Programas de idioma dupla: Questões de acesso no estado do Arizona

Public schools across the country are increasingly working with children who enter schools speaking a language other than English. Using a case study methodology, the authors examined Dual Language Program (DLP) implementation in Arizona, which by law supports English-only education. Several benefits (bilingualism, bi-literacy, biculturalism, globalization) and challenges (curriculum, teachers, state policy, funding, and lack of access to DLPs for minority language students) are highlighted from stakeholder perspectives. Participants in this study described the paradox of excluding ELLs from dual language programs as inefficient, unnecessary, and wrong. Taking Interest Convergence as a theoretical framework to understand the Arizona context regarding English-only education, this study raises implications for research and practice. Las escuelas públicas de todo el país trabajan cada vez más con niños que ingresan a escuelas que hablan un idioma que no es inglés. Utilizando una metodología de estudio de caso, los autores examinaron la implementación del Programa de Lenguaje Dual (DLP) en Arizona, que por ley apoya la educación solo en inglés. Desde la perspectiva de las partes interesadas, se destacan varios beneficios (bilingüismo, bi-alfabetización, biculturalismo, globalización) y desafíos (plan de estudios, maestros, política estatal, financiamiento y falta de acceso a DLP para estudiantes de idiomas minoritarios). Los participantes en este estudio describieron la paradoja de excluir a los ELL de los programas de lenguaje dual como ineficiente, innecesaria y errónea. Tomando la Convergencia de Intereses como un marco teórico para comprender el contexto de Arizona con respecto a la educación solo en inglés, este estudio plantea implicaciones para la investigación y la práctica. As escolas públicas de todo o país estão trabalhando cada vez mais com crianças que ingressam em escolas que falam outro idioma que não o inglês. Usando uma metodologia de estudo de caso, os autores examinaram a implementação do Programas de Idioma Dupla (DLP) no Arizona, que por lei apóia a educação somente em inglês. Vários benefícios (bilinguismo, bi-alfabetização, biculturalismo, globalização) e desafios (currículo, professores, política estadual, financiamento e falta de acesso a DLPs para estudantes de línguas minoritárias) são destacados das perspectivas das partes interessadas. Os participantes deste estudo descreveram o paradoxo de excluir ELLs de programas de idioma dupla como ineficiente, desnecessário e errado. Tomando a convergência de interesses como uma estrutura teórica para entender o contexto do Arizona em relação à educação somente em inglês, este estudo levanta implicações para a pesquisa e a prática

U.S. Nonprofit Activity in Cuba: The Cuban Context

American regulatory restrictions on nonprofit activity in Cuba have decreased dramatically over the past three years. As a result, interest in undertaking projects in Cuba among U.S. nonprofits has increased significantly over that same period. Despite President Trump\u27s recent directive that rolled back several aspects of the previous administration\u27s Cuba policy and ordered new restrictions on U.S.-Cuban engagement, U.S. nonprofits are unlikely to be deterred from seeking to expand their engagement in Cuba over the long term. As nonprofits explore potential opportunities and navigate legal and political challenges, this Article seeks to advance the conversation by answering the following questions: What is the current state of U.S. and non-U.S. nonprofit activity within Cuba? What are the Cuban legal and other constraints that affect nonprofit activity in the country? What recommendations might we offer to U.S. nonprofits that are interested in pursuing work in Cuba, in light of the constraints identified above? And finally, what legal, policy or other measures in Cuba might help address these constraints and facilitate increased nonprofit engagement

U.S. Nonprofit Activity in Cuba: The Cuban Context

American regulatory restrictions on nonprofit activity in Cuba have decreased dramatically over the past three years. As a result, interest in undertaking projects in Cuba among U.S. nonprofits has increased significantly over that same period. Despite President Trump\u27s recent directive that rolled back several aspects of the previous administration\u27s Cuba policy and ordered new restrictions on U.S.-Cuban engagement, U.S. nonprofits are unlikely to be deterred from seeking to expand their engagement in Cuba over the long term. As nonprofits explore potential opportunities and navigate legal and political challenges, this Article seeks to advance the conversation by answering the following questions: What is the current state of U.S. and non-U.S. nonprofit activity within Cuba? What are the Cuban legal and other constraints that affect nonprofit activity in the country? What recommendations might we offer to U.S. nonprofits that are interested in pursuing work in Cuba, in light of the constraints identified above? And finally, what legal, policy or other measures in Cuba might help address these constraints and facilitate increased nonprofit engagement

