Impact of Participation in a Community Based, Even Start Literacy Program on School Achievement and Parent Involvement for English Language Learners (ELL)

The family literacy model underlying the national Even Start Family Literacy Program has not fared well in large-scale evaluation studies, with outcomes showing minimal or no positive impact on later school achievement. However, the results of these studies have not been replicated in smaller studies, which hold the possibility of yielding richer and possibly more valid data using appropriate research design, methods, and techniques. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of an Even Start Family Literacy Program on the academic progress of a homogeneous group of ELL (English Language Learners) Hispanic immigrant elementary school-age children. Twenty-nine students were included in the study group (ACLAMO) and 33 in a control group that did not attend the program. The research was quasi-experimental, retrospective, and longitudinal. Demographic variables were surveyed. Parent literacy and involvement data were collected. Comprehensive language, reading, mathematics, and social emotional performance results were gathered from school records from kindergarten to fourth grade. Statistical analysis for group differences used Fisher\u27s exact test for comparison of frequency distribution of categorical variables and independent t test for means comparison of numerical variables. Also, the Pearson correlation coefficient between parent literacy or involvement variables and academic performance data was calculated. Significance was set at p \u3c .05 (two-tailed). The results of the study showed that students enrolled in the Even Start Family Literacy Program performed statistically significantly better in mathematics and language across grades, whereas the effect on reading was less significant. Overall, parent literacy and involvement variables correlated positively with selected language, reading, and mathematics performance variables, and negatively with social emotional behaviors. In summary, the current study showed that in a population of at risk Hispanic elementary school-age children, involvement in an Even Start Family Literacy Program, like ACLAMO, improves academic achievement. Educational and social interaction between parents and children and dual exposure to English and Spanish seem to be two important causal factors. The results support the hypothesis that educational interventions could induce positive changes in neuronal networks related to cognition

Linear chemically sensitive electron tomography using DualEELS and compressed sensing

No abstract available

Unraveling the Role of Angiogenesis in Cancer Ecosystems

Activation of the tumor and stromal cell-driven angiogenic program is one of the first requirements in the tumor ecosystem for growth and dissemination. The understanding of the dynamic angiogenic tumor ecosystem has rapidly evolved over the last decades. Beginning with the canonical sprouting angiogenesis, followed by vasculogenesis and intussusception, and finishing with vasculogenic mimicry, the need for different neovascularization mechanisms is further explored. In addition, an overview of the orchestration of angiogenesis within the tumor ecosystem cellular and molecular components is provided. Clinical evidence has demonstrated the effectiveness of traditional vessel-directed antiangiogenics, stressing on the important role of angiogenesis in tumor establishment, dissemination, and growth. Particular focus is placed on the interaction between tumor cells and their surrounding ecosystem, which is now regarded as a promising target for the development of new antiangiogenics

Cartografía de la biomasa aérea total en masas de Pinus Radiata D. Don a partir de datos públicos LiDAR-PNOA e inventario forestal nacional

La estimación de la biomasa total aérea (en adelante biomasa) es fundamental para conocer la estructura y dinámica de los ecosistemas forestales. El objetivo principal de este trabajo ha sido estimar y cartografiar la biomasa de las masas de Pinus radiata D. Don de la comarca Arratia-Nerbioi (Bizkaia, España), a partir de los datos de teledetección LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) del PNOA (Plan Nacional de Ortofotografía Aérea) y los datos de campo del IFN4 (Cuarto Inventario Forestal Nacional). La biomasa fue calculada en 51 parcelas de campo del IFN4 aplicando la ecuación alométrica de Montero et al. (2005). Mediante un análisis multivariante de regresión lineal se generó un modelo predictivo de la biomasa, que fue validado mediante la técnica de validación cruzada dejando un dato fuera. Se obtuvo un coeficiente de determinación de 0, 67. Para seleccionar la resolución de la cartografía final, se realizó un análisis de correlación entre los valores de biomasa de las parcelas y los valores predichos por el modelo aplicando dos tamaños de pixel. The estimation of total aboveground biomass (hereinafter referred as biomass) is required to understand the structure and dynamics of forest ecosystems. The main objective of this study is to estimate and map the biomass of Pinus radiata D. Don forest stands located in the Arratia-Nerbioi region (Bizkaia, Spain). LiDAR remote sensing data from the National Plan for Aerial Ortophotography (PNOA) and the information obtained by the Fourth National Forest Inventory (IFN4) have been used. The biomass was calculated in 51 IFN4 field plots applying the allometric equation from Montero et al. (2005). Finally, a multivariate linear regression analysis allowed the generation of a biomass predictive model, which was validated using the leave one-out cross-validation technique. The coefficient of determination of the model was 0.67. A correlation analysis between the values of biomass at plot-level and the values predicted by different pixel sizes, allowed the selection of the best resolution for mapping

