Writing for the Audience that Fires the Imagination: Implications for Teaching Writing

Great authors embody their audiences through the language of their texts. Good readers learn to recognize and respond to the cues such writers embed in their texts about the kind of audience they are expected to be. They also learn from other authors how to fictionalize in their minds audiences like those they have experience being. In this article through an analysis of two texts, we showcase how two middle school writers through their texts, embody their audiences and cue readers to the roles they are expected to play. We then trace the rhetorical moves made by the writers to texts students preferred to read, arguing that the audiences that fired the imaginations of these students were audiences they learned to be from other writers. Finally, we discuss the implications of our findings for teaching writing including the need for writing teachers, who are most often the audiences for student writers, to consider whether their own students have sufficient opportunities to write for the kinds of audiences they prefer to be themselves

Impact of age and race on outcomes of a program to prevent excess weight gain and disordered eating in adolescent girls

Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) prevents weight gain and reduces loss-of-control (LOC)-eating in adults. However, IPT was not superior to health-education (HE) for preventing excess weight gain and reducing LOC-eating over 1-year in adolescent girls at risk for excess weight gain and eating disorders. Limited data suggest that older and non-White youth may be especially responsive to IPT. In secondary analyses, we examined if age or race moderated weight and LOC-eating outcomes. The 113 participants (12–17 years; 56.6% White) from the original trial were re-contacted 3 years later for assessment. At baseline and follow-up visits through 3 years, we assessed BMI, adiposity by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, and LOC-eating presence. In linear mixed models, baseline age moderated 3-year BMI outcome; older girls in IPT had the lowest 3-year BMI gain compared to younger girls in IPT and all girls in HE, p = 0.04. A similar pattern was observed for adiposity. Race moderated 3-year LOC-eating; non-White girls in IPT were most likely to abstain from LOC-eating at 3 years compared to all other girls, p = 0.04. This hypothesis-generating analysis suggests future studies should determine if IPT is especially efficacious at reducing LOC-eating in older, non-White adolescents

Anti-inflammatory activity of American yam Dioscorea trifida L.f. in food allergy induced by ovalbumin in mice

AbstractTropical ecosystems are particularly rich in edible plant species with different bioactive substances. Among the plants with promising benefits for health are species from the genus Dioscorea (Dioscoreaceae), especially those named yam. Recent studies have shown the beneficial effects of different species of Dioscorea, and its main constituent, diosgenine, in the treatment of food allergy. In this study we evaluated the potential of D. trifida, the only yam native from South America, in the treatment of ovalbumin (OVA) induced food allergy in Balb/c mice. HPLC/DAD analysis showed the presence of three very distinctive groups of natural products in extracts and fractions: (I) very polar substances, including allantoin, (II) phenolic substances as flavonoids and phenolic acids and (III) diosgenin and derivatives. Sensitive mice received casein feed with supplementation of crude extract (CE) and fractions. The supplementation with all products from D. trifida reduced IGE, intestinal oedema and mucus production, parameters observed in OVA allergic mice. The results showed the potential of this food to prevent or treat this disease and the necessity to be better explored

Dietary Supplementation with Omega-3-PUFA-Rich Fish Oil Reduces Signs of Food Allergy in Ovalbumin-Sensitized Mice

We investigated the effect of dietary supplementation with n-3 PUFA (fish oil source) in an experimental model of food allergy. Mice were sensitized (allergic group) or not (nonallergic group) with OVA and were fed with OVA diet to induce allergy signals. Mice were fed with regular diet in which 7% of lipid content was provided by soybean (5% of n-3 PUFA) or fish (25% of n-3 PUFA) oil. Allergic group mice had increased serum levels of antiovalbumin IgE and IgG1 and changes in small intestine, characterized by an increased edema, number of rolling leukocytes in microcirculation, eosinophil infiltration, mucus production, and Paneth cell degranulation, in comparison to non-allergic group. All these inflammatory parameters were reduced in mice fed high-n-3-PUFA diet. Our data together suggest that diet supplementation with n-3 PUFA from fish oil may consist of a valid adjuvant in food allergy treatment

