Accessing and Assessing Components of Elementary and Middle School Students’ Mathematical Disposition Through Metaphors

This study examined student-generated metaphors comparing food to math as a means of accessing and assessing components of prekindergarten through Grade 8 students’ (N = 306) mathematical disposition. Previous research provided insight into predominantly affective components of older students’ mathematical disposition (i.e. Grade 4 through college). However, we extend these findings to include nonaffective components and younger students. Our study highlights the value in conceptualizing mathematical disposition as the sum of three mental functions, namely cognitive (e.g., mental processes such as reasoning), affective (e.g., attitudes, feelings, beliefs about mathematics or oneself as a learner), and conative (e.g., effort, grit, or level of challenge), and whose components may span multiple categories of these mental functions. Our study also extends the research on mathematical disposition by revealing that it is conditional in addition to being complex. Furthermore, several notable grade-based trends from data emerged in relation to students’ enjoyment of mathematics as well as their views regarding the applicability, prevalence, and variety and complexity of mathematics

Family caregivers’ perspectives on their interaction and relationship with people living with dementia in a nursing home:A qualitative study

BACKGROUND: Social interactions are important for people living with dementia in a nursing home. However, not much is known about interactions and relationships between residents and family caregivers and related experiences of family caregivers. We aim to advance the knowledge on how family caregivers interact with people living with dementia in a nursing home and how they maintain or redesign a meaningful connection. METHODS: Qualitative research using interviews with family caregivers (n = 31) to explore perspectives on their interaction and relationship with the person living with dementia. Interviews were held during the reopening of nursing homes after the first COVID-19 lockdown in the Netherlands. In this situation, family caregivers became more aware of their interaction and relationship with the resident, which provided a unique opportunity to reflect on this. The interviews explored the interaction and relationship in a broad sense, not specifically for the COVID-19 situation. Thematic analysis was performed to analyze the data. RESULTS: We were able to identify three key themes reflecting the experiences of family caregivers: (1) changes in the interaction and relationship, (2) strategies to promote connection, and (3) appreciation of the interaction and relationship. From the viewpoint of family caregivers, the interaction and relationship are important for both the resident living with dementia and for themselves, and family caregivers have different strategies for establishing a meaningful connection. Nevertheless, some appear to experience difficulties with constructing such a connection with the resident. CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide a basis for supporting family caregivers in perceiving and establishing mutuality and reciprocity so that they can experience togetherness. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12877-022-02922-x

Exploring Math Moments: Middle-schoolers’ Phases of Problem-solving, Executive Functions in Practice, and Collaborative Problem Solving

Collaborative problem solving (CPS) has been shown to both engage and benefit students’ learning of mathematics. However, there is evidence that group work is not always easy to facilitate, in part because educators lack details about learners’ engagement during group work: the processes of problem solving involved, and how these are engaged. In this exploratory study, we focused on these processes in the moments of related math activity, or math moments, engaged by two groups of interested, urban, middle-school aged students during four sessions of work in the Virtual Math Teams (VMT) environment. We examined three phases of their problem solving: Exploring, Constructing, and Checking. In addition, to further describe the students’ cognitive and behavioral engagement, we considered both the process of students' use of executive functions (EF), during problem solving, termed executive functions in practice (EFP), as well as the stage of CPS (Participation, Cooperation, and Collaboration), during phases of problem solving. We learned that the relation between each phase of problem solving, categories of EFP, and stages of CPS vary; for example, the problem-solving phase of Exploring was found to have a more positive effect on EFP and CPS than either Constructing or Checking. Implications for educational practice, and next steps for related research are described

Sequence determinants for the tandem recognition of UGU and CUG rich RNA elements by the two N—terminal RRMs of CELF1

