Systematic protein-DNA binding studies have shown that plant basic leucine zipper (bZIP) proteins exhibit a differential binding specificity for ACGT motifs. Here, we show that the rice transcription activator-1 (RITA-1) displays a broad binding specificity for palindromic ACGT elements, being able to bind A-, C-, and G-box but not T-box elements. By using gel mobility shift assays with probes ...

PURPOSE Restoration of the p53 function in tumors is a promising therapeutic strategy due to the high potential of p53 as tumor suppressor and the fact that established tumors depend on p53 inactivation for their survival. Here, we addressed the question whether small molecule RITA can reactivate p53 in neuroblastoma and suppress the growth of neuroblastoma cells in vitro and in vivo. EXPERIM...

TP53 is the most commonly mutated gene in head and neck cancer (HNSCC), with mutations being associated with resistance to conventional therapy. Restoring normal p53 function has previously been investigated via the use of RITA (reactivation of p53 and induction of tumor cell apoptosis), a small molecule that induces a conformational change in p53, leading to activation of its downstream target...

OBJECTIVE To develop a clinically valid interactive level 2 screening assessment for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in toddlers that is brief, easily administered, and scored by clinicians. STUDY DESIGN We describe the development, training, standardization, and validation of the Rapid Interactive Screening Test for Autism in Toddlers (RITA-T) with ASD-specific diagnostic instruments. The RI...

This workshop will present the importance of creative work in the clinical practice of the clinician or bioethicist. First I will present some of the narratological theories of close reading and aesthetic theories of creative writing. We will join in close reading of one or two clinical texts and literary texts, creative writing in the context of those texts, and then reading to one another wha...

Current therapy of medulloblastoma, the most common malignant brain tumor of childhood, achieves 40-70% survival. Secondary chemotherapy resistance contributes to treatment failure, where TP53 pathway dysfunction plays a key role. MDM2 interaction with TP53 leads to its degradation. Reactivating TP53 functionality using small-molecule inhibitors, such as RITA, to disrupt TP53-MDM2 binding may h...

The low frequency of p53 alterations e.g., mutations/deletions (∼10%) in multiple myeloma (MM) makes this tumor type an ideal candidate for p53-targeted therapies. RITA is a small molecule which can induce apoptosis in tumor cells by activating the p53 pathway. We previously showed that RITA strongly activates p53 while selectively inhibiting growth of MM cells without inducing genotoxicity, in...

As an introduction to the special issue of Multisensory Research on Sensory Substitution (SS) we would like to give an overview of the limits and promises of this growing field of research. It seems that a large part of the scientific community considers that sensory substitution does not work. Yet many research groups claim that it does, and are making advances and obtaining interesting result...

Editorial – Fertility intentions and actual fertility: A complex relationship • Fertility intentions: a hesitant majority... p. 1 • ...which accounts for 45% of births p. 2 • Intentions, a factor among many others p. 2 • No differences between cohabiting and married couples p. 3 • The highly educated anticipate better p. 4 Box 1 – The survey on fertility intentions p.2 • Box 2 – The questions a...