[Rat bite fever in children].

Background: Worldwide, disease in children due to exposure to rats is increasing, also in the Netherlands. Not only the generally known pathogen Leptospira should be considered, also , , Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, Hantavirus, and are also known rat-associated zoonosis.

Case Description: An 12-year-old boy visited the pediatrician with fever, headache and nausea, followed by generalized erythema and arthritis.

[Acute abdominal pain in children caused by pneumonia].

Three children presented with symptoms of an acute abdomen. In all three a diagnosis of pneumonia was subsequently established, and the patients made a full recovery following antibiotic therapy. When a paediatric patient presents with symptoms of an acute abdomen, the possibility of pneumonia should be considered.

MicroRNA-31 controls G protein alpha-13 (GNA13) expression and cell invasion in breast cancer cells.

Background: Gα13 (GNA13) is the α subunit of a heterotrimeric G protein that mediates signaling through specific G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Our recent study showed that control of GNA13 expression by specific microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) is important for prostate cancer cell invasion. However, little is known about the control of GNA13 expression in breast cancers.

Allele frequencies of variants in ultra conserved elements identify selective pressure on transcription factor binding.

Ultra-conserved genes or elements (UCGs/UCEs) in the human genome are extreme examples of conservation. We characterized natural variations in 2884 UCEs and UCGs in two distinct populations; Singaporean Chinese (n = 280) and Italian (n = 501) by using a pooled sample, targeted capture, sequencing approach. We identify, with high confidence, in these regions the abundance of rare SNVs (MAF<0.

Opposing activities of the Ras and Hippo pathways converge on regulation of YAP protein turnover.

Cancer genomes accumulate numerous genetic and epigenetic modifications. Yet, human cellular transformation can be accomplished by a few genetically defined elements. These elements activate key pathways required to support replicative immortality and anchorage independent growth, a predictor of tumorigenesis in vivo.