CUGBP, Elav-like family member 1 (CELF1) is an RNA binding protein with important roles in the regulation of splicing, mRNA decay and translation. CELF1 contains three RNA recognition motifs (RRMs). We used gel retardation, gel filtration, isothermal titration calorimetry and NMR titration studies to investigate the recognition of RNA by the first two RRMs of CELF1. NMR shows that RRM1 is promiscuous in binding to both UGU and CUG repeat sequences with comparable chemical shift perturbations. In contrast, RRM2 shows greater selectivity for UGUU rather than CUG motifs. A construct (T187) containing both binding domains (RRM1 and RRM2) was systematically studied for interaction with tandem UGU RNA binding sites with different length linker sequences UGU(U)xUGU where x = 1–7. A single U spacer results in interactions only with RRM1, demonstrating both steric constraints in accommodating both RRMs simultaneously at adjacent sites, and also subtle differences in binding affinities between RRMs. However, high affinity co-operative binding (Kd ~ 0.4 µM) is evident for RNA sequences with x = 2–4, but longer spacers (x ≥ 5) lead to a 10-fold reduction in affinity. Our analysis rationalizes the high affinity interaction of T187 with the 11mer GRE consensus regulatory sequence UGUUUGUUUGU and has significant consequences for the prediction of CELF1 binding sites

Role of lysophosphatidic acid receptor LPA2 in the development of allergic airway inflammation in a murine model of asthma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) plays a critical role in airway inflammation through G protein-coupled LPA receptors (LPA_1-3). We have demonstrated that LPA induced cytokine and lipid mediator release in human bronchial epithelial cells. Here we provide evidence for the role of LPA and LPA receptors in Th2-dominant airway inflammation.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p/> <p>Wild type, LPA₁heterozygous knockout mice (LPA₁^+/-), and LPA₂heterozygous knockout mice (LPA₂^+/-) were sensitized with inactivated <it>Schistosoma mansoni </it>eggs and local antigenic challenge with <it>Schistosoma mansoni </it>soluble egg Ag (SEA) in the lungs. Bronchoalveolar larvage (BAL) fluids and lung tissues were collected for analysis of inflammatory responses. Further, tracheal epithelial cells were isolated and challenged with LPA.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>BAL fluids from <it>Schistosoma mansoni </it>egg-sensitized and challenged wild type mice (4 days of challenge) showed increase of LPA level (~2.8 fold), compared to control mice. LPA₂^+/-mice, but not LPA₁^+/-mice, exposed to <it>Schistosoma mansoni </it>egg revealed significantly reduced cell numbers and eosinophils in BAL fluids, compared to challenged wild type mice. Both LPA₂^+/-and LPA₁^+/-mice showed decreases in bronchial goblet cells. LPA₂^+/-mice, but not LPA₁^+/-mice showed the decreases in prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and LPA levels in BAL fluids after SEA challenge. The PGE2 production by LPA was reduced in isolated tracheal epithelial cells from LPA₂^+/-mice. These results suggest that LPA and LPA receptors are involved in <it>Schistosoma mansoni </it>egg-mediated inflammation and further studies are proposed to understand the role of LPA and LPA receptors in the inflammatory process.</p

Human Immunodeficiency Virus Envelope Protein Gp120 Induces Proliferation but Not Apoptosis in Osteoblasts at Physiologic Concentrations

Patients with HIV infection have decreased numbers of osteoblasts, decreased bone mineral density and increased risk of fracture compared to uninfected patients; however, the molecular mechanisms behind these associations remain unclear. We questioned whether Gp120, a component of the envelope protein of HIV capable of inducing apoptosis in many cell types, is able to induce cell death in bone-forming osteoblasts. We show that treatment of immortalized osteoblast-like cells and primary human osteoblasts with exogenous Gp120 in vitro at physiologic concentrations does not result in apoptosis. Instead, in the osteoblast-like U2OS cell line, cells expressing CXCR4, a receptor for Gp120, had increased proliferation when treated with Gp120 compared to control (P<0.05), which was inhibited by pretreatment with a CXCR4 inhibitor and a G-protein inhibitor. This suggests that Gp120 is not an inducer of apoptosis in human osteoblasts and likely does not directly contribute to osteoporosis in infected patients by this mechanism