LSP1 is an endothelial gatekeeper of leukocyte transendothelial migration

Leukocyte-specific protein 1 (LSP1), an F-actin binding protein and a major downstream substrate of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase as well as protein kinase C, has been reported to be important in leukocyte chemotaxis. Although its distribution has been thought to be restricted to leukocytes, herein we report that LSP1 is expressed in endothelium and is essential to permit neutrophil emigration. Using intravital microscopy to directly visualize leukocyte rolling, adhesion, and emigration in postcapillary venules in LSP1-deficient (Lsp1−/−) mice, we found that LSP1 deficiency inhibits neutrophil extravasation in response to various cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β) and to neutrophil chemokine keratinocyte-derived chemokine in vivo. LSP1 deficiency did not affect leukocyte rolling or adhesion. Generation of Lsp1−/− chimeric mice using bone marrow transplantation revealed that in mice with Lsp1−/− endothelial cells and wild-type leukocytes, neutrophil transendothelial migration out of postcapillary venules is markedly restricted. In contrast, Lsp1−/− neutrophils in wild-type mice were able to extravasate normally. Consistent with altered endothelial function was a reduction in vascular permeability to histamine in Lsp1−/− animals. Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence microscopy examination confirmed the presence of LSP1 in wild-type but not in Lsp1−/− mouse microvascular endothelial cells. Cultured human endothelial cells also stained positive for LSP1. Our results suggest that LSP1 expressed in endothelium regulates neutrophil transendothelial migration

Brazilian Green Propolis Inhibits Inflammatory Angiogenesis in a Murine Sponge Model

Angiogenesis and inflammation are persistent features of several pathological conditions. Propolis, a sticky material that honeybees collect from living plants, has been reported to have multiple biological effects including anti-inflammatory and anti-neoplasic activities. Here, we investigated the effects of water extract of green propolis (WEP) on angiogenesis, inflammatory cell accumulation and endogenous production of cytokines in sponge implants of mice over a 14-day period. Blood vessel formation as assessed by hemoglobin content and by morphometric analysis of the implants was reduced by WEP (500 mg kg−1 orally) compared to the untreated group. The levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) increased progressively in the treated group but decreased after Day 10 in the control group. Accumulation of neutrophils and macrophages was determined by measuring myeloperoxidase (MPO) and N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) activities, respectively. Neutrophil accumulation was unaffected by propolis, but NAG activity was reduced by the treatment at Day 14. The levels TGF-β1 intra-implant increased progressively in both groups but were higher (40%) at Day 14 in the control implants. The pro-inflammatory levels of TNF-α peaked at Day 7 in the control implants, and at Day 14 in the propolis-treated group. Our results indicate that the anti-inflammatory/anti-angiogenic effects of propolis are associated with cytokine modulation

Aqueous Extract of Brazilian Green Propolis: Primary Components, Evaluation of Inflammation and Wound Healing by Using Subcutaneous Implanted Sponges

Propolis is a chemically complex resinous bee product which has gained worldwide popularity as a means to improve health condition and prevent diseases. The main constituents of an aqueous extract of a sample of green propolis from Southeast Brazil were shown by high performance liquid chromatography/mass spectroscopy/mass spectroscopy to be mono- and di-O-caffeoylquinic acids; phenylpropanoids known as important constituents of alcohol extracts of green propolis, such as artepillin C and drupanin were also detected in low amounts in the aqueous extract. The anti-inflammatory activity of this extract was evaluated by determination of wound healing parameters. Female Swiss mice were implanted subcutaneously with polyesther-polyurethane sponge discs to induce wound healing responses, and administered orally with green propolis (500 mg kg−1). At 4, 7 and 14 days post-implantation, the fibrovascular stroma and deposition of extracellular matrix were evaluated by histopathologic and morphometric analyses. In the propolis-treated group at Days 4 and 7 the inflammatory process in the sponge was reduced in comparison with control. A progressive increase in cell influx and collagen deposition was observed in control and propolis-treated groups during the whole period. However, these effects were attenuated in the propolis-treated group at Days 4 and 7, indicating that key factors of the wound healing process are modulated by propolis constituents

Lactococcus lactis carrying the pValac DNA expression vector coding for IL-10 reduces inflammation in a murine model of experimental colitis

