bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Targeting a heterologous protein to multiple plant organelles via rationally designed 5′ mRNA tags
Authors: Voges Mathias J , Silver Pamela A , Way Jeffrey C , Mattozzi Matthew D
Published: September 2013

Background

Plant bioengineers require simple genetic devices for predictable localization of heterologous proteins to multiple subcellular compartments.

Results

We designed novel hybrid signal sequences for multiple-compartment localization and characterize their function when fused to GFP in Nicotiana benthamiana leaf tissue. TriTag-1 and TriTag-2 use alternative splicing to generate differentially localized GFP isoforms, localizing it to the chloroplasts, peroxisomes and cytosol. TriTag-1 shows a bias for targeting the chloroplast envelope while TriTag-2 preferentially targets the peroxisomes. TriTag-3 embeds a conserved peroxisomal targeting signal within a chloroplast transit peptide, directing GFP to the chloroplasts and peroxisomes.

Conclusions

Our novel signal sequences can reduce the number of cloning steps and the amount of genetic material required to target a heterologous protein to multiple locations in plant cells. This work harnesses alternative splicing and signal embedding for engineering plants to express multi-functional proteins from single genetic constructs.
Multilocus sequence typing (and phylogenetic analysis) of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli strains isolated from clinical cases in Greece
Authors: Ioannidou Vasiliki , Ioannidis Anastasios , Magiorkinis Emmanouil , Bagos Pantelis , Nicolaou Chryssoula , Legakis Nicolaos , Chatzipanagiotou Stylianos
Published: September 2013

Background

The molecular epidemiology of C. jejuni and C. coli clinical strains isolated from children with gastroenteritis, was investigated using the multilocus sequence typing method (MLST). This analysis establishes for the first time in Greece and constitutes an important tool for the epidemiological surveillance and control of Campylobacter infection in our country.

Methods

The MLST genotypes were compared with those gained by other typing methods (HS-typing, PFGE and FlaA typing) and were also phylogenetically analyzed, in order to uncover genetic relationships.

Results

Among 68 C. jejuni strains, 41 different MLST-Sequence Types (MLST-STs) were found. Fifty six strains or 34 MLST-STs could be sorted into 15 different MLST-Sequence Type Complexes (MLST-STCs), while twelve strains or seven MLST-STs did not match any of the MLST-STCs of the database. Twenty C. coli strains belonged to 14 different MLST-STs. Eleven MLST-STs were classified in the same MLST-STC (828), and three were unclassifiable. There was no significant association between the MLST-STs and the results of the other typing methods.

Phylogenetic analysis revealed that some strains, classified to the species of C. jejuni, formed a separate, phylogenetically distinct group. In eight strains some alleles belonging to the taxonomic cluster of C. jejuni, were also detected in C. coli and vice versa, a phenomenon caused by the genetic mosaic encountered inside the genus Campylobacter.

Conclusions

The MLST-ST determination proved to be a very useful tool for the typing as well as the identification of Campylobacter on the species level.
Testing fungus impregnated cloths for the control of adult Aedes aegypti under natural conditions
Authors: Paula Adriano R , Carolino Aline T , Silva Carlos P , Pereira César R , Samuels Richard I
Published: September 2013

Background

Entomopathogenic fungi could be useful tools for reducing populations of the dengue mosquito Aedes aegypti. Here the efficiency of fungus (Metarhizium anisopliae) impregnated cloths (with and without imidacloprid [IMI]) was evaluated against adult A. aegypti in simulated human dwellings. Behaviour of mosquitoes in the presence of black cloths was also investigated.

Findings

When mosquitoes were released into the test rooms, the lowest survival rates (38%) were seen when five black cloths impregnated with conidia of ESALQ 818 + 10 ppm IMI were fixed under tables and chairs. This result was significantly lower than the survival rate recorded when cloths were impregnated with ESALQ 818 alone (44%) or ESALQ 818 + 0.1 ppm IMI (43%). Blood fed A. aegypti had lower landing frequencies on black cloths than sucrose fed insects during the first 24 h following feeding, which may have been due to reduced flight activity. Few mosquitoes (4-5%) were observed to land on the cloths during the hours of darkness. The landing pattern of sucrose-fed mosquitoes on non-treated and fungus-treated cloths was similar.

Conclusion

The synergism between M. anisopliae and IMI significantly reduced Aedes survival in simulated field conditions. The use of fungus impregnated cloths is a promising point source application method for the control of adult A. aegypti.
Longitudinal spectral domain optical coherence tomography changes in eyes with intraocular lymphoma
Authors: Jang Hyun Soo , Sepah Yasir J , Sophie Raafay , Bittencourt Millena G , Ferraz Daniel , Hanout Mostafa , Liu Hongting , Do Diana V , Nguyen Quan Dong
Published: September 2013

Background

Cases of patients with primary intraocular lymphoma (PIOL) were retrospectively analyzed to describe the longitudinal intra-retinal morphological changes in PIOL as visualized on images obtained by spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT).

