Spiritual Identities, Teacher Identities, and the Teaching of Writing

Through a case study, this article examines the ways teacher identity and spiritual identity intersect in the teaching of writing. By showing that a teacher\u27s pedagogy is prodoundly informed by a basic spiritual disposition, the author offers a view of teaching that is often neglected in studies of teacher identity

The Future of Writing Teacher Education

This article provides background for the creation of the journal and suggestions for future submissions and directions

Development of transposon based tools for the investigation of virulence factors in Clostridium difficile

C. difficile is GI pathogen which under certain conditions colonises the colon leading CDI. During passage through the GI tract the bacterium in either vegetative or spore form encounters innate antimicrobial defence mechanisms evolved to prevent colonisation by microorganisms. One of these natural defences is the production of a potent digestive secretion known as bile. The major role of bile is to emulsify fats from ingested material to aid digestion. However, it is also an effective antimicrobial. The tolerance of C. difficile and its interaction with bile has not yet been fully investigated. The results obtained here describe the tolerance levels of two pathogenic strains, 630△erm and R20291, to bovine and ovine bile. Significant differences were seen in the tolerance of R20291 compared to 630△erm, with R20291 showing tolerance of a much higher concentration of bile. Analysis of genome-wide transcription levels using a microarray revealed differences in the expression of genes in 630△erm in response to bile exposure, although these were not statistically significant. These preliminary investigations do however provide a foundation for further elucidation of the interaction of C. difficile with bile

“Practicing What We Teach in Writing Methods: Crossover Strategies for Preparing Elementary and Secondary English Language Arts Teachers”

Panelists shared writing methods assignments (digital documentaries, field journals, collaborative presentations, annotated bibliographies) that featured Graham and Perin’s (2007) 11 elements of effective writing instruction. Participants critiqued the assignments and discuss how pre-service teachers’ understandings of effective elementary and secondary writing instruction are transformed

Kondorski reversal in magnetic nanowires

Magnetization reversal in nanowire systems, such as alnico-type permanent magnets, slanted columns produced by glancing-angle deposition, and nanowires embedded in alumina templates, is investigated by model calculations. The angular dependence of the domain-wall propagation is Kondorski-like, reminiscent of Kondorski pinning in bulk materials but with a somewhat different physics and consistent with Kerr hysteresis-loop measurements. Criss-cross patterning of alnicos improves the coercivity but reduces the remanence, with virtually zero net effect on energy product. Finally, we briefly discuss the wire-radius dependence of the coercivity in the context of shape anisotropy and the occurrence of interaction domains in alnico

Early Detection of Ovarian Cancer in Samples Pre-Diagnosis Using CA125 and MALDI-MS Peaks

Aim: A nested case-control discovery study was undertaken 10 test whether information within the serum peptidome can improve on the utility of CA125 for early ovarian cancer detection. Materials and Methods: High-throughput matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) was used to profile 295 serum samples from women pre-dating their ovarian cancer diagnosis and from 585 matched control samples. Classification rules incorporating CA125 and MS peak intensities were tested for discriminating ability. Results: Two peaks were found which in combination with CA125 discriminated cases from controls up to 15 and 11 months before diagnosis, respectively, and earlier than using CA125 alone. One peak was identified as connective tissue-activating peptide III (CTAPIII), whilst the other was putatively identified as platelet factor 4 (PF4). ELISA data supported the down-regulation of PF4 in early cancer cases. Conclusion: Serum peptide information with CA125 improves lead time for early detection of ovarian cancer. The candidate markers are platelet-derived chemokines, suggesting a link between platelet function and tumour development

Identification of cryptolepine metabolites in rat and human hepatocytes and metabolism and pharmacokinetics of cryptolepine in Sprague Dawley rats

YesBackground: This study aims at characterizing the in vitro metabolism of cryptolepine using human and rat hepatocytes, identifying metabolites in rat plasma and urine after a single cryptolepine dose, and evaluating the single-dose oral and intravenous pharmacokinetics of cryptolepine in male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats. Methods: The in vitro metabolic profiles of cryptolepine were determined by LC-MS/MS following incubation with rat and human hepatocytes. The in vivo metabolic profile of cryptolepine was determined in plasma and urine samples from Sprague Dawley rats following single-dose oral administration of cryptolepine. Pharmacokinetic parameters of cryptolepine were determined in plasma and urine from Sprague Dawley rats after single-dose intravenous and oral administration. Results: Nine metabolites were identified in human and rat hepatocytes, resulting from metabolic pathways involving oxidation (M2-M9) and glucuronidation (M1, M2, M4, M8, M9). All human metabolites were found in rat hepatocyte incubations except glucuronide M1. Several metabolites (M2, M6, M9) were also identified in the urine and plasma of rats following oral administration of cryptolepine. Unchanged cryptolepine detected in urine was negligible. The Pharmacokinetic profile of cryptolepine showed a very high plasma clearance and volume of distribution (Vss) resulting in a moderate average plasma half-life of 4.5 h. Oral absorption was fast and plasma exposure and oral bioavailability were low. Conclusions: Cryptolepine metabolism is similar in rat and human in vitro with the exception of direct glucuronidation in human. Clearance in rat and human is likely to include a significant metabolic contribution, with proposed primary human metabolism pathways hydroxylation, dihydrodiol formation and glucuronidation. Cryptolepine showed extensive distribution with a moderate half-life.Funded by Novartis Pharma under the Next Generation Scientist Program