Identification of TAZ as the essential molecular switch in orchestrating SCLC phenotypic transition and metastasis

Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a recalcitrant cancer characterized by high metastasis. However, the exact cell type contributing to metastasis remains elusive. Using a Rb1^L/L/Trp53^L/L mouse model, we identify the NCAM^hiCD44^lo/– subpopulation as the SCLC metastasizing cell (SMC), which is progressively transitioned from the non-metastasizing NCAM^loCD44^hi cell (non-SMC). Integrative chromatin accessibility and gene expression profiling studies reveal the important role of the SWI/SNF complex, and knockout of its central component, Brg1, significantly inhibits such phenotypic transition and metastasis. Mechanistically, TAZ is silenced by the SWI/SNF complex during SCLC malignant progression, and its knockdown promotes SMC transition and metastasis. Importantly, ectopic TAZ expression reversely drives SMC-to-non-SMC transition and alleviates metastasis. Single-cell RNA-sequencing analyses identify SMC as the dominant subpopulation in human SCLC metastasis, and immunostaining data show a positive correlation between TAZ and patient prognosis. These data uncover high SCLC plasticity and identify TAZ as the key molecular switch in orchestrating SCLC phenotypic transition and metastasis.     

A Role for Epistemic Insight in Attitude and Belief Change? Lessons from a Cross-curricular Course on Evolution and Creation

This paper presents findings from a quasi-experimental study evaluating future teachers’ attitudes and beliefs in response to a cross-curricular university course on evolution and creation bridging biological and Christian theological perspectives. Based on previous findings, we hypothesized that a course providing learning opportunities for epistemic insight within this multidisciplinary arena might have effects on attitudes and beliefs relevant to the field. Hence, the main research question was the following: To what extent do student teachers’ attitudes and beliefs change by attending a cross-curricular course on evolution and creation intended to develop student teachers’ epistemic insight into the nature of science and into the relationship between science and theology? The answer from this quasi-experimental evaluation study (pre–post-design; test group n =?26, control group n =?24) is as follows: It depends upon the variable investigated! Pre–post-analysis using a repeated measures ANOVA revealed that the cross-curricular course integrating epistemic insight induced changes in creationist beliefs, in students’ perception of conflict, and in acceptance of evolution. In contrast, there was no effect on attitudes toward evolutionary theory, on attitudes toward the Biblical accounts of creation, or on scientistic beliefs. However, when student responses were analyzed individually, case-based evidence for belief change in students with scientistic positions emerged. Among the reasons for those different effects, we discuss conceptual differences between attitude and acceptance, features of the student teacher sample, and the particular content of the course explicitly addressing creationism but not scientism. In conclusion, the paper corroborates the role of epistemic insight in the multidisciplinary field of evolution and creation and provides initial evidence that epistemic insight possesses a particular potential concerning positions at both ends of the spectrum.     

Getting to No: Pragmatic and Semantic Factors in Two‐ and Three‐Year‐Olds' Understanding of Negation

Although infants say “no” early, older children have difficulty understanding its truth‐functional meaning. Two experiments investigate whether this difficulty stems from the infelicity of negative sentences out of the blue. In Experiment 1, given supportive discourse, 3‐year‐olds (N = 16) understood both affirmative and negative sentences. However, with sentence types randomized, 2‐year‐olds (N = 28) still failed. In Experiment 2, affirmative and negative sentences were blocked. Two‐year‐olds (N = 28) now succeeded, but only when affirmatives were presented first. Thus, although discourse felicity seems the primary bottleneck for 3‐year‐olds' understanding of negation, 2‐year‐olds struggle with its semantic processing. Contrary to accounts where negatives are understood via affirmatives, both sentence types were processed equally quickly, suggesting previously reported asymmetries are due to pragmatic accommodation, not semantic processing.     

Parenting and the Adjustment of Children Born to Gay Fathers Through Surrogacy

Findings are presented on a study of 40 gay father families created through surrogacy and a comparison group of 55 lesbian mother families created through donor insemination with a child aged 3–9 years. Standardized interview, observational and questionnaire measures of stigmatization, quality of parent–child relationships, and children's adjustment were administered to parents, children, and teachers. Children in both family types showed high levels of adjustment with lower levels of children's internalizing problems reported by gay fathers. Irrespective of family type, children whose parents perceived greater stigmatization and children who experienced higher levels of negative parenting showed higher levels of parent‐reported externalizing problems. The findings contribute to theoretical understanding of the role of family structure and family processes in child adjustment.     