Background: Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are intestinal disorders characterized by inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. Interleukin-10 is one of the most important anti-inflammatory cytokines involved in the intestinal immune system and because of its role in downregulating inflammatory cascades, its potential for IBD therapy is under study. We previously presented the development of an invasive strain of Lactococcus lactis (L. lactis) producing Fibronectin Binding Protein A (FnBPA) which was capable of delivering, directly to host cells, a eukaryotic DNA expression vector coding for IL-10 of Mus musculus (pValac:il-10) and diminish inflammation in a trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced mouse model of intestinal inflammation. As a new therapeutic strategy against IBD, the aim of this work was to evaluate the therapeutic effect of two L. lactis strains (the same invasive strain evaluated previously and the wild-type strain) carrying the therapeutic pValac:il-10 plasmid in the prevention of inflammation in a dextran sodium sulphate (DSS)-induced mouse model. Results: Results obtained showed that not only delivery of the pValac:il-10 plasmid by the invasive strain L. lactis MG1363 FnBPA+, but also by the wild-type strain L. lactis MG1363, was effective at diminishing intestinal inflammation (lower inflammation scores and higher IL-10 levels in the intestinal tissues, accompanied by decrease of IL-6) in the DSS-induced IBD mouse model. Conclusions: Administration of both L. lactis strains carrying the pValac:il-10 plasmid was effective at diminishing inflammation in this murine model of experimental colitis, showing their potential for therapeutic intervention of IBD.Fil: Zurita Turk, Meritxell. Universidade Federal Do Minas Gerais. Instituto de Cs.biologicas; BrasilFil: del Carmen, Silvina Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucuman. Centro de Referencia Para Lactobacilos; ArgentinaFil: Santos, Ana C. G.. Universidade Federal Do Minas Gerais. Instituto de Cs.biologicas; BrasilFil: Pereira, Vanessa Bastos. Universidade Federal Do Minas Gerais. Instituto de Cs.biologicas; BrasilFil: Cara, Denise C.. Universidade Federal Do Minas Gerais. Instituto de Cs.biologicas; BrasilFil: Leclercq, Sophie Y.. Fundaçao Ezequiel Dias. Laboratório de Inovaçao Biotecnológica; BrasilFil: de Moreno, Maria Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucuman. Centro de Referencia Para Lactobacilos; ArgentinaFil: Azevedo, Vasco. Universidade Federal Do Minas Gerais. Instituto de Cs.biologicas; BrasilFil: Chatel, Jean-Marc. Universidade Federal do Minas Gerais; BrasilFil: Leblanc, Jean Guy Joseph. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucuman. Centro de Referencia Para Lactobacilos; ArgentinaFil: Miyoshi, Anderson. Universidade Federal Do Minas Gerais. Instituto de Cs.biologicas; Brasi

The combination of high-fat diet-induced obesity and chronic ulcerative colitis reciprocally exacerbates adipose tissue and colon inflammation

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>This study evaluated the relationship between ulcerative colitis and obesity, which are both chronic diseases characterized by inflammation and increases in immune cells and pro-inflammatory cytokines.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Mice with chronic ulcerative colitis induced by 2 cycles of dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) in the first and fourth week of the experiment were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) to induce obesity by 8 weeks. The animals were divided into 4 groups (control, colitis, HFD and colitis + HFD).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Obesity alone did not raise histopathology scores, but the combination of obesity and colitis worsened the scores in the colon compared to colitis group. Despite the reduction in weight gain, there was increased inflammatory infiltrate in both the colon and visceral adipose tissue of colitis + HFD mice due to increased infiltration of macrophages, neutrophils and lymphocytes. Intravital microscopy of VAT microvasculature showed an increase in leukocyte adhesion and rolling and overexpression of adhesion molecules compared to other groups. Moreover, circulating lymphocytes, monocytes and neutrophils in the spleen and cecal lymph nodes were increased in the colitis + HFD group.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our results demonstrated the relationship between ulcerative colitis and obesity as aggravating factors for each disease, with increased inflammation in the colon and adipose tissue and systemic alterations observed in the spleen, lymph nodes and bloodstream.</p