Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Reading acquisition”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 739 records · Page 41Linked to original sources
PubMed2006

Laterality and language experience.

A meta-analysis was conducted on studies that examined hemispheric functional asymmetry for language in brain-intact monolingual and bilingual adults. Data from 23 laterality studies that directly compared bilingual and monolingual speakers on the same language were analysed (n = 1234). Variables examined were language experience (monolingual, bilingual), experimental paradigm (dichotic listening, visual hemifield presentation, and dual task) and, among bilinguals, the influence of second language proficiency (proficient vs nonproficient) and onset of bilingualism (early, or before age 6; and late, or after age 6). Overall, monolinguals and late bilinguals showed reliable left hemisphere dominance, while early bilinguals showed reliable bilateral hemispheric involvement. Within bilinguals, there was no reliable effect of language proficiency when age of L2 acquisition was controlled. The findings indicate that early learning of one vs. two languages predicts divergent patterns of cerebral language lateralisation in adulthood.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

What the processing of real words and pseudohomophones can tell us about the development of orthographic knowledge in prelingually deafened individuals.

This study represents an attempt to determine the nature and efficiency of the strategies used by prelingually deafened individuals for the recognition of written words with reference to an orthographic self-teaching concept (D. L. Share, 1995). A research paradigm asking the participants to make categorical judgments for real words and pseudohomophones of the real words was used for gathering the data. Participants were prelingually deafened, native signers (n = 11, age = 14.18) and a hearing control group (n = 25, age = 15.00). In general, findings suggest that, although the participants with deafness were very impaired in their phonological decoding abilities, their efficiency in recognizing and categorizing written words was similar to that of their hearing counterparts. This suggests that they must have developed strategies for the acquisition of orthographic knowledge that do not rely on phonology.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Oral sex and transmission of non-viral STIs.

OBJECTIVES: To review the literature on the role of oral sex in the transmission of non-viral sexually transmitted infections (STIs). METHOD: A Medline search was performed using the keywords oro-genital sex, and those specific to each infection. Further references were then taken from each article read. CONCLUSIONS: Oral sex is a common sexual practice between both heterosexual and homosexual couples. Oro-genital sex is implicated as a route of transmission for gonorrhoea, syphilis, Chlamydia trachomatis, chancroid, and Neisseria meningitidis. Other respiratory organisms such as streptococci, Haemophilus influenzae, and Mycoplasma pneumoniae could also be transmitted by this route. Fellatio confers risk for acquisition of infection by the oral partner. Cunnilingus appears to predispose to recurrent vaginal candidiasis although the mechanism for this is unclear, while a link between oro-genital sex and bacterial vaginosis is currently being studied. Oro-anal sex is implicated in the transmission of various enteric infections. In view of the increased practice of oral sex this has become a more important potential route of transmission for oral, respiratory, and genital pathogens.

Chlamydia Infections↗
PubMed2001

Complete genomic sequence of Pasteurella multocida, Pm70.

We present here the complete genome sequence of a common avian clone of Pasteurella multocida, Pm70. The genome of Pm70 is a single circular chromosome 2,257,487 base pairs in length and contains 2,014 predicted coding regions, 6 ribosomal RNA operons, and 57 tRNAs. Genome-scale evolutionary analyses based on pairwise comparisons of 1,197 orthologous sequences between P. multocida, Haemophilus influenzae, and Escherichia coli suggest that P. multocida and H. influenzae diverged approximately 270 million years ago and the gamma subdivision of the proteobacteria radiated about 680 million years ago. Two previously undescribed open reading frames, accounting for approximately 1% of the genome, encode large proteins with homology to the virulence-associated filamentous hemagglutinin of Bordetella pertussis. Consistent with the critical role of iron in the survival of many microbial pathogens, in silico and whole-genome microarray analyses identified more than 50 Pm70 genes with a potential role in iron acquisition and metabolism. Overall, the complete genomic sequence and preliminary functional analyses provide a foundation for future research into the mechanisms of pathogenesis and host specificity of this important multispecies pathogen.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed2000

An experimental teleradiology transmission system using a high-speed ATM backbone network.

