Being There as a Support, a Guide, and to Intervene When You Have To: Mentors Reflect on Working with Teacher Candidates

This paper presents a study that investigated how mentors perceived their long-term relationships with teacher candidates in a secondary teacher preparation program. The study describes the process by which the teacher candidates and the mentors select each other and how the relationship develops, with findings that suggest that the length of time teacher candidates and mentor teachers work together as essential to building trust. Mentors identify themselves as quasi teacher educators who serve as an extension to the university preparation process. Findings explore the benefits of mentoring for the prospective and practicing teachers as well as to teacher preparation in general. To optimize the value of field experience, it is important to understand this relationship and its outcomes

The International Land Model Benchmarking (ILAMB) System: Design, Theory, and Implementation

The increasing complexity of Earth system models has inspired efforts to quantitatively assess model fidelity through rigorous comparison with best available measurements and observational data products. Earth system models exhibit a high degree of spread in predictions of land biogeochemistry, biogeophysics, and hydrology, which are sensitive to forcing from other model components. Based on insights from prior land model evaluation studies and community workshops, the authors developed an open source model benchmarking software package that generates graphical diagnostics and scores model performance in support of the International Land Model Benchmarking (ILAMB) project. Employing a suite of in situ, remote sensing, and reanalysis data sets, the ILAMB package performs comprehensive model assessment across a wide range of land variables and generates a hierarchical set of web pages containing statistical analyses and figures designed to provide the user insights into strengths and weaknesses of multiple models or model versions. Described here is the benchmarking philosophy and mathematical methodology embodied in the most recent implementation of the ILAMB package. Comparison methods unique to a few specific data sets are presented, and guidelines for configuring an ILAMB analysis and interpreting resulting model performance scores are discussed. ILAMB is being adopted by modeling teams and centers during model development and for model intercomparison projects, and community engagement is sought for extending evaluation metrics and adding new observational data sets to the benchmarking framework.Key PointThe ILAMB benchmarking system broadly compares models to observational data sets and provides a synthesis of overall performancePeer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146994/1/jame20779_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146994/2/jame20779.pd

Cardiac Gene Transfer of Short Hairpin RNA Directed Against Phospholamban Effectively Knocks Down Gene Expression but Causes Cellular Toxicity in Canines

Derangements in calcium cycling have been described in failing hearts, and preclinical studies have suggested that therapies aimed at correcting this defect can lead to improvements in cardiac function and survival. One strategy to improve calcium cycling would be to inhibit phospholamban (PLB), the negative regulator of SERCA2a that is upregulated in failing hearts. The goal of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of using adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated cardiac gene transfer of short hairpin RNA (shRNA) to knock down expression of PLB. Six dogs were treated with self-complementary AAV serotype 6 (scAAV6) expressing shRNA against PLB. Three control dogs were treated with empty AAV6 capsid, and two control dogs were treated with scAAV6 expressing dominant negative PLB. Vector was delivered via a percutaneously inserted cardiac injection catheter. PLB mRNA and protein expression were analyzed in three of six shRNA dogs between days 16 and 26. The other three shRNA dogs and five control dogs were monitored long-term to assess cardiac safety. PLB mRNA was reduced 16-fold, and PLB protein was reduced 5-fold, with treatment. Serum troponin elevation and depressed cardiac function were observed in the shRNA group only at 4 weeks. An enzyme-linked immunospot assay failed to detect any T cells reactive to AAV6 capsid in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, heart, or spleen. Microarray analysis revealed alterations in cardiac expression of several microRNAs with shRNA treatment. AAV6-mediated cardiac gene transfer of shRNA effectively knocks down PLB expression but is associated with severe cardiac toxicity. Toxicity may result from dysregulation of endogenous microRNA pathways

Long-Term Systemic Myostatin Inhibition via Liver-Targeted Gene Transfer in Golden Retriever Muscular Dystrophy

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a lethal, X-linked recessive disease affecting 1 in 3,500 newborn boys for which there is no effective treatment or cure. One novel strategy that has therapeutic potential for DMD is inhibition of myostatin, a negative regulator of skeletal muscle mass that may also promote fibrosis. Therefore, our goal in this study was to evaluate systemic myostatin inhibition in the golden retriever model of DMD (GRMD). GRMD canines underwent liver-directed gene transfer of a self-complementary adeno-associated virus type 8 vector designed to express a secreted dominant-negative myostatin peptide (n =4) and were compared with age-matched, untreated GRMD controls (n =3). Dogs were followed with serial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for 13 months to assess cross-sectional area and volume of skeletal muscle, then euthanized so that tissue could be harvested for morphological and histological analysis. We found that systemic myostatin inhibition resulted in increased muscle mass in GRMD dogs as assessed by MRI and confirmed at tissue harvest. We also found that hypertrophy of type IIA fibers was largely responsible for the increased muscle mass and that reductions in serum creatine kinase and muscle fibrosis were associated with long-term myostatin inhibition in GRMD. This is the first report describing the effects of long-term, systemic myostatin inhibition in a large-animal model of DMD, and we believe that the simple and effective nature of our liver-directed gene-transfer strategy makes it an ideal candidate for evaluation as a novel therapeutic approach for DMD patients

