Teaching and learning in a multilingual Europe: findings from a cross-european study

School classrooms within the EU are multilingual learning environments. The diversity of pupils in classrooms raises significant challenges for teachers, but to date, there are no data from large-scale surveys that compare views within and across European countries. A bespoke questionnaire was designed to examine views of current classroom learning environments with respect to the multilingualism. The questionnaire was piloted and subsequently completed by 2792 teachers across different European countries. Eleven countries provided sufficient data for analyses. Results from structural equation model- ling showed that teachers’ attitudes could be reliably measured across Europe with the use of carefully devised questionnaire, whose loading and factor structure remained invariant across countries. Teachers’ views about multilingualism were most challenged by the numbers of children in their classes, not the percentage of multilingual pupils in the class. Countries differed in how they perceived multilingualism, with their differences leading to distinctive country clusters. Gender and education level (elementary vs. secondary) differences were also observed irrespective of country. These findings enhance our understanding of the role that the characteristics of teachers and their classrooms play in a multilingual setting across diverse European settings. The practical relevance of the results and new opportunities for teacher training are discussed

A randomized clinical trial on the sealing of occlusal carious lesions: 3–4-year results

Abstract This randomized clinical trial aimed to assess the efficacy of sealing occlusal carious lesions in permanent teeth. The sample consisted of 54 occlusal carious lesions in permanent molars and premolars of 49 patients aged 8–43 years (median: 19 years). The inclusion criteria comprised the presence of a cavity with no access allowing biofilm control. The maximum depth of the lesion was the middle third of the dentin thickness, as assessed by bitewing radiography. The teeth were randomly assigned to sealant treatment (n = 28) or restorative treatment (n = 26). Clinical and radiographic examinations were performed after 1 year and after 3–4 years. The outcomes depended on the clinical performance of the sealant/restoration and the control of caries progression observed radiographically. Survival analysis was performed to assess success rates. Over the 3-4 years of monitoring, 2 sealants were totally lost, 1 needed repair, and 1 showed caries progression, totaling 4 failures in the sealant group. In the restoration group, 1 failure was observed (in need of repair). The success rates were 76% and 94% in the sealant and the restoration groups, respectively (p > 0.05). The sealing of occlusal carious lesions in permanent teeth succeeded in controlling caries over a 3–4-year period. However, sealed carious lesions require patient compliance in attending regular follow-ups to control the occurrence of clinical failures of the sealants

Five recurrent BRCA1/2 mutations are responsible for cancer predisposition in the majority of Slovenian breast cancer families

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Both recurrent and population specific mutations have been found in different areas of the world and more specifically in ethnically defined or isolated populations. The population of Slovenia has over several centuries undergone limited mixing with surrounding populations.</p> <p>The current study was aimed at establishing the mutation spectrum of <it>BRCA1/2 </it>in the Slovenian breast/ovarian cancer families taking advantage of a complete cancer registration database. A second objective was to determine the cancer phenotype of these families.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The original population database was composed of cancer patients from the Institute of Oncology Ljubljana in Slovenia which also includes current follow-up status on these patients. The inclusion criteria for the <it>BRCA1/2 </it>screening were: (i) probands with at least two first degree relatives with breast and ovarian cancer; (ii) probands with only two first degree relatives of breast cancer where one must be diagnosed less than 50 years of age; and (iii) individual patients with breast and ovarian cancer, bilateral breast cancer, breast cancer diagnosed before the age of 40 and male breast cancer without any other cancer in the family.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Probands from 150 different families met the inclusion criteria for mutation analysis of which 145 consented to testing. A <it>BRCA1/2 </it>mutation was found in 56 (39%). Two novel large deletions covering consecutive exons of <it>BRCA1 </it>were found. Five highly recurrent specific mutations were identified (1806C>T, 300T>G, 300T>A, 5382insC in the <it>BRCA1 </it>gene and IVS16-2A>G in the <it>BRCA2 </it>gene). The IVS16-2A>G in the <it>BRCA2 </it>gene appears to be a unique founder mutation in the Slovenian population. A practical implication is that only 4 PCR fragments can be used in a first screen and reveal the cancer predisposing mutation in 67% of the <it>BRCA1/2 </it>positive families. We also observed an exceptionally high frequency of 4 different pathogenic missense mutations, all affecting one of the cryptic cysteine residues of the <it>BRCA1 </it>Ring Finger domain.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>A high mutation detection rate and the frequent occurrence of a limited array of recurring mutations facilitate <it>BRCA1/2 </it>mutation screening in Slovenian families.</p

