1000 spectrophotometer and then the distribution of RNA was precisely detected in a Bioanalyzer 2100 instrument by microchip gel electrophoresis. Several endogenous miRNAs (bta-miR-141, bta-miR-146a, bta-miR-148a, bta-miR-200c, bta-miR-362, and bta-miR-375) and an exogenous spike-in synthetic control miRNA (cel-miR-39) were quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to examine the apparent recovery efficiency of milk whey miRNAs. Both methods could successfully isolate sufficient small RNA (whey, and their yields were quite similar. However, the quantification results show that the total miRNA recovery efficiency by the TM method is superior to that by the TP method. The TM method performed better than the TP for recovery of milk whey miRNA due to its consistency and good repeatability in endogenous and spike-in miRNA recovery. Additionally, quantitative recovery analysis of a spike-in miRNA may be more accurate to reflect the milk whey miRNA recovery efficiency than using traditional RNA quality analysis instruments (NanoDrop or Bioanalyzer 2100). PMID:26055915

Bioinformatics of cardiovascular miRNA biology.

Science.gov (United States)

Kunz, Meik; Xiao, Ke; Liang, Chunguang; Viereck, Janika; Pachel, Christina; Frantz, Stefan; Thum, Thomas; Dandekar, Thomas

2015-12-01

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small ~22 nucleotide non-coding RNAs and are highly conserved among species. Moreover, miRNAs regulate gene expression of a large number of genes associated with important biological functions and signaling pathways. Recently, several miRNAs have been found to be associated with cardiovascular diseases. Thus, investigating the complex regulatory effect of miRNAs may lead to a better understanding of their functional role in the heart. To achieve this, bioinformatics approaches have to be coupled with validation and screening experiments to understand the complex interactions of miRNAs with the genome. This will boost the subsequent development of diagnostic markers and our understanding of the physiological and therapeutic role of miRNAs in cardiac remodeling. In this review, we focus on and explain different bioinformatics strategies and algorithms for the identification and analysis of miRNAs and their regulatory elements to better understand cardiac miRNA biology. Starting with the biogenesis of miRNAs, we present approaches such as LocARNA and miRBase for combining sequence and structure analysis including phylogenetic comparisons as well as detailed analysis of RNA folding patterns, functional target prediction, signaling pathway as well as functional analysis. We also show how far bioinformatics helps to tackle the unprecedented level of complexity and systemic effects by miRNA, underlining the strong therapeutic potential of miRNA and miRNA target structures in cardiovascular disease. In addition, we discuss drawbacks and limitations of bioinformatics algorithms and the necessity of experimental approaches for miRNA target identification. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled 'Non-coding RNAs'. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reliable reference miRNAs for quantitative gene expression analysis of stress responses in Caenorhabditis elegans

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kagias, Konstantinos; Podolska, Agnieszka; Pocock, Roger David John

2014-01-01

Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) has become the "gold standard" for measuring expression levels of individual miRNAs. However, little is known about the validity of reference miRNAs, the improper use of which can result in misleading interpretation of data.......Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) has become the "gold standard" for measuring expression levels of individual miRNAs. However, little is known about the validity of reference miRNAs, the improper use of which can result in misleading interpretation of data....

38 CFR 21.3102 - Required counseling.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 38 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Required counseling. 21.... Chapter 35 Counseling § 21.3102 Required counseling. (a) Child. The VA counseling psychologist will provide counseling and assist in preparing the educational plan only if the eligible child or his or her...

Increasing of miR-148a 0061nd Decreasing of miR-146a Gene Expression in the Stomach with Ageing in Men

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Shirin Abdolvand

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background: The incidence of gastric cancer is different in two sexes with ratio 2 to 1 that it is more common in men. The most important biologically reason is sexual hormones between two sexes that lead to sexual dimorphism and in turn can cause a sex bias in incidence of disease between two sexes. Recently, studies have shown that microRNA is involved in sexual dimorphism in gene expression. Given the sexual dimorphism in the incidence of gastric cancer and sex hormones response elements in the regulatory regions of miR-146a and miR-148a genes, in this study, the expression of these two genes in the stomach of healthy men and women at different age groups were compared. Materials and Methods: Using endoscopy, gastric antrum tissues of 35 healthy women and 35 healthy men were collected. After RNA extraction and synthesis of cDNA, the expression of miR-146a and miR-148a genes were compared between sexes by Real time RT-PCR and data were analyzed using independent sample t and ANOVA tests. Results: There was no difference between men and women in genes expression of miR-146a and miR-148a. However, expression of miR-146a gene was significantly more in men under 45 years than men over 45 years (p= 0.017, df= 14, t= 1.47. Also, expression of miR-148a gene was significantly more in men over 45 years than men under 45 years (p=0.001, df= 12, t= 1.28. But the expression of both genes had no significant difference between women under 45 years and women over 45 years. Conclusion: Expression of miR-146a and miR-148a genes in the stomach is increased and decreased with aging in men, respectively.

Expression in Whole Blood Samples of miRNA-191 and miRNA-455-3p in Patients with AAA and Their Relationship to Clinical Outcomes after Endovascular Repair.

Science.gov (United States)

Tenorio, Emanuel Junio Ramos; Braga, Andre Felipe Farias; Tirapelli, Daniela Pretti Da Cunha; Ribeiro, Mauricio Serra; Piccinato, Carlos Eli; Joviliano, Edwaldo Edner

2018-03-05

The purpose of this study was to quantify and evaluate the expression response of miRNA-191 and miRNA-455-3p endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) based in whole blood samples. This report describes a prospective study of a single center of 30 patients with AAA who underwent endovascular repair. Blood samples were collected preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively. The differential expression of the miRNAs was performed by the real-time polymerase chain reaction method, after extraction of the RNA from the blood samples at the 2 moments. In addition, bioinformatic tools were used to determine pathophysiological pathways related to AAA. The miR-191 and miR-455-3p were overexpressed preoperatively. After 6 months postoperatively, miR-191 (median 0.98, IQR 0.5-2.1, P AAA showed no significant differences in the expression of miR-191 and miR-455-3p. Exclusion of the aneurysmal sac after endovascular treatment induces a decrease in the expression of the studied miRNAs in whole blood samples, which suggests a possible use of them as biomarkers of therapeutic success. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Adventure Counseling as an Adjunct to Group Counseling in Hospital and Clinical Settings

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Gillen, Mark C.; Balkin, Richard S.

2006-01-01

Adventure counseling has been thought of as a highly specialized application of group counseling skills in a wilderness environment. In fact, adventure counseling is based on a developmental theory of group, can be useful for a variety of clients, and can be thoughtfully integrated into clinical and hospital settings. This article describes the…

41 CFR 101-4.425 - Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials. 101-4.425 Section 101-4.425 Public Contracts and Property Management... Discrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Prohibited § 101-4.425 Counseling and use...

Cortical Morphogenesis during Embryonic Development Is Regulated by miR-34c and miR-204

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Veno, Morten T.; Veno, Susanne T.; Rehberg, Kati

2017-01-01

The porcine brain closely resembles the human brain in aspects such as development and morphology. Temporal miRNA profiling in the developing embryonic porcine cortex revealed a distinct set of miRNAs, including miR-34c and miR-204, which exhibited a highly specific expression profile across...

Introduction of hsa-miR-103a and hsa-miR-1827 and hsa-miR-137 as new regulators of Wnt signaling pathway and their relation to colorectal carcinoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Fasihi, Ali; M Soltani, Bahram; Atashi, Amir; Nasiri, Shirzad

2018-07-01

Wnt signaling is hyper-activated in most of human cancers including colorectal carcinoma (CRC). Therefore, the introduction of new regulators for Wnt pathway possesses promising diagnostic and therapeutic applications in cancer medicine. Bioinformatics analysis introduced hsa-miR-103a, hsa-miR-1827, and hsa-miR-137 as potential regulators of Wnt signaling pathway. Here, we intended to examine the effect of these human miRNAs on Wnt signaling pathway components, on the cell cycle progression in CRC originated cell lines and their expression in CRC tissues. RT-qPCR results indicated upregulation of hsa-miR-103a, hsa-miR-1827, and downregulation of hsa-miR-137 in CRC tissues. Overexpression of hsa-miR-103a and hsa-miR-1827 in SW480 cells resulted in elevated Wnt activity, detected by both Top/Flash assay and RT-qPCR analysis. Inhibition of Wnt signaling by using PNU-74654 or IWP-2 small molecules suggested that these miRNAs exerts their effect at the β-catenin degradation complex level. Then, RT-qPCR, dual luciferase assay, and western blotting analysis indicated that APC and APC2 transcripts were targeted by hsa-miR-103a, hsa-miR-1827 while, Wnt3a and β-catenin genes were upregulated. However, hsa-miR-137 downregulated Wnt3a and β-catenin genes. Further, hsa-miR-103a and hsa-miR-1827 overexpression resulted in cell cycle progression and reduced apoptotic rate in SW480 cells, unlike hsa-miR-137 overexpression which resulted in cell cycle suppression, detected by flowcytometry and Anexin analysis. Overall, our data introduced hsa-miR-103a, hsa-miR-1827 as onco-miRNAs and hsa-miR-137 as tumor suppressor which exert their effect through regulation of Wnt signaling pathway in CRC and introduced them as potential target for therapy. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

CID-miRNA: A web server for prediction of novel miRNA precursors in human genome

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tyagi, Sonika; Vaz, Candida; Gupta, Vipin; Bhatia, Rohit; Maheshwari, Sachin; Srinivasan, Ashwin; Bhattacharya, Alok

2008-01-01

microRNAs (miRNA) are a class of non-protein coding functional RNAs that are thought to regulate expression of target genes by direct interaction with mRNAs. miRNAs have been identified through both experimental and computational methods in a variety of eukaryotic organisms. Though these approaches have been partially successful, there is a need to develop more tools for detection of these RNAs as they are also thought to be present in abundance in many genomes. In this report we describe a tool and a web server, named CID-miRNA, for identification of miRNA precursors in a given DNA sequence, utilising secondary structure-based filtering systems and an algorithm based on stochastic context free grammar trained on human miRNAs. CID-miRNA analyses a given sequence using a web interface, for presence of putative miRNA precursors and the generated output lists all the potential regions that can form miRNA-like structures. It can also scan large genomic sequences for the presence of potential miRNA precursors in its stand-alone form. The web server can be accessed at (http://mirna.jnu.ac.in/cidmirna/)

The Process and Experience of Online Group Counseling for Masters-Level Counseling Students

Science.gov (United States)

Lopresti, Jason Michael

2010-01-01

The present study explored the process and experience of online group counseling using a text-based synchronous program, particularly addressing how the process compares to face-to-face group counseling. Six students in a masters-level group counseling class voluntarily chose to participate for eight sixty minute online sessions on a weekly basis,…

A fourth wave in workplace counselling - its professional specialisation?

OpenAIRE

Claringbull, Norman

2004-01-01

As an experienced Workplace Counsellor and as a Counsellor Trainer, I want to know if it’s time to establish Workplace Counselling as a “Professional Specialisation”. This paper explores the counsellor-training and counselling-skill development needs of the Employee Assistance Programme Agencies and compares them with the Workplace Counsellor training currently available in the UK Higher Education Sector

Counseling-Related Research in Counseling Psychology: Creating Bricks, Not Edifices

Science.gov (United States)

Scheel, Michael J.; Berman, Margit; Friedlander, Myrna L.; Conoley, Collie W.; Duan, Changming; Whiston, Susan C.

2011-01-01

Three counseling psychology colleagues (Lichtenberg, 2011; Mallinckrodt, 2011; Murdock, 2011 [all this issue]) provide differing perspectives about the findings from our target article (Scheel et al., 2011) of the decline of published counseling-related research in our major journals. In this rejoinder we respond to each author's viewpoints…

Counseling Ethics Education Experience: An Interpretive Case Study of the First Year Master's Level Counseling Students

Science.gov (United States)

Zakaria, Noor Syamilah

2013-01-01

Counseling ethics competency is an important part of counselor identity development as required by the counseling profession training standards, and counseling ethics education is one major component of knowledge acquisition in counseling profession. Counselor educators and counselor education training programs have a core responsibility to…

miRNA control of vegetative phase change in trees.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jia-Wei Wang

2011-02-01

Full Text Available After germination, plants enter juvenile vegetative phase and then transition to an adult vegetative phase before producing reproductive structures. The character and timing of the juvenile-to-adult transition vary widely between species. In annual plants, this transition occurs soon after germination and usually involves relatively minor morphological changes, whereas in trees and other perennial woody plants it occurs after months or years and can involve major changes in shoot architecture. Whether this transition is controlled by the same mechanism in annual and perennial plants is unknown. In the annual forb Arabidopsis thaliana and in maize (Zea mays, vegetative phase change is controlled by the sequential activity of microRNAs miR156 and miR172. miR156 is highly abundant in seedlings and decreases during the juvenile-to-adult transition, while miR172 has an opposite expression pattern. We observed similar changes in the expression of these genes in woody species with highly differentiated, well-characterized juvenile and adult phases (Acacia confusa, Acacia colei, Eucalyptus globulus, Hedera helix, Quercus acutissima, as well as in the tree Populus x canadensis, where vegetative phase change is marked by relatively minor changes in leaf morphology and internode length. Overexpression of miR156 in transgenic P. x canadensis reduced the expression of miR156-targeted SPL genes and miR172, and it drastically prolonged the juvenile phase. Our results indicate that miR156 is an evolutionarily conserved regulator of vegetative phase change in both annual herbaceous plants and perennial trees.

15 CFR 8a.425 - Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials. 8a.425 Section 8a.425 Commerce and Foreign Trade Office of the Secretary of Commerce... Discrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Prohibited § 8a.425 Counseling and use of...

Contraceptive counseling for adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Potter, Julia; Santelli, John S

2015-11-01

The majority of adolescents become sexually active during their teenage years, making contraceptive counseling an important aspect of routine adolescent healthcare. However, many healthcare providers express discomfort when it comes to counseling adolescents about contraceptive options. This Special Report highlights the evidence supporting age-appropriate contraceptive counseling for adolescents and focuses on best practices for addressing adolescents' questions and concerns about contraceptive methods.

Sensitive and label-free detection of miRNA-145 by triplex formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Aviñó, Anna; Huertas, César S; Lechuga, Laura M; Eritja, Ramon

2016-01-01

The development of new strategies for detecting microRNAs (miRNAs) has become a crucial step in the diagnostic field. miRNA profiles depend greatly on the sample and the analytical platform employed, leading sometimes to contradictory results. In this work, we study the use of modified parallel tail-clamps to detect a miRNA sequence involved in tumor suppression by triplex formation. Thermal denaturing curves and circular dichroism (CD) measurements have been performed to confirm that parallel clamps carrying 8-aminoguanine form the most stable triplex structures with their target miRNA. The modified tail-clamps have been tested as bioreceptors in a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor for the detection of miRNA-145. The detection limit was improved 2.4 times demonstrating that a stable triplex structure is formed between target miRNA and 8-aminoguanine tail-clamp bioreceptor. This new approach is an essential step toward the label-free and reliable detection of miRNA signatures for diagnostic purposes.

Addiction Counseling Accreditation: CACREP's Role in Solidifying the Counseling Profession

Science.gov (United States)

Hagedorn, W. Bryce; Culbreth, Jack R.; Cashwell, Craig S.

2012-01-01

In this article, the authors discuss the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs' (CACREP) role in furthering the specialty of addiction counseling. After sharing a brief history and the role of counselor certification and licensure, the authors share the process whereby CACREP developed the first set of…

Counseling Graduate Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Caple, Richard B.

1995-01-01

Explores how the understanding of graduate students' special needs and circumstances enhances counseling of this population. Looks at stress factors, educational preparation, delayed gratification, achieving autonomy, intellectual development, and the counseling process. Emphasizes the importance of establishing trust in the therapeutic dialog so…

Predicting Factors of Drop Out Counseling Process in University Psychological Counseling and Guidance Center

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Omer OZER

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Objective: Objective: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the predicting factors the drop out the counseling process. Methods: The study group consists of 555 college students admitted to a Counseling and Guidance Center (CGC and participated in at least one session of counseling after the first view in the 2013-2014 academic year. As a data collection tool, an “Application Form” on the demographic information and the “Brief Symptom Inventory” was applied to the students; and independent samples t-test and binary logistic regression techniques were used in the analysis of the collected data. Results: According to the analysis results, the age of the students attending the counseling process was found to be higher than those who drop out, but no significant difference was found in their psychometric properties in terms of continuation of the counseling process. Only the age of clients and their previous psychiatric help history was found to predict the dropping out counseling process early. Conclusion: Drop outs are less frequently observed in clients having a previous psychiatric help experience. In addition, it was determined that older clients less frequently drop out the counseling process

General Counsel`s office FY 1995 site support program plan WBS 6.10.5

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moreno, S.R.

1994-09-01

The General Counsel`s office provides legal counsel to all levels of WHC management; administers the intellectual property program; coordinates all WHC investigative activity and supports WHC activities to ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, DOE directives, contractual provisions, and other requirements. In so doing, the Office of General Counsel supports the Hanford site mission of transforming the Hanford site into an environmentally attractive and economically sustainable community. This document briefs the FY95 site support plan.

MiSeq: A Next Generation Sequencing Platform for Genomic Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ravi, Rupesh Kanchi; Walton, Kendra; Khosroheidari, Mahdieh

2018-01-01

MiSeq, Illumina's integrated next generation sequencing instrument, uses reversible-terminator sequencing-by-synthesis technology to provide end-to-end sequencing solutions. The MiSeq instrument is one of the smallest benchtop sequencers that can perform onboard cluster generation, amplification, genomic DNA sequencing, and data analysis, including base calling, alignment and variant calling, in a single run. It performs both single- and paired-end runs with adjustable read lengths from 1 × 36 base pairs to 2 × 300 base pairs. A single run can produce output data of up to 15 Gb in as little as 4 h of runtime and can output up to 25 M single reads and 50 M paired-end reads. Thus, MiSeq provides an ideal platform for rapid turnaround time. MiSeq is also a cost-effective tool for various analyses focused on targeted gene sequencing (amplicon sequencing and target enrichment), metagenomics, and gene expression studies. For these reasons, MiSeq has become one of the most widely used next generation sequencing platforms. Here, we provide a protocol to prepare libraries for sequencing using the MiSeq instrument and basic guidelines for analysis of output data from the MiSeq sequencing run.

MiRNA Biogenesis and Intersecting Pathways

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ben Chaabane, Samir

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that function as guide molecules in RNA silencing. Plant miRNAs are critical for plant growth, development and stress response, and are processed in Arabidopsis from primary miRNA transcripts (pri-miRNAs) by the endonuclease activity of the DICER-LIKE1...... questions need to be addressed to establish a valid link, we provide encouraging evidence of the involvement of chromatin remodeling factors FAS1 and FAS2 in miRNA biogenesis. Together, we have expanded our understanding of the intersections between miRNA biogenesis and other pathways....

