The Seal of Biliteracy: Considering Equity and Access for English Learners

The Seal of Biliteracy is a grass-roots language policy initiative that is sweeping across the United States. An award affixed to high school graduates’ transcripts and diplomas, the overarching purpose of the policy is to promote and foster students’ bilingualism and biliteracy in K-12 schools. Initiated in California in 2011, the policy has been modified significantly as stakeholders in 32 different states have drafted, passed, and enacted similar legislation in recent years. On its surface, the policy appears to hold promise in disrupting the monolingual norm prevalent in U.S. schools; however, with many states focusing efforts on world language education for English-dominant students, a critical analysis of the policy from the lens of the large and growing population of English learners is warranted. This paper considers the 32 state policies from this lens, first exploring the policy purpose and logistics and then making policy recommendations to enhance equity and access for English learners. The recommendations target stakeholders across the United States who seek to either initiate or revise Seal of Biliteracy policies within their unique state contexts

O Seal of Biliteracy: Considerando a equidade e o acesso para os alunos de inglês

The Seal of Biliteracy is a grass-roots language policy initiative that is sweeping across the United States. An award affixed to high school graduates’ transcripts and diplomas, the overarching purpose of the policy is to promote and foster students’ bilingualism and biliteracy in K-12 schools. Initiated in California in 2011, the policy has been modified significantly as stakeholders in 32 different states have drafted, passed, and enacted similar legislation in recent years. On its surface, the policy appears to hold promise in disrupting the monolingual norm prevalent in U.S. schools; however, with many states focusing efforts on world language education for English-dominant students, a critical analysis of the policy from the lens of the large and growing population of English learners is warranted. This paper considers the 32 state policies from this lens, first exploring the policy purpose and logistics and then making policy recommendations to enhance equity and access for English learners. The recommendations target stakeholders across the United States who seek to either initiate or revise Seal of Biliteracy policies within their unique state contexts.El Seal of Biliteracy es una política de lenguaje que está ganando popularidad en todo Estados Unidos. Un premio fijado transcripciones y diplomas graduados de la secundaria, a propósito de la política es promover y fomentar el bilingüismo y biliteración en las K-12 escuelas. Iniciada en California en 2011, la política fue modificada de forma significativa a medida que las partes interesadas en 32 estados diferentes elaboraron, aprobaron y promulgar una legislación similar en los últimos años. En su superficie, la política parece ser muy prometedora en interrumpir el monolingüismo prevalente en los EE.UU. escuelas; sin embargo, con muchos estados interesados en la enseñanza de idiomas del mundo para los estudiantes inglés-dominantes, un análisis crítico de la política a partir de la lente de la población grande y creciente de los estudiantes inglés está garantizado. Este artículo considera las 32 políticas estatales a partir de esa lente, explorando primero la política y la logística y, a continuación, haciendo recomendaciones de políticas para aumentar la equidad y el acceso para los alumnos de inglés. Las recomendaciones apuntan a las partes interesadas en los Estados Unidos que buscan iniciar o revisar las políticas del Seal of Biliteracy dentro de sus contextos de estado únicos.O Seal of Biliteracyé uma política de linguagem que está ganhando popularidade em todo o Estados Unidos. Um prêmio afixada transcrições e diplomas graduados do ensino médio, a propósito da política é promover e fomentar o bilinguismo e biliteracy no K-12 escolas. Iniciada na Califórnia em 2011, a política foi modificada de forma significativa à medida que as partes interessadas em 32 estados diferentes elaboraram, aprovaram e promulgaram legislação semelhante nos últimos anos. Em sua superfície, a política parece ser muito promissora em interromper o monolingualism prevalente em EUA escolas; no entanto, com muitos estados interessados no ensino de idiomas do mundo para estudantes inglés-dominantes, uma análise crítica da política a partir da lente da população grande e crescente de alunos inglés está garantido. Este artigo considera as 32 políticas estaduais a partir dessa lente, explorando primeiro a política e a logística e, em seguida, fazendo recomendações de políticas para aumentar a equidade e o acesso para os alunos de inglês. As recomendações visam as partes interessadas nos Estados Unidos que buscam iniciar ou revisar as políticas do Seal of Biliteracy dentro de seus contextos de estado únicos