We evaluated the performance of an experimental teleradiology system based on a high-speed ATM backbone network. Image acquisition, transmission and the disk-to-display processing times were measured. Computerized tomography (CT) scans printed on 14 inch x 17 inch (36 cm x 43 cm) films were digitized and transferred over the network. The average time for the entire process was 1 min 30 s. Three radiologists interpreted 20 cases. For CT image interpretation, the reading time for one case ranged from 2 to 12 min (mean 6 min 46 s) on a monitor, and from 1 to 3 min (mean 1 min 31 s) with the original film. The ATM backbone network operating at 156 Mbit/s provided sufficient speed for remote consultation. However, further improvements in the operability of the system, especially the image viewing station, are necessary before it will be satisfactory for clinical use.

Computer Systems↗
PubMed1993

Changes over time in the knowledge acquisition practices of internists.

Medical advances make continuing medical education (CME) necessary. Thirty practicing internists and 14 medical residents completed questionnaires and tests of critical appraisal knowledge designed to compare attitudes, behaviors, and skills for maintaining current knowledge. Eighteen internists were then given practical guidelines for "keeping up" with the literature, and this group and a control group were restudied 4 months later. Internists and residents perceived largely the same informational needs and performed similarly on tests of critical appraisal knowledge. Internists preferred reading journals and attending CME courses; residents relied on rounds and textbooks. Internists spent no more time reading than residents and reported only enough CME to maintain hospital privileges. The educational intervention had little effect on the internists who attended. Despite a conviction that journal reading is the "best way to keep up," internists may not increase the quantity or quality of time spent reading. CME courses should include instruction intended to promote individualized critical reading of pertinent medical literature.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

MANULEX: a grade-level lexical database from French elementary school readers.

This article presents MANULEX, a Web-accessible database that provides grade-level word frequency lists of nonlemmatized and lemmatized words (48,886 and 23,812 entries, respectively) computed from the 1.9 million words taken from 54 French elementary school readers. Word frequencies are provided for four levels: first grade (G1), second grade (G2), third to fifth grades (G3-5), and all grades (G1-5). The frequencies were computed following the methods described by Carroll, Davies, and Richman (1971) and Zeno, Ivenz, Millard, and Duvvuri (1995), with four statistics at each level (F, overall word frequency; D, index of dispersion across the selected readers; U, estimated frequency per million words; and SFI, standard frequency index). The database also provides the number of letters in the word and syntactic category information. MANULEX is intended to be a useful tool for studying language development through the selection of stimuli based on precise frequency norms. Researchers in artificial intelligence can also use it as a source of information on natural language processing to simulate written language acquisition in children. Finally, it may serve an educational purpose by providing basic vocabulary lists.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Family histories of children with SLI who show extended optional infinitives.

Previous family history studies have demonstrated that there are elevated rates of language and language-related impairments in families identified through probands with language impairments. This study examines family histories of children with specific language impairment (SLI) known to have particular grammatical limitations in a core feature of grammatical acquisition, a stage known as Extended Optional Infinitives (EOI). Family affectedness rates are reported for 31 families identified through preschool probands with this clearly defined language impairment and 67 control families, identified through nonaffected preschool children developmentally similar to the probands. It was found that significantly more speech and language difficulties, as well as language-related difficulties, such as reading, were reported for proband families than control families. The elevated rates were obtained for nuclear family members and extended family members as well. Fathers of probands were more often reported as having difficulties (29% for speech/language impairments) than were mothers of probands (7%), but there was no difference between brothers (26%) and sisters (29%). No differences were evident between proband families based on proband gender. The findings are relevant for theoretical models of sources of unexplained variations in grammatical competence in young children. In addition, the findings contribute new information about expected rates of affectedness, means of identification of affected family members, and comorbidity of symptomatology.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1996

Widespread use of the glu-tRNAGln transamidation pathway among bacteria. A member of the alpha purple bacteria lacks glutaminyl-trna synthetase.