The advanced placement opportunity gap in Arizona: access, participation, and success

Participation in Advanced Placement (AP) classes and AP test-taking are widely viewed as indicators of students’ college readiness. We analyzed enrollment in AP courses and AP test outcomes in Arizona to document disparities in students’ access to rigorous curricula in high school and outline some implications of these patterns for education stakeholders. Findings suggest that although 80% of high schools in Arizona offered at least one AP course, the total number of AP courses offered varied considerably across schools. Small schools and schools that served higher percentages of minority students were less likely to offer a wide range of AP courses than large schools and schools with majority White student populations. Although Hispanic students were underrepresented in AP courses, they had the highest test-taking rate. Only a third of the Hispanic students who took AP courses passed the AP test

Optically trapped bacteria pairs reveal discrete motile response to control aggregation upon cell–cell approach

Aggregation of bacteria plays a key role in the formation of many biofilms. The critical first step is cell–cell approach, and yet the ability of bacteria to control the likelihood of aggregation during this primary phase is unknown. Here, we use optical tweezers to measure the force between isolated Bacillus subtilis cells during approach. As we move the bacteria towards each other, cell motility (bacterial swimming) initiates the generation of repulsive forces at bacterial separations of ~3 μm. Moreover, the motile response displays spatial sensitivity with greater cell–cell repulsion evident as inter-bacterial distances decrease. To examine the environmental influence on the inter-bacterial forces, we perform the experiment with bacteria suspended in Tryptic Soy Broth, NaCl solution and deionised water. Our experiments demonstrate that repulsive forces are strongest in systems that inhibit biofilm formation (Tryptic Soy Broth), while attractive forces are weak and rare, even in systems where biofilms develop (NaCl solution). These results reveal that bacteria are able to control the likelihood of aggregation during the approach phase through a discretely modulated motile response. Clearly, the force-generating motility we observe during approach promotes biofilm prevention, rather than biofilm formation

Tropical metacommunities along elevational gradients: effects of forest type and other environmental factors.

Elevational gradients provide a natural experiment for assessing the extent to which the structure of animal metacommunities is molded by biotic and abiotic characteristics that change gradually, or is molded by aspects of plant community composition and physiognomy that change in a more discrete fashion. We used a metacommunity framework to integrate species-specific responses to environmental gradients as an approach to detect emergent patterns at the mesoscale in the Luquillo Mountains of Puerto Rico. Elements of metacommunity structure (coherence, species turnover and range boundary clumping) formed the basis for distinguishing among random, checkerboard, Gleasonian, Clementsian, evenly spaced and nested patterns. Paired elevational transects (300-1000 m a.s.l.) were sampled at 50 m intervals to decouple underlying environmental mechanisms: a mixed forest transect reflected changes in abiotic and biotic conditions, including forest type (i.e. tabonuco, palo colorado and elfin forests), whereas another transect reflected changes in environmental conditions but not forest type, as its constituent plots were located within palm forest. Based on distributional data (presence versus absence of species), the mixed forest transect exhibited Clementsian structure, whereas the palm forest transect exhibited quasi-Gleasonian structure. In contrast, the distribution of modes in species abundance was random with respect to the latent environmental gradient in the mixed forest transect and clumped with respect to the latent environmental gradient in the palm forest transect. Such contrasts suggest that the environmental factors affecting abundance differed in form or type from those affecting distributional boundaries. Variation among elevational strata with respect to the first axis of correspondence from reciprocal averaging was highly correlated with elevation along each transect, even though axis scores were not correlated between mixed forest and palm forest transects. This suggests that the identity of the environmental characteristics, or the form of response by the fauna to those characteristics, differed between the two elevational transects. Despite the proximity of the transects, the patchy configuration of palm forest, and the pervasive distribution of the dominant palm species, the relative importance of abiotic variables and habitat in structuring gastropod metacommunities differed between transects, which is remarkable and attests to the sensitivity of metacommunity structure to environmental variation

Tropical metacommunities along elevational gradients: effects of forest type and other environmental factors.

