Chronic expression of wild-type Ret receptor in the mammary gland induces luminal tumors that are sensitive to Ret inhibition.

PubMed

Gattelli, Albana; García Solá, Martín E; Roloff, Tim C; Cardiff, Robert D; Kordon, Edith C; Chodosh, Lewis A; Hynes, Nancy E

2018-04-26

The receptor tyrosine kinase Ret, a key gain-of-function mutated oncoprotein in thyroid carcinomas, has recently been implicated in other cancer types. While Ret copy number gains and mutations have been reported at low frequencies in breast tumors, we and others have reported that Ret is overexpressed in about 40% of human tumors and this correlates with poor patient prognosis. Ret activation regulates numerous intracellular pathways related to proliferation and inflammation, but it is not known whether abnormal Ret expression is sufficient to induce mammary carcinomas. Using a novel doxycycline-inducible transgenic mouse model with the MMTV promoter controlling Ret expression, we show that overexpression of wild-type Ret in the mammary epithelium produces mammary tumors, displaying a morphology that recapitulates characteristics of human luminal breast tumors. Ret-evoked tumors are estrogen receptor positive and negative for progesterone receptor. Moreover, tumors rapidly regress after doxycycline withdrawal, indicating that Ret is the driving oncoprotein. Using next-generation sequencing, we examined the levels of transcripts in these tumors, confirming a luminal signature. Ret-evoked tumors have been passaged in mice and used to test novel therapeutic approaches. Importantly, we have determined that tumors are resistant to endocrine therapy, but respond successfully to treatment with a Ret kinase inhibitor. Our data provide the first compelling evidence for an oncogenic role of non-mutated Ret in the mammary gland and are an incentive for clinical development of Ret as a cancer biomarker and therapeutic target.

Apatinib inhibits cellular invasion and migration by fusion kinase KIF5B-RET via suppressing RET/Src signaling pathway

PubMed Central

Xie, Weiwei; Zheng, Rongliang; Gan, Yu; Chang, Jianhua

2016-01-01

The Rearranged during transfection (RET) fusion gene is a newly identified oncogenic mutation in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The aim of this study is to explore the biological functions of the gene in tumorigenesis and metastasis in RET gene fusion-driven preclinical models. We also investigate the anti-tumor activity of Apatinib, a potent inhibitor of VEGFR-2, PDGFR-β, c-Src and RET, in RET-rearranged lung adenocarcinoma, together with the mechanisms underlying. Our results suggested that KIF5B-RET fusion gene promoted cell invasion and migration, which were probably mediated through Src signaling pathway. Apatinib exerted its anti-cancer effect not only via cytotoxicity, but also via inhibition of migration and invasion by suppressing RET/Src signaling pathway, supporting a potential role for Apatinib in the treatment of KIF5B-RET driven tumors. PMID:27494860

Apatinib inhibits cellular invasion and migration by fusion kinase KIF5B-RET via suppressing RET/Src signaling pathway.

PubMed

Lin, Chen; Wang, Shanshan; Xie, Weiwei; Zheng, Rongliang; Gan, Yu; Chang, Jianhua

2016-09-13

The Rearranged during transfection (RET) fusion gene is a newly identified oncogenic mutation in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The aim of this study is to explore the biological functions of the gene in tumorigenesis and metastasis in RET gene fusion-driven preclinical models. We also investigate the anti-tumor activity of Apatinib, a potent inhibitor of VEGFR-2, PDGFR-β, c-Src and RET, in RET-rearranged lung adenocarcinoma, together with the mechanisms underlying. Our results suggested that KIF5B-RET fusion gene promoted cell invasion and migration, which were probably mediated through Src signaling pathway. Apatinib exerted its anti-cancer effect not only via cytotoxicity, but also via inhibition of migration and invasion by suppressing RET/Src signaling pathway, supporting a potential role for Apatinib in the treatment of KIF5B-RET driven tumors.

Retort to Religious Critics of RET.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nardi, Thomas J.

This paper is concerned with people who contact clergymen for counseling who could benefit from the short-term directive therapeutic approach of Rational Emotive Therapy (RET) and the reluctance of clergymen to use RET. The integration of the precepts of Christianity and the concepts of RET is considered. This paper is specifically a response to…

Drosophila Cancer Models Identify Functional Differences between Ret Fusions.

PubMed

Levinson, Sarah; Cagan, Ross L

2016-09-13

We generated and compared Drosophila models of RET fusions CCDC6-RET and NCOA4-RET. Both RET fusions directed cells to migrate, delaminate, and undergo EMT, and both resulted in lethality when broadly expressed. In all phenotypes examined, NCOA4-RET was more severe than CCDC6-RET, mirroring their effects on patients. A functional screen against the Drosophila kinome and a library of cancer drugs found that CCDC6-RET and NCOA4-RET acted through different signaling networks and displayed distinct drug sensitivities. Combining data from the kinome and drug screens identified the WEE1 inhibitor AZD1775 plus the multi-kinase inhibitor sorafenib as a synergistic drug combination that is specific for NCOA4-RET. Our work emphasizes the importance of identifying and tailoring a patient's treatment to their specific RET fusion isoform and identifies a multi-targeted therapy that may prove effective against tumors containing the NCOA4-RET fusion. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

RET is a potential tumor suppressor gene in colorectal cancer

PubMed Central

Luo, Yanxin; Tsuchiya, Karen D.; Park, Dong Il; Fausel, Rebecca; Kanngurn, Samornmas; Welcsh, Piri; Dzieciatkowski, Slavomir; Wang, Jianping; Grady, William M.

2012-01-01

Cancer arises as the consequence of mutations and epigenetic alterations that activate oncogenes and inactivate tumor suppressor genes. Through a genome-wide screen for methylated genes in colon neoplasms, we identified aberrantly methylated RET in colorectal cancer. RET, a transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinase and a receptor for the GDNF-family ligands, was one of the first oncogenes to be identified and has been shown to be an oncogene in thyroid cancer and pheochromocytoma. However, unexpectedly, we found RET is methylated in 27% of colon adenomas and in 63% of colorectal cancers, and now provide evidence that RET has tumor suppressor activity in colon cancer. The aberrant methylation of RET correlates with decreased RET expression, whereas the restoration of RET in colorectal cancer cell lines results in apoptosis. Furthermore, in support of a tumor suppressor function of RET, mutant RET has also been found in primary colorectal cancer. We now show that these mutations inactivate RET, which is consistent with RET being a tumor suppressor gene in the colon. These findings suggest that the aberrant methylation of RET and the mutational inactivation of RET promote colorectal cancer formation and that RET can serve as a tumor suppressor gene in the colon. Moreover, the increased frequency of methylated RET in colon cancers compared to adenomas suggests RET inactivation is involved in the progression of colon adenomas to cancer. PMID:22751117

[Oncogenes RET/PTC and mechanisms of their involvement in thyroid cancerogenesis].

PubMed

Voskoboĭnyk, L H

2009-01-01

Papillary thyroid carcinomas are the most common type of thyroid oncopathology, and are rather often associated with the expression of RET/PTC oncogens. The first oncogen RET/PTC1 was isolated more than 20 years ago. Now 13 different forms of RET/PTC are known, and 12 different partner-genes are described, that could be involved in formation of RET/PTC oncogenes. The most common of them are RET/PTC1 and RET/PTC3 forms. The great majority of oncogens RET/PTC, except for two--ELKS-RET and HOOK3-RET, have been founded in radioaction-induced thyroid tumors. There is an opinion that the key role in development of papillary thyroid carcinomas belongs to RET/PTC oncogens. The data about different types of RET/PTC oncogens, factors, that lead to their formation have been described in the present review. Also different mechanisms of activation of transduction pathways and gene's expression in thyroid cells after RET/PTC induction have been presented.

Improvement of organoleptic quality of retted cassava products by alkali pretreatment of roots and addition of sodium nitrate during retting.

PubMed

Ogbo, Frank C

2003-12-15

Alkali pretreatment of cassava roots before retting and addition of sodium nitrate during retting were used to manipulate the metabolism of microorganisms involved in cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) retting, as a method for removing the characteristic offensive odour of retted cassava products. Odour was assessed by organoleptic methods. The characteristics of fermentation of cassava by the traditional method (control) were as follows; aerobic mesophilic count (APC) on nutrient agar (NA) at 30 degrees C/48 h, attained a maximum of 2.3 x 10(7)/ml retting juice while counts on de Man Rogosa and Sharpe agar (MRS) at 30 degrees C/48 h were 1.6 x 10(8)/ml. Maximum titrable acidity was 0.062% lactic acid by weight of retting juice. Cassava was retted in 3 days and the product exhibited characteristic offensive odour. Addition of NaNO3 into retting water effectively removed odour at a concentration of 0.3 g/l. Maximum APC on NA/30 degrees C/48 h was 6.8 x 10(6)/ml. Counts on MRS/30 degrees C/48 h exceeded 2.4 x 10(9)/ml. Retting was complete in 3 days with a final titrable acidity of 0.068% of retting juice. Removal of odour likely resulted from selection of homo-fermentative lactic acid bacteria, thus producing mostly odourless lactic acid. Alkali pretreatment of roots before retting was efficacious in removing odour at a concentration of 10 g/l for 30 min. This fermentation was characterized by APC on NA/30 degrees C/48 h of 5.4 x 10(6)/ml; MRS/30 degrees C/48 h reached a maximum of only 10 x 10(4)/ml and correspondingly low titrable acidity of 0.003%. Low counts of lactic acid bacteria correlate well with the absence of odour in this sample. Both treatments did not adversely affect the detoxification process, yielding "foo-foo" with HCN levels lower than 10 mg/kg. Residual nitrates and nitrites of 30 mg/kg in the sodium nitrate-treated sample were also within the safe limits of 156 mg/kg allowed in many countries. Organoleptically improved samples were acceptable to

Ret Receptor: Functional Consequences of Oncogenic Rearrangements.

DTIC Science & Technology

1996-10-01

incorporation of the thymidine analog 5- bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) and its subsequent detection by immunostaining (33). Following nuclear ...other LexA- fussions to test for Ret/ptc2 specific interaction. Seventeen of the library plasmids yielded co-transformants which were 3- galactosidase...cellsexpressing the EGFR/Ret chimera and M. Pierotti for the Ret/ptc2 events in papillary thyroid carcinoma (28). In a nuclear micro- clone. injection assay the

Renal Aplasia in Humans Is Associated with RET Mutations

PubMed Central

Skinner, Michael A.; Safford, Shawn D.; Reeves, Justin G.; Jackson, Margaret E.; Freemerman, Alex J.

2008-01-01

In animal models, kidney formation is known to be controlled by the proteins RET, GDNF, and GFRA1; however, no human studies to date have shown an association between abnormal kidney development and mutation of these genes. We hypothesized that stillborn fetuses with congenital renal agenesis or severe dysplasia would possess mutations in RET, GDNF, or GFRA1. We assayed for mutations in these genes in 33 stillborn fetuses that had bilateral or unilateral renal agenesis (29 subjects) or severe congenital renal dysplasia (4 subjects). Mutations in RET were found in 7 of 19 fetuses with bilateral renal agenesis (37%) and 2 of 10 fetuses (20%) with unilateral agenesis. In two fetuses, there were two different RET mutations found, and a total of ten different sequence variations were identified. We also investigated whether these mutations affected RET activation; in each case, RET phosphorylation was either absent or constitutively activated. A GNDF mutation was identified in only one fetus with unilateral agenesis; this subject also had two RET mutations. No GFRA1 mutations were seen in any fetuses. These data suggest that in humans, mutations in RET and GDNF may contribute significantly to abnormal kidney development. PMID:18252215

Identification of Three Novel Fusion Oncogenes, SQSTM1/NTRK3, AFAP1L2/RET, and PPFIBP2/RET, in Thyroid Cancers of Young Patients in Fukushima.

PubMed

Iyama, Keita; Matsuse, Michiko; Mitsutake, Norisato; Rogounovitch, Tatiana; Saenko, Vladimir; Suzuki, Keiji; Ashizawa, Mai; Ookouchi, Chiyo; Suzuki, Satoshi; Mizunuma, Hiroshi; Fukushima, Toshihiko; Suzuki, Shinichi; Yamashita, Shunichi

2017-06-01

The BRAF V600E mutation is the most frequent genetic abnormality in adult papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTCs). On the other hand, various chromosomal rearrangements are more prevalent in childhood and adolescent PTCs. The aim of the present study was to identify novel rearrangements in PTCs from young patients. Among 63 postoperative specimens of childhood and adolescent PTCs, which had been discovered by the thyroid ultrasound screening program in Fukushima, nine samples without prevalent known oncogenes, BRAF V600E , RAS, RET/PTC1, RET/PTC3, and ETV6/NTRK3, were analyzed in the current study by quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction to screen for novel fusion genes by comparing transcript expression between extracellular and kinase domains of ALK, NTRK1, NTRK3, and RET. Of the above nine samples, five samples were suspected to harbor a fusion, and using subsequent 5' rapid amplification of cDNA end (RACE), two already reported fusion oncogenes, STRN/ALK and TPR/NTRK1, and three novel fusions, SQSTM1/NTRK3, AFAP1L2/RET, and PPFIBP2/RET, were identified. Functional analyses of these three chimeric genes were performed, and their transforming abilities were confirmed through the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). Three novel fusion oncogenes have been identified in young PTC patients in Fukushima, suggesting that rare fusions may be present among the cases negative for known oncogenes in this age group and that such rearrangements can play a significant role in thyroid carcinogenesis.

Teachers' voices: A comparison of two secondary science teacher preparation programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohlhaas Labuda, Kathryn

This dissertation, using cross-case qualitative methodology, investigates the salient and latent features of two philosophically different university-based secondary science teacher preparation programs. Written documents from the two programs and from the Salish I Research project provided the salient data. New teachers' interview transcripts provided the latent data. This study provides the opportunity to hear teachers voice their perceptions of preparation programs. Three questions were investigated in this research study. First, What are the salient features of two different secondary science teacher preparation programs? Second, What are the latent features of two different secondary science teacher programs as perceived by new teachers? Third, How do new secondary science teachers from different programs perceive their preservice programs? The last question incorporates teachers' perceptions of gaps and coherence in the programs and teachers' recommendations to improve their preservice programs. Salient features of the programs revealed differences in the types of certification, and the amounts and types of required course work. Both programs certified teachers at the secondary science level, but only M program certified their teachers as elementary science specialists. Program M required more semester hours of education and science course work than Program S. Although teachers from both programs perceived little coherence between their science and education courses, S-teachers presented a more fragmented picture of their education program and perceived fewer benefits from the program. Lack of relevance and courses that focused on elementary teaching were perceived as part of the problem. M-teachers perceived some cohesion through the use of cohorts in three consecutive semesters of science methods courses that provided multiple field experiences prior to student teaching. S-teachers did not perceive an organized philosophy of their program. M-teachers

Design, Synthesis and Inhibitory Activity of Photoswitchable RET Kinase Inhibitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferreira, Rubén; Nilsson, Jesper R.; Solano, Carlos; Andréasson, Joakim; Grøtli, Morten

2015-05-01

REarranged during Transfection (RET) is a transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinase required for normal development and maintenance of neurons of the central and peripheral nervous systems. Deregulation of RET and hyperactivity of the RET kinase is intimately connected to several types of human cancers, most notably thyroid cancers, making it an attractive therapeutic target for small-molecule kinase inhibitors. Novel approaches, allowing external control of the activity of RET, would be key additions to the signal transduction toolbox. In this work, photoswitchable RET kinase inhibitors based on azo-functionalized pyrazolopyrimidines were developed, enabling photonic control of RET activity. The most promising compound displays excellent switching properties and stability with good inhibitory effect towards RET in cell-free as well as live-cell assays and a significant difference in inhibitory activity between its two photoisomeric forms. As the first reported photoswitchable small-molecule kinase inhibitor, we consider the herein presented effector to be a significant step forward in the development of tools for kinase signal transduction studies with spatiotemporal control over inhibitor concentration in situ.

RET fusion as a novel driver of medullary thyroid carcinoma.

PubMed

Grubbs, Elizabeth G; Ng, Patrick Kwok-Shing; Bui, Jacquelin; Busaidy, Naifa L; Chen, Ken; Lee, Jeffrey E; Lu, Xinyan; Lu, Hengyu; Meric-Bernstam, Funda; Mills, Gordon B; Palmer, Gary; Perrier, Nancy D; Scott, Kenneth L; Shaw, Kenna R; Waguespack, Steven G; Williams, Michelle D; Yelensky, Roman; Cote, Gilbert J

2015-03-01

Oncogenic RET tyrosine kinase gene fusions and activating mutations have recently been identified in lung cancers, prompting initiation of targeted therapy trials in this disease. Although RET point mutation has been identified as a driver of tumorigenesis in medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), no fusions have been described to date. We evaluated the role of RET fusion as an oncogenic driver in MTC. We describe a patient who died from aggressive sporadic MTC < 10 months after diagnosis. Her tumor was evaluated by means of next-generation sequencing, including an intronic capture strategy. A reciprocal translocation involving RET intron 12 was identified. The fusion was validated using a targeted break apart fluorescence in situ hybridization probe, and RNA sequencing confirmed the existence of an in-frame fusion transcript joining MYH13 exon 35 with RET exon 12. Ectopic expression of fusion product in a murine Ba/F3 cell reporter model established strong oncogenicity. Three tyrosine kinase inhibitors currently used to treat MTC in clinical practice blocked tumorigenic cell growth. This finding represents the report of a novel RET fusion, the first of its kind described in MTC. The finding of this potential novel oncogenic mechanism has clear implications for sporadic MTC, which in the majority of cases has no driver mutation identified. The presence of a RET fusion also provides a plausible target for RET tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapies.

RET/PTC Translocations and Clinico-Pathological Features in Human Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma

PubMed Central

Romei, Cristina; Elisei, Rossella

2012-01-01

Thyroid carcinoma is the most frequent endocrine cancer accounting for 5–10% of thyroid nodules. Papillary histotype (PTC) is the most prevalent form accounting for 80% of all thyroid carcinoma. Although much is known about its epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical, and biological behavior, the only documented risk factor for PTC is the ionizing radiation exposure. Rearrangements of the Rearranged during Transfection (RET) proto-oncogene are found in PTC and have been shown to play a pathogenic role. The first RET rearrangement, named RET/PTC, was discovered in 1987. This rearrangement constitutively activates the transcription of the RET tyrosine-kinase domain in follicular cell, thus triggering the signaling along the MAPK pathway and an uncontrolled proliferation. Up to now, 13 different types of RET/PTC rearrangements have been reported but the two most common are RET/PTC1 and RET/PTC3. Ionizing radiations are responsible for the generation of RET/PTC rearrangements, as supported by in vitro studies and by the evidence that RET/PTC, and particularly RET/PTC3, are highly prevalent in radiation induced PTC. However, many thyroid tumors without any history of radiation exposure harbor similar RET rearrangements. The overall prevalence of RET/PTC rearrangements varies from 20 to 70% of PTCs and they are more frequent in childhood than in adulthood thyroid cancer. Controversial data have been reported on the relationship between RET/PTC rearrangements and the PTC prognosis. RET/PTC3 is usually associated with a more aggressive phenotype and in particular with a greater tumor size, the solid variant, and a more advanced stage at diagnosis which are all poor prognostic factors. In contrast, RET/PTC1 rearrangement does not correlate with any clinical–pathological characteristics of PTC. Moreover, the RET protein and mRNA expression level did not show any correlation with the outcome of patients with PTC and no correlation between RET/PTC rearrangements and the

Pharmacophore modeling and virtual screening to identify potential RET kinase inhibitors.

PubMed

Shih, Kuei-Chung; Shiau, Chung-Wai; Chen, Ting-Shou; Ko, Ching-Huai; Lin, Chih-Lung; Lin, Chun-Yuan; Hwang, Chrong-Shiong; Tang, Chuan-Yi; Chen, Wan-Ru; Huang, Jui-Wen

2011-08-01

Chemical features based 3D pharmacophore model for REarranged during Transfection (RET) tyrosine kinase were developed by using a training set of 26 structurally diverse known RET inhibitors. The best pharmacophore hypothesis, which identified inhibitors with an associated correlation coefficient of 0.90 between their experimental and estimated anti-RET values, contained one hydrogen-bond acceptor, one hydrogen-bond donor, one hydrophobic, and one ring aromatic features. The model was further validated by a testing set, Fischer's randomization test, and goodness of hit (GH) test. We applied this pharmacophore model to screen NCI database for potential RET inhibitors. The hits were docked to RET with GOLD and CDOCKER after filtering by Lipinski's rules. Ultimately, 24 molecules were selected as potential RET inhibitors for further investigation. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

I Want to Be the Inquiry Guy! How Research Experiences for Teachers Change Beliefs, Attitudes, and Values about Teaching Science as Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herrington, Deborah G.; Bancroft, Senetta F.; Edwards, Molly M.; Schairer, Caroline J.

2016-01-01

This qualitative study examined how and why research experiences for teachers (RETs) influenced middle and high school science teachers' beliefs, attitudes, and values about teaching science as inquiry. Changes teachers reported after participating in the RET ranged from modifying a few lessons (belief change) to a comprehensive revision of what…

Clinical Activity of Alectinib in Advanced RET-Rearranged Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

PubMed

Lin, Jessica J; Kennedy, Elizabeth; Sequist, Lecia V; Brastianos, Priscilla K; Goodwin, Kelly E; Stevens, Sara; Wanat, Alexandra C; Stober, Lisa L; Digumarthy, Subba R; Engelman, Jeffrey A; Shaw, Alice T; Gainor, Justin F

2016-11-01

Chromosomal rearrangements involving rearranged during transfection gene (RET) occur in 1% to 2% of NSCLCs and may confer sensitivity to rearranged during transfection (RET) inhibitors. Alectinib is an anaplastic lymphoma kinase tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) that also has anti-RET activity in vitro. The clinical activity of alectinib in patients with RET-rearranged NSCLC has not yet been reported. We have described four patients with advanced RET-rearranged NSCLC who were treated with alectinib (600 mg twice daily [n = 3] or 900 mg twice daily [n = 1]) as part of single-patient compassionate use protocols or off-label use of the commercially available drug. Four patients with metastatic RET-rearranged NSCLC were identified. Three of the four had received prior RET TKIs, including cabozantinib and experimental RET inhibitors. In total, we observed two (50%) objective radiographic responses after treatment with alectinib (one confirmed and one unconfirmed), with durations of therapy of 6 months and more than 5 months (treatment ongoing), respectively. Notably, one of these two patients had his dose of alectinib escalated to 900 mg twice daily and had clinical improvement in central nervous system metastases. In addition, one patient (25%) experienced a best response of stable disease lasting approximately 6 weeks (the drug discontinued for toxicity). A fourth patient who was RET TKI-naive had primary progression while receiving alectinib. Alectinib demonstrated preliminary antitumor activity in patients with advanced RET-rearranged NSCLC, most of whom had received prior RET inhibitors. Larger prospective studies with longer follow-up are needed to assess the efficacy of alectinib in RET-rearranged NSCLC and other RET-driven malignancies. In parallel, development of more selective, potent RET TKIs is warranted. Copyright © 2016 International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

TEN MASTER TEACHER AND PROGRAM AWARD PROGRAMS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

KOVACH, EDITH M.A.

IN 1966 THE AMERICAN CLASSICAL LEAGUE HONORED THREE TEACHERS WITH ITS MASTER SECONDARY SCHOOL LATIN TEACHER AND PROGRAM AWARD. AMONG THE 32 PROGRAMS CITED FOR RECOGNITION, TEN (INCLUDING THOSE OF THE AWARD WINNERS) POSSESS CLEARLY INNOVATIVE FEATURES. IN BRIEF THEY FEATURE (1) A FIFTH YEAR ADVANCED PLACEMENT PROGRAM, LATIN AS INTRODUCTORY TO…

Linen Most Useful: Perspectives on Structure, Chemistry, and Enzymes for Retting Flax

PubMed Central

Akin, Danny E.

2013-01-01

The components of flax (Linum usitatissimum) stems are described and illustrated, with reference to the anatomy and chemical makeup and to applications in processing and products. Bast fiber, which is a major economic product of flax along with linseed and linseed oil, is described with particular reference to its application in textiles, composites, and specialty papers. A short history of retting methods, which is the separation of bast fiber from nonfiber components, is presented with emphasis on water retting, field retting (dew retting), and experimental methods. Past research on enzyme retting, particularly by the use of pectinases as a potential replacement for the current commercial practice of field retting, is reviewed. The importance and mechanism of Ca2+ chelators with pectinases in retting are described. Protocols are provided for retting of both fiber-type and linseed-type flax stems with different types of pectinases. Current and future applications are listed for use of a wide array of enzymes to improve processed fibers and blended yarns. Finally, potential lipid and aromatic coproducts derived from the dust and shive waste streams of fiber processing are indicated. PMID:25969769

Alectinib shows potent antitumor activity against RET-rearranged non-small cell lung cancer.