The expression of miR-125b regulates angiogenesis during the recovery of heat-denatured HUVECs.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Situo; Zhang, Pihong; Liang, Pengfei; Huang, Xiaoyuan

2015-06-01

In previous studies we found that miR-125b was down-regulated in denatured dermis of deep partial thickness burn patients. Moreover, miR-125b inhibited tumor-angiogenesis associated with the decrease of ERBB2 and VEGF expression in ovarian cancer cells and breast cancer cells, etc. In this study, we investigated the expression patterns and roles of miR-125b during the recovery of denatured dermis and heat-denatured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Deep partial thickness burns in Sprague-Dawley rats and the heat-denatured cells (52°C, 35 s) were used for analysis. Western blot analysis and real-time PCR were applied to evaluate the expression of miR-125b and ERBB2 and VEGF. The ability of angiogenesis in heat-denatured HUVECs was analyzed by scratch wound healing and tube formation assay after pri-miR-125b or anti-miR-125b transfection. miR-125b expression was time-dependent during the recovery of heat-denatured dermis and HUVECs. Moreover, miR-125b regulated ERBB2 mRNA and Protein Expression and regulated angiogenesis association with regulating the expression of VEGF in heat-denatured HUVECs. Taken together our results show that the expression of miR-125b is time-dependent and miR-125b plays a regulatory role of angiogenesis during wound healing after burns. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Analysis of Biobanked Serum from a Mycobacterium avium subsp paratuberculosis Bovine Infection Model Confirms the Remarkable Stability of Circulating miRNA Profiles and Defines a Bovine Serum miRNA Repertoire.

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Ronan G Shaughnessy

Full Text Available Johne's Disease (JD is a chronic enteritis of ruminants caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP. Current disease control strategies are hampered by the lack of sensitive and specific diagnostic modalities. Therefore, novel diagnostic and prognostic tools are needed, and circulating microRNAs (miRNAs may hold potential in this area. The aims of this study were twofold: (i to address the stability of miRNA in bovine sera from biobanked samples, and (ii to assess the potential of miRNAs as biomarkers for JD disease progression. To address these aims we used bovine sera from an experimental MAP infection model that had been stored at -20°C for over a decade, allowing us to also assess the stability of miRNA profiles in biobanked serum samples through comparison with fresh sera. Approximately 100-200 intact miRNAs were identified in each sample with 83 of these being consistently detected across all 57 samples. The miRNA profile of the biobanked sera stored at -20°C for over 10 years was highly similar to the profile of <1 year-old sera stored at -80°C, with an overlap of 73 shared miRNAs. IsomiR analysis also indicated a distinct bovine serum-specific isomiR profile as compared to previously reported bovine macrophage miRNA profiles. To explore the prognostic potential of miRNA profiles cattle defined as seropositive for anti-MAP antibodies (n = 5 were compared against seronegative cattle (n = 7. No significant differential expressed miRNAs were detected at either the early (6 months or late (43, 46 and 49 months intervals (FDR≤0.05, fold-change≥1.5 across seropositive or seronegative animals. However, comparing pre-infection sera to the early and late time-points identified increased miR-29a and miR-92b abundance (2-fold that may be due to blood-cell population changes over time (P<0.001. In conclusion our study has demonstrated that bovine circulating miRNAs retain their integrity under long-term sub-optimal storage

Aberration of miRNAs Expression in Leukocytes from Sporadic Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, YongPing; Wei, QianQian; Chen, XuePing; Li, ChunYu; Cao, Bei; Ou, RuWei; Hadano, Shinji; Shang, Hui-Fang

2016-01-01

Accumulating evidence indicates that miRNAs play an important role in the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Most of previous studies on miRNA dysregulation in ALS focused on the alterative expression in ALS animal model or in limited samples from European patients with ALS. In the present study, the miRNA expression profiles were investigated in Chinese ALS patients to explore leukocytes miRNAs as a potential biomarker for the diagnosis of ALS. We analyzed the expression profiles of 1733 human mature miRNAs using microarray technology in leukocytes obtained from 5 patients with sporadic ALS (SALS) and 5 healthy controls. An independent group of 83 SALS patients, 24 Parkinson's disease (PD) patients and 61 controls was used for validation by real-time polymerase chain reaction assay. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used to evaluate diagnostic accuracy. In addition, target genes and signaling information of validated differential expression miRNAs were predicted using Bioinformatics. Eleven miRNAs, including four over-expressed and seven under-expressed miRNAs detected in SALS patients compared to healthy controls were selected for validation. Four under-expressed microRNAs, including hsa-miR-183, hsa-miR-193b, hsa-miR-451, and hsa-miR-3935, were confirmed in validation stage by comparison of 83 SALS patients and 61 HCs. Moreover, we identified a miRNA panel (hsa-miR-183, hsa-miR-193b, hsa-miR-451, and hsa-miR-3935) having a high diagnostic accuracy of SALS (AUC 0.857 for the validation group). However, only hsa-miR-183 was significantly lower in SALS patients than that in PD patients and in HCs, while no differences were found between PD patients and HCs. By bioinformatics analysis, we obtained a large number of target genes and signaling information that are linked to neurodegeneration. This study provided evidence of abnormal miRNA expression patterns in the peripheral blood leukocytes of SALS patients. Leukocytes

Aberration of miRNAs Expression in leukocytes from sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yongping Chen

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Background: Accumulating evidence indicates that miRNAs play an important role in the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS. Most of previous studies on miRNA dysregulation in ALS focused on the alterative expression in ALS animal model or in limited samples from European patients with ALS. In the present study, the miRNA expression profiles were investigated in Chinese ALS patients to explore leukocytes miRNAs as a potential biomarker for the diagnosis of ALS.Methods: We analyzed the expression profiles of 1733 human mature miRNAs using microarray technology in leukocytes obtained from 5 patients with sporadic ALS (SALS and 5 healthy controls. An independent group of 83 SALS patients, 24 Parkinson’s disease (PD patients and 61 controls was used for validation by real-time polymerase chain reaction assay. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC was used to evaluate diagnostic accuracy. In addition, target genes and signaling information of validated differential expression miRNAs were predicted using Bioinformatics.Results: Eleven miRNAs, including four over-expressed and seven under-expressed miRNAs detected in SALS patients compared to healthy controls were selected for validation. Four under-expressed microRNAs, including hsa-miR-183, hsa-miR-193b, hsa-miR-451 and hsa-miR-3935, were confirmed in validation stage by comparison of 83 SALS patients and 61 HCs. Moreover, we identified a miRNA panel (hsa-miR-183, hsa-miR-193b, hsa-miR-451 and hsa-miR-3935 having a high diagnostic accuracy of SALS (AUC 0.857 for the validation group. However, only hsa-miR-183 was significantly lower in SALS patients than that in PD patients and in HCs, while no differences were found between PD patients and HCs. By bioinformatics analysis, we obtained a large number of target genes and signaling information that are linked to neurodegeneration. Conclusion: This study provided evidence of abnormal miRNA expression patterns in the

Characterization of novel precursor miRNAs using next generation sequencing and prediction of miRNA targets in Atlantic halibut.

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Teshome Tilahun Bizuayehu

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: microRNAs (miRNAs are implicated in regulation of many cellular processes. miRNAs are processed to their mature functional form in a step-wise manner by multiple proteins and cofactors in the nucleus and cytoplasm. Many miRNAs are conserved across vertebrates. Mature miRNAs have recently been characterized in Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus L.. The aim of this study was to identify and characterize precursor miRNA (pre-miRNAs and miRNA targets in this non-model flatfish. Discovery of miRNA precursor forms and targets in non-model organisms is difficult because of limited source information available. Therefore, we have developed a methodology to overcome this limitation. METHODS: Genomic DNA and small transcriptome of Atlantic halibut were sequenced using Roche 454 pyrosequencing and SOLiD next generation sequencing (NGS, respectively. Identified pre- miRNAs were further validated with reverse-transcription PCR. miRNA targets were identified using miRanda and RNAhybrid target prediction tools using sequences from public databases. Some of miRNA targets were also identified using RACE-PCR. miRNA binding sites were validated with luciferase assay using the RTS34st cell line. RESULTS: We obtained more than 1.3 M and 92 M sequence reads from 454 genomic DNA sequencing and SOLiD small RNA sequencing, respectively. We identified 34 known and 9 novel pre-miRNAs. We predicted a number of miRNA target genes involved in various biological pathways. miR-24 binding to kisspeptin 1 receptor-2 (kiss1-r2 was confirmed using luciferase assay. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that identification of conserved and novel pre-miRNAs in a non-model vertebrate lacking substantial genomic resources can be performed by combining different next generation sequencing technologies. Our results indicate a wide conservation of miRNA precursors and involvement of miRNA in multiple regulatory pathways, and provide resources for further research on mi

Increased Expression of Herpes Virus-Encoded hsv1-miR-H18 and hsv2-miR-H9-5p in Cancer-Containing Prostate Tissue Compared to That in Benign Prostate Hyperplasia Tissue

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Seok Joong Yun

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Purpose: Previously, we reported the presence of virus-encoded microRNAs (miRNAs in the urine of prostate cancer (CaP patients. In this study, we investigated the expression of two herpes virus-encoded miRNAs in prostate tissue. Methods: A total of 175 tissue samples from noncancerous benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH, 248 tissue samples from patients with CaP and BPH, and 50 samples from noncancerous surrounding tissues from these same patients were analyzed for the expression of two herpes virus-encoded miRNAs by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR and immunocytochemistry using nanoparticles as molecular beacons. Results: Real-time reverse transcription-PCR results revealed significantly higher expression of hsv1-miR-H18 and hsv2-miRH9- 5p in surrounding noncancerous and CaP tissues than that in BPH tissue (each comparison, P<0.001. Of note, these miRNA were expressed equivalently in the CaP tissues and surrounding noncancerous tissues. Moreover, immunocytochemistry clearly demonstrated a significant enrichment of both hsv1-miR-H18 and hsv2-miR-H9 beacon-labeled cells in CaP and surrounding noncancerous tissue compared to that in BPH tissue (each comparison, P<0.05 for hsv1-miR-H18 and hsv2- miR-H9. Conclusions: These results suggest that increased expression of hsv1-miR-H18 and hsv2-miR-H95p might be associated with tumorigenesis in the prostate. Further studies will be required to elucidate the role of these miRNAs with respect to CaP and herpes viral infections.

Women's interest in GP-initiated pre-conception counselling in the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Jong-Potjer, LC; de Bock, GH; Zaadstra, BM; de Jong, ORW; Verloove-Vanhorick, SP; Springer, MP

Background. Pre-conception counselling has the potential to reduce pregnancy complications and congenital disorders. The timing of counselling, before conception, is crucial to maximize the benefit. As many couples are unaware of their risk status and the fact that the first period of pregnancy is

Construction of permanently inducible miRNA-based expression vectors using site-specific recombinases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Garwick-Coppens Sara E

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background RNA interference (RNAi is a conserved gene silencing mechanism mediated by small inhibitory microRNAs (miRNAs. Promoter-driven miRNA expression vectors have emerged as important tools for delivering natural or artificially designed miRNAs to eukaryotic cells and organisms. Such systems can be used to query the normal or pathogenic functions of natural miRNAs or messenger RNAs, or to therapeutically silence disease genes. Results As with any molecular cloning procedure, building miRNA-based expression constructs requires a time investment and some molecular biology skills. To improve efficiency and accelerate the construction process, we developed a method to rapidly generate miRNA expression vectors using recombinases instead of more traditional cut-and-paste molecular cloning techniques. In addition to streamlining the construction process, our cloning strategy provides vectors with added versatility. In our system, miRNAs can be constitutively expressed from the U6 promoter, or inducibly expressed by Cre recombinase. We also engineered a built-in mechanism to destroy the vector with Flp recombinase, if desired. Finally, to further simplify the construction process, we developed a software package that automates the prediction and design of optimal miRNA sequences using our system. Conclusions We designed and tested a modular system to rapidly clone miRNA expression cassettes. Our strategy reduces the hands-on time required to successfully generate effective constructs, and can be implemented in labs with minimal molecular cloning expertise. This versatile system provides options that permit constitutive or inducible miRNA expression, depending upon the needs of the end user. As such, it has utility for basic or translational applications.

miRNA-Processing Gene Methylation and Cancer Risk.

Science.gov (United States)

Joyce, Brian T; Zheng, Yinan; Zhang, Zhou; Liu, Lei; Kocherginsky, Masha; Murphy, Robert; Achenbach, Chad J; Musa, Jonah; Wehbe, Firas; Just, Allan; Shen, Jincheng; Vokonas, Pantel; Schwartz, Joel; Baccarelli, Andrea A; Hou, Lifang

2018-05-01

Background: Dysregulation of miRNA and methylation levels are epigenetic hallmarks of cancer, potentially linked via miRNA-processing genes. Studies have found genetic alterations to miRNA-processing genes in cancer cells and human population studies. Our objective was to prospectively examine changes in DNA methylation of miRNA-processing genes and their associations with cancer risk. Methods: We examined cohort data from the Department of Veterans' Affairs Normative Aging Study. Participants were assessed every 3 to 5 years starting in 1999 through 2013 including questionnaires, medical record review, and blood collection. Blood from 686 consenting participants was analyzed using the Illumina 450K BeadChip array to measure methylation at CpG sites throughout the genome. We selected 19 genes based on a literature review, with 519 corresponding CpG sites. We then used Cox proportional hazards models to examine associations with cancer incidence, and generalized estimating equations to examine associations with cancer prevalence. Associations at false discovery rate time to cancer development (positively for cg06751583, inversely for cg23230564 and cg21034183), whereas methylation of one CpG site ( DROSHA : cg16131300) was positively associated with cancer prevalence. Conclusions: DNA methylation of DROSHA , a key miRNA-processing gene, and TNRC6B may play a role in early carcinogenesis. Impact: Changes in miRNA processing may exert multiple effects on cancer development, including protecting against it via altered global miRNAs, and may be a useful early detection biomarker of cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 27(5); 550-7. ©2018 AACR . ©2018 American Association for Cancer Research.

HAMDA: Hybrid Approach for MiRNA-Disease Association prediction.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xing; Niu, Ya-Wei; Wang, Guang-Hui; Yan, Gui-Ying

2017-12-01

For decades, enormous experimental researches have collectively indicated that microRNA (miRNA) could play indispensable roles in many critical biological processes and thus also the pathogenesis of human complex diseases. Whereas the resource and time cost required in traditional biology experiments are expensive, more and more attentions have been paid to the development of effective and feasible computational methods for predicting potential associations between disease and miRNA. In this study, we developed a computational model of Hybrid Approach for MiRNA-Disease Association prediction (HAMDA), which involved the hybrid graph-based recommendation algorithm, to reveal novel miRNA-disease associations by integrating experimentally verified miRNA-disease associations, disease semantic similarity, miRNA functional similarity, and Gaussian interaction profile kernel similarity into a recommendation algorithm. HAMDA took not only network structure and information propagation but also node attribution into consideration, resulting in a satisfactory prediction performance. Specifically, HAMDA obtained AUCs of 0.9035 and 0.8395 in the frameworks of global and local leave-one-out cross validation, respectively. Meanwhile, HAMDA also achieved good performance with AUC of 0.8965 ± 0.0012 in 5-fold cross validation. Additionally, we conducted case studies about three important human cancers for performance evaluation of HAMDA. As a result, 90% (Lymphoma), 86% (Prostate Cancer) and 92% (Kidney Cancer) of top 50 predicted miRNAs were confirmed by recent experiment literature, which showed the reliable prediction ability of HAMDA. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Counseling through Images: Using Photography to Guide the Counseling Process and Achieve Treatment Goals

Science.gov (United States)

Ginicola, Misty M.; Smith, Cheri; Trzaska, Jessica

2012-01-01

Creative approaches to counseling help counselors to meet the needs of diverse populations. The utility of photography in counseling has been demonstrated through several case studies; however, clear implications of how photography relates to the counseling process have not been well delineated. The existing literature on phototherapy is reviewed…

Downregulation of miR-99a/let-7c/miR-125b miRNA cluster predicts clinical outcome in patients with unresected malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Science.gov (United States)

Truini, Anna; Coco, Simona; Nadal, Ernest; Genova, Carlo; Mora, Marco; Dal Bello, Maria Giovanna; Vanni, Irene; Alama, Angela; Rijavec, Erika; Biello, Federica; Barletta, Giulia; Merlo, Domenico Franco; Valentino, Alessandro; Ferro, Paola; Ravetti, Gian Luigi; Stigliani, Sara; Vigani, Antonella; Fedeli, Franco; Beer, David G; Roncella, Silvio; Grossi, Francesco

2017-09-15

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive tumor with a dismal overall survival (OS) and to date no molecular markers are available to guide patient management. This study aimed to identify a prognostic miRNA signature in MPM patients who did not undergo tumor resection. Whole miRNA profiling using a microarray platform was performed using biopsies on 27 unresected MPM patients with distinct clinical outcome: 15 patients had short survival (OS36 months). Three prognostic miRNAs (mir-99a, let-7c, and miR-125b) encoded at the same cluster (21q21) were selected for further validation and tested on publicly available miRNA sequencing data from 72 MPM patients with survival data. A risk model was built based on these 3 miRNAs that was validated by quantitative PCR in an independent set of 30 MPM patients. High-risk patients had shorter median OS (7.6 months) as compared with low-risk patients (median not reached). In the multivariate Cox model, a high-risk score was independently associated with shorter OS (HR=3.14; 95% CI, 1.18-8.34; P=0.022). Our study identified that the downregulation of the miR-99a/let-7/miR-125b miRNA cluster predicts poor outcome in unresected MPM.