Results

In a retrospective case series, Heidelberg Spectralis SD-OCT images obtained in the longitudinal evaluation of patients with biopsy-proven PIOL were analyzed and assessed. The images were graded for the presence of macular edema (ME), pigment epithelial detachment (PED), subretinal fluid (SRF), and hyperreflective signals. SD-OCT scans of five eyes from five patients were assessed. Patients showed signs of inflammation, such as ME and SRF, which were resolved with treatments in some cases. Hyperreflective signals were found in all eyes in the form of nodules or bands across the retina, with the highest frequency of appearance in the ganglion cell layer, inner plexiform layer, photoreceptor layer, and retinal pigment epithelium; such signals increased with the progression of PIOL.

Conclusion

SD-OCT may be employed to monitor the progression of PIOL. Hyperreflective signals on OCT may correspond with increase in disease activities, along with other findings such as ME, PED, and SRF.
Hereditary breast cancer: ever more pieces to the polygenic puzzle
Authors: Bogdanova Natalia , Helbig Sonja , Dörk Thilo
Published: September 2013

Several susceptibility genes differentially impact on the lifetime risk for breast cancer. Technological advances over the past years have enabled the detection of genetic risk factors through high-throughput screening of large breast cancer case–control series. High- to intermediate penetrance alleles have now been identified in more than 20 genes involved in DNA damage signalling and repair, and more than 70 low-penetrance loci have been discovered through recent genome-wide association studies. In addition to classical germ-line mutation and single-nucleotide polymorphism, copy number variation and somatic mosaicism have been proposed as potential predisposing mechanisms. Many of the identified loci also appear to influence breast tumour characteristics such as estrogen receptor status. In this review, we briefly summarize present knowledge about breast cancer susceptibility genes and discuss their implications for risk prediction and clinical practice.
Bladder cancer discussed on the internet: a systematic analysis of gender differences of initial posters on an online discussion board
Authors: Lippka Yannick , Patschan Oliver , Todenhöfer Tilmann , Schwentner Christian , Gutzeit Andreas , Merseburger Axel S , Horstmann Marcus
Published: September 2013

Objectives

To evaluate gender differences of initial posters in threads dealing with bladder cancer on an online discussion board.

Method

529 threads opened between 09/2005 and 03/2012 were screened on the largest German speaking bladder cancer online discussion board. 366 threads fulfilled the requirements for this study. Gender, age, number, status of concern and oncological situation of initiating posters as well as their motives and language style were analyzed following a standardized protocol.

Results

Threads were initiated in 45% (164/366) by men and in 55% (202/366) by women. Mean age of male initiating posters was 50 years and of female posters 44 years (p < 0.001). Of males 80% (132/164) were concerned patients and 20% (32/164) relatives or friends. Of females they were 39% (78/202) and 61% (124/202), respectively (p < 0.001). In general motives for initial posting were focused on medical information and did not differ between both genders. 81% of the posters asked for medical information or therapeutic recommendations regarding diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. However, women significantly more often expressed their wish for emotional support (p = 0.034) and in tendency wanted to share their experiences with others (p = 0.057). Language analysis revealed that women significantly more often used a tentative language style than men (p = 0.003).

Conclusion

Even though women are less often affected by bladder cancer, they are more active –especially for their concerned family members - on the evaluated discussion board than men. Whereas both genders equally often ask for medical information, women more often want to share their experiences and look for emotional support.
Behavioral study of piston manufacturing plant through stochastic models
Authors: Lal Arvind K , Kaur Manwinder , Lata Sneh
Published: September 2013

Piston plays a vital role in almost all types of vehicles. The present study discusses the behavioral study of a piston manufacturing plant. Manufacturing plants are complex repairable systems and therefore, it is difficult to evaluate the performance of a piston manufacturing plant using stochastic models. The stochastic model is an efficient performance evaluator for repairable systems. In this paper, two stochastic models and computation algorithm of the piston manufacturing plant are illustrated using the state-space transition diagram and availability parameter is used for its behavioral study. Finally, the conclusion is discussed based on the resulting computations.
Androgen deficiency in male patients diagnosed with ANCA-associated vasculitis: a cause of fatigue and reduced health-related quality of life?
Authors: Tuin Janneke , Sanders Jan-Stephan F , Buhl Birgit M , van Beek André P , Stegeman Coen A
Published: September 2013

Introduction

Low testosterone levels in men are associated with fatigue, limited physical performance and reduced health-related quality of life (HRQOL); however, this relationship has never been assessed in patients with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) -associated vasculitides (AAV). The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of androgen deficiency and to investigate the role of testosterone in fatigue, limited physical condition and reduced HRQOL in men with AAV.

Methods

Male patients with AAV in remission were included in this study. Fatigue and HRQOL were assessed by the multi-dimensional fatigue inventory (MFI)-20 and RAND-36 questionnaires.

Results

Seventy male patients with a mean age of 59 years (SD 12) were included. Scores of almost all subscales of both questionnaires were significantly worse in patients compared to controls. Mean total testosterone and free testosterone levels were 13.8 nmol/L (SD 5.6) and 256 pmol/L (SD 102), respectively. Androgen deficiency (defined according to Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guidelines) was present in 47% of patients. Scores in the subscales of general health perception, physical functioning and reduced activity were significantly worse in patients with androgen deficiency compared to patients with normal androgen levels. Testosterone and age were predictors for the RAND-36 physical component summary in multiple linear regression analysis. Testosterone, age, vasculitis damage index (VDI) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were associated with the MFI-20 subscale of general fatigue.

