New Teacher Excellence: The Impact of State Policy on Induction Program Implementation

Focusing specifically on state policies on supporting new teachers, it dispels the notion that policy itself is a cure-all. It takes a more expansive view of policy -- including not just legislation and regulations, but also funding, evaluation and program infrastructure -- and concludes that, in the case of teacher induction, while comprehensive state policies may increase the likelihood that intensive induction programs will take root in schools and districts, it is also dependent upon a range of contextual factors, including leadership support, stakeholder commitment and a collective vision. This report has implications for public policies beyond simply those focused on new teachers

Immune Response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection in the Parietal Pleura of Patients with Tuberculous Pleurisy

The T lymphocyte-mediated immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in the parietal pleura of patients with tuberculous pleurisy is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the immune response in the parietal pleura of tuberculous pleurisy compared with nonspecific pleuritis. We have measured the numbers of inflammatory cells particularly T-cell subsets (Th1/Th2/Th17/Treg cells) in biopsies of parietal pleura obtained from 14 subjects with proven tuberculous pleurisy compared with a control group of 12 subjects with nonspecific pleuritis. The number of CD3+, CD4+ and CCR4+ cells and the expression of RORC2 mRNA were significantly increased in the tuberculous pleurisy patients compared with the nonspecific pleuritis subjects. The number of toluidine blue+ cells, tryptase+ cells and GATA-3+ cells was significantly decreased in the parietal pleura of patients with tuberculous pleurisy compared with the control group of nonspecific pleuritis subjects. Logistic regression with receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis for the three single markers was performed and showed a better performance for GATA-3 with a sensitivity of 75%, a specificity of 100% and an AUC of 0.88. There was no significant difference between the two groups of subjects in the number of CD8, CD68, neutrophil elastase, interferon (IFN)-γ, STAT4, T-bet, CCR5, CXCR3, CRTH2, STAT6 and FOXP3 positive cells. Elevated CD3, CD4, CCR4 and Th17 cells and decreased mast cells and GATA-3+ cells in the parietal pleura distinguish patients with untreated tuberculous pleurisy from those with nonspecific pleuritis

Carachterization of the immunity response in pleural biopsies from patients affected by epithelial and sarcomatous mesothelioma

Il mesotelioma è un tumore raro ad elevata mortalità e terapia-resistente che origina dalle cellule mesoteliali. Generalmente, il mesotelioma colpisce gli individui di età compresa tra i 60 e i 70 anni. Nei paesi industrializzati il mesotelioma maligno pleurico è spesso associato all’esposizione ad asbesto, tuttavia in circa il 30% dei casi, l’esposizione non è documentata. La prognosi è severa e la mediana della sopravvivenza si aggira attorno ai 9 mesi. Poco è noto sui meccanismi che portano alla trasformazione neoplastica delle cellule mesoteliali pleuriche, tuttavia è stato dimostrato che ripetuti tentativi da parte dei macrofagi di fagocitare le fibre di asbesto provoca la formazione continua di molecole infiammatorie. E’ stato visto che la ripetuta produzione di molecole infiammatorie, a sua volta, è in grado di provocare la trasformazione neoplastica di cellule mesoteliali in vitro. In questo studio si è voluto caratterizzare lo stato dell’infiltrazione delle cellule infiammatorie ed immunitarie in biopsie pleuriche ottenute da 15 pazienti con diagnosi di mesotelioma maligno pleurico epitelioide (E-MESO) e 8 pazienti con diagnosi di mesotelioma maligno sarcomatoso (S-MESO) paragonati a due gruppi di controllo con diagnosi certa di pleurite tubercolare (PLTB, 14 pazienti) e flogosi aspecifica (NSP, 12 pazienti). Lo studio dell’infiltrato infiammatorio è stato effettuato tramite colorazione istologica ed immunoistochimica per i marcatori delle principali cellule infiammatorie: eosinofili, mastociti, neutrofili, macrofagi, linfociti T CD3, CD4 e CD8. Lo studio dell’infilitrato delle cellulle del sistema immunitario, invece, è stata svolto valutando, tramite immunoistochimica, l’espressione di alcuni specifici marcatori Th1, Th2 e Treg. Sono stati ricercati CXCR3, T-bet e STAT4 per identificare i linfociti Th1, CCR4, CRTH2, GATA3 e STAT6 per identificare i linfociti Th2 e foxp3 per i linfociti Treg, al fine di valutare la presenza di un’eventuale polarizzazione nella risposta immunitaria presente nel mesotelioma maligno di tipo Th1/Th2. Sono state individuate differenze statisticamente significative tra i gruppi per quanto riguarda i neutrofili, gli eosinofili, i mastociti, i linfociti T CD3 e CD8. L’analisi degli specifici marcatori per i linfociti Th1 ha mostrato differenze statisticamente significative tra i gruppi per i marcatori CXCR3 e STAT4, mentre per quanto riguarda i marcatori specifici per Th2 sono state identificate differenze statisticamente significative per i marcatori CRTH2, STAT6 e GATA3. Il presente studio fornisce una caratterizzazione dell’infiltrazione infiammatoria e immunitaria presente nelle pleura di pazienti affetti da mesotelioma maligno. L’analisi delle molecole caratterizzanti i due sottotipi dei linfociti T helper, Th1 e Th2, non ha portato all’identificazione di una polarizzazione in senso Th1 o Th2 nei gruppi di pazienti esaminati. Dai dati analizzati, i due sottotipi di mesotelioma maligno non mostrano una polarizzazione in un senso o nell’altro, tuttavia sono state identificate differenze di espressione tra i due gruppi per quanto riguarda alcune molecole e non solamente rispetto ai gruppi di controllo