The miRNome of bipolar disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Fries, Gabriel R; Carvalho, Andre F; Quevedo, Joao

2018-06-01

Epigenetic mechanisms have been suggested to play a key role in the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder (BD), among which microRNAs (miRNAs) may be of particular significance according to recent studies. We aimed to summarize miRNA studies in BD to identify consistent findings, limitations, and future directions of this emerging field. We performed a comprehensive search on PUBMED and Medline for studies investigating an association between BD and miRNAs. The included studies report miRNA alterations in postmortem brain tissues and in the periphery, cell culture and preclinical findings, genetic associations, and the effects of medications. Several studies report changes in miRNA expression levels in postmortem brain and in the periphery of patients, although most of the results so far have not been replicated and are not concordant between different populations. Genetic studies also suggest that miRNA genes are located within susceptibility loci of BD, and also a putative role of miRNAs in modulating genes previously shown to confer risk of BD. We did not perform a systematic review of the literature, and miRNAs represent only one facet of the plethora of epigenetic mechanisms that might be involved in BD's pathophysiology. miRNA findings in BD significantly vary between studies, but are consistent to suggest a key role for these molecules in BD's pathophysiology and treatment, particularly miR-34a and miR-137. Accordingly, miRNA might represent important biomarkers of illness to be used in the clinical settings, and potentially also for the development of novel therapeutics for BD in the near future. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Identification and validation of Asteraceae miRNAs by the expressed sequence tag analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Monavar Feshani, Aboozar; Mohammadi, Saeed; Frazier, Taylor P; Abbasi, Abbas; Abedini, Raha; Karimi Farsad, Laleh; Ehya, Farveh; Salekdeh, Ghasem Hosseini; Mardi, Mohsen

2012-02-10

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules that play a vital role in the regulation of gene expression. Despite their identification in hundreds of plant species, few miRNAs have been identified in the Asteraceae, a large family that comprises approximately one tenth of all flowering plants. In this study, we used the expressed sequence tag (EST) analysis to identify potential conserved miRNAs and their putative target genes in the Asteraceae. We applied quantitative Real-Time PCR (qRT-PCR) to confirm the expression of eight potential miRNAs in Carthamus tinctorius and Helianthus annuus. We also performed qRT-PCR analysis to investigate the differential expression pattern of five newly identified miRNAs during five different cotyledon growth stages in safflower. Using these methods, we successfully identified and characterized 151 potentially conserved miRNAs, belonging to 26 miRNA families, in 11 genus of Asteraceae. EST analysis predicted that the newly identified conserved Asteraceae miRNAs target 130 total protein-coding ESTs in sunflower and safflower, as well as 433 additional target genes in other plant species. We experimentally confirmed the existence of seven predicted miRNAs, (miR156, miR159, miR160, miR162, miR166, miR396, and miR398) in safflower and sunflower seedlings. We also observed that five out of eight miRNAs are differentially expressed during cotyledon development. Our results indicate that miRNAs may be involved in the regulation of gene expression during seed germination and the formation of the cotyledons in the Asteraceae. The findings of this study might ultimately help in the understanding of miRNA-mediated gene regulation in important crop species. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

MiDAS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

McIlroy, Simon Jon; Saunders, Aaron Marc; Albertsen, Mads

2015-01-01

The Microbial Database for Activated Sludge (MiDAS) field guide is a freely available online resource linking the identity of abundant and process critical microorganisms in activated sludge wastewater treatment systems to available data related to their functional importance. Phenotypic properties...... of some of these genera are described, but most are known only from sequence data. The MiDAS taxonomy is a manual curation of the SILVA taxonomy that proposes a name for all genus-level taxa observed to be abundant by large-scale 16 S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing of full-scale activated sludge...... communities. The taxonomy can be used to classify unknown sequences, and the online MiDAS field guide links the identity to the available information about their morphology, diversity, physiology and distribution. The use of a common taxonomy across the field will provide a solid foundation for the study...

Web-based NGS data analysis using miRMaster: a large-scale meta-analysis of human miRNAs.

Science.gov (United States)

Fehlmann, Tobias; Backes, Christina; Kahraman, Mustafa; Haas, Jan; Ludwig, Nicole; Posch, Andreas E; Würstle, Maximilian L; Hübenthal, Matthias; Franke, Andre; Meder, Benjamin; Meese, Eckart; Keller, Andreas

2017-09-06

The analysis of small RNA NGS data together with the discovery of new small RNAs is among the foremost challenges in life science. For the analysis of raw high-throughput sequencing data we implemented the fast, accurate and comprehensive web-based tool miRMaster. Our toolbox provides a wide range of modules for quantification of miRNAs and other non-coding RNAs, discovering new miRNAs, isomiRs, mutations, exogenous RNAs and motifs. Use-cases comprising hundreds of samples are processed in less than 5 h with an accuracy of 99.4%. An integrative analysis of small RNAs from 1836 data sets (20 billion reads) indicated that context-specific miRNAs (e.g. miRNAs present only in one or few different tissues / cell types) still remain to be discovered while broadly expressed miRNAs appear to be largely known. In total, our analysis of known and novel miRNAs indicated nearly 22 000 candidates of precursors with one or two mature forms. Based on these, we designed a custom microarray comprising 11 872 potential mature miRNAs to assess the quality of our prediction. MiRMaster is a convenient-to-use tool for the comprehensive and fast analysis of miRNA NGS data. In addition, our predicted miRNA candidates provided as custom array will allow researchers to perform in depth validation of candidates interesting to them. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Common miR-590 Variant rs6971711 Present Only in African Americans Reduces miR-590 Biogenesis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoping Lin

Full Text Available MicroRNAs (miRNAs are recognized as important regulators of cardiac development, hypertrophy and fibrosis. Recent studies have demonstrated that genetic variations which cause alterations in miRNA:target interactions can lead to disease. We hypothesized that genetic variations in miRNAs that regulate cardiac hypertrophy/fibrosis might be involved in generation of the cardiac phenotype in patients diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM. To investigate this question, we Sanger sequenced 18 miRNA genes previously implicated in myocyte hypertrophy/fibrosis and apoptosis, using genomic DNA isolated from the leukocytes of 199 HCM patients. We identified a single nucleotide polymorphism (rs6971711, C57T SNP at the 17th position of mature miR-590-3p (= 57th position of pre-miR-590 that is common in individuals of African ancestry. SNP frequency was higher in African American HCM patients (n = 55 than ethnically-matched controls (n = 100, but the difference was not statistically significant (8.2% vs. 6.5%; p = 0.5. Using a cell culture system, we discovered that presence of this SNP resulted in markedly lower levels of mature miR-590-5p (39 ± 16%, p<0.003 and miR-590-3p (20 ± 2%, p<0.003, when compared with wild-type (WT miR-590, without affecting levels of pri-miR-590 and pre-miR-590. Consistent with this finding, the SNP resulted in reduced target suppression when compared to WT miR-590 (71% suppression by WT vs 60% suppression by SNP, p<0.03. Since miR-590 can regulate TGF-β, Activin A and Akt signaling, SNP-induced reduction in miR-590 biogenesis could influence cardiac phenotype by de-repression of these signaling pathways. Since the SNP is only present in African Americans, population studies in this patient population would be valuable to investigate effects of this SNP on myocyte function and cardiac physiology.

Measurement of the forward-backward asymmetry in top quark-antiquark production in mi>p><mi>p>¯ collisions using the mi>lepton>+<mi>jets> channel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abazov, V. M.; Abbott, B.; Acharya, B. S.; Adams, M.; Adams, T.; Agnew, J. P.; Alexeev, G. D.; Alkhazov, G.; Alton, A.; Askew, A.; Atkins, S.; Augsten, K.; Avila, C.; Badaud, F.; Bagby, L.; Baldin, B.; Bandurin, D. V.; Banerjee, S.; Barberis, E.; Baringer, P.; Bartlett, J. F.; Bassler, U.; Bazterra, V.; Bean, A.; Begalli, M.; Bellantoni, L.; Beri, S. B.; Bernardi, G.; Bernhard, R.; Bertram, I.; Besançon, M.; Beuselinck, R.; Bhat, P. C.; Bhatia, S.; Bhatnagar, V.; Blazey, G.; Blessing, S.; Bloom, K.; Boehnlein, A.; Boline, D.; Boos, E. E.; Borissov, G.; Borysova, M.; Brandt, A.; Brandt, O.; Brock, R.; Bross, A.; Brown, D.; Bu, X. B.; Buehler, M.; Buescher, V.; Bunichev, V.; Burdin, S.; Buszello, C. P.; Camacho-Pérez, E.; Casey, B. C. K.; Castilla-Valdez, H.; Caughron, S.; Chakrabarti, S.; Chan, K. M.; Chandra, A.; Chapon, E.; Chen, G.; Cho, S. W.; Choi, S.; Choudhary, B.; Cihangir, S.; Claes, D.; Clutter, J.; Cooke, M.; Cooper, W. E.; Corcoran, M.; Couderc, F.; Cousinou, M. -C.; Cutts, D.; Das, A.; Davies, G.; de Jong, S. J.; De La Cruz-Burelo, E.; Déliot, F.; Demina, R.; Denisov, D.; Denisov, S. P.; Desai, S.; Deterre, C.; DeVaughan, K.; Diehl, H. T.; Diesburg, M.; Ding, P. F.; Dominguez, A.; Dubey, A.; Dudko, L. V.; Duperrin, A.; Dutt, S.; Eads, M.; Edmunds, D.; Ellison, J.; Elvira, V. D.; Enari, Y.; Evans, H.; Evdokimov, V. N.; Falkowski, A.; Fauré, A.; Feng, L.; Ferbel, T.; Fiedler, F.; Filthaut, F.; Fisher, W.; Fisk, H. E.; Fortner, M.; Fox, H.; Fuess, S.; Garbincius, P. H.; Garcia-Bellido, A.; García-González, J. A.; Gavrilov, V.; Geng, W.; Gerber, C. E.; Gershtein, Y.; Ginther, G.; Gogota, O.; Golovanov, G.; Grannis, P. D.; Greder, S.; Greenlee, H.; Grenier, G.; Gris, Ph.; Grivaz, J. -F.; Grohsjean, A.; Grünendahl, S.; Grünewald, M. W.; Guillemin, T.; Gutierrez, G.; Gutierrez, P.; Haley, J.; Han, L.; Harder, K.; Harel, A.; Hauptman, J. M.; Hays, J.; Head, T.; Hebbeker, T.; Hedin, D.; Hegab, H.; Heinson, A. P.; Heintz, U.; Hensel, C.; Heredia-De La Cruz, I.; Herner, K.; Hesketh, G.; Hildreth, M. D.; Hirosky, R.; Hoang, T.; Hobbs, J. D.; Hoeneisen, B.; Hogan, J.; Hohlfeld, M.; Holzbauer, J. L.; Howley, I.; Hubacek, Z.; Hynek, V.; Iashvili, I.; Ilchenko, Y.; Illingworth, R.; Ito, A. S.; Jabeen, S.; Jaffré, M.; Jayasinghe, A.; Jeong, M. S.; Jesik, R.; Jiang, P.; Johns, K.; Johnson, E.; Johnson, M.; Jonckheere, A.; Jonsson, P.; Joshi, J.; Jung, A. W.; Juste, A.; Kajfasz, E.; Karmanov, D.; Katsanos, I.; Kehoe, R.; Kermiche, S.; Khalatyan, N.; Khanov, A.; Kharchilava, A.; Kharzheev, Y. N.; Kiselevich, I.; Kohli, J. M.; Kozelov, A. V.; Kraus, J.; Kumar, A.; Kupco, A.; Kurča, T.; Kuzmin, V. A.; Lammers, S.; Lebrun, P.; Lee, H. S.; Lee, S. W.; Lee, W. M.; Lei, X.; Lellouch, J.; Li, D.; Li, H.; Li, L.; Li, Q. Z.; Lim, J. K.; Lincoln, D.; Linnemann, J.; Lipaev, V. V.; Lipton, R.; Liu, H.; Liu, Y.; Lobodenko, A.; Lokajicek, M.; Lopes de Sa, R.; Luna-Garcia, R.; Lyon, A. L.; Maciel, A. K. A.; Madar, R.; Magaña-Villalba, R.; Malik, S.; Malyshev, V. L.; Mansour, J.; Martínez-Ortega, J.; McCarthy, R.; McGivern, C. L.; Meijer, M. M.; Melnitchouk, A.; Menezes, D.; Mercadante, P. G.; Merkin, M.; Meyer, A.; Meyer, J.; Miconi, F.; Mondal, N. K.; Mulhearn, M.; Nagy, E.; Narain, M.; Nayyar, R.; Neal, H. A.; Negret, J. P.; Neustroev, P.; Nguyen, H. T.; Nunnemann, T.; Orbaker, D.; Orduna, J.; Osman, N.; Osta, J.; Pal, A.; Parashar, N.; Parihar, V.; Park, S. K.; Partridge, R.; Parua, N.; Patwa, A.; Penning, B.; Perfilov, M.; Peters, Y.; Petridis, K.; Petrillo, G.; Pétroff, P.; Pleier, M. -A.; Podstavkov, V. M.; Popov, A. V.; Prewitt, M.; Price, D.; Prokopenko, N.; Qian, J.; Quadt, A.; Quinn, B.; Ratoff, P. N.; Razumov, I.; Ripp-Baudot, I.; Rizatdinova, F.; Rominsky, M.; Ross, A.; Royon, C.; Rubinov, P.; Ruchti, R.; Sajot, G.; Sánchez-Hernández, A.; Sanders, M. P.; Santos, A. S.; Savage, G.; Savitskyi, M.; Sawyer, L.; Scanlon, T.; Schamberger, R. D.; Scheglov, Y.; Schellman, H.; Schwanenberger, C.; Schwienhorst, R.; Sekaric, J.; Severini, H.; Shabalina, E.; Shary, V.; Shaw, S.; Shchukin, A. A.; Simak, V.; Skubic, P.; Slattery, P.; Smirnov, D.; Snow, G. R.; Snow, J.; Snyder, S.; Söldner-Rembold, S.; Sonnenschein, L.; Soustruznik, K.; Stark, J.; Stoyanova, D. A.; Strauss, M.; Suter, L.; Svoisky, P.; Titov, M.; Tokmenin, V. V.; Tsai, Y. -T.; Tsybychev, D.; Tuchming, B.; Tully, C.; Uvarov, L.; Uvarov, S.; Uzunyan, S.; Van Kooten, R.; van Leeuwen, W. M.; Varelas, N.; Varnes, E. W.; Vasilyev, I. A.; Verkheev, A. Y.; Vertogradov, L. S.; Verzocchi, M.; Vesterinen, M.; Vilanova, D.; Vokac, P.; Wahl, H. D.; Wang, M. H. L. S.; Warchol, J.; Watts, G.; Wayne, M.; Weichert, J.; Welty-Rieger, L.; Williams, M. R. J.; Wilson, G. W.; Wobisch, M.; Wood, D. R.; Wyatt, T. R.; Xie, Y.; Yamada, R.; Yang, S.; Yasuda, T.; Yatsunenko, Y. A.; Ye, W.; Ye, Z.; Yin, H.; Yip, K.; Youn, S. W.; Yu, J. M.; Zennamo, J.; Zhao, T. G.; Zhou, B.; Zhu, J.; Zielinski, M.; Zieminska, D.; Zivkovic, L.

2014-10-01

We present a measurement of the forward–backward asymmetry in top quark–antiquark production using the full Tevatron Run II data set collected by the D0 experiment at Fermilab. The measurement is performed in lepton+mi>jets> final states using a new kinematic fitting algorithm for events with four or more jets and a new partial reconstruction algorithm for events with only three jets. Corrected for detector acceptance and resolution effects, the asymmetry is evaluated to be mi>AFB>=(10.6±3.0)%. Results are consistent with the standard model predictions which range from 5.0% to 8.8%. We also present the dependence of the asymmetry on the invariant mass of the top quark–antiquark system and the difference in rapidities of the top quark and antiquark.

Exploring the miRNA regulatory network using evolutionary correlations.

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Benedikt Obermayer

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Post-transcriptional regulation by miRNAs is a widespread and highly conserved phenomenon in metazoans, with several hundreds to thousands of conserved binding sites for each miRNA, and up to two thirds of all genes under miRNA regulation. At the same time, the effect of miRNA regulation on mRNA and protein levels is usually quite modest and associated phenotypes are often weak or subtle. This has given rise to the notion that the highly interconnected miRNA regulatory network exerts its function less through any individual link and more via collective effects that lead to a functional interdependence of network links. We present a Bayesian framework to quantify conservation of miRNA target sites using vertebrate whole-genome alignments. The increased statistical power of our phylogenetic model allows detection of evolutionary correlation in the conservation patterns of site pairs. Such correlations could result from collective functions in the regulatory network. For instance, co-conservation of target site pairs supports a selective benefit of combinatorial regulation by multiple miRNAs. We find that some miRNA families are under pronounced co-targeting constraints, indicating a high connectivity in the regulatory network, while others appear to function in a more isolated way. By analyzing coordinated targeting of different curated gene sets, we observe distinct evolutionary signatures for protein complexes and signaling pathways that could reflect differences in control strategies. Our method is easily scalable to analyze upcoming larger data sets, and readily adaptable to detect high-level selective constraints between other genomic loci. We thus provide a proof-of-principle method to understand regulatory networks from an evolutionary perspective.

Alterations of serum levels of BDNF-related miRNAs in patients with depression.

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You-Jie Li

Full Text Available Depression is a serious and potentially life-threatening mental disorder with unknown etiology. Emerging evidence shows that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF and microRNAs (miRNAs play critical roles in the etiology of depression. Here this study was aimed to identify and characterize the roles of BDNF and its putative regulatory miRNAs in depression. First, we identified that miR-182 may be a putative miRNA that regulates BDNF levels by bioinformatic studies, and characterized the effects of miR-182 on the BDNF levels using cell-based studies, side by side with miR-132 (a known miRNA that regulates BDNF expression. We showed that treatment of miR-132 and miR-182 respectively decreased the BDNF protein levels in a human neuronal cell model, supporting the regulatory roles of miR-132 and miR-182 on the BDNF expression. Furthermore, we explored the roles of miR-132 and miR-182 on the BDNF levels in depression using human subjects by assessing their serum levels. Compared with the healthy controls, patients with depression showed lower serum BDNF levels (via the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and higher serum miR-132 and miR-182 levels (via the real-time PCR. Finally, the Pearson's (or Spearman's correlation coefficient was calculated to study whether there was a relationship among the Self-Rating Depression Scale score, the serum BDNF levels, and serum BDNF-related miRNA levels. Our results revealed that there was a significant negative correlation between the SDS scores and the serum BDNF levels, and a positive correlation between the SDS scores and miR-132 levels. In addition, we found a reverse relationship between the serum BDNF levels and the miR-132/miR-182 levels in depression. Collectively, we provided evidence supporting that miR-182 is a putative BDNF-regulatory miRNA, and suggested that the serum BDNF and its related miRNAs may be utilized as important biomarkers in the diagnosis or as therapeutic targets of depression.

MicroRNA profiling in the dentate gyrus in epileptic rats: The role of miR-187-3p.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Suya; Kou, Yubin; Hu, Chunmei; Han, Yan

2017-06-01

This study aimed to explore the role of aberrant miRNA expression in epilepsy and to identify more potential genes associated with epileptogenesis.The miRNA expression profile of GSE49850, which included 20 samples from the rat epileptic dentate gyrus at 7, 14, 30, and 90 days after electrical stimulation and 20 additional samples from sham time-matched controls, was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. The significantly differentially expressed miRNAs were identified in stimulated samples at each time point compared to time-matched controls, respectively. The target genes of consistently differentially expressed miRNAs were screened from miRDB and microRNA.org databases, followed by Gene Ontology (GO) and pathway enrichment analysis and regulatory network construction. The overlapping target genes for consistently differentially expressed miRNAs were also identified from these 2 databases. Furthermore, the potential binding sites of miRNAs and their target genes were analyzed.Rno-miR-187-3p was consistently downregulated in stimulated groups compared with time-matched controls. The predicted target genes of rno-miR-187-3p were enriched in different GO terms and pathways. In addition, 7 overlapping target genes of rno-miR-187-3p were identified, including NFS1, PAQR4, CAND1, DCLK1, PRKAR2A, AKAP3, and KCNK10. These 7 overlapping target genes were determined to have a different number of matched binding sites with rno-miR-187-3p.Our study suggests that miR-187-3p may play an important role in epilepsy development and progression via regulating numerous target genes, such as NFS1, CAND1, DCLK1, AKAP3, and KCNK10. Determining the underlying mechanism of the role of miR-187-3p in epilepsy may make it a potential therapeutic option.