Conclusions

This study showed that androgen deficiency was present in a substantial number of patients with AAV. Testosterone was one of the predictors for physical functioning and fatigue. Testosterone may play a role in fatigue, reduced physical performance and HRQOL in male patients with AAV.
Perioperative goal-directed hemodynamic therapy based on radial arterial pulse pressure variation and continuous cardiac index trending reduces postoperative complications after major abdominal surgery: a multi-center, prospective, randomized study
Authors: Salzwedel Cornelie , Puig Jaume , Carstens Arne , Bein Berthold , Molnar Zsolt , Kiss Krisztian , Hussain Ayyaz , Belda Javier , Kirov Mikhail Y , Sakka Samir G , Reuter Daniel A
Published: September 2013

Introduction

Several single-center studies and meta-analyses have shown that perioperative goal-directed therapy may significantly improve outcomes in general surgical patients. We hypothesized that using a treatment algorithm based on pulse pressure variation, cardiac index trending by radial artery pulse contour analysis, and mean arterial pressure in a study group (SG), would result in reduced complications, reduced length of hospital stay and quicker return of bowel movement postoperatively in abdominal surgical patients, when compared to a control group (CG).

Methods

160 patients undergoing elective major abdominal surgery were randomized to the SG (79 patients) or to the CG (81 patients). In the SG hemodynamic therapy was guided by pulse pressure variation, cardiac index trending and mean arterial pressure. In the CG hemodynamic therapy was performed at the discretion of the treating anesthesiologist. Outcome data were recorded up to 28 days postoperatively.

Results

The total number of complications was significantly lower in the SG (72 vs. 52 complications, p = 0.038). In particular, infection complications were significantly reduced (SG: 13 vs. CG: 26 complications, p = 0.023). There were no significant differences between the two groups for return of bowel movement (SG: 3 vs. CG: 2 days postoperatively, p = 0.316), duration of post anesthesia care unit stay (SG: 180 vs. CG: 180 minutes, p = 0.516) or length of hospital stay (SG: 11 vs. CG: 10 days, p = 0.929).

Conclusions

This multi-center study demonstrates that hemodynamic goal-directed therapy using pulse pressure variation, cardiac index trending and mean arterial pressure as the key parameters leads to a decrease in postoperative complications in patients undergoing major abdominal surgery.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrial.gov, NCT01401283.
Body temperature patterns as a predictor of hospital-acquired sepsis in afebrile adult intensive care unit patients: a case-control study
Authors: Drewry Anne M , Fuller Brian M , Bailey Thomas C , Hotchkiss Richard S
Published: September 2013

Introduction

Early treatment of sepsis improves survival, but early diagnosis of hospital-acquired sepsis, especially in critically ill patients, is challenging. Evidence suggests that subtle changes in body temperature patterns may be an early indicator of sepsis, but data is limited. The aim of this study was to examine whether abnormal body temperature patterns, as identified by visual examination, could predict the subsequent diagnosis of sepsis in afebrile critically ill patients.

Methods

Retrospective case-control study of 32 septic and 29 non-septic patients in an adult medical and surgical ICU. Temperature curves for the period starting 72 hours and ending 8 hours prior to the clinical suspicion of sepsis (for septic patients) and for the 72-hour period prior to discharge from the ICU (for non-septic patients) were rated as normal or abnormal by seven blinded physicians. Multivariable logistic regression was used to compare groups in regard to maximum temperature, minimum temperature, greatest change in temperature in any 24-hour period, and whether the majority of evaluators rated the curve to be abnormal.

Results

Baseline characteristics of the groups were similar except the septic group had more trauma patients (31.3% vs. 6.9%, p = .02) and more patients requiring mechanical ventilation (75.0% vs. 41.4%, p = .008). Multivariable logistic regression to control for baseline differences demonstrated that septic patients had significantly larger temperature deviations in any 24-hour period compared to control patients (1.5°C vs. 1.1°C, p = .02). An abnormal temperature pattern was noted by a majority of the evaluators in 22 (68.8%) septic patients and 7 (24.1%) control patients (adjusted OR 4.43, p = .017). This resulted in a sensitivity of 0.69 (95% CI [confidence interval] 0.50, 0.83) and specificity of 0.76 (95% CI 0.56, 0.89) of abnormal temperature curves to predict sepsis. The median time from the temperature plot to the first culture was 9.40 hours (IQR [inter-quartile range] 8.00, 18.20) and to the first dose of antibiotics was 16.90 hours (IQR 8.35, 34.20).

Conclusions

Abnormal body temperature curves were predictive of the diagnosis of sepsis in afebrile critically ill patients. Analysis of temperature patterns, rather than absolute values, may facilitate decreased time to antimicrobial therapy.
PU.1 target genes undergo Tet2-coupled demethylation and DNMT3b-mediated methylation in monocyte-to-osteoclast differentiation
Authors: de la Rica Lorenzo , Rodríguez-Ubreva Javier , García Mireia , Islam Abul BMMK , Urquiza José M , Hernando Henar , Christensen Jesper , Helin Kristian , Gómez-Vaquero Carmen , Ballestar Esteban
Published: September 2013

Background

DNA methylation is a key epigenetic mechanism for driving and stabilizing cell-fate decisions. Local deposition and removal of DNA methylation are tightly coupled with transcription factor binding, although the relationship varies with the specific differentiation process. Conversion of monocytes to osteoclasts is a unique terminal differentiation process within the hematopoietic system. This differentiation model is relevant to autoimmune disease and cancer, and there is abundant knowledge on the sets of transcription factors involved.

