Barriers to Full Participation in the Individualized Education Program for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Parents

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (2004) mandates that schools facilitate parent participation in planning the Individual Education Program (IEP). However, culturally and linguistically diverse parents are less likely to feel fully included in the IEP process. In this article we examine three sources of cross-cultural communication difficulties: verbal and non-verbal communication styles, bureaucratic procedures, and cultural assumptions about disability and intervention. We conclude by suggesting schools use an empathetic approach to improve communication in the IEP process

Roles of binding elements, FOXL2 domains, and interactions with cJUN and SMADs in regulation of FSHβ.

We previously identified FOXL2 as a critical component in FSHβ gene transcription. Here, we show that mice deficient in FOXL2 have lower levels of gonadotropin gene expression and fewer LH- and FSH-containing cells, but the same level of other pituitary hormones compared to wild-type littermates, highlighting a role of FOXL2 in the pituitary gonadotrope. Further, we investigate the function of FOXL2 in the gonadotrope cell and determine which domains of the FOXL2 protein are necessary for induction of FSHβ transcription. There is a stronger induction of FSHβ reporter transcription by truncated FOXL2 proteins, but no induction with the mutant lacking the forkhead domain. Specifically, FOXL2 plays a role in activin induction of FSHβ, functioning in concert with activin-induced SMAD proteins. Activin acts through multiple promoter elements to induce FSHβ expression, some of which bind FOXL2. Each of these FOXL2-binding sites is either juxtaposed or overlapping with a SMAD-binding element. We determined that FOXL2 and SMAD4 proteins form a higher order complex on the most proximal FOXL2 site. Surprisingly, two other sites important for activin induction bind neither SMADs nor FOXL2, suggesting additional factors at work. Furthermore, we show that FOXL2 plays a role in synergistic induction of FSHβ by GnRH and activin through interactions with the cJUN component of the AP1 complex that is necessary for GnRH responsiveness. Collectively, our results demonstrate the necessity of FOXL2 for proper FSH production in mice and implicate FOXL2 in integration of transcription factors at the level of the FSHβ promoter

Antioxidant Activities of Curry Leaves (Murayya Koeniigi) and Salam Leaves (Eugenia Polyantha)

This study aimed to extract the active antioxidant compounds from curry leaves (Murayya koeniigi) and salam leaves (Eugenia polyantha) using three types of solvent; water, ethanol (50%) and hexane, and determine the total polyphenols contents, activity of free radicals scavenging using DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) and ferric reducing power of the extract of those materials. The result showed that curry leaves extracted using water contain a higher amount of polyphenols than other solvent extracts, while for the salam leaves, ethanol (50%) extracts give a higher polyphenol content than others. Total polyphenols extracts had a positive correlation with antioxidant activity in both DPPH radical scavenging and ferric reducing power. Extracts that contain a high amount of polyphenols also exhibit high antioxidant activity. The result indicated that the polarity level of the solvent will determine extraction result and its antioxidant activit

Niveles de glucosa y triglicéridos en plasma seminal y motilidad espermática en COBAYOS alimentadas con 10% más en energÍa digestible

The objective the study was to determine the levels of glucose and triglycerides in seminal plasma of 10 guinea pigs, which were fed for a period of 2 months with a diet containing 10% more ED. The level of glucose found in seminal plasma was 11.59 ± 0.5 mg/dL and triglyceride value was 55.95 ± 3.2 mg/dL, while the motility was 97% on average. We conclude that in guinea pigs the levels both glucose and triglycerides were increased by major level of ED in feed, but the spermatic motility was not.El objetivo del presente estudio fue determinar los niveles de los componentes energéticos (glucosa y triglicéridos) en el plasma seminal y la motilidad espermática de 10 cobayos, los cuales fueron alimentados por un período de 2 meses con una dieta 10% mayor en energía digestible (ED). El nivel de glucosa encontrado en plasma seminal fue de 11.59 ± 0.5 mg/dL y el valor de triglicéridos fue de 55.95 ± 3.2 mg/dL, mientras que la motilidad promedio fue de 95%. Concluimos que en cobayos los niveles de glucosa y triglicéridos se incrementan al aumentar el nivel de ED en dieta sin producir alteraciones en la motilidad espermática

Correlaciones entre la infección por microquistes de S. lamacanis y CK-MB, Ast y LDH alpacas