Exploration of Support Behavior in Counseling Groups with Counseling Trainees

Science.gov (United States)

Harel, Yoni; Shechtman, Zipora; Cutrona, Carolyn

2012-01-01

The study explores the types of support expressed in counseling groups attended by trainee counselors. Support is a crucial factor in human life in general, and in groups in particular, yet little is known about the type of support presented in counseling groups. Type of support was categorized by means of the Social Support Behavior Code (SSBC;…

Circulating miR-126 and miR-499 reflect progression of cardiovascular disease; correlations with uric acid and ejection fraction

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Masoud Khanaghaei

2016-04-01

Full Text Available BackgroundThe aim of this study was to assess plasma levels of endothelium- and heart-associated microRNAs (miRNAs miR-126 and miR-499, respectively, using quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction.MethodsA two-step analysis was conducted on 75 patients undergoing off-pomp coronary artery bypass graft (CABG surgery. Five biomarkers of inflammation and cardiac injury were assessed in addition to the above-mentioned miRNAs.ResultsPlasma concentrations of miRNAs were found to be significantly correlated with plasma levels of cardiac troponin I (cTnI (miR-499, r 0.49, p~0.002; miR-126, r = 0.30, p~0.001, indicating cardiac damage. Data analysis revealed that miR-499 had higher sensitivity and specificity for cardiac injury than miR-126, which reflects more endothelial activation. Interestingly, a strong correlation was observed between both miRNAs and uric acid (UA levels with ventricular contractility measured as ejection fraction (EF (miR-499/EF%, r = 0.58, p~0.004; UA/EF%, r = -0.6, p~0.006; UA/miR-499, r = -0.34; UA/miR-126, r = 0.5, p~0.01.ConclusionsIn patients undergoing CABG, circulating miR-126/499 is associated with presentation of traditional risk factors and reflects post-operative response to injury. Plasma pool of miRNAs likely reflects extracellular miRNAs which are proportional to intracellular miRNA levels. Therefore, circulating levels of these miRNAs have prognostic implications in detection of higher risk of future cardiovascular events.

Sox9-regulated miRNA-574-3p inhibits chondrogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells.

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David Guérit

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to identify new microRNAs (miRNAs that are modulated during the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs toward chondrocytes. Using large scale miRNA arrays, we compared the expression of miRNAs in MSCs (day 0 and at early time points (day 0.5 and 3 after chondrogenesis induction. Transfection of premiRNA or antagomiRNA was performed on MSCs before chondrogenesis induction and expression of miRNAs and chondrocyte markers was evaluated at different time points during differentiation by RT-qPCR. Among miRNAs that were modulated during chondrogenesis, we identified miR-574-3p as an early up-regulated miRNA. We found that miR-574-3p up-regulation is mediated via direct binding of Sox9 to its promoter region and demonstrated by reporter assay that retinoid X receptor (RXRα is one gene specifically targeted by the miRNA. In vitro transfection of MSCs with premiR-574-3p resulted in the inhibition of chondrogenesis demonstrating its role during the commitment of MSCs towards chondrocytes. In vivo, however, both up- and down-regulation of miR-574-3p expression inhibited differentiation toward cartilage and bone in a model of heterotopic ossification. In conclusion, we demonstrated that Sox9-dependent up-regulation of miR-574-3p results in RXRα down-regulation. Manipulating miR-574-3p levels both in vitro and in vivo inhibited chondrogenesis suggesting that miR-574-3p might be required for chondrocyte lineage maintenance but also that of MSC multipotency.

Working Alliance as a Mediator and Moderator between Expectations for Counseling Success and Counseling Outcome among Korean Clients

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Yoo, Sung-Kyung; Hong, Sehee; Sohn, Nanhee; O'Brien, Karen M.

2014-01-01

The study examined client's perceptions of working alliance as a mediator and moderator between client expectations of counseling success and counseling outcome. Participants were 284 adult clients in counseling in university or community counseling centers or private practices in South Korea. Level of functioning at the start of counseling was…

Assessing and counseling the obese patient: Improving resident obesity counseling competence.

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Iyer, Shwetha; Jay, Melanie; Southern, William; Schlair, Sheira

To evaluate obesity counseling competence among residents in a primary care training program METHODS: We delivered a 3h obesity curriculum to 28 Primary Care residents and administered a pre-curriculum and post curriculum survey looking specifically at self-assessed obesity counseling competence. Nineteen residents completed both the pre curriculum survey and the post curriculum survey. The curriculum had a positive impact on residents' ability to ascertain patient's stage of change, use different methods to obtain diet history (including 24h recall, food record or food frequency questionnaire), respond to patient's questions regarding treatment options, assist patients in setting realistic goals for weight loss based on making permanent lifestyle changes, and use of motivational interviewing to change behavior. When looking at the 5As domains, there was a significant improvement in the domains of Assess, Advise, and Assist. The proportion of residents with a lower level of self-assessed obesity counseling competence reduced from 75% before the curriculum to 37.5% (p=0.04) after the curriculum. Our curriculum addressing weight loss counseling using the 5As model increased obesity counseling competence among residents in a primary care internal medicine residency program. Copyright © 2018 Asia Oceania Association for the Study of Obesity. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Religion and Spirituality in Group Counseling: Beliefs and Practices of University Counseling Center Counselors

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Post, Brian C.; Cornish, Marilyn A.; Wade, Nathaniel G.; Tucker, Jeritt R.

2013-01-01

Fifty-four counselors at 9 university counseling centers participated in a study regarding religion and spirituality (R/S) in group counseling. The majority indicated that R/S is an appropriate topic for group counseling and that some religious and spiritual interventions are appropriate to use. However, counselors rarely use these interventions.…

Online Counseling: New Entity, New Challenges

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Barnett, Jeffrey E.

2005-01-01

Mallen, Vogel, and colleagues explore the developing field of online counseling from the unique perspective of counseling psychology. They examine the body of available research and relevant clinical, ethical, legal, and practical issues and make recommendations for counseling psychologists who desire to participate in online counseling. This…

The Embedded Counseling Model: An Application to Dental Students.

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Adams, David Francis

2017-01-01

Prior research has suggested that dental students experience high rates of stress, anxiety, and mood concerns, which have been linked to poor academic performance, health concerns, and substance abuse. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of an embedded counseling office at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry & Dental Clinics in its first three academic semesters. Data were gathered from students attending appointments, and two inventories were used to monitor students' counseling progress and gather psychological outcomes data: the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms-34 (CCAPS-34) and the Outcome Rating Scale (ORS). In the three semesters, 55 students attended 251 counseling appointments, with an average of 4.5 appointments per student. Their presenting psychological concerns included academic concerns, time management, test anxiety, study skills, low self-esteem, self-care, interpersonal conflicts, anxiety, depression, stress management, sexual concerns, substance abuse, eating/body image concerns, work-life balance, and financial issues. The CCAPS-34 data showed that, at initial clinical assessment, students experienced moderate levels of depression, generalized anxiety, social anxiety, academic distress, and overall psychological distress; 45 (82%) showed clinically significant symptoms on at least one CCAPS-34 subscale. The ORS data further showed that the students entered counseling experiencing high levels of psychological distress. A positive relationship was found between number of counseling appointments and increased overall functioning. These results suggest that an embedded counseling office can help dental schools meet the needs of their students.

Counseling for Empowerment.

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McWhirter, Ellen Hawley

Counseling for empowerment is a complex and multifaceted process that requires, for some, a radical departure from the traditional conceptualization of the helper's role. The process of empowerment demands that professional helpers and their clients take an active, collaborative approach to identifying problems and goals. Drawing from counseling,…

Reclaiming Sámi languages

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Torkel; Nolan, John Shaun

2011-01-01

, this paper investigates what subsequently happens at the grassroots or micro level. This investigation shows that despite more positive policies, there is a strong sentiment of defeatism with regard to Sámi. Sámi speakers face problems because of the lack of implementation of nationally decided laws...... and for the sake of cultural maintenance, but also for instrumental reasons, i.e. to give their children better opportunities in the labor market where knowledge of Sámi is necessary....

Repertoire of bovine miRNA and miRNA-like small regulatory RNAs expressed upon viral infection.

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Evgeny A Glazov

Full Text Available MicroRNA (miRNA and other types of small regulatory RNAs play a crucial role in the regulation of gene expression in eukaryotes. Several distinct classes of small regulatory RNAs have been discovered in recent years. To extend the repertoire of small RNAs characterized in mammals and to examine relationship between host miRNA expression and viral infection we used Illumina's ultrahigh throughput sequencing approach. We sequenced three small RNA libraries prepared from cell line derived from the adult bovine kidney under normal conditions and upon infection of the cell line with Bovine herpesvirus 1. We used a bioinformatics approach to distinguish authentic mature miRNA sequences from other classes of small RNAs and short RNA fragments represented in the sequencing data. Using this approach we detected 219 out of 356 known bovine miRNAs and 115 respective miRNA* sequences. In addition we identified five new bovine orthologs of known mammalian miRNAs and discovered 268 new cow miRNAs many of which are not identifiable in other mammalian genomes and thus might be specific to the ruminant lineage. In addition we found seven new bovine mirtron candidates. We also discovered 10 small nucleolar RNA (snoRNA loci that give rise to small RNA with possible miRNA-like function. Results presented in this study extend our knowledge of the biology and evolution of small regulatory RNAs in mammals and illuminate mechanisms of small RNA biogenesis and function. New miRNA sequences and the original sequencing data have been submitted to miRNA repository (miRBase and NCBI GEO archive respectively. We envisage that these resources will facilitate functional annotation of the bovine genome and promote further functional and comparative genomics studies of small regulatory RNA in mammals.

A Serum miR Signature Specific to Low-Risk Prostate Cancer

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2017-09-01

clear threshold and a negative predictive value of 0.9 to predict the absence of highgrade PCa among the patients. A unique feature of our discovery...miRs we created a combined “miR Score” which had clear threshold and a negative predictive value of 0.9 to predict the absence of high-grade PCa among...analysis 24 Major Task 2: Measure miR panel in PCa patient sera Subtask 1: Isolate RNA (ongoing through this time frame ) 6-24 Dr. Nonn 0

Counseling Services for Women in Marriage Age

OpenAIRE

Frischa Meivilona Yendi; Zadrian Ardi; Ifdil Ifdil

2015-01-01

Marriage is a bond between the outer and inner man as a husband who has not aged 25 years and women 21 years old wife is not with the purpose of achieving happiness. Marriage and family counseling is a profession that will be developed in Indonesia. Counseling emphasizes on changes contained in the family system. Stages counseling, theory and dynamics as well as the use of counseling skills in marriage and family counseling has similarities with individual counseling and group counseling.

Assessment of women, infants and children providers' perceptions of oral health counseling and availability of associated resources.

Science.gov (United States)

Mendryga, Tiffany A; Gwozdek, Anne E

2014-01-01

Children from low-income families and ethnic minority groups are associated with an increased risk of developing dental disease and are often enrolled in the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutritional program. It has been an intention of the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) Oral Health Program (OHP) to collaborate with WIC to provide preventive oral health resources and education to their population. This project focused on achieving the goals outlined in the Michigan 2010 State Oral Health Plan. An 18 question survey was designed to identify gaps existing in oral health counseling in Michigan WIC agencies. The survey was disseminated to 56 MI WIC agencies. WIC providers perceive oral health risk assessment to be important and are asking oral health questions during certification and re-certification appointments. Seventy-nine percent of participants indicated they never had training in oral health counseling, and 79% are interested in learning more about oral health. Agencies are interested in obtaining oral health education resources for their clients. The 2010 State Oral Health Plan's goals recognized the need for oral health related resources and education within community-based programs like WIC. The results of the survey support the need for additional oral health counseling and associated resources in WIC agencies. This information will be used to help the MDCH OHP find ways to address these gaps. Copyright © 2014 The American Dental Hygienists’ Association.

miRNA Signatures of Insulin Resistance in Obesity.

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Jones, Angela; Danielson, Kirsty M; Benton, Miles C; Ziegler, Olivia; Shah, Ravi; Stubbs, Richard S; Das, Saumya; Macartney-Coxson, Donia

2017-10-01

Extracellular microRNAs (miRNAs) represent functional biomarkers for obesity and related disorders; this study investigated plasma miRNAs in insulin resistance phenotypes in obesity. One hundred seventy-five miRNAs were analyzed in females with obesity (insulin sensitivity, n = 11; insulin resistance, n = 19; type 2 diabetes, n = 15) and without obesity (n = 12). Correlations between miRNA level and clinical parameters and levels of 15 miRNAs in a murine obesity model were investigated. One hundred six miRNAs were significantly (adjusted P ≤ 0.05) different between controls and at least one obesity phenotype, including miRNAs with the following attributes: previously reported roles in obesity and altered circulating levels (e.g., miR-122, miR-192); known roles in obesity but no reported changes in circulating levels (e.g., miR-378a); and no current reported role in, or association with, obesity (e.g., miR-28-5p, miR-374b, miR-32). The miRNAs in the latter group were found to be associated with extracellular vesicles. Forty-eight miRNAs showed significant correlations with clinical parameters; stepwise regression retained let-7b, miR-144-5p, miR-34a, and miR-532-5p in a model predictive of insulin resistance (R 2  = 0.57, P = 7.5 × 10 -8 ). Both miR-378a and miR-122 were perturbed in metabolically relevant tissues in a murine model of obesity. This study expands on the role of extracellular miRNAs in insulin-resistant phenotypes of obesity and identifies candidate miRNAs not previously associated with obesity. © 2017 The Obesity Society.

Generation of miRNA sponge constructs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kluiver, Joost; Slezak-Prochazka, Izabella; Smigielska-Czepiel, Katarzyna; Halsema, Nancy; Kroesen, Bart-Jan; van den Berg, Anke

2012-01-01

MicroRNA (miRNA) sponges are RNA molecules with repeated miRNA antisense sequences that can sequester miRNAs from their endogenous targets and thus serve as a decoy. Stably expressed miRNA sponges are especially valuable for long-term loss-of-function studies and can be used in vitro and in vivo. We

28 CFR 550.43 - Drug counseling.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Drug counseling. 550.43 Section 550.43... Drug Services (Urine Surveillance and Counseling for Sentenced Inmates in Contract CTCs) § 550.43 Drug counseling. (a) Drug counseling shall be provided to sentenced inmates in contract community treatment...

Genome-Wide Profiling of Plutella xylostella Immunity-Related miRNAs after Isaria fumosorosea Infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Jin; Xu, Xiaoxia; Li, Shuzhong; Wang, Shuang; Xu, Xiaojing; Zhou, Xianqiang; Yu, Jialin; Yu, Xiaoqiang; Shakeel, Muhammad; Jin, Fengliang

2017-01-01

The development of resistance by Plutella xylostella to almost all insecticides is of significant concern all over the world. Entomopathogenic fungi such as Isaria fumosorosea have been used as an alternative to insecticides. However, the knowledge of miRNA-regulated reactions against entomopathogenic fungi is still in its infant stage. In the present study, P. xylostella was challenged with I. fumosorosea at four different time points (12, 18, 24, and 36 h) including a control, to build miRNA libraries by Illumina sequencing. The results of differential expression analysis exhibited that 23 miRNAs were differentially expressed, compared to control, in all treatments. It is worth mentioning, of these, some conserved miRNAs such as miR-2, miR-9a, miR-745, miR-7b, and miR-2767, known to play critical roles in host-pathogen interaction, were also identified. Furthermore, differentially expressed miRNAs were validated by RT-qPCR. Our results provide an essential information for further functional studies of the interaction between I. fumosorosea and P. xylostella at the post-transcriptional level.

Smoking cessation counseling in Qatar: community pharmacists' attitudes, role perceptions and practices.

Science.gov (United States)

El Hajj, Maguy Saffouh; Al Nakeeb, Reem Raad; Al-Qudah, Raja'a Ali

2012-08-01

Smoking is a major public health problem in Qatar. The potential for community pharmacists to offer smoking cessation counseling in this country can be high. To determine the current smoking cessation practices of community pharmacists in Qatar, to examine their attitudes about tobacco use and smoking cessation, to evaluate their perceptions about performing professional roles with respect to smoking cessation and to assess their perceived barriers for smoking cessation counseling in the pharmacy setting in Qatar. Community pharmacies in Qatar. The objectives were addressed in a cross sectional survey of community pharmacists in Qatar from June 2010 to October 2010. A phone call was made to all community pharmacists in Qatar (318 pharmacists) inviting them to participate. Consenting pharmacists anonymously completed the survey either online or as paper using fax. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS®) Version 18. Qatar community pharmacists' smoking cessation practices, their attitudes toward tobacco use, smoking cessation and smoking cessation counseling and their perceived barriers for smoking cessation counseling. Over 5 months, we collected 127 surveys (40 % response rate). Only 21 % of respondents reported that they always or most of the time asked their patients if they smoke. When the patients' smoking status was identified, advising quitting and assessing readiness to quit were always or most of the time performed by 66 and 52 % of respondents respectively. Only 15 % always or most of the time arranged follow-up with smokers and 22 % always or most of the time made smoking cessation referrals. Most respondents (>80 %) agreed that smoking could cause adverse health effects and that smoking cessation could decrease the risk of these effects. In addition, the majority (>80 %) believed that smoking cessation counseling was an important activity and was an efficient use of their time. The top two perceived barriers for smoking

Counseling Services for Women in Marriage Age

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frischa Meivilona Yendi

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Marriage is a bond between the outer and inner man as a husband who has not aged 25 years and women 21 years old wife is not with the purpose of achieving happiness. Marriage and family counseling is a profession that will be developed in Indonesia. Counseling emphasizes on changes contained in the family system. Stages counseling, theory and dynamics as well as the use of counseling skills in marriage and family counseling has similarities with individual counseling and group counseling.

Post-transcriptional generation of miRNA variants by multiple nucleotidyl transferases contributes to miRNA transcriptome complexity.

