CLIL AND GLOBAL EDUCATION: A MEANINGFUL MATCH

Education for future necessarily embraces multiple skills and themes which are transversal and applicable across the curriculum content. Students need to see and understand the content of individual subjects as connected and not as a discrete entity. CLIL as an approach which focuses on integration of meaningful context into a language learning classroom has been tested over the last decades and demonstrates that communication does not necessarily need to be limited to vocabulary and grammar practice. On the contrary as one of the global skills communication supports social interaction in problem solving, collaboration and thus is the key skill in achieving target goals. This study focuses on the readiness to implement the global skills within the CLIL approach among trainees in their last year of teacher training in Slovakia in 2019. The questionnaires and the subsequent interviews reveal that future language teachers still seem to prefer focusing on pure language aims to integrating global skills development and they even lack the confidence in application of transversal themes and skills. Even though there is a clear understanding of the importance of integration of global skills into education in general the lack of their own experience seems to determine their attitude towards them. These results identify the space for modification in the teacher training curriculum; however, it requires a wider cooperation within different subjects.

Indoor air quality and mechanical ventilation for technology buildings

Creating of indoor environment in the work area in industrial buildings should be based on cooperation between heating and ventilation. However, practice shows that this is not truth in many cases. Both professions are many times designed separately. Result is their noncooperation leading to a mutual obstruction in terms of disposal location or functional operation of the systems. Creating a heating and ventilation system, which would both be designed in accordance with applicable legislation and it would create an optimal indoor environment for people in working area, to find solution in combination of radiant heating with ventilation air recovery unit

Chorionic gonadotropin and uterine dialogue in the primate

Implantation is a complex spatio-temporal interaction between the growing embryo and the mother, where both players need to be highly synchronized to be able to establish an effective communication to ensure a successful pregnancy. Using our in vivo baboon model we have shown that Chorionic Gonadotropin (CG), as the major trophoblast derived signal, not only rescues the corpus luteum but also modulates the uterine environment in preparation for implantation. This response is characterized by an alteration in both the morphological and biochemical activity in the three major cell types: luminal and glandular epithelium and stromal fibroblasts. Furthermore, CG and factors from the ovary have a synergistic effect on the receptive endometrium. Novel local effects of CG which influence the immune system to permit the survival of the fetal allograft and prevent endometrial cell death are also discussed in this review. An alternate extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation pathway observed in epithelial endometrial cells and the possibility of differential expression of the CG/LH-R isoforms during gestation, open many questions regarding the mechanism of action of CG and its signal transduction pathway within the primate endometrium

Soluble amyloid precursor protein: a novel proliferation factor of adult progenitor cells of ectodermal and mesodermal origin

Introduction: Soluble amyloid precursor protein a (sAPPa) is a proteolyte of APP cleavage by a-secretase. The significance of the cleavage and the physiological role of sAPPa are unknown. A crystal structure of a region of the amino terminal of sAPPa reveals a domain that is similar to cysteine-rich growth factors. While a previous study implicates sAPPa in the regulation of neural progenitor cell proliferation in the subventricular zone of adult mice, the ubiquitous expression of APP suggests that its role as a growth factor might be broader. Methods: sAPPa and a-secretase activities were determined in neural progenitor cells (NPCs), mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) and human decidua parietalis placenta stem cells (hdPSC). Inhibition of a-secretase was achieved by treatment with the matrixmetalloproteinase inhibitor GM6001, and proliferation was determined using clonogenic and immunocytochemical analysis of cell-lineage markers. Recovery of proliferation was achieved by supplementing GM6001-treated cells with recombinant soluble APPa. Expression of APP and its cellular localization in the subventricular zone was determined by Western blot and immunohistochemical analyses of APP wild type and knockout tissue. Alterations in pERK and pAKT expression as a function of soluble APPa production and activity in NPCs were determined by Western blot analysis. Results: Here we show that sAPPa is a proliferation factor of adult NPCs, MSCs and hdpPSC. Inhibition of asecretase activity reduces proliferation of these stem cell populations in a dose-dependent manner. Stem cell proliferation can be recovered by the addition of sAPPa in a dose-dependent manner, but not of media depleted of sAPPa. Importantly, sAPPa operates independently of the prominent proliferation factors epidermal growth factor (EGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), but in association with ERK signaling and MAP-kinase signaling pathways. Levels of sAPPa and putative a-secretase, ADAM10, are particularly high in the subventricular zone of adult mice, suggesting a role for sAPPa in regulation of NPCs in this microenvironment. Conclusions: These results determine a physiological function for sAPPa and identify a new proliferation factor of progenitor cells of ectodermal and mesodermal origin. Further, our studies elucidate a potential pathway for sAPPa signaling through MAP kinase activation

Cotton-Grass and Blueberry have Opposite Effect on Peat Characteristics and Nutrient Transformation in Peatland

