cross cultural mediation in elf migration contexts pedagogical implications on elt multilingual settings

ELF cross-cultural interactions and mediation processes in specialized migration settings are often characterized by 'gatekeeping' asymmetries between the participants involved challenging a successful meaning negotiation (Guido, 2008). The exploration of migration encounters (Sperti, 2017) is particularly useful in the analysis of naturally occurring dialogues among ELF users, since it shows how ELF speakers, engaged in intercultural interactions, appropriate the English language according to their own native linguacultural and paralinguistic schemata, and to specific pragmalinguistic purposes and processes. The multimodal investigation of the occurring hybridization processes is focused on (i) ELF redefinition of existing native paralinguistic correlates in the pragmalinguistic use of an ELF variation; and (ii) resulting L1 transfers affecting the performing of speech acts and the conversational composition and progress. The analysis reveals (a) the mediation of meaning, experience and intentionality in terms of resulting lexical, syntactical, and register performance; and (b) the role played by prosody and paralanguage in the mutual acceptance of speakers' intentions, attitudes, and cognitive schemata, in spoken specialized discourse related to medical and legal integration, mediated migration narratives, cross-cultural conceptual representations and reception of traumatic experience. The heuristic approach applied to the analysis of data derived from the exploration of real plurilingual cross-cultural exchanges is particularly useful in the promotion of the conscious use of cross-cutting strategies as powerful learning tools embedded in the language learning process, with the ultimate aim of (i) investigating the possible impact of migration on teacher education, (ii) defining an ELF-aware pedagogical framework in plurilingual educational settings, and (iii) enhancing the development of learners' skills in intercultural communication

Polymorphisms in transcription factor binding sites and enhancer regions and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma risk

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) are a powerful tool for detecting variants associated with complex traits and can help risk stratification and prevention strategies against pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). However, the strict significance threshold commonly used makes it likely that many true risk loci are missed. Functional annotation of GWAS polymorphisms is a proven strategy to identify additional risk loci. We aimed to investigate single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in regulatory regions [transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs) and enhancers] that could change the expression profile of multiple genes they act upon and thereby modify PDAC risk. We analyzed a total of 12,636 PDAC cases and 43,443 controls from PanScan/PanC4 and the East Asian GWAS (discovery populations), and the PANDoRA consortium (replication population). We identified four associations that reached study-wide statistical significance in the overall meta-analysis: rs2472632(A) (enhancer variant, OR 1.10, 95%CI 1.06,1.13, p = 5.5 × 10−8), rs17358295(G) (enhancer variant, OR 1.16, 95%CI 1.10,1.22, p = 6.1 × 10−7), rs2232079(T) (TFBS variant, OR 0.88, 95%CI 0.83,0.93, p = 6.4 × 10−6) and rs10025845(A) (TFBS variant, OR 1.88, 95%CI 1.50,1.12, p = 1.32 × 10−5). The SNP with the most significant association, rs2472632, is located in an enhancer predicted to target the coiled-coil domain containing 34 oncogene. Our results provide new insights into genetic risk factors for PDAC by a focused analysis of polymorphisms in regulatory regions and demonstrating the usefulness of functional prioritization to identify loci associated with PDAC risk.</p

Polymorphisms in transcription factor binding sites and enhancer regions and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma risk

