Southern Illinois University Carbondale

About: Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a education organization based out in Carbondale, Illinois, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 13570 authors who have published 24819 publications receiving 667385 citations. The organization is also known as: SIU Carbondale & SIUC.

Rural elementary students', parents', and teachers' perceptions of bullying.

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To examine the prevalence and correlates of bullying in 7 rural elementary schools from students', parents', and teachers' perspectives. METHOD: Surveys were completed by 739 fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students, 367 parents, and 37 teachers. RESULTS: Students tended to report higher prevalence of bullying than did parents or teachers, and their reports were associated with aggression, attitudes toward violence, and perceptions of school safety. CONCLUSION: Bullying behavior is prevalent in rural elementary schools and is indicative of aggression and proviolence attitudes. Parents and teachers need to pay closer attention to bullying behavior among schoolchildren and to impart their knowledge to children in a comprehensive, coordinated manner. Language: en

Targeting DNA-PKcs and ATM with miR-101 sensitizes tumors to radiation.

Abstract: Background Radiotherapy kills tumor-cells by inducing DNA double strand breaks (DSBs). However, the efficient repair of tumors frequently prevents successful treatment. Therefore, identifying new practical sensitizers is an essential step towards successful radiotherapy. In this study, we tested the new hypothesis: identifying the miRNAs to target DNA DSB repair genes could be a new way for sensitizing tumors to ionizing radiation. Principal Findings Here, we chose two genes: DNA-PKcs (an essential factor for non-homologous end-joining repair) and ATM (an important checkpoint regulator for promoting homologous recombination repair) as the targets to search their regulating miRNAs. By combining the database search and the bench work, we picked out miR-101. We identified that miR-101 could efficiently target DNA-PKcs and ATM via binding to the 3′- UTR of DNA-PKcs or ATM mRNA. Up-regulating miR-101 efficiently reduced the protein levels of DNA-PKcs and ATM in these tumor cells and most importantly, sensitized the tumor cells to radiation in vitro and in vivo. Conclusions These data demonstrate for the first time that miRNAs could be used to target DNA repair genes and thus sensitize tumors to radiation. These results provide a new way for improving tumor radiotherapy.

Molecular cloning of the potato Gro1-4 gene conferring resistance to pathotype Ro1 of the root cyst nematode Globodera rostochiensis, based on a candidate gene approach

Abstract: The endoparasitic root cyst nematode Globodera rostochiensis causes considerable damage in potato cultivation. In the past, major genes for nematode resistance have been introgressed from related potato species into cultivars. Elucidating the molecular basis of resistance will contribute to the understanding of nematode-plant interactions and assist in breeding nematode-resistant cultivars. The Gro1 resistance locus to G. rostochiensis on potato chromosome VII co-localized with a resistance-gene-like (RGL) DNA marker. This marker was used to isolate from genomic libraries 15 members of a closely related candidate gene family. Analysis of inheritance, linkage mapping, and sequencing reduced the number of candidate genes to three. Complementation analysis by stable potato transformation showed that the gene Gro1-4 conferred resistance to G. rostochiensis pathotype Ro1. Gro1-4 encodes a protein of 1136 amino acids that contains Toll-interleukin 1 receptor (TIR), nucleotide-binding (NB), leucine-rich repeat (LRR) homology domains and a C-terminal domain with unknown function. The deduced Gro1-4 protein differed by 29 amino acid changes from susceptible members of the Gro1 gene family. Sequence characterization of 13 members of the Gro1 gene family revealed putative regulatory elements and a variable microsatellite in the promoter region, insertion of a retrotransposon-like element in the first intron, and a stop codon in the NB coding region of some genes. Sequence analysis of RT-PCR products showed that Gro1-4 is expressed, among other members of the family including putative pseudogenes, in non-infected roots of nematode-resistant plants. RT-PCR also demonstrated that members of the Gro1 gene family are expressed in most potato tissues.

Challenges in regulating pesticide mixtures

Abstract: This paper introduces the field of mixture toxicity and the challenges in regulating pesticide mixtures. Even though pesticides are unique chemical stressors designed to have biological activity that can affect a number of nontarget species, they are intentionally placed into the environment in large quantities. Currently, methods and terminology for evaluating mixture toxicity are poorly established. The most common approach used is the assumption of additive concentration, with the concentrations adjusted for potency to a reference toxicant. Using this approach, the joint action of pesticides that have similar chemical structures and modes of toxic action can be predicted. However, this approach and other modeling techniques often provide little insight into the observed toxicity produced by mixtures of pesticides from different classes. Particularly difficult to model are mixtures that involve a secondary toxicant that changes the toxicokinetics of a primary toxicant. This may result in increased activation or a change in the persistence of the primary toxicant within the organism and may be responsible for a several-fold increase or decrease in toxicity. At present, the ecological effects caused by mixtures of pesticides are given little consideration in the regulatory process. However, mixtures are being considered in relation to human health in the pesticide registration process, setting a precedent that could be followed for ecological protection. Additionally, pesticide mixtures may be regulated through toxicity testing of surface water under the Clean Water Act. The limits of our basic knowledge of how mixtures interact are compromising both these avenues for regulating mixtures. We face many challenges to adequately protecting the environment from mixture toxicity; these challenges include understanding the interactions of toxicants within an organism, identifying the mixtures that most commonly occur and cause adverse effects, and developing a regulatory structure capable of minimizing environmental impacts.