Biliteracy across Scripts: Implications for Language Development in Southeast Asia

Many minority language communities in Southeast Asia use the segment-based Latin alphabet. In order to provide ease of literacy acquisition, national governments may encourage or require the use of the partially segmental, partially syllable-oriented Brahmi-based national syllabet in minority literacy development. Evidence from research on biliteracy in other languages and scripts suggests that alphabetic reading skills provide a strong foundation for learning to read a syllabet once a threshold of linguistic competency has been reached. Use of the mother tongue for early literacy also supports successful learning through strong home-school relationships. This study suggests that secondary orthographies based on national or dominant scripts for school-based literacy may not support and possibly even inhibit literacy acquisition due to motivational sociolinguistic factors. Research to confirm these findings specifically in the Southeast Asian context is still needed

Interculturalizing the Curriculum

Developed for the KPU Intercultural Teaching Program, this short book engages educators in two main strands of interculturalizing the curriculum: (1) revising curriculum to reflect intercultural learning outcomes, and diverse content from multiple perspectives, and (2) supporting student interculturality development

Prenatal genetic testing: Factors that influence uptake in Hispanic women

This study explores factors related to uptake of prenatal genetic testing (PGT) in a hard-to-reach and underrepresented sample of Hispanic women. PGT can offer the couple information about their baby and allow them to prepare for possible risks their baby may face. Factors associated with PGT uptake are presented

Inclusive Pedagogies

Building on the principles explored in Foundations of Intercultural Teaching, this resource introduces educators to educational strategies that can foster more inclusive, equitable, and just classroom environments

Learning to Learn Online

I. Who am I as an online learner?II. Who am I on my learning journey with?III. Who are my instructors? What is their role?IV. Time Management for Online LearningV. Professional Communication in the Online EnvironmentVI. Analyzing Online AssignmentsVII. Strategic ReadingLearning to Learn Online prepares you for success in your online journey by introducing you to the unique features of the online learning environment, and providing tools for understanding yourself and your role as a self-directed learner. The first part of the book focuses on three key questions: 1. Who am I as an online learner? 2. Who am I on my online learning journey with? 3. Who are my instructors? What is their role? The second part of the book introduces you to effective strategies and tools for online learning: time management strategies, professional communication, analyzing online assignments, and strategic reading. Welcome to your online learning journey

Holding children and young people for clinical procedures: moving towards an evidence-based practice

Holding practices are employed to help a child or young person stay still during the administration of treatments, prevent treatment interference or to undertake an examination which can sometimes be invasive. The aim of this thesis was to explore holding practices from the perspective of nurses and healthcare professionals. This included identifying and examining holding techniques currently in use to help a child or young person stay still. An exploratory sequential mixed methods design was followed. Studies 1, 2 and 3 examined assumptions and practices of holding to develop theories about ‘what is happening on the ground’ following Grounded Theory methodology for practicing nurses and other allied health professionals (1), undergraduate nursing students, university lecturers and clinical mentors (2) and university lecturers from other institutions (3). A core category of ‘indifference’ emerged. Studies 4 and 5 explored technique preference to establish theories about what is known about the techniques in use. Descriptive statistics was used to analyse the data. The practice of therapeutic holding is often covert and not considered to be part of the treatment per se, which has led to concealment and a reticence to discuss practices openly. Studies 1, 2 and 3 identified that there is variance in the experiences and practices of the participants. The prominent themes that emerged were a lack of clarity, lack of policy, lack of training, and that parents are often expected to hold their child. There appears to be a strong element of denial that there is a problem and little evidence that nationally this is seen as an issue. Studies 4 and 5 showed that healthcare staff ‘prefer’ techniques they are familiar with, in particular ‘cuddling’ and ‘wrapping’ of young children and found it more difficult to judge techniques for young people. It appears that therapeutic holding practices have moved from being viewed as ‘uncontested’ to ‘indifferent’. These findings have serious implications for current practice and the future training of healthcare professionals

Cluster M Mycobacteriophages Bongo, PegLeg, and Rey with Unusually Large Repertoires of tRNA Isotopes

Genomic analysis of a large set of phages infecting the common hostMycobacterium smegmatis mc2155 shows that they span considerable genetic diversity. There are more than 20 distinct types that lack nucleotide similarity with each other, and there is considerable diversity within most of the groups. Three newly isolated temperate mycobacteriophages, Bongo, PegLeg, and Rey, constitute a new group (cluster M), with the closely related phages Bongo and PegLeg forming subcluster M1 and the more distantly related Rey forming subcluster M2. The cluster M mycobacteriophages have siphoviral morphologies with unusually long tails, are homoimmune, and have larger than average genomes (80.2 to 83.7 kbp). They exhibit a variety of features not previously described in other mycobacteriophages, including noncanonical genome architectures and several unusual sets of conserved repeated sequences suggesting novel regulatory systems for both transcription and translation. In addition to containing transfer-messenger RNA and RtcB-like RNA ligase genes, their genomes encode 21 to 24 tRNA genes encompassing complete or nearly complete sets of isotypes. We predict that these tRNAs are used in late lytic growth, likely compensating for the degradation or inadequacy of host tRNAs. They may represent a complete set of tRNAs necessary for late lytic growth, especially when taken together with the apparent lack of codons in the same late genes that correspond to tRNAs that the genomes of the phages do not obviously encode

Observing the Evolution of the Universe

How did the universe evolve? The fine angular scale (l>1000) temperature and polarization anisotropies in the CMB are a Rosetta stone for understanding the evolution of the universe. Through detailed measurements one may address everything from the physics of the birth of the universe to the history of star formation and the process by which galaxies formed. One may in addition track the evolution of the dark energy and discover the net neutrino mass. We are at the dawn of a new era in which hundreds of square degrees of sky can be mapped with arcminute resolution and sensitivities measured in microKelvin. Acquiring these data requires the use of special purpose telescopes such as the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT), located in Chile, and the South Pole Telescope (SPT). These new telescopes are outfitted with a new generation of custom mm-wave kilo-pixel arrays. Additional instruments are in the planning stages.Comment: Science White Paper submitted to the US Astro2010 Decadal Survey. Full list of 177 author available at http://cmbpol.uchicago.ed

Role of Engrailed-2 (EN2) as a prostate cancer detection biomarker in genetically high risk men

Controversy surrounds the use of PSA as a biomarker for prostate cancer detection, leaving an unmet need for a novel biomarker in this setting; urinary EN2 may identify individuals with clinically relevant prostate cancer. Male BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers are at increased risk of clinically significant prostate cancer and may benefit from screening. Urine samples from 413 BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers and controls were evaluated. Subjects underwent annual PSA screening with diagnostic biopsy triggered by PSA > 3.0 ng/ml; 21 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer. Urinary EN2 levels were measured by ELISA and had a sensitivity of 66.7% and specificity of 89.3% for cancer detection. There was no statistically significant difference in EN2 levels according to genetic status or Gleason score. Urinary EN2 may be useful as a non-invasive early biomarker for prostate cancer detection in genetically high-risk individuals