PubMed

Kodama, Tatsushi; Tsukaguchi, Toshiyuki; Satoh, Yasuko; Yoshida, Miyuki; Watanabe, Yoshiaki; Kondoh, Osamu; Sakamoto, Hiroshi

2014-12-01

Alectinib/CH5424802 is a known inhibitor of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) and is being evaluated in clinical trials for the treatment of ALK fusion-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Recently, some RET and ROS1 fusion genes have been implicated as driver oncogenes in NSCLC and have become molecular targets for antitumor agents. This study aims to explore additional target indications of alectinib by testing its ability to inhibit the activity of kinases other than ALK. We newly verified that alectinib inhibited RET kinase activity and the growth of RET fusion-positive cells by suppressing RET phosphorylation. In contrast, alectinib hardly inhibited ROS1 kinase activity unlike other ALK/ROS1 inhibitors such as crizotinib and LDK378. It also showed antitumor activity in mouse models of tumors driven by the RET fusion. In addition, alectinib showed kinase inhibitory activity against RET gatekeeper mutations (RET V804L and V804M) and blocked cell growth driven by the KIF5B-RET V804L and V804M. Our results suggest that alectinib is effective against RET fusion-positive tumors. Thus, alectinib might be a therapeutic option for patients with RET fusion-positive NSCLC. ©2014 American Association for Cancer Research.

Correlation of RET somatic mutations with clinicopathological features in sporadic medullary thyroid carcinomas

PubMed Central

Moura, M M; Cavaco, B M; Pinto, A E; Domingues, R; Santos, J R; Cid, M O; Bugalho, M J; Leite, V

2009-01-01

Screening of REarranged during Transfection (RET) gene mutations has been carried out in different series of sporadic medullary thyroid carcinomas (MTC). RET-positive tumours seem to be associated to a worse clinical outcome. However, the correlation between the type of RET mutation and the patients' clinicopathological data has not been evaluated yet. We analysed RET exons 5, 8, 10–16 in fifty-one sporadic MTC, and found somatic mutations in thirty-three (64.7%) tumours. Among the RET-positive cases, exon 16 was the most frequently affected (60.6%). Two novel somatic mutations (Cys630Gly, c.1881del18) were identified. MTC patients were divided into three groups: group 1, with mutations in RET exons 15 and 16; group 2, with other RET mutations; group 3, having no RET mutations. Group 1 had higher prevalence (P=0.0051) and number of lymph node metastases (P=0.0017), and presented more often multifocal tumours (P=0.037) and persistent disease at last control (P=0.0242) than group 2. Detectable serum calcitonin levels at last screening (P=0.0119) and stage IV disease (P=0.0145) were more frequent in group 1, than in the other groups. Our results suggest that, among the sporadic MTC, cases with RET mutations in exons 15 and 16 are associated with the worst prognosis. Cases with other RET mutations have the most indolent course, and those with no RET mutations have an intermediate risk. PMID:19401695

New Teacher Induction: A Program Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunter, J. Warren

2016-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative program evaluation was to examine the impact a two-year new teacher induction program had on teachers' feelings of support, satisfaction, and self-efficacy. The program purports that higher feelings of support, satisfaction, and self-efficacy in teachers will lead to lower teacher attrition. In turn, research shows…

Comparative evaluation of RetCam vs. gonioscopy images in congenital glaucoma.

PubMed

Azad, Raj V; Chandra, Parijat; Chandra, Anuradha; Gupta, Aparna; Gupta, Viney; Sihota, Ramanjit

2014-02-01

To compare clarity, exposure and quality of anterior chamber angle visualization in congenital glaucoma patients, using RetCam and indirect gonioscopy images. Cross-sectional study Participants. Congenital glaucoma patients over age of 5 years. A prospective consecutive pilot study was done in congenital glaucoma patients who were older than 5 years. Methods used are indirect gonioscopy and RetCam imaging. Clarity of the image, extent of angle visible and details of angle structures seen were graded for both methods, on digitally recorded images, in each eye, by two masked observers. Image clarity, interobserver agreement. 40 eyes of 25 congenital glaucoma patients were studied. RetCam image had excellent clarity in 77.5% of patients versus 47.5% by gonioscopy. The extent of angle seen was similar by both methods. Agreement between RetCam and gonioscopy images regarding details of angle structures was 72.50% by observer 1 and 65.00% by observer 2. There was good agreement between RetCam and indirect gonioscopy images in detecting angle structures of congenital glaucoma patients. However, RetCam provided greater clarity, with better quality, and higher magnification images. RetCam can be a useful alternative to gonioscopy in infants and small children without the need for general anesthesia.

Teachers Need Teachers: An Induction Program for First Year Bilingual Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sosa, Alicia Salinas; Gonzales, Frank

A critical shortage of bilingual teachers exists in Texas. While the Hispanic population has grown at a 39% rate, the number of Hispanic teachers has declined. The Teachers Need Teachers program in San Antonio pairs about 75 new bilingual education teachers with experienced bilingual education teachers, who serve as mentors. Its purpose is to…

Enhanced sensitivity of the RET proto-oncogene to ionizing radiation in vitro.

PubMed

Volpato, Claudia Béu; Martínez-Alfaro, Minerva; Corvi, Raffaella; Gabus, Coralie; Sauvaigo, Sylvie; Ferrari, Pietro; Bonora, Elena; De Grandi, Alessandro; Romeo, Giovanni

2008-11-01

Exposure to ionizing radiation is a well-known risk factor for a number of human cancers, including leukemia and thyroid cancer. It has been known for a long time that exposure of cells to radiation results in extensive DNA damage; however, a small number of studies have tried to explain the mechanisms of radiation-induced carcinogenesis. The high prevalence of RET/PTC rearrangements in patients who have received external radiation, and the evidence of in vitro induction of RET rearrangements in human cells, suggest an enhanced sensitivity of the RET genomic region to damage by ionizing radiation. To assess whether RET is indeed more sensitive to radiations than other genomic regions, we used a COMET assay coupled with fluorescence in situ hybridization, which allows the measurement of DNA fragmentation in defined genomic regions of single cells. We compared the initial DNA damage of the genomic regions of RET, CXCL12/SDF1, ABL, MYC, PLA2G2A, p53, and JAK2 induced by ionizing radiation in both a lymphoblastoid and a fetal thyroid cell line. In both cell lines, RET fragmentation was significantly higher than in other genomic regions. Moreover, a differential distribution of signals within the COMET was associated with a higher percentage of RET fragments in the tail. RET was more susceptible to fragmentation in the thyroid-derived cells than in lymphoblasts. This enhanced susceptibility of RET to ionizing radiation suggests the possibility of using it as a radiation exposure marker.

I Want to be the Inquiry Guy! How Research Experiences for Teachers Change Beliefs, Attitudes, and Values About Teaching Science as Inquiry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herrington, Deborah G.; Bancroft, Senetta F.; Edwards, Molly M.; Schairer, Caroline J.

2016-03-01

This qualitative study examined how and why research experiences for teachers (RETs) influenced middle and high school science teachers' beliefs, attitudes, and values about teaching science as inquiry. Changes teachers reported after participating in the RET ranged from modifying a few lessons (belief change) to a comprehensive revision of what and how they taught to better reflect inquiry (attitude change). Some teachers who described comprehensively changing their instruction also described implementing actions meant to change science education within their respective schools, not just their own classrooms (value change). We present how and why teachers went about changes in their practices in relation to the researcher-created teacher inquiry beliefs system spectrum (TIBSS). The TIBSS conceptualizes the range of changes observed in participating teachers. We also describe the features of the RET and external factors, such as personal experiences and school contexts, that teachers cited as influential to these changes.

Efficacy of rational emotive therapy (RET) with children: a critical re-appraisal.

PubMed

Gossette, R L; O'Brien, R M

1993-03-01

Proponents of rational-emotive therapy (RET) advocate its use within the school curriculum to forestall future maladjustment through the early detection and eradication of irrational beliefs. A review of 33 unpublished dissertations and four published reports found RET effective in about 25% of comparisons with wait-list, placebo, and other treatment conditions. The major effects of RET were changes in scores on self-report measures of irrational beliefs, less on emotional distress, and little or no change in behavior; essentially the same pattern of effects previously found in a similar analysis of RET in adult populations. Little justification was found for continued use of RET in schools.

Teacher Development Program: A Vehicle for Assisting Pre-Service Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wood, Frances B.

2010-01-01

In 1990 the Teacher Development Program was created by the Office of Professional Field Experiences at Southeastern Louisiana University to better the quality and improve the success rate of teacher candidates and student teachers. The fundamental principle behind the program was to provide assistance for pre-service teachers who need immediate…

RET selection on state-of-the-art NAND flash

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lafferty, Neal V.; He, Yuan; Pei, Jinhua; Shao, Feng; Liu, QingWei; Shi, Xuelong

2015-03-01

We present results generated using a new gauge-based Resolution Enhancement Technique (RET) Selection flow during the technology set up phase of a 3x-node NAND Flash product. As a testcase, we consider a challenging critical level for this ash product. The RET solutions include inverse lithography technology (ILT) optimized masks with sub-resolution assist features (SRAF) and companion illumination sources developed using a new pixel based Source Mask Optimization (SMO) tool that uses measurement gauges as a primary input. The flow includes verification objectives which allow tolerancing of particular measurement gauges based on lithographic criteria. Relative importance for particular gauges may also be set, to aid in down-selection from several candidate sources. The end result is a sensitive, objective score of RET performance. Using these custom-defined importance metrics, decisions on the final RET style can be made in an objective way.

Teacher Enhancement and Preparation Programs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

These two programs provide opportunities for K-12 teachers of mathematics, science, and technology to spend two weeks at a NASA center learning about aeronautics and space. Participants are selected by peer review from a contracting agent that assists NASA in administering the program. Each teacher receives a stipend that covers the cost of travel, housing, meals, and graduate credit. NEWMAST provides for approximately 100 secondary teachers, and NEWTEST is a program designed to meet the needs of approximately 125 elementary teachers each summer. Teachers are provided with a wide variety of experiences including research laboratory observations, presentations, and 'shadowships'. Individual and team projects are used to enhance the participants knowledge of space and aeronautics and to motivate the teachers to incorporate the summer workshop activities into their classrooms.

Comparative evaluation of RetCam vs. gonioscopy images in congenital glaucoma

PubMed Central

Azad, Raj V; Chandra, Parijat; Chandra, Anuradha; Gupta, Aparna; Gupta, Viney; Sihota, Ramanjit

2014-01-01

Purpose: To compare clarity, exposure and quality of anterior chamber angle visualization in congenital glaucoma patients, using RetCam and indirect gonioscopy images. Design: Cross-sectional study Participants. Congenital glaucoma patients over age of 5 years. Materials and Methods: A prospective consecutive pilot study was done in congenital glaucoma patients who were older than 5 years. Methods used are indirect gonioscopy and RetCam imaging. Clarity of the image, extent of angle visible and details of angle structures seen were graded for both methods, on digitally recorded images, in each eye, by two masked observers. Outcome Measures: Image clarity, interobserver agreement. Results: 40 eyes of 25 congenital glaucoma patients were studied. RetCam image had excellent clarity in 77.5% of patients versus 47.5% by gonioscopy. The extent of angle seen was similar by both methods. Agreement between RetCam and gonioscopy images regarding details of angle structures was 72.50% by observer 1 and 65.00% by observer 2. Conclusions: There was good agreement between RetCam and indirect gonioscopy images in detecting angle structures of congenital glaucoma patients. However, RetCam provided greater clarity, with better quality, and higher magnification images. RetCam can be a useful alternative to gonioscopy in infants and small children without the need for general anesthesia. PMID:24008788

Child with RET proto-oncogene codon 634 mutation.

PubMed

İnce, Dilek; Demirağ, Bengü; Ataseven, Eda; Oymak, Yeşim; Tuhan, Hale; Karakuş, Osman Zeki; Hazan, Filiz; Abacı, Ayhan; Özer, Erdener; Mutafoglu, Kamer; Olgun, Nur

2017-01-01

İnce D, Demirağ B, Ataseven E, Oymak Y, Tuhan H, Karakuş OZ, Hazan F, Abacı A, Özer E, Mutafoglu K, Olgun N. Child with RET proto-oncogene codon 634 mutation. Turk J Pediatr 2017; 59: 590-593. Herein we reported a 7-year-old child with RET proto-oncogene c634 mutation. Her mother had been diagnosed with medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), and treated six years ago. Heterozygous mutation of the RET proto-oncogene at c634 had been detected in her mother. Genetic analysis showed the presence of the same mutation in our patient. Thyroid functions were normal. Serum calcitonin level was found mildly elevated. Parathormone (PTH) and carcinoembrionic antigen (CEA) levels were normal. Prophylactic thyroidectomy and sampling of cervical lymph nodes were performed. Histopathologic examination revealed hyperplasia in thyroid C cells, and reactive lymphadenopathy. The risk of MTC has been reported 100% through the life of patients with RET proto-oncogene mutation. It has been reported that particularly patients with c634 mutation have more risk of occurence of metastatic and progressive/recurrent MTC. Prophylactic `thyroidectomy, cervical lymph node dissection` before 5-years-of-age should be considered for these patients.

Are Elementary Teacher Education Programs the Real Problem of Unqualified Teachers?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weitman, Catheryn J.; Colbert, Ronald P.

This paper describes 10 factors that impact misguided perceptions of teacher preparation and teacher quality, especially elementary teachers prepared in highly-structured, university-based teacher preparation programs: (1) the offshoot of P-12 preparation, prior to attending postsecondary programs; (2) alignment of certification tests to state…

[Teacher Preparation Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Immaculate Heart Coll., Los Angeles, CA.

Immaculate Heart College, Los Angeles, California developed a self-initiated and self-directed curriculum in the Teacher Preparation Program. The curriculum was based on a spiral planning model. Emphasis was placed on continuous evaluation, exploration of the learning experience, development of experimental teacher training experiences in the…

The tyrosine kinase inhibitor ZD6474 blocks proliferation of RET mutant medullary thyroid carcinoma cells.

PubMed

Vitagliano, Donata; De Falco, Valentina; Tamburrino, Anna; Coluzzi, Sabrina; Troncone, Giancarlo; Chiappetta, Gennaro; Ciardiello, Fortunato; Tortora, Giampaolo; Fagin, James A; Ryan, Anderson J; Carlomagno, Francesca; Santoro, Massimo

2011-02-01

Oncogenic conversion of the RET tyrosine kinase is a frequent feature of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). ZD6474 (vandetanib) is an ATP-competitive inhibitor of RET, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and vascular endothelial growth factor receptors kinases. In this study, we have studied ZD6474 mechanism of action in TT and MZ-CRC-1 human MTC cell lines, carrying cysteine 634 to tryptophan (C634W) and methionine 918 to threonine (M918T) RET mutation respectively. ZD6474 blunted MTC cell proliferation and RET, Shc and p44/p42 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation. Single receptor knockdown by RNA interference showed that MTC cells depended on RET for proliferation. Adoptive expression of the ZD6474-resistant V804M RET mutant rescued proliferation of TT cells under ZD6474 treatment, showing that RET is a key ZD6474 target in these MTC cells. Upon RET inhibition, adoptive stimulation of EGFR partially rescued TT cell proliferation, MAPK signaling, and expression of cell-cycle-related genes. This suggests that simultaneous inhibition of RET and EGFR by ZD6474 may overcome the risk of MTC cells to escape from RET blockade through compensatory over-activation of EGFR.

Sustaining Physics Teacher Education Coalition Programs in Physics Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scherr, Rachel E.; Plisch, Monica; Goertzen, Renee Michelle

2017-01-01

Understanding the mechanisms of increasing the number of physics teachers educated per year at institutions with thriving physics teacher preparation programs may inspire and support other institutions in building thriving programs of their own. The Physics Teacher Education Coalition (PhysTEC), led by the American Physical Society (APS) and the…

Analysis of DOK-6 function in downstream signaling of RET in human neuroblastoma cells.

PubMed

Kurotsuchi, Ai; Murakumo, Yoshiki; Jijiwa, Mayumi; Kurokawa, Kei; Itoh, Yasutomo; Kodama, Yoshinori; Kato, Takuya; Enomoto, Atsushi; Asai, Naoya; Terasaki, Hiroko; Takahashi, Masahide

2010-05-01

Point mutations and structural alterations of the RET tyrosine kinase gene cause multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN 2) and papillary thyroid carcinoma, respectively. RET activation by glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is essential for the development of the enteric nervous system and the kidney. The signal through RET tyrosine kinase requires several adaptor proteins including the DOK (downstream of kinase) family of proteins. Of the seven members of the DOK protein family, DOK-1, -4, -5, and -6 have been reported to play roles in the GDNF-RET signaling pathway. Although DOK-6 has been shown to bind to RET and promote GDNF-induced neurite outgrowth in mouse Neuro2A cells, DOK-6 function in human cells remains unclear. In the present study, we investigated the role of DOK-6 in GDNF-RET signaling in human cells including neuroblastoma cells. DOK-6 was constitutively localized to the plasma membrane via its pleckstrin homology (PH) domain, and was phosphorylated following RET activation via a MEN2A mutation or GDNF stimulation. However, DOK-6 could not significantly affect downstream signaling and neurite outgrowth in human neuroblastoma cells. The binding affinity of the DOK-6 phosphotyrosine-binding (PTB) domain to RET was much lower than that of the DOK-1, DOK-4, and SHC PTB domains to RET. These findings indicate that DOK-6 is involved in RET signaling with less influence when compared with DOK-1, DOK-4, and SHC.

Teacher Research Programs = Increased Student Achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dubner, J.

2011-12-01

Columbia University's Summer Research Program for Science Teachers (SRP), founded in 1990, is one of the largest, best known university professional development programs for science teachers in the U.S. For eight weeks in each of two consecutive summers, teachers participate as a member of a research team, led by a member of Columbia University's research faculty. In addition to the laboratory experience, all teachers meet weekly during the summer for a series of pedagogical activities to assist them in transferring the experience to their classrooms. The primary goal of the program is to provide K-12 science teachers with opportunities to work at the cutting edge of science and engineering, and thus to revitalize their teaching and help them to appreciate the use of inquiry-based methods in their classroom instruction. The secondary goals of the program are to give the pre-college teacher the ability to guide their students toward careers in science and engineering, to develop new teaching strategies, and to foster long-term scholarly collaborations. The last is especially important as it leads to a model of the teacher as active in science yet committed to the pre-college classroom. Since its inception, SRP has focused on an objective assessment of the program's impact on attitudes and instructional practices of participating teachers, on the performance of these teachers in their mentors' laboratories, and most importantly, on the impact of their participation in the program has on student interest and performance in science. Our research resulted in a paper published in the journal Science. SRP also facilitates a multi-site survey-based evaluation of other teacher research programs around the country. The author will present the findings of both studies.

Modification of cell wall polysaccharides during retting of cassava roots.

PubMed

Ngolong Ngea, Guillaume Legrand; Guillon, Fabienne; Essia Ngang, Jean Justin; Bonnin, Estelle; Bouchet, Brigitte; Saulnier, Luc

2016-12-15

Retting is an important step in traditional cassava processing that involves tissue softening of the roots to transform the cassava into flour and various food products. The tissue softening that occurs during retting was attributed to the degradation of cell wall pectins through the action of pectin-methylesterase and pectate-lyase that possibly originated from a microbial source or the cassava plant itself. Changes in cell wall composition were investigated during retting using chemical analysis, specific glycanase degradation and immuno-labelling of cell wall polysaccharides. Pectic 1,4-β-d-galactan was the main cell wall polysaccharide affected during the retting of cassava roots. This result suggested that better control of pectic galactan degradation and a better understanding of the degradation mechanism by endogenous endo-galactanase and/or exogenous microbial enzymes might contribute to improve the texture properties of cassava products. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A novel RET/PTC variant detected in a pediatric patient with papillary thyroid cancer without ionization history.

PubMed

Halkova, Tereza; Dvorakova, Sarka; Vaclavikova, Eliska; Sykorova, Vlasta; Vcelak, Josef; Sykorova, Pavla; Vlcek, Petr; Reboun, Martin; Katra, Rami; Kodetova, Daniela; Schrumpf, Melanie; van Wezel, Tom; Morreau, Hans; Bendlova, Bela

2015-12-01

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most frequent type of thyroid cancer. Its development is often caused by the formation of RET/PTC fused genes. RET/PTC1 is the most prevalent form, where exon 1 of CCDC6 gene is fused with the intracellular portion of RET protooncogene starting with exon 12. We have discovered a novel RET/PTC1 variant which we have named RET/PTC1ex9 in metastatic PTC of 8-year-old boy. RET/PTC1ex9 detection was performed by real-time polymerase chain reaction with melting curve analysis and subsequent Sanger and next-generation sequencing. A fusion of exon 1 of CCDC6 with exon 9 of extracellular domain of RET followed by exon 12 of RET was revealed. This is the first RET/PTC variant among PTC cases that contain the extracellular part of RET. This observation could be probably explained by incorrect splicing of RET due to the somatic 32-bp deletion in exon-intron 11 boundary of RET. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of selected pectinolytic bacterial strains on water-retting of hemp and fibre properties.

PubMed

Di Candilo, M; Bonatti, P M; Guidetti, C; Focher, B; Grippo, C; Tamburini, E; Mastromei, G

2010-01-01

To study the effect of selected bacterial strains on hemp water-retting and properties of retted fibre. The trials were performed in laboratory tanks. The traditional water-retting process, without inoculum addition, was compared to a process modified by inoculating water tanks with two selected pectinolytic bacteria: the anaerobic strain Clostridium sp. L1/6 and the aerobic strain Bacillus sp. ROO40B. Six different incubation times were compared. Half the fibre obtained from each tank was combed. Micromorphological analyses were performed by scanning electron microscopy on uncombed and combed fibres. Moreover, organoleptic and chemical analyses of uncombed fibres were performed. The inoculum, besides speeding up the process, significantly improved the fibre quality. The fibre was not damaged by mechanical hackling, thanks to the good retting level obtained by the addition of selected strains, differently to what happened with the traditionally retted fibre. The best fibre quality was obtained after 3-4 days of retting with the addition of the bacterial inoculum. Retting is the major limitation to an efficient production of high-quality hemp fibres. The water-retting process and fibre quality were substantially improved by simultaneously inoculating water tanks with two selected pectinolytic strains.

In vitro and in vivo anti-tumor activity of alectinib in tumor cells with NCOA4-RET.

PubMed

Arai, Sachiko; Kita, Kenji; Tanimoto, Azusa; Takeuchi, Shinji; Fukuda, Koji; Sato, Hiroshi; Yano, Seiji

2017-09-26

Rearranged during transfection (RET) fusion-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for approximately 1-2% of all NSCLCs. To date, RET fusions that involve at least six fusion partners in NSCLC, such as KIF5B, CCDC6, NCOA4, TRIM33, CLIP1, and ERC1, have been identified. Recent clinical trials for RET fusion-positive NSCLC using vandetanib or cabozantinib demonstrated positive clinical response and considerable differential activities for RET inhibitors among fusion partners. Alectinib, an approved ALK inhibitor, is reported to inhibit KIF5B-RET and CCDC6-RET. However, the activity of alectinib with respect to RET with other fusion partners is unknown. In the present study, we investigated the effects of alectinib on NCOA4-RET fusion-positive tumor cells in vitro and in vivo . Alectinib inhibited the viability of NCOA4-RET-positive EHMES-10 cells, as well as CCDC6-RET-positive LC-2/ad and TPC-1 cells. This was achieved via inhibition of the phosphorylation of RET and induction of apoptosis. Moreover, alectinib suppressed the production of thoracic tumors and pleural effusions in an orthotopic intrathoracic inoculation model of EHMES-10 cells. In vivo imaging of an orthotopically inoculated EHMES-10 cell model also revealed that alectinib could rescue pleural carcinomatosis. These results suggest that alectinib may be a promising RET inhibitor against tumors positive for not only KIF5B-RET and CCDC6-RET, but also NCOA4-RET.

In vitro and in vivo anti-tumor activity of alectinib in tumor cells with NCOA4-RET

PubMed Central

Arai, Sachiko; Kita, Kenji; Tanimoto, Azusa; Takeuchi, Shinji; Fukuda, Koji; Sato, Hiroshi; Yano, Seiji

2017-01-01

Rearranged during transfection (RET) fusion-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for approximately 1–2% of all NSCLCs. To date, RET fusions that involve at least six fusion partners in NSCLC, such as KIF5B, CCDC6, NCOA4, TRIM33, CLIP1, and ERC1, have been identified. Recent clinical trials for RET fusion-positive NSCLC using vandetanib or cabozantinib demonstrated positive clinical response and considerable differential activities for RET inhibitors among fusion partners. Alectinib, an approved ALK inhibitor, is reported to inhibit KIF5B-RET and CCDC6-RET. However, the activity of alectinib with respect to RET with other fusion partners is unknown. In the present study, we investigated the effects of alectinib on NCOA4-RET fusion-positive tumor cells in vitro and in vivo. Alectinib inhibited the viability of NCOA4-RET-positive EHMES-10 cells, as well as CCDC6-RET-positive LC-2/ad and TPC-1 cells. This was achieved via inhibition of the phosphorylation of RET and induction of apoptosis. Moreover, alectinib suppressed the production of thoracic tumors and pleural effusions in an orthotopic intrathoracic inoculation model of EHMES-10 cells. In vivo imaging of an orthotopically inoculated EHMES-10 cell model also revealed that alectinib could rescue pleural carcinomatosis. These results suggest that alectinib may be a promising RET inhibitor against tumors positive for not only KIF5B-RET and CCDC6-RET, but also NCOA4-RET. PMID:29088743

Rating Teacher-Preparation Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Von Hippel, Paul T.; Bellows, Laura

2018-01-01

Recent policies intended to improve teacher quality have focused on the preparation that teachers receive before entering the classroom. A short-lived federal rule would have required every state to assess and rank teacher-preparation programs by their graduates' impact on student learning. Though the federal rule was repealed, last year some 21…

Characteristics of a Good Programming Teacher.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kushan, Barbara

This paper identifies characteristics of a "good" programming teacher, derived from a study of four teachers in charge of beginning courses in BASIC programming language at high schools in the Greater Kansas City area. In addition to doing classroom observation, the researcher interviewed the teachers themselves, students, and the…

Defining Teacher Quality: Teacher Efficacy among First-Year Teachers Involved in an Induction Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott-Coleman, Renette S.