MicroRNA cloning and sequencing in osteosarcoma cell lines: Differential role of miR-93

Background Studies show that abnormalities in non-coding genes can contribute to carcinogenesis; microRNA levels may modulate cancer growth and metastatic diffusion. Method MicroRNA libraries were built and sequenced from two osteosarcoma cell lines (MG-63 and 143B), which differ in proliferation and transmigration. By cloning and transfection, miR-93, expressed in both cell lines, was then investigated for its involvement in osteosarcoma progression. Results Six of the 19 miRNA identified were expressed in both cell lines with higher expression levels of miR-93 in 143B and in primary osteosarcoma cultures compared to normal osteoblasts. Interestingly, levels of miR-93 were significantly higher in metastases from osteosarcoma than in paired primary tumours. When 143B and MG-63 were transfected with miR-93, clones appeared to respond differently to microRNA overexpression. Ectopic expression of miR-93 more significantly increased cell proliferation and invasivity in 143B than in MG-63 clones. Furthermore, increased mRNA and protein levels of E2F1, one of the potential miR-93 targets, were seen in osteosarcoma cellular clones and its involvement in 143B cell proliferation was confirmed by E2F1 silencing. Conclusion Although further studies are needed to evaluate miRNA involvement in osteosarcoma progression, miR-93 overexpression seems to play an important role in osteosarcoma cell growth and invasion. © International Society for Cellular Oncology 2011

Photomicrographs showing the parietal pleura stained for mast cells using immunostaining with an anti-tryptase antibody (A and B) or toluidine blue histochemical staining (C and D).

<p>Tryptase+ cells are stained in red and toluidine blue+ cells are stained in blue. Results are representative of those from 14 patients with PLTB (A and C) and 12 patients with NSP (B and D). Original magnification: 400×. The scale bar represents 50 µm.</p

Photomicrographs showing the parietal pleura (A, B) and control tonsil (C and D) immunostained for identification of CCR4+ cells (A–C).

<p>Chemokine receptor CCR4+ cells are stained brown. Photomicrograph D shows negative control slide of tonsil immunostained using normal nonspecific immunoglobulins. Results are representative of those from 14 patients with PLTB (A) and 12 patients with NSP (B). Original magnification: 400×. The scale bar represents 50 µm.</p

Photomicrographs showing the parietal pleura (A, B) and positive control tonsil (C) immunostained for CXCR3 (A–C).

<p>CXCR3+ cells are stained in red. Photomicrograph D shows negative control slide of tonsil immunostained using normal nonspecific immunoglobulins. Results are representative of those from 14 patients with PLTB (A) and 12 patients with NSP (B). Original magnification: 400×. The scale bar represents 50 µm.</p

Photomicrographs showing the parietal pleura (A, B) and positive control tonsil (C) immunostained for identification of FOXP3+ cells (A–C).

<p>FOXP3 positive cells are stained brown. Photomicrograph D shows the negative control slide of tonsil immunostained using normal nonspecific immunoglobulins. Results are representative of those from 14 patients with PLTB (A) and 12 patients with NSP (B). Original magnification: 400×. The scale bar represents 50 µm.</p