Science.gov (United States)

Wyman, Stacia K; Knouf, Emily C; Parkin, Rachael K; Fritz, Brian R; Lin, Daniel W; Dennis, Lucas M; Krouse, Michael A; Webster, Philippa J; Tewari, Muneesh

2011-09-01

Modification of microRNA sequences by the 3' addition of nucleotides to generate so-called "isomiRs" adds to the complexity of miRNA function, with recent reports showing that 3' modifications can influence miRNA stability and efficiency of target repression. Here, we show that the 3' modification of miRNAs is a physiological and common post-transcriptional event that shows selectivity for specific miRNAs and is observed across species ranging from C. elegans to human. The modifications result predominantly from adenylation and uridylation and are seen across tissue types, disease states, and developmental stages. To quantitatively profile 3' nucleotide additions, we developed and validated a novel assay based on NanoString Technologies' nCounter platform. For certain miRNAs, the frequency of modification was altered by processes such as cell differentiation, indicating that 3' modification is a biologically regulated process. To investigate the mechanism of 3' nucleotide additions, we used RNA interference to screen a panel of eight candidate miRNA nucleotidyl transferases for 3' miRNA modification activity in human cells. Multiple enzymes, including MTPAP, PAPD4, PAPD5, ZCCHC6, ZCCHC11, and TUT1, were found to govern 3' nucleotide addition to miRNAs in a miRNA-specific manner. Three of these enzymes-MTPAP, ZCCHC6, and TUT1-have not previously been known to modify miRNAs. Collectively, our results indicate that 3' modification observed in next-generation small RNA sequencing data is a biologically relevant process, and identify enzymatic mechanisms that may lead to new approaches for modulating miRNA activity in vivo.

34 CFR 685.304 - Counseling borrowers.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Counseling borrowers. 685.304 Section 685.304 Education... Direct Loan Program Schools § 685.304 Counseling borrowers. (a) Entrance counseling. (1) Except as provided in paragraph (a)(8) of this section, a school must ensure that entrance counseling is conducted...

28 CFR 551.113 - Counseling.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Counseling. 551.113 Section 551.113... Pretrial Inmates § 551.113 Counseling. (a) When consistent with institution security and good order, pretrial inmates may be allowed the opportunity to receive counseling services with convicted inmates. (b...

Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies: Guidelines for the Counseling Profession

Science.gov (United States)

Ratts, Manivong J.; Singh, Anneliese A.; Nassar-McMillan, Sylvia; Butler, S. Kent; McCullough, Julian Rafferty

2016-01-01

In 2014, the Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development (AMCD) appointed a committee to revise the Multicultural Counseling Competencies developed by Sue, Arredondo, and McDavis in 1992 and operationalized by Arredondo et al. in 1996. This article reflects the updated competencies, titled the Multicultural and Social Justice…

miRNA-130a regulates C/EBP-ε expression during granulopoiesis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Maria T; Häger, Mattias; Glenthøj, Andreas

2014-01-01

cells. In contrast, C/EBP-ε protein is virtually detectable only in the MC/MM population, indicating that expression in more immature cells could be inhibited by microRNAs (miRNAs). We found that miRNA-130a (miR-130a) regulates C/EBP-ε protein expression in both murine and human granulocytic precursors...... target site for miR-130a restored both C/EBP-ε production, expression of Camp and Lcn2, and resulted in the cells having a more mature phenotype. We conclude that miR-130a is important for the regulation of the timed expression of C/EBP-ε during granulopoiesis.......CCAAT/enhancer binding protein-ε (C/EBP-ε) is considered a master transcription factor regulating terminal neutrophil maturation. It is essential for expression of secondary granule proteins, but it also regulates proliferation, cell cycle, and maturation during granulopoiesis. Cebpe(-/-) mice have...

miRvestigator: web application to identify miRNAs responsible for co-regulated gene expression patterns discovered through transcriptome profiling.

Science.gov (United States)

Plaisier, Christopher L; Bare, J Christopher; Baliga, Nitin S

2011-07-01

Transcriptome profiling studies have produced staggering numbers of gene co-expression signatures for a variety of biological systems. A significant fraction of these signatures will be partially or fully explained by miRNA-mediated targeted transcript degradation. miRvestigator takes as input lists of co-expressed genes from Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster, G. gallus, Homo sapiens, Mus musculus or Rattus norvegicus and identifies the specific miRNAs that are likely to bind to 3' un-translated region (UTR) sequences to mediate the observed co-regulation. The novelty of our approach is the miRvestigator hidden Markov model (HMM) algorithm which systematically computes a similarity P-value for each unique miRNA seed sequence from the miRNA database miRBase to an overrepresented sequence motif identified within the 3'-UTR of the query genes. We have made this miRNA discovery tool accessible to the community by integrating our HMM algorithm with a proven algorithm for de novo discovery of miRNA seed sequences and wrapping these algorithms into a user-friendly interface. Additionally, the miRvestigator web server also produces a list of putative miRNA binding sites within 3'-UTRs of the query transcripts to facilitate the design of validation experiments. The miRvestigator is freely available at http://mirvestigator.systemsbiology.net.

Review of School Counseling Outcome Research

Science.gov (United States)

Whiston, Susan C.; Quinby, Robert F.

2009-01-01

This article is somewhat unique in this special issue as it focuses on the effectiveness of an array of school counseling interventions and not solely on individual and group counseling. In summarizing the school counseling outcome literature, the authors found that students who participated in school counseling interventions tended to score on…

Abraham Maslow's Legacy for Counseling.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffman, Edward

1990-01-01

Reviews the life of Abraham Maslow, a key founder of the humanistic approach to counseling, and his contributions to the counseling field. Maintains that Maslow's innovative work was often misinterpreted by both his admirers and his critics, yet remains highly relevant to current concerns in counseling. (Author/PVV)

Do Counseling and Marketing Mix?

Science.gov (United States)

Fong-Beyette, Margaret L.

1988-01-01

Responds to Wittman's previous article on counseling and marketing by discussing concerns about two of Wittman's purposes for use of marketing: improved services in consumers and economic survival of counseling profession. Agrees that counseling profession needs to understand basic marketing principles used by business and health care industry;…

Role Induction in Career Counseling

Science.gov (United States)

Fouad, Nadya A.; Kantamneni, Neeta; Chen, Yung-Lung; Novakovic, Alexandra; Guillen, Amy; Priester, Paul E.; Henry, Caroline; Terry, Sarah

2007-01-01

Many vocational psychologists advocate addressing career as well as personal concerns in career counseling. However, some clients may have inappropriate expectations toward career counseling and may not be prepared or want to discuss personal issues. This study examined whether perceptions of the career counseling process could be modified with…

24 CFR 206.41 - Counseling.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Counseling. 206.41 Section 206.41... CONVERSION MORTGAGE INSURANCE Eligibility; Endorsement Eligible Mortgagors § 206.41 Counseling. (a) List... receive counseling. (b) Information to be provided. A counselor must discuss with the mortgagor: (1) The...

20 CFR 638.517 - Counseling.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Counseling. 638.517 Section 638.517 Employees... THE JOB TRAINING PARTNERSHIP ACT Center Operations § 638.517 Counseling. The center operator shall establish and conduct an ongoing structured counseling program in accordance with procedures issued by the...

Involvement of miR-485-5p in hepatocellular carcinoma progression targeting EMMPRIN.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Xiangjun; Liu, Yonglei; Li, Ming; Wang, Mingchun; Wang, Yutong

2015-05-01

EMMPRIN plays important roles in cancer development, which includes EMMPRIN 1, 2, 3, and 4 isoforms. EMMPRIN2 is the main component in human cancers, but its regulation by miRNAs is still unclear. In this study, we will investigate the mechanism of EMMPRIN regulation in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by miRNAs. Through RT-PCR, we found that EMMPRIN2 was the main isoform in HCC cells. EMMPRIN2 was down-regulated significantly by predicted miRNAs and miR-485-5p was one of the miRNA that regulated EMMPRIN in HCC cell lines. It was verified that EMMPRIN was a target gene of miR-485-5p by using luciferase analysis assay. We found that miR-485-5p was significantly downregulated in HCC tissues and that its expression was inversely correlated with the TNM stage and metastasis in HCC samples. Results of cellular functions in HCC showed that miR-485-5p could inhibit cell proliferation and metastasis. Additionally, miR-485-5p overexpression suppressed HCC growth in vivo by down-regulation of EMMPRIN. Our study for the first time demonstrated that miR-485-5p represses HCC invasive and metastatic capacities by targeting EMMPRIN expression. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

DeepMirTar: a deep-learning approach for predicting human miRNA targets.

Science.gov (United States)

Wen, Ming; Cong, Peisheng; Zhang, Zhimin; Lu, Hongmei; Li, Tonghua

2018-06-01

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that function in RNA silencing and post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression by targeting messenger RNAs (mRNAs). Because the underlying mechanisms associated with miRNA binding to mRNA are not fully understood, a major challenge of miRNA studies involves the identification of miRNA-target sites on mRNA. In silico prediction of miRNA-target sites can expedite costly and time-consuming experimental work by providing the most promising miRNA-target-site candidates. In this study, we reported the design and implementation of DeepMirTar, a deep-learning-based approach for accurately predicting human miRNA targets at the site level. The predicted miRNA-target sites are those having canonical or non-canonical seed, and features, including high-level expert-designed, low-level expert-designed, and raw-data-level, were used to represent the miRNA-target site. Comparison with other state-of-the-art machine-learning methods and existing miRNA-target-prediction tools indicated that DeepMirTar improved overall predictive performance. DeepMirTar is freely available at https://github.com/Bjoux2/DeepMirTar_SdA. lith@tongji.edu.cn, hongmeilu@csu.edu.cn. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

-5p and -3p strands of miR-145 and miR-140 during mesenchymal stem cell chondrogenic differentiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kenyon, Jonathan D; Sergeeva, Olga; Somoza, Rodrigo A; Li, Ming; Caplan, Arnold I; Khalil, Ahmad M; Lee, Zhenghong

2018-04-20

The chondrogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is mediated by transcription factors and small non-coding RNAs such as micro-RNAs (miRNAs). Each miRNA is initially transcribed as a long transcript, which matures to produce -5p and -3p strands. It is widely believed that the mature and functional miRNA from any given pre-miRNA, usually the -5p strand, is functional, while the opposing -3p strand is degraded. However, recent cartilage literature started to show functional -3p stands for a few miRNAs. This study aimed at examining both -5p and -3p strands of two key miRNAs miR-140 and miR-145 that are known to be involved in the chondrogenic differentiation of MSCs. The level (copy number) of both -5p and -3p strands of miR-145 and miR-140 along the timeline of MSC chondrogenic differentiation was determined by PCR. The gene expression profiles of several genes related to MSC chondrogenesis were compared with these miRNA profiles along the same timeline. While miR-145-3p is declining in step with miR-145-5p in pellet cultures during the process, the -3p strand is only 1% - 2% of the total miR-145 products. In contrast, the mature -3p and -5p products of miR-140 are found to increase with near equal molar expression throughout chondrogenic differentiation. Numerous genes are expressed by cartilage progenitor cells during development. One such target gene, Sox9 is a regulatory target of the dominant miR-145-5p, consistent with the data. Further experimental validations are warranted to confirm that ACAN, FOXO1 and RUNX3 as direct targets of miR-145-5p in the context of MSC chondrogenesis. Similarly, TRSP1 and ACAN are worth further validation as direct targets of miR-145-3p. For miR-140, SOX4 shall be further validated as a direct target of miR-140-5p while KLF4, PTHLH, and WNT5A can be validated as direct targets of miR-140-3p.

Characterization of the Merkel Cell Carcinoma miRNome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthew S. Ning

2014-01-01

Full Text Available MicroRNAs have been implicated in various skin cancers, including melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and basal cell carcinoma; however, the expression of microRNAs and their role in Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC have yet to be explored in depth. To identify microRNAs specific to MCC (MCC-miRs, next-generation sequencing (NGS of small RNA libraries was performed on different tissue samples including MCCs, other cutaneous tumors, and normal skin. Comparison of the profiles identified several microRNAs upregulated and downregulated in MCC. For validation, their expression was measured via qRT-PCR in a larger group of MCC and in a comparison group of non-MCC cutaneous tumors and normal skin. Eight microRNAs were upregulated in MCC: miR-502-3p, miR-9, miR-7, miR-340, miR-182, miR-190b, miR-873, and miR-183. Three microRNAs were downregulated: miR-3170, miR-125b, and miR-374c. Many of these MCC-miRs, the miR-183/182/96a cistron in particular, have connections to tumorigenic pathways implicated in MCC pathogenesis. In situ hybridization confirmed that the highly expressed MCC-miR, miR-182, is localized within tumor cells. Furthermore, NGS and qRT-PCR reveal that several of these MCC-miRs are highly expressed in the patient-derived MCC cell line, MS-1. These data indicate that we have identified a set of MCC-miRs with important implications for MCC research.

Edo Journal of Counselling

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Edo Journal of Counselling, the official publication of Edo Chapter of Counselling ... The Mediating Impact of Personality and Socio-Economic Status in the ... Fostering Adolescents' Interpersonal Behaviour: An Empirical Assessment of ...

Association of MiRNA-146a, MiRNA-499, IRAK1 and PADI4 Polymorphisms with Rheumatoid Arthritis in Egyptian Population

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olfat Gamil Shaker

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Background/Aims: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA is a systemic autoimmune disease affecting up to 1% of the population worldwide. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether miRNA-146a rs2910164, miRNA-499 rs3746444, IRAK1 rs3027898 and PADI4 rs1748033 polymorphisms are associated with susceptibility to RA in Egyptians and whether they influence disease severity and activity. Methods: The study was performed on 104 unrelated RA patients and 112 healthy subjects. RA patients were further subdivided into active and inactive RA groups. Polymorphisms were genotyped by using real-time polymerase chain reaction with TaqMan allelic discrimination assay. Results: Significant differences in the frequency of miRNA-146a rs2910164, miRNA-499 rs3746444, IRAK1 rs3027898 and PADI4 rs1748033 alleles and genotypes were observed between RA patients and controls. Only CA and AA genotypes of IRAK1 rs3027898 shows a significant difference between active and inactive subgroups. MiRNA-146a rs2910164 and IRAK1 rs3027898 polymorphisms were a risk factor for predisposition to RA in codominant and dominant tested inheritance models, while, the miRNA-499 rs3746444 and PADI4 rs1748033 polymorphisms were a risk factor in codominant and recessive one. CG and GG genotypes of miRNA-146a rs2910164 were associated with positive erosions. CA genotype of IRAK1 rs3027898 was associated with low disease activity and negative erosions, while, the AA genotype was associated with high disease activity. CC genotype of PADI4 rs1748033 was associated with negative rheumatoid factor. Conclusion: The 4 studied SNPs were likely to play an important role in the susceptibility to RA and can influence disease severity and activity in Egyptian population.

A values-based Motivational Interviewing (MI) intervention for pediatric obesity: study design and methods for MI Values.

Science.gov (United States)

Bean, Melanie K; Mazzeo, Suzanne E; Stern, Marilyn; Bowen, Deborah; Ingersoll, Karen

2011-09-01

To reduce pediatric obesity in clinical settings, multidisciplinary behaviorally-based treatment programs are recommended. High attrition and poor compliance are two difficulties frequently encountered in such programs. A brief, empathic and directive clinical intervention, Motivational Interviewing (MI), might help address these motivational and behavioral issues, ultimately resulting in more positive health outcomes. The efficacy of MI as an adjunct in the treatment of pediatric obesity remains relatively understudied. MI Values was developed to implement within an existing multidisciplinary treatment program for obese, ethnically diverse adolescents, the T.E.E.N.S. Program (Teaching, Encouragement, Exercise, Nutrition, Support). T.E.E.N.S. participants who consent to MI Values are randomized to either MI or an education control condition. At weeks 1 and 10 of T.E.E.N.S. participation, the subset of participants assigned to the MI condition engages in individual MI sessions and control participants view health education videos. All MI sessions are audiotaped and coded to monitor treatment fidelity, which has been satisfactory thus far. Participants complete comprehensive assessments at baseline, 3- and 6-month follow-ups. We hypothesize that MI participants will demonstrate greater reductions in Body Mass Index (BMI) percentile, improved diet and physical activity behaviors, better compliance with T.E.E.N.S., and lower attrition than participants in the control group. We present study design and methods for MI Values as well as data on feasibility of recruitment methods and treatment integrity. At study completion, findings will contribute to the emerging literature examining the efficacy of MI in the treatment of pediatric obesity. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Regulation of turkey myogenic satellite cell migration by MicroRNAs miR-128 and miR-24.

Science.gov (United States)

Velleman, S G; Harding, R L

2017-06-01

Myogenic satellite cells are an adult stem cell responsible for all post-hatch muscle growth in poultry. As a stem cell population, satellite cells are highly heterogeneous, but the origin of this heterogeneity remains unclear. Heterogeneity is, in part, regulated by gene expression. One method of endogenous gene regulation that may contribute to heterogeneity is microRNAs (miRNAs). Two miRNAs previously shown to regulate poultry myogenic satellite cell proliferation and differentiation, miR-128 and miR-24, were studied to determine if they also affected satellite cell migration. Satellite cell migration is an essential step for both proliferation and differentiation. During proliferation, satellite cells will migrate and align to form new myofibers or donate their nuclei to existing myofibers leading to muscle fiber hypertrophy or regeneration. Transient transfection of miRNA specific mimics to each miRNA reduced migration of satellite cells following a cell culture scratch at 72 h of proliferation when the cultures were 90 to 100% confluent. However, only the migration in cells transfected with miR-24 mimics at 24 and 30 h following the scratch was significantly reduced (P ≤ 0.05) to around 70% of the distance migrated by controls. Alternately, transfection with inhibitors specific to miR-128 or miR-24 significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increased migration between 147 and 252% compared to their controls between 24 and 48 h following the scratch. These data demonstrate that miR-128 and miR-24 play a role in myogenic satellite cell migration, which will impact muscle development and growth. © 2016 Poultry Science Association Inc.

MI (2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one) contained in detergents is not detectable in machine washed textiles

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hofmann, Maja A; Giménez-Arnau, Ana; Aberer, Werner

2018-01-01

hazard as a strong contact allergen, the risk depends on exposure. Regarding the risk of exposure levels for the consumer to MI in clothes it can be stated that the use of MI in laundry detergents is safe for the consumer if these products are used according to the instructions in the normal household......Background: European legislation has banned the preservative methylisothiazolinone (MI) from inclusion in leave-on cosmetics. However, the risk for allergic reactions depends on exposure. The aim of this study was to determine the risk of MI in laundry detergents for household machine washing....... Methods: Different formulations of laundry detergents with commercial MI levels, up to one thousand ppm were used and three different types of clothes were washed in a normal household machine setting one time and 10 times. The level of MI was measured by HPLC. Results: While MI could be retrieved...

Presymptomatic ALS genetic counseling and testing: Experience and recommendations.