2017-01-01

Studies have shown school districts across the United States strive to meet the needs of first-year teachers by adding various components within a beginning teacher induction program. The purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship existed between beginning teacher induction programming and the overall TEAM observation scores of…

Interplay between Ret and Fap-1 regulates CD95-mediated apoptosis in medullary thyroid cancer cells.

PubMed

Nicolini, Valentina; Cassinelli, Giuliana; Cuccuru, Giuditta; Bongarzone, Italia; Petrangolini, Giovanna; Tortoreto, Monica; Mondellini, Piera; Casalini, Patrizia; Favini, Enrica; Zaffaroni, Nadia; Zunino, Franco; Lanzi, Cinzia

2011-10-01

Emerging evidence suggests that Ret oncoproteins expressed in medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) might evade the pro-apoptotic function of the dependence receptor proto-Ret by directly impacting the apoptosis machinery. Identification of the molecular determinants of the interplay between Ret signaling and apoptosis might provide a relevant contribution to the optimization of Ret-targeted therapies. Here, we describe the cross-talk between Ret-M918T oncogenic mutant responsible for type 2B multiple endocrine syndrome (MEN2B), and components of death receptor-mediated extrinsic apoptosis pathway. In the human MEN2B-type MTC cell line MZ-CRC-1 expressing Ret-M918T, Ret was found associated with Fap-1, known as inhibitor of the CD95 death receptor trafficking to the cell membrane, and with procaspase-8, the initiator pro-form caspase in the extrinsic apoptosis pathway. Cell treatment with the anti-tumor Ret kinase inhibitor RPI-1 inhibited tyrosine phosphorylation of procaspase-8, likely inducing its local activation, followed by downregulation of both Ret and Fap-1, and translocation of CD95 into lipid rafts. According to the resulting increase of CD95 cell surface expression, the CD95 agonist antibody CH11 enhanced RPI-1-induced cell growth inhibition and apoptosis. RET RNA interference downregulated Fap-1 protein in MZ-CRC-1 cells, whereas exogenous RET-M918T upregulated Fap-1 in HEK293 cells. Overall, these data indicate that the Ret oncoprotein exerts opposing controls on Fap-1 and CD95, increasing Fap-1 expression and decreasing CD95 cell surface expression. The functional interplay of the Ret mutant with the extrinsic apoptosis pathway provides a mechanism possibly contributing to MTC malignant phenotype and a rational basis for novel therapeutic strategies combining Ret inhibitors and CD95 agonists. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Research Experiences for Teachers: How professional development through directed research can revitalize your classroom teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hynes, Shelly

2008-03-01

Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) is an NSF-funded program that provides high school teachers with the opportunity to do research at select institutions across the country in a wide variety of fields. I performed research at two institutions under this program; The National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, WV in 2006 and Baylor University in Waco, TX in 2007. My work at NRAO utilized IDL programming to analyze the nonlinearities in the signal processing components of the GBT (Green Bank Telescope). My research at Baylor University required me to write a program in Mathematica to analyze the frequency of pulsation of variable white dwarfs, data that was taken at the Paul and Jane Meyer Observatory in Clifton, TX. I will explain how I have incorporated both research experiences into my courses and how each of these experiences has refocused my teaching.

Perceptions and Practices of Multicultural Education among Ethiopian Secondary Teacher Education Program Officials, Teacher Educators and Prospective Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Egne, Robsan M.

2017-01-01

This study explores the perceptions and practices of multicultural education among Ethiopian secondary teacher education program officials, teacher educators and prospective teachers. To that end, data were collected from secondary teacher education program officials, teacher educators and student teachers using questionnaire and interview. The…

Development of Teachers as Scientists in Research Experiences for Teachers Programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faber, Courtney; Hardin, Emily; Klein-Gardner, Stacy; Benson, Lisa

2014-11-01

This study examined the teachers' development as scientists for participants in three National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Teachers. Participants included secondary science and math teachers with varying levels of education and experience who were immersed in research environments related to engineering and science topics. Teachers' functionality as scientists was assessed in terms of independence, focus, relationships with mentors, structure, and ability to create new concepts. Hierarchies developed within these constructs allowed tracking of changes in functionality throughout the 6-week programs. Themes were further identified in teachers' weekly journal entries and exit interviews through inductive coding. Increases in functionality as scientists were observed for all teachers who completed both the program and exit interview ( n = 27). Seven of the 27 teachers reached high science functionality; however, three of the teachers did not reach high functionality in any of the constructs during the program. No differences were observed in demographics or teaching experience between those who did and did not reach high functionality levels. Inductive coding revealed themes such as teachers' interactions with mentors and connections made between research and teaching, which allowed for descriptions of experiences for teachers at high and low levels of functionality. Teachers at high functionality levels adjusted to open-ended environments, transitioned from a guided experience to freedom, felt useful in the laboratory, and were self-motivated. In contrast, teachers at low functionality levels did not have a true research project, primarily focused on teaching aspects of the program, and did not display a transition of responsibilities.

Cis and trans RET signaling control the survival and central projection growth of rapidly adapting mechanoreceptors

PubMed Central

Fleming, Michael S; Vysochan, Anna; Paixão, Sόnia; Niu, Jingwen; Klein, Rüdiger; Savitt, Joseph M; Luo, Wenqin

2015-01-01

RET can be activated in cis or trans by its co-receptors and ligands in vitro, but the physiological roles of trans signaling are unclear. Rapidly adapting (RA) mechanoreceptors in dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) express Ret and the co-receptor Gfrα2 and depend on Ret for survival and central projection growth. Here, we show that Ret and Gfrα2 null mice display comparable early central projection deficits, but Gfrα2 null RA mechanoreceptors recover later. Loss of Gfrα1, the co-receptor implicated in activating RET in trans, causes no significant central projection or cell survival deficit, but Gfrα1;Gfrα2 double nulls phenocopy Ret nulls. Finally, we demonstrate that GFRα1 produced by neighboring DRG neurons activates RET in RA mechanoreceptors. Taken together, our results suggest that trans and cis RET signaling could function in the same developmental process and that the availability of both forms of activation likely enhances but not diversifies outcomes of RET signaling. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.06828.001 PMID:25838128

Computer Literacy of Turkish Preservice Teachers in Different Teacher Training Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozsevgec, Tuncay

2011-01-01

This paper reports on an investigation into the sophomore and senior preservice teachers' computer literacy in different teacher training programs and to determine relationship between grades and the teacher training programs in terms of their computer literacy. The study used case study research methodology, and the sample consisted of 276…

RET fusions define a unique molecular and clinicopathologic subtype of non-small-cell lung cancer.

PubMed

Wang, Rui; Hu, Haichuan; Pan, Yunjian; Li, Yuan; Ye, Ting; Li, Chenguang; Luo, Xiaoyang; Wang, Lei; Li, Hang; Zhang, Yang; Li, Fei; Lu, Yongming; Lu, Qiong; Xu, Jie; Garfield, David; Shen, Lei; Ji, Hongbin; Pao, William; Sun, Yihua; Chen, Haiquan

2012-12-10

The RET fusion gene has been recently described in a subset of non-small-cell lung cancers (NSCLCs). Because we have limited knowledge about these tumors, this study was aimed at determining the clinicopathologic characteristics of patients with NSCLC harboring the RET fusion gene. We examined the RET fusion gene in 936 patients with surgically resected NSCLC using a reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (PCR) plus quantitative real-time PCR strategy, with validation using immunohistochemical and fluorescent in situ hybridization assays. A subset of 633 lung adenocarcinomas was also studied for EGFR, KRAS, HER2, and BRAF mutations, as well as ALK rearrangements. Patient characteristics, including age, sex, smoking history, stage, grade, International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer/American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society classification of subtypes of lung adenocarcinoma, and relapse-free survival, were collected. Of 936 patients with NSCLC, the RET fusion gene was exclusively detected in 13 patients (11 of 633 patients with adenocarcinomas and two of 24 patients with adenosquamous cell carcinomas). Of the 13 patients, nine patients had KIF5B-RET, three patients had CCDC6-RET, and one patient had a novel NCOA4-RET fusion. Patients with lung adenocarcinomas with RET fusion gene had more poorly differentiated tumors (63.6%; P = .029 for RET v ALK, P = .007 for RET v EGFR), with a tendency to be younger (≤ 60 years; 72.7%) and never-smokers (81.8%) and to have solid subtype (63.6%) and a smaller tumor (≤ 3 cm) with N2 disease (54.4%). The median relapse-free survival was 20.9 months. RET fusion occurs in 1.4% of NSCLCs and 1.7% of lung adenocarcinomas and has identifiable clinicopathologic characteristics, warranting further clinical consideration and targeted therapy investigation.

A novel RET rearrangement (ACBD5/RET) by pericentric inversion, inv(10)(p12.1;q11.2), in papillary thyroid cancer from an atomic bomb survivor exposed to high-dose radiation.

PubMed

Hamatani, Kiyohiro; Eguchi, Hidetaka; Koyama, Kazuaki; Mukai, Mayumi; Nakachi, Kei; Kusunoki, Yoichiro

2014-11-01

During analysis of RET/PTC rearrangements in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) among atomic bomb survivors, a cDNA fragment of a novel type of RET rearrangement was identified in a PTC patient exposed to a high radiation dose using the improved 5' RACE method. This gene resulted from the fusion of the 3' portion of RET containing tyrosine kinase domain to the 5' portion of the acyl-coenzyme A binding domain containing 5 (ACBD5) gene, by pericentric inversion inv(10)(p12.1;q11.2); expression of the fusion gene was confirmed by RT-PCR. ACBD5 gene is ubiquitously expressed in various human normal tissues including thyroid. Full-length cDNA of the ACBD5-RET gene was constructed and then examined for tumorigenicity. Enhanced phosphorylation of ERK proteins in the MAPK pathway was observed in NIH3T3 cells transfected with expression vector encoding the full-length ACBD5/RET cDNA, while this was not observed in the cells transfected with empty expression vector. Stable NIH3T3 transfectants with ACBD5-RET cDNA induced tumor formation after their injection into nude mice. These findings suggest that the ACBD5-RET rearrangement is causatively involved in the development of PTC.

Problems of Female School Teachers in District Kulgam (J&K)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rashid, Ruhee; Maharashi, Santosh Kumar

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to find the problems of employed female school teachers in district Kulgam. Sample of 100 employed women are selected from different education institutions as 20 Rehaber e Taleem (ReT) female teachers, 40 female teachers, 20 female masters and 20 female lecturers using stratified random sampling. In this study we use…

7-dehydrocholesterol efficiently supports Ret signaling in a mouse model of Smith-Opitz-Lemli syndrome

PubMed Central

Gou-Fàbregas, Myriam; Macià, Anna; Anerillas, Carlos; Vaquero, Marta; Jové, Mariona; Jain, Sanjay; Ribera, Joan; Encinas, Mario

2016-01-01

Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS) is a rare disorder of cholesterol synthesis. Affected individuals exhibit growth failure, intellectual disability and a broad spectrum of developmental malformations. Among them, renal agenesis or hypoplasia, decreased innervation of the gut, and ptosis are consistent with impaired Ret signaling. Ret is a receptor tyrosine kinase that achieves full activity when recruited to lipid rafts. Mice mutant for Ret are born with no kidneys and enteric neurons, and display sympathetic nervous system defects causing ptosis. Since cholesterol is a critical component of lipid rafts, here we tested the hypothesis of whether the cause of the above malformations found in SLOS is defective Ret signaling owing to improper lipid raft composition or function. No defects consistent with decreased Ret signaling were found in newborn Dhcr7−/− mice, or in Dhcr7−/− mice lacking one copy of Ret. Although kidneys from Dhcr7−/− mice showed a mild branching defect in vitro, GDNF was able to support survival and downstream signaling of sympathetic neurons. Consistently, GFRα1 correctly partitioned to lipid rafts in brain tissue. Finally, replacement experiments demonstrated that 7-DHC efficiently supports Ret signaling in vitro. Taken together, our findings do not support a role of Ret signaling in the pathogenesis of SLOS. PMID:27334845

Replication pattern of the pericentromeric region of chromosome 10q and expression of the RET protooncogene.

PubMed

Cinti, R; Schena, F; Passalacqua, M; Ceccherini, I; Ravazzolo, R

2004-08-15

Regulation of the RET gene is highly specific during embryo development and is strictly tissue-specific. Control of transcription depends on mechanisms influenced by epigenetic processes, in particular, histone acetylation at regions flanking the 5' end of the gene. Since the RET gene is mapped in the pericentromeric region of the human chromosome 10, the implication of epigenetic processes is even more striking and worth to be investigated in an extended chromosomal tract. One experimental approach to study the chromatin status in relationship with gene transcription is to assess the replication timing, which we did by using fluorescent in situ hybridization in cells expressing or not expressing the RET gene. By using probes spanning a 700-kb genomic region from the RET locus toward the centromere, we found a relationship between RET expression and early replication. Different patterns were observed between cells naturally expressing RET and cells induced to expression of RET by treatment with sodium butyrate, an inhibitor of histone deacetylases. Three-dimensional analysis of the nuclear localization of fluorescent signals by confocal microscopy showed difference of localization between the RET probe and a probe for a housekeeping gene, G3PDH, located at 12p13.3, in cells that do not express RET, in accordance with previous data for other genes and chromosomal regions. However, RET-expressing cells showed a localization of signals which was not consistent with that expected for expressed genes.

Understanding Teacher Effectiveness: Providing Feedback to Teacher Preparation Programs. Data for Action 2014

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Data Quality Campaign, 2014

2014-01-01

State leaders are increasingly focused on improving college and university programs that prepare teachers as a route to a high-quality teacher workforce. This work requires significant data capacity to reliably and securely link teachers with their students' achievement and growth data with the state's teacher preparation programs. This fact sheet…

Synthesis and structure-activity relationship study of pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidines as tyrosine kinase RET inhibitors.

PubMed

Wang, Chengyan; Liu, Hongchun; Song, Zilan; Ji, Yinchun; Xing, Li; Peng, Xia; Wang, Xisheng; Ai, Jing; Geng, Meiyu; Zhang, Ao

2017-06-01

Three series of pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine derivatives were synthesized and evaluated as RET kinase inhibitors. Compounds 23a and 23c were identified to show significant activity both in the biochemical and the BaF3/CCDC6-RET cell assays. Compound 23c was found to significantly inhibit RET phosphorylation and down-stream signaling in BaF3/CCDC6-RET cells, confirming its potent cellular RET-targeting profile. Different from other RET inhibitors with equal potency against KDR that associated with severe toxicity, 23c did not show significant KDR-inhibition even at the concentration of 1μM. These results demonstrated that 23c is a potent and selective RET inhibitor. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Teacher Research Experience Programs = Increase in Student Achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dubner, J.

2010-12-01

Columbia University's Summer Research Program for Science Teachers (SRP), founded in 1990, is one of the largest, best known university-based professional development programs for science teachers in the U.S. The program’s basic premise is simple: teachers cannot effectively teach science if they have not experienced it firsthand. For eight weeks in each of two consecutive summers, teachers participate as a member of a research team, led by a member of Columbia University’s research faculty. In addition to the laboratory experience, all teachers meet as a group one day each week during the summer for a series of pedagogical activities. A unique quality of the Summer Research Program is its focus on objective assessment of its impact on attitudes and instructional practices of participating teachers, on the performance of these teachers in their mentors’ laboratories, and most importantly, on the impact of their participation in the program on student interest and performance in science. SRP uses pass rate on the New York State Regents standardized science examinations as an objective measure of student achievement. SRP's data is the first scientific evidence of a connection between a research experience for teachers program and gains in student achievement. As a result of the research, findings were published in Science Magazine. The author will present an overview of Columbia's teacher research program and the results of the published program evaluation.

Does Teacher Certification Program Lead to Better Quality Teachers? Evidence from Indonesia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kusumawardhani, Prita Nurmalia

2017-01-01

This paper examines the impact of the teacher certification program in Indonesia in 2007 and 2008 on student and teacher outcomes. I create a rule-based instrumental variable from discontinuities arising from the assignment mechanism of teachers into certification program. The thresholds are determined empirically. The study applies a two-sample…

The dependence receptor Ret induces apoptosis in somatotrophs through a Pit-1/p53 pathway, preventing tumor growth

PubMed Central

Cañibano, Carmen; Rodriguez, Noela L; Saez, Carmen; Tovar, Sulay; Garcia-Lavandeira, Montse; Borrello, Maria Grazia; Vidal, Anxo; Costantini, Frank; Japon, Miguel; Dieguez, Carlos; Alvarez, Clara V

2007-01-01

Somatotrophs are the only pituitary cells that express Ret, GFRα1 and GDNF. This study investigated the effects of Ret in a somatotroph cell line, in primary pituitary cultures and in Ret KO mice. Ret regulates somatotroph numbers by inducing Pit-1 overexpression, leading to increased p53 expression and apoptosis, both of which can be prevented with Ret or Pit-1 siRNA. The Pit-1 overexpression is mediated by sustained activation of PKCδ, JNK, c/EBPα and CREB induced by a complex of Ret, caspase 3 and PKCδ. In the presence of GDNF, Akt is activated, and the Pit-1 overexpression and resulting apoptosis are blocked. The adenopituitary of Ret KO mice is larger than normal, showing Pit-1 and somatotroph hyperplasia. In normal animals, activation of the Ret/Pit-1/p53 pathway by retroviral introduction of Ret blocked tumor growth in vivo. Thus, somatotrophs have an intrinsic mechanism for controlling Pit-1/GH production through an apoptotic/survival pathway. Ret might be of value for treatment of pituitary adenomas. PMID:17380130

The dependence receptor Ret induces apoptosis in somatotrophs through a Pit-1/p53 pathway, preventing tumor growth.

PubMed

Cañibano, Carmen; Rodriguez, Noela L; Saez, Carmen; Tovar, Sulay; Garcia-Lavandeira, Montse; Borrello, Maria Grazia; Vidal, Anxo; Costantini, Frank; Japon, Miguel; Dieguez, Carlos; Alvarez, Clara V

2007-04-18

Somatotrophs are the only pituitary cells that express Ret, GFRalpha1 and GDNF. This study investigated the effects of Ret in a somatotroph cell line, in primary pituitary cultures and in Ret KO mice. Ret regulates somatotroph numbers by inducing Pit-1 overexpression, leading to increased p53 expression and apoptosis, both of which can be prevented with Ret or Pit-1 siRNA. The Pit-1 overexpression is mediated by sustained activation of PKCdelta, JNK, c/EBPalpha and CREB induced by a complex of Ret, caspase 3 and PKCdelta. In the presence of GDNF, Akt is activated, and the Pit-1 overexpression and resulting apoptosis are blocked. The adenopituitary of Ret KO mice is larger than normal, showing Pit-1 and somatotroph hyperplasia. In normal animals, activation of the Ret/Pit-1/p53 pathway by retroviral introduction of Ret blocked tumor growth in vivo. Thus, somatotrophs have an intrinsic mechanism for controlling Pit-1/GH production through an apoptotic/survival pathway. Ret might be of value for treatment of pituitary adenomas.

Observation of aggregation triggered by Resonance Energy Transfer (RET) induced intermolecular pairing force.

PubMed

Pan, Xiaoyong; Wang, Weizhi; Ke, Lin; Zhang, Nan

2017-07-20

In this report, we showed the existence of RET induced intermolecular pairing force by comparing their fluorescence behaviors under room illumination vs standing in dark area for either PFluAnt solution or PFluAnt&PFOBT mixture. Their prominent emission attenuation under room illumination brought out the critical role of photo, i.e. RET induced intermolecular pairing force in induction of polymer aggregation. Constant UV-Vis absorption and fluorescence spectra in terms of both peak shapes and maximum wavelengths implied no chemical decomposition was involved. Recoverable fluorescence intensity, fluorescence lifetime as well as NMR spectra further exclude photo induced decomposition. The controllable on/off state of RET induced intermolecular pairing force was verified by the masking effect of outside PFluAnt solution which function as filter to block the excitation of inside PFluAnt and thus off the RET induced intermolecular pairing force. Theoretical calculation suggest that magnitude of RET induced intermolecular pairing force is on the same scale as that of van der Waals interaction. Although the absolute magnitude of RET induced intermolecular pairing force was not tunable, its effect can be magnified by intentionally turn it "on", which was achieved by irradiance with 5 W desk lamp in this report.

Spectroscopic characterization of enzymatic flax retting: Factor analysis of FT-IR and FT-Raman data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Archibald, D. D.; Henrikssen, G.; Akin, D. E.; Barton, F. E.

1998-06-01

Flax retting is a chemical, microbial or enzymatic process which releases the bast fibers from the stem matrix so they can be suitable for mechanical processing before spinning into linen yarn. This study aims to determine the vibrational spectral features and sampling methods which can be used to evaluate the retting process. Flax stems were retted on a small scale using an enzyme mixture known to yield good retted flax. Processed stems were harvested at various time points in the process and the retting was evaluated by conventional methods including weight loss, color difference and Fried's test, a visual ranking of how the stems disintegrate in hot water. Spectroscopic measurements were performed on either whole stems or powders of the fibers that were mechanically extracted from the stems. Selected regions of spectra were baseline and amplitude corrected using a variant of the multiplicative signal correction method. Principal component regression and partial least-squares regression with full cross-validation were used to determine the spectral features and rate of spectral transformation by regressing the spectra against the retting time in hours. FT-Raman of fiber powders and FT-IR reflectance of whole stems were the simplest and most precise methods for monitoring the retting transformation. Raman tracks the retting by measuring the decrease in aromatic signal and subtle changes in the C-H stretching vibrations. The IR method uses complex spectral features in the fingerprint and carbonyl region, many of which are due to polysaccharide components. Both spectral techniques monitor the retting process with greater precision than the reference method.

Ret function in muscle stem cells points to tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy for facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy.

PubMed

Moyle, Louise A; Blanc, Eric; Jaka, Oihane; Prueller, Johanna; Banerji, Christopher Rs; Tedesco, Francesco Saverio; Harridge, Stephen Dr; Knight, Robert D; Zammit, Peter S

2016-11-14

Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) involves sporadic expression of DUX4, which inhibits myogenesis and is pro-apoptotic. To identify target genes, we over-expressed DUX4 in myoblasts and found that the receptor tyrosine kinase Ret was significantly up-regulated, suggesting a role in FSHD. RET is dynamically expressed during myogenic progression in mouse and human myoblasts. Constitutive expression of either RET9 or RET51 increased myoblast proliferation, whereas siRNA-mediated knockdown of Ret induced myogenic differentiation. Suppressing RET activity using Sunitinib, a clinically-approved tyrosine kinase inhibitor, rescued differentiation in both DUX4-expressing murine myoblasts and in FSHD patient-derived myoblasts. Importantly, Sunitinib also increased engraftment and differentiation of FSHD myoblasts in regenerating mouse muscle. Thus, DUX4-mediated activation of Ret prevents myogenic differentiation and could contribute to FSHD pathology by preventing satellite cell-mediated repair. Rescue of DUX4-induced pathology by Sunitinib highlights the therapeutic potential of tyrosine kinase inhibitors for treatment of FSHD.

The Arizona Performance-Based Teacher Certification Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelley, Michael F.

In response to public pressures and a legislative mandate, the State of Arizona began to systematically evaluate prospective teachers while concomitantly requiring a restructuring of the Arizona teacher preparation programs at the college and university level as part of a program entitled the Arizona Performance-Based Teacher Certification…

Differential Effects of RET and TRKB on Axonal Branching and Survival of Parasympathetic Neurons

PubMed Central

Simpson, Julie; Keefe, Julie; Nishi, Rae

2014-01-01

Interactions between neurons and their targets of innervation influence many aspects of neural development. To examine how synaptic activity interacts with neurotrophic signaling, we determined the effects of blocking neuromuscular transmission on survival and axonal outgrowth of ciliary neurons from the embryonic chicken ciliary ganglion. Ciliary neurons undergo a period of cell loss due to programmed cell death between embryonic Days (E) 8 and 14 and they innervate the striated muscle of the iris. The nicotinic antagonist d-tubocurarine (dTC) induces an increase in branching measured by counting neurofilament-positive voxels (NF-VU) in the iris between E14–17 while reducing ciliary neuron survival. Blocking ganglionic transmission with dihyro-β-erythroidin and α-methyllycacontine does not mimic dTC. At E8, many trophic factors stimulate neurite outgrowth and branching of neurons placed in cell culture; however, at E13, only GDNF stimulates branching selectively in cultured ciliary neurons. The GDNF-induced branching at E13 could be inhibited by BDNF. Blocking ret signaling in vivo with a dominant negative (dn)ret decreases survival of ciliary and choroid neurons at E14 and prevents dTC induced increases in NF-VU in the iris at E17. Blocking TRKB signaling with dn TRKB increases NF-VU in the iris at E17 and decreases neuronal survival at E17, but not at E14. Thus, RET promotes survival during programmed cell death in the ciliary ganglion and contributes to promoting branching when synaptic transmission is blocked while TRKB inhibits branching and promotes maintenance of neuronal survival. These studies highlight the multifunctional nature of trophic molecule function during neuronal development. PMID:22648743

Research on teacher education programs: logic model approach.