Morphological Changes of Cisplatin-resistant Human Breast Cancer MCF-7 Cell Line

Objective: To evaluate morphological changes of breast cancer cell line MCF-7 following the development of acquired resistance towards cisplatin. Resistance towards anticancer agents still plays an important role in the breast cancer chemotherapy failure.Methods: The cisplatin resistant subline MCF-7/CisR was developed in-vitro by cultivating the parental cell line cisplatin-sensitive MCF-7 with raising concentration of cisplatin (from 0.01 to 2.3 µM) for four months. The cell morphology was observed by giemsa staining. Results: The resistance was shown by the increase of IC50 by 9 folds on MCF-7/CisR compared to the initial IC50 value of MCF-7. The change in cisplatin cytotoxic potency on the resistant cell line was accompanied by the morphological modification, including the enlargement of cell size, the increase of nucleus and cytoplasm ratio, and the increase of the number of microvesicular and cytoplasmic granules.Conclusions: This result has supported the underlying mechanism of cisplatin resistance, including the ability of the cells to decrease intracellular cisplatin concentration and repair DNA damage effects. Keywords: Drug resistance, human breast cancer, cisplatin, MCF-7 DOI: 10.15850/ijihs.v5n1.96

Morphological Changes of Cisplatin-resistant Human Breast Cancer MCF-7 Cell Line

Objective: To evaluate morphological changes of breast cancer cell line MCF-7 following the development of acquired resistance towards cisplatin. Resistance towards anticancer agents still plays an important role in the breast cancer chemotherapy failure.Methods: The cisplatin resistant subline MCF-7/CisR was developed in-vitro by cultivating the parental cell line cisplatin-sensitive MCF-7 with raising concentration of cisplatin (from 0.01 to 2.3 µM) for four months. The cell morphology was observed by giemsa staining. Results: The resistance was shown by the increase of IC50 by 9 folds on MCF-7/CisR compared to the initial IC50 value of MCF-7. The change in cisplatin cytotoxic potency on the resistant cell line was accompanied by the morphological modification, including the enlargement of cell size, the increase of nucleus and cytoplasm ratio, and the increase of the number of microvesicular and cytoplasmic granules.Conclusions: This result has supported the underlying mechanism of cisplatin resistance, including the ability of the cells to decrease intracellular cisplatin concentration and repair DNA damage effects. Keywords: Drug resistance, human breast cancer, cisplatin, MCF-7 DOI: 10.15850/ijihs.v5n1.96

A homogeneous method for investigation of methylation-dependent protein–protein interactions in epigenetics

Methylation of lysine residues on the tails of histone proteins is a major determinant of the transcription state of associated DNA coding regions. The interplay among methylation states and other histone modifications to direct transcriptional outcome is referred to as the histone code. In addition to histone methyltransferases and demethylases which function to modify the methylation state of lysine sidechains, other proteins recognize specific histone methylation marks essentially serving as code readers. While these interactions are highly specific with respect to site and methylation state of particular lysine residues, they are generally weak and therefore difficult to monitor by traditional assay techniques. Herein, we present the design and implementation of a homogeneous, miniaturizable, and sensitive assay for histone methylation-dependent interactions. We use AlphaScreen, a chemiluminescence-based technique, to monitor the interactions of chromodomains (MPP8, HP1β and CHD1), tudor domains (JMJD2A) and plant homeodomains (RAG2) with their cognate trimethyllysine histone partners. The utility of the method was demonstrated by profiling the binding specificities of chromo- and tudor domains toward several histone marks. The simplicity of design and the sensitive and robust nature of this assay should make it applicable to a range of epigenetic studies, including the search for novel inhibitors of methylation-dependent interactions

Fuera de lugar: Undocumented Students, Dislocation, and the Search for Belonging

This article presents findings from a Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) study on the experiences of six undocumented college students at a community college in the Midwest United States. We focused on two main research questions: What are some of the key developmental experiences of undocumented youth? What is the impact of these experiences on the students’ identity and sense of belonging in educational spaces, especially as they transition to college? The findings illustrate the experiences of the six participant coresearchers (PCRs) as they navigated the messy, fragile, and shifting nature of belonging. A common thread in their narratives was the recurrence across their young lives of moments of dislocation (or “being-out-of-place”) associated with their undocumented status. These moments of dislocation barred these undocumented students from fully inhabiting both educational and noneducational spaces; in addition, they affected their ability to develop a sense of belonging as they transitioned to the college environment. Dislocation entails a degree of vulnerability and liminality that is not necessarily encompassed in current models of student development theory, nor considered in institutional support structures created with majority-population students in mind. We argue that institutional agents require sensitivity to the multiple types of dislocation that undocumented youth may experience within and beyond educational settings

