The Right to Learn: Preparing Early Childhood Teachers to Work in High-Need Schools

Three teacher educators trained in the 1960\u27s reflect on how to ensure educational equity in high-needs schools of today. The article starts with a description of the education the writers want for all children, and outline the processes and practices needed to sustain it. This is followed by a discussion on how schools of education can equip teachers with the values, understandings, and strategies they will need to achieve these goals

Hemodynamic Regulation of Inflammation at the Endothelial-Neutrophil Interface

Arterial shear stress can regulate endothelial phenotype. The potential for anti-inflammatory effects of shear stress on TNFα-activated endothelium was tested in assays of cytokine expression and neutrophil adhesion. In cultured human aortic endothelial cells (HAEC), arterial shear stress of 10 dyne/cm2 blocked by \u3e 80% the induction by 5 ng/ml TNFα of interleukin-8 (IL-8) and IL-6 secretion (50% and 90% reduction, respectively, in the presence of nitric oxide synthase antagonism with 200 μM nitro-L-arginine methylester, L-NAME). Exposure of TNFα-stimulated HAEC to arterial shear stress for 5 hr also reduced by 60% (P &#; 0.001) the conversion of neutrophil rolling to firm arrest in a venous flow assay conducted at 1 dyne/cm2. Also, neutrophil rolling lengths at 1 dyne/cm2 were longer when TNFα-stimulated HAEC were presheared for 5 hr at arterial stresses. In experiments with a synthetic promoter that provides luciferase induction to detect cis interactions of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and NFκB, shear stress caused a marked 40-fold induction of luciferase in TNFα-treated cells, suggesting a role for GR pathways in the anti-inflammatory actions of fluid shear stress. Hemodynamic force exerts anti-inflammatory effects on cytokine activated endothelium by attenuation of cytokine expression and neutrophil firm arrest

Vitamin D in Australia : issues and recommendations

BACKGROUND A significant number of Australians and people from specific groups within the community are suffering from vitamin D deficiency. It is no longer acceptable to assume that all people in Australia receive adequate vitamin D from casual exposure to sunlight.OBJECTIVE This article provides information on causes, consequences, treatment and prevention of vitamin D deficiency in Australia. DISCUSSION People at high risk of vitamin D deficiency include the elderly, those with skin conditions where avoidance of sunlight is required, dark skinned people (particularly women during pregnancy or if veiled) and patients with malabsorption, eg. coeliac disease. For most people, deficiency can be prevented by 5&ndash;15 minutes exposure of face and upper limbs to sunlight 4&ndash;6 times per week. If this is not possible then a vitamin D supplement of at least 400 IU* per day is recommended. In cases of established vitamin D deficiency, supplementation with 3000-5000 IU per day for at least 1 month is required to replete body stores. Increased availability of larger dose preparations of cholecalciferol would be a useful therapy in the case of severe deficiencies. * 40 IU (international units) = 1 &micro;g<br /

Mutations in the E2 glycoprotein and the 3\u27 untranslated region enhance chikungunya virus virulence in mice

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-transmitted alphavirus that causes debilitating musculoskeletal pain and inflammation and can persist for months to years after acute infection. Although studies of humans and experimentally infected animals suggest that CHIKV infection persists in musculoskeletal tissues, the mechanisms for this remain poorly understood. To evaluate this further, we isolated CHIKV from the serum of persistently infected Rag1 -/- mice at day 28. When inoculated into naive wild-type (WT) mice, this persistently circulating CHIKV strain displayed a capacity for earlier dissemination and greater pathogenicity than the parental virus. Sequence analysis revealed a nonsynonymous mutation in the E2 glycoprotein (E2 K200R) and a deletion within the 3' untranslated region (3'-UTR). The introduction of these changes into the parental virus conferred enhanced virulence in mice, although primary tropism for musculoskeletal tissues was maintained. The E2 K200R mutation was largely responsible for enhanced viral dissemination and pathogenicity, although these effects were augmented by the 3'- UTR deletion. Finally, studies with Irf3/Irf7 -/- and Ifnar1 -/- mice suggest that the E2 K200R mutation enhances viral dissemination from the site of inoculation independently of interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3)-, IRF7-, and IFNAR1-mediated responses. As our findings reveal viral determinants of CHIKV dissemination and pathogenicity, their further study should help to elucidate host-virus interactions that determine acute and chronic CHIKV infection

A cross-reactive antibody protects against Ross River virus musculoskeletal disease despite rapid neutralization escape in mice

Arthritogenic alphaviruses cause debilitating musculoskeletal disease and historically have circulated in distinct regions. With the global spread of chikungunya virus (CHIKV), there now is more geographic overlap, which could result in heterologous immunity affecting natural infection or vaccination. Here, we evaluated the capacity of a cross-reactive anti-CHIKV monoclonal antibody (CHK-265) to protect against disease caused by the distantly related alphavirus, Ross River virus (RRV). Although CHK-265 only moderately neutralizes RRV infection in cell culture, it limited clinical disease in mice independently of Fc effector function activity. Despite this protective phenotype, RRV escaped from CHK-265 neutralization in vivo, with resistant variants retaining pathogenic potential. Near the inoculation site, CHK-265 reduced viral burden in a type I interferon signaling-dependent manner and limited immune cell infiltration into musculoskeletal tissue. In a parallel set of experiments, purified human CHIKV immune IgG also weakly neutralized RRV, yet when transferred to mice, resulted in improved clinical outcome during RRV infection despite the emergence of resistant viruses. Overall, this study suggests that weakly cross-neutralizing antibodies can protect against heterologous alphavirus disease, even if neutralization escape occurs, through an early viral control program that tempers inflammation

Enhancing the therapeutic activity of hyperimmune IgG against chikungunya virus using FcγRIIIa affinity chromatography

INTRODUCTION: Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a re-emerging mosquito transmitted alphavirus of global concern. Neutralizing antibodies and antibody Fc-effector functions have been shown to reduce CHIKV disease and infection in animals. However, the ability to improve the therapeutic activity of CHIKV-specific polyclonal IgG by enhancing Fc-effector functions through modulation of IgG subclass and glycoforms remains unknown. Here, we evaluated the protective efficacy of CHIKV-immune IgG enriched for binding to Fc-gamma receptor IIIa (FcγRIIIa) to select for IgG with enhanced Fc effector functions. METHODS: Total IgG was isolated from CHIKV-immune convalescent donors with and without additional purification by FcγRIIIa affinity chromatography. The enriched IgG was characterized in biophysical and biological assays and assessed for therapeutic efficacy during CHIKV infection in mice. RESULTS: FcγRIIIa-column purification enriched for afucosylated IgG glycoforms. In vitro characterization showed the enriched CHIKV-immune IgG had enhanced human FcγRIIIa and mouse FcγRIV affinity and FcγR-mediated effector function without reducing virus neutralization in cellular assays. When administered as post-exposure therapy in mice, CHIKV-immune IgG enriched in afucosylated glycoforms promoted reduction in viral load. DISCUSSION: Our study provides evidence that, in mice, increasing Fc engagement of FcγRs on effector cells, by leveraging FcγRIIIa-affinity chromatography, enhanced the antiviral activity of CHIKV-immune IgG and reveals a path to produce more effective therapeutics against these and potentially other emerging viruses