Locus of Reform: From Reflection to Effectiveness Through the Voices of Novice Teachers.

This descriptive multiple-case qualitative study focused on the professional and personal experiences of five novice teachers--three preservice student teachers and two first-year teachers. Research conducted in two exemplary elementary schools examined the following questions: (a) How do preservice and first-year teachers use reflective practice and self-assessment to develop effective teaching practices? (b) How do the preservice and first-year teachers\u27 approaches to effective literacy instruction compare? (c) Why does reflection not translate into effectiveness? and (d) How is effectiveness perceived in the professional, social school environment of novice teachers? Results of the case studies determined that teacher education programs must go beyond providing their students with strong knowledge structures if new teachers are to survive in the trenches of public schools. Four assertions emerged in response to the research questions. First, reflection, a professional practice of self-assessment, requires initiation at the preservice level to insure integration into the classroom. Second, effectiveness is defined by approved practices of respected supervisors implemented through the individual personality preferences of inexperienced teachers. Third, reflection-in-practice is a difficult concept to internalize and requires the experience and confidence of purposeful, continuous practice. Finally, professionalization is dependent on school placement and influenced by the culture of that school. Results impact the teacher education program of these preservice students and inservice programs for new teachers and mentors. If competent, professional classroom teachers drive educational reform, the voices of these novice teachers provide insight into tools for success

Risdiplam for the Use of Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is one of the leading causes of death in infants related to the degeneration of neurons. Currently, there are no curative treatment options for SMA, and many options available may not be feasible. This review presents the background, clinical studies, and indications for the use of Risdiplam in treating SMA. SMA causes a decrease in the production of survival motor neuron proteins (SMN) and current treatments target to increase the expression of SMN. Risdiplam is the first and only oral medication to be approved to treat SMA. As an SMN2 splicing modifier, it has provided stronger systemic therapies than previous intrathecal and gene replacement therapies. There have been many efforts to treat SMA with multidisciplinary approaches. These include intrathecal injections to gene replacement therapies. However, these have been faced with limitations such as reaching a good therapeutic dose in systemic tissues, route of administration, and price. Risdiplam is currently the only orally administered drug approved by the FDA for the treatment of SMA. It not only provides a good therapeutic window to systemic tissues but allows for a non-invasive approach in infants. Further investigation and comparison on the safety profile of Risdiplam due to its broader systemic effect should be considered with other available therapies

In situ visualization of newly synthesized proteins in environmental microbes using amino acid tagging and click chemistry

Here we describe the application of a new click chemistry method for fluorescent tracking of protein synthesis in individual microorganisms within environmental samples. This technique, termed bioorthogonal non-canonical amino acid tagging (BONCAT), is based on the in vivo incorporation of the non-canonical amino acid L-azidohomoalanine (AHA), a surrogate for L-methionine, followed by fluorescent labeling of AHA containing cellular proteins by azide-alkyne click chemistry. BONCAT was evaluated with a range of phylogenetically and physiologically diverse archaeal and bacterial pure cultures and enrichments, and used to visualize translationally active cells within complex environmental samples including an oral biofilm, freshwater, and anoxic sediment. We also developed combined assays that couple BONCAT with rRNA-targeted FISH, enabling a direct link between taxonomic identity and translational activity. Using a methanotrophic enrichment culture incubated under different conditions, we demonstrate the potential of BONCAT-FISH to study microbial physiology in situ. A direct comparison of anabolic activity using BONCAT and stable isotope labeling by nanoSIMS (^(15)NH_4^+ assimilation) for individual cells within a sediment sourced enrichment culture showed concordance between AHA positive cells and ^(15)N enrichment. BONCAT-FISH offers a fast, inexpensive, and straightforward fluorescence microscopy method for studying the in situ activity of environmental microbes on a single cell level

Growing the Business Technology Management (BTM) Program: Ensuring BTM Supply is Meeting Industry Demand

The panel will present research concerning demand for ICT related occupations/skills and discuss high school level ICT career awareness initiatives. Also present information on Business Technology Management (BTM) growth initiatives related to an Employment Skills Development Canada (ESDC) grant, and explore academic community engagement and existing BTM programs

Bacterial diversity and lipid biomarkers in sea ice and sinking particulate organic material during the melt season in the Canadian Arctic