El presente estudio tuvo objetivo determinar la correlación entre el número de microquistes de S. lamacanis en miocardio (N°Mq) y los niveles en sangre de las enzimas CK-MB, AST y LDH en alpacas, a fin de usarlos como predictores de salud o grado de infección por sarcocystiosis. Se utilizaron 41 alpacas de 3-5 años de edad del matadero Municipal Ninacaca, Pasco-Perú, las muestras de sangre se colectaron ante-mortem y las de miocardio post-mortem. El 100 % de los animales presentaron microquistes de S. Lamacanis, y los coeficientes de correlación entre el N°Mq y CK-MB fue de 0.17, AST 0.04 y para LDH 0.06. Se concluye que la correlación es muy baja o casi nula, por lo que las enzimas evaluadas no tendrían mayor importancia para determinar daño cardiaco por infección de microquistes de S. Lamacanis en alpacas

Cambios en los parámetros fisiológicos por diarrea neonatal en crías de alpaca

Alpacas in the pre-weaning stage often present neonatal diarrhoea, usually of infectious type, causing high mortality. This study determined the physiological parameters and their changes in animals with diarrhoea. In total, 79 neonate alpacas less than 60 days of age from Pasco and Junín regions, Peru, were used. Of them, 60 had clinical diarrhoea lasting 1 to 3 days, and 19 were healthy (controls). Heart and respiratory rate, peripheral capillary oxygen saturation, body temperature, capillary refill time, and mucous color were determined. A significant increase in heart rate in crias with diarrhea compared to healthy ones was found (p<0.05). Besides, no differences in other physiological parameters between diseased and apparently healthy offspring was found.Las crías de alpaca en la etapa pre-destete cursan con frecuencia con cuadros diarreicos, por lo general de tipo infeccioso, causantes de alta mortalidad. El presente estudio determinó los parámetros fisiológicos y sus cambios en animales con diarrea. Se utilizaron 79 alpacas neonatas menores de 60 días de edad de las zonas de Pasco y Junín, Perú. De ellas, 60 cursaban con cuadros de diarrea entre 1 a 3 días y 19 estaban sanas (controles). Se determinó la frecuencia cardiaca y respiratoria, saturación de la sangre por la presión parcial de oxígeno, temperatura corporal, tiempo de llenado capilar y coloración de las mucosas. Se encontró un aumento significativo de la frecuencia cardiaca (p<0.05) en crías con diarrea en comparación a las sanas, no habiendo diferencias en los demás parámetros fisiológicos entre crías enfermas y aparentemente sanas

Use of National Standards to Monitor HIV Care and Treatment in a High Prevalence City-Washington, DC.

We sought to benchmark the quality of HIV care being received by persons living with HIV in care in Washington, DC and identify individual-level and structural-level differences. Data from the DC Cohort, an observational HIV cohort of persons receiving outpatient care in DC, were used to estimate the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) quality of care measures. Differences in care by demographics and clinic type were assessed using χ2 tests and multivariable regression models. Among 8,047 participants, by HHS standards, 69% of participants were retained in care (RIC), 95% were prescribed antiretroviral therapy (ART), and 84% were virally suppressed (VS). By IOM standards, 84% were in continuous care; and 78% and 80% underwent regular CD4 and VL monitoring, respectively. Screening for syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea was 51%, 31%, and 26%, respectively. Older participants were 1.5 times more likely to be RIC compared to younger participants (OR: 1.5; 95% CI: 1.3, 1.8). Participants enrolled in community-based clinics were more likely to be RIC (OR: 1.7; 95% CI: 1.4, 2.0) versus those enrolled at hospital-based clinics. Older participants were more likely to achieve VS than younger participants (OR: 1.8; 95% CI: 1.5, 2.2) while Black participants were less likely compared to white participants (OR: 0.4; 95% CI: 0.3, 0.5). Despite high measures of quality of care, disparities remain. Continued monitoring of the quality of HIV care and treatment can inform the development of public health programs and interventions to optimize care delivery