Results

Here we focused on DNA methylation changes during osteoclastogenesis. Hypermethylation and hypomethylation changes took place in several thousand genes, including all relevant osteoclast differentiation and function categories. Hypomethylation occurred in association with changes in 5-hydroxymethylcytosine, a proposed intermediate toward demethylation. Transcription factor binding motif analysis revealed an over-representation of PU.1, NF-κB, and AP-1 (Jun/Fos) binding motifs in genes undergoing DNA methylation changes. Among these, only PU.1 motifs were significantly enriched in both hypermethylated and hypomethylated genes; ChIP-seq data analysis confirmed its association to both gene sets. Moreover, PU.1 interacts with both DNMT3b and TET2, suggesting its participation in driving hypermethylation and hydroxymethylation-mediated hypomethylation. Consistent with this, siRNA-mediated PU.1 knockdown in primary monocytes impaired the acquisition of DNA methylation and expression changes, and reduced the association of TET2 and DNMT3b at PU.1 targets during osteoclast differentiation.

Conclusions

The work described here identifies key changes in DNA methylation during monocyte-to-osteoclast differentiation and reveals novel roles for PU.1 in this process.
Effects of combined pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy for improving work functioning in major depressive disorder
Authors: Lam Raymond W. , Parikh Sagar V. , Ramasubbu Rajamannar , Michalak Erin E. , Tam Edwin M. , Axler Auby , Yatham Lakshmi N. , Kennedy Sidney H. , Manjunath Chinnapalli V.
Published: September 2013

Background

Major depressive disorder is associated with significant impairment in occupational functioning and reduced productivity, which represents a large part of the overall burden of depression.

Aims

To examine symptom-based and work functioning outcomes with combined pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy treatment of major depressive disorder.

Method

Employed patients with a DSM-IV diagnosis of major depressive disorder were treated with escitalopram 10–20mg/day and randomised to: (a) telephone-administered cognitive-behavioural therapy (telephone CBT) (n = 48); or (b) adherence-reminder telephone calls (n = 51). Outcomes included the Montgomery-åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), administered by masked evaluators via telephone, and self-rated work functioning scales completed online. (Registered at clinicaltrials.gov: NCT00702598.)

Results

After 12 weeks, there were no significant between-group differences in change in MADRS score or in response/remission rates. However, participants in the telephone-CBT group had significantly greater improvement on some measures of work functioning than the escitalopram-alone group.

Conclusions

Combined treatment with escitalopram and telephone- administered CBT significantly improved some self-reported work functioning outcomes, but not symptom-based outcomes, compared with escitalopram alone.
Metformin Inhibits Vascular Calcification in Female Rat Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells via the AMPK-eNOS-NO Pathway
Authors: Cao Xiaorui , Li Huan , Tao Huiren , Wu Ning , Yu Lifeng , Zhang Dawei , Lu Xiaozhao , Zhu Jinyu , Lu Zifan , Zhu Qingsheng
Published: September 2013

Metformin exhibits diverse protective effects against diabetic complications, such as bone loss. Here, we investigated the effect of metformin on vascular calcification, another type 2 diabetes complication. In female rat aortic smooth muscle cells (RASMCs), we observed that metformin significantly alleviated β-glycerophosphate-induced Ca deposition and alkaline phosphatase activity, corresponding with reduced expression of some specific genes in osteoblast-like cells, including Runx2 and bone morphogenetic protein-2, and positive effects on α-actin expression, a specific marker of smooth muscle cells. Mechanistic analysis showed that phosphorylation levels of both AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) were increased with NO overproduction. After inhibition of either AMPK or eNOS with the pharmacologic inhibitors, compound C or Nω-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, NO production was lowered and metformin-meditated vascular protection against β-glycerophosphate-induced Ca deposition was removed. Our results support that metformin prevents vascular calcification via AMPK-eNOS-NO pathway.
The Lies of the Painters: Artisan Trickery and the Labor of Painting in Boccaccio’s Decameron and Sacchetti’s Trecentonovelle
Authors: Legassie Shayne Aaron
Published: September 2013

Giorgio Vasari’s portraits of fourteenth-century Florentine painters Giotto and Buffalmacco in his Lives of the Painters, Sculptors, and Architects are indebted to two medieval novella collections: Giovanni Boccaccio’s Decameron and Franco Sacchetti’s Trecentonovelle. Boccaccio and Sacchetti provide more than just anecdotal bric-a-brac to Vasari and his fellow Renaissance art theorists. Both authors identify the painter’s labor as a central problem for aesthetic theories of painting. In contrast to Boccaccio, Sacchetti sees no contradiction between the daily realities that define the painter’s vocation and the potentially sublime qualities of their finished works. Scholarship has yet to acknowledge the sophistication and precocity with which the medieval novella tackled thorny philosophical questions about the materiality of painting.
Exotic Edibles: Coffee, Tea, Chocolate, and the Early Modern French How-to
Authors: Jones Christine A.
Published: September 2013