Thermal Imaging at Plant Level to Assess the Crop-water Status in Almond Trees (cv. Guara) Under Deficit Irrigation Strategies

Almond (Prunnus dulcis Mill.) has been traditionally associated to marginal land cultivation and rain-fed agriculture in South Spain. However, in the last years, this crop is being progressively introduced in more productive agricultural areas within the Guadalquivir river basin, where the available water resources are not enough to satisfy the adequate crop-water requirements. Considering this limitation, a more precise irrigation scheduling to maximize the yield is required. Infrared thermal imaging emerges as alternative to other traditional methodologies to assess the crop-water status, especially when deficit irrigation (DI) strategies are being applied. The aim of this study was to define the methodology to assess the almond water status by means of thermal information. The trial was conducted during 2014, during the kernel-filling period, in an almond experimental orchard (SW Spain), with 5-year-old trees, subjected to three irrigation regimes: i) a full-irrigation treatment (C-100), which received 100% of ETC; ii) a regulated deficit irrigation (RDI-50), which received 100% of ETC except during the kernel filling period, when this treatment was irrigated with 50% of ETC; iii) and a low-frequency deficit irrigation treatment (LFDI), which received 100% of ETC except during the kernel filling period, when it was subjected to continuous periods of irrigation-restriction, defined in terms of the threshold values of shaded leaf water potential (Ψleaf). Three daily curves of canopy temperature (TC), stomatal conductance to water vapour (gs) and Ψleaf with measurements at 8:00, 11:00, 14:00, 17:00 and 20:00 were developed. Additionally, Crop Water Stress Index (CWSI), temperature difference between canopy and the surrounding air (ΔTcanopy-air), and the relative index to stomatal conductance (IG) obtained at different scales (canopy and row) were estimated. Significant correlations of infrared thermal information vs. Ψleaf and gs were obtained (p ≤ 0.05 and p ≤ 0.01), in particular, by using the thermal readings taken at 11:30, 14:30 at 17:30 h, especially robust were the relationships obtained between TC and CWSI with Ψleaf at 11:30 h; and between TC and CWSI with gs, and Ψleaf at 14:30 h. Finally, considering the infrared thermal monitoring procedure (readings at tree and row level), similar values of TC were obtained, and therefore, the images taken at row level offered a better information with a higher feasibility in terms of image processing.European Commission. Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional AVA.AVA201601.1

Experiências em produção orgânica no Amazonas, o caso do Sitio Ouro Verde.

Este trabalho centra-se na análise das experiências em produção de agricultura orgânica, com base nos princípios da agroecologia, vivenciadas pelo agricultor familiar Genildo de Jesus Zuazo, 53 anos e a agricultora Maria de Fátima Góes Moreira Zuazo, no sitio Ouro Verde

Anti-tumor effects of anti-Semaphorin 4D antibody unravel a novel pro-invasive mechanism of vascular targeting agents