PubMed

Newton, Xiaoxia A; Poon, Rebecca C; Nunes, Nicole L; Stone, Elisa M

2013-02-01

Teacher education programs in the United States face increasing pressure to demonstrate their effectiveness through pupils' learning gains in classrooms where program graduates teach. The link between teacher candidates' learning in teacher education programs and pupils' learning in K-12 classrooms implicit in the policy discourse suggests a one-to-one correspondence. However, the logical steps leading from what teacher candidates have learned in their programs to what they are doing in classrooms that may contribute to their pupils' learning are anything but straightforward. In this paper, we argue that the logic model approach from scholarship on evaluation can enhance research on teacher education by making explicit the logical links between program processes and intended outcomes. We demonstrate the usefulness of the logic model approach through our own work on designing a longitudinal study that focuses on examining the process and impact of an undergraduate mathematics and science teacher education program. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

GLOBE Program Teacher's Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

1997

The GLOBE Program is a worldwide, hands-on educational program for elementary and secondary school students. GLOBE aims to increase student achievement in mathematics and science, awareness towards the environment, and improve science process skills through network technology. This teacher's guide provides an overview of the GLOBE program and…

Changes in teacher efficacy and beliefs during a one-year teacher preparation program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lockman, Alison Schirmer

This study attempted to further understanding of factors affecting the teacher efficacy beliefs of secondary science preservice teachers, and to develop a model relating teacher efficacy to beliefs about teaching and students. A mixed quantitative and qualitative methodology was utilized in order to track participants' beliefs both broadly and in depth throughout a one-year teacher preparation program. Results from this analysis revealed that preservice teachers at the end of the program had significantly higher personal science teaching efficacy beliefs than at the beginning of the program. No significant difference in science teaching outcome expectancy beliefs was found, although individual preservice teachers did develop alternate beliefs. Teacher efficacy beliefs were directly affected by three of Bandura's four sources of self-efficacy beliefs---Mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, and verbal persuasion---with the influence of each source of self-efficacy information appearing to change during the course of the teacher preparation program. No evidence was found that affective states by themselves had resulted in belief changes, although many of the other experiences were more powerful because they were accompanied by an emotional incident. Connections between teacher efficacy beliefs, beliefs about students, and beliefs about teaching were uncovered, as was the importance of content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge on a teacher's sense of efficacy.

Phase I/II study of alectinib in lung cancer with RET fusion gene: study protocol.

PubMed

Takeuchi, Shinji; Murayama, Toshinori; Yoshimura, Kenichi; Kawakami, Takahiro; Takahara, Shizuko; Imai, Yasuhito; Kuribayashi, Yoshikazu; Nagase, Katsuhiko; Goto, Koichi; Nishio, Makoto; Hasegawa, Yoshinori; Satouchi, Miyako; Kiura, Katsuyuki; Seto, Takashi; Yano, Seiji

2017-01-01

The rearranged during transfection (RET) fusion gene was discovered as a driver oncogene in 1-2% of non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs). Alectinib is an approved anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitor that may also be effective for RET fusion-positive NSCLC. RET fusion-positive NSCLC patients treated with at least one regimen of chemotherapy are being recruited. In step 1, alectinib (600 or 450 mg, twice daily) will be administered following a 3+3 design. The primary endpoint is safety. In step 2, alectinib will be administered at the recommended dose (RD) defined by step 1. The primary endpoint is the response rate of RET inhibitor treatment-naïve patients. This is the first study to investigate the safety and preliminary efficacy of alectinib in RET fusion-positive NSCLC patients. If successful, alectinib treatment may lead to substantial and important changes in the management of NSCLC with RET fusion genes. J. Med. Invest. 64: 317-320, August, 2017.

Issues Surrounding the Evaluation of Teacher Internship Programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barrett, D.

2006-12-01

Georgia Intern-Fellowships for Teachers (GIFT) is a collaborative effort designed to enhance mathematics and science experiences of Georgia teachers and their students through summer research internships for teachers. By offering business, industry, public science institute and research summer fellowships to teachers, GIFT provides educators with first-hand exposure to the skills and knowledge necessary for the preparation of our future workforce. Since 1991, GIFT has placed middle and high school math, science and technology teachers in over 1100 positions throughout the state. In these fellowships, teachers are involved in cutting edge scientific and engineering research, data analysis, curriculum development and real-world inquiry and problem solving, and create Action Plans to assist them in translating the experience into changed classroom practice. Since 2004, an increasing number of high school students have worked with their teachers in research laboratories. The GIFT program has an advisory board composed of university researchers, business and education leaders. The board members work in various subcommittees assisting the program with areas such as sponsor recruitment, evaluation and long term planning. The evaluation subcommittee has been actively involved in providing direction regarding the evaluation of the GIFT program's impact on teachers and their students. The program recently conducted a survey of its former participants. This presentation will discuss the results of the survey and the challenges associated with program evaluation of teacher internship programs.

Teacher beliefs and cultural models: A challenge for science teacher preparation programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bryan, Lynn A.; Atwater, Mary M.

2002-11-01

The purpose of this paper is to present an argument for developing science teacher education programs that examine teachers' beliefs about multicultural issues and their impact on science teaching and learning. In the paper, we (a) delineate a rationale for the study of teacher beliefs about issues of culture and its impact on science teaching and learning; (b) assert three major categories of teacher beliefs to examine for designing teacher education programs that aim to meet the challenges of increasingly culturally diverse classrooms; and (c) discuss implications for science teacher education programs and research. Research has shown that knowing teachers' beliefs and designing instruction and experiences to explicitly confront those beliefs facilitate refinement of and/or transformation of beliefs and practices (Bryan & Abell, J Res Sci Teaching, 36, 121-140, 1999; Harrington & Hathaway, J Teacher Education, 46, 275-284, 1995; Hollingsworth, Am Educational Res J, 26(2), 160-189, 1989; Olmedo, J Teaching Teacher Education, 13, 245-258, 1997; Tobin & LaMaster, J Res Sci Teaching, 32, 225-242, 1995). Furthermore, prior to student teaching, preservice teachers need to be at least culturally sensitive teachers (Gillette, In Teacher Thinking in Cultural Contexts, F. A. Rios (Ed.); Albany, NY: State University of New York Press; 1996, pp. 104-128). Science educators need to continue to identify those beliefs and practices that undergird desirable and equitable science instruction.

1997 NASA/MSFC Summer Teacher Enrichment Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

This is a report on the follow-up activities conducted for the 1997 NASA Summer Teacher Enrichment Program (STEP), which was held at the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) for the seventh consecutive year. The program was conducted as a six-week session with 17 sixth through twelfth grade math and science teachers from a six-state region (Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi and Missouri). The program began on June 8, 1997, and ended on July 25, 1997. The long-term objectives of the program are to: increase the nation's scientific and technical talent pool with a special emphasis on underrepresented groups, improve the quality of pre-college math and science education, improve math and science literacy, and improve NASA's and pre-college education's understandings of each other's operating environments and needs. Short-term measurable objectives for the MSFC STEP are to: improve the teachers' content and pedagogy knowledge in science and/or mathematics, integrate applications from the teachers' STEP laboratory experiences into science and math curricula, increase the teachers' use of instructional technology, enhance the teachers' leadership skills by requiring them to present workshops and/or inservice programs for other teachers, require the support of the participating teacher(s) by the local school administration through a written commitment, and create networks and partnerships within the education community, both pre-college and college. The follow-up activities for the 1997 STEP included the following: academic-year questionnaire, site visits, academic-year workshop, verification of commitment of support, and additional NASA support.

New Insights into c-Ret Signalling Pathway in the Enteric Nervous System and Its Relationship with ALS

PubMed Central

Luesma, M. J.; Cantarero, I.; Álvarez-Dotu, J. M.; Santander, S.; Junquera, C.

2014-01-01

The receptor tyrosine kinase Ret (c-Ret) transduces the glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) signal, one of the neurotrophic factors related to the degeneration process or the regeneration activity of motor neurons in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The phosphorylation of several tyrosine residues of c-Ret seems to be altered in ALS. c-Ret is expressed in motor neurons and in the enteric nervous system (ENS) during the embryonic period. The characteristics of the ENS allow using it as model for central nervous system (CNS) study and being potentially useful for the research of human neurological diseases such as ALS. The aim of the present study was to investigate the cellular localization and quantitative evaluation of marker c-Ret in the adult human gut. To assess the nature of c-Ret positive cells, we performed colocalization with specific markers of cells that typically are located in the enteric ganglia. The colocalization of PGP9.5 and c-Ret was preferentially intense in enteric neurons with oval morphology and mostly peripherally localized in the ganglion, so we concluded that the c-Ret receptor is expressed by a specific subtype of enteric neurons in the mature human ENS of the gut. The functional significance of these c-Ret positive neurons is discussed. PMID:24868525

An Analysis of the Selection and Training of Guiding Teachers in an Urban Teacher Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lopez, Carmen Lizette

2012-01-01

In response to a growing trend towards alternative teacher education programs, this study aims to direct the focus on traditional teacher preparation programs. The purpose of this study is to analyze the processes of how classroom teachers are selected, trained, and supported as guiding teachers in one urban teacher education program. The…

Occurrence of phaeochromocytoma tumours in RET mutation carriers - a single-centre study.

PubMed

Kotecka-Blicharz, Agnieszka; Hasse-Lazar, Kornelia; Jurecka-Lubieniecka, Beata; Pawlaczek, Agnieszka; Oczko-Wojciechowska, Małgorzata; Bugajska, Beata; Ledwon, Aleksandra; Król, Aleksandra; Michalik, Barbara; Jarząb, Barbara

2016-01-01

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN 2) is an autosomal dominant genetic syndrome caused by germline mutation in RET proto-oncogene. The most common mutations are in a cysteine rich domain. Phaeochromocytoma will develop in approximately 50% of RET proto-oncogene carriers. The studied population consisted of 228 RET proto-oncogene mutation carriers. Monitoring for the diagnosis of phaeochromocytoma was carried out in all patients with established genetic status. Mean time of follow up was 138 months. Surveillance consisted of periodically performed clinical evaluation, 24-hour urinary determinations of total metanephrines complementary with imaging (CT, MR, MIBG scintigraphy). Phaeochromocytoma developed in 41 patients (18% of all RET proto-oncogene mutations carriers). The mean age of diagnosis for the whole cohort was 43 years. In eight cases phaeochromocytoma was the first manifestation of the MEN 2 syndrome. Only eight (20%) patients were symptomatic at diagnosis of phaeochromocytoma. The mean size of the tumour was 4.3 cm. There was no extra-adrenal localisation. We observed one case of malignant phaeochromocytoma. In patients with MEN 2 syndrome phaeochromocytomas are usually benign adrenal tumours with high risk of bilateral development. Taking to account the latter risk and non-specific clinical manifestation of the neoplasm it is mandatory to screen all RET proto-oncogene mutations carriers for phaeochromocytoma.

Status Report on the Virginia Beginning Teacher Assistance Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caldwell, Michael

This report presents a description of the Virgina Beginning Teacher Assistance Program (BTAP), its background and rationale, development, major program assumptions, and major program activities. The Virginia BTAP has three major components: teacher assessment, teacher assistance, and program management. The development and implementation of each…

It Takes a Toll on Pre-Service Teachers and Programs: Case Studies of Teacher Candidates Who Withdrew from a Teacher Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Pei-Ying; Childs, Ruth A.; Zhang, Jingshun

2016-01-01

Previous studies have examined patterns of withdrawal from initial teacher education (ITE) programs and have found that pre-service teachers are more likely to withdraw if they are male or older than the typical pre-service teacher. This study presents case studies based on semi-structured interviews with older male pre-service teachers who…

Teacher Research Programs Participation Improves Student Achievement in Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dubner, J.

2009-12-01

Research experience programs engage teachers in the hands-on practice of science. Program advocates assert that program participation enhances teachers’ skills in communicating science to students. We have measured the impact of New York City public high school science teacher participation in Columbia University’s Summer Research Program for Science Teachers on their students’ academic performance in science. In the year prior to program entry, students of participating and non-participating teachers passed a New York State Regents science examination at the same rate. In years three and four following program entry, participating teachers’ students passed Regents science exams at a higher rate (p = 0.049) than non-participating teachers’ students. Other program benefits include decreased teacher attrition from classroom teaching and school cost savings.

A Collaborative, Alternative Teacher Certification Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Securro, Samuel, Jr.; And Others

In the summer of 1986, three institutions (West Virginia State College, West Virigina College of Graduate Studies, and West Virgina Institute of Technology) consorted to design an alternative teacher certification program to attract and retain a qualified pool of mathematics and science teachers. Known as the Field-Based Training Program (FBTP),…

Constitutive RET tyrosine kinase activation in hereditary medullary thyroid cancer: clinical opportunities.

PubMed

Machens, A; Lorenz, K; Dralle, H

2009-07-01

The ground-breaking discovery of genotype-phenotype relationships in hereditary medullary thyroid cancer has greatly facilitated early prophylactic thyroidectomy. Its timing depends not solely on a positive gene test but, more importantly, on the type of the REarranged during Transfection (RET) mutation and its underlying mode of RET receptor tyrosine kinase activation. In the past decade, the therapeutic corridor opened by molecular information has been defined down to a remarkable level of detail. Based on mutational risk profiles, preemptive thyroidectomy is recommended at 6 months of age for carriers of highest-risk mutations, before the age of 5 years for carriers of high-risk mutations, and before the age of 5 or 10 years for carriers of least-high-risk mutations. Additional lymph node dissection may not be needed in the absence of increased preoperative basal calcitonin levels. Better comprehension of RET function should enable the design of targeted therapies for RET carriers beyond surgical cure in whom the DNA-based 'window of opportunity' has been missed.

AB087. Synergistic genetic effects of RET and NRG1 susceptibility variants in Hirschsprung disease

PubMed Central

Iskandar, Kristy; Makhmudi, Akhmad; Gunadi

2017-01-01

Background Hirschsprung disease (HSCR) is a complex genetic disorder, which characterized by absence of ganglion cells along variable lengths of the intestines in neonates, with the RET and NRG1 are reported as the most common susceptible genes for HSCR development. Here, we investigated three common genetic markers: RET rs2506030 and NRG1 rs7835688 and rs16879552, to determine their potential interactions to the susceptibility of HSCR in Indonesian population. Methods We ascertained 60 HSCR subjects and 118 non-HSCR controls. Three genetic markers of the RET and NRG1 were examined using TaqMan assay. Case-control association tests between three genetic markers and HSCR were performed using the χ2 (chi square) statistic and 2×2 contingency tables. We analyzed the family based association in duos and trios using the transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) for the variants using PLINK. Results There was association between NRG1 rs7835688 (4.3×10−3) variant and HSCR, but not RET rs2506030 (P=0.042) and NRG1 rs16879552 (P=0.097). TDT of 33 HSCR families demonstrates no genetic effect either at RET rs2506030 (P=0.034) or NRG1 rs7835688 (P=0.18) and rs16879552 (P=0.28). Two locus analyses of polymorphisms demonstrated that RET rs2506030 (GG), in combination with NRG1 rs7835688 (CC) or rs16879552 (CC), were associated with the increased disease risks of HSCR (OR =6.22, P=0.028 and OR =3.34, P=6.0×10−4, respectively) compared with a single variant of either RET or NRG1. Conclusions Our study shows that RET and NRG1 polymorphisms are common genetic risk factors for Indonesian HSCR. These results also imply that synergistic effects of RET and NRG1 is necessary for normal ganglionosis.

Stewart and Ray's Big Adventure: A Research Experience for Teachers at UMASS/Amherst

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCarthy, Ray

2011-01-01

Late in the winter of 2010, teachers across Massachusetts received invitations to apply for six- to eight-week Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) in which middle or high school teachers in STEM subjects would work alongside scientists and their graduate students as they sought to solve real-world problems. This country-wide effort was funded…

Supporting Peace Education in Teacher Education Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Marianne; Martin, Doris; Pence, Holly

2008-01-01

In examining their elementary teacher education program at James Madison University, from their mission to the curriculum and program delivery, the authors used the opportunity to focus explicitly on peace education. The mission and content of teacher education programs are determined largely by the faculty of the institutions of higher education…

School of Education - Teacher Preparation Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA.

In recognition of the fact that teachers in this pluralistic society must have a multiplicity of skills, the School of Education of the University of the Pacific in 1970 initiated a self-study structure which resulted in a critical evaluation of its existing programs for the preparation of teachers. Programs were initiated and strengthened in…

NASA/NSU Pre-Service Teacher Program Report: Narrative and Program Outcomes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

The NASA/NSU Pre-Service Teacher Program seeks to address the critical role that NASA Langley Research Center and Norfolk State University, working in tandem with other institutions around the country, can play in support or pre-service teacher education. Pre-service teachers are selected from designated institutions that serve large minority populations.The program consists of a National Conference and a Summer Institute.

2014 Teacher Prep Review: A Review of the Nation's Teacher Preparation Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenberg, Julie; Walsh, Kate; McKee, Arthur

2014-01-01

"Teacher Prep Review 2014" is the second edition of the National Council on Teacher Quality's (NCTQ's) annual assessment of the nation's 2,400 teacher prep programs. The "Review" uncovers early evidence that teacher prep programs are beginning to make changes. It arrives at a time of heightened, unprecedented…

Teacher Leadership Program Readiness Surveys. Toolkit/Guide

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finster, Matthew

2016-01-01

Federal initiatives, such as the Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF), encourage school districts to develop teacher leadership (TL) roles and use funds to provide incentives for teachers to fill them. Before starting a teacher leader program, school districts should assess whether their current conditions are favorable to implementing teacher leader…

Bacterial succession and metabolite changes during flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) retting with Bacillus cereus HDYM-02.

PubMed

Zhao, Dan; Liu, Pengfei; Pan, Chao; Du, Renpeng; Ping, Wenxiang; Ge, Jingping

2016-09-02

High-throughput sequencing and GC-MS (gas chromatography-mass spectrometry) were jointly used to reveal the bacterial succession and metabolite changes during flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) retting. The inoculation of Bacillus cereus HDYM-02 decreased bacterial richness and diversity. This inoculum led to the replacement of Enterobacteriaceae by Bacillaceae. The level of aerobic Pseudomonadaceae (mainly Azotobacter) and anaerobic Clostridiaceae_1 gradually increased and decreased, respectively. Following the addition of B. cereus HDYM-02, the dominant groups were all degumming enzyme producers or have been proven to be involved in microbial retting throughout the entire retting period. These results could be verified by the metabolite changes, either degumming enzymes or their catalytic products galacturonic acid and reducing sugars. The GC-MS data showed a clear separation between flax retting with and without B. cereus HDYM-02, particularly within the first 72 h. These findings reveal the important bacterial groups that are involved in fiber retting and will facilitate improvements in the retting process.

Graduate Programs in Education: Impact on Teachers' Careers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tucker, Janice; Fushell, Marian

2013-01-01

This paper examined teachers' decisions to pursue graduate programs and their career choices following completion of their studies. Based on document analysis and statistical examination of teacher questionnaire responses, this study determined that teachers choose graduate studies for different reasons, their program choice influences future…

Evolution of a Teacher Professional Development Program that Promotes Teacher and Student Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pompea, S. M.; Croft, S. K.; Garmany, C. D.; Walker, C. E.

2005-12-01

The Research Based Science Education (RBSE) and Teacher Leaders in Research Based Science (TLRBSE) programs at the National Optical Astronomy Observatory have been evolving for nearly ten years. Our current program is actually a team of programs aiding teachers in doing research with small telescopes, large research-grade telescopes, astronomical data archives, and the Spitzer Space Telescope. Along the way, as these programs evolved, a number of basic questions were continuously discussed by the very talented program team. These questions included: 1) What is real research and why should we encourage it? 2) How can it be successfully brought to the classroom? 3) What is the relative importance of teacher content knowledge versus science process knowledge? 4) How frustrating should an authentic research experience be? 5) How do we measure the success of our professional development program? 6) How should be evaluate and publish student work? 7) How can teachers work together on a team to pursue research? 8) What is the model for interaction of teachers and researchers - equal partners versus the graduate student/apprentice model? 9) What is the ideal mix of skills for a professional development team at NOAO? 10) What role can distance learning play in professional preparation? 11) What tools are needed for data analysis? 12) How can we stay funded? Our evolving program has also been used as a test bed to examine new models of teacher's professional development that may aid our outreach efforts in the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope program, the Thirty-Meter Telescope program, and the National Virtual Observatory program. We will describe a variety of lessons learned (and relearned) and try to describe best practices in promoting teacher and student research. The TLRBSE Program is funded by the National Science Foundation under ESI 0101982, funded through the AURA/NSF Cooperative Agreement AST-9613615. NOAO is operated by the Association of Universities for Research

Comparison of University-Based Teacher Certification Programs and Alternative Certification Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Keonna

2016-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand further similarities and differences between traditionally certified teachers and alternatively certified teachers specifically in the areas of teacher self-efficacy, classroom management, and teacher perceptions of their preparation program. The following research questions guided this…

Overexpression of genes involved in miRNA biogenesis in medullary thyroid carcinomas with RET mutation.

PubMed

Puppin, Cinzia; Durante, Cosimo; Sponziello, Marialuisa; Verrienti, Antonella; Pecce, Valeria; Lavarone, Elisa; Baldan, Federica; Campese, Antonio Francesco; Boichard, Amelie; Lacroix, Ludovic; Russo, Diego; Filetti, Sebastiano; Damante, Giuseppe

2014-11-01

Abnormal expression of non-coding micro RNA (miRNA) has been described in medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). Expression of genes encoding factors involved in miRNA biogenesis results often deregulated in human cancer and correlates with aggressive clinical behavior. In this study, expression of four genes involved in miRNA biogenesis (DICER, DROSHA, DCGR8, and XPO5) was investigated in 54 specimens of MTC. Among them, 33 and 13 harbored RET and RAS mutations, respectively. DICER, DGCR8, and XPO5 mRNA levels were significantly overexpressed in MTC harboring RET mutations, in particular, in the presence of RET634 mutation. When MTCs with RET and RAS mutations were compared, only DGCR8 displayed a significant difference, while MTCs with RAS mutations did not show significant differences with respect to non-mutated tumors. We then attempted to correlate expression of miRNA biogenesis genes with tumor aggressiveness. According to the TNM status, MTCs were divided in two groups and compared (N0 M0 vs. N1 and/or M1): for all four genes no significant difference was detected. Cell line experiments, in which expression of a RET mutation is silenced by siRNA, suggest the existence of a causal relationship between RET mutation and overexpression of DICER, DGCR8, and XPO5 genes. These findings demonstrate that RET- but not RAS-driven tumorigenic alterations include abnormalities in the expression of some important genes involved in miRNA biogenesis that could represent new potential markers for targeted therapies in the treatment of RET-mutated MTCs aimed to restore the normal miRNA expression profile.

Do Teacher Education Programs Have Personality?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Denzine, Gypsy M.; Martin, William E., Jr.; Cramblet, Leslie D.

2005-01-01

Teacher education programs might consider the extent to which their own curriculum provides pre-service teachers with some foundational knowledge in personality psychology. It seems reasonable to consider that a course in educational psychology might be the course in which future teachers are presented an introduction to personality theory. In…

Beyond ALK-RET, ROS1 and other oncogene fusions in lung cancer

PubMed Central

Nakaoku, Takashi; Tsuta, Koji; Tsuchihara, Katsuya; Matsumoto, Shingo; Yoh, Kiyotaka; Goto, Koichi

2015-01-01

Fusions of the RET and ROS1 protein tyrosine kinase oncogenes with several partner genes were recently identified as new targetable genetic aberrations in cases of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) lacking activating EGFR, KRAS, ALK, BRAF, or HER2 oncogene aberrations. RET and ROS1 fusion-positive tumors are mainly observed in young, female, and/or never smoking patients. Studies based on in vitro and in vivo (i.e., mouse) models and studies of several fusion-positive patients indicate that inhibiting the kinase activity of the RET and ROS1 fusion proteins is a promising therapeutic strategy. Accordingly, there are several ongoing clinical trials aimed at examining the efficacy of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) against RET and ROS1 proteins in patients with fusion-positive lung cancer. Other gene fusions (NTRK1, NRG1, and FGFR1/2/3) that are targetable by existing TKIs have also been identified in NSCLCs. Options for personalized lung cancer therapy will be increased with the help of multiplex diagnosis systems able to detect multiple druggable gene fusions. PMID:25870798

Systemic and CNS activity of the RET inhibitor vandetanib combined with the mTOR inhibitor everolimus in KIF5B-RET re-arranged non-small cell lung cancer with brain metastases.