An artisanal practice with no domestic precedent in the seventeenth century, hot beverages had a dubious charm for Europeans. Unlike mirror-making and ceramics, the craft of the “coffee-man” resulted in something new that was edible and that proved physiologically surprising. Early French treatises about consuming coffee, chocolate, and tea reflect a desire to normalize them and their entrepreneurial practitioners, while at the same time extoling their exotic charm. This essay argues that these treatises — part chemistry book, part guide to preparation and serving, and part marketing scheme — pitched themselves first as how-to manuals and then as “why-to” guides that turned the enjoyment of hot beverages into a performance of sociability. Those published in France accomplished these tasks by inaugurating a new trend: they grouped coffee, chocolate, and tea together in a single volume and discourse on globalism. In the eighteenth century, that globalism underwrote the vogue of urban pleasures enjoyed on France’s tables.
APC2 and Axin promote mitotic fidelity by facilitating centrosome separation and cytoskeletal regulation
Authors: Poulton John S. , Mu Frank W. , Roberts David M. , Peifer Mark
Published: September 2013

To ensure the accurate transmission of genetic material, chromosome segregation must occur with extremely high fidelity. Segregation errors lead to chromosomal instability (CIN), with deleterious consequences. Mutations in the tumor suppressor adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) initiate most colon cancers and have also been suggested to promote disease progression through increased CIN, but the mechanistic role of APC in preventing CIN remains controversial. Using fly embryos as a model, we investigated the role of APC proteins in CIN. Our findings suggest that APC2 loss leads to increased rates of chromosome segregation error. This occurs through a cascade of events beginning with incomplete centrosome separation leading to failure to inhibit formation of ectopic cleavage furrows, which result in mitotic defects and DNA damage. We test several hypotheses related to the mechanism of action of APC2, revealing that APC2 functions at the embryonic cortex with several protein partners, including Axin, to promote mitotic fidelity. Our in vivo data demonstrate that APC2 protects genome stability by modulating mitotic fidelity through regulation of the cytoskeleton.
Hydrothermal synthesis and crystal structure of a new coordination polymer: [Zn1(deta)(btec)(H2O)2]n
Authors: Halouani Manel , Abdelhedi Mohamed , Dammak Mohamed , Audebrand Nathalie , Ktari Lilia
Published: September 2013

A new metalâ€“organic compound [Zn1(deta)(btec)(H2O)2]n where (deta= Diethylenetriamine) and (btec= benzenetetracarboxylic acid) (I) was hydrothermally synthesized from an aqueous solution of Zn(NO3)2 6H2O, (deta) and (btec). Compound I crystallizes in the monoclinic system with the P21/c space group. The unit cell parameters are a= 9.6716(5)Ã…, b= 14.3776(8)Ã…, c= 13.5306(8)Ã…, Î²= 105.311(3)Â°, Z= 4, V= 1814.71(18) Ã…3 and Dx= 1.657 g/cm3. The refinement converged into R= 0.045, Rw= 0.048. The structure, determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction, consists of a network of ZnO4 centers, tetrahedrally coordinated by pyromellitate anions giving rise to a two-dimensional sheet structure. The connectivity resembles a 4-connected network in which each Zn atom is connected to four btec anions and each btec anion is linked to four Zn2+ ions.
1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition of azomethine ylide from Phtaloylimidophenylalanyl-2-hydroxymethylaziridine
Authors: Keniche Assia , Drici Wassila , Slimani Mohamed Zakaria , Mezrai Abdelmoumen , Mulengi Joseph Kajima
Published: September 2013

Phtaloylimidophenylalanyl-2-hydroxymethylaziridine has been used as a starting material to yield azomethine ylide through thermal opening and was then involved into 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions. Different five-membered adducts were obtained and were fully identified. The latter might be considered useful starting materials for further functionalization to provide novel compounds of biological interest.
Deaf Students’ Knowledge of Subtle Lexical Properties of Transitive and Intransitive English Verbs
Authors: Berent Gerald P. , Kelly Ronald R. , Albertini John A. , Toscano Rose Marie
Published: September 2013

Deaf Learners’ Acquisition of fundamental lexical properties of high-frequency English verbs related to transitivity and intransitivity was examined, including the subtle distinction between unergative and unaccusative verbs. A 140-item sentence acceptability rating scale was used to assess this lexical knowledge in deaf college students at two English proficiency levels, plus a control group of hearing native English speakers. Hypotheses addressed the influence of relative derivational complexity and overall English proficiency on verb acquisition. Though the hearing group showed greater accuracy in sentence acceptability judgments and greater accuracy tied to overall English proficiency, the two deaf groups displayed fairly robust knowledge of targeted verbs’ fundamental transitive and intransitive lexical properties. Nevertheless, verb acquisition remains a formidable challenge. Further research should assess deaf students’ knowledge of these lexical properties in lower-frequency English verbs, including unaccusative verbs prevalent in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) and other academic discourse.
Assessment Accommodations on Tests of Academic Achievement for Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: A Qualitative Meta-analysis of the Research Literature
Authors: Cawthon Stephanie , Leppo Rachel
Published: September 2013