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) are a powerful tool for detecting variants associated with complex traits and can help risk stratification and prevention strategies against pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). However, the strict significance threshold commonly used makes it likely that many true risk loci are missed. Functional annotation of GWAS polymorphisms is a proven strategy to identify additional risk loci. We aimed to investigate single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in regulatory regions [transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs) and enhancers] that could change the expression profile of multiple genes they act upon and thereby modify PDAC risk. We analyzed a total of 12,636 PDAC cases and 43,443 controls from PanScan/PanC4 and the East Asian GWAS (discovery populations), and the PANDoRA consortium (replication population). We identified four associations that reached study-wide statistical significance in the overall meta-analysis: rs2472632(A) (enhancer variant, OR 1.10, 95%CI 1.06,1.13, p = 5.5 × 10−8), rs17358295(G) (enhancer variant, OR 1.16, 95%CI 1.10,1.22, p = 6.1 × 10−7), rs2232079(T) (TFBS variant, OR 0.88, 95%CI 0.83,0.93, p = 6.4 × 10−6) and rs10025845(A) (TFBS variant, OR 1.88, 95%CI 1.50,1.12, p = 1.32 × 10−5). The SNP with the most significant association, rs2472632, is located in an enhancer predicted to target the coiled-coil domain containing 34 oncogene. Our results provide new insights into genetic risk factors for PDAC by a focused analysis of polymorphisms in regulatory regions and demonstrating the usefulness of functional prioritization to identify loci associated with PDAC risk.</p

INTRODUCING MEDIATION STRATEGIES IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING IN PLURILINGUAL ACADEMIC CONTEXTS

In language teaching, especially in European multilingual and multicultural contexts, mediation has become an essential tool aimed at reducing the distance between two (or more) linguacultural dimensions. Mediation is a notion officially introduced by the Council of Europe’s Common European Framework of Reference (2001), and further developed in the current Companion Volume (2020), where mediation strategies and activities acquire a crucial role as a new form of managing the interaction in the language classroom as well as in daily communicative situations. Mediation is here presented as fundamental in cross-cultural communication and recommended as indispensable in plurilingual educational contexts. In this perspective, mediation and mediation strategies are central in multilingual educational and professional contexts where native and non-native speakers interact by means of an increasing use of ‘lingua francas’, mainly English as a lingua franca (ELF). The present study aims to illustrate the introduction of different language mediation strategies by means of specific tasks and activities within ELF-aware (Sifakis, Bayyurt, 2018) academic ELT (English Language Teaching) courses for language and cultural mediation and international communication. The research focus is on the emerging real-world ‘hybridization’ processes, adopted as learning tools in ELT practices, which prove to be particularly useful for enhancing learners’ awareness of communicative dynamics and the conscious use of mediation skills and strategies in multicultural settings. Pedagogical implications for language teacher education deriving from this study will be discussed. &nbsp; Introduzione di strategie di mediazione nell’insegnamento della lingua inglese in contesti accademici plurilingui&nbsp; Nell’insegnamento delle lingue, soprattutto in contesti europei multilingue e multiculturali, la mediazione è diventata uno strumento essenziale per ridurre la distanza tra due (o più) dimensioni linguistiche e culturali. La mediazione è una nozione introdotta ufficialmente dal Quadro Comune Europeo di Riferimento del Consiglio d’Europa (2001) e ulteriormente sviluppata nell’attuale Volume complementare (2020), dove le strategie e le attività di mediazione acquisiscono un ruolo cruciale come nuova forma di gestione dell’interazione in classe e nelle situazioni comunicative quotidiane. La mediazione viene qui presentata come fondamentale nella comunicazione interculturale e raccomandata come indispensabile nei contesti educativi plurilingui. In questa prospettiva, la mediazione e le strategie di mediazione sono centrali nei contesti educativi e professionali plurilingui in cui parlanti nativi e non nativi interagiscono attraverso un uso crescente di “lingue franche”, principalmente l’inglese come lingua franca (ELF). Il presente studio si propone di illustrare l’introduzione di diverse strategie di mediazione linguistica attraverso compiti e attività specifiche all’interno di corsi accademici ELT (English Language Teaching) basati sull’ELF (Sifakis, Bayyurt, 2018) per la mediazione linguistica e culturale e la comunicazione internazionale. La ricerca si concentra sui processi di “ibridazione” emergenti nel mondo reale, adottati come strumenti di apprendimento nelle pratiche ELT, che si rivelano particolarmente utili per migliorare la consapevolezza degli studenti delle dinamiche comunicative e l’uso consapevole di abilità e strategie di mediazione in contesti multiculturali. Saranno discusse le implicazioni pedagogiche per la formazione degli insegnanti di lingue derivanti da questo studio