PubMed

Subbiah, Vivek; Berry, Jenny; Roxas, Michael; Guha-Thakurta, Nandita; Subbiah, Ishwaria Mohan; Ali, Siraj M; McMahon, Caitlin; Miller, Vincent; Cascone, Tina; Pai, Shobha; Tang, Zhenya; Heymach, John V

2015-07-01

In-frame fusion KIF5B (the-kinesin-family-5B-gene)-RET transcripts have been characterized in 1-2% of non-small cell lung cancers and are known oncogenic drivers. The RET tyrosine kinase inhibitor, vandetanib, suppresses fusion-induced, anchorage-independent growth activity. In vitro studies have shown that vandetanib is a high-affinity substrate of breast cancer resistance protein (Bcrp1/Abcg2) but is not transported by P-glycoprotein (P-gp), limiting its blood-brain barrier penetration. A co-administration strategy to enhance the brain accumulation of vandetanib by modulating P-gp/Abcb1- and Bcrp1/Abcg2-mediated efflux with mTOR inhibitors, specifically everolimus, was shown to increase the blood-brain barrier penetration. We report the first bench-to-bedside evidence that RET inhibitor combined with an mTOR inhibitor is active against brain-metastatic RET-rearranged lung cancer and the first evidence of blood-brain barrier penetration. A 74-year-old female with progressive adenocarcinoma of the lung (wild-type EGFR and no ALK rearrangement) presented for therapy options. A deletion of 5'RET was revealed by FISH assay, indicating RET-gene rearrangement. Because of progressive disease in the brain, she was enrolled in a clinical trial with vandetanib and everolimus (NCT01582191). Comprehensive genomic profiling revealed fusion of KIF5B (the-kinesin-family-5B-gene) and RET, in addition to AKT2 gene amplification. After two cycles of therapy a repeat MRI brain showed a decrease in the intracranial disease burden and PET/CT showed systemic response as well. Interestingly, AKT2 amplification seen is a critical component of the PI3K/mTOR pathway, alterations of which has been associated with both de novo and acquired resistance to targeted therapy. The addition of everolimus may have both overcome the AKT2 amplification to produce a response in addition to its direct effects on the RET gene. Our case report forms the first evidence of blood-brain barrier penetration by

THE TUTORIAL AND CLINICAL PROGRAM OF TEACHER EDUCATION.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

HAZARD, WILLIAM R.

TO EXPLORE THE POTENTIAL OF A TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR FRESHMEN EDUCATION MAJORS WHICH EMPHASIZES DIRECT TEACHING EXPERIENCE RATHER THAN THE LECTURE-DISCUSSION FORMAT, THIS EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM WAS BEGUN IN 1964. ITS STUDENTS COMBINE A FULL ACADEMIC SCHEDULE WITH CLINICAL EXPERIENCES AS TEACHER AIDES, TUTORS, OBSERVERS, AND STUDENT TEACHERS.…

Regulatory RNAs and the HptB/RetS signalling pathways fine-tune Pseudomonas aeruginosa pathogenesis

PubMed Central

Bordi, Christophe; Lamy, Marie-Cécile; Ventre, Isabelle; Termine, Elise; Hachani, Abderrahman; Fillet, Sandy; Roche, Béatrice; Bleves, Sophie; Méjean, Vincent; Lazdunski, Andrée; Filloux, Alain

2010-01-01

Bacterial pathogenesis often depends on regulatory networks, two-component systems and small RNAs (sRNAs). In Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the RetS sensor pathway downregulates expression of two sRNAs, rsmY and rsmZ. Consequently, biofilm and the Type Six Secretion System (T6SS) are repressed, whereas the Type III Secretion System (T3SS) is activated. We show that the HptB signalling pathway controls biofilm and T3SS, and fine-tunes P. aeruginosa pathogenesis. We demonstrate that RetS and HptB intersect at the GacA response regulator, which directly controls sRNAs production. Importantly, RetS controls both sRNAs, whereas HptB exclusively regulates rsmY expression. We reveal that HptB signalling is a complex regulatory cascade. This cascade involves a response regulator, with an output domain belonging to the phosphatase 2C family, and likely an anti-anti-σ factor. This reveals that the initial input in the Gac system comes from several signalling pathways, and the final output is adjusted by a differential control on rsmY and rsmZ. This is exemplified by the RetS-dependent but HptB-independent control on T6SS. We also demonstrate a redundant action of the two sRNAs on T3SS gene expression, while the impact on pel gene expression is additive. These features underpin a novel mechanism in the fine-tuned regulation of gene expression. PMID:20398205

Student-Teacher Astronomy Resource (STAR) Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaboardi, M.; Humayun, M.; Dixon, P.

2006-12-01

Our NASA-funded E/PO program, the Student-Teacher Astronomy Resource (STAR) Program, designed around the Stardust and Genesis Missions, focuses on the reciprocal relationship between technological progress and advances in scientific understanding. We work directly with the public, teachers, classrooms, and individual school students. Both formal and informal evaluations suggest that our four-step approach to outreach has been effective. This annual program may serve as a model for the partnership between a national research institution, local scientists, and local teachers. The program has four components: 1."Space Stations" developed around the technology and science of the Genesis and Stardust Missions, are offered as child-friendly booths at the annual National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (NHMFL) Open House. The stations allow for direct interaction between the scientists and the public (over 3000 visitors). 2. STAR teachers (15) receive training and supplies to lead their classrooms through "Technology for Studying Comets". After attending a one-day in-service at the NHMFL, teachers can bring to their students an inquiry-based space science unit about which they are knowledgeable and excited. 3. We offer "Comet Tales," an informal education experience based on the NASA classroom activity "Comet Basics," to 15 local classrooms. We visit local classrooms and engage students with inquiry about comets, sampling of Wild 2, and what scientists hope to learn from the Stardust Mission. Visits occur during the two-week "Technology for Studying Comets" unit taught by each STAR teacher. 4. The "Stellar Students" component involves 15 high-achieving students in research activities. From each classroom visited during "Comet Tales," one student is selected to visit the NHMFL for a day. Parents and teachers of the students are invited for an awards ceremony and student presentations. Evaluation consisted of focus groups, informal observation, and questionnaires. Responses

Future Teachers' Perceptions of Themselves as Writers and Teachers of Writing: Implications for Teacher Education Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowie, Robert L.

A study investigated how future teachers viewed themselves as writers and writing teachers and how these identities were being addressed in teacher education programs. Subjects, 226 student teachers at Middle Tennessee State University, responded to a questionnaire designed to measure both writing apprehension and beliefs about the role and…

Teachers' Voices: Work Environment Conditions That Impact Teacher Practice and Program Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitebook, Marcy; King, Elizabeth; Philipp, George; Sakai, Laura

2016-01-01

Early childhood teachers routinely face insufficient teaching supports and inadequate rewards for their education and commitment (e.g., low pay, lack of professional supports, and lack of benefits). These shortcomings contribute to poor program quality and fuel high levels of teacher turnover, preventing program improvement and making it…

An Investigation of Pre-Service Science Teachers' Level of Efficacy in the Undergraduate Science Teacher Education Program and Pedagogical Formation Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Çetin, Oguz

2017-01-01

The purpose of this research is to comparatively investigate the efficacy levels of pre-service science (Science, Biology, Physics, and Chemistry) teachers enrolled at the Undergraduate Program of Science Teacher Education and Pedagogical Formation Program. A total of 275 pre-service teachers who were studying in different programmes in the…

Sustainability of teacher implementation of school-based mental health programs.

PubMed

Han, Susan S; Weiss, Bahr

2005-12-01

Evidence-based prevention and intervention programs are increasingly being implemented in schools and it therefore is becoming increasingly important to understand the complexities of program implementation under real-world conditions. Much research has focused on the contextual factors that influence program implementation but less work has attempted to provide an integrated understanding of mechanisms (e.g., teacher-training processes) that affect teachers' program implementation. In this paper, we review literature on factors related to teachers' implementation of school-based prevention and intervention programs, then from this review abstract what we believe are four basic ingredients that characterize potentially sustainable teacher-implemented classroom programs. Finally, we present a sequential model, based on these ingredients, of the naturalistic processes underlying sustainability of teachers' program implementation and describe how this sustainability can be enhanced through provision of teacher training and performance feedback from a classroom consultant.

The Induction Program--Teachers' Experience after Five Years of Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eisenschmidt, Eve; Oder, Tuuli; Reiska, Epp

2013-01-01

The induction program to provide support for novice teachers was introduced into teacher education in Estonia in 2004. The teachers who participated in the first program have now been working for several years. To evaluate the effectiveness of induction activities, we explored how mentoring and an induction program influence teachers' opinions…

Multiculturalism in Four Teacher Education Programs: For Replication or Transformation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ensign, Jacque

2009-01-01

This article describes four teacher education programs and their student teachers' responses to why some students in their classrooms were not doing well. The responses and programs fell into two categories: education for replication of inequities and education for transformation. If teacher education programs want their prospective teachers to be…

Exclusion of linkage between RET and Neuronal Intestinal Dysplasia type B

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barone, V.; Yin Luo; Brancolini, V.

1996-03-15

Neuronal Intestinal Dysplasia type B (NID B) is a complex alteration of the enteric nervous system belonging to the group of intestinal dysganglionoses which may involve rectum, colon, and small intestine. Second only to Hirschsprung diseases (HSCR), NID B is one of the most frequent causes of chronic constipation and pseudo-obstructive intestinal dysmotility. Since NID B is often associated with HSCR and point mutations in the RET proto-oncogene have been identified in HSCR patients, we analyzed two NID B pedigrees to investigate if RET mutations might cause also the NID B phenotype. Linkage analysis demonstrated that the NID B locusmore » is not linked to RET in the pedigrees analysed. Further genetic analyses will possibility improve the understanding of the cause and facilitate diagnostic procedures in NID B. 20 refs., 1 fig., 2 tabs.« less

Teachers' participation in research programs improves their students' achievement in science.

PubMed

Silverstein, Samuel C; Dubner, Jay; Miller, Jon; Glied, Sherry; Loike, John D

2009-10-16

Research experience programs engage teachers in the hands-on practice of science. Program advocates assert that program participation enhances teachers' skills in communicating science to students. We measured the impact of New York City public high-school science teachers' participation in Columbia University's Summer Research Program on their students' academic performance in science. In the year before program entry, students of participating and nonparticipating teachers passed a New York State Regents science examination at the same rate. In years three and four after program entry, participating teachers' students passed Regents science exams at a rate that was 10.1% higher (P = 0.049) than that of nonparticipating teachers' students. Other program benefits include decreased teacher attrition from classroom teaching and school cost savings of U.S. $1.14 per $1 invested in the program.

Professional choices and teacher identities in the Science Teacher Education Program at EACH/USP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dominguez, Celi Rodrigues Chaves; Viviani, Luciana Maria; Cazetta, Valéria; Guridi, Verónica Marcela; Faht, Elen Cristina; Pioker, Fabiana Curtopassi; Cubero, Josely

2015-12-01

In this article, we present results from a research project in which the main aim was to understand students' decision-making processes in choosing to become a teacher and to make sense of the relationships between this process and the formation of their identity as a teacher. The study was conducted with 39 students from the Science Teacher Education Program (LCN) at the São Paulo University (USP) School of Arts, Sciences, and Humanities (EACH) in Brazil while the students engaged in a supervised practical internship. The data used in this study was collected from narratives written by the students in which they provided their reasons for selecting the LCN program and for choosing a teaching career. The analysis showed several elements contributing to their decision making and the formation of their identities as teachers, including the nature of the undergraduate program, representational models of teaching/teachers, the possibility of being an agent for social transformation, and an affinity toward natural sciences and/or education. Findings from this research offer implications for improvement of the LCN program and suggestions for designing teacher education programs to include actions for improving the teaching career as a life project for new students.

Authentic Astronomy Research Experiences for Teachers: The NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program (NITARP)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rebull, L. M.; Gorjian, V.; Squires, G.; Nitarp Team

2012-08-01

How many times have you gotten a question from the general public, or read a news story, and concluded that "they just don't understand how real science works?" One really good way to get the word out about how science works is to have more people experience the process of scientific research. Since 2004, the way we have chosen to do this is to provide authentic research experiences for teachers using real data (the program used to be called the Spitzer Teacher Program for Teachers and Students, which in 2009 was rechristened the NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program, or NITARP). We partner small groups of teachers with a mentor astronomer, they do research as a team, write up a poster, and present it at an American Astronomical Society (AAS) meeting. The teachers incorporate this experience into their classroom, and their experiences color their teaching for years to come, influencing hundreds of students per teacher. This program differs from other similar programs in several important ways. First, each team works on an original, unique project. There are no canned labs here! Second, each team presents their results in posters at the AAS, in science sessions (not outreach sessions). The posters are distributed throughout the meeting, in amongst other researchers' work; the participants are not "given a free pass" because they are teachers. Finally, the "product" of this project is the scientific result, not any sort of curriculum packet. The teachers adapt their project to their classroom environment, and we change the way they think about science and scientists.

Optimization of RET flow using test layout

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yunqiang; Sethi, Satyendra; Lucas, Kevin

2008-11-01

At advanced technology nodes with extremely low k1 lithography, it is very hard to achieve image fidelity requirements and process window for some layout configurations. Quite often these layouts are within simple design rule constraints for a given technology node. It is important to have these layouts included during early RET flow development. Most of RET developments are based on shrunk layout from the previous technology node, which is possibly not good enough. A better methodology in creating test layout is required for optical proximity correction (OPC) recipe and assists feature development. In this paper we demonstrate the application of programmable test layouts in RET development. Layout pattern libraries are developed and embedded in a layout tool (ICWB). Assessment gauges are generated together with patterns for quick correction accuracy assessment. Several groups of test pattern libraries have been developed based on learning from product patterns and a layout DOE approach. The interaction between layout patterns and OPC recipe has been studied. Correction of a contact layer is quite challenge because of poor convergence and low process window. We developed test pattern library with many different contact configurations. Different OPC schemes are studied on these test layouts. The worst process window patterns are pinpointed for a given illumination condition. Assist features (AF) are frequently placed according to pre-determined rules to improve lithography process window. These rules are usually derived from lithographic models and experiments. Direct validation of AF rules is required at development phase. We use the test layout approach to determine rules in order to eliminate AF printability problem.

Perceived Teacher Self-Efficacy of Teacher Candidates Enrolled in the Pedagogical Formation Certificate Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Güngör, Sabri; Özdemir, Yalçin

2017-01-01

This study aims to determine the variables affecting teacher candidates' perceived self-efficacy levels. The study was conducted with 560 students who attended the pedagogical formation programs, a type of teacher training program, run by two different universities in Turkey during the academic year of 2016-2017. The data was obtained by Teachers'…

Preparing New Teachers: Operating Successful Field Experience Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slick, Gloria Appelt, Ed.

This is the second in a series of four books presenting a variety of field experience program models and philosophies that drive the programs provided to preservice teachers during their undergraduate teacher preparation. This publication addresses the operational aspects of a successfully functioning field experience program and office. The…

A Space Science Teacher Professional Development Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Limaye, Sanjay S.; Pertzborn, Rosalyn A.

Recent adoption of state/national science education standards by school districts in the US has created a need for effective teacher professional development in space science at elementary middle and high school level. Particularly at the elementary and middle school levels majority of teachers teaching the Astronomy/Space Science content have had little education in the area regardless of when they obtained their certification. To meet this growing need the Office of Space Science Education has developed a program to offer teachers background content knowledge through summer workshops and periodic school year meetings for a small number of teachers from Wisconsin and Illinois. The program has included lectures by experts tours of observatories (professional and amateur) science museums and planetariums and on-line learning. A highlight of the program has been introducing teachers to hands-on observing through remotely accessible telescopes. Another aspect has been to make them aware of the many resources available to them through NASA missions. The most significant benefit for the teachers however has been the creation of a peer group and the support it offers in sharing curriculum and lesson plans. This effort has been supported by a NASA/IDEAS grant

Influences of Teacher Preparation Program on Preservice Science Teachers' Beliefs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nuangchalerm, Prasart; Prachagool, Veena

2010-01-01

Teacher preparation program is routinely make decisions regarding the best pedagogical methods from field experience studies, it can alter students' understandings about academic content and some characteristics through professional practices. This study tries to investigate the extent to which individuals learning to be teachers feel what…

Culturally Responsive Pedagogy for Teacher Candidates of Color in Teacher Education Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gist, Conra D.

2011-01-01

This dissertation study uses culturally responsive pedagogy as a conceptual framework for exploring how teacher educators structure content, pedagogy, and classroom communities for teacher candidates of color at two model teacher education programs. Using multiple data sources including interviews, focus groups, classroom observations, faculty and…

Secondary Education Teacher Preparation Programs Should Differentiate Curriculum and Instruction for Traditional and Nontraditional Preservice Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schairer-Kessler, Cynthia J.

2013-01-01

Much demand remains for teacher education programs to produce highly qualified teachers. Current trends show that almost half of today's preservice teachers are considered nontraditional in terms of age and life experience. The purpose of this study was to determine whether secondary education teacher preparation programs should differentiate…

Conditional expression of RET/PTC induces a weak oncogenic drive in thyroid PCCL3 cells and inhibits thyrotropin action at multiple levels.

PubMed

Wang, Jianwei; Knauf, Jeffrey A; Basu, Saswata; Puxeddu, Efisio; Kuroda, Hiroaki; Santoro, Massimo; Fusco, Alfredo; Fagin, James A

2003-07-01

Chromosomal rearrangements linking the promoter(s) and N-terminal domain of unrelated gene(s) to the C terminus of RET result in constitutively activated chimeric forms of the receptor in thyroid cells (RET/PTC). RET/PTC rearrangements are thought to be tumor-initiating events; however, the early biological consequences of RET/PTC activation are unknown. To explore this, we generated clonal lines derived from well-differentiated rat thyroid PCCL3 cells with doxycycline-inducible expression of either RET/PTC1 or RET/PTC3. As previously shown in other cell types, RET/PTC1 and RET/PTC3 oligomerized and displayed constitutive tyrosine kinase activity. Neither RET/PTC1 nor RET/PTC3 conferred cells with the ability to grow in the absence of TSH, likely because of concomitant stimulation of both DNA synthesis and apoptosis, resulting in no net growth in the cell population. Effects of RET/PTC on DNA synthesis and apoptosis did not require direct interaction of the oncoprotein with either Shc or phospholipase Cgamma. Acute expression of the oncoprotein decreased TSH-mediated growth stimulation due to interference of TSH signaling by RET/PTC at multiple levels. Taken together, these data indicate that RET/PTC is a weak tumor-initiating event and that TSH action is disrupted by this oncoprotein at several points, and also predict that secondary genetic or epigenetic changes are required for clonal expansion.

Induction Programs for the Support and Development of Beginning Teachers of Science. National Science Teachers Association Position Statement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Science Teachers Association (NJ1), 2007

2007-01-01

The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) recommends that schools and teacher preparation programs provide new teachers of science with comprehensive induction programs. Research suggests these programs should address specifics for teachers of science, involve trained mentors, provide adequate time to support continual learning of new…

Spitzer Space Telescope Research Program for Teachers and Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daou, D.

2005-12-01

The Spitzer Science Center (SSC) and the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) have designed a program for teacher and student research using observing time on the Spitzer Space Telescope. The participating teachers attended a fall, 2004 workshop to become familiar with the Spitzer Space Telescope (SST) archives, and to receive training in infrared astronomy and observational techniques. The teachers also attended a workshop offered by the SSC to learn about the observation planning process, and telescope and instrument capabilities. This program has as its goals the fundamental NASA goals of inspiring and motivating students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics as well as to engage the public in shaping and sharing the experience of exploration and discovery. Our educational plan addresses the NASA objectives of improving student proficiency in science and improving science instruction by providing a unique opportunity to a group of teachers and students to observe with the Spitzer Space Telescope and work on their data with SSC and NOAO scientists. This program allows a team of 12 teachers and their students to utilize up to 3.5 hours of Director's discretionary observing time on the Spitzer Space Telescope for educational observations. Leveraging on a well-established teacher professional development, the SSC is offering this program to teachers in the Teacher Leaders in Research Based Science Education (TLRRBSE), an ongoing program at the NOAO. This NSF-sponsored program touches the formal education community through a national audience of well-trained and supported middle and high school teachers.

Teacher Performance Pay Programs and Necessary Communication Actions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heneman, Herbert G., III; Worth, Robin; Arrigoni, Jessica; Kimball, Steven M.; Milanowski, Anthony

2013-01-01

Teacher performance pay programs have proliferated across the country over the past 20 years. To aid in understanding their many variations, the seven major components of these programs are described. Three examples of teacher performance pay programs are provided for illustration: Denver ProComp, TAP, and Houston ASPIRE. Evidence is mixed on the…

A Field-Based Curriculum Model for Earth Science Teacher-Preparation Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dubois, David D.

1979-01-01

This study proposed a model set of cognitive-behavioral objectives for field-based teacher education programs for earth science teachers. It describes field experience integration into teacher education programs. The model is also applicable for evaluation of earth science teacher education programs. (RE)

[RET/PTC Gene Rearrangements in the Sporadic and Radiogenic Thyroid Tumors: Molecular Genetics, Radiobiology and Molecular Epidemiology].

PubMed

Ushenkova, L N; Koterov, A N; Biryukov, A P

2015-01-01

A review of molecular genetic, radiobiological and molecular epidemiological studies of gene (chromosome) rearrangements RET/PTC in the cells of the thyroid gland as well as the laws in relation to radiation exposure in vitro, in vivo and human populations identified with them are submitted. The data on the c-RET gene and its chimeric constructs with the gene-donors (RET/PTC rearrangements) are considered. The information about the history of the RET/PTC discovery, their types, carcinogenic potential and specificity both to tumor and non-tumor thyroid disease especially for papillary thyroid carcinoma are provided. The data (seven studies) on the induction of RET/PTC after irradiation of tumor and normal thyroid cells in vitro and mice are reviewed. The mechanisms of RET/PTC induction may be associated with DNA double strand breaks and oxidative stress. Some information (three publications) about the possibility of RET/PTC induction by low doses of radiation with low LET (to 0.1 Gy) is given and it is concluded that their potential evidentiary is generally weak. The achievements in the molecular epidemiology of RET/PTC frequency for exposed and unexposed cohorts are stated. At the same time it is noted that, despite the vast array. of data accumulated from 30 countries of the world and more than 20 years of research, the formed provisions are weakly confirmed statistically and have no base corresponding to the canons of evidence-based medicine. The possibility of use of the RET/PTC presence or their frequencies as markers of the papillary thyroid carcinomas and, specifically, their radiogenic forms, is considered. In the first case the answer may be positive, while in the second, the situation is characterized by uncertainty. Based to the above mentioned we came to a conclusion about the need of a pooled or meta-analysis of the totality of the published data.

Adventures in supercomputing: An innovative program for high school teachers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oliver, C.E.; Hicks, H.R.; Summers, B.G.

1994-12-31

Within the realm of education, seldom does an innovative program become available with the potential to change an educator`s teaching methodology. Adventures in Supercomputing (AiS), sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is such a program. It is a program for high school teachers that changes the teacher paradigm from a teacher-directed approach of teaching to a student-centered approach. {open_quotes}A student-centered classroom offers better opportunities for development of internal motivation, planning skills, goal setting and perseverance than does the traditional teacher-directed mode{close_quotes}. Not only is the process of teaching changed, but the cross-curricula integration within the AiS materials ismore » remarkable. Written from a teacher`s perspective, this paper will describe the AiS program and its effects on teachers and students, primarily at Wartburg Central High School, in Wartburg, Tennessee. The AiS program in Tennessee is sponsored by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).« less

Programs for Teachers | NREL

Science.gov Websites

participants may invite up to two students (one of which may be a graduate student) to participate in hands-on touring the world class facilities at NREL. Program Requirements Participate in the one week summer program. Implement one lesson in the fall or spring. Local teachers receive a stipend of $250 for the one

Disrupting ELL Teacher Candidates' Identities: Indigenizing Teacher Education in One Study Abroad Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kasun, G. Sue; Saavedra, Cinthya M.

2016-01-01

In this article, the researchers describe and theorize the challenges and promises of exposing preservice teachers' identities to indigenous, critical second language teaching experiences in one study abroad program in Mexico. The eight teacher candidates who participated in this 4-week program were predominantly white, like the majority of…

Galileo Teacher Training Program - GTTP Days

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heenatigala, T.; Doran, R.

2012-09-01

Despite the vast availability of teaching resources on the internet, finding a quality and user-friendly materials is a challenge. Many teachers are not trained with proper computing skills to search for the right materials. With years of expertise training teachers globally, Galileo Teacher Training Program (GTTP) [1] recognize the need of having a go-to place for teachers to access resources. To fill this need GTTP developed - GTTP Days - a program creating resource guides for planetary, lunar and solar fields. Avoiding the imbalance in science resources between the developed and undeveloped world, GTTP Days is available both online and offline as a printable version. Each resource guide covers areas such as scientific knowledge, exploration, observation, photography, art & culture and web tools. The lesson plans of each guide include hands-on activities, web tools, software tools, and activities for people with disabilities [2]. Each activity indicate the concepts used, the skills required and age level which guides the teachers and educators to select the correct content suitable for local curriculum.