Peatlands are large repositories of carbon (C). Sphagnum mosses play a key role in C sequestration, whereas the presence of vascular plants is generally thought to stimulate peat decomposition. Recent studies stress the importance of plant species for peat quality and soil microbial activity. Thus, learning about specific plant-microbe-soil relations and their potential feedbacks for C and nutrient cycling are important for a correct understanding of C sequestration in peatlands and its potential shift associated with vegetation change. We studied how the long-term presence of blueberry and cotton-grass, the main vascular dominants of spruce swamp forests, is reflected in the peat characteristics, soil microbial biomass and activities, and the possible implications of their spread for nutrient cycling and C storage in these systems. We showed that the potential effect of vascular plants on ecosystem functioning is species specific and need not necessarily result in increased organic matter decomposition. Although the presence of blueberry enhanced phosphorus availability, soil microbial biomass and the activities of C-acquiring enzymes, cotton-grass strongly depleted phosphorus and nitrogen from the peat. The harsh conditions and prevailing anoxia retarded the decomposition of cotton-grass litter and caused no significant enhancement in microbial biomass and exoenzymatic activity. Therefore, the spread of blueberry in peatlands may stimulate organic matter decomposition and negatively affect the C sequestration process, whereas the potential spread of cotton-grass would not likely change the functioning of peatlands as C sinks.Peer reviewe

Human Transcriptional Coactivator with PDZ-Binding Motif (TAZ) Is Downregulated During Decidualization1

Transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) is known to bind to a variety of transcription factors to control cell differentiation and organ development. However, its role in uterine physiology has not yet been described. To study its regulation during the unique process of differentiation of fibroblasts into decidual cells (decidualization), we utilized the human uterine fibroblast (HuF) in vitro cell model. Immunocytochemistry data demonstrated that the majority of the TAZ protein is localized in the nucleus. Treatment of HuF cells with the embryonic stimulus cytokine interleukin 1 beta in the presence of steroid hormones (estradiol-17 beta and medroxyprogesterone acetate) for 13 days did not cause any apparent TAZ mRNA changes but resulted in a significant TAZ protein decline (approximately 62%) in total cell lysates. Analysis of cytosolic and nuclear extracts revealed that the decline of total TAZ was caused primarily by a drop of TAZ protein levels in the nucleus. TAZ was localized on the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor response element site (located at position −1200 bp relative to the transcription start site) of the genomic region of decidualization marker insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 1 (IGFBP1) in HuF cells as detected by chromatin immunoprecipitation. TAZ is also present in human endometrium tissue as confirmed by immunohistochemistry. During the secretory phase of the menstrual cycle, specific TAZ staining particularly diminishes in the stroma, suggesting its participation during the decidualization process, as well as implantation. During early baboon pregnancy, TAZ protein expression remains minimal in the endometrium close to the implantation site. In summary, the presented evidence shows for the first time to date TAZ protein in the human uterine tract, its downregulation during in vitro decidualization, and its localization on the IGFBP1 promoter region, all of which indicate its presence in the uterine differentiation program during pregnancy

Cofilin and Slingshot Localization in the Epithelium of Uterine Endometrium Changes During the Menstrual Cycle and in Endometriosis

Regulation of the actin cytoskeleton is essential for epithelial cell polarity and protein trafficking within human uterine epithelium. The actin-binding protein cofilin is involved in regulation of actin dynamics by promoting actin branching and cytoskeleton reorganization. Dual immunohistochemical staining of cofilin and G-actin (represented by DNAse I staining) revealed cofilin-G-actin colocalization in the apical side of luminal epithelial cells of human uterine endometrium during the proliferative phase of the menstrual cycle. Interestingly, during the secretory phase of the menstrual cycle, cofilin was only present on the basolateral side. To determine whether the disease endometriosis causes a different pattern of actin remodeling, we investigated an established baboon model of induced endometriosis. The cofilin pattern in the secretory phase of baboons with endometriosis was similar to the proliferative phase in normal animals; cofilin was observed in the apical parts of luminal and glandular epithelium. A phosphatase regulating the activity of cofilin, slingshot (SSH1), revealed a similar staining pattern within these tissues. These patterns were confirmed through quantitative image analysis. Quantification of messenger RNA (mRNA) detected upregulated SSH1 and suggested a progesterone resistance-related pattern of nuclear steroid hormone receptors, but no change in membrane progesterone receptors (mPR alpha or mPR beta) was observed in endometriosis. Our data indicate that the severe dyssynchrony during menstrual cycle phases in endometriosis is connected with improper cytoskeleton rearrangements. We suggest that cofilin-mediated actin reorganization in uterine epithelial cells might be important in preparation for blastocyst implantation; dysregulation of this reorganization may lead to decreased fertility in endometriosis