Lebanon: A Case of History Education in a Sectarian Society

This paper synthesizes the extant literature on history education in Lebanon.  The sectarian nature of the country and the recent civil war make the case of Lebanon a unique and compelling one.  Three emerging understandings underscore the complexity of history education in Lebanon.  First, Lebanon has a tradition of parochial or confessional schools dating back to the hands-off approach of the Ottoman colonial powers.  Second, the delay of a state-sanctioned national curriculum has paralyzed educators who have been left to piece together their own curriculum.  Third, the political gridlock of the country continues to make history education a contentious topic. 

Notch ligand Delta-like 1 promotes in vivo vasculogenesis in human cord blood-derived endothelial colony forming cells

BACKGROUND AIMS: Human cord blood (CB) is enriched in circulating endothelial colony forming cells (ECFCs) that display high proliferative potential and in vivo vessel forming ability. Because Notch signaling is critical for embryonic blood vessel formation in utero, we hypothesized that Notch pathway activation may enhance cultured ECFC vasculogenic properties in vivo. METHODS: In vitro ECFC stimulation with an immobilized chimeric Notch ligand (Delta-like1(ext-IgG)) led to significant increases in the mRNA and protein levels of Notch regulated Hey2 and EphrinB2 that were blocked by treatment with γ-secretase inhibitor addition. However, Notch stimulated preconditioning in vitro failed to enhance ECFC vasculogenesis in vivo. In contrast, in vivo co-implantation of ECFCs with OP9-Delta-like 1 stromal cells that constitutively expressed the Notch ligand delta-like 1 resulted in enhanced Notch activated ECFC-derived increased vessel density and enlarged vessel area in vivo, an effect not induced by OP9 control stromal implantation. RESULTS: This Notch activation was associated with diminished apoptosis in the exposed ECFC. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that Notch pathway activation in ECFC in vivo via co-implanted stromal cells expressing delta-like 1 promotes vasculogenesis and augments blood vessel formation via diminishing apoptosis of the implanted ECFC

Angiopoietin-like protein 2 regulates endothelial colony forming cell vasculogenesis

Angiopoietin-like 2 (ANGPTL2) has been reported to induce sprouting angiogenesis; however, its role in vasculogenesis, the de novo lumenization of endothelial cells (EC), remains unexplored. We sought to investigate the potential role of ANGPTL2 in regulating human cord blood derived endothelial colony forming cell (ECFC) vasculogenesis through siRNA mediated inhibition of ANGPTL2 gene expression. We found that ECFCs in which ANGPTL2 was diminished displayed a threefold decrease in in vitro lumenal area whereas addition of exogenous ANGPTL2 protein domains to ECFCs lead to increased lumen formation within a 3 dimensional (3D) collagen assay of vasculogenesis. ECFC migration was attenuated by 36 % via ANGPTL2 knockdown (KD) although proliferation and apoptosis were not affected. We subsequently found that c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK), but not ERK1/2, phosphorylation was decreased upon ANGPTL2 KD, and expression of membrane type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP), known to be regulated by JNK and a critical regulator of EC migration and 3D lumen formation, was decreased in lumenized structures in vitro derived from ANGPTL2 silenced ECFCs. Treatment of ECFCs in 3D collagen matrices with either a JNK inhibitor or exogenous rhTIMP-3 (an inhibitor of MT1-MMP activity) resulted in a similar phenotype of decreased vascular lumen formation as observed with ANGPTL2 KD, whereas stimulation of JNK activity increased vasculogenesis. Based on gene silencing, pharmacologic, cellular, and biochemical approaches, we conclude that ANGPTL2 positively regulates ECFC vascular lumen formation likely through its effects on migration and in part by activating JNK and increasing MT1-MMP expression

Initial MLU Predicts the Relative Efficacy of Two Grammatical Treatments in Preschoolers With Specific Language Impairments

Purpose—We sought to confirm predictions based on past findings that pre-treatment mean length of utterance (MLU) would predict which of two grammatical treatments would best facilitate generalized and maintained grammatical development in preschoolers with specific language impairment (SLI). Method—The participants were 57 preschoolers with specific language impairment (SLI). A randomized group experiment was used. The two grammatical treatments were Broad Target Recasts (BTR) and Milieu Language Teaching (MLT). MLU was assessed at Time 1 in two conversational language samples. Growth rate of productive grammar was quantified using growth curve modeling on the Index of Productive Syntax (IPSyn) from two conversational language samples at each of 6 measurement periods. Results—Predictions were confirmed for children with initially low MLU, but not for children with initially high MLUs. MLT facilitated growth of grammar better than BTR in children who were initially in Brown’s stage I. Effects maintained 5 months after treatment ended

