Effective Reading Instruction Strategies for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities

Recent legislation and focus on research-based instruction has lead to a more unified drive to teaching students with significant cognitive disabilities how to read because we know now that most of these students can learn how to read through intensive instruction using a variety of different strategies to teach the essential components of reading (Browder et al., 2006). As reported by Browder et al. (2006, p. 393), the National Reading Panel (NRP, 2000), “identified five essential components of reading instruction: (a) phonemic awareness, (b) phonics, (c) fluency, (d) vocabulary, and (e) comprehension.” The purpose of this paper is to identify some strategies that have been proven in research to be effective in teaching students with significant cognitive disabilities some of the previously mentioned components of reading

Rett Syndrome: Characteristics, Causes, and Treatment

The purpose of this paper is to inform readers of what classic Rett syndrome is and what can be done to improve the lives of the people affected by it. This paper will address several aspects of Rett syndrome including its diagnostic criteria and stages, common characteristics, etiology, as well as possible treatment options

Sphingosine 1 Phosphate (S1P) Receptor 1 Is Decreased in Human Lung Microvascular Endothelial Cells of Smokers and Mediates S1P Effect on Autophagy

Destruction of alveoli by apoptosis induced by cigarette smoke (CS) is a major driver of emphysema pathogenesis. However, when compared to cells isolated from non-smokers, primary human lung microvascular endothelial cells (HLMVECs) isolated from chronic smokers are more resilient when exposed to apoptosis-inducing ceramide. Whether this adaptation restores homeostasis is unknown. To better understand the phenotype of HLMVEC in smokers, we interrogated a major pro-survival pathway supported by sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) signaling via S1P receptor 1 (S1P1). Primary HLMVECs from lungs of non-smoker or smoker donors were isolated and studied in culture for up to five passages. S1P1 mRNA and protein abundance were significantly decreased in HLMVECs from smokers compared to non-smokers. S1P1 was also decreased in situ in lungs of mice chronically exposed to CS. Levels of S1P1 expression tended to correlate with those of autophagy markers, and increasing S1P (via S1P lyase knockdown with siRNA) stimulated baseline macroautophagy with lysosomal degradation. In turn, loss of S1P1 (siRNA) inhibited these effects of S1P on HLMVECs autophagy. These findings suggest that the anti-apoptotic phenotype of HLMVECs from smokers may be maladaptive, since it is associated with decreased S1P1 expression that may impair their autophagic response to S1P

Effective Reading Instruction Strategies for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities

Reading is the cornerstone of instruction for all students regardless of their ability level because it sets the foundation for future progress and success in virtually all other facets of life (Kliewer & Landis, 1999). Recent legislation and research has suggested that we should be more successful in teaching every student to read (Brower, Wakeman, Spooner, Ahlgrim-Delzell, & Algozzine, 2006). There are various strategies that educators use to teach reading in a typical classroom setting. However, these strategies are not always the same in special education classrooms, especially in terms of teaching students with significant cognitive disabilities. Browder et al. (2006) defined students with significant cognitive disabilities as students classified as having moderate or severe mental retardation, who may have additional disabilities such as autism or physical disabilities. Individuals with severe cognitive disabilities may use nonlinguistic communication … and exhibit learning characteristics that require greater time to learn and intensive forms of instructional support (p.392)

Lectin-Based Characterization of Vascular Cell Microparticle Glycocalyx

<div><p>Microparticles (MPs) are released constitutively and from activated cells. MPs play significant roles in vascular homeostasis, injury, and as biomarkers. The unique glycocalyx on the membrane of cells has frequently been exploited to identify specific cell types, however the glycocalyx of the MPs has yet to be defined. Thus, we sought to determine whether MPs, released both constitutively and during injury, from vascular cells have a glycocalyx matching those of the parental cell type to provide information on MP origin. For these studies we used rat pulmonary microvascular and artery endothelium, pulmonary smooth muscle, and aortic endothelial cells. MPs were collected from healthy or cigarette smoke injured cells and analyzed with a panel of lectins for specific glycocalyx linkages. Intriguingly, we determined that the MPs released either constitutively or stimulated by CSE injury did not express the same glycocalyx of the parent cells. Further, the glycocalyx was not unique to any of the specific cell types studied. These data suggest that MPs from both normal and healthy vascular cells do not share the parental cell glycocalyx makeup.</p></div

MPs released constitutively from vascular cells do not recapitulate the glycocalyx of the parent cells.

<p>All cell types were grown to confluence, media changed to serum free media for 1 hour. Media was then centrifuged as described to collect MPs. MPs were then stained with the lectin panel in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0135533#pone.0135533.t001" target="_blank">Table 1</a>. The MPs released from MVECs, PAECs, and AOECs (A, B, and C) do not show any significant positivity for any of the lectins studied (all ranging from 40–60% positive. P = not significant). The PASMC-MPs were significantly positive for SNA over MVEC-MPs and PAEC-MPs, but not AOEC-MPs (78.53 ± 4.5 vs. 57.66 ± 6.6 and 67.1 ± 9.06, respectively. P<0.05).</p

Lectin staining is inhibited by treatment with sugar.

<p>The lectins HP, SNA, MAA, and GS1 were presaturated with the sugar D(+)galactose. MPs isolated from MVECs were then stained with lectins or Dgal saturated lectins. Dgal significantly inhibited all lectin binding to the MPs. (HP 37 ± 5 vs. 13 ± 4; SNA 68 ± 2 vs. 51 ± 0.3; MAA 34 ± 0.6 vs. 18 ± 1; and GS1 54 ± 6 vs. 13 ±1; stained vs. Dgal saturated respectively, n = 3–5 per group P< 0.001).</p

Vascular cells from the macrocirculation have specific SNA lectin binding.

<p>All cell types were grown to confluence, media changed to serum free media for 1 hour, trypsinized, and stained for our lectin panel in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0135533#pone.0135533.t001" target="_blank">Table 1</a> as described in methods. (A) MVECs show preferential binding for <i>Griffonia simplicifolia</i> (GS1) lectin as previously reported (95.43 ± 1.9%). (B) PASMCs have significantly more binding to <i>Sambucus nigra</i> (SNA1) and <i>Maackia amurensis</i> (MAA) than GS or <i>Helix pomatia</i> (HP) (100 and 79.43 ± 1.2% vs. 15.95 ± 3.0 and 15.58 ± 4.8%, respectively; P<0.05). (C) AOECs preferentially bind GS1 and SNA1 compared to HP and MAA (88.7 ± 5.7 and 100% vs. 23.48 ± 4.4 and 36.9 ± 1.8%, respectively. *P<0.05). (D) PASMC bind GS1 and SNA1 preferentially (97.9 ± 1.5 and 100% vs. 16.6 ± 2 and 18.93 ± 3.0%, respectively. P<0.05).</p

Lectin panel used for all studies.

<p>¹ EY Laboratories; San Mateo, CA.</p><p>Lectin panel used for all studies.</p

TEM of Microparticles.

<p>MVECs were seeded and grown to confluence on 100mm dishes. At confluence media was collected and centrifuged for MP collection and placement on filters as described in methods. TEM images of MPs were taken. These images illustrate that our collection protocol isolates MPs of the appropriate size.</p