720 research outputs found
Multilingual and Multicultural Education: The Intersectionality of Culture Mindset and Instructional Practices
The new mainstream classroom is both multilingual and multicultural. How prepared are teachers to work with English language learners and students with interrupted or informal education? This study aimed to determine if teacher growth mindset and cultural competency significantly predicted teacher’s use of responsive teaching practices with English language learners. Utilizing a multiple regression model, growth mindset and cultural competency did not predict teacher’s use of responsive teaching practices. However, by conducting an itemized analysis of the cultural competency survey, certain items stood out as potential predictors of responsive teaching practices. Results from this study suggest that the cultural competency survey and scenarios from the responsive teaching practices survey may be adapted to support school districts in providing quality professional development with their teachers and support staff
Bostonia: The Boston University Alumni Magazine. Volume 33
Founded in 1900, Bostonia magazine is Boston University's main alumni publication, which covers alumni and student life, as well as university activities, events, and programs
Modulation of promiscuous T cell receptor recognition by mutagenesis of CDR2 residues.
Endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated upregulation of miR-29a enhances sensitivity to neuronal apoptosis.
Disturbance of homeostasis within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lumen leads to the accumulation of unfolded and misfolded proteins. This results in the activation of an evolutionary conserved stress response termed ER stress that, if unresolved, induces apoptosis. Previously the Bcl-2 homology domain 3-Only Protein Puma was identified as a mediator of ER stress-induced apoptosis in neurons. In the search of alternative contributors to ER stress-induced apoptosis, a downregulation of the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family protein Mcl-1 was noted during ER stress in both mouse cortical neurons and human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. Downregulation of Mcl-1 was associated with an upregulation of microRNA-29a (miR-29a) expression, and subsequent experiments showed that miR-29a targeted the 3\u27-untranslated region of the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family protein, Mcl-1. Inhibition of miR-29a expression using sequence-specific antagomirs or the overexpression of Mcl-1 decreased cell death following tunicamycin treatment, while gene silencing of Mcl-1 increased cell death. miR-29a did not alter the signalling branches of the ER stress response, rather its expression was controlled by the ER stress-induced transcription factor activating-transcription-factor-4 (ATF4). The current data demonstrate that the ATF4-mediated upregulation of miR-29a enhances the sensitivity of neurons to ER stress-induced apoptosis
H-delta in the Integrated Light of Galaxies: What Are We Actually Measuring?
We present a cautionary study exploring the reliability of the H-delta line
in the integrated spectra of galaxies for determining galaxy ages. Our database
consists of the observed integrated spectra of ~120 early-type galaxies, of 7
metal-rich globular clusters in M31 and the Galactic globular cluster 47 Tuc,
and of the open cluster M67. We have measured H-delta using index definitions
designed to assess contamination from the CN molecule in and around H-delta by
choosing combinations of bandpasses that both avoid and include a region of CN
molecular lines redward of H-delta. We find systematic differences in the ages
derived from H-delta measurements among the various definitions when extracting
ages from H-delta in old stellar populations with enhanced CN bands due to
non-solar abundance ratios. We propose that neighboring CN lines have a strong
effect on pseudocontinuum and central bandpass levels. For stellar populations
which have non-solar abundance ratios in C and/or N, population synthesis
models that do not account for abundance ratio variations cannot reproduce
accurately the CN 4216 \AA band, which leads to a corresponding inaccuracy in
reproducing the various H-delta indices. Hence, caution must be used when
extracting galaxy ages from the H-delta line in old stellar populations with
significant non-solar abundance ratios.Comment: 8 figures, 2 table
Polarization instabilities in a two-photon laser
We describe the operating characteristics of a new type of quantum oscillator
that is based on a two-photon stimulated emission process. This two-photon
laser consists of spin-polarized and laser-driven K atoms placed in a
high-finesse transverse-mode-degenerate optical resonator, and produces a beam
with a power of 0.2 W at a wavelength of 770 nm. We observe
complex dynamical instabilities of the state of polarization of the two-photon
laser, which are made possible by the atomic Zeeman degeneracy. We conjecture
that the laser could emit polarization-entangled twin beams if this degeneracy
is lifted.Comment: Accepted by Physical Review Letters. REVTeX 4 pages, 4 EPS figure
A quantitative PCR method to quantify ruminant DNA in porcine crude heparin
Heparin is a well-known glycosaminoglycan extracted from porcine intestines. Increased vigilance for transmissible spongiform encephalopathy in animal-derived pharmaceuticals requires methods to prevent the introduction of heparin from ruminants into the supply chain. The sensitivity, specificity, and precision of the quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) make it a superior analytical platform for screening heparin raw material for bovine-, ovine-, and caprine-derived material. A quantitative PCR probe and primer set homologous to the ruminant Bov-A2 short interspersed nuclear element (SINE) locus (Mendoza-Romero et al. J. Food Prot. 67:550–554, 2004) demonstrated nearly equivalent affinities for bovine, ovine, and caprine DNA targets, while exhibiting no cross-reactivity with porcine DNA in the quantitative PCR method. A second PCR primer and probe set, specific for the porcine PRE1 SINE sequence, was also developed to quantify the background porcine DNA level. DNA extraction and purification was not necessary for analysis of the raw heparin samples, although digestion of the sample with heparinase was employed. The method exhibits a quantitation range of 0.3–3,000 ppm ruminant DNA in heparin. Validation parameters of the method included accuracy, repeatability, precision, specificity, range, quantitation limit, and linearity
An unusual mutation in RECQ4 gene leading to Rothmund-Thomson syndrome
Rothmund-Thomson syndrome (OMIM #268400) is a severe autosomal recessive genodermatosis: characterised by growth retardation, hyperpigmentation and frequently accompanied by congenital bone defects, brittle hair and hypogonadism. Mutations in helicase RECQ4 gene are responsible for a subset of cases of RTS. Only six mutations have been reported, thus, far and each affecting the coding sequence or the splice junctions. We report the first homozygous mutation in RECQ4 helicase: 2746-2756-delTGGGCTGAGGC in IVS8 responsible for the severe phenotype associated with RTS in a Malaysian pedigree. We report also a 5321 G-->A transition in exon 17 and the updated list of the RECQ4 gene mutations
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