Initial MLU Predicts the Relative Efficacy of Two Grammatical Treatments in Preschoolers With Specific Language Impairments

Purpose—We sought to confirm predictions based on past findings that pre-treatment mean length of utterance (MLU) would predict which of two grammatical treatments would best facilitate generalized and maintained grammatical development in preschoolers with specific language impairment (SLI). Method—The participants were 57 preschoolers with specific language impairment (SLI). A randomized group experiment was used. The two grammatical treatments were Broad Target Recasts (BTR) and Milieu Language Teaching (MLT). MLU was assessed at Time 1 in two conversational language samples. Growth rate of productive grammar was quantified using growth curve modeling on the Index of Productive Syntax (IPSyn) from two conversational language samples at each of 6 measurement periods. Results—Predictions were confirmed for children with initially low MLU, but not for children with initially high MLUs. MLT facilitated growth of grammar better than BTR in children who were initially in Brown’s stage I. Effects maintained 5 months after treatment ended

The Turkey Ig-like receptor family: identification, expression and function.

The chicken leukocyte receptor complex located on microchromosome 31 encodes the chicken Ig-like receptors (CHIR), a vastly expanded gene family which can be further divided into three subgroups: activating CHIR-A, bifunctional CHIR-AB and inhibitory CHIR-B. Here, we investigated the presence of CHIR homologues in other bird species. The available genome databases of turkey, duck and zebra finch were screened with different strategies including BLAST searches employing various CHIR sequences, and keyword searches. We could not identify CHIR homologues in the distantly related zebra finch and duck, however, several partial and complete sequences of CHIR homologues were identified on chromosome 3 of the turkey genome. They were designated as turkey Ig-like receptors (TILR). Using cDNA derived from turkey blood and spleen RNA, six full length TILR could be amplified and further divided according to the typical sequence features into one activating TILR-A, one inhibitory TILR-B and four bifunctional TILR-AB. Since the TILR-AB sequences all displayed the critical residues shown to be involved in binding to IgY, we next confirmed the IgY binding using a soluble TILR-AB1-huIg fusion protein. This fusion protein reacted with IgY derived from various gallinaceous birds, but not with IgY from other bird species. Finally, we tested various mab directed against CHIR for their crossreactivity with either turkey or duck leukocytes. Whereas no staining was detectable with duck cells, the CHIR-AB1 specific mab 8D12 and the CHIR-A2 specific mab 13E2 both reacted with a leukocyte subpopulation that was further identified as thrombocytes by double immunofluorescence employing B-cell, T-cell and thrombocyte specific reagents. In summary, although the turkey harbors similar LRC genes as the chicken, their distribution seems to be distinct with predominance on thrombocytes rather than lymphocytes

The extraordinary evolutionary history of the reticuloendotheliosis viruses

The reticuloendotheliosis viruses (REVs) comprise several closely related amphotropic retroviruses isolated from birds. These viruses exhibit several highly unusual characteristics that have not so far been adequately explained, including their extremely close relationship to mammalian retroviruses, and their presence as endogenous sequences within the genomes of certain large DNA viruses. We present evidence for an iatrogenic origin of REVs that accounts for these phenomena. Firstly, we identify endogenous retroviral fossils in mammalian genomes that share a unique recombinant structure with REVs—unequivocally demonstrating that REVs derive directly from mammalian retroviruses. Secondly, through sequencing of archived REV isolates, we confirm that contaminated Plasmodium lophurae stocks have been the source of multiple REV outbreaks in experimentally infected birds. Finally, we show that both phylogenetic and historical evidence support a scenario wherein REVs originated as mammalian retroviruses that were accidentally introduced into avian hosts in the late 1930s, during experimental studies of P. lophurae, and subsequently integrated into the fowlpox virus (FWPV) and gallid herpesvirus type 2 (GHV-2) genomes, generating recombinant DNA viruses that now circulate in wild birds and poultry. Our findings provide a novel perspective on the origin and evolution of REV, and indicate that horizontal gene transfer between virus families can expand the impact of iatrogenic transmission events

Yielded to Christ or conformed to this world? Postwar Mennonite responses to labour activism

This is the accepted version of the manuscript.The urbanization of North American Mennonites after the Second World War necessitated a reconsideration of Mennonite religious beliefs. Post-war concerns for social justice led to a greater emphasis on non-violence and agape at the expense of Gelassenheit. The tenor of Mennonite church conference resolutions regarding labour union membership changed; while skepticism remained regarding the wisdom of union involvement, the door was left open for participation in unions. The labour militancy of the 1970s led Manitoba Mennonites to re-examine their engagement with the labour movement, a process that has continued to the present day. Without further research on Mennonite workplaces, it cannot be known exactly how the change in religious emphases has affected Mennonite identity.https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/00084298070360020