The Establishment of a Formal Midwest Renewable Energy Tracking System (M-RETS) Organization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Maria Redmond; Chela Bordas O'Connor

2010-06-30

The objectives identified in requesting and utilizing this funding has been met. The goal was to establish a formal, multi-jurisdictional organization to: (1) ensure the policy objectives of the participating jurisdictions are addressed through increased tradability of the Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) from M-RETS and to eliminate the possibility that a single jurisdiction will be the sole arbiter of the operation of the system; (2) facilitate the establishment of REC standards including the attributes related to, the creation, trading, and interaction with other trading and tracking systems; and (3) have a centralized and established organization that will be responsible formore » the contracting and governance responsibilities of a multi-jurisdictional tracking system. The M-RETS Inc. Board ensures that the system remains policy neutral; that the attributes of generation are tracked in a way that allows the system users to easily identify and trade relevant RECs; that the system can add jurisdictions as needed or desired; and that the tracking system operate in such a way to allow for the greatest access possible for those participating in other tracking or trading systems by allowing those systems to negotiate with a single M-RETS entity for the import and export of RECs. M-RETS as an organizational body participates and often leads the discussions related to the standardization of RECs and increasing the tradability of M-RETS RECs. M-RETS is a founding member of the Environmental Trading Network of North America (ETNNA) and continues to take a leadership role in the development of processes to facilitate trading among tracking systems and to standardize REC definitions. The Board of Directors of M-RETS, Inc., the non-profit corporation, continues to hold telephone/internet Board meetings. Legal counsel continues working with the board and APX management on a new agreement with APX. The board expects to have an agreement and corresponding fee structure in

Tools to Assess the Impact of Teacher Enhancement Programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heatherly, S. A.; Maddalena, R. J.; Govett, A.; Hemler, D.

1997-05-01

Beginning in 1994, the NRAO has hosted an NSF-funded program, ``Research Experience in Teacher Preparation (RETP),'' in which inservice and preservice science teachers participate in residential institutes lasting one or two weeks. While on site, they conduct open-ended investigations using a 40-foot diameter working radio telescope. The aim of RETP has been to deepen and personalize participants' understanding of the nature of science, and to assist them in applying their newfound knowledge to their classroom teaching. So far RETP, and the teacher enhancement programs from which it evolved, have trained 434 inservice and 69 preservice teachers. The impact of the research experience on teachers' perceptions of themselves as professionals and their views of science was initially assessed through open-ended questionnaires and participant journals. From teachers' responses we learned that the research experience has a profound, positive influence on participants' views of science and increased their confidence in using research-based teaching methods. However, determining what actually happens in the classroom is harder to evaluate and requires a more structured approach. Therefore, to determine what changes occurred in teachers and their students, five survey instruments were developed. The instruments: 1) assess changes in teachers' perceptions of their ability to conduct research; 2) gauge teachers' perceptions of three aspects of the institute; 3) measure changes in teachers' concerns about implementing classroom research projects; 4) evaluate the development of teachers' understanding into the nature of science; and 5) determine changes in their students' perceptions of science and science class. To increase the reliability of the instruments, the survey questions were tested for internal consistency. Early results show that the RETP program has significantly affected participants and their students. These instruments are useful not only for evaluating this

Teachers' Perception on Pay-for-Performance Programs in Georgia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mighty, Nardiann Kenisha

2013-01-01

States are implementing performance programs to help reform compensation systems for teachers; however, little is known on teachers' perception on alternative pay plans. Accordingly, this research study examined the types of pay-for-performance programs Georgia teachers prefer by exploring their perceptions of pay for individual performance, pay…

Behavior and Classroom Management: Are Teacher Preparation Programs Really Preparing Our Teachers?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flower, Andrea; McKenna, John William; Haring, Christa D.

2017-01-01

Research suggests that many teachers are underprepared for the behaviors that their students may bring to the classroom, resulting in challenges to teaching and learning. The purpose of this study was to examine the behavior management content included in preservice teacher preparation programs for general education and special education teachers.…

Fostering Lifelong Learning--Evaluation of a Teacher Education Program for Professional Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finsterwald, Monika; Wagner, Petra; Schober, Barbara; Luftenegger, Marko; Spiel, Christiane

2013-01-01

Modern economics has placed lifelong learning (LLL) at the center of an intensive ongoing political debate. Evidenced-based interventions are needed, not only in continuing education courses for teachers, but also in schools. This paper introduces evaluation results of TALK, a teacher education program for professional teachers with the objective…

Direct association between the Ret receptor tyrosine kinase and the Src homology 2-containing adapter protein Grb7.

PubMed

Pandey, A; Liu, X; Dixon, J E; Di Fiore, P P; Dixit, V M

1996-05-03

Adapter proteins containing Src homology 2 (SH2) domains link transmembrane receptor protein-tyrosine kinases to downstream signal transducing molecules. A family of SH2 containing adapter proteins including Grb7 and Grb10 has been recently identified. We had previously shown that Grb10 associates with Ret via its SH2 domain in an activation-dependent manner (Pandey, A., Duan, H., Di Fiore, P.P., and Dixit, V.M. (1995) J. Biol, Chem. 270, 21461-21463). We now demonstrate that the related adapter molecule Grb7 also associates with Ret in vitro and in vivo, and that the binding of the SH2 domain of Grb7 to Ret is direct. This binding is dependent upon Ret autophosphorylation since Grb7 is incapable of binding a kinase-defective mutant of Ret. Thus two members of the Grb family, Grb7 and Grb10, likely relay signals emanating from Ret to other, as yet, unidentified targets within the cell.

An Interdisciplinary Teacher Education Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

And Others; Little, Robert M.

1980-01-01

The University of Washington School of Dentistry developed a 36-month formal teacher education program in combination with joint specialty training in pedodontics and orthodontics. The rationale and structure of the original program is outlined and the reasons for its termination are discussed. (Author/MLW)

Preparing Future Teacher-Leaders: Experiences from the University of Connecticut's Five-Year Teacher Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwab, Richard L.; DeFranco, Thomas C.; McGivney-Burelle, Jean

2004-01-01

The article discusses the Integrated Bachelor's/Master's (IB/M) Teacher Preparation, a five-year teacher preparation program that integrates coursework, school-based clinic experiences, and university and K-12 faculty in the preparation of pre-service teachers. A major component of the IB/M program is the relationship with selected public school…

Home Economics Education Handbook. Teacher Trainee Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jax, Judy A., Comp.

Developed for cooperating teachers and teacher trainees working with the University of Wisconsin-Stout's Home Economics Education Program, this handbook is intended as a reference which may supplement the guidance given by the cooperating teacher, principal, college supervisor or other personnel involved in the guidance and evaluation of teacher…

TTIP Texas Teacher Internship Program: 1996 Curriculum Implementation Plans.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walenta, Brian T., Ed.

In 1989, the Texas Alliance for Science, Technology, and Mathematics Education began placing teachers at industry sites as part of its Texas Teacher Internship Program (TTIP). TTIP is a competitive program for science, technology, and mathematics teachers who serve as summer interns at industry and university sites in order to experience…

TTIP: Texas Teacher Internship Program 1994 Curriculum Implementation Plans.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walenta, Brian T., Ed.

The Texas Teacher Internship Program (TTIP) is a competitive program for science, technology and mathematics teachers who serve as summer interns at industry and university sites in order to experience real world applications of the subjects they teach. This document contains curriculum implementation plans developed by the teachers to illustrate…

Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor-dependent RET activation can be mediated by two different cell-surface accessory proteins

PubMed Central

Sanicola, M.; Hession, C.; Worley, D.; Carmillo, P.; Ehrenfels, C.; Walus, L.; Robinson, S.; Jaworski, G.; Wei, H.; Tizard, R.; Whitty, A.; Pepinsky, R. B.; Cate, R. L.

1997-01-01

Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF)-dependent activation of the tyrosine kinase receptor RET is necessary for kidney and enteric neuron development, and mutations in RET are associated with human diseases. Activation of RET by GDNF has been shown to require an accessory component, GDNFR-α (RETL1). We report the isolation and characterization of rat and human cDNAs for a novel cell-surface associated accessory protein, RETL2, that shares 49% identity with RETL1. Both RETL1 and RETL2 can mediate GDNF dependent phosphorylation of RET, but they exhibit different patterns of expression in fetal and adult tissues. The most striking differences in expression observed were in the adult central and peripheral nervous systems. In addition, the mechanisms by which the two accessory proteins facilitate the activation of RET by GDNF are quite distinct. In vitro binding experiments with soluble forms of RET, RETL1 and RETL2 demonstrate that while RETL1 binds GDNF tightly to form a membrane-associated complex which can then interact with RET, RETL2 only forms a high affinity complex with GDNF in the presence of RET. This strong RET dependence of the binding of RETL2 to GDNF was confirmed by FACS analysis on RETL1 and RETL2 expressing cells. Together with the recent discovery of a GDNF related protein, neurturin, these data raise the possibility that RETL1 and RETL2 have distinctive roles during development and in the nervous system of the adult. RETL1 and RETL2 represent new candidate susceptibility genes and/or modifier loci for RET-associated diseases. PMID:9177201

Reasons of Teachers for Applying for Graduate Programs and Their Expectations from Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burgaz, Berrin; Kocak, Seval

2015-01-01

This study aims to find out teachers' motivation for applying for graduate programs and to explore their expectations from the programs and their ideas regarding the necessity of such programs for teachers. The paper is based on a qualitative research method and draws its data from focus group interviews. The study used the criterion sampling…

A Program Evaluation of the Experiences Provided to Novice Teachers through M School District's Teacher-Mentor Training Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Puryear, Pamela Ann

2012-01-01

Novice teachers often lack effective teaching strategies and exhibit poor classroom management, which creates disruptions in the classroom that lessen the quality of instructional time for students. The purpose of this program evaluation was to examine a teacher-mentor training program and the experiences provided to participants to gain a deeper…

Evaluating an English Language Teacher Education Program through Peacock's Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coskun, Abdullah; Daloglu, Aysegul

2010-01-01

The main aim of this study is to draw attention to the importance of program evaluation for teacher education programs and to reveal the pre-service English teacher education program components that are in need of improvement or maintenance both from teachers' and students' perspectives by using Peacock's (2009) recent evaluation model in a…

Teacher Responses to Participation in Hawaii's Kahua Induction Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thigpen, Rebecca E.

2011-01-01

This qualitative, phenomenological study investigated teachers' responses to participation in the Kahua Induction Program for new and new-to-district public school teachers in Hawaii. Nine teachers were interviewed who had participated in the program for at least one year in the West Hawaii Complex Area on the island of Hawaii. Long, in-depth…

Exploring the mathematical confidence of Indigenous preservice teachers in a remote teacher education program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thornton, Steve; Giles, Wendy; Prescott, Debbie; Rhodes, David

2011-06-01

This paper reports on the efficacy of an accelerated teacher education program ( Growing Our Own) focused in remote Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory. The program is a joint initiative of Charles Darwin University and the Northern Territory Catholic Education Office, providing an intensive two-year program designed to educate Indigenous Teacher Assistants to full teacher status. We describe the growth in knowledge and confidence that has occurred through the program using the story of one of the students in the project, Philomena, as an evocative representation of the experiences of the participants in the program. This growth is particularly evident in one lesson that Philomena taught towards the end of the program in which she was able to challenge her previously accepted role as subservient to the non-Indigenous teacher. Our discussion highlights some key issues for improving outcomes for Indigenous children, including the potential mismatch between Western and Aboriginal ways of thinking in mathematics and developing the mathematical capacity of Indigenous teacher assistants in remote settings. We suggest that the mutual respect of the participants at various levels of Growing Our Own, the situated and purposeful nature of the learning, and the capacity of students to engage in that learning without abandoning their community responsibilities have been pivotal in enhancing educational outcomes in remote communities and in providing opportunities for Indigenous people.

Differential Item Functioning on a Measure of Perceptions of Preparation for Teachers, Teacher Candidates, and Program Personnel

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donovan, Courtney; Green, Kathy E.; Seidel, Kent

2017-01-01

Core competencies essential for effective teaching were identified via a literature review and a review of standards for teacher education, and vetted by state groups with interests in teacher education. Survey items based on these competencies asked teacher candidates, graduates, and teacher education program faculty how well the program prepared…

Control of Aβ release from human neurons by differentiation status and RET signaling.

PubMed

Scholz, Diana; Chernyshova, Yana; Leist, Marcel

2013-01-01

Few studies have compared the processing of endogenous human amyloid precursor protein (APP) in younger and older neurons. Here, we characterized LUHMES cells as a human model to study Alzheimer's disease-related processes during neuronal maturation and aging. Differentiated LUHMES expressed and spontaneously processed APP via the secretase pathways, and they secreted amyloid β (Aβ) peptide. This was inhibited by cholesterol depletion or secretase inhibition, but not by block of tau phosphorylation. In vitro aged cells increased Aβ secretion without upregulation of APP or secretases. We identified the medium constituent glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) as responsible for this effect. GDNF-triggered Aβ release was associated with rapid upregulation of the GDNF coreceptor "rearranged during transfection" (RET). Other direct (neurturin) or indirect (nerve growth factor) RET activators also increased Aβ, whereas different neurotrophins were ineffective. Downstream of RET, we found activation of protein kinase B (AKT) to be involved. Accordingly, inhibitors of the AKT regulator phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase completely blocked GDNF-triggered AKT phosphorylation and Aβ increase. This suggests that RET signaling affects Aβ release from aging neurons. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Twenty Years of One Astronomy Teacher Professional Development - The EXES Teacher Associate Program at UT Austin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finkelstein, Keely; Hemenway, Mary Kay; Sneden, Chris; Lacy, John; Richter, Matthew J.; EXES Teacher Associates

2018-01-01

The Astronomy Department and McDonald Observatory at the University of Texas at Austin has and continues to offer a suite of different astronomy based K-12 teacher professional development programs. One of our longest running, and most successful programs, is reaching its 20th anniversary, the EXES Teacher Associate Program, which was started in 1998. The EXES Teacher Associate program features sustained and continued professional development opportunities for K-12 science and math educators. It consists of 6 times per year day-long meetings, coupled with other professional development opportunities provided at various times. In total, there are approximately 30 active members of the group currently, but more than 90 teachers have participated in this group over its 20 year history. The program has had astronomy education as its focus throughout its history, but different partnerships and collaborations with other programs have supported the group and have allowed for a variety of professional development opportunities and themes for educators to engage in. We will give an overview of this program, present evaluation data and teacher feedback related to program success and student impact, and highlight a few specific program opportunities that are unique and have been shown to be most impactful for participants.

Program Changes in Technology Teacher Education in Taiwan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lai, Chih-Chien Steven

Taiwan has two technology teacher departments: one at the National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) and the other at National Kaohsiung Normal University (NKNU). In recent years, both universities' technology teacher education programs have simultaneously followed two lines of development: the transition from an industrial arts education program to…

Mentors' Perspectives on the Effectiveness of a Teacher Mentoring Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tant-Tierce, Tabatha

2013-01-01

Teacher retention is an issue in education, and the loss of teachers has a direct affect on student achievement. Schools are battling the attrition of beginning teachers by the use of mentoring programs. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a mentoring program, according to teachers who have served as mentors,…

Systems for Program Change in Teacher Education. Teacher Education Forum; Volume 3, Number 18.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beckner, Weldon E.; Medley, Gene W.

Current trends in teacher education are characterized by programs designed to emphasize approaches to learning which are competency based, field centered, and individualized. Presently few colleges and universitites have progressed very far in the development and implementation of these innovative teacher education programs. This study presents…

Arctic research in the classroom: A teacher's experiences translated into data driven lesson plans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kendrick, E. O.; Deegan, L.

2011-12-01

Incorporating research into high school science classrooms can promote critical thinking skills and provide a link between students and the scientific community. Basic science concepts become more relevant to students when taught in the context of research. A vital component of incorporating current research into classroom lessons is involving high school teachers in authentic research. The National Science Foundation sponsored Research Experience for Teachers (RET) program has inspired me to bring research to my classroom, communicate the importance of research in the classroom to other teachers and create lasting connections between students and the research community. Through my experiences as an RET at Toolik Field Station in Alaska, I have created several hands-on lessons and laboratory activities that are based on current arctic research and climate change. Each lesson uses arctic research as a theme for exemplifying basic biology concepts as well as increasing awareness of current topics such as climate change. For instance, data collected on the Kuparuk River will be incorporated into classroom activities that teach concepts such as primary production, trophic levels in a food chain and nutrient cycling within an ecosystem. Students will not only understand the biological concepts but also recognize the ecological implications of the research being conducted in the arctic. By using my experience in arctic research as a template, my students will gain a deeper understanding of the scientific process. I hope to create a crucial link of information between the science community and science education in public schools.

Authentic Astronomy Research Experiences for Teachers: the NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program (NITARP)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rebull, L.; NITARP Team

2011-12-01

Since 2004, we have provided authentic astronomy research experiences for teachers using professional astronomical data. (The program used to be called the Spitzer Teacher Program for Teachers and Students, and in 2009 was renamed NITARP--NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program.) We partner small groups of teachers with a mentor astronomer, the team does research, writes up a poster, and presents it at the major annual meeting for professional US astronomers, the American Astronomical Society (winter meeting). The teachers incorporate this research experience into their classroom, and their experiences color their teaching for years to come, influencing hundreds of students per teacher. This program, to the best of our knowledge, is completely unique in the following three ways: (1) Each team does original research using real astronomical data, not canned labs or reproductions of previously done research. (2) Each team writes up the results of their research and presents it at an AAS meeting. Each team also presents the educational results of their experience. (3) The 'products' of the program are primarily the scientific results, as opposed to curriculum packets. The teachers in the program involve students at their school and incorporate the experience into their teaching in a way that works for them, their environment, and their local/state standards. The educators in the program are selected from a nationwide annual application process, and they get three trips, all reasonable expenses paid. First, they attend a winter AAS meeting to get their bearings as attendees of the largest professional astronomy meetings in the world. We sponsor a kickoff workshop specifically for the NITARP educators on the day before the AAS meeting starts. After the meeting, they work remotely with their team to write a proposal, as well as read background literature. In the summer (at a time convenient to all team members), the educators plus up to two students per teacher come

NASA Master Teacher Re-Certification Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Okari-Brooks, Emma; Thompson, Paul

2000-01-01

Edward Waters College is submitting a final report covering the grant period from January 1999 - April 30, 2000. The Teacher re-certification program at Edward Waters College created a high quality professional development opportunity for middle and high school science teachers which will contribute to the improvement of science education and the use of innovation technologies in the classroom for years to come. The following goals and objectives were met and exceeded during the grant period. 1) A focused and relevant educational technology curriculum based on National Science Education Standard and state-of-the art educational resources that are accepted as one of the qualifications for re-certification in the scientific discipline in Duval County, Florida. 2) The program goal was to recertify 40 middle and high school science teachers over a two- year period. This goal was met and exceeded the projected number by recertifying over 80 middle and high school science and math teachers over a two-year period. 3) Teachers that were recertified were given an opportunity to public information that they developed on EWC's Web page or develop a web page of their own. Area schools were made aware of this information through various forms of communication with the teachers in Duval County School District, i.e., flyers sent from EWC to participants, school newspapers, word of mouth, etc. 4) A multimedia technology resource lab is available at EWC for use as a "Learning Lab" for class field trips by Duval County teachers.

Appendix A: Rankings for All Programs in "NCTQ Teacher Prep Review 2014." [2014 Teacher Prep Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenberg, Julie; Walsh, Kate; McKee, Arthur

2014-01-01

The "NCTQ Teacher Prep Review" evaluates the quality of programs that provide preservice preparation of public school teachers. The rankings of all 2,400 elementary, secondary, and special education programs included in "NCTQ Teacher Prep Review 2014" are listed in this appendix as: (1) a numeric national ranking; (2)…

Effect of Teacher Education Program on Science Process Skills of Pre-Service Science Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yakar, Zeha

2014-01-01

Over the past three or more decades, many studies have been written about teacher education and the preparation of science teachers. Presented here is one which investigated the effectiveness of scientific process skills on pre-service science teachers of Pamukkale University Primary Science Teacher Education Program for four years. This study…

A Distance-Delivered Teacher Education Program for Rural Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Teacher Candidates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lohfink, Gayla; Morales, Amanda; Shroyer, Gail; Yahnke, Sally; Hernandez, Cecilia

2011-01-01

This article describes a collaborative, distance-delivered, teacher preparation program for rural, culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) teacher candidates. Multiple institutions partnered with one university in order to diversify the teaching force in the region and meet the needs of CLD students living there. In describing the program's…

Evaluation of the 1985-86 Beginning Teacher Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feldman, H. S.

The Florida Beginning Teacher Program was evaluated in 1985-86 to determine its impact on teacher performance and to study problem areas identified in the 1984-85 evaluation. A sample of 43 beginning teachers and their support team members (a peer teacher, a building-level administrator, and one or more professional educators) completed surveys.…

Recruiting & Preparing Diverse Urban Teachers: One Urban-Focused Teacher Education Program Breaks New Ground

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waddell, Jennifer; Ukpokodu, Omiunota N.

2012-01-01

This article explores a university's Urban Teacher Education Program (UTEP) and its success not just in recruiting, preparing, retaining, and graduating its students, but in likewise leading to employment and retention as teachers in urban schools. It focuses on critical aspects of the program, including recruitment of diverse candidates,…

Building Discretionary Authority in a Teacher Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Scott; Milner, Joseph O.

2016-01-01

This article reports on a teacher education program's use of "teaching rounds" and "action research" to build teacher candidates' "discretionary authority," the confidence to make their own teaching decisions rather than model their classroom choices solely on a mentor teacher's classroom pedagogy. Discretionary…

A retrospective analysis of RET translocation, gene copy number gain and expression in NSCLC patients treated with vandetanib in four randomized Phase III studies.

PubMed

Platt, Adam; Morten, John; Ji, Qunsheng; Elvin, Paul; Womack, Chris; Su, Xinying; Donald, Emma; Gray, Neil; Read, Jessica; Bigley, Graham; Blockley, Laura; Cresswell, Carl; Dale, Angela; Davies, Amanda; Zhang, Tianwei; Fan, Shuqiong; Fu, Haihua; Gladwin, Amanda; Harrod, Grace; Stevens, James; Williams, Victoria; Ye, Qingqing; Zheng, Li; de Boer, Richard; Herbst, Roy S; Lee, Jin-Soo; Vasselli, James

2015-03-23

To determine the prevalence of RET rearrangement genes, RET copy number gains and expression in tumor samples from four Phase III non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) trials of vandetanib, a selective inhibitor of VEGFR, RET and EGFR signaling, and to determine any association with outcome to vandetanib treatment. Archival tumor samples from the ZODIAC ( NCT00312377 , vandetanib ± docetaxel), ZEAL ( NCT00418886 , vandetanib ± pemetrexed), ZEPHYR ( NCT00404924 , vandetanib vs placebo) and ZEST ( NCT00364351 , vandetanib vs erlotinib) studies were evaluated by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) in 944 and 1102 patients. The prevalence of RET rearrangements by FISH was 0.7% (95% CI 0.3-1.5%) among patients with a known result. Seven tumor samples were positive for RET rearrangements (vandetanib, n = 3; comparator, n = 4). 2.8% (n = 26) of samples had RET amplification (innumerable RET clusters, or ≥7 copies in > 10% of tumor cells), 8.1% (n = 76) had low RET gene copy number gain (4-6 copies in ≥40% of tumor cells) and 8.3% (n = 92) were RET expression positive (signal intensity ++ or +++ in >10% of tumor cells). Of RET-rearrangement-positive patients, none had an objective response in the vandetanib arm and one patient responded in the comparator arm. Radiologic evidence of tumor shrinkage was observed in two patients treated with vandetanib and one treated with comparator drug. The objective response rate was similar in the vandetanib and comparator arms for patients positive for RET copy number gains or RET protein expression. We have identified prevalence for three RET biomarkers in a population predominated by non-Asians and smokers. RET rearrangement prevalence was lower than previously reported. We found no evidence of a differential benefit for efficacy by IHC and RET gene copy number gains. The low prevalence of RET rearrangements (0.7%) prevents firm conclusions regarding association of vandetanib treatment with

The Role of the Middle School Counselor in Teacher-Advisor Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henderson, Phyllis; La Forge, Jan

1989-01-01

Discusses three roles of the middle school counselor in developing, coordinating, and implementing a teacher-advisor program: (1) assessing and reporting the school's readiness for such a program; (2) establishing a teacher advisory committee; and (3) training teachers for their role as teacher-advisors. (TE)

Teacher Perceptions of an Online Tutoring Program for Elementary Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whetstone, Patti; Clark, Amy; Flake, Mari Wheeler

2014-01-01

This study explores elementary teacher perceptions related to the implementation of an online tutoring program. Teachers were surveyed regarding factors that affected use of the online tutoring program as a supplement to mathematics instruction. Results indicated that teachers overwhelmingly reported positive views of the training and support…

Mathematics Teachers' Professional Development Program--Needs and Expectations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levi-Keren, Michal; Patkin, Dorit

2016-01-01

This paper presents the major findings and recommendations from a formative evaluation of the first of a 2-year in-service training program. This program was designed for the professional development of math teachers. It was developed following an educational reform, which was meant to enhance the teachers' ability to generate changes in their…

Teachers' Perceptions of a Multiple High-Risk Behavior Prevention Program and Delivery of Universal Programming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collier, Crystal; Henriksen, Richard C., Jr.