International audienceThe estimation of important carbon fluxes in a changing Arctic environment remains a challenge, one that could benefit from the development of biomarkers that distinguish between sympagic (ice-associated) and pelagic organic material. Products of 10S-DOX-like lipoxygenase and fatty acid cis-trans isomerase (CTI) activity of bacteria attached to sympagic particulate organic matter (POM) were proposed previously as potential biomarkers of the contribution of sympagic biota to carbon fluxes to the seafloor. To date, neither the bacteria involved in such enzymatic activities nor the detection of these potential biomarkers at their presumed source (i.e., sea ice) has been investigated. Here, we determined and compared the diversity of prokaryotic communities (based on operational taxonomic units) attached to sea ice POM and under-ice sinking particles during an early stage of ice melt (brine drainage) in Baffin Bay (Canadian Arctic). Based on a time series of biodiversity analyses and the quantification of lipid tracers of these two bacterial enzymatic activities, we suggest that CTI-active bacteria, exposed to hypersaline stress, are attached to algal POM just above bottom sea ice and released into the water column following brine drainage. In contrast, bacteria attached to sinking particles and exhibiting 10S-DOX-like lipoxygenase activity are suggested to come from the bottommost layer of sea ice, where they may play a role in the detoxification of algae-produce free fatty acids. These results provide a refined view of the potential use of products of CTI activity as specific biomarkers of sympagic organic matter

Stress factors resulting from the Arctic vernal sea-ice melt

International audienceDuring sea-ice melt in the Arctic, primary production by sympagic (sea-ice) algae can be exported efficiently to the seabed if sinking rates are rapid and activities of associated heterotrophic bacteria are limited. Salinity stress due to melting ice has been suggested to account for such low bacterial activity. We further tested this hypothesis by analyzing samples of sea ice and sinking particles collected from May 18 to June 29, 2016, in western Baffin Bay as part of the Green Edge project. We applied a method not previously used in polar regions—quantitative PCR coupled to the propidium monoazide DNA-binding method—to evaluate the viability of bacteria associated with sympagic and sinking algae. We also measured cis-trans isomerase activity, known to indicate rapid bacterial response to salinity stress in culture studies, as well as free fatty acids known to be produced by algae as bactericidal compounds. The viability of sympagic-associated bacteria was strong in May (only approximately 10% mortality of total bacteria) and weaker in June (average mortality of 43%; maximum of 75%), with instances of elevated mortality in sinking particle samples across the time series (up to 72%). Short-term stress reflected by cis-trans isomerase activity was observed only in samples of sinking particles collected early in the time series. Following snow melt, however, and saturating levels of photosynthetically active radiation in June, we observed enhanced ice-algal production of bactericidal compounds (free palmitoleic acid; up to 4.8 mg L–1). We thus suggest that protection of sinking sympagic material from bacterial degradation early in a melt season results from low bacterial activity due to salinity stress, while later in the season, algal production of bactericidal compounds induces bacterial mortality. A succession of bacterial stressors during Arctic ice melt helps to explain the efficient export of sea-ice algal material to the seabed

Soil chemical extraction tests to estimate zinc plant availability from engineered ZnO nanoparticles applied to agricultural soils.

The Zn oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) have been proposed as a possible Zn fertilizer to alleviate Zn deficiency in soils [1]. The NPs in the soil are subjected to chemical and biological reactions and physical processes, and they can be either retained in the solid matrix or mobilized into pore water, which have a profound impact on their availabilit

De "l'incapacité littéraire des Belges". Complexe national et contrefaçon

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Viability and stress state of bacteria associated with primary production or zooplankton-derived suspended particulate matter in summer along a transect in Baffin Bay (Arctic Ocean)

International audienc

Risdiplam for the Use of Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is one of the leading causes of death in infants related to the degeneration of neurons. Currently, there are no curative treatment options for SMA, and many options available may not be feasible. This review presents the background, clinical studies, and indications for the use of Risdiplam in treating SMA. SMA causes a decrease in the production of survival motor neuron proteins (SMN) and current treatments target to increase the expression of SMN. Risdiplam is the first and only oral medication to be approved to treat SMA. As an SMN2 splicing modifier, it has provided stronger systemic therapies than previous intrathecal and gene replacement therapies. There have been many efforts to treat SMA with multidisciplinary approaches. These include intrathecal injections to gene replacement therapies. However, these have been faced with limitations such as reaching a good therapeutic dose in systemic tissues, route of administration, and price. Risdiplam is currently the only orally administered drug approved by the FDA for the treatment of SMA. It not only provides a good therapeutic window to systemic tissues but allows for a non-invasive approach in infants. Further investigation and comparison on the safety profile of Risdiplam due to its broader systemic effect should be considered with other available therapies