The Authors conducted a qualitative meta-analysis of the research on assessment accommodations for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. There were 16 identified studies that analyzed the impact of factors related to student performance on academic assessments across different educational settings, content areas, and types of assessment accommodations. The meta-analysis found that the results of analyses of group effects of accommodated versus unaccommodated test formats are often not significant, test-level factors exist that can affect how students perceive the assessments, and differences exist in how test items function across different conditions. Student-level factors, including educational context and academic proficiency, influence accommodations’ role in assessment processes. The results of this analysis highlight the complexity of and intersections between student-level factors, test-level factors, and larger policy contexts. Findings are discussed within the context of larger changes in academic assessment, including computer-based administration and high-stakes testing.
Grammar Structures and Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students: A Review of Past Performance and a Report of New Findings
Authors: Cannon Joanna E. , Kirby Susannah
Published: September 2013

Results of a Study are presented that suggest the grammatical structures of English some deaf and hard of hearing students struggle to acquire. A review of the literature from the past 40 years is presented, exploring particular lexical and morphosyntactic areas in which deaf and hard of hearing children have traditionally exhibited difficulty. Twenty-six participants from an urban day school for the deaf used the LanguageLinks software, produced by Laureate Learning Systems, for 10 minutes daily for 9 weeks. The descriptive analysis of the results expands on findings reported by Cannon, Easterbrooks, Gagne, and . The results indicated that many participants struggled with regular noun singular/plural; accusative first- and second-person singular; noun/verb agreement copular “be”; accusative third-person number/gender; locative pronominals; auxiliary “be”/regular past “–ed;” and prenominal determiners plural.
History and Text: Two Kinds of Ancient History
Authors: Alexander Michael C.
Published: September 2013

A dichotomy exists between one kind of ancient history that uses texts in order to understand history (“ancient history/conventional”), and one kind that uses history (that is, “what happened”) in order to understand a text (“ancient history/classical.”) “Text” should be understood to include not just literary texts, but also documentary texts and material remains. The cause of the distinction between the two kinds of ancient history is disciplinary, relating to the differences between the disciplines of history and classics. Like other classicists, ancient historians/classical focus on the explanation of texts; like other historians, ancient historians/conventional focus on “what happened.”
Bows and Eros: Hunt as Seduction in the Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite
Authors: Cyrino Monica S.
Published: September 2013

This paper examines the seduction strategies used by Aphrodite, Greek goddess of love and sexual mixis (“mingling”), in the Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite , and especially her deliberate appropriation of the hunting imagery and accoutrements typically associated with Artemis, virgin goddess of the hunt. When Aphrodite assumes her disguise as a “virgin huntress” to seduce the Trojan cattleman, Anchises, she presents an ambiguous figure that suggests both vulnerability to sexual initiation (virginity) and aggressive intent to dominate prey (hunting). This paper explores Aphrodite’s clever act of “attribute piracy” as a narrative strategy intended to negotiate the intersection of the erotic borders between mortal and immortal that the goddess of sexual mixis instigates and over which she holds sway.
Io and the Gorgon: Ancient Greek Medical and Mythical Constructions of the Interaction Between Women’s Experiences of Sex and Birth
Authors: Bachvarova Mary R.
Published: September 2013

The combined evidence of ancient Greek gynecological treatises, tragedies (Aeschylus’s Suppliants , Euripides’ Ion and Electra ) and myths (Io, Perseus and Medusa) shows that women engaging in illicit or unwanted sexual activity were considered to suffer specific gynecological disorders that negatively affected their fertility or ability to give birth. These disorders were thought to be manageable by magico-medical means that relieved guilt, anxiety, and fear.
Sallust’s Historiae and the Voice of Sallust’s Lepidus
Authors: Rosenblitt J. Alison
Published: September 2013

This paper considers how the speech assigned to M. Aemilius Lepidus (cos. 78 B.C.) in Sallust’s fragmentary Historiae exploits the ancient reader’s instinctive sensitivity to rhetorical form and technique. Sallust’s use of the rhetorical narratio, confutatio , and conventional rhetorical locus of safety shows Sallust constructing a powerful voice for his speaker which is neither simply endorsed nor simply undermined. Moreover, the power of individual voices within Sallust’s Historiae suggests that the text, even when complete, was fractured: this quality of the Historiae can make us more confident of our ability to study the text in its present fragmentary state.
The School-to-Work Transitions of Newcomer Youth in Canada
Authors: Wilkinson Lori , Yan Miu Chung , Tsang A. Ka Tat , Sin Rick , Lauer Sean
Published: September 2013

Over half of all migrants to Canada are under 29 years of age and one quarter arrive as refugees. Studies on occupational achievements and labour market status have been largely ignored in favour of studies on adult migrants rather than on youth. This paper uses data collected from two sources: a national study of newly-arrived newcomer youth living in Toronto, Hamilton, Winnipeg and Vancouver using qualitative interviews, and a quantitative analysis of the Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada (LSIC). The focus of this paper is to use these datasets to better understand the high school trajectory of recently arrived newcomer youth and compare their experiences. We are particularly interested in the influence of education attained in Canada compared to education attained outside of Canada and the differences, if any, in labour market outcomes. The findings reveal distinctly slower trajectories through high school among those arriving as refugees, those lacking English or French language instruction prior to arrival, and issues with grade placement. These are identified as significant barriers to entering post-secondary education and to subsequent labour market success.