Science.gov (United States)

Benatar, Michael; Stanislaw, Christine; Reyes, Eliana; Hussain, Sumaira; Cooley, Anne; Fernandez, Maria Catalina; Dauphin, Danielle D; Michon, Sara-Claude; Andersen, Peter M; Wuu, Joanne

2016-06-14

Remarkable advances in our understanding of the genetic contributions to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have sparked discussion and debate about whether clinical genetic testing should routinely be offered to patients with ALS. A related, but distinct, question is whether presymptomatic genetic testing should be offered to family members who may be at risk for developing ALS. Existing guidelines for presymptomatic counseling and testing are mostly based on small number of individuals, clinical judgment, and experience from other neurodegenerative disorders. Over the course of the last 8 years, we have provided testing and 317 genetic counseling sessions (including predecision, pretest, posttest, and ad hoc counseling) to 161 first-degree family members participating in the Pre-Symptomatic Familial ALS Study (Pre-fALS), as well as testing and 75 posttest counseling sessions to 63 individuals with familial ALS. Based on this experience, and the real-world challenges we have had to overcome in the process, we recommend an updated set of guidelines for providing presymptomatic genetic counseling and testing to people at high genetic risk for developing ALS. These recommendations are especially timely and relevant given the growing interest in studying presymptomatic ALS. © 2016 American Academy of Neurology.

Marriage Counselling in Australia: An Evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wolcott, Ilene; Glezer, Helen

A study was conducted of the effectiveness of marriage counseling with respect to marital status and the long-term stability of relationships. Data were gathered from clients of approved Australian marriage counseling agencies (n=540) who took a pre-counseling survey during a 4-week period in October-November 1987 and a post-counseling survey 8…

Counseling in Singapore

Science.gov (United States)

Yeo, Lay See; Tan, Soo Yin; Neihart, Maureen F.

2012-01-01

Singapore, a tiny island nation, rose from 3rd- to 1st-world status in just 3 decades. Unlike in most developed countries, counseling in Singapore has a short history with faith-based beginnings and currently faces challenges to remain culturally relevant. The authors trace the development of Singapore's counseling services, provide an update…

Differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells into insulin-like cell clusters with miR-186 and miR-375 by using chemical transfection.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaer, Anahita; Azarpira, Negar; Karimi, Mohammad Hosein

2014-09-01

Diabetes mellitus is characterized by either the inability to produce insulin or insensitivity to insulin secreted by the body. Islet cell replacement is an effective approach for diabetes treatment; however, it is not sufficient for all the diabetic patients. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small noncoding RNAs that play an important role in mediating a broad and expanding range of biological activities, such as pancreas development. The present study aimed to develop a protocol to efficiently differentiate human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells into islet-like cell clusters (ILCs) in vitro by using miR-186 and miR-375. The human iPS colonies were transfected with hsa-miR-186 and hsa-miR-375 by using siPORT™ NeoFX™ Transfection Agent, and the differentiation was compared to controls. Total RNA was extracted 24 and 48 h after transfection. The gene expressions of insulin, NGN3, GLUT2, PAX4, PAX6, KIR6.2, NKX6.1, PDX1, Glucagon, and OCT4 were then evaluated through real-time qPCR. On the third day, the potency of the clusters was assessed in response to high glucose levels. Dithizone (DTZ) was used to identify the existence of the β-cells. Besides, the presence of insulin and NGN3 proteins was investigated by immunocytochemistry. Morphological changes were observed on the first day after the chemical transfection, and cell clusters were formed on the third day. The expression of pancreatic specific transcription factors was increased on the first day and significantly increased on the second day. The ILCs were positive for insulin and NGN3 proteins in the immunocytochemistry. Besides, the clusters were stained with DTZ and secreted insulin in glucose challenge test. Overexpression of miR-186 and miR-375 can be an alternative strategy for producing ILCs from the iPS cells in a short time. This work provides a new approach by using patient-specific iPSCs for β-cell replacement therapy in diabetic patients.

miR-21 Is Linked to Glioma Angiogenesis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hermansen, Simon Kjær; Nielsen, Boye Schnack; Aaberg-Jessen, Charlotte

2016-01-01

MicroRNA-21 (miR-21) is the most consistently over-expressed microRNA (miRNA) in malignant gliomas. We have previously reported that miR-21 is upregulated in glioma vessels and subsets of glioma cells. To better understand the role of miR-21 in glioma angiogenesis and to characterize miR-21......-localized with the hypoxia- and angiogenesis-associated markers HIF-1α (p=0.0020) and VEGF (p=0.0096), whereas the putative miR-21 target, PTEN, was expressed independently of miR-21. Expression of stem cell markers Oct4, Sox2 and CD133 was not associated with miR-21. In six glioblastoma cultures, miR-21 did not correlate...... with the six markers. These findings suggest that miR-21 is linked to glioma angiogenesis, that miR-21 is unlikely to regulate PTEN, and that miR-21-positive tumor cells do not possess stem cell characteristics....

Factors influencing quality of patient interaction at community pharmacy drive-through and walk-in counselling areas.

Science.gov (United States)

Odukoya, Olufunmilola K; Chui, Michelle A; Pu, Jia

2014-08-01

To examine factors influencing the amount of time and information pharmacy personnel provide to patients at drive-through and walk-in counselling areas. On-site observational data collection in 22 community pharmacies by pharmacy students. Information included observable patient characteristics such as gender, age range, English proficiency and mobility impairment; encounter characteristics included type of prescription and whether the patient was acknowledged; and counselling characteristics included types of counselling information conveyed and length of time for each encounter. Patient-pharmacist encounters were documented at the drive-through and walk-in counselling areas 961 and 1098 times respectively. Pharmacists spent less time, and technicians more time, with patients at the drive-through counselling area. The amount of information provided to patients was significantly affected by whether the patient was receiving new versus refill prescriptions. Patients with a new prescription were twice as likely to receive more information from pharmacy personnel. There was a significant difference between the amount of counselling provided to patients at the drive-through and walk-in counselling area (rate ratio (RR) 0.92, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.86-1.00). Patients at the drive-through received a lower amount of information relative to patients using the walk-in. Amount of information provided to patients was affected by the level of pharmacy busyness (RR 0.96, 95% CI: 0.95-0.99). Providing patient care at the drive-through counselling area may negatively influence quality of patient care. To improve quality of pharmacy drive-through services, standardization of drive-through services in pharmacies may be needed. © 2013 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

E-Counselling Implementation: Students' Life Stories and Counselling Technologies in Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Kolog, Emmanuel Awuni; Sutinen, Erkki; Vanhalakka-Ruoho, Marjatta

2014-01-01

Given the current global trend of mimicking real life situations into digital counselling games and its related digital counselling platforms, we decided to contextually understand from the Ghanaian senior high school students, their life challenges arising from their life stories. The study also explores the extent to which ICT is currently being…

miRNA-34b is directly involved in the aging of macrophages.

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Wei; Gao, Sheng; Liang, Liu; Huang, Xianing; Hu, Nan; Lu, Xiaoling; Zhao, Yongxiang

2017-08-01

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of short noncoding RNA that play important regulatory roles in living organisms. These RNA molecules are implicated in the development and progression of malignant diseases such as cancer and are closely associated with cell aging. Findings demonstrating that microRNA is associated with aging in macrophages have nevertheless rarely been reported. This study's objective was to investigate if miRNA-34 is linked to aging process of macrophages. We built a cell aging model in mouse RAW264.7 macrophages using D-galactose and determined the expression levels of miRNA-34a, miRNA-34b, and miRNA-34c in aging and normal macrophages by fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (q-PCR). We predicted a target gene of miRNA-34 using biological information techniques and constructed the recombinant plasmid pGL3-E2f3 for the putative target gene E2f3. The expression level of miRNA-34b was 5.23 times higher in aging macrophages than in normal macrophages. The luciferase activity decreased by nearly 50 % in cells transfected with miRNA-34b mimics, while no significant decrease in luciferase activity was noted in cells transfected with the miRNA-34b inhibitor or unrelated sequences. Our findings provide the groundwork for further research into the molecular mechanisms whereby miRNA-34b regulates the aging of macrophages. miRNA-34b is associated with the aging of RAW264.7 macrophages, and E2f3 is a target gene of miRNA-34b.

[Dietary counseling in obesity].

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, Nathalie; Haslebacher, Yvonne; Teuscher-Sick, Patricia; Fischer, Beatrice

2013-02-01

Information on weight management and a healthy eating is accessible to anyone. However, recommendations are inconsistent. This often leads to confusion rather than to real changes in eating behavior. The principle of a long-term weight reduction is based on the idea of achieving negative energy balance with a healthy, balanced and slightly hypocaloric diet. The regimen is neither supposed to be rigid nor should it ban any food products or food products. Changes in eating patterns come about step by step and the counseling approach should be based on the patient's habits and capabilities. The basic requirement to successfully treat obese patients is their own motivation Therefore, the timing of launching the therapy needs to be well chosen. Apart from goals directly concerning weight loss, goals related to well-being, general health and exercise should be set and pursued. However, the main focus should be on changes of dietary behavior. Dietary counseling is preferably embedded in a multidisciplinary treatment concept.

Impact of Type 2 Myocardial Infarction (MI) on Hospital-Level MI Outcomes: Implications for Quality and Public Reporting.

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Arora, Sameer; Strassle, Paula D; Qamar, Arman; Wheeler, Evan N; Levine, Alexandra L; Misenheimer, Jacob A; Cavender, Matthew A; Stouffer, George A; Kaul, Prashant

2018-03-26

The International Classification of Diseases (ICD) coding system does not recognize type 2 myocardial infarction (MI) as a separate entity; therefore, patients with type 2 MI continue to be categorized under the general umbrella of non-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). We aim to evaluate the impact of type 2 MI on hospital-level NSTEMI metrics and discuss the implications for quality and public reporting. We conducted a single-center retrospective analysis of 1318 patients discharged with a diagnosis of NSTEMI between July 2013 and October 2014. The Third Universal Definition was used to define type 1 and type 2 MI. Weighted Kaplan-Meier curves were used to analyze risk of mortality and readmission. Overall, 1039 patients met NSTEMI criteria per the Third Universal Definition; of those, 264 (25.4%) had type 2 MI. Patients with type 2 MI were older, were more likely to have chronic kidney disease, and had lower peak troponin levels. Compared with type 1 MI patients, those with type 2 MI had higher inpatient mortality (17.4% versus 4.7%, P <0.0001) and were more likely to die from noncardiovascular causes (71.7% versus 25.0%, P <0.0001). Despite weighting for patient characteristics and discharge medications, patients with type 2 MI had higher mortality at both 30 days (risk ratio: 3.63; 95% confidence interval, 1.67-7.88) and 1 year (risk ratio: 1.98; 95% confidence interval, 1.44-2.73) after discharge. Type 2 MI was also associated with a lower 30-day cardiovascular-related readmission (risk ratio: 0.49; 95% confidence interval, 0.12-2.06). NSTEMI metrics are significantly affected by type 2 MI patients. Type 2 MI patients have distinct etiologies, are managed differently, and have higher mortality compared with patients with type 1 MI. Moving forward, it may be appropriate to exclude type 2 MI data from NSTEMI quality metrics. © 2018 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley.

Meta-analysis using a novel database, miRStress, reveals miRNAs that are frequently associated with the radiation and hypoxia stress-responses.

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Laura Ann Jacobs

Full Text Available Organisms are often exposed to environmental pressures that affect homeostasis, so it is important to understand the biological basis of stress-response. Various biological mechanisms have evolved to help cells cope with potentially cytotoxic changes in their environment. miRNAs are small non-coding RNAs which are able to regulate mRNA stability. It has been suggested that miRNAs may tip the balance between continued cytorepair and induction of apoptosis in response to stress. There is a wealth of data in the literature showing the effect of environmental stress on miRNAs, but it is scattered in a large number of disparate publications. Meta-analyses of this data would produce added insight into the molecular mechanisms of stress-response. To facilitate this we created and manually curated the miRStress database, which describes the changes in miRNA levels following an array of stress types in eukaryotic cells. Here we describe this database and validate the miRStress tool for analysing miRNAs that are regulated by stress. To validate the database we performed a cross-species analysis to identify miRNAs that respond to radiation. The analysis tool confirms miR-21 and miR-34a as frequently deregulated in response to radiation, but also identifies novel candidates as potentially important players in this stress response, including miR-15b, miR-19b, and miR-106a. Similarly, we used the miRStress tool to analyse hypoxia-responsive miRNAs. The most frequently deregulated miRNAs were miR-210 and miR-21, as expected. Several other miRNAs were also found to be associated with hypoxia, including miR-181b, miR-26a/b, miR-106a, miR-213 and miR-192. Therefore the miRStress tool has identified miRNAs with hitherto unknown or under-appreciated roles in the response to specific stress types. The miRStress tool, which can be used to uncover new insight into the biological roles of miRNAs, and also has the potential to unearth potential biomarkers for

Narrative Dietary Counseling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Søndergaard Jakobsen, Nina; Kaufmann, Lisbeth; Hennesser, Yvonne

2017-01-01

Using cases and empirical data from a research and development project at a Danish prevention center, this study explores whether and how the use of narrative dietary counseling can strengthen dietitians' relationships and collaboration with clients who are chronically ill. The results of the study...... dietary counseling empowered clients and improved relationship building and collaboration between client and dietitian....

SRMDAP: SimRank and Density-Based Clustering Recommender Model for miRNA-Disease Association Prediction

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Xiaoying Li

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Aberrant expression of microRNAs (miRNAs can be applied for the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of human diseases. Identifying the relationship between miRNA and human disease is important to further investigate the pathogenesis of human diseases. However, experimental identification of the associations between diseases and miRNAs is time-consuming and expensive. Computational methods are efficient approaches to determine the potential associations between diseases and miRNAs. This paper presents a new computational method based on the SimRank and density-based clustering recommender model for miRNA-disease associations prediction (SRMDAP. The AUC of 0.8838 based on leave-one-out cross-validation and case studies suggested the excellent performance of the SRMDAP in predicting miRNA-disease associations. SRMDAP could also predict diseases without any related miRNAs and miRNAs without any related diseases.

Cloning and characterization of pre-miR159a and pre-miR1123 from ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Although many miRNA genes are conserved across the plant species, the same gene family varies significantly in size and genomic organization in different species. ... Sequence identity matrix suggests 43-82% variation in precursor of Tae AL pre-miR159a (Tae Agra local pre-miR159a) across the species. On the other ...

Threshold-dependent repression of SPL gene expression by miR156/miR157 controls vegetative phase change in Arabidopsis thaliana.

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Jia He

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Vegetative phase change is regulated by a decrease in the abundance of the miRNAs, miR156 and miR157, and the resulting increase in the expression of their targets, SQUAMOSA PROMOTER BINDING PROTEIN-LIKE (SPL transcription factors. To determine how miR156/miR157 specify the quantitative and qualitative changes in leaf morphology that occur during vegetative phase change, we measured their abundance in successive leaves and characterized the phenotype of mutations in different MIR156 and MIR157 genes. miR156/miR157 decline rapidly between leaf 1&2 and leaf 3 and decrease more slowly after this point. The amount of miR156/miR157 in leaves 1&2 greatly exceeds the threshold required to specify their identity. Subsequent leaves have relatively low levels of miR156/miR157 and are sensitive to small changes in their abundance. In these later-formed leaves, the amount of miR156/miR157 is close to the threshold required to specify juvenile vs. adult identity; a relatively small decrease in the abundance of miR156/157 in these leaves produces a disproportionately large increase in SPL proteins and a significant change in leaf morphology. miR157 is more abundant than miR156 but has a smaller effect on shoot morphology and SPL gene expression than miR156. This may be attributable to the inefficiency with which miR157 is loaded onto AGO1, as well as to the presence of an extra nucleotide at the 5' end of miR157 that is mis-paired in the miR157:SPL13 duplex. miR156 represses different targets by different mechanisms: it regulates SPL9 by a combination of transcript cleavage and translational repression and regulates SPL13 primarily by translational repression. Our results offer a molecular explanation for the changes in leaf morphology that occur during shoot development in Arabidopsis and provide new insights into the mechanism by which miR156 and miR157 regulate gene expression.

MiRNA-21 Expression Decreases from Primary Tumors to Liver Metastases in Colorectal Carcinoma.

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Fabian Feiersinger

Full Text Available Metastasis is the major cause of death in colorectal cancer patients. Expression of certain miRNAs in the primary tumors has been shown to be associated with progression of colorectal cancer and the initiation of metastasis. In this study, we compared miRNA expression in primary colorectal cancer and corresponding liver metastases in order to get an idea of the oncogenic importance of the miRNAs in established metastases.We analyzed the expression of miRNA-21, miRNA-31 and miRNA-373 in corresponding formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE tissue samples of primary colorectal cancer, liver metastasis and healthy tissues of 29 patients by quantitative real-time PCR.All three miRNAs were significantly up-regulated in the primary tumor tissues as compared to healthy colon mucosa of the respective patients (p < 0.01. MiRNA-21 and miRNA-31 were also higher expressed in liver metastases as compared to healthy liver tissues (p < 0.01. No significant difference of expression of miRNA-31 and miRNA-373 was observed between primary tumors and metastases. Of note, miRNA-21 expression was significantly reduced in liver metastases as compared to the primary colorectal tumors (p < 0.01.In the context of previous studies demonstrating increased miRNA-21 expression in metastatic primary tumors, our findings raise the question whether miRNA-21 might be involved in the initiation but not in the perpetuation and growth of metastases.

miR482 and Its Isoforms in Plants

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Abdil Hakan EREN

2016-09-01

Full Text Available In plants, miR482 family members are generally 22-nucleotide long, distinguishing from other microRNA (miRNA families by their extraordinary and diverse sequence structures. Studies showed that miRNA482 is related to NBLRR (Nucleotide binding-site leucine-rich repeat genes conferring resistance to disease in plants. There are different coded NB-LRR genes which are considered as the part immune response assisting the recognition of pathogens in plant genomes. NB-LRR proteins are mostly related to effector – triggering immune system against pathogens. The main immune receptors in plants are PRR (Pattern recoginition receptor and R (Resistance proteins. R proteins code for immune system proteins by NB-LRR activity. miR482, miR1448, slmiR2118 and ath-miR472 are disease resistance related miRNAs. In several studies, miR482 was found to be a homolog of miR1448 and phylogenetic analyses showed that miR1448 is formed by tandem duplication of miR482. While suppression of miR482 results in plant susceptibility to pathogens, miR482 was considered to play role in nodulation and mycorrhizal processes of soya roots. Increasing evidences exhibit that miR482 is critical in disease resistance against pathogen attacks.

