Basal-like breast cancers: from pathology to biology and back again

Human breast cancers referred to as "basal-like" are of interest because they lack effective therapies and their biology is poorly understood. The term basal-like derives from studies demonstrating tumor gene expression profiles that include some transcripts characteristic of the basal cells of the normal adult human mammary gland and others associated with a subset of normal luminal cells. Elucidating the mechanisms responsible for the profiles of basal-like tumors is an active area of investigation. More refined molecular analysis of patients' samples and genetic strategies to produce breast cancers de novo from defined populations of normal mouse mammary cells have served as complementary approaches to identify relevant pathway alterations. However, both also have limitations. Here, we review some of the underlying reasons, including the unifying concept that some normal luminal cells have both luminal and basal features, as well as some emerging new avenues of investigation

Twice-Exceptional College Students Identified as Gifted and Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Comparative Case Study

This comparative case study investigated the college experiences of twice-exceptional college students identified as gifted and diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (GTASD). Increasing numbers of students with ASD are entering universities (NCES, 2008; Shattuck et al., 2012) making the identification of supports for their academic success imperative. However, little is known about their college experiences and their challenges in transitioning to higher education settings. This study examined the college experience from the perspective of the GTASD college student. Based on ecological systems theory, five cases were designed that included ten participants. Each of the five cases contained one GTASD college student and their respective advocate. Data was collected from multiple sources (twenty-five interviews of students and advocates, student generated photographs, and an online demographic and educational experiences surveys) and analyzed from a grounded theory perspective. Findings from this study indicated that accurate diagnosis of autism and early identification of giftedness is needed to determine individual differences and provide the social and emotional skills necessary for the successful college experiences of the GTASD college student. Information learned from this study may directly help students, inform support systems (counselors, parents or guardians, college personnel), improve transitional services, and highlight relevant counseling needs

From Kansas to Queensland: Global learning in preservice elementary teacher education

Communication of information between groups of humans has been extended through out history progressing from smoke signals, drum beats, message couriers, post, telegraph, telephone and now the ICT. The time between the utterance of a message and the reception of that message has progressively decreased. We are now able to communicate relatively cheaply, simultaneously sharing and responding to ideas and thoughts on a scale never previously possible. Although the technology exists to make possible easy access to people in all parts of the world, we still lack understandings of the aspirations and sensitivities of other cultures with whom we can communicate. This project supported pre-service elementary teachers in two countries – Australia and the United States – to engage in collaborative learning through Internet communications. The purpose of the project was to develop greater understanding of other’s cultures, and practices in teaching elementary students. Students attending an Australian preservice primary science methods course were matched with a cohort of undergraduate preservice elementary student teachers from a university in the United States studying an integrated mathematics science methods course. Over a six-week period the students engaged in the computer-mediated communication and were encouraged to learn about mutual cultural practices and primary/elementary science education in both countries. The outcomes demonstrated that students involved in the project benefited from an array of different and enriching learning experiences. Students benefited through enhanced understanding of the teaching of science and an appreciation of the common problems confronting science education in both countries. However, there was little engagement in debate or discussion of individual differences and the cultural context of each other’s country even when opportunities presented themselves. Nevertheless, the on-line tasks provided the pre-service teachers with the experience and confidence to engage their own students in similar global learning initiatives when they become teachers

Closure: A Forgotten Aspect of English as a Second Language Teaching Pedagogy

I realized early in my teaching career, I didn’t know how to begin or end a class. I quickly learned how to build community in a classroom by using ice breaker activities to provide a sense of my adult learners needs, wants and dreams. When it was time for the class to end, I had no sense for what my adult multi-cultural students were thinking or feeling. Generally speaking we (my students and I) would plan to have a party or meet somewhere for drinks. No one would show up. Usually I would never see these students again. Not only did I not know why my students failed to show up, I never had a chance to say goodbye or have closure for the class. In 1994, when I decided to return to school to obtain my masters, one of my expectations was to get the definite cookbook answer on how to complete or close a class. I was “hungry” for closure information. I wanted a cookbook and there wasn’t a cookbook. The following is my attempt at a closure cookbook for a multi-cultural classroom. As such, this thesis could be regarded as a recipe consisting of physical measurements such as pedagogical teaching theory, definitions and activities to complete closure which combined the cooks (teachers knowledge and insights) produce the finished product: closure

Invitations to sing : a home-school literacy partnership

This paper focuses on fostering parent involvement in their children\u27s school life, particularly the writing process. While acquiring literacy, children model behaviors of those around them, both at home and school. Schools need to build genuine partnerships that honor the voices of teachers, parents, and children

The Use of Simultaneously Guided Television Viewing and Script Reading as a Means of Improving Comprehension and Vocabulary

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of simultaneously guided television viewing and script reading on the comprehension and vocabulary scores of twenty academically weak seventh grade students. A secondary purpose was to determine what change, if any, materialized in the student\u27s attitude toward reading and leisure activities as a result of participation in the program. Twenty students who had obtained a comprehension score at or below the 7.0 reading level on the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Test, and who did not have an apparent physical or mental handicap as indicated by school records, were selected to participate in the eight week program. Seven situation comedy or family drama television programs were selected and manuscripts of each program were prepared by the examiner. The students attended class daily and completed the requirements of each program at the conclusion of five sessions. A significant difference was found between the pre and posttest scores on comprehension. No significant difference was found between the pre and posttest scores on vocabulary, attitude and leisure activities