Association of SNPs in LCP1 and CTIF with hearing in 11 year old children:findings from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) birth cohort and the G-EAR consortium

BACKGROUND: The genetic basis of hearing loss in humans is relatively poorly understood. In recent years, experimental approaches including laboratory studies of early onset hearing loss in inbred mouse strains, or proteomic analyses of hair cells or hair bundles, have suggested new candidate molecules involved in hearing function. However, the relevance of these genes/gene products to hearing function in humans remains unknown. We investigated whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the human orthologues of genes of interest arising from the above-mentioned studies correlate with hearing function in children. METHODS: 577 SNPs from 13 genes were each analysed by linear regression against averaged high (3, 4 and 8 kHz) or low frequency (0.5, 1 and 2 kHz) audiometry data from 4970 children in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) birth-cohort at age eleven years. Genes found to contain SNPs with low p-values were then investigated in 3417 adults in the G-EAR study of hearing. RESULTS: Genotypic data were available in ALSPAC for a total of 577 SNPs from 13 genes of interest. Two SNPs approached sample-wide significance (pre-specified at p = 0.00014): rs12959910 in CBP80/20-dependent translation initiation factor (CTIF) for averaged high frequency hearing (p = 0.00079, β = 0.61 dB per minor allele); and rs10492452 in L-plastin (LCP1) for averaged low frequency hearing (p = 0.00056, β = 0.45 dB). For low frequencies, rs9567638 in LCP1 also enhanced hearing in females (p = 0.0011, β = -1.76 dB; males p = 0.23, β = 0.61 dB, likelihood-ratio test p = 0.006). SNPs in LCP1 and CTIF were then examined against low and high frequency hearing data for adults in G-EAR. Although the ALSPAC results were not replicated, a SNP in LCP1, rs17601960, is in strong LD with rs9967638, and was associated with enhanced low frequency hearing in adult females in G-EAR (p = 0.00084). CONCLUSIONS: There was evidence to suggest that multiple SNPs in CTIF may contribute a small detrimental effect to hearing, and that a sex-specific locus in LCP1 is protective of hearing. No individual SNPs reached sample-wide significance in both ALSPAC and G-EAR. This is the first report of a possible association between LCP1 and hearing function.

Posture and body mechanics, by Loraine Frost, 1940.

This bulletin is a guide to the teaching of general fundamentals of posture and good use of the body in movement, primarily for young girls as and boys.

Posture and body mechanics, 1952.

This bulletin is a guide to the teaching of general fundamentals of posture and good use of the body in movement, primarily for young girls as and boys. This is the third printing of this bulletin.

The impact of recent educational reforms on minority and low achieving students and on minority and all high achieving students

One of the criticisms of the recent educational reforms sweeping the nation is that low achieving and minority students will not be helped by the reforms. The reforms, some contend, will be harmful to low achieving and minority students because the higher standards and testing programs, which are typically included in the reforms, may actually create new barriers blocking at-risk student progress. This investigation studied this contention in South Carolina, which has been rich in educational reforms. Early evidence from this state indicates that the achievement of Black students and low achieving students of all races was not blocked by the reforms in South Carolina. In fact, low achieving students, Black and all students, made substantial progress in South Carolina since a combination of educational reforms have been in process.

The red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii in Europe: Impacts on aquatic ecosystems and human well-being

Procambarus clarkii is currently recorded from 16 European territories. On top of being a vector of crayfish plague, which is responsible for large-scale disappearance of native crayfish species, it causes severe impacts on diverse aquatic ecosystems, due to its rapid life cycle, dispersal capacities, burrowing activities and high population densities. The species has even been recently discovered in caves. This invasive crayfish is a polytrophic keystone species that can exert multiple pressures on ecosystems. Most studies deal with the decline of macrophytes and predation on several species (amphibians, molluscs, and macroinvertebrates), highlighting how this biodiversity loss leads to unbalanced food chains. At a management level, the species is considered as (a) a devastating digger of the water drainage systems in southern and central Europe, (b) an agricultural pest in Mediterranean territories, consuming, for example, young rice plants, and (c) a threat to the restoration of water bodies in north-western Europe. Indeed, among the high-risk species, P. clarkii consistently attained the highest risk rating. Its negative impacts on ecosystem services were evaluated. These may include the loss of provisioning services such as reductions in valued edible native species of regulatory and supporting services, inducing wide changes in ecological communities and increased costs to agriculture and water management. Finally, cultural services may be lost. The species fulfils the criteria of the Article 4(3) of Regulation (EU) No 1143/2014 of the European Parliament (species widely spread in Europe and impossible to eradicate in a cost-effective manner) and has been included in the “Union List”. Particularly, awareness of the ornamental trade through the internet must be reinforced within the European Community and import and trade regulations should be imposed to reduce the availability of this high-risk species.

Inertial and magnetic sensors for upper limb kinematics: modeling, calibration, sensor fusion and clinical applications

The primary aim of the research activity presented in this PhD thesis was the development of an innovative hardware and software solution for creating a unique tool for kinematics and electromyographic analysis of the human body in an ecological setting. For this purpose, innovative algorithms have been proposed regarding different aspects of inertial and magnetic data elaboration: magnetometer calibration and magnetic field mapping (Chapter 2), data calibration (Chapter 3) and sensor-fusion algorithm. Topics that may conflict with the confidentiality agreement between University of Bologna and NCS Lab will not be covered in this thesis. After developing and testing the wireless platform, research activities were focused on its clinical validation. The first clinical study aimed to evaluate the intra and interobserver reproducibility in order to evaluate three-dimensional humero-scapulo-thoracic kinematics in an outpatient setting (Chapter 4). A second study aimed to evaluate the effect of Latissimus Dorsi Tendon Transfer on shoulder kinematics and Latissimus Dorsi activation in humerus intra - extra rotations (Chapter 5). Results from both clinical studies have demonstrated the ability of the developed platform to enter into daily clinical practice, providing useful information for patients' rehabilitation.