UBF levels determine the number of active ribosomal RNA genes in mammals

In mammals, the mechanisms regulating the number of active copies of the ∼200 ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes transcribed by RNA polymerase I are unclear. We demonstrate that depletion of the transcription factor upstream binding factor (UBF) leads to the stable and reversible methylation-independent silencing of rRNA genes by promoting histone H1–induced assembly of transcriptionally inactive chromatin. Chromatin remodeling is abrogated by the mutation of an extracellular signal-regulated kinase site within the high mobility group box 1 domain of UBF1, which is required for its ability to bend and loop DNA in vitro. Surprisingly, rRNA gene silencing does not reduce net rRNA synthesis as transcription from remaining active genes is increased. We also show that the active rRNA gene pool is not static but decreases during differentiation, correlating with diminished UBF expression. Thus, UBF1 levels regulate active rRNA gene chromatin during growth and differentiation

The Vehicle, Spring 2009

Table of Contents Idyllic Has an EndJustine Fittonpage 28 The RemedyJosh Boykinpage 29 True NatureStephen Garciapage 30 We Are All Eaters of SoulsDan Davispage 31 Scarlet on the WindJustin Sudkamppage 34 IlluminatedRashelle McNairpage 35 Lightning RodKim Hunter-Perkinspage 36 TrialDan Davispage 49 Dear GodKristi Kohlenbergpage 50 A Cheap Metaphor Is What We Have for DeathKeith Stewartpage 51 Sad MoonJennifer O\u27Neilpage 52 The Transported ManStephen Garciapage 61 Divine InsanityGrace Lawrencepage 62 Moonglow MemoriesJustin Sudkamppage 63 Poetry The Habits of HusbandsKim Hunter-Perkinspage 4 Young AmericanMaria Rhodespage 5 Kevin Doesn\u27t Live Here AnymoreJustine Fittonpage 6 Summer VacationMary Lieskepage 8 PerfectChristie Cheatlepage 9 Hate for OneMiranda Whitepage 10 The Witch\u27s GraveDan Davispage 16 Medicine WomanLindsey Durbinpage 18 Epistle to a BombshellKim Hunter-Perkinspage 19 GuardedAaron Dillardpage 20 Lean and Hungry in YesteryearTim Ernstpage 21 Dirty TearsBrittany Morganpage 27 I Left the Radio OnSerena Heathpage 83 Untitled, for CourtneyKellen Fasnachtpage 84 Ermine DriveStephen Garciapage 85 Prose TwigDaniel Paquinpage 11 Coyote MoonDan Davispage 22 BloodGretchen Schaiblepage 32 IntroductionSam Sottosantopage 53 The Guitar ManDan Davispage 75 Art Picasso InspirationAlycia Rockeycover StageSarah Fairchildpage 37 ConnectedBrittany Morganpage 65 SpringAnthony Travis Shootpage 66 BodhisattvaSarah Fairchildpage 67 What About Love?Justin Sudkamppage 68 Angry MoonJennifer O\u27Neilpage 69 HauntedKellen Fasnachtpage 70 Haiku #1Justin Sudkamppage 72 ImmobileRashelle McNairpage 73 The ChurningJosh Boykinpage 74 The Old Boat DockJosh Boykinpage 79 Saltwater RaindropsTim Ernstpage 80 Slow MotionGrace Lawrencepage 81 Solid AdviceAnthony Travis Shootpage 82 TreeAlycia Rockeypage 38 TireSarah Fairchildpage 39 What to WearKristy Pearsonpage 40 Figure 1Sean Walkerpage 41 GreenhouseAlycia Rockeypage 42 RomeAlycia Rockeypage 43 Me at the Lamp PostElizabeth Surbeckpage 44 Little Miss LizKristy Pearsonpage 45 DoudnaAlycia Rockeypage 46 FlagAlycia Rockeypage 47 Flag ProtestAlycia Rockeypage 48 Features Note From the EditorRebecca Griffithpage 1 Fall 2008-Spring 2009 Vehicle Award Winnerspage 2 James K. Johnson Creative Writing Awardpage 86 Winning Entry (Nonfiction)Daniel Paquinpage 87 Winning Entries (Poetry)Anthony Travis Shootpage 98 Contributorspage 103https://thekeep.eiu.edu/vehicle/1091/thumbnail.jp