Parmi les immigrants au Canada, plus de la moitié ont moins de 29 ans et un quart sont des réfugiés. Les études sur ce qu’ils ont réalisé sur le plan professionnel et sur leur statut dans le marché du travail ont été largement laissées pour compte en faveur de celles portant sur les émigrés adultes plutôt que sur les jeunes. Cet article s’appuie sur une collecte de données provenant de deux sources : une étude nationale sur les jeunes nouveaux arrivants qui vivent à Toronto, Hamilton, Winnipeg et Vancouver et reposant sur des entrevues qualitatives, et une analyse quantitative de l’Enquête longitudinale sur les immigrants au Canada (ELIC). Notre objectif est de se servir de ces données pour mieux comprendre la trajectoire scolaire au niveau secondaire de jeunes récemment arrivés et de comparer leurs expériences. Nous nous intéressons particulièrement à l’influence de l’éducation acquise au Canada par rapport à celle reçue à l’étranger et les différences, s’il y en a, pour les possibilités d’emploi. Ce qui se révèle nettement, c’est une scolarité secondaire à un rythme plus lent parmi les réfugiés et ceux qui n’ont pas eu d’enseignement en anglais ou en français avant de venir ici, et des problèmes de niveau scolaire. Ce sont là des obstacles significatifs pour le passage au niveau post-secondaire et pour des chances de succès sur le marché du travail.
Settlement and Schooling: Unique Circumstances of Refugees and Forced Migrants in Post-War Toronto Suburbs
Authors: Dippo Don , Basu Ranu , Duran Marcela
Published: September 2013

This paper explores the possibilities of discovering, sharing, and transforming school-community linkages through proactive outreach programs that are of particular relevance to public elementary schools catering to a large refugee and immigrant population. The authors argue that community-school linkages, as currently understood and discussed in the literature, are primarily focused on unidirectional relations, but certainly have the potential of furthering the particular needs of these children and their families in more productive ways. A wealth of untapped opportunities and creative capacities exist in the community that provide the potential for ‘bridging and bonding’ social capital where the response is sensitive to power relations that can arise from hegemonic interactions. School-community linkages are crucial for displaced communities further isolated and stigmatized in underserved and deprived pockets of the city. These are particularly evident in Toronto’s post-war suburbs, such as Scarborough, where the concentration of neighbourhood poverty is well documented, but where the energy and creativity in the production of its social and cultural landscape, and the commitment of its citizens, are less noted. Based on an outreach workshop held in one such school, the potential of a sustainable emancipatory school-community framework is explored.

Cet article porte sur les possibilités de découvrir, partager et transformer les liens entre l’école et la communauté par le biais de programmes de communication proactifs qui soient particulièrement pertinents pour les établissements élémentaires publics recevant une large population d’immigrés et de réfugiés. Les auteurs affirment que ces liens, tels qu’ils sont actuellement compris et étudiés dans les publications universitaires, sont avant tout focalisés sur des relations unidimensionnelles, mais qu’ils pourraient certainement servir les besoins particuliers des enfants et de leurs familles de manière plus productive. Dans ces communautés, une abondance d'occasions inexploitées et de capacités créatives sont susceptibles de procurer un capital social «affectif et relationnel», là où il y a une réponse réceptive aux relations de pouvoir qui peuvent naître d'interactions hégémoniques. Les liens école-communauté sont cruciaux pour les populations encore plus isolées et stigmatisées, déplacées dans des secteurs non desservis et défavorisés de la ville. Ceci est particulièrement évident dans les banlieues d’après-guerre de Toronto, telles que Scarborough où la concentration de quartiers pauvres est bien documentée, mais où l’énergie et la créativité dans l’éclosion de son paysage social et culturel et l’engagement des citoyens ne sont pas autant pris en note. Un atelier de communication qui a eu lieu dans une de ces écoles, a permis d’explorer le rôle potentiel d’un cadre école-communauté émancipateur durable.
What do Sponsored Parents and Grandparents Contribute?
Authors: Vanderplaat Madine , Ramos Howard , Yoshida Yoko
Published: September 2013

Canada increasingly favours immigration policies based on human capital theory and economic outcomes. Consequently, while immigration is on the increase there is a downward trend in the number of “family class” entrants admitted to the country. The group most seriously affected is sponsored parents and/or grandparents who are also the most vulnerable to criticisms against family class immigration. The discussion is centered on the perceived lack of potential economic contributions of these immigrants. Such a focus, however, overlooks the feminized nature of this type of immigration and the many non-economic contributions these immigrants make. Using multinomial regression modeling of the Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada data, we examine economic and non-economic contributions of sponsored parent and/or grandparent immigrants and compare them to immigrants of similar age migrating under other categories of immigration. We find that sponsored parents and/or grandparents make significant economic contributions to Canadian society as well as other non-economic ones that are often overlooked. We also find that their contributions increase over time and are heavily gendered, with female sponsored parents and/or grandparents making more non-economic contributions than their male counterparts or other immigrants of similar age migrating under other categories of immigration.