One of the main consequences of inhibition of neovessel growth and vessel pruning produced by angiogenesis inhibitors is increased intratumor hypoxia. Growing evidence indicates that tumor cells escape from this hypoxic environment to better nourished locations, presenting hypoxia as a positive stimulus for invasion. In particular, anti-VEGF/R therapies produce hypoxia-induced invasion and metastasis in a spontaneous mouse model of pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer (PanNET), RIP1-Tag2. Here, a novel vascular-targeting agent targeting semaphorin 4D (Sema4D) demonstrated impaired tumor growth and extended survival in the RIP1-Tag2 model. Surprisingly, although there was no induction of intratumor hypoxia by anti-Sema4D therapy, the increase in local invasion and distant metastases was comparable with the one produced by VEGFR inhibition. Mechanistically, the antitumor effect was due to an alteration in vascular function by modification of pericyte coverage involving platelet-derived growth factor B. On the other hand, the aggressive phenotype involved a macrophage-derived Sema4D signaling engagement, which induced their recruitment to the tumor invasive fronts and secretion of stromal cell–derived factor 1 (SDF1) that triggered tumor cell invasive behavior via CXCR4. A comprehensive clinical validation of the targets in different stages of PanNETs demonstrated the implication of both Sema4D and CXCR4 in tumor progression. Taken together, we demonstrate beneficial antitumor and prosurvival effects of anti-Sema4D antibody but also unravel a novel mechanism of tumor aggressivity. This mechanism implicates recruitment of Sema4D-positive macrophages to invasive fronts and their secretion of proinvasive molecules that ultimately induce local tumor invasion and distant metastasis in PanNETs.This work is supported by research grants from ERC (ERC-StG-281830) EU-FP7, MinECO (SAF2016-79347-R), ISCIII Spain (AES, DTS17/00194) and AGAUR-Generalitat de Catalunya (2017SGR771). Some of these include European Development Regional Funds (ERDF “a way to achieve Europe”). Vaccinex Inc. provided reagents and research money (<20.000 Eur) to support this work

Large-area van der Waals epitaxy and magnetic characterization of Fe3GeTe2films on graphene

Scalable fabrication of magnetic 2D materials and heterostructures constitutes a crucial step for scaling down current spintronic devices and the development of novel spintronic applications. Here, we report on van der Waals (vdW) epitaxy of the layered magnetic metal Fe3GeTe2 (FGT) - a 2D crystal with highly tunable properties and a high prospect for room temperature ferromagnetism (FM) - directly on graphene by employing molecular beam epitaxy. Morphological and structural characterization confirmed the realization of large-area, continuous FGT/graphene heterostructure films with stable interfaces and good crystalline quality. Furthermore, magneto-transport and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism investigations confirmed a robust out-of-plane FM in the layers, comparable to state-of-the-art exfoliated flakes from bulk crystals. These results are highly relevant for further research on wafer-scale growth of vdW heterostructures combining FGT with other layered crystals such as transition metal dichalcogenides for the realization of multifunctional, atomically thin devices.They also acknowledge the provision of beamtime under the project HC-4068 at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), located in Grenoble (France). ICN2 researchers acknowledge support from the European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 881603 (Graphene Flagship)

PDL1 Signals through Conserved Sequence Motifs to Overcome Interferon-Mediated Cytotoxicity

PDL1 blockade produces remarkable clinical responses, thought to occur by T cell reactivation through prevention of PDL1-PD1 T cell inhibitory interactions. Here, we find that PDL1 cell-intrinsic signaling protects cancer cells from interferon (IFN) cytotoxicity and accelerates tumor progression. PDL1 inhibited IFN signal transduction through a conserved class of sequence motifs that mediate crosstalk with IFN signaling. Abrogation of PDL1 expression or antibody-mediated PDL1 blockade strongly sensitized cancer cells to IFN cytotoxicity through a STAT3/caspase-7-dependent pathway. Moreover, somatic mutations found in human carcinomas within these PDL1 sequence motifs disrupted motif regulation, resulting in PDL1 molecules with enhanced protective activities from type I and type II IFN cytotoxicity. Overall, our results reveal a mode of action of PDL1 in cancer cells as a first line of defense against IFN cytotoxicity

Formation of titanium monoxide (001) single-crystalline thin film induced by ion bombardment of titanium dioxide (110)

© 2015 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved. A plethora of technological applications justify why titanium dioxide is probably the most studied oxide, and an optimal exploitation of its properties quite frequently requires a controlled modification of the surface. Low-energy ion bombardment is one of the most extended techniques for this purpose and has been recently used in titanium oxides, among other applications, to favour resistive switching mechanisms or to form transparent conductive layers. Surfaces modified in this way are frequently described as reduced and defective, with a high density of oxygen vacancies. Here we show, at variance with this view, that high ion doses on rutile titanium dioxide (110) induce its transformation into a nanometric and single-crystalline titanium monoxide (001) thin film with rocksalt structure. The discovery of this ability may pave the way to new technical applications of ion bombardment not previously reported, which can be used to fabricate heterostructures and interfaces.Peer Reviewe