KAJIAN PENGARUH PERLAKUAN PULP DAN LAMA PENYEDUHAN TERHADAP MUTU KIMIA TEH CASCARA

Telah dilakukan penelitian untuk menganalisis mutu kimia seduhan cascara yang diperoleh dari kulit kopi arabika Gayo.  Penelitian ini menggunakan rancangan acak lengkap dengan dua faktor yaitu perlakuan pulp dan lama seduhan cascara. Faktor perlakuan pulp kopi (P) terdiri atas 6 taraf yaitu pulp buah kopi yang difermentasi dalam karung selama 12 jam (P1), pulp yang direndam air selama 12 jam (P2), pulp yang dibiarkan diruang terbuka (P3), pulp dari pengolahan kering (P4), pulp dari limbah produksi wine coffee (P5) dan pulp dari limbah petani (P6). Faktor kedua yaitu lama penyeduhan (H) yang terdiri atas 3 taraf yaitu (H1 = 4 menit, H2 = 6 menit dan H3 = 8 menit). Parameter yang diamati meliputi nilai pH, total padatan terlarut dan total fenol. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa perlakuan pulp kopi dan lama seduhan berpengaruh terhadap nilai pH dan total padatan terlarut. Nilai total fenol seduhan cascara hanya dipengaruhi oleh lama penyeduhan cascara.  Cascara dengan total fenol tertinggi diperoleh pada pembuatan cascara dari pulp secara natural dengan penyeduhan 8 menit.

Serum cytokine levels as predictive biomarkers of benefit from ipilimumab in small cell lung cancer

Background. Immunotherapy has shown efficacy in small cell lung cancer (SCLC), but only a subset of patients benefits. Surrogate biomarkers are urgently needed. Our aim was to evaluate serum Th1, Th2, and proinflammatory cytokines in two cohorts of SCLC patients before and during treatment with chemotherapy with or without ipilimumab and to correlate them with survival. Patients and methods. Two cohorts of SCLC patients were studied: patients treated with chemotherapy (n = 47), and patients treated with chemotherapy plus ipilimumab (n = 37). Baseline, on-treatment and after-treatment serum samples were evaluated for the presence of IL-1beta, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, GM-CSF, and Mip-1alpha using a Luminex assay. Differential changes in cytokines between cohorts were analyzed. Associations between cytokine levels and their changes with overall survival were evaluated. Results. Patients treated with ipilimumab showed a global increase of all cytokines after treatment initiation. A high level of IL-8 at baseline was associated with worse prognosis regardless of treatment. Baseline increased IL-2 levels predicted sensitivity to ipilimumab, while high IL-6 and TNF-alpha predicted resistance. An on-treatment increase in IL-4 levels in patients treated with immune-chemotherapy was associated with a better overall survival. Conclusions. The addition of ipilimumab to standard chemotherapy in SCLC modulates the serum levels of cytokines. Baseline levels and their change over time relate to overall survival. Blood-based biomarkers are convenient for patients, and our results support prospective validation of cytokines as predictive biomarkers for ipilimumab in SCLC

Design of 280 GHz feedhorn-coupled TES arrays for the balloon-borne polarimeter SPIDER

We describe 280 GHz bolometric detector arrays that instrument the balloon-borne polarimeter SPIDER. A primary science goal of SPIDER is to measure the large-scale B-mode polarization of the cosmic microwave background in search of the cosmic-inflation, gravitational-wave signature. 280 GHz channels aid this science goal by constraining the level of B-mode contamination from galactic dust emission. We present the focal plane unit design, which consists of a 16$\times$16 array of conical, corrugated feedhorns coupled to a monolithic detector array fabricated on a 150 mm diameter silicon wafer. Detector arrays are capable of polarimetric sensing via waveguide probe-coupling to a multiplexed array of transition-edge-sensor (TES) bolometers. The SPIDER receiver has three focal plane units at 280 GHz, which in total contains 765 spatial pixels and 1,530 polarization sensitive bolometers. By fabrication and measurement of single feedhorns, we demonstrate 14.7$^{\circ}$ FHWM Gaussian-shaped beams with $<$1% ellipticity in a 30% fractional bandwidth centered at 280 GHz. We present electromagnetic simulations of the detection circuit, which show 94% band-averaged, single-polarization coupling efficiency, 3% reflection and 3% radiative loss. Lastly, we demonstrate a low thermal conductance bolometer, which is well-described by a simple TES model and exhibits an electrical noise equivalent power (NEP) = 2.6 $\times$ 10$^{-17}$ W/$\sqrt{\mathrm{Hz}}$, consistent with the phonon noise prediction.Comment: Proceedings of SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation 201