The expression of the Rhizobium meliloti glutamyl-tRNA synthetase gene in Escherichia coli under the control of a trc promoter results in a toxic effect upon isopropyl-beta-D-thiogalactopyranoside induction, which is probably caused by a misacylation activity. To further investigate this unexpected result, we looked at the pathway of Gln-tRNAGln formation in R. meliloti. No glutaminyl-tRNA synthetase activity has been found in R. meliloti crude extract, but we detected a specific aminotransferase activity that changes Glu-tRNAGln to Gln-tRNAGln. Our results show that R. meliloti, a member of the alpha-subdivision of the purple bacteria, is the first Gram-negative bacteria reported to use a transamidation pathway for Gln-tRNAGln synthesis. A phylogenetic analysis of the contemporary glutamyl-tRNA synthetase and glutaminyl-tRNA synthetase amino acid sequences reveals that a close evolutionary relationship exists between R. meliloti and yeast mitochondrial glutamyl-tRNA synthetases, which is consistent with an origin of mitochondria in the alpha-subdivision of Gram-negative purple bacteria. A 256-amino acid open reading frame closely related to bacterial glutamyl-tRNA synthetases, which probably originates from a glutamyl-tRNA synthetase gene duplication, was found in the 4-min region of the E. coli chromosome. We suggest that this open reading frame is a relic of an ancient transamidation pathway that occurred in an E. coli ancestor before the horizontal transfer of a eukaryotic glutaminyl-tRNA synthetase (Lamour, V., Quevillon, S., Diriong, S., N'Guyen, V. C., Lipinski, M., and Mirande, M.(1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 91, 8670-8674) and that it favored its stable acquisition. From these observations, a revisited model for the evolution of the contemporary glutamyl-tRNA synthetases and glutaminyl-tRNA synthetases that differs from the generally accepted model for the evolution of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases is proposed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1999

Insertional mutagenesis and cloning of the genes required for biosynthesis of the host-specific AK-toxin in the Japanese pear pathotype of Alternaria alternata.

The Japanese pear pathotype of Alternaria alternata causes black spot of Japanese pear by producing a host-specific toxin known as AK-toxin. Restriction enzyme-mediated integration (REMI) mutagenesis was used to tag genes required for toxin biosynthesis. Protoplasts of a wild-type strain were treated with a linearized plasmid along with the restriction enzyme used to linearize the plasmid. Of 984 REMI transformants recovered, three produced no detectable AK-toxin and lost pathogenicity on pear leaves. Genomic DNA flanking the integrated plasmid was recovered from one of the mutants. With the recovered DNA used as a probe, a cosmid clone of the wild-type strain was isolated. Structural and functional analyses of an 8.0-kb region corresponding to the tagged site indicated the presence of two genes. One, designated AKT1, encodes a member of the class of carboxyl-activating enzymes. The other, AKT2, encodes a protein of unknown function. The essential roles of these two genes in both AK-toxin production and pathogenicity were confirmed by transformation-mediated gene disruption experiments. DNA gel blot analysis detected AKT1 and AKT2 homologues not only in the Japanese pear pathotype strains but also in strains from the tangerine and strawberry pathotypes. The host-specific toxins of these two pathotypes are similar in structure to AK-toxin. Homologues were not detected in other pathotypes or in non-pathogenic strains of A. alternata, suggesting acquisition of AKT1 and AKT2 by horizontal transfer.

Alternaria↗
PubMed1993

Repetitively negative changing T waves at 24-h electrocardiographic monitors in patients with the chronic fatigue syndrome. Left ventricular dysfunction in a cohort.

This study surveys the occurrence of repetitively negative to flat T waves, alternating with normal upright T waves in 24-h electrocardiographic recordings from a subspecialty infectious diseases outpatient practice during the years 1982 to 1990. Patients with normal resting electrocardiogram in the assayed leads, but with repetitively inverted to isoelectric abnormal T waves at Holter monitors, were considered to have abnormal readings. A total of 300 patients had undergone a 24-h Holter monitor. This group included 24 individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). This population was restricted to individuals 50 years old or younger, and the patients with CFS are compared with the patients without CFS. One of the more striking differences between the two groups was the difference in abnormal Holter readings. The patients with CFS all had abnormal Holter readings, while 22.4 percent patients without CFS had abnormal readings (p < 0.01). We further report the occurrence of mild left ventricular dysfunction in 8 of 60 patients in continuing studies of this population with CFS, younger than 50 years old, and with no risk factors for coronary artery disease. All 60 patients with CFS showed repetitively flat to inverted T waves alternating with normal T waves. Stress multiple gated acquisitions (MUGAs) (labeled erythrocytes with stannous pyrophosphate) were abnormal in eight patients with CFS. Although resting ejection fractions (EFs) were normal (mean, 60 percent), with increasing work loads (Kilopon meters [Kpms]), gross left ventricular dysfunction occurred. The fatigue of patients with CFS may be related to subtle cardiac dysfunction occurring at work loads common to ordinary living.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The role of integrons in dissemination of antibiotic resistance].