2012-01-01

Much of the success of high-risk behavior prevention programs rests with teachers who deliver the curriculum however; few studies have investigated teachers' perceptions of program implementation. The objective of this phenomenological study was to answer the question, "What are the experiences of teachers who are asked to be involved in the…

Mapping Culturally Relevant Pedagogy into Teacher Education Programs: A Critical Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Ayana; Hancock, Stephen D.; W. Lewis, Chance; Starker-Glass, Tehia

2017-01-01

Background/Context: Teacher education programs are charged with the daunting task of preparing the next generation of teachers. However, the extant literature has documented that teacher education programs have struggled to effectively arm teacher candidates with effective pedagogies to meet the needs of our increasingly diverse student…

Learning to Teach a Blended Course in a Teacher Preparation Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kang, Jung Jin

2014-01-01

Teacher preparation programs have provided blended courses (a combination of online and face-to-face learning) for their students because of their availability and their convenience. Researchers need to understand how teacher educators perceive blended courses when they teach teacher candidates, because teacher preparation programs have different…

An Evaluation of the New Teacher Induction Program in Turkey through the Eyes of Beginning Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hangül, Sükrü

2017-01-01

Aim of this study was to explore and compare beginning teachers' experiences and evaluations about the new teacher induction program put into practice by the Turkish Ministry of Education. According to the directive and training program announced by the Ministry of Education on March 2nd 2016, the teachers who were appointed in February, 2016 took…

One Year Later: Beginning Teachers Revisit Their Preparation Program Experiences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Housego, Billie E.; Badali, Salvador J.

1996-01-01

Survey of 48 beginning teachers elicited assessment of their experiences in the elementary teacher education program at the University of British Columbia. Teachers assessed the importance of teaching particular knowledge, skills, and understandings and the program's potential and success in doing so. As in similar studies, findings indicate the…

Galileo Teacher Training Program - MoonDays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heenatigala, T.; Doran, R.

2012-09-01

Moon is an excellent tool for classroom education. Many teachers fail to implement lunar science in classroom at several levels though - lack of guidance, finding the right materials, and implanting lessons in the school curriculum - just to name a few. To overcome this need, Galileo Teacher Training Program (GTTP) [1] present MoonDays, a resource guide for teachers globally which can be used both in and out of classroom. GTTP MoonDays includes scientific knowledge, hands-on activities, computing skills, creativity and disability based lesson plans.

RET/PTC Rearrangements Are Associated with Elevated Postoperative TSH Levels and Multifocal Lesions in Papillary Thyroid Cancer without Concomitant Thyroid Benign Disease

PubMed Central

Su, Xuan; He, Caiyun; Ma, Jiangjun; Tang, Tao; Zhang, Xiao; Ye, Zulu; Long, Yakang; Shao, Qiong

2016-01-01

RET/PTC rearrangements, resulting in aberrant activity of the RET protein tyrosine kinase receptor, occur exclusively in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). In this study, we examined the association between RET/PTC rearrangements and thyroid hormone homeostasis, and explored whether concomitant diseases such as nodular goiter and Hashimoto's thyroiditis influenced this association. A total of 114 patients diagnosed with PTC were enrolled in this study. Thyroid hormone levels, clinicopathological parameters and lifestyle were obtained through medical records and surgical pathology reports. RET/PTC rearrangements were detected using TaqMan RT-PCR and validated by direct sequencing. No RET/PTC rearrangements were detected in benign thyroid tissues. RET/PTC rearrangements were detected in 23.68% (27/114) of PTC tissues. No association between thyroid function, clinicopathological parameters and lifestyle was observed either in total thyroid cancer patients or the subgroup of patients with concomitant disease. In the subgroup of PTC patients without concomitant disease, RET/PTC rearrangement was associated with multifocal cancer (P = 0.018). RET/PTC rearrangement was also correlated with higher TSH levels at one month post-surgery (P = 0.037). Based on likelihood-ratio regression analysis, the RET/PTC-positive PTC cases showed an increased risk of multifocal cancers in the thyroid gland (OR = 5.57, 95% CI, 1.39–22.33). Our findings suggest that concomitant diseases such as nodular goiter and Hashimoto's thyroiditis in PTC may be a confounding factor when examining the effects of RET/PTC rearrangements. Excluding the potential effect of this confounding factor showed that RET/PTC may confer an increased risk for the development of multifocal cancers in the thyroid gland. Aberrantly increased post-operative levels of TSH were also associated with RET/PTC rearrangement. Together, our data provides useful information for the treatment of papillary thyroid cancer. PMID

Easing the transition for queer student teachers from program to field: implications for teacher education.

PubMed

Benson, Fiona J; Smith, Nathan Grant; Flanagan, Tara

2014-01-01

Tensions exist between what some queer student teachers experience in the university setting, their lives in schools during field placements, and upon graduation. We describe a series of workshops designed for queer student teachers and their allies that were conducted prior to field placement. Participants revealed high degrees of satisfaction with the program and increased feelings of personal and professional self-efficacy. Participants reported high levels of experienced homophobia in their academic programs; as such, the workshops were a valuable "safe space." These workshops appear to fill a significant gap for queer students and their allies in teacher preparation programs.

Creating a Teacher-Student Research Program Using the Spitzer Space Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daou, D.; Pompea, S.; Thaller, M.

2004-12-01

The Spitzer Science Center (SSC) and the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) have created a program for teacher and student research using observing time on the Spitzer Space Telescope. The participating teachers attended a fall, 2004 workshop to become familiar with the Spitzer Space Telescope (SST) archives, and to receive training in infrared astronomy and observational techniques. The teachers will also attend a workshop offered by the SSC to learn about the observation planning process, and telescope and instrument capabilities. This program has as its goals the fundamental NASA goals of inspiring and motivating students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics as well as to engage the public in shaping and sharing the experience of exploration and discovery. Our educational plan addresses the NASA objectives of improving student proficiency in science and improving science instruction by providing a unique opportunity to a group of teachers and students to observe with the SST and work with the SST archival data. This program allows a team of 12 teachers and their students to utilize up to 3 hours of Director's discretionary observing time on the Spitzer Space Telescope for educational observations. Leveraging on a well-established teacher professional development, the SSC is offering this program to teachers in the Teacher Leaders in Research Based Science Education (TLRRBSE), an ongoing program at the NOAO. This NSF-sponsored program touches the formal education community through a national audience of well-trained and supported middle and high school teachers. The Spitzer educational research program also reaches an additional national audience of students through an informal education program based at the University of Arizona's Astronomy Camp, directed by Dr. Don McCarthy. During this camp, the teachers and their students will learn about the SST through the vast amount of data available in the Spitzer archives.

GDNF-RET signaling in ER-positive breast cancers is a key determinant of response and resistance to aromatase inhibitors

PubMed Central

Morandi, Andrea; Martin, Lesley-Ann; Gao, Qiong; Pancholi, Sunil; Mackay, Alan; Robertson, David; Zvelebil, Marketa; Dowsett, Mitch; Plaza-Menacho, Ivan; Isacke, Clare M.

2013-01-01

Most breast cancers at diagnosis are estrogen receptor (ER)-positive and depend on estrogen for growth and survival. Blocking estrogen biosynthesis by aromatase inhibitors (AI) has therefore become a first-line endocrine therapy for post-menopausal women with ER-positive breast cancers. Despite providing substantial improvements in patient outcome, AI resistance remains a major clinical challenge. The receptor tyrosine kinase RET and its co-receptor GFRα1 are upregulated in a subset of ER-positive breast cancers, and the RET ligand, glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is upregulated by inflammatory cytokines. Here we report the findings of a multidisciplinary strategy to address the impact of GDNF-RET signaling in the response to AI treatment. In breast cancer cells in 2D and 3D culture, GDNF-mediated RET signaling is enhanced in a model of AI resistance. Further, GDNF-RET signaling promoted the survival of AI-resistant cells and elicited resistance in AI-sensitive cells. Both these effects were selectively reverted by the RET kinase inhibitor NVP-BBT594. Gene expression profiling in ER-positive cancers defined a proliferation-independent GDNF-response signature that prognosed poor patient outcome and, more importantly, predicted poor response to AI treatment with the development of resistance. We validated these findings by demonstrating increased RET protein expression levels in an independent cohort of AI-resistant patient specimens. Together, our results establish GDNF-RET signaling as a rational therapeutic target to combat or delay the onset of AI resistance in breast cancer. PMID:23650283

Preparation in Multicultural Teacher Education: Perceptions of Pre-Service Teachers and Their Professor in a Teacher Credentialing Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Estupinan, Marina

2010-01-01

The purpose of the study was to research and analyze: (a) the similarities and differences in pre-service teachers' perceptions of teacher preparedness for multicultural education following the completion of a course in a teacher credentialing program, and (b) the identification of major factors from the university professor's perceptions which…

A Teachers' Guide for the Outdoor School Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Battle Creek Public Schools, MI.

The general aim of this guide is to aid the teachers of the fifth and sixth grade boys and girls who participate in the Outdoor School program at the Battle Creek Outdoor Center. Another major aim of this guide is to aid the outdoor school teachers who bear the major responsibility in implementing the outdoor school program. An historical overview…

The histone code reader SPIN1 controls RET signaling in liposarcoma

PubMed Central

Franz, Henriette; Greschik, Holger; Willmann, Dominica; Ozretić, Luka; Jilg, Cordula Annette; Wardelmann, Eva; Jung, Manfred; Buettner, Reinhard; Schüle, Roland

2015-01-01

The histone code reader Spindlin1 (SPIN1) has been implicated in tumorigenesis and tumor growth, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we show that reducing SPIN1 levels strongly impairs proliferation and increases apoptosis of liposarcoma cells in vitro and in xenograft mouse models. Combining signaling pathway, genome-wide chromatin binding, and transcriptome analyses, we found that SPIN1 directly enhances expression of GDNF, an activator of the RET signaling pathway, in cooperation with the transcription factor MAZ. Accordingly, knockdown of SPIN1 or MAZ results in reduced levels of GDNF and activated RET explaining diminished liposarcoma cell proliferation and survival. In line with these observations, levels of SPIN1, GDNF, activated RET, and MAZ are increased in human liposarcoma compared to normal adipose tissue or lipoma. Importantly, a mutation of SPIN1 within the reader domain interfering with chromatin binding reduces liposarcoma cell proliferation and survival. Together, our data describe a molecular mechanism for SPIN1 function in liposarcoma and suggest that targeting SPIN1 chromatin association with small molecule inhibitors may represent a novel therapeutic strategy. PMID:25749382

Program Development for Primary School Teachers' Critical Thinking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boonjeam, Waraporn; Tesaputa, Kowat; Sri-ampai, Anan

2017-01-01

The objectives of this research were: 1) to study the elements and indicators of primary school teachers' critical thinking, 2) to study current situation, desirable situation, development technique, and need for developing the primary school teachers' critical thinking, 3) to develop the program for developing the primary school teachers'…

The Role of the Principal in New Teacher Development under the California Beginning Teacher Support & Assessment Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pratt, Denise Marie

2010-01-01

There are several types of teacher induction programs that have been in existence for over the last ten years, such as university and school district in-house programs that have primarily carried the responsibility of developing new teachers. The responsibility of these structures in training and developing these beginning teachers has been…

Program Qualities That Make a Field Research Experience Valuable to Classroom Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beckendorf, K.; Hammond, J.; McMahon, E.; Williams, E.; Bates, T.

2005-12-01

Numerous programs exists that pair K-12 teachers with scientists for summer research projects, and, overall, these programs are quite beneficial in a variety of ways. Some benefits of these programs to the teacher include providing real-world experiences that can be turned into classroom lessons, increasing the science teacher's own level of knowledge, and helping to reignite the teacher's enthusiasm for teaching. However, teacher research programs are not all created equal. Indeed, a vast gap exists between what a middle school science teacher experiences in his or her classroom and what a teacher experiences among a group of PhD researchers for a few weeks. To be effective, a teacher research program must bridge this gap. During my 14 years of teaching middle school science, I have participated in a number of authentic research experiences. Some of these include NOAA's Teacher at Sea (NEAQS/ICARTT), Teacher in the Woods (Portland State University- Andrew's Experimental Forest), and Teacher on Summer Assignment (Oregon Forest Resource Institute- Ochoco National Forest). During these programs and others, I have encountered various approaches to my preparation, support, and partnering, some of which were quite effective at helping me bridge the gap between the field and the classroom, and others which were less effective at doing so. As a middle school science teacher I have three goals. First, I want to teach in such a way that my students become curious and want to learn more about science. Secondly, I want to help students discover how to learn and process information in the manner that best suites their learning styles. Finally, I want to give students a strong science foundation on which to build future learning. Additionally, I must meet certain state, federal and local standards in my teaching of the sciences. Through my participation in teacher research programs, I have learned that certain aspects of these programs have been more effective than others in

Loss of p53 promotes anaplasia and local invasion in ret/PTC1-induced thyroid carcinomas.

PubMed

La Perle, K M; Jhiang, S M; Capen, C C

2000-08-01

Papillary thyroid carcinomas in humans are associated with the ret/PTC oncogene and, following loss of p53 function, may progress to anaplastic carcinomas. Mice with thyroid-targeted expression of ret/PTC1 developed papillary thyroid carcinomas that were minimally invasive and did not metastasize. These mice were crossed with p53-/- mice to investigate whether loss of p53 would promote anaplasia and metastasis of ret/PTC1-induced thyroid tumors. The majority of p53-/- mice died or were euthanized by 17 weeks of age due to the development of thymic lymphomas, soft tissue sarcomas, and testicular teratomas. All ret/PTC1 mice developed thyroid carcinomas, but tumors in p53-/- mice were more anaplastic, larger in diameter, more invasive, and had a higher mitotic index than tumors in p53+/+ and p53+/- mice. Thyroid tumors did not metastasize in any of the experimental p53+/+ and p53+/- mice ret/PTC1 mice promotes anaplasia and invasiveness of thyroid carcinomas.

Phenotype–genotype correlation in Hirschsprung disease is illuminated by comparative analysis of the RET protein sequence

PubMed Central

Kashuk, Carl S.; Stone, Eric A.; Grice, Elizabeth A.; Portnoy, Matthew E.; Green, Eric D.; Sidow, Arend; Chakravarti, Aravinda; McCallion, Andrew S.

2005-01-01

The ability to discriminate between deleterious and neutral amino acid substitutions in the genes of patients remains a significant challenge in human genetics. The increasing availability of genomic sequence data from multiple vertebrate species allows inclusion of sequence conservation and physicochemical properties of residues to be used for functional prediction. In this study, the RET receptor tyrosine kinase serves as a model disease gene in which a broad spectrum (≥116) of disease-associated mutations has been identified among patients with Hirschsprung disease and multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2. We report the alignment of the human RET protein sequence with the orthologous sequences of 12 non-human vertebrates (eight mammalian, one avian, and three teleost species), their comparative analysis, the evolutionary topology of the RET protein, and predicted tolerance for all published missense mutations. We show that, although evolutionary conservation alone provides significant information to predict the effect of a RET mutation, a model that combines comparative sequence data with analysis of physiochemical properties in a quantitative framework provides far greater accuracy. Although the ability to discern the impact of a mutation is imperfect, our analyses permit substantial discrimination between predicted functional classes of RET mutations and disease severity even for a multigenic disease such as Hirschsprung disease. PMID:15956201

Evaluation of an Inservice Program for Earth Science Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mayer, Victor J.; And Others

1975-01-01

Reports on the evaluation of an earth science inservice program designed to (1) improve teachers' understandings of principles and concepts, (2) assist teachers in the use of investigatory techniques for teaching, (3) assist teachers in developing and implementing laboratory-oriented courses and (4) instruct teachers in techniques of self…

Effective Multicultural Teacher Education Programs: Methodological and Conceptual Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rao, Shaila

2005-01-01

To meet challenges of diversity in classrooms various multicultural teacher education programs to prepare pre-service teachers are introduced with the objective of changing beliefs, attitudes, knowledge base, and pedagogical skills. Studies reporting effectiveness of these programs used measure such as portfolio assessment, interviews, survey and…

Middle School Teachers' Perceptions of Computer-Assisted Reading Intervention Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bippert, Kelli; Harmon, Janis

2017-01-01

Middle schools often turn to computer-assisted reading intervention programs to improve student reading. The questions guiding this study are (a) in what ways are computer-assisted reading intervention programs utilized, and (b) what are teachers' perceptions about these intervention programs? Nineteen secondary reading teachers were interviewed…

Preparing Teachers for Diversity: Examination of Teacher Certification and Program Accreditation Standards in the 50 States and Washington, DC

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akiba, Motoko; Cockrell, Karen Sunday; Simmons, Juanita Cleaver; Han, Seunghee; Agarwal, Geetika

2010-01-01

State departments of education can play an important role in preparing teachers for effectively teaching diverse learners in our schools through state policies and standards on teacher certification and teacher education program accreditation. We conducted a content analysis of state standards on teacher certification and program accreditation in…

Demonstration of a potent RET transcriptional inhibitor for the treatment of medullary thyroid carcinoma based on an ellipticine derivative

PubMed Central

Kumarasamy, Vishnu Muthuraj; Sun, Daekyu

2017-01-01

Dominant-activating mutations in the RET (rearranged during transfection) proto-oncogene, which encodes a receptor tyrosine kinase, is often associated with the development of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). The proximal promoter region of the RET gene consists of a guanine-rich sequence containing five runs of three consecutive guanine residues that serve as the binding site for transcriptional factors. As we have recently shown, this stretch of nucleotides in the promoter region is highly dynamic in nature and tend to form non-B DNA secondary structures called G-quadruplexes, which suppress the transcription of the RET gene. In the present study, ellipticine and its derivatives were identified as excellent RET G-quadruplex stabilizing agents. Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopic studies revealed that the incorporation of a piperidine ring in an ellipticine derivative, NSC311153 improves its binding with the G-quadruplex structure and the stability induced by this compound is more potent than ellipticine. Furthermore, this compound also interfered with the transcriptional mechanism of the RET gene in an MTC derived cell line, TT cells and significantly decreased the endogenous RET protein expression. We demonstrated the specificity of NSC311153 by using papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) cells, the TPC1 cell line which lacks the G-quadruplex forming sequence in the promoter region due to chromosomal rearrangement. The RET downregulation selectively suppresses cell proliferation by inhibiting the intracellular Raf/MEK/ERK and PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathways in the TT cells. In the present study, we also showed that the systemic administration of a water soluble NSC311153 analog in a mouse MTC xenograft model inhibited the tumor growth through RET downregulation. PMID:28498409

Glial-derived neurotropic factor and RET gene expression in normal human anterior pituitary cell types and in pituitary tumors.

PubMed

Japón, Miguel A; Urbano, Angel G; Sáez, Carmen; Segura, Dolores I; Cerro, Alfonso Leal; Diéguez, Carlos; Alvarez, Clara V

2002-04-01

Glial-derived neurotropic factor (GDNF) signaling is mediated through a 2-component system consisting of the so-called GDNF receptor-alpha (GFRalpha1), which binds to GDNF. This complex activates the tyrosine kinase receptor RET. In this paper we demonstrate GDNF, GFRalpha1, and RET mRNA and protein expression in the human anterior pituitary gland. Double immunohistochemistry of anterior pituitary sections showed GDNF immunoreactivity in more than 95% of somatotrophs and to a lesser extent in corticotrophs (20%); it was almost absent in the remaining cell types. Also, although more than 95% of somatotrophs were stained for RET, no positive immunostaining could be detected in other cell types. Furthermore, we have looked for GDNF and RET in human pituitary adenomas of various hormonal phenotypes. Strong positive immunostaining was found for c-RET in all of the GH-secreting adenomas screened as well as in 50% of ACTH-producing adenomas. Positive immunostaining for GDNF was found in all of the GH-secreting adenomas and in 10% of the corticotropinomas. Lastly, we found strong positive immunostaining for GFRalpha1 in 90% of the somatotropinomas and 50% of the corticotropinomas as well as in 1 of 8 prolactinomas and 1 of 13 nonfunctioning adenomas. All of the remaining pituitary tumors screened were negative for RET, GDNF, and GFRalpha1. This study indicates that GDNF may well be acting in the regulation of somatotroph cell growth and/or cell function in the normal human anterior pituitary gland. The expression of RET in all of the somatotropinomas and in 50% of the ACTH-producing tumors implies that GDNF and RET could be involved in the pathogenesis of pituitary tumors.

Novel mechanisms of early upper and lower urinary tract patterning regulated by RetY1015 docking tyrosine in mice

PubMed Central

Hoshi, Masato; Batourina, Ekatherina; Mendelsohn, Cathy; Jain, Sanjay

2012-01-01

Mutations in the receptor tyrosine kinase RET are associated with congenital anomalies of kidneys or urinary tract (CAKUT). RET tyrosine Y1015 is the docking site for PLCγ, a major regulator of RET signaling. Abrogating signaling via Y1015 causes CAKUT that are markedly different than renal agenesis in Ret-null or RetY1062F mutant mice. We performed analysis of Y1015F mutant upper and lower urinary tracts in mice to delineate its molecular and developmental roles during early urinary tract formation. We found that the degeneration of the common nephric ducts (CND), the caudal-most Wolffian duct (WD) segment, depends on Y1015 signals. The CNDs in Y1015F mutants persist owing to increased proliferation and reduced apoptosis, and showed abundance of phospho-ERK-positive cells. In the upper urinary tract, the Y1015 signals are required for proper patterning of the mesonephros and metanephros. Timely regression of mesonephric mesenchyme and proper demarcation of mesonephric and metanephric mesenchyme from the WD depends on RetY1015 signaling. We show that the mechanism of de novo ectopic budding is via increased ERK activity due to abnormal mesenchymal GDNF expression. Although reduction in GDNF dosage improved CAKUT it did not affect delayed mesenchyme regression. Experiments using whole-mount immunofluorescence confocal microscopy and explants cultures of early embryos with ERK-specific inhibitors suggest an imbalance between increased proliferation, decreased apoptosis and increased ERK activity as a mechanism for WD defects in RetY1015F mice. Our work demonstrates novel inhibitory roles of RetY1015 and provides a possible mechanistic explanation for some of the confounding broad range phenotypes in individuals with CAKUT. PMID:22627285

The effects of two secondary science teacher education program structures on teachers' habits of mind and action

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bergman, Daniel Jay

2007-12-01

This study investigated the effects of the Iowa State University Secondary Science Teacher Education Program (ISU SSTEP) on the educational goals and habits of mind exhibited by its graduates. Ten teachers from ISU SSTEP participated in the study---five from the former program featuring one semester of science teaching methods, five from the current program featuring three semesters of science teaching methods (four for the graduate certification consortium). A naturalistic inquiry research approach included the following methods used with each teacher: three classroom observations, classroom artifact analysis, teacher questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, and questionnaires for students about perceived emphasis of educational goals. Evidence exists that graduates from the current ISU SSTEP format exhibited a closer match to the educational goals promoted, modeled, and advocated by the science teaching methods faculty. Graduates from the current ISU SSTEP also exhibited a closer match to the habits of mind---understanding, action, reflection, action plan for improvement---promoted and modeled by the program. This study has implications for other secondary science teacher education programs, particularly increasing the number of science teaching methods courses; teaching meaningful content of both concepts and skills through a research-based framework; modeling the appropriate teacher behaviors, strategies, habits, and goal promotion by methods instructors; and addressing issues of institutional constraints experienced by future teachers.

Hybridized Teacher Education Programs in NYC: A Missed Opportunity?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mungal, Angus Shiva

2015-01-01

This qualitative study describes the development of hybrid teacher preparation programs that emerged as a result of a "forced" partnership between university-based and alternative teacher preparation programs in New York City. This hybrid experiment was a short-lived, yet innovative by-product of a somewhat pragmatic arrangement between…

Reforming teacher education: a model program for preparing teachers of deaf children.

PubMed

Shroyer, E H; Compton, M V

1992-12-01

Recent literature is replete with the concerns of general educators that students majoring in elementary and pre-primary education do not acquire sufficient content and liberal arts matter as a part of their knowledge base. Educators in undergraduate teacher preparation programs in deafness have expressed the same concerns. This article describes how the Program in Education of Deaf Children at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro added courses in a second major and in liberal arts to expand the knowledge base of prospective teachers of deaf and hard of hearing children.