Elevational gradients provide a natural experiment for assessing the extent to which the structure of animal metacommunities is molded by biotic and abiotic characteristics that change gradually, or is molded by aspects of plant community composition and physiognomy that change in a more discrete fashion. We used a metacommunity framework to integrate species-specifi c responses to environmental gradients as an approach to detect emergent patterns at the mesoscale in the Luquillo Mountains of Puerto Rico. Elements of metacommunity structure (coherence, species turnover and range boundary clumping) formed the basis for distinguishing among random, checkerboard, Gleasonian, Clementsian, evenly spaced and nested patterns. Paired elevational transects (300 -1000 m a.s.l.) were sampled at 50 m intervals to decouple underlying environmental mechanisms: a mixed forest transect refl ected changes in abiotic and biotic conditions, including forest type (i.e. tabonuco, palo colorado and elfi n forests), whereas another transect refl ected changes in environmental conditions but not forest type, as its constituent plots were located within palm forest. Based on distributional data (presence versus absence of species), the mixed forest transect exhibited Clementsian structure, whereas the palm forest transect exhibited quasi-Gleasonian structure. In contrast, the distribution of modes in species abundance was random with respect to the latent environmental gradient in the mixed forest transect and clumped with respect to the latent environmental gradient in the palm forest transect. Such contrasts suggest that the environmental factors aff ecting abundance diff ered in form or type from those aff ecting distributional boundaries. Variation among elevational strata with respect to the fi rst axis of correspondence from reciprocal averaging was highly correlated with elevation along each transect, even though axis scores were not correlated between mixed forest and palm forest transects. Th is suggests that the identity of the environmental characteristics, or the form of response by the fauna to those characteristics, diff ered between the two elevational transects. Despite the proximity of the transects, the patchy confi guration of palm forest, and the pervasive distribution of the dominant palm species, the relative importance of abiotic variables and habitat in structuring gastropod metacommunities diff ered between transects, which is remarkable and attests to the sensitivity of metacommunity structure to environmental variation

Neutralizing anti-RBD fraction for SARS-CoV-2 is associated with the interaction waist circumference and sex. An ESFUERSO preliminary report on university students

In a previous study we reported that 25% of college students had a family history of type 2 diabetes (T2D), and 39% of hypertension. Interestingly, between 17 to 47% reported not knowing about T2D or hypertension, neither the existing obesity-metabolic problems (ESFUERSO study). The COVID-19 pandemic forced confinement and modifications in food intake, physical activity, and psychological stress. This study aimed to analyze if the immune Ig-G anti-RBD (protective epitope in S protein) response associated with type of vaccination, metabolic risk, perceived stress, and history of COVID-19 contacts. We included 116 students at the 3th year of follow up in the ESFUERSO cohort at Reynosa. Mean age 21.4 (SD 1.04) years old, BMI 28 (6.6), females 70% (81/116). The serum concentration of Ig-G anti-RGB measured by ELISA adjusted by sex, age, body fat percentage, and BMI was analyzed. Researchers performed a multiple regression analysis with Stata V17.0. We found that 70% of the students had a family history of diabetes, hypertension, and/or obesity at baseline. Only 5 (4%) students did not have any vaccine at the time of the study, 102 (88%) were vaccinated with Moderna or Pfizer and 9 (8%) with other vaccines (Cansino, Sinovac). The prevalence of positive anti-RBD was 91%. The body fat percentage interacted with sex (p=0.034) explaining the serum concentration of anti-RBD decreased as adiposity increases in men, but increased in women. The interaction remained is spite of type of vaccination. We found no differences among metabolic risks for food consumption, distress, uncertainty, lack of sleep, sadness, and anxiety were associated with metabolic problems. Our model predicts neutralizing anti-RBD had multiplicative interaction by sex and body fat percentage (increases in females and decreases in males), with no effects on stress score or food consumption

Marcadores SSR y EST-SSR aplicados al análisis del genoma de especies silvestres del genero Arachis, y el anfiploide sintético [(A. Correntina x A. Cardenasii) x A. Batizocoi] 4x