Bacteria can transfer genetic information to get protection against most antibiotics. The acquisition of resistance genes involves genetic mobile elements such as plasmids and transposons. Another genetic structures, named integrons, have been described and contain one or more gene cassettes located at a specific site. Integrons contain an intI gene encoding a site-specific recombinase belonging to the integrase family and a recombination site attI. A gene cassette includes an open reading frame and, at the 3'-end, a recombination site attC. Integration or excision of cassettes occurs by a site-specific recombination mechanism catalyzed by the integrase. However, insertion can rarely occur, at non-specific sites leading to a stable situation for the cassette. Cassettes are transcribed from a common promoter located in the 5'-conserved segment and expression of distal genes is reduced by the presence of upstream cassettes. Most gene cassettes encode antibiotic resistant determinants but antiseptic resistant genes have also been described. Integrons seem to have a major role in the spread of multidrug resistance in Gram-negative bacteria but integrons in Gram-positive bacteria have been recently described. Moreover, the finding of super-integrons with gene cassettes coding for other determinants (biochemical functions, virulence factors) in different Gram negative bacteria suggests that integrons are probably implied in bacterial genome evolution.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1997

Evaluating the terminology requirements to support multi-disciplinary diabetes care.

Diabetes mellitus is a multi-system disease requiring lifetime multi-disciplinary care, which has proven individual and economic benefits. The delivery of service involves co-operation and communication between patient, carer and health care professionals, and systematic auditing of processes and outcomes. Sustained improvement necessitates regular data acquisition, aggregation and analysis. The terminology requirements to support patient-centred records and identified datasets are examined, and differences in purpose and scope highlighted. The many stakeholders involved in diabetes care have their own sublanguages and terminology requirements which need harmonising around a common core. The problems and solutions of accommodating these needs are explored in relation to the Read Thesaurus.

Databases, Factual↗
PubMed2005

The complete sequence and analysis of the large virulence plasmid pSS of Shigella sonnei.

The complete sequence of pSS, which is the large virulence plasmid of Shigella sonnei, was determined. The 214-kb plasmid is composed of segments of virulence-associated genes, the O-antigen gene clusters, a range of replication and maintenance genes, and large numbers of insertion sequence (IS) elements. Two hundred and forty-one open reading frames (ORFs) were identified, of which 117 are highly homologous to IS elements or transposases, 57 are homologous to known pathogenesis-associated proteins, and 30 are related to replication, plasmid maintenance, or other metabolic functions. Thirty-seven ORFs have no similarity to proteins with a known function, including two with no significant similarity to any hypothetical proteins. Interestingly, 10 ORFs encoding O-antigen gene clusters were identified on the plasmid and this is markedly different from most other Shigella spp. virulent plasmids. A novel toxin-antitoxin system, a series of stbDE homologs, was found on the plasmid immediately downstream of the replication region; the sole segregation stability system may be responsible for the instability of pSS. The pSS plasmid is a mixture of genes with different origins and functions. The sequence suggests a remarkable history of IS-mediated recombination and acquisition of DNA across a range of bacterial species.

Bacterial Proteins↗
PubMed2000

Corynebacterium diphtheriae genes required for acquisition of iron from haemin and haemoglobin are homologous to ABC haemin transporters.