Xylanase increased the energetic contribution of fiber and improved the oxidative status, gut barrier integrity, and growth performance of growing pigs fed insoluble corn-based fiber

The experimental objective was to investigate the impact of xylanase on the bioavailability of energy, oxidative status, and gut function of growing pigs fed a diet high in insoluble fiber and given a longer adaptation time than typically reported. Three replicates of 20 gilts with an initial body weight (BW) of 25.43 ± 0.88 kg were blocked by BW, individually housed, and randomly assigned to one of four dietary treatments: a low-fiber control (LF) with 7.5% neutral detergent fiber (NDF), a 30% corn bran without solubles high-fiber control (HF; 21.9% NDF), HF + 100 mg/kg xylanase (HF + XY; Econase XT 25P), and HF + 50 mg/kg arabinoxylan-oligosaccharide (HF + AX). Gilts were fed ad libitum for 36 d across two dietary phases. Pigs and feeders were weighed on days 0, 14, 27, and 36. On day 36, pigs were housed in metabolism crates for a 10-d period, limit fed (80% of average ad libitum intake), and feces and urine were collected the last 72 h to determine the digestible energy (DE) and metabolizable energy (ME). On day 46, serum and ileal and colonic tissue were collected. Data were analyzed as a linear mixed model with block and replication as random effects, and treatment, time, and treatment × time as fixed effects. There was a significant treatment × time interaction for BW, average daily gain (ADG), and gain to feed (G:F; P \u3c 0.001). By design, BW at day 0 did not differ; at day 14, pigs fed LF were 3.5% heavier, and pigs fed HF + XY, when compared with HF, were 4% and 4.2% heavier at days 27 and 36, respectively (P \u3c 0.001). From day 14 to 27 and day 27 to 36, when compared with HF, HF + XY improved ADG by 12.4% and 10.7% and G:F by 13.8% and 8.8%, respectively (P \u3c 0.05). Compared with LF, HF decreased DE and ME by 0.51 and 0.42 Mcal/kg, respectively, but xylanase partially mitigated that effect by increasing DE and ME by 0.15 and 0.12 Mcal/kg, over HF, respectively (P \u3c 0.05). Pigs fed HF + XY had increased total antioxidant capacity in the serum and ileum (P \u3c 0.05) and tended to have less circulating malondialdehyde (P = 0.098). Pigs fed LF had increased ileal villus height, and HF + XY and HF + AX had shallower intestinal crypts (P \u3c 0.001). Pigs fed HF + XY had increased ileal messenger ribonucleic acid abundance of claudin 4 and occludin (P \u3c 0.05). Xylanase, but not AX, improved the growth performance of pigs fed insoluble corn-based fiber. This was likely a result of the observed increase in ME, improved antioxidant capacity, and enhanced gut barrier integrity, but it may require increased adaptation time to elicit this response

Unveiling the influence of adaptation time on xylanase and arabinoxylan-oligosaccharide efficacy: a study on nutrient digestibility, viscosity, and scanning electron microscopy in the small and large intestine of growing pigs fed insoluble fiber

The experiment objective was to evaluate the impact of xylanase over time on viscosity and digestibility in growing pigs fed corn-based fiber. Twenty gilts with an initial body weight of 30.6 ± 0.2 kg (n = 5 per dietary treatment) were fitted with t-cannulae in the medial jejunum and terminal ileum, housed individually, and randomly assigned to one of four dietary treatments: low-fiber control (LF) with 10.4% total dietary fiber (TDF), 30% corn bran high-fiber control (HF; 26.4% TDF), HF + 100 mg xylanase/kg (XY; Econase XT 25P; AB Vista, Marlborough, UK), and HF + 50 mg arabinoxylan-oligosaccharide/kg (AX). Gilts were limit fed for three 17 d periods (P1, P2, P3); each included 5 d adaptation, 2 d fecal collection, 3 d ileal collection, 3 d jejunal collection, and 4 d related rate of passage study. Data were analyzed as repeated measures using a linear mixed model with surgery date as a random effect, and dietary treatment, period, and their interaction as fixed effects. Jejunal and ileal digesta viscosity did not differ among dietary treatments or periods (P > 0.10). There was a dietary treatment × period interaction for the apparent jejunal digestibility (AJD) of dry matter (DM), gross energy (GE), insoluble dietary fiber (IDF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), total arabinoxylan (T-AX), total non-starch polysaccharide (T-NSP), and TDF (P 0.05). In P1, LF had the greatest AJD of DM (15.5%), and relative to HF and AX, XY decreased it (9.3%, 10.1 %, and 6.3%, respectively). In P2, the AJD of DM in XY was greater than HF (11.7% vs. 9.1%) but did not differ from AX (10.5%). Relative to HF, in P3, XY increased AJD of DM (11.7 vs 15.3%), and AX decreased it (7.2%). For the AJD of NDF, AX performed intermediately in P1; in P2, relative to HF, XY, and AX increased the AJD of NDF (8.4%, 13.1%, and 11.7%, respectively), and in P3, XY, and LF did not differ (13.6 vs. 14.4%). A similar response was observed for the AJD of IDF and TDF, except for XY having the greatest AJD of IDF, T-AX, T-NSP, and TDF in P3 (P This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted reuse, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited

Evaluation of Smiles for Life : a caregiver focused oral health education programme

Background: People with an intellectual and/or developmental disability are at increased risk of adverse oral health outcomes and often require support from caregivers to assist in maintaining or seeking treatment for their oral health needs. However, caregivers and support workers are often family members with limited formal oral health training. Hence, the aim of this pilot study was to review the outcomes of the ‘Smiles for Life’ oral health education workshop with reference to their knowledge, attitudes, and practices of caregivers of people with an intellectual or developmental disability. Methods: A single group pre-test post-test intervention design was used to explore the preliminary effectiveness and appropriateness of the Smiles for Life oral health education workshop. Results: A total of 244 participants completed both the pre and post knowledge test. Oral health literacy scores decreased following the post test. Those with higher levels of education achieved higher post-training knowledge scores. Overall, caregivers reported satisfaction on the material presented however, it could be improved with more practical demonstrations. Conclusion: Providing an oral health education tool that caters to the diverse caregiver audience presents a unique set of challenges, despite oral health education in this professional group being vital. Future studies may benefit from reviewing the efficacy of a more tailored educational intervention

Xylanase modulates the microbiota of ileal mucosa and digesta of pigs fed corn-based arabinoxylans likely through both a stimbiotic and prebiotic mechanism

The experimental objective was to characterize the impact of insoluble corn-based fiber, xylanase, and an arabinoxylan-oligosaccharide on ileal digesta and mucosa microbiome of pigs. Three replicates of 20 gilts were blocked by initial body weight, individually-housed, and assigned to 1 of 4 dietary treatments: a low-fiber control (LF), a 30% corn bran high-fiber control (HF), HF+100 mg/kg xylanase (HF+XY), and HF+50 mg/kg arabinoxylan oligosaccharide (HF+AX). Gilts were fed their respective treatments for 46 days. On day 46, pigs were euthanized and ileal digesta and mucosa were collected. The V4 region of the 16S rRNA was amplified and sequenced, generating a total of 2,413,572 and 1,739,013 high-quality sequences from the digesta and mucosa, respectively. Sequences were classified into 1,538 mucosa and 2,495 digesta operational taxonomic units (OTU). Hidden-state predictions of 25 enzymes were made using Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States 2 (PICRUST2). Compared to LF, HF increased Erysipelotrichaceae_UCG-002, and Turicibacter in the digesta, Lachnospiraceae_unclassified in the mucosa, and decreased Actinobacillus in both (Q\u3c0.05). Relative to HF, HF+XY increased 19 and 14 of the 100 most abundant OTUs characterized from digesta and mucosa, respectively (Q\u3c0.05). Notably, HF+XY increased the OTU_23_Faecalibacterium by nearly 6 log2-fold change, compared to HF. Relative to HF, HF+XY increased genera Bifidobacterium, and Lactobacillus, and decreased Streptococcus and Turicibacter in digesta (Q\u3c0.05), and increased Bifidobacterium and decreased Escherichia-Shigella in the mucosa (Q\u3c0.05). Compared to HF, HF+AX increased 5 and 6 of the 100 most abundant OTUs characterized from digesta and mucosa, respectively, (Q\u3c0.05), but HF+AX did not modulate similar taxa as HF+XY. The PICRUST2 predictions revealed HF+XY increased gene-predictions for enzymes associated with arabinoxylan degradation and xylose metabolism in the digesta, and increased enzymes related to short-chain fatty acid production in the mucosa. Collectively, these data suggest xylanase elicits a stimbiotic and prebiotic mechanism