Beyond Native and Nonnative: Translingual Dispositions for More Inclusive Teacher Identity in Language and Literacy Education

ABSTRACT

This article proposes translingual dispositions as a way to move beyond the NES/NNES dichotomy in understanding language teacher identity. Recent scholarship in TESOL and Applied Linguistics has problematized the NES/NNES binary from a poststructuralist perspective, highlighting how NES/NNES subjectivities are discursively and performatively (co-)constructed and negotiated. Despite the efforts to empower NNESs, the very binary reifies monolingual ideologies. This article argues that translingual dispositions can help move beyond the binary and complicate theorization of teachers’ identities and practice. To illustrate, we report an ethnographic case study of a “NES” teacher, Daphne, and examine how Daphne’s translingual dispositions shape her teaching and facilitate her students’ creative negotiation of monolingual norms in a writing course. We conclude by discussing future research directions and the implications for language teacher education in fostering translingual dispositions.     

Improved Breast Cancer Classification Through Combining Graph Convolutional Network and Convolutional Neural Network

AimIn a pilot study to improve detection of malignant lesions in breast mammograms, we aimed to develop a new method called BDR-CNN-GCN, combining two advanced neural networks: (i) graph convolutional network (GCN); and (ii) convolutional neural network (CNN).MethodWe utilised a standard 8-layer CNN, then integrated two improvement techniques: (i) batch normalization (BN) and (ii) dropout (DO). Finally, we utilized rank-based stochastic pooling (RSP) to substitute the traditional max pooling. This resulted in BDR-CNN, which is a combination of CNN, BN, DO, and RSP. This BDR-CNN was hybridized with a two-layer GCN, and yielded our BDR-CNN-GCN model which was then utilized for analysis of breast mammograms as a 14-way data augmentation method.ResultsAs proof of concept, we ran our BDR-CNN-GCN algorithm 10 times on the breast mini-MIAS dataset (containing 322 mammographic images), achieving a sensitivity of 96.20±2.90%, a specificity of 96.00±2.31% and an accuracy of 96.10±1.60%.ConclusionOur BDR-CNN-GCN showed improved performance compared to five proposed neural network models and 15 state-of-the-art breast cancer detection approaches, proving to be an effective method for data augmentation and improved detection of malignant breast masses.     

Sex hormone binding globulin in breast cancer

The present study was undertaken to determine the significance of sex hormone binding globulin, the major and specific binding protein for testosterone and estradiol, in breast cancer. Among breast cancer patients, lower serum levels of Sex hormone binding globulin and higher levels of testosterone were observed. Sex hormone binding globulin showed an inverse relationship with testosterone and total cholesterol, and a direct relation with HDL-cholesterol. By the western blot analyses, Sex hormone binding globulin was detected in all biological samples that we examined. In the breast tumor tissue sections, immuno-staining for Sex hormone binding globulin was confined in cell cytoplasm and 29% cases were positive, which showed no association with the investigated prognostic markers of breast cancer such as ER and HER-2/neu over-expression. In this study, decreased circulating levels of Sex hormone binding globulin in breast cancer patients possibly indicate higher bioavailable estrogens.     

Biotin metabolism defect - A case report

Defects in biotin metabolism are mainly associated with either the enzyme Biotinidase or Holocarboxylase synthetase. Defects in either enzymes depletes biotin utilization by the cells. Holocarboxylase synthetase deficiency is an inherited disorder in which the body is unable to use the vitamin biotin effectively. This condition is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern. We present a case of a 9 year old girl with atypical symptomology as a case holocarboxylase synthetase deficiency, who demonstrated an increased excretion of propionic and methyl malonic acids, with her biotinidase activity being normal. She demonstrated remarkable improvement on biotin supplementation.     

Cerebro-spinal and renal ochronosis: A rare case report

Alkaptonuria, a rare inborn error of tyrosine metabolism, characterized by the absence of homogentisic acid oxidase results in the accumulation of homogentisic acid in the body. Associated renal failure and cerebral infarction is rare and usually occurs in the later stages of the disease. We report a 55-year-old male who presented, initially with features of stroke and degenerative arthritis. He had pigmentation of sclerae, darkening of urine on long standing, abnormal renal profile, degenerative arthritis and cerebral infarction. Alkaptonuria was suspected and biochemical tests confirmed mild renal impairment, homogentisic acid in urine and homogentisic acid crystal was detected cytologically in urine sediment. Such a case of Alkaptonuric ochronosis with cerebrovascular and renal complications have been rarely reported in the previous literature.     

One hundred years of peptide chemistry

Emil Fischer is considered to be the founding father of the field of peptide chemistry and originator of the term peptide. In the beginning of the 20th century, Fischer had a clear vision to foresee the day when a protein would be synthesized. Subsequent to this brilliant beginning, progress however was slow for the next 50 years. In 1953, the chemical synthesis of oxytocin by duVigneaud was a landmark achievement. The subsequent decades witnessed the discovery of a vast number of biologically active peptides. The last three decades saw development of multiple simultaneous syntheses, peptide libraries and peptide vaccines. This article is a concise account of the types of peptides discovered and their biological role.     

Inborn errors of metabolism: Review and data from a tertiary care center

Inherited metabolic disorders are a heterogeneous group of genetic conditions mostly occurring in childhood. They are individually rare but collectively numerous, causing substantial morbidity and mortality. We have retrospectively reviewed a total of eight hundred and sixty nine cases with different age groups that had been referred from several diagnostic centers and hospitals of India to the Department of Metabolism in Narayana Hrudayalaya, as cases suspected with inborn errors of metabolism. Advanced techniques applied were to diagnose the disorders of inborn errors of metabolism. Data analyzed indicates occurrence of several metabolic disorders in our population. The need to screen for an inborn error of metabolism arises out of the fact that most cases take to irreversible effects as time progress. Emphasis has to be laid on early detection and prompt management, which could help in alleviating symptoms and preventing complications and consequent incapacitation.