Ponencia presentada en XXVIII Jornada Nacional del Maní. General Cabrera, Córdoba, Argentina, 19 de septiembre de 2013Numerosas especies vegetales cultivadas son, desde el punto de vista genético, poliploides naturales. Esta condición presenta tanto ventajas como desventajas, entre éstas, la ocurrencia del aislamiento reproductivo con respecto a los progenitores lo cual, sumado al proceso de domesticación y selección de genotipos superiores de interés productivo, repercute sobre la variabilidad genética. Tal es el caso de los cultivares de maní (Arachis hypogaea L.), que presentan entre otros problemas, alta susceptibilidad a enfermedades y plagas que afectan al rendimiento del cultivo. La sección Arachis, una de las nueve dentro del género Arachis, incluye al 40% de las especies silvestres, y constituyen un reservorio de genes de resistencia. En esta sección, las especies diploides silvestres (2n=20, x=10 y 2n=18, x=9), presentan genomas diferentes denominados A, B, D, F y K, en tanto que, A. hypogaea y A. montícola son las únicas tetraploides, cultivada y silvestre respectivamente. Esta diferencia en los niveles de ploidía e incompatibilidad genómica, dificulta la transferencia de genes de resistencia al maní cultivado, siendo una estrategia posible, la obtención de un anfiploide sintético con 40 cromosomas, a partir de un híbrido diploide. Mediante trabajos de hibridación y retrocruzas, junto a técnicas biotecnológicas, se pueden obtener variedades de maní con atributos deseables, en menor tiempo y costo. Los marcadores moleculares de tipo microsatélites genómicos ─SSRs─ y de secuencias expresadas ─EST-SSRs─, entre otros, permiten asistir la tarea del mejorador, mediante la caracterización genómica de los materiales sintéticos con respecto a sus progenitores, incrementando así la eficiencia y predictibilidad de los resultados. A partir de librerías genómicas tanto de A. hypogaea (genoma AA-BB) como de otras pertenecientes a tribus o secciones relacionadas a Arachis, se han desarrollado cientos de marcadores basados en la reacción en cadena de la polimerasa (PCR) que permiten identificar los genomas propuestos para las especies del género. El objetivo del trabajo fue analizar mediante marcadores SSR y EST-SSR, el genoma de especies silvestres de maní y su permanencia en el híbrido [(A. correntina x A. cardenasii) x A. batizocoi] y en el anfiploide derivado [(A. correntina x A. cardenasii) x A. batizocoi]4x.Fil: Torres, Laura Ester. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias; Argentina.Fil: Costero, Beatriz. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias; Argentina.Fil: Teich, Ingrid. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias. Cátedra de Estadística y Biometría; Argentina.Fil: Teich, Ingrid. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET); Argentina.Fil: Taborda, Ricardo Jorge. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias; Argentina.Fil: Cisneros, M. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias; Argentina.Fil: Franceschini, L. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias; Argentina.Fil: De Blas, F. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias; Argentina.Fil: Soave, S. J. Criadero El Carmen; Argentina.Fil: Buteler, M. I. Criadero El Carmen; Argentina.Fil: Faustinelli, P. C. Universidad Católica de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Faustinelli, P. C. Criadero El Carmen; Argentina

Risk factors for unfavorable outcome and impact of early post-transplant infection in solid organ recipients with COVID-19: A prospective multicenter cohort study

The aim was to analyze the characteristics and predictors of unfavorable outcomes in solid organ transplant recipients (SOTRs) with COVID-19. We conducted a prospective observational cohort study of 210 consecutive SOTRs hospitalized with COVID-19 in 12 Spanish centers from 21 February to 6 May 2020. Data pertaining to demographics, chronic underlying diseases, transplantation features, clinical, therapeutics, and complications were collected. The primary endpoint was a composite of intensive care unit (ICU) admission and/or death. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the factors associated with these unfavorable outcomes. Males accounted for 148 (70.5%) patients, the median age was 63 years, and 189 (90.0%) patients had pneumonia. Common symptoms were fever, cough, gastrointestinal disturbances, and dyspnea. The most used antiviral or host-targeted therapies included hydroxychloroquine 193/200 (96.5%), lopinavir/ritonavir 91/200 (45.5%), and tocilizumab 49/200 (24.5%). Thirty-seven (17.6%) patients required ICU admission, 12 (5.7%) suffered graft dysfunction, and 45 (21.4%) died. A shorter interval between transplantation and COVID-19 diagnosis had a negative impact on clinical prognosis. Four baseline features were identified as independent predictors of intensive care need or death: advanced age, high respiratory rate, lymphopenia, and elevated level of lactate dehydrogenase. In summary, this study presents comprehensive information on characteristics and complications of COVID-19 in hospitalized SOTRs and provides indicators available upon hospital admission for the identification of SOTRs at risk of critical disease or death, underlining the need for stringent preventative measures in the early post-transplant period