Le Canada favorise de plus en plus les politiques d’immigration qui sont fondées sur la théorie du capital humain et sur ses retombées économiques. Par conséquent, alors que cette immigration est à la hausse, il y a néanmoins une tendance à la baisse du nombre d’entrées obtenues à partir du «regroupement familial». Le groupe le plus sérieusement touché est celui des parents et / ou grands-parents parrainés, qui sont aussi les plus vulnérables face aux critiques contre cette catégorie. La discussion est centrée sur le manque perçu de contributions économiques potentielles qu’ils peuvent apporter. Une telle approche, cependant, néglige la nature féminisée de ce type d’immigration et leurs nombreuses prestations non monétaires. En utilisant un modèle de régression multinominale de l’Enquête longitudinale auprès des immigrants au Canada, nous examinons ces apports et nous les comparons à ceux d’autres immigrés d’un âge similaire et provenant d’autres catégories. Nous constatons que les parents et / ou grands-parents parrainés font d’importantes contributions économiques à la société canadienne, ainsi que des non-économiques qui sont souvent négligées. Nous constatons également qu’au fil du temps leurs prestations augmentent et sont fortement sexuées, les femmes en faisant plus au niveau non monétaire que leurs homologues masculins et que les immigrés d’un âge similaire venus par l’entremise d’autres catégories d’immigration.
Family Relationships of Afghan, Karen and Sudanese Refugee Youth
Authors: Hynie Michaela , Guruge Sepali , Shakya Yogendra B.
Published: September 2013

Research with immigrant and refugee families consistently documents acculturation gaps and role reversals between migrant youth and their parents. However, debate exists over whether these necessarily lead to family conflict and distress. This question was explored in this community-based qualitative study through focus groups and interviews with 70 newcomer refugee youth aged 16 to 24 from the Afghan, Karen and Sudanese communities in Toronto. Thematic analysis revealed that youths’ responsibilities increased following migration, often involving service navigation, language interpretation, and providing financial and emotional support, in addition to household chores and pursuing education and employment. Several youth explicitly took on parental roles in the absence of a parent. These changes did not necessarily lead to conflict, and where family conflict and distancing occurred, other factors such as lack of time together or low levels of family support seemed to be the contributing factors. Youth were clearly “resettlement champions” for their families, which increased family-level well-being, often at the cost of individual-level well-being. Policy implications are discussed.

Une recherche documentée sur les familles d’immigrés et de réfugiés montre de manière consistante des écarts dus à l’acculturation ainsi que des renversements de rôle entre les jeunes immigrés et leurs parents. Il y a cependant un débat sur la question de savoir si ceci doit forcément mener à des conflits familiaux et à une certaine détresse. Cette question a fait l’objet d’une étude qualitative réalisée dans les communautés afghanes, karènes et soudanaises de Toronto à partir de groupes cibles et d’entrevues menées avec 70 jeunes réfugiés nouvellement arrivés et âgés de 16 à 24 ans. Une analyse thématique a révélé que les responsabilités de ces jeunes augmentaient suite à l’immigration, souvent afin d’aider les leurs à s’orienter dans les services, à leur servir d’interprète et à leur apporter un soutien financier et émotionnel, et ce en plus de tenir la maison, de continuer des études et de gagner leur vie. Plusieurs d’entre eux ont pris explicitement le rôle de parents en l’absence de l’un d’entre eux. Ces changements n’ont pas automatiquement provoqué de conflits sauf que, là où il y en a eu dans la famille ou qu’elle a souffert de distanciation, d’autres facteurs tels que le manque de temps en commun ou un bas niveau de support familial semblent y avoir contribué. Les jeunes sont clairement les «champions du réétablissement» pour les leurs, améliorant le bien-être familial, souvent au prix d’un mieux-vivre individuel. Il s’agit donc de voir ce que cette situation implique au niveau des politiques à leur égard.
An Integrative Vernacular: Ellison, Dante, and Social Cohesion in the Post-Civil Rights Era
Authors: Purcell Richard
Published: September 2013

This article considers Ralph Ellison’s “The Little Man at Chehaw Station” in the context of his other post-Civil Rights Era writings. “Little Man,” is generally read as an optimistic assessment of the “integrative, vernacular note” of American experience, but in fact it is a more complex record of Ellison’s thinking. The aesthetic and political stakes of Ellison’s Cold-War-influenced assessment of Black Nationalism and social cohesion in the 1970s, I argue, are crystallized in the Inferno -esque coal-heavers’ vignette that concludes “Little Man.” By invoking Dante’s tenth canto, Ellison’s essay connects the melancholic present with the problematic ideological legacies of the Cold War.
The Fate of Style in an Age of Intellectual Property
Authors: Ross Trevor
Published: September 2013

The copyright debate of the eighteenth century was informed by two antithetical accounts of style. From an older rhetorical view that stressed language’s refinement was derived the idea/expression dichotomy, the principle that copyright protects not a work’s ideas but only its arrangement of words. From a newer view of style as an expression of self was developed a modern defense of copyright as promoting the expressive diversity essential to a democratic polity. This essay considers how, with one account guiding the law’s application and the other its rationale, incompatibility helped to render copyright effectively indifferent to stylistic creativity.