Corynebacterium diphtheriae and Corynebacterium ulcerans use haemin and haemoglobin as essential sources of iron during growth in iron-depleted medium. C. diphtheriae and C. ulcerans mutants defective in haemin iron utilization were isolated and characterized. Four clones from a C. diphtheriae genomic library complemented several of the Corynebacteria haemin utilization mutants. The complementing plasmids shared an approximately 3 kb region, and the nucleotide sequence of one of the plasmids revealed five open reading frames that appeared to be organized in a single operon. The first three genes, which we have termed hmuT, hmuU and hmuV, shared striking homology with genes that are known to be required for haemin transport in Gram-negative bacteria and are proposed to be part of an ABC (ATP-binding cassette) transport system. The hmuT gene encodes a 37 kDa lipoprotein that is associated with the cytoplasmic membrane when expressed in Escherichi coli and C. diphtheriae. HmuT binds in vitro to haemin- and haemoglobin-agarose, suggesting that it is capable of binding both haemin and haemoglobin and may function as the haemin receptor in C. diphtheriae. This study reports the first genetic characterization of a transport system that is involved in the utilization of haemin and haemoglobin as iron sources by a Gram-positive bacterium.

ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters↗
PubMed2001

Structure of the human zinc finger protein HIVEP3: molecular cloning, expression, exon-intron structure, and comparison with paralogous genes HIVEP1 and HIVEP2.

Here we report the cloning and characterization of HIVEP3, the newest member in the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 enhancer-binding protein family that encodes large zinc finger proteins and regulates transcription via the kappaB enhancer motif. The largest open reading frame of HIVEP3 contains 2406 aa. and is approximately 80% identical to the mouse counterpart. The HIVEP3 gene is located in the chromosomal region 1p34 and is at least 300 kb with 10 exons. RNA studies show that multiple HIVEP3 transcripts are differentially expressed and regulated. Additionally, transcription termination occurs in the ultimate exon, exon 10, or in exon 6. Therefore, HIVEP3 may produce protein isoforms that contain or exclude the carboxyl DNA binding domain and the leucine zipper by alternative RNA splicing and differential polyadenylation. Sequence homologous to HIVEP3 exon 6 is not found in mouse nor are the paralogous genes HIVEP1 and HIVEP2. Zoo-blot analysis suggests that sequences homologous to the human exon 6 are present only in primates and cow. Therefore, a foreign DNA harboring a termination exon likely was inserted into the HIVEP3 locus relatively recently in evolution, resulting in the acquisition of novel gene regulatory mechanisms as well as the generation of structural and functional diversity.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2006

Genetic and biochemical characterization of FUS-1 (OXA-85), a narrow-spectrum class D beta-lactamase from Fusobacterium nucleatum subsp. polymorphum.

Previous studies have reported beta-lactamase-mediated penicillin resistance in Fusobacterium nucleatum, but no beta-lactamase gene has yet been identified in this species. An F. nucleatum subsp. polymorphum strain resistant to penicillin and amoxicillin was isolated from a human periodontitis sample. DNA cloning and sequencing revealed a 765-bp open reading frame encoding a new class D beta-lactamase named FUS-1 (OXA-85). A recombinant Escherichia coli strain carrying the bla(FUS-1) gene exhibited resistance to amoxicillin with a moderate decrease in the MICs with clavulanic acid. The bla(FUS-1) gene was found in two additional clonally unrelated F. nucleatum subsp. polymorphum isolates. It was located on the chromosome in a peculiar genetic environment where a gene encoding a putative transposase-like protein is found, suggesting a possible acquisition of this class D beta-lactamase gene. The FUS-1 enzyme showed the closest ancestral relationship with OXA-63 from Brachyspira pilosicoli (53% identity) and with putative chromosomal beta-lactamases of Campylobacter spp. (40 to 42% identity). FUS-1 presents all of the conserved structural motifs of class D beta-lactamases. Kinetic analysis revealed that FUS-1 exhibits a narrow substrate profile, efficiently hydrolyzing benzylpenicillin and oxacillin. FUS-1 was poorly inactivated by clavulanate and NaCl. FUS-1 is the first example of a class D beta-lactamase produced by a gram-negative, anaerobic, rod-shaped bacterium to be characterized.

Amino Acid Sequence↗