MicroRNA (miR)-203 and miR-205 expression patterns identify subgroups of prognosis in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

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Cañueto, J; Cardeñoso-Álvarez, E; García-Hernández, J L; Galindo-Villardón, P; Vicente-Galindo, P; Vicente-Villardón, J L; Alonso-López, D; De Las Rivas, J; Valero, J; Moyano-Sanz, E; Fernández-López, E; Mao, J H; Castellanos-Martín, A; Román-Curto, C; Pérez-Losada, J

2017-07-01

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) is the second most widespread cancer in humans and its incidence is rising. These tumours can evolve as diseases of poor prognosis, and therefore it is important to identify new markers to better predict its clinical evolution. We aimed to identify the expression pattern of microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) at different stages of skin cancer progression in a panel of murine skin cancer cell lines. Owing to the increasing importance of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of cancer, we considered the possibility that miRNAs could help to define the prognosis of CSCC and aimed to evaluate the potential use of miR-203 and miR-205 as biomarkers of prognosis in human tumours. Seventy-nine human primary CSCCs were collected at the University Hospital of Salamanca in Spain. We identified differential miRNA expression patterns at different stages of CSCC progression in a well-established panel of murine skin cancer cell lines, and then selected miR-205 and miR-203 to evaluate their association with the clinical prognosis and evolution of human CSCC. miR-205 was expressed in tumours with pathological features recognized as indicators of poor prognosis such as desmoplasia, perineural invasion and infiltrative growth pattern. miR-205 was mainly expressed in undifferentiated areas and in the invasion front, and was associated with both local recurrence and the development of general clinical events of poor evolution. miR-205 expression was an independent variable selected to predict events of poor clinical evolution using the multinomial logistic regression model described in this study. In contrast, miR-203 was mainly expressed in tumours exhibiting the characteristics associated with a good prognosis, was mainly present in well-differentiated zones, and rarely expressed in the invasion front. Therefore, the expression and associations of miR-205 and miR-203 were mostly mutually exclusive. Finally, using a logistic biplot we identified three clusters

Overexpression of miR-9 in mast cells is associated with invasive behavior and spontaneous metastasis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fenger, Joelle M; Bear, Misty D; Volinia, Stefano; Lin, Tzu-Yin; Harrington, Bonnie K; London, Cheryl A; Kisseberth, William C

2014-01-01

While microRNA (miRNA) expression is known to be altered in a variety of human malignancies contributing to cancer development and progression, the potential role of miRNA dysregulation in malignant mast cell disease has not been previously explored. The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential contribution of miRNA dysregulation to the biology of canine mast cell tumors (MCTs), a well-established spontaneous model of malignant mast cell disease. We evaluated the miRNA expression profiles from biologically low-grade and biologically high-grade primary canine MCTs using real-time PCR-based TaqMan Low Density miRNA Arrays and performed real-time PCR to evaluate miR-9 expression in primary canine MCTs, malignant mast cell lines, and normal bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMCs). Mouse mast cell lines and BMMCs were transduced with empty or pre-miR-9 expressing lentiviral constructs and cell proliferation, caspase 3/7 activity, and invasion were assessed. Transcriptional profiling of cells overexpressing miR-9 was performed using Affymetrix GeneChip Mouse Gene 2.0 ST arrays and real-time PCR was performed to validate changes in mRNA expression. Our data demonstrate that unique miRNA expression profiles correlate with the biological behavior of primary canine MCTs and that miR-9 expression is increased in biologically high grade canine MCTs and malignant cell lines compared to biologically low grade tumors and normal canine BMMCs. In transformed mouse malignant mast cell lines expressing either wild-type (C57) or activating (P815) KIT mutations and mouse BMMCs, miR-9 overexpression significantly enhanced invasion but had no effect on cell proliferation or apoptosis. Transcriptional profiling of normal mouse BMMCs and P815 cells possessing enforced miR-9 expression demonstrated dysregulation of several genes, including upregulation of CMA1, a protease involved in activation of matrix metalloproteases and extracellular matrix remodeling. Our findings

miR-184 and miR-150 promote renal glomerular mesangial cell aging by targeting Rab1a and Rab31.

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Liu, Xiujuan; Fu, Bo; Chen, Dapeng; Hong, Quan; Cui, Jing; Li, Jin; Bai, Xueyuan; Chen, Xiangmei

2015-08-15

The molecular mechanism of kidney aging is not well understood, but the abnormal expression of miRNAs with aging is considered to be an important contributor. miR-184 and miR-150 were screened using a miRNA microarray and qRT-PCR and found to be significantly upregulated in 24-month-old rats. Rat renal primary glomerular mesangial cells (GMCs) were isolated from 3-month and 24-month-old rats for the in vitro analysis of the roles of miR-184 and miR-150 in kidney aging. Bioinformatics analyses suggested that Rab1a and Rab31, which are associated with cell autophagy, were targeted by both miR-184 and miR-150. miR-184 and miR-150 were increased significantly in aging GMCs versus young cells, while Rab1a and Rab31 were significantly lower in aging cells. Furthermore, dual luciferase reporter assays revealed that miR-184 and miR-150 bound to the 3'-UTR of Rab1a and Rab31 mRNAs. Transfection of miR-184 and miR-150 mimics into young GMCs suppressed the expression of Rab1a and Rab31. Transfected cells showed lower autophagy activities and higher levels of cellular oxidative products, leading to the aging of young GMCs. However, miR-184 and miR-150 inhibitors promoted autophagy and reduced oxidative damage by upregulating Rab1a and Rab31 in old GMCs. In conclusion, miR-184 and miR-150 inhibited autophagy, promoting GMC aging. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

miRNAs in Alzheimer Disease - A Therapeutic Perspective.

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Gupta, Priya; Bhattacharjee, Surajit; Sharma, Ashish Ranjan; Sharma, Garima; Lee, Sang-Soo; Chakraborty, Chiranjib

2017-01-01

Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder which generally affects people who are more than 60 years of age. The disease is clinically characterised by dementia, loss of cognitive functions and massive neurodegeneration. The presence of neurofibrilary tangles and amyloid plaques in the hippocampal region of the brain are the hallmarks of the disease. Current therapeutic approaches for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease are symptomatic and disease modifying, none of which provide any permanent solution or cure for the disease. Dysregulation of miRNAs is one of the major causes of neurodegeneration. In the present review, the roles of different miRNAs such as miR-9, miR-107, miR-29, miR-34, miR-181, miR-106, miR-146a, miR132, miR124a, miR153 has been discussed in detail in the pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative diseases with special focus on AD. The probability of miRNAs as an alternative and more sensitive approach for detection and management of the AD has also been discussed. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

The expression of miR-181a-5p and miR-371b-5p in chondrosarcoma.

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Mutlu, S; Mutlu, H; Kirkbes, S; Eroglu, S; Kabukcuoglu, Y S; Kabukcuoglu, F; Duymus, T M; ISık, M; Ulasli, M

2015-07-01

Chondrosarcomas are malignant tumors of chondrocytes that affect bones and joints, and it represents the third most common type of primary bone tumors. Chondrosarcoma is difficult to treat because it is relatively resistant to both chemotherapy and radiation. Thus, surgery remains the best available treatment. It is important to find new diagnostic markers and improve treatment options. miRNAs are small non-coding transcripts (19-25 nucleotides) that regulate gene expression via targeting complementary sequences within messenger RNAs (mRNAs). miRNAs have been shown to be involved in regulation of many biochemical pathways. Dysregulated expression of many miRNAs has also been associated with multiple human diseases, such as cancer. 18 surgical chondrosarcoma specimens were obtained from patients. RNA extractions were performed from decalcified paraffin embedded tissues. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression levels of miR-181a and miR-371b in patients with chondrosarcoma by using RT-PCR and to evaluate the relationship between these miRNAs and chondrosarcoma. miR-181a was found to be upregulated in chondrosarcoma specimens whereas no significant alteration was found for miR-371b expression. It has been proposed that miRNA expression studies might be used as diagnostic, prognostic marker in cancer. miRNA expression data produced in our study may contribute future chondrosarcoma diagnosis and therapy.

The Ia-2β intronic miRNA, miR-153, is a negative regulator of insulin and dopamine secretion through its effect on the Cacna1c gene in mice.

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Xu, Huanyu; Abuhatzira, Liron; Carmona, Gilberto N; Vadrevu, Suryakiran; Satin, Leslie S; Notkins, Abner L

2015-10-01

miR-153 is an intronic miRNA embedded in the genes that encode IA-2 (also known as PTPRN) and IA-2β (also known as PTPRN2). Islet antigen (IA)-2 and IA-2β are major autoantigens in type 1 diabetes and are important transmembrane proteins in dense core and synaptic vesicles. miR-153 and its host genes are co-regulated in pancreas and brain. The present experiments were initiated to decipher the regulatory network between miR-153 and its host gene Ia-2β (also known as Ptprn2). Insulin secretion was determined by ELISA. Identification of miRNA targets was assessed using luciferase assays and by quantitative real-time PCR and western blots in vitro and in vivo. Target protector was also employed to evaluate miRNA target function. Functional studies revealed that miR-153 mimic suppresses both glucose- and potassium-induced insulin secretion (GSIS and PSIS, respectively), whereas miR-153 inhibitor enhances both GSIS and PSIS. A similar effect on dopamine secretion also was observed. Using miRNA target prediction software, we found that miR-153 is predicted to target the 3'UTR region of the calcium channel gene, Cacna1c. Further studies confirmed that Cacna1c mRNA and protein are downregulated by miR-153 mimics and upregulated by miR-153 inhibitors in insulin-secreting freshly isolated mouse islets, in the insulin-secreting mouse cell line MIN6 and in the dopamine-secreting cell line PC12. miR-153 is a negative regulator of both insulin and dopamine secretion through its effect on Cacna1c expression, which suggests that IA-2β and miR-153 have opposite functional effects on the secretory pathway.

Targeting oncomiRNAs and mimicking tumor suppressor miRNAs: New trends in the development of miRNA therapeutic strategies in oncology (Review)

Science.gov (United States)

GAMBARI, ROBERTO; BROGNARA, ELEONORA; SPANDIDOS, DEMETRIOS A.; FABBRI, ENRICA

2016-01-01

MicroRNA (miRNA or miR) therapeutics in cancer are based on targeting or mimicking miRNAs involved in cancer onset, progression, angiogenesis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition and metastasis. Several studies conclusively have demonstrated that miRNAs are deeply involved in tumor onset and progression, either behaving as tumor-promoting miRNAs (oncomiRNAs and metastamiRNAs) or as tumor suppressor miRNAs. This review focuses on the most promising examples potentially leading to the development of anticancer, miRNA-based therapeutic protocols. The inhibition of miRNA activity can be readily achieved by the use of miRNA inhibitors and oligomers, including RNA, DNA and DNA analogues (miRNA antisense therapy), small molecule inhibitors, miRNA sponges or through miRNA masking. On the contrary, the enhancement of miRNA function (miRNA replacement therapy) can be achieved by the use of modified miRNA mimetics, such as plasmid or lentiviral vectors carrying miRNA sequences. Combination strategies have been recently developed based on the observation that i) the combined administration of different antagomiR molecules induces greater antitumor effects and ii) some anti-miR molecules can sensitize drug-resistant tumor cell lines to therapeutic drugs. In this review, we discuss two additional issues: i) the combination of miRNA replacement therapy with drug administration and ii) the combination of antagomiR and miRNA replacement therapy. One of the solid results emerging from different independent studies is that miRNA replacement therapy can enhance the antitumor effects of the antitumor drugs. The second important conclusion of the reviewed studies is that the combination of anti-miRNA and miRNA replacement strategies may lead to excellent results, in terms of antitumor effects. PMID:27175518

Great aspirations: the postwar American college counseling center.

Science.gov (United States)

McCarthy, Tom

2014-02-01

In the decade after World War II, psychologists, eager to bring the benefits of counseling to larger numbers, convinced hundreds of American colleges and universities to establish counseling centers. Inspired by the educational-vocational counseling center founded by psychologists at the University of Minnesota in 1932, Carl R. Rogers's "client-centered" methods of personal adjustment counseling, and the 400-plus college counseling centers created by the Veterans Administration to provide the educational-vocational counseling benefit promised to returning World War II servicemen under the 1944 GI Bill, these counseling psychologists created a new place to practice where important currents in psychology, higher education, and federal policy converged and where they attempted to integrate educational-vocational counseling with personal adjustment counseling based on techniques from psychotherapy. By the mid-1960s, half of America's colleges and universities had established counseling centers, and more than 90% offered students educational, vocational, and psychological counseling services, a great achievement of the first generation of counseling psychologists.

Methylation of miRNA genes and oncogenesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Loginov, V I; Rykov, S V; Fridman, M V; Braga, E A

2015-02-01

Interaction between microRNA (miRNA) and messenger RNA of target genes at the posttranscriptional level provides fine-tuned dynamic regulation of cell signaling pathways. Each miRNA can be involved in regulating hundreds of protein-coding genes, and, conversely, a number of different miRNAs usually target a structural gene. Epigenetic gene inactivation associated with methylation of promoter CpG-islands is common to both protein-coding genes and miRNA genes. Here, data on functions of miRNAs in development of tumor-cell phenotype are reviewed. Genomic organization of promoter CpG-islands of the miRNA genes located in inter- and intragenic areas is discussed. The literature and our own results on frequency of CpG-island methylation in miRNA genes from tumors are summarized, and data regarding a link between such modification and changed activity of miRNA genes and, consequently, protein-coding target genes are presented. Moreover, the impact of miRNA gene methylation on key oncogenetic processes as well as affected signaling pathways is discussed.

Exploration of miRNA families for hypotheses generation.

KAUST Repository

Kamanu, T.K.

2013-10-15

Technological improvements have resulted in increased discovery of new microRNAs (miRNAs) and refinement and enrichment of existing miRNA families. miRNA families are important because they suggest a common sequence or structure configuration in sets of genes that hint to a shared function. Exploratory tools to enhance investigation of characteristics of miRNA families and the functions of family-specific miRNA genes are lacking. We have developed, miRNAVISA, a user-friendly web-based tool that allows customized interrogation and comparisons of miRNA families for hypotheses generation, and comparison of per-species chromosomal distribution of miRNA genes in different families. This study illustrates hypothesis generation using miRNAVISA in seven species. Our results unveil a subclass of miRNAs that may be regulated by genomic imprinting, and also suggest that some miRNA families may be species-specific, as well as chromosome- and/or strand-specific.

Characterization and Functional Analysis of Extracellular Vesicles and Muscle-Abundant miRNAs (miR-1, miR-133a, and miR-206 in C2C12 Myocytes and mdx Mice.

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Yasunari Matsuzaka

Full Text Available Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD is a progressive neuromuscular disorder. Here, we show that the CD63 antigen, which is located on the surface of extracellular vesicles (EVs, is associated with increased levels of muscle-abundant miRNAs, namely myomiRs miR-1, miR-133a, and miR-206, in the sera of DMD patients and mdx mice. Furthermore, the release of EVs from the murine myoblast C2C12 cell line was found to be modulated by intracellular ceramide levels in a Ca2+-dependent manner. Next, to investigate the effects of EVs on cell survival, C2C12 myoblasts and myotubes were cultured with EVs from the sera of mdx mice or C2C12 cells overexpressing myomiRs in presence of cellular stresses. Both the exposure of C2C12 myoblasts and myotubes to EVs from the serum of mdx mice, and the overexpression of miR-133a in C2C12 cells in presence of cellular stress resulted in a significant decrease in cell death. Finally, to assess whether miRNAs regulate skeletal muscle regeneration in vivo, we intraperitoneally injected GW4869 (an inhibitor of exosome secretion into mdx mice for 5 and 10 days. Levels of miRNAs and creatine kinase in the serum of GW4869-treated mdx mice were significantly downregulated compared with those of controls. The tibialis anterior muscles of the GW4869-treated mdx mice showed a robust decrease in Evans blue dye uptake. Collectively, these results indicate that EVs and myomiRs might protect the skeletal muscle of mdx mice from degeneration.

miR398 and miR395 are involved in response to SO2 stress in Arabidopsis thaliana.

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Li, Lihong; Yi, Huilan; Xue, Meizhao; Yi, Min

2017-11-01

Sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) is a common air pollutant that has adverse effects on plants. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNA that play critical roles in plant development and stress response. In this study, we found that two miRNAs, miR398 and miR395, were differentially expressed in Arabidopsis shoots under SO 2 stress. The expression of miR398 was down-regulated, and the transcript levels of its target genes, Cu/Zn superoxide dismutases (CSD1 and CSD2), were increased during SO 2 exposure. The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), one of the major antioxidant enzymes, was enhanced with the increase in the CSD transcript level, suggesting an important role of miR398 in response to SO 2 -induced oxidative stress. Meanwhile, the expression of miR395 was increased, and the transcript levels of its target genes, ATP sulfurylases (APS3 and APS4) and a low-affinity sulfate transporter (SULTR2;1), were decreased in Arabidopsis shoots, showing that miR395 played important roles in the regulation of sulfate assimilation and translocation during SO 2 exposure. The content of glutathione (GSH), an important sulfur-containing antioxidant, was enhanced with the changes in sulfur metabolism in Arabidopsis shoots under SO 2 stress. These results showed that both miR398 and miR395 were involved in protecting plants from oxidative damage during SO 2 exposure. Many stress-responsive cis-elements were found in the promoter regions of MIR398 and MIR395, suggesting that these miRNAs might respond to various environmental conditions, including SO 2 stress. Overall, our study provides an insight into the regulatory roles of miRNAs in response to SO 2 stress in plants, and highlights the molecular mechanisms of plant adaptation to environmental stress.

miR-132/212 knockout mice reveal roles for these miRNAs in regulating cortical synaptic transmission and plasticity.

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Judit Remenyi

Full Text Available miR-132 and miR-212 are two closely related miRNAs encoded in the same intron of a small non-coding gene, which have been suggested to play roles in both immune and neuronal function. We describe here the generation and initial characterisation of a miR-132/212 double knockout mouse. These mice were viable and fertile with no overt adverse phenotype. Analysis of innate immune responses, including TLR-induced cytokine production and IFNβ induction in response to viral infection of primary fibroblasts did not reveal any phenotype in the knockouts. In contrast, the loss of miR-132 and miR-212, while not overtly affecting neuronal morphology, did affect synaptic function. In both hippocampal and neocortical slices miR-132/212 knockout reduced basal synaptic transmission, without affecting paired-pulse facilitation. Hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP induced by tetanic stimulation was not affected by miR-132/212 deletion, whilst theta burst LTP was enhanced. In contrast, neocortical theta burst-induced LTP was inhibited by loss of miR-132/212. Together these results indicate that miR-132 and/or miR-212 play a significant role in synaptic function, possibly by regulating the number of postsynaptic AMPA receptors under basal conditions and during activity-dependent synaptic plasticity.

High-throughput sequencing, characterization and detection of new and conserved cucumber miRNAs.