Helping minority students to succeed in a technological college: a ‘round trip’ from cognitive functions to curriculum and back

The present study investigated the effectiveness of a cognitive enrichment programme as a tool for enhancing the chances of immigrant and minority students to be admitted to a technological college. Students received two weekly sessions (four hours) of Instrumental Enrichment (IE) during the second semester of the college preparatory programme. The cognitive principles of IE were ‘bridged’ to mathematics and science curricular material. The mathematics and science tasks were analysed to show the students the underlying cognitive principles essential for their solution. Graduates of the programme were much more successful in being admitted to technological college than students in previous years who received no cognitive enrichment.     

A comparison of the methodological quality of articles in computer science education journals and conference proceedings

In this study we empirically investigate the claim that articles published in computer science education journals are more methodologically sound than articles published in computer science education conference proceedings. A random sample of 352 articles was selected from those articles published in major computer science education forums between 2000 and 2005. Each article was then coded in terms of five indicators of methodological quality. It was found that there were no practically or statistically significant differences between the articles published in journals and those published in conference proceedings on any of the indicators of methodological quality. One implication of this finding is that those who evaluate the academic output of computer science education researchers should be wary of arbitrarily prescribing more academic merit to journal publications than conference publications.     

Musculoskeletal loading during the round-off in female gymnastics: the effect of hand position

Chronic elbow injuries from tumbling in female gymnastics present a serious problem for performers. This research examined how the biomechanical characteristics of impact loading and elbow kinematics and kinetics change as a function of technique selection. Seven international-level female gymnasts performed 10 trials of the round-off from a hurdle step to flic-flac with ‘parallel’ and ‘T-shape’ hand positions. Synchronized kinematic (3D-automated motion analysis system; 247 Hz) and kinetic (two force plates; 1,235 Hz) data were collected for each trial. Wilcoxon non-parametric test and effect-size statistics determined differences between the hand positions examined in this study. Significant differences (p < 0.05) and large effect sizes (ES>0.8) were observed for peak vertical ground reaction force (GRF), anterior–posterior GRF, resultant GRF, loading rates of these forces and elbow joint angles, and internal moments of force in sagittal, transverse, and frontal planes. In conclusion, the T-shape hand position reduces vertical, anterior–posterior, and resultant contact forces and has a decreased loading rate indicating a safer technique for the round-off. Significant differences observed in joint elbow moments highlighted that the T-shape position may prevent overloading of the joint complex and consequently reduce the potential for elbow injury.     

A Welcome Dialogue Concerning the Need for Research on the Effectiveness of Summer Library Reading Programs: A Response to Ray Lyons's Critique

In his article, “Overstating Summer Reading Impact: The Dominican Study,” which appeared in PLQ 30, no. 1 (2011), library consultant Ray Lyons, who is the codeveloper and coauthor with Keith Curry Lance of LJ’s Star Rating system, published a critique of the study authored by Susan Roman, Deborah Carran, and Carole Fiore. PLQ editors provided an opportunity for the three scholars involved in the Dominican University-LIS study to reply to the article. This communication is that reply.     

Benefits of Batch Reclamation: The Kent State University Libraries Experience

Bibliographic records in the Innovative library catalog at Kent State University Libraries had fallen out of synchronization with the Libraries’ holdings represented on OCLC's WorldCat database. The Libraries made a decision to undertake a batch reclamation project with OCLC to re-synch their holdings on WorldCat. This project was beneficial for both parties. OCLC received a clean copy of the Libraries’ database, while the Libraries were able to improve the quality of their local bibliographic data and address problem areas in the catalog. This case study is intended to provide a reference for other libraries considering OCLC batch reclamation projects.     

Vocal and visual cue training in behavioral lie detection

The present study tested the effect of training observers to detect deception using different behavioral cues. Participants were trained to detect deception using either:(1) vocal‐only cues, (2) visual‐only cues, or (3) a combination of vocal and visual cues. A fourth group of observers did not receive any training and served as a control. Results indicated that trained observers were more successful than untrained observers in detecting deceptive communication. More specifically, observers trained to use either visual or both visual and vocal cues were more accurate detectors of deception than untrained naive observers. No differences were found between training conditions with respect to determining the veracity of truthful communication.