Positioning adolescents in literacy teaching and learning

Secondary literacy instruction often happens to adolescents rather than with them. To disrupt this trend, we collaborated with 12th-grade “literacy mentors” to reimagine literacy teaching and learning with 10th-grade mentees in a public high school classroom. We used positioning theory as an analytic tool to (a) understand how mentors positioned themselves and how we positioned them and (b) examine the literacy practices that enabled and constrained the mentor position. We found that our positioning of mentors as collaborators was taken up in different and sometimes unexpected ways as a result of the multiple positions available to them and institutional-level factors that shaped what literacy practices were and were not negotiable. We argue that future collaborations with youth must account for the rights and duties of all members of a classroom community, including how those rights and duties intersect, merge, or come into conflict within and across practices.The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This research was supported by a Faculty Research Award from the School of Education at Boston University. (Faculty Research Award from the School of Education at Boston University)Accepted manuscrip

Genome Nucleotide Lengths That Are Divisible by Six Are Not Essential but Enhance Replication of Defective Interfering RNAs of the Paramyxovirus Simian Virus 5

AbstractFor some members of the Paramyxoviridae family of negative strand RNA viruses, efficient genome replication only occurs when the total genome length is a multiple of six (6Nlength, whereNis any integer). To determine if this “rule of six” requirement applied to the replication of the prototype paramyxovirus simian virus 5 (SV5), defective interfering (DI) RNA genomes were generated by sequential undiluted passage of virus in tissue culture. Molecular cloning and nucleotide sequence analysis of 10 RNA genomes revealed a series of copyback DI RNAs with chain lengths between 449 and 1365 bases, but only 4 of the 10 naturally occurring RNA genomes were of 6Nlength. Many of the cloned DI genomes could be grouped into two distinct nested sets, with the members of each set having the same polymerase crossover junctions and extent of terminal complementarity but differing from each other by internal deletions. One of these nested sets of genomes consisted of novel DI RNAs that contained a pentameric stretch of nontemplated adenosine residues inserted precisely at the polymerase crossover junction. A reverse genetics system was established in which SV5 DI genomes were replicatedin vivoentirely by cDNA-derived components. Using this system, two naturally occurring SV5 DI RNAs were examined in a mutational analysis to determine the role of genome length on SV5 RNA replication. The progressive insertion of one to six nucleotides into a 6Nlength DI genome (852 bases) resulted in a reduction in replication for RNAs that contained one to four additional bases (∼35–50% of WT levels), followed by an increase back to WT replication levels for genomes that were altered by five and six base insertions (∼70 and 100% of WT levels, respectively). An insertion of five nucleotides into a second non-6Nlength DI RNA (499 total bases) created a genome length that was a multiple of six (504 bases) and led to a ∼10-fold stimulation of replication over that of the unaltered genome. Together, these results indicate that there was a clear influence of 6Ngenome length on SV5 DI RNA replication, but the stringency of this replication requirement appeared to be less than that found previously for other paramyxoviruses. This work completes the testing of the rule of six replication requirement for representatives of each of the four genera of the Paramyxoviridae family and indicates that the preference for replication of 6Nlength RNA genomes varies between the individual paramyxoviruses

The Impact of Blatant Stereotype Activation and Group Sex-Composition on Female Leaders

The individual and combined impact of blatant stereotype activation and solo status or mixed-sex groups on the self-appraisals, performance, and anxiety of female leaders was examined across three laboratory studies. The first study utilized a two-condition, two-stage design in which female leaders were exposed to a blatant stereotype threat or control condition after which they completed a leadership task. In the second stage, the threatened leaders received a solo status manipulation (leading a group of men) while the control condition did not. In the second study a 2 (blatant threat, no blatant threat) by 2 (solo status, all-female group) fully factorial design was used to test the hypotheses. Finally, in Study 3, a similar factorial design was used with a mixed-sex, rather than solo, condition. Across the studies it was hypothesized and found that receiving a single stereotype threat would result in a positive, stereotype reactance, response. However, when both threats were combined a stereotype vulnerability response was elicited, as expected. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed

Imprinting evolution and the price of silence

Summary In contrast to the biallelic expression of most genes, expression of genes subject to genomic imprinting is monoallelic and based on the sex of the transmitting parent. Possession of only a single active allele can lead to deleterious health consequences in humans. Aberrant expression of imprinted genes, through either genetic or epigenetic alterations, can result in developmental failures, neurodevelopmental and neurobehavioral disorders and cancer. The evolutionary emergence of imprinting occurred in a common ancestor to viviparous mammals after divergence from the egg-laying monotremes. Current evidence indicates that imprinting regulation in metatherian mammals differs from that in eutherian mammals. This suggests that imprinting mechanisms are evolving from those that were established 150 million years ago. Therefore, comparing genomic sequence of imprinted domains from marsupials and eutherians with those of orthologous regions in monotremes offers a potentially powerful bioinformatics approach for identifying novel imprinted genes and their regulatory elements. Such comparative studies will also further our understanding of the molecular evolution and phylogenetic distribution of imprinted genes

Association between pain, radiographic severity, and centrally‐mediated symptoms in women with knee osteoarthritis

Objective To examine the relationship between pain, radiographic severity, and a common set of co‐occurring centrally‐mediated symptoms (fatigue, sleep quality, and depression) in women with knee osteoarthritis. Methods Participants underwent knee radiographs, and had repeated assessments of pain severity and other centrally‐mediated symptoms during a 5‐day home monitoring period. To examine associations between pain severity (the average of pain over the home monitoring period), measures of osteoarthritis radiographic severity (Kellgren/Lawrence grade, minimum joint space width), centrally‐mediated symptoms, and demographics (age) were used. Symptoms of fatigue, sleep efficiency, and depression were used in a composite measure representing centrally‐mediated symptoms. Results Using a series of linear regression models in which each variable was entered hierarchically (n = 54), the final model showed that 27% of the variance in pain severity was explained by age, radiographic severity, and centrally‐mediated symptoms. Centrally‐mediated symptoms explained an additional 10% of the variance in pain severity after the other 2 variables were entered. Conclusion Both radiographic severity and centrally‐mediated symptoms were independently and significantly associated with pain severity in women with knee osteoarthritis. In addition to more severe radiographic features, women with higher centrally‐mediated symptoms had greater pain severity. Treatments for women with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis may be optimized by addressing both peripheral and central sources of pain.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/88108/1/20583_ftp.pd

Transforming care through bedside leader rounding: Use of handheld technology leads to improvement in perceived patient satisfaction

When consistently executed, leader rounding has the ability to capture actionable information ensuring delivery of safe and effective patient care, identifying excellence among staff, and bringing opportunities for improvement. Our team set out to create an effective, standardized approach to targeted, daily, technology-driven leader rounding with the goal of integrating real-time patient feedback into the care experience. An application on handheld computer tablets was tailored and integrated with the hospital’s admission, discharge, and transfer (ADT) feed, allowing for streamlining of the rounding process by creation of workflow templates. Additionally, capabilities to receive and send alerts across disciplines were integrated in order to respond to patient concerns in real-time. Patients who perceived they were rounded on had 3.53 greater odds of reporting top box scores for Overall Rating of Care compared to patients who perceived they were not rounded on (p\u3c0.001). Patients with documentation that rounding occurred, who also self-reported that rounding occurred, were at 3.43 greater odds of providing a top-box score than patients with documentation that rounding occurred but who did not perceive they were rounded on (p\u3c0.001). Efforts to round and to ensure patients know they are being rounded on may lead to improved patient experience

High throughput detection of M6P/IGF2R intronic hypermethylation and LOH in ovarian cancer

Cell surface mannose 6-phosphate/insulin-like growth factor II receptors (M6P/IGF2R) bind and target exogenous insulin-like growth factor II (IGF2) to the prelysosomes where it is degraded. Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) for M6P/IGF2R is found in cancers, with mutational inactivation of the remaining allele. We exploited the normal allele-specific differential methylation of the M6P/IGF2R intron 2 CpG island to rapidly evaluate potential LOH in ovarian cancers, since every normal individual is informative. To this end, we developed a method for bisulfite modification of genomic DNA in 96-well format that allows for rapid methylation profiling. We identified ovarian cancers with M6P/IGF2R LOH, but unexpectedly also found frequent abnormal acquisition of methylation on the paternally inherited allele at intron 2. These results demonstrate the utility of our high-throughput method of bisulfite modification for analysis of large sample numbers. They further show that the methylation status of the intron 2 CpG island may be a useful indicator of LOH and biomarker of disease

