Review of Engaging Education: Developing Emotional Literacy, Equity and Co-education. Brian Matthews. (Book Review)

The book is only about a fraction of its title Engaging Education. His section on ‘engaging the emotions’ sums this up: whereas the book is largely about engaging the emotions positively, the definition of ‘Engaging’ is more far reaching: “that pupils should be involved in their learning; be active and absorbed and not just passive recipients of a set curriculum. Additionally, they should feel engaged in the processes of education and have some input into creating their own agendas for learning” (p.2). Exploring the full impact of this statement across the curriculum really needs a different book

Resident macrophages of pancreatic islets have a seminal role in the initiation of autoimmune diabetes of NOD mice

Significance Our studies indicate that the resident macrophages of the pancreatic islets of Langerhans have a seminal role in the initiation and progression of autoimmune diabetes in NOD mice. In this study, islet macrophages were depleted by administration of a monoclonal antibody to the CSF-1 receptor. Macrophage depletion, either at the start of the autoimmune process or when diabetogenesis is active, leads to a significant reduction in diabetes incidence. Depletion of the islet macrophages reduces the entrance of T cells into islets and results in the absence of antigen presentation. Concordantly, a regulatory pathway develops that controls diabetes progression. We conclude that treatments that target the islet macrophages may have important clinical relevance for the control of autoimmune type 1 diabetes.</jats:p

WDFY4 deficiency in NOD mice ameliorates autoimmune diabetes and insulitis

The events that initiate autoimmune diabetes in nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice remain poorly understood. CD

Locomotor adaptation to a powered ankle-foot orthosis depends on control method

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>We studied human locomotor adaptation to powered ankle-foot orthoses with the intent of identifying differences between two different orthosis control methods. The first orthosis control method used a footswitch to provide bang-bang control (a kinematic control) and the second orthosis control method used a proportional myoelectric signal from the soleus (a physiological control). Both controllers activated an artificial pneumatic muscle providing plantar flexion torque.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Subjects walked on a treadmill for two thirty-minute sessions spaced three days apart under either footswitch control (n = 6) or myoelectric control (n = 6). We recorded lower limb electromyography (EMG), joint kinematics, and orthosis kinetics. We compared stance phase EMG amplitudes, correlation of joint angle patterns, and mechanical work performed by the powered orthosis between the two controllers over time.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>During steady state at the end of the second session, subjects using proportional myoelectric control had much lower soleus and gastrocnemius activation than the subjects using footswitch control. The substantial decrease in triceps surae recruitment allowed the proportional myoelectric control subjects to walk with ankle kinematics close to normal and reduce negative work performed by the orthosis. The footswitch control subjects walked with substantially perturbed ankle kinematics and performed more negative work with the orthosis.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These results provide evidence that the choice of orthosis control method can greatly alter how humans adapt to powered orthosis assistance during walking. Specifically, proportional myoelectric control results in larger reductions in muscle activation and gait kinematics more similar to normal compared to footswitch control.</p

IL-6 selectively suppresses cDC1 specification via C/EBPβ

Cytokines produced in association with tumors can impair antitumor immune responses by reducing the abundance of type 1 conventional dendritic cells (cDC1), but the mechanism remains unclear. Here, we show that tumor-derived IL-6 generally reduces cDC development but selectively impairs cDC1 development in both murine and human systems through the induction of C/EBPβ in the common dendritic cell progenitor (CDP). C/EBPβ and NFIL3 compete for binding to sites in the Zeb2 -165 kb enhancer and support or repress Zeb2 expression, respectively. At homeostasis, pre-cDC1 specification occurs upon Nfil3 induction and consequent Zeb2 suppression. However, IL-6 strongly induces C/EBPβ expression in CDPs. Importantly, the ability of IL-6 to impair cDC development is dependent on the presence of C/EBPβ binding sites in the Zeb2 -165 kb enhancer, as this effect is lost in Δ1+2+3 mutant mice in which these binding sites are mutated. These results explain how tumor-associated IL-6 suppresses cDC1 development and suggest therapeutic approaches preventing abnormal C/EBPβ induction in CDPs may help reestablish cDC1 development to enhance antitumor immunity

The pancreas anatomy conditions the origin and properties of resident macrophages

We examine the features, origin, turnover, and gene expression of pancreatic macrophages under steady state. The data distinguish macrophages within distinct intrapancreatic microenvironments and suggest how macrophage phenotype is imprinted by the local milieu. Macrophages in islets of Langerhans and in the interacinar stroma are distinct in origin and phenotypic properties. In islets, macrophages are the only myeloid cells: they derive from definitive hematopoiesis, exchange to a minimum with blood cells, have a low level of self-replication, and depend on CSF-1. They express Il1b and Tnfa transcripts, indicating classical activation, M1, under steady state. The interacinar stroma contains two macrophage subsets. One is derived from primitive hematopoiesis, with no interchange by blood cells and alternative, M2, activation profile, whereas the second is derived from definitive hematopoiesis and exchanges with circulating myeloid cells but also shows an alternative activation profile. Complete replacement of islet and stromal macrophages by donor stem cells occurred after lethal irradiation with identical profiles as observed under steady state. The extraordinary plasticity of macrophages within the pancreatic organ and the distinct features imprinted by their anatomical localization sets the base for examining these cells in pathological conditions

The \u3cem\u3eChlamydomonas\u3c/em\u3e Genome Reveals the Evolution of Key Animal and Plant Functions

Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a unicellular green alga whose lineage diverged from land plants over 1 billion years ago. It is a model system for studying chloroplast-based photosynthesis, as well as the structure, assembly, and function of eukaryotic flagella (cilia), which were inherited from the common ancestor of plants and animals, but lost in land plants. We sequenced the ∼120-megabase nuclear genome of Chlamydomonas and performed comparative phylogenomic analyses, identifying genes encoding uncharacterized proteins that are likely associated with the function and biogenesis of chloroplasts or eukaryotic flagella. Analyses of the Chlamydomonas genome advance our understanding of the ancestral eukaryotic cell, reveal previously unknown genes associated with photosynthetic and flagellar functions, and establish links between ciliopathy and the composition and function of flagella

Depressive Symptoms in Children with Chronic Kidney Disease

To assess depression in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and to determine associations with patient characteristics, intellectual and educational levels, and health related quality of life (HRQoL)