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Germán Martínez

Full Text Available Micro RNAS (miRNAs are a class of endogenous small non coding RNAs involved in the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. In plants, a great number of conserved and specific miRNAs, mainly arising from model species, have been identified to date. However less is known about the diversity of these regulatory RNAs in vegetal species with agricultural and/or horticultural importance. Here we report a combined approach of bioinformatics prediction, high-throughput sequencing data and molecular methods to analyze miRNAs populations in cucumber (Cucumis sativus plants. A set of 19 conserved and 6 known but non-conserved miRNA families were found in our cucumber small RNA dataset. We also identified 7 (3 with their miRNA* strand not previously described miRNAs, candidates to be cucumber-specific. To validate their description these new C. sativus miRNAs were detected by northern blot hybridization. Additionally, potential targets for most conserved and new miRNAs were identified in cucumber genome.In summary, in this study we have identified, by first time, conserved, known non-conserved and new miRNAs arising from an agronomically important species such as C. sativus. The detection of this complex population of regulatory small RNAs suggests that similarly to that observe in other plant species, cucumber miRNAs may possibly play an important role in diverse biological and metabolic processes.

Surgical patient selection and counseling.

Science.gov (United States)

Ziegelmann, Matt; Köhler, Tobias S; Bailey, George C; Miest, Tanner; Alom, Manaf; Trost, Landon

2017-08-01

The objectives of patient selection and counseling are ultimately to enhance successful outcomes. However, the definition for success is often narrowly defined in published literature (ability to complete surgery, complications, satisfaction) and fails to account for patient desires and expectations, temporal changes, natural history of underlying diseases, or independent validation. Factors associated with satisfaction and dissatisfaction are often surgery-specific, although correlation with pre-operative expectations, revisions, and complications are common with most procedures. The process of appropriate patient selection is determined by the integration of patient and surgeon factors, including psychological capacity to handle unsatisfactory results, baseline expectations, complexity of case, and surgeon volume and experience. Using this model, a high-risk scenario includes one in which a low-volume surgeon performs a complex case in a patient with limited psychological capacity and high expectations. In contrast, a high-volume surgeon performing a routine case in a male with low expectations and abundant psychiatric reserve is more likely to achieve a successful outcome. To further help identify patients who are at high risk for dissatisfaction, a previously published mnemonic is recommended: CURSED Patient (compulsive/obsessive, unrealistic, revision, surgeon shopping, entitled, denial, and psychiatric). Appropriate patient counseling includes setting appropriate expectations, reviewing the potential and anticipated risks of surgery, post-operative instruction to limit complications, and long-term follow-up. As thorough counseling is often a time-consuming endeavor, busy practices may elect to utilize various resources including educational materials, advanced practice providers, or group visits, among others. The consequences for poor patient selection and counseling may range from poor surgical outcomes and patient dissatisfaction to lawsuits, loss of

Elsevier Trophoblast Research Award Lecture: origin, evolution and future of placenta miRNAs.

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Morales-Prieto, D M; Ospina-Prieto, S; Schmidt, A; Chaiwangyen, W; Markert, U R

2014-02-01

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate the expression of a large number of genes in plants and animals. Placental miRNAs appeared late in evolution and can be found only in mammals. Nevertheless, these miRNAs are constantly under evolutionary pressure. As a consequence, miRNA sequences and their mRNA targets may differ between species, and some miRNAs can only be found in humans. Their expression can be tissue- or cell-specific and can vary time-dependently. Human placenta tissue exhibits a specific miRNA expression pattern that dynamically changes during pregnancy and is reflected in the maternal plasma. Some placental miRNAs are involved in or associated with major pregnancy disorders, such as preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction or preterm delivery and, therefore, have a strong potential for usage as sensitive and specific biomarkers. In this review we summarize current knowledge on the origin of placental miRNAs, their expression in humans with special regard to trophoblast cells, interspecies differences, and their future as biomarkers. It can be concluded that animal models for human reproduction have a different panel of miRNAs and targets, and can only partly reflect or predict the situation in humans. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Stress-activated miR-21/miR-21* in hepatocytes promotes lipid and glucose metabolic disorders associated with high-fat diet consumption.

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Calo, Nicolas; Ramadori, Pierluigi; Sobolewski, Cyril; Romero, Yannick; Maeder, Christine; Fournier, Margot; Rantakari, Pia; Zhang, Fu-Ping; Poutanen, Matti; Dufour, Jean-François; Humar, Bostjan; Nef, Serge; Foti, Michelangelo

2016-11-01

miR-21 is an oncomir highly upregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma and in early stages of liver diseases characterised by the presence of steatosis. Whether upregulation of miR-21 contributes to hepatic metabolic disorders and their progression towards cancer is unknown. This study aims at investigating the role of miR-21/miR-21* in early stages of metabolic liver disorders associated with diet-induced obesity (DIO). Constitutive miR-21/miR-21* knockout (miR21KO) and liver-specific miR-21/miR-21* knockout (LImiR21KO) mice were generated. Mice were then fed with high-fat diet (HFD) and alterations of the lipid and glucose metabolism were investigated. Serum and ex vivo explanted liver tissue were analysed. Under normal breeding conditions and standard diet, miR-21/miR-21* deletion in mice was not associated with any detectable phenotypic alterations. However, when mice were challenged with an obesogenic diet, glucose intolerance, steatosis and adiposity were improved in mice lacking miR-21/miR-21* . Deletion of miR-21/miR-21* specifically in hepatocytes led to similar improvements in mice fed an HFD, indicating a crucial role for hepatic miR-21/miR-21* in metabolic disorders associated with DIO. Further molecular analyses demonstrated that miR-21/miR-21* deletion in hepatocytes increases insulin sensitivity and modulates the expression of multiple key metabolic transcription factors involved in fatty acid uptake, de novo lipogenesis, gluconeogenesis and glucose output. Hepatic miR-21/miR-21* deficiency prevents glucose intolerance and steatosis in mice fed an obesogenic diet by altering the expression of several master metabolic regulators. This study points out miR-21/miR-21 * as a potential therapeutic target for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and the metabolic syndrome. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Evaluation of the miRNA-146a and miRNA-155 Expression Levels in Patients with Oral Lichen Planus.

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Ahmadi-Motamayel, Fatemeh; Bayat, Zeynab; Hajilooi, Mehrdad; Shahryar-Hesami, Soroosh; Mahdavinezhad, Ali; Samie, Lida; Solgi, Ghasem

2017-12-01

Oral Lichen Planus (OLP) is a chronic autoimmune disease that could be considered as a potential premalignant status. To evaluate the miRNA-146a and miRNA-155 expression levels in patients with oral Lichen planus lesions compared to healthy subjects with normal oral mucosa. Forty patients with oral lichen planus and 18 healthy age and gender-matched controls were recruited in this case-control study. Oral lichen planus was diagnosed clinically and pathologically. The expression levels of two miRNAs in peripheral blood samples were determined using commercial TaqMan MicroRNA Assays. Relative quantification of gene expression was calculated by the 2-ΔΔct method. The expression levels of miRNA-146a and miRNA-155 in patients with oral Lichen planus were significantly higher than those of healthy controls. Also, a direct but insignificant correlation was found between miRNA-155 and miRNA-146a expression levels among the patient group. Our findings indicate that miRNA-146a and miRNA-155 could be potential biomarkers for the immunopathogenesis of oral lichen planus.

MiR-223 targeting MAFB suppresses proliferation and migration of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Wanyong; Lan, Xi; Li, Dongmin; Li, Tao; Lu, Shemin

2015-01-01

Mounting evidence suggests that miRNAs have major functions in tumor pathogenesis, and this study aimed to identify the candidate miRNA and investigate its role in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). MiRNA and mRNA expressions were screened by microarray assays. The cell proliferation, colony formation and migration ability were measured by MTT, soft agar and wound healing assays, respectively. The tumor growth suppression was evaluated by xenografting in nude mice. The plasma miR-223 levels in NPC patients were detected by TaqMan analysis. Real-time quantitative PCR and Western blotting were used to confirm miR-223 and MAFB expression levels. The targeting relationship between miR-223 and MAFB was verified using dual luciferase reporter assay. The miR-223 expression was decreased in CNE-1, CNE-2 cells as compared with NP69 cells, an immortalized human nasopharyngeal epithelial cell line, and its level also reduced in NPC patients’ plasma as compared with healthy controls. Exogenous expression of miR-223 in CNE-2 cells could inhibit cell proliferation both in vitro and in vivo. Extrogenous miR-223 in CNE-2 cells would decrease the ability of colony formation and migration. MAFB, a transcription factor of Maf family members, was identified as a target gene of miR-223. We found that migration and invasion abilities were inhibited by MAFB silencing. MiR-223 negatively regulates the growth and migration of NPC cells via reducing MAFB expression, and this finding provides a novel insight into understanding miR-223 regulation mechanism in nasopharyngeal carcinoma tumorigenesis

miRNA array analysis determines miR-205 is overexpressed in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and enhances cellular proliferation

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Howard JD

2013-08-01

Full Text Available MicroRNAs (miRNAs play a critical role in cell cycle and pro-survival signal regulation. Consequently, their deregulation can enhance tumorigenesis and cancer progression. In the current investigation, we determined whether cancer- or human papillomavirus (HPV-specific miRNA deregulation could further elucidate signal transduction events unique to head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC. Twenty-nine newly diagnosed HNSCC tumors (HPV-positive: 14, HPV-negative: 15 and four normal mucosa samples were analyzed for global miRNA expression. Differential miRNA expression analysis concluded HNSCC is characterized by a general upregulation of miRNAs compared to normal mucosa. Additionally, miR-449a and miR-129-3p were statistically significant miRNAs differentially expressed between HPV-positive and HPV-negative HNSCC. The upregulation of miR-449a was also validated within an independent dataset obtained from TCGA containing 279 HNSCCs and 39 normal adjacent mucosa samples. To gain a better understanding of miRNA-mediated cell cycle deregulation in HNSCC, we functionally evaluated miR-205, a transcript upregulated in our cancer-specific analysis and a putative regulator of E2F1. Modulation of miR-205 with a miRNA mimic and inhibitor revealed miR-205 is capable of regulating E2F1 expression in HNSCC and overexpression of this transcript enhances proliferation. This study demonstrates miRNA expression is highly deregulated in HNSCC and functional evaluations of these miRNAs may reveal novel HPV context dependent mechanisms in this disease.

Inference of miRNA targets using evolutionary conservation and pathway analysis

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van Nimwegen Erik

2007-03-01

assigns a posterior probability to each putative target site. The results presented here indicate that our general method achieves very good performance in predicting miRNA target sites, providing at the same time insights into the evolution of target sites for individual miRNAs. Moreover, by combining our predictions with pathway analysis, we propose functions of specific miRNAs in nervous system development, inter-cellular communication and cell growth. The complete target site predictions as well as the miRNA/pathway associations are accessible on the ElMMo web server.

Serum miRNAs miR-23a, 206, and 499 as Potential Biomarkers for Skeletal Muscle Atrophy

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Fei Wang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Muscle biopsy has long been expected to be replaced by noninvasive biomarkers with diagnostic value and prognostic applications for muscle atrophy. Growing evidence suggests that circulating microRNAs (miRNAs could act as biomarkers for numerous pathophysiological statuses. In the present study, our results showed that the serum levels of six muscle-specific miRNAs (miR-1/23a/133/206/208b/499 were all elevated in unloading induced mice. The medium levels of these six muscle-specific miRNAs were all elevated in starvation induced atrophic C2C12 myotubes. Moreover, the serum levels of miR-23a/206/499 were induced in participants after 45 days of head-down bed rest (HDBR. The levels of miR-23a/206/499 were positively correlated with the ratio of soleus volume loss in HDBR participants, indicating that they might represent the process of muscle loss. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that circulating miRNAs could serve as useful biochemical and molecular indicators for muscle atrophy diagnosis and disease progression.

Investigation of miR-1202, miR-135a, and miR-16 in Major Depressive Disorder and Antidepressant Response.

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Fiori, Laura M; Lopez, Juan Pablo; Richard-Devantoy, Stéphane; Berlim, Marcelo; Chachamovich, Eduardo; Jollant, Fabrice; Foster, Jane; Rotzinger, Susan; Kennedy, Sidney H; Turecki, Gustavo

2017-08-01

Major depressive disorder is a debilitating illness, which is most commonly treated with antidepressant drugs. As the majority of patients do not respond on their first trial, there is great interest in identifying biological factors that indicate the most appropriate treatment for each patient. Studies suggest that microRNA represent excellent biomarkers to predict antidepressant response. We investigated the expression of miR-1202, miR-135a, and miR-16 in peripheral blood from 2 cohorts of depressed patients who received 8 weeks of antidepressant therapy. Expression was quantified at baseline and after treatment, and its relationship to treatment response and depressive symptoms was assessed. In both cohorts, responders displayed lower baseline miR-1202 levels compared with nonresponders, which increased following treatment. Ultimately, our results support the involvement of microRNA in antidepressant response and suggest that quantification of their levels in peripheral samples represents a valid approach to informing treatment decisions. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of CINP.

Methylation Status of miR-182 Promoter in Lung Cancer Cell Lines

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Yongwen LI

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Background and objective It has been proven that the abnormal expression of miR-182 was related to the occurrence and development of tumors. The aim of this study is to explore the relationship between the methylation of miR-182 promoter and its expression in lung cancer cell lines. Methods Real-time quantitative PCR and methylation-specific PCR were used to detect the expression level of miR-182 and its promoter methylation status in five lung cancer cell lines (A549, L9981, NL9980, 95C and 95D. DNA sequencing was used to confirm the methylation results. Results The level of miR-182 expression significantly differs among these lung cancer cell lines. The highly metastatic human lung cancer cell lines, namely, A549 and L9981, demonstrate a relatively lower expression level of miR-182 compared with the lowly metastatic human lung cancer cell line 95C. Methylation-specific PCR and DNA sequencing assay results indicate that these lung cancer cell lines present different levels of miR-182 promoter methylation, and the highest methylation level is observed in A549 cells. Furthermore, the expression of miR-182 in these cell lines significantly increases when treated with 10 μM 5’-Aza-dC. Conclusion DNA methylation occurs in the miR-182 promoter region in lung cancer cell lines. This methylation can regulate the expression level of miR-182. Further study must be conducted to explore the function of miR-182 promoter methylation in lung cancer occurrence and development.

Counseling in Turkey: An Evolving Field

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Stockton, Rex; Guneri, Oya Yerin

2011-01-01

This article provides a brief history of counseling and addresses the current issues and future trends of counseling in Turkey. Special emphasis is placed on the factors that impede the development of school counseling as a discipline.

miR-486-3p, miR-139-5p, and miR-21 as Biomarkers for the Detection of Oral Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinoma

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Zujian Chen

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC is a complex disease with extensive genetic and epigenetic defects, including microRNA deregulation. The aims of the present study were to test the feasibility of performing the microRNA profiling analysis on archived TSCC specimens and to assess the potential diagnostic utility of the identified microRNA biomarkers for the detection of TSCC. TaqMan array-based microRNA profiling analysis was performed on 10 archived TSCC samples and their matching normal tissues. A panel of 12 differentially expressed microRNAs was identified. Eight of these differentially expressed microRNAs were validated in an independent sample set. A random forest (RF classification model was built with miR-486-3p, miR-139-5p, and miR-21, and it was able to detect TSCC with a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 86.7% (overall error rate = 6.7%. As such, this study demonstrated the utility of the archived clinical specimens for microRNA biomarker discovery. The feasibility of using microRNA biomarkers (miR-486-3p, miR-139-5p, and miR-21 for the detection of TSCC was confirmed.

miRNA oligonucleotide and sponge for miRNA-21 inhibition mediated by PEI-PLL in breast cancer therapy.

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Gao, Shiqian; Tian, Huayu; Guo, Ye; Li, Yuce; Guo, Zhaopei; Zhu, Xiaojuan; Chen, Xuesi

2015-10-01

MicroRNA-21 (miR-21) inhibition is a promising biological strategy for breast cancer therapy. However its application is limited by the lack of efficient miRNA inhibitor delivery systems. As a cationic polymer transfection material for nucleic acids, the poly (l-lysine)-modified polyethylenimine (PEI-PLL) copolymer combines the high transfection efficiency of polyethylenimine (PEI) and the good biodegradability of polyllysine (PLL). In this work, PEI-PLL was successfully synthesized and confirmed to transfect plasmid and oligonucleotide more effectively than PEI in MCF-7 cells (human breast cancer cells). In this regard, two kinds of miR-21 inhibitors, miR-21 sponge plasmid DNA (Sponge) and anti-miR-21 oligonucleotide (AMO), were transported into MCF-7 cells by PEI-PLL respectively. The miR-21 expression and the cellular physiology were determined post transfection. Compared with the negative control, PEI-PLL/Sponge or PEI-PLL/AMO groups exhibited lower miR-21 expression and cell viability. The anti-tumor mechanism of PEI-PLL/miR-21 inhibitors was further studied by cell cycle and western blot analyses. The results indicated that the miR-21 inhibition could induce the cell cycle arrest in G1 phase, upregulate the expression of Programmed Cell Death Protein 4 (PDCD4) and thus active the caspase-3 apoptosis pathway. Interestingly, the PEI-PLL/Sponge and PEI-PLL/AMO also sensitized the MCF-7 cells to anti-tumor drugs, doxorubicin (DOX) and cisplatin (CDDP). These results demonstrated that PEI-PLL/Sponge and PEI-PLL/AMO complexes would be two novel and promising gene delivery systems for breast cancer gene therapy based on miR-21 inhibition. This work was a combination of the high transfection efficiency of polyethylenimine (PEI), the good biodegradability of polyllysine (PLL) and the breast cancer-killing effect of miR-21 inhibitors. The poly (l-lysine)-modified polyethylenimine (PEI-PLL) copolymer was employed as the vector of miR-21 sponge plasmid DNA (Sponge) or

MiR-200a is involved in rat epididymal development by targeting β-catenin mRNA

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Xiaojiang Wu; Botao Zhao; Wei Li; Yue Chen; Ruqiang Liang; Lin Li; Youxin Jin; Kangcheng Ruan

2012-01-01

The expression of 350 microRNAs (miRNAs) in epididymis of rat from postnatal development to adult (from postnatal days 7-70) was profiled with home-made miRNA microarray.Among them,48 miRNAs changed significantly, in which the expression of miR-200a increased obviously with time,in a good agreement with that obtained from northern blot analysis.The real-time quantitative-polymerase chain reaction result indicated that temporal expression of rat β-catenin was exactly inversed to that of miR-200a during rat epididymal development,implying that miR-200a might also target β-catenin mRNA in rat epididymis as reported by Saydam et al.in humans.The bioinformatic analysis indicated that 3' untranslated region of rat β-catenin mRNA did contain a putative binding site for miR-200a.Meanwhile,it was found that the sequence of this binding site was different from that of human β-catenin mRNA with a deletion of two adjacent nucleotides (U and C).But the results of luciferase targeting assay in HEK 293T cells and the overexpression of miR-200a in rat NRK cells demonstrated that miR-200a did target rat β-catenin mRNA and cause the suppression of its expression.All these results show that miR-200a should be involved in rat epididymal development by targeting β-catenin mRNA of rat and suppressing its expression.

Genome-wide miRNA screening reveals miR-310 family members negatively regulate the immune response in Drosophila melanogaster via co-targeting Drosomycin.

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