Subgroups of older adults with osteoarthritis based upon differing comorbid symptom presentations and potential underlying pain mechanisms

Abstract Introduction Although people with knee and hip osteoarthritis (OA) seek treatment because of pain, many of these individuals have commonly co-occurring symptoms (for example, fatigue, sleep problems, mood disorders). The purpose of this study was to characterize adults with OA by identifying subgroups with the above comorbid symptoms along with illness burden (a composite measure of somatic symptoms) to begin to examine whether subsets may have differing underlying pain mechanisms. Methods Community-living older adults with symptomatic knee and hip OA (n = 129) participated (68% with knee OA, 38% with hip OA). Hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis was used. To determine the relative contribution of each variable in a cluster, multivariate analysis of variance was used. Results We found three clusters. Cluster 1 (n = 45) had high levels of pain, fatigue, sleep problems, and mood disturbances. Cluster 2 (n = 38) had intermediate degrees of depression and fatigue, but low pain and good sleep. Cluster 3 (n = 42) had the lowest levels of pain, fatigue, and depression, but worse sleep quality than Cluster 2. Conclusions In adults with symptomatic OA, three distinct subgroups were identified. Although replication is needed, many individuals with OA had symptoms other than joint pain and some (such as those in Cluster 1) may have relatively stronger central nervous system (CNS) contributions to their symptoms. For such individuals, therapies may need to include centrally-acting components in addition to traditional peripheral approaches.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/112389/1/13075_2011_Article_3201.pd

Showcasing patient experience and engagement best practices through an innovative forum celebrating patients, families, and multidisciplinary care teams

A platform was designed for interdisciplinary teams to learn from colleagues, patients, and their families, about what creates and sustains positive, lasting impressions from their care team. A forum focused on positive experiences designed to highlight the relationships between patients and care teams was utilized. A Best Practices Forum was designed to share methods for generating positive patient experiences across the institution. These quarterly conferences featured patient stories and highlighted best practices such as empathic communications, collaboration, and teamwork used by caregivers throughout the institution. The patient experience team invited various well-performing departments to share best practices, as well as assisted in identifying patients willing to share their healthcare journey in front of an audience of clinical and non-clinical staff. The forum serves as an innovative learning lab using our patients and care team members as instructors of best practices in patient experience and patient engagement

In vitro lead exposure changes DNA methylation and expression of IGF2 and PEG1/MEST

Epigenetic processes, such as changes in DNA methylation, likely mediate the link between environmental exposures in utero and altered gene expression. Differentially methylated regions (DMRs) that regulate imprinted genes may be especially vulnerable to environmental exposures since imprinting is established and maintained largely through DNA methylation, resulting in expression from only one parental chromosome. We used the human embryonic kidney cell line, HEK-293, to investigate the effects of exposure to physiologically relevant doses of lead acetate (Pb) on the methylation status of nine imprinted gene DMRs. We assessed mean methylation after seventy-two hours of Pb exposure (0-25 μg/dL) using bisulfite pyrosequencing. The PEG1/MEST and IGF2 DMRs had maximum methylation decreases of 9.6% (20 μg/dL; p< 0.005) and 3.8% (25 μg/dL; p< 0.005), respectively. Changes at the MEG3 DMRs had a maximum decrease in methylation of 2.9% (MEG3) and 1.8% (MEG3-IG) at 5μg/dL Pb, but were not statistically significant. The H19, NNAT, PEG3, PLAGL1, and SGCE/PEG10 DMRs showed a less than 0.5% change in methylation for (across the dose range used), and were deemed non-responsive to Pb in our model. Pb exposure below reportable/actionable levels increased expression of PEG1/MEST concomitant with decreased methylation. These results suggest that Pb exposure can stably alter the regulatory capacity of multiple imprinted DMRs