The occurrence of germline BRCA1 and BRCA2 sequence alterations in Slovenian population

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The <it>BRCA1 </it>and <it>BRCA2 </it>mutation spectrum and mutation detection rates according to different family histories were investigated in 521 subjects from 322 unrelated Slovenian cancer families with breast and/or ovarian cancer.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The <it>BRCA1 </it>and <it>BRCA2 </it>genes were screened using DGGE, PTT, HRM, MLPA and direct sequencing.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Eighteen different mutations were found in <it>BRCA1 </it>and 13 in <it>BRCA2 </it>gene. Mutations in one or other gene were found in 96 unrelated families. The mutation detection rates were the highest in the families with at least one breast and at least one ovarian cancer - 42% for <it>BRCA1 </it>and 8% for <it>BRCA2</it>. The mutation detection rate observed in the families with at least two breast cancers with disease onset before the age of 50 years and no ovarian cancer was 23% for <it>BRCA1 </it>and 13% for <it>BRCA2</it>. The mutation detection rate in the families with at least two breast cancers and only one with the disease onset before the age of 50 years was 11% for <it>BRCA1 </it>and 8% for <it>BRCA2</it>. In the families with at least two breast cancers, all of them with disease onset over the age of 50 years, the detection rate was 5% for <it>BRCA2 </it>and 0% for <it>BRCA1</it>.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Among the mutations detected in Slovenian population, 5 mutations in <it>BRCA1 </it>and 4 mutations in <it>BRCA2 </it>have not been described in other populations until now. The most frequent mutations in our population were c.181T > G, c.1687C > T, c.5266dupC and c.844_850dupTCATTAC in <it>BRCA1 </it>gene and c.7806-2A > G, c.5291C > G and c.3978insTGCT in <it>BRCA2 </it>gene (detected in 69% of <it>BRCA1 </it>and <it>BRCA2 </it>positive families).</p

Microphysics of Snowfall Over Coastal East Antarctica Simulated by Polar WRF and Observed by Radar

The current assessment of the Antarctic surface mass balance mostly relies on reanalysis products or climate model simulations. However, little is known about the ability of models to reliably represent the microphysical processes governing the precipitation. This study makes use of recent ground-based precipitation measurements at Dumont d'Urville station in Adelie Land to evaluate the representation of the precipitation microphysics in the Polar version of the Weather Research Forecast (Polar WRF) atmospheric model. During two summertime snowfall events, high-resolution simulations are compared to measurements from an X-band polarimetric radar and from a Multi-Angle Snowflake Camera (MASC). A radar simulator and a "MASC" simulator in Polar WRF make it possible to compare similar observed and simulated variables. Radiosoundings and surface-meteorological observations were used to assess the representation of the regional dynamics in the model. Five different microphysical parameterizations are tested. The simulated temperature, wind, and humidity fields are in good agreement with the observations. However, the amount of simulated surface precipitation shows large discrepancies with respect to observations, and it strongly differs between the simulations themselves, evidencing the critical role of the microphysics. The inspection of vertical profiles of reflectivity and mixing ratios revealed that the representation of the sublimation process by the low-level dry katabatic winds strongly influences the actual amount of precipitation at the ground surface. By comparing the simulated radar signal as well as MASC and model particle size distributions, it is also possible to identify the microphysical processes involved and to pinpoint shortcomings within the tested parameterizations