A Program Evaluation of Cardinal Stritch University's Undergraduate Teacher Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russell, Freda Renee

2009-01-01

The purpose of the research was to study the effectiveness of Cardinal Stritch University's Undergraduate Teacher Education Program in preparing its graduates to teach all children. The researcher framed the study around four areas of concern common to beginning teachers from the research and literature: (a) curriculum, instruction and assessment…

Rationale in Choosing a Teacher Preparation Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raine, LaVerne; Harkins, Donna; Sampson, Mary Beth

A study examined students' reasons for, and implications of, choosing a traditional student teaching program or a field-based program of preservice teacher education. The traditional student teaching program and the field-based program were offered concurrently for a short period of time at Texas A&M University--Commerce. Students enrolled in…

Teacher Candidates' Perceptions of the Emphasis on Stewardship in Their Initial Teacher Licensure Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yontz, Brian David

2010-01-01

The stewardship of schools is central to the renewal and preservation of that which is precious in our nation's schools. This study examined perceptions of future teachers as to the degree to which their teacher preparation program emphasized the idea of stewarding schools. With a theoretical foundation that initial teacher preparation provides…

A National Descriptive Survey of Teacher Residency Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wasburn-Moses, Leah

2017-01-01

Teacher Residencies have been highly touted as the next generation in teacher preparation, because they are applied programs that are predicated on strong partnerships and in-the-field mentoring. However, very little is known about this model as a whole. The goal of the current study is to report on the scope of teacher residencies, and compare…

Lithographic performance comparison with various RET for 45-nm node with hyper NA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adachi, Takashi; Inazuki, Yuichi; Sutou, Takanori; Kitahata, Yasuhisa; Morikawa, Yasutaka; Toyama, Nobuhito; Mohri, Hiroshi; Hayashi, Naoya

2006-05-01

In order to realize 45 nm node lithography, strong resolution enhancement technology (RET) and water immersion will be needed. In this research, we discussed about various RET performance comparison for 45 nm node using 3D rigorous simulation. As a candidate, we chose binary mask (BIN), several kinds of attenuated phase-shifting mask (att-PSM) and chrome-less phase-shifting lithography mask (CPL). The printing performance was evaluated and compared for each RET options, after the optimizing illumination conditions, mask structure and optical proximity correction (OPC). The evaluation items of printing performance were CD-DOF, contrast-DOF, conventional ED-window and MEEF, etc. It's expected that effect of mask 3D topography becomes important at 45 nm node, so we argued about not only the case of ideal structures, but also the mask topography error effects. Several kinds of mask topography error were evaluated and we confirmed how these errors affect to printing performance.

Stuttering at school: the effect of a teacher training program on stuttering.

PubMed

Silva, Lorene Karoline; Martins-Reis, Vanessa de Oliveira; Maciel, Thamiris Moreira; Ribeiro, Jessyca Kelly Barbosa Carneiro; Souza, Marina Alves de; Chaves, Flávia Gonçalves

2016-07-04

Verify the knowledge of teachers from public and private schools about stuttering and attest the effectiveness of the Teacher Training Program on Stuttering in the expansion of this knowledge. The study sample comprised 137 early-childhood teachers. Initially, the teachers responded to a questionnaire on stuttering. After that, 75 teachers attended a 4-hour Teacher Training Program on Stuttering. One month later, the teachers responded to the same questionnaire again. The following points were observed after the training program: increased percentage of teachers who consider as low the prevalence of stuttering in the population; beginning of reports stating that stuttering is more frequent in males; increased number of teachers who consider stuttering hereditary; decreased incidence of teachers who believe stuttering is psychological; prevalence of those who believe stuttering is a consequence of multiple causes; decreased rate of teachers who believe stuttering is emotional; a better understanding of how educators should behave to help stutterers. Before the course, the teachers had some knowledge regarding stuttering, but it was insufficient to differentiate from other language disorders. The Program expanded their knowledge on stuttering. However, it proved to be more effective with respect to the characteristics of stuttering than to the attitudes of the teachers.

Making Teacher Incentives Work: Lessons from North Carolina's Teacher Bonus Program. Education Outlook. No. 5

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahn, Thomas; Vigdor, Jacob L.

2011-01-01

North Carolina has operated one of the country's largest pay-for-performance teacher-bonus programs since the late 1990s. New research shows that a North Carolina-style incentive-pay program has the potential to improve student learning by encouraging teachers to exert more effort on the job. The North Carolina model avoids three pitfalls…

Science 26: Teacher Resource Manual. Integrated Occupational Program. Interim 1991.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alberta Dept. of Education, Edmonton. Curriculum Branch.

The Integrated Occupation Science 26 Program is an optional program designed to allow students in Alberta, Canada to meet the credit requirements of the Certificate of Achievement and facilitate transfer to the General High School Diploma Program. This Teacher Resource Manual is provided to assist classroom teachers to implement the Science 26…

Practitioner Inquiry with Early Program Teacher Candidates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koomen, Michele Hollingsworth

2016-01-01

This meta-analysis reports on the use of practitioner inquiry (PI) with early program teacher candidates in conjunction with elementary science and math methods courses using cognitive load theory as a theoretical framework. The findings suggest that the teacher candidates enhanced their knowledge of practice within practice across 5 dimensions of…

Designing and Implementing a Mentoring Program to Support Clinically-Based Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henning, John E.; Gut, Dianne; Beam, Pamela

2015-01-01

This article describes one teacher preparation program's approach to designing and implementing a mentoring program to support clinically-based teacher education. The design for the program is based on an interview study that compared the mentoring experiences of 18 teachers across three different contexts: student teaching, early field…

STEM High School Teaching Enhancement through Collaborative Engineering Research on Extreme Winds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reynolds, Danielle; Yazdani, Nur; Manzur, Tanvir

2013-01-01

The Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) program on Hazard Mitigation at the University of Texas at Arlington (UT Arlington) involved area high school STEM teachers in engineering research with faculty and graduate students. The primary objective of the project was to train participating teachers in inquiry based research learning, research…

Community-Based Native Teacher Education Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heimbecker, Connie; Minner, Sam; Prater, Greg

This paper describes two exemplary school-based Native teacher education programs offered by Northern Arizona University (NAU) to serve Navajo students and by Lakehead University (Ontario) to serve members of the Nishnabe Nation of northern Ontario. The Reaching American Indian Special/Elementary Educators (RAISE) program is located in Kayenta,…

Loss of p53 Promotes Anaplasia and Local Invasion in ret/PTC1-Induced Thyroid Carcinomas

PubMed Central

La Perle, Krista M. D.; Jhiang, Sissy M.; Capen, Charles C.

2000-01-01

Papillary thyroid carcinomas in humans are associated with the ret/PTC oncogene and, following loss of p53 function, may progress to anaplastic carcinomas. Mice with thyroid-targeted expression of ret/PTC1 developed papillary thyroid carcinomas that were minimally invasive and did not metastasize. These mice were crossed with p53−/− mice to investigate whether loss of p53 would promote anaplasia and metastasis of ret/PTC1-induced thyroid tumors. The majority of p53−/− mice died or were euthanized by 17 weeks of age due to the development of thymic lymphomas, soft tissue sarcomas, and testicular teratomas. All ret/PTC1 mice developed thyroid carcinomas, but tumors in p53−/− mice were more anaplastic, larger in diameter, more invasive, and had a higher mitotic index than tumors in p53+/+ and p53+/− mice. Thyroid tumors did not metastasize in any of the experimental p53+/+ and p53+/− mice ≤28 weeks of age or p53−/− mice ≤ 17 weeks of age; however, an older (170-day-old) male p53−/− mouse used to maintain the colony developed anaplastic thyroid carcinoma with liver metastases. These findings demonstrate that the lack of functional p53 in ret/PTC1 mice promotes anaplasia and invasiveness of thyroid carcinomas. PMID:10934169

Defects in the calcium-binding region drastically affect the cadherin-like domains of RET tyrosine kinase.

PubMed

Gao, Chunxia; Grøtli, Morten; Eriksson, Leif A

2016-03-28

Mutations in the rearranged during transfection (RET) tyrosine kinase gene leading to gain or loss of function have been associated with the development of several human cancers and Hirschsprung's disease (HSCR). However, to what extent these mutations affect individual bio-molecular functions remains unclear. In this article, the functionally significant mutations in the RET CLD1-4 calcium-binding site which lead to HSCR, and depletion of calcium ions in the RET CLD1-4 calcium binding site, were investigated by molecular dynamics simulations--to understand the mechanistic action of the mutations or loss of calcium ions in altering the protein kinase structure, dynamics, and stability. The mutations or loss of calcium ions change the local conformation and change the free energy landscape. Specifically, the mutations and loss of calcium ions decrease the radius of gyration of the whole structure, leading to improper protein folding and GFL-GFRα contact site reduction. Furthermore, based on the most populated conformation in the wildtype MD simulations, a pharmacophore was generated by fragment docking to identify key features of the possible inhibitors targeting the calcium binding site. Overall, the findings may provide useful structural insights into the molecular mechanism underlying RET calcium-binding site mutations and assist in development of novel drugs targeting the extracellular ligand contact site of wildtype RET.

Perspectives and Practices of Graduates of an Urban Teacher Residency Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tricarico, Katie M.

2012-01-01

Many traditional university-based and alternative route teacher preparation programs have been developed to prepare new teachers to work in urban, high minority, and high-poverty classrooms. There is little literature that documents the outcomes of these programs designed specifically for urban environments or the practices of teachers who…

Assessment! The Foundation to This Performance/Field-Based Teacher Preparation Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmitz, Steve; Veilbig, Cindy; Fitch, Lanny; Alawiye, Osman

This report describes the assessment practices of the undergraduate performance and field-based teacher preparation programs of Central Washington University. The undergraduate program involves 2-year programs for elementary school teacher candidates in 3 school districts. Portfolios are used in this program as a means of authentic assessment and…

An Education Program to Increase Teacher Knowledge about Sickle Cell Disease.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Allison A.; Tang, Sujie; Ferguson, Kim L.; DeBaun, Michael R.

2005-01-01

This program evaluated the effectiveness of a sickle cell disease (SCD) education program for teachers of students with SCD in their classroom. Teachers with students in a remediation program for students participated in an educational program consisting of four domains: Inheritance and Prevalence, Common Complications, Strokes, and Individual…

Organized Hypocrisy in EFL Teacher Training Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karim, Abdul; Mohamed, Abdul Rashid; Ismail, Shaik Abdul Malik Mohamed; Rahman, Mohammad Mosiur

2018-01-01

Embracing the reasons for the failure of donor-sponsored English-teacher training programs is very critical since it precedes the revisions, improvements and quality assurance for the futuristic training programs. Ideating such philosophy, the current study concerns the blatant penetration with regard to the donor-aided training programs in…

Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Certification Programs: Strategies for Enhancement, Improvement, and Peaceful Co-existence with Traditional Teacher Certification Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duhon-Haynes, Gwendolyn; And Others

This paper examines alternative certification programs in terms of entrance requirements, supervision and mentoring, and post-certification professional support. A good alternative program uses rigorous screening processes to ensure the selection of qualified teacher interns; provides high-quality preservice training in methodology, classroom…

Shaky Methods, Shaky Motives: A Critique of the National Council of Teacher Quality's Review of Teacher Preparation Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fuller, Edward J.

2014-01-01

The National Council on Teacher Quality's (NCTQ) recent review of university-based teacher preparation programs concluded the vast majority of such programs were inadequately preparing the nation's teachers. The study, however, has a number of serious flaws that include narrow focus on inputs, lack of a strong research base, missing standards,…

Absence of Ret Signaling in Mice Causes Progressive and Late Degeneration of the Nigrostriatal System

PubMed Central

Kramer, Edgar R; Aron, Liviu; Ramakers, Geert M. J; Seitz, Sabine; Zhuang, Xiaoxi; Beyer, Klaus; Smidt, Marten P; Klein, Rüdiger

2007-01-01

Support of ageing neurons by endogenous neurotrophic factors such as glial cell line–derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) may determine whether the neurons resist or succumb to neurodegeneration. GDNF has been tested in clinical trials for the treatment of Parkinson disease (PD), a common neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of midbrain dopaminergic (DA) neurons. BDNF modulates nigrostriatal functions and rescues DA neurons in PD animal models. The physiological roles of GDNF and BDNF signaling in the adult nigrostriatal DA system are unknown. We generated mice with regionally selective ablations of the genes encoding the receptors for GDNF (Ret) and BDNF (TrkB). We find that Ret, but not TrkB, ablation causes progressive and adult-onset loss of DA neurons specifically in the substantia nigra pars compacta, degeneration of DA nerve terminals in striatum, and pronounced glial activation. These findings establish Ret as a critical regulator of long-term maintenance of the nigrostriatal DA system and suggest conditional Ret mutants as useful tools for gaining insights into the molecular mechanisms involved in the development of PD. PMID:17298183

The Significance of Ongoing Teacher Support in Earth Science Education Programs: Evidence from the GLOBE Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Penuel, B.; Korbak, C.; Shear, L.

2003-12-01

The GLOBE program provides a rich context for examining issues concerning implementation of inquiry-oriented, scientist-driven educational programs, because the program has both a history of collecting evaluation data on implementation and mechanisms for capturing program activity as it occurs. In this paper, researchers from SRI International's evaluation team explore the different roles that regional partners play in preparing and supporting teachers to implement the GLOBE Program, an international inquiry-based Earth science education initiative that has trained over 14,000 teachers worldwide. GLOBE program evaluation results show the program can be effective in increasing students' inquiry skills, but that the program is also hard for teachers to implement (Means et al., 2001; Penuel et al., 2002). An analysis of GLOBE's regional partner organizations, which are tasked with preparing teachers to implement its data collection and reporting protocols with students, shows that some partners are more successful than others. This paper reports findings from a quantitative analysis of the relationship between data reporting and partner support activities and from case studies of two such regional partners focused on analyzing what makes them successful. The first analysis examined associations between partner training and support activities and data reporting. For this analysis, we used data from the GLOBE Student Data Archive matched with survey data collected from a large sample of GLOBE teachers as part of SRI's Year 5 evaluation of GLOBE. Our analyses point to the central importance of mentoring and material support to teachers. We found that incentives, mentoring, and other on-site support to teachers have a statistically significant association with higher data reporting levels. We also found that at present, teachers access these supports less often than they access listservs and e-mail communication with teachers after GLOBE training. As a follow-up to this

Three Teacher-Initiated Programs (Middle Ground).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Southard, Deborah Dressell; Looman, Glenn; Schreiber, Susie

1997-01-01

Offers three brief articles on three teacher-initiated programs that involve collaboration with colleagues and students: in music/arts production by fourth and fifth graders; an independent study program in which middle school students wrote grant proposals; and an activity in which seventh graders mapped a timeline of Earth history and geologic…

34 CFR 230.1 - What is the Troops-to-Teacher program?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false What is the Troops-to-Teacher program? 230.1 Section 230.1 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education OFFICE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION INNOVATION FOR TEACHER QUALITY Troops-to-Teachers Program § 230...

34 CFR 230.1 - What is the Troops-to-Teacher program?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false What is the Troops-to-Teacher program? 230.1 Section 230.1 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education OFFICE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION INNOVATION FOR TEACHER QUALITY Troops-to-Teachers Program § 230...

34 CFR 230.1 - What is the Troops-to-Teacher program?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false What is the Troops-to-Teacher program? 230.1 Section 230.1 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education OFFICE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION INNOVATION FOR TEACHER QUALITY Troops-to-Teachers Program § 230...

34 CFR 230.1 - What is the Troops-to-Teacher program?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What is the Troops-to-Teacher program? 230.1 Section 230.1 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education OFFICE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION INNOVATION FOR TEACHER QUALITY Troops-to-Teachers Program § 230...

34 CFR 230.1 - What is the Troops-to-Teacher program?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false What is the Troops-to-Teacher program? 230.1 Section 230.1 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education OFFICE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION INNOVATION FOR TEACHER QUALITY Troops-to-Teachers Program § 230...

Science teacher's perception about science learning experiences as a foundation for teacher training program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tapilouw, Marisa Christina; Firman, Harry; Redjeki, Sri; Chandra, Didi Teguh

2017-05-01

Teacher training is one form of continuous professional development. Before organizing teacher training (material, time frame), a survey about teacher's need has to be done. Science teacher's perception about science learning in the classroom, the most difficult learning model, difficulties of lesson plan would be a good input for teacher training program. This survey conducted in June 2016. About 23 science teacher filled in the questionnaire. The core of questions are training participation, the most difficult science subject matter, the most difficult learning model, the difficulties of making lesson plan, knowledge of integrated science and problem based learning. Mostly, experienced teacher participated training once a year. Science training is very important to enhance professional competency and to improve the way of teaching. The difficulties of subject matter depend on teacher's education background. The physics subject matter in class VIII and IX are difficult to teach for most respondent because of many formulas and abstract. Respondents found difficulties in making lesson plan, in term of choosing the right learning model for some subject matter. Based on the result, inquiry, cooperative, practice are frequently used in science class. Integrated science is understood as a mix between Biology, Physics and Chemistry concepts. On the other hand, respondents argue that problem based learning was difficult especially in finding contextual problem. All the questionnaire result can be used as an input for teacher training program in order to enhanced teacher's competency. Difficult concepts, integrated science, teaching plan, problem based learning can be shared in teacher training.

Teacher Isolation: How Mentoring Programs Can Help

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heider, Kelly L.

2005-01-01

Teacher attrition has become a very serious problem in the United States in recent years. Studies have shown that many talented, new teachers are leaving the profession early in their careers due to feelings of isolation. In response to the alarming turnover rate, school districts have adopted mentoring programs which have been successful at…

Effectiveness of an Alternative Certification Program for the Preparation of Elementary Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Follo, Eric J.; Rivard, James J.

2009-01-01

This study focuses on the effectiveness of the alternative elementary teacher certification program at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. The program was developed in response to the projected teacher shortage, the need for teachers in subjects such as mathematics and science, the need for teachers in urban schools, and the need for…

Examining a Program Designed to Improve Supervisory Knowledge and Practices of Cooperating Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erbilgin, Evrim

2014-01-01

This article reports on how a program based on educative supervision supported the supervisory knowledge and practices of three cooperating teachers. The program was planned as a kind of practicum: the cooperating teachers participated in the program while working with a student teacher. The program included activities where the cooperating…

Identifying Program Characteristics for Preparing Pre-Service Teachers for Diversity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akiba, Motoko

2011-01-01

Background/Context: Educating pre-service teachers to develop multicultural awareness, knowledge, and skills for teaching diverse students is a major responsibility of teacher education program coordinators and teacher educators. Numerous studies have discussed and explored the characteristics of teacher preparation that improve pre-service…

Teaching Experiences for Graduate Student Researchers: A Study of the Design and Implementation of Science Courses for Secondary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collins, Anne Wrigley

2011-01-01

Modern science education reform recommends that teachers provide K-12 science students a more complete picture of the scientific enterprise, one that lies beyond content knowledge and centers more on the processes and culture of scientists. In the case of Research Experience for Teachers (RET) programs, the "teacher" becomes "researcher" and it is…

UTEP: The Urban Teacher Education Program. Six-Month Narrative Program Report, July 1-December 31, 1994.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reed, Charlotte

This report discusses progress in achieving goals, general program effectiveness, and progress toward institutionalization of the Urban Teacher Education Program (UTEP) at Indiana University Northwest. This program has two major goals: (1) to change what the urban teacher knows and is able to do and (2) to significantly affect the education of…

An Examination of the Influences of a Teacher Preparation Program on Beginning Teachers' Reading Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Sarah K.; Jones, Cindy D.; Reutzel, D. Ray; Andreasen, Lindi

2013-01-01

In this study, we tracked elementary preservice teachers' (N = 41) perceived ability to teach reading as they moved through their teacher preparation program. After graduation, we conducted follow-up teaching observations and interviews with five of these novice teachers to explore their perceptions about their ability to teach reading. An…

Individual Stress Management Coursework in Canadian Teacher Preparation Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Gregory E.

2011-01-01

Teacher stress is a significant issue facing the teaching profession. The current paper explores individual stress management as a viable option to address stress in this profession. Specifically, Canadian teacher education programs are examined to identify the prevalence of pre-service teacher education courses focused on individual stress…

UTEP: Urban Teacher Education Program. Final Report to the Lilly Endowment On Program Evaluation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sandoval, Pamela A.

The Urban Teacher Education Program (UTEP) is a project of Indiana University Northwest (IUN) and three urban school districts (Gary, East Chicago, and Hammond, Indiana) to develop novice teachers, continue professional development among experienced professionals, and provide a forum for research on teacher education. Following discussion of the…

Training teachers in generalized writing of behavior modification programs for multihandicapped deaf children.

PubMed

Hundert, J

1982-01-01

In contrast to previous studies where teachers were instructed how to implement behavior modification programs designed by an experimenter, teachers in the present experiment were taught how to write as well as implement behavior modification programs. The generalized effects of two training conditions on teacher and pupil behaviors were assessed by a multiple baseline design where, following baseline, two teachers of multi-handicapped deaf children were taught to set objectives and measure pupil performance (measurement training), Later, through a training manual, they learned a general problem-solving approach to writing behavior modification programs (programming training). After both training conditions, experimenter feedback was given for teachers' application of training to a target behavior for one pupil and generalization was measured across target behaviors for the same pupil and across pupils. It was found that measurement training had little general effect on either teacher behavior or pupil behavior. However, after programming training, teachers increased their program writing and correct use of behavior modification procedures and generalized this training across pupils and target behaviors. Along with these effects, there was improvement in pupil behaviors. Possible explanation for generalized effects of teacher training were considered.

Teacher Training and Teacher Use of Laptops in a 1:1 Laptop Program: A Correlational Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Staub, Justin H.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship, if any, between teacher training and teacher use of a laptop in a one-to-one laptop program. Teachers recorded their training weekly throughout the twelve-week study. Teacher use of laptops was measured through self-reporting in a pretest and posttest design,…

Supervised Agricultural Experience Instruction in Agricultural Teacher Education Programs: A National Descriptive Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rank, Bryan D.; Retallick, Michael S.

2017-01-01

Faculty in agricultural teacher education programs are responsible for preparing future teachers to lead effective school-based agricultural education programs. However, agriculture teachers are having difficulty implementing supervised agricultural experience (SAE), even though they value it conceptually as a program component. In an effort to…

Mathematics Pedagogy and Content in a Blended Teacher Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morales, Romelia V.; Anderson, Hal; McGowan, John

2003-01-01

Recently, the Department of Teacher Education and the Liberal Studies Program in the School of Education at California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) collaborated in developing a Blended Liberal Studies/Teacher Education Program (BLTEP) for upper division transfer students interested in completing an elementary credential. The BLTEP…

Leading the Teacher Induction and Mentoring Program. Second Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sweeny, Barry W.

2007-01-01

While resources are abundant for helping the mentor and the new teacher, very little has been written to guide the leaders of teacher and mentor development. This book provides an effective, proven model for developing, implementing, evaluating, and sustaining an induction and mentoring program that results in highly qualified teachers. A…

The Effect of Teacher Candidates' Perceptions of Their Initial Teacher Education Program on Teaching Anxiety, Efficacy, and Commitment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daniels, Lia M.; Mandzuk, David; Perry, Raymond P.; Moore, Ceri

2011-01-01

In a novel approach to initial teacher education, we combined a program review perspective and a psychological perspective. First, we assessed the extent to which student teachers (n=137) felt that components of their BEd program prepared them for teaching and whether these components represented meaningful program dimensions. Through content…

[Dose-Response Dependences for Frequency of RET/PTC Gene Rearrangements in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma after Irradiation. Simple Pooling Analysis of Molecular Epidemiological Data].

PubMed

Koterov, A N; Ushenkova, L N; Biryukov, A P

2016-01-01

On the basis of all possible publications on the theme included in the previously formed base of sources on molecular epidemiology of RET/PTC rearrangements in thyroid papillary carcinoma a pooled analysis ("simple pooling data") on determination of the dose-effect dependences for RET/PTC frequency in radiogenic carcinomas of various irradiated groups was performed. (They are groups subjected to radiotherapeutic exposure, residents near the Chernobyl nuclear power plant (CNPP) and victims of nuclear bombing). The tendency to Pearson linear correlation (r = 0.746; p = 0.148) between the frequency of RET/PTC and the estimated dose on thyroid in the regions affected by the CNPP accident was revealed. But this tendency was recognized to be random owing to abnormally low values of the indicator for the most contaminated Gomel region. The method tentatively called "case-control" showed reliable differences in thyroid dose values for carcinomas with RET/PTC and without those. The versatility of changes was found: the lack of RET/PTC for radiotherapeutic impacts was associated with higher doses, whereas in case of the CNPP accident and for nuclear bombing victims it was the opposite. Probably, in the first case the "cellular cleaning" phenomenon after exposure to very high doses took place. Search of direct Pearson correlations between average/median thyroid doses on groups and RET/PTC frequency in carcinomas of these groups showed a high reliability for the dose-effect dependences- at the continuous dose scale (for RET/PTC in total and RET/PTC1 respectively: r = 0.830; p = 0.002 and r = 0.906; p = 0.0003); while there was no significant correlation received for RET/PTC3. When using the weighting least square regression analysis (proceeding from the number of carcinomas in samples), the specified regularities remained. Attempts to influence the strength of correlation by exception ofthe data of all the samples connected with the accident on the CNPP did not significantly

Evaluation of Teacher Preparation Programs: Purposes, Methods, and Policy Options

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feuer, Michael J.; Floden, Robert E.; Chudowsky, Naomi; Ahn, Judie

2013-01-01

Teacher preparation programs (TPPs) are where prospective teachers gain a foundation of knowledge about pedagogy and subject matter, as well as early exposure to practical classroom experience. Although competence in teaching, as in all professions, is shaped significantly by on-the-job experiences and continuous learning, the programs that…

Improving Teacher Feedback during Active Learning: Effects of a Professional Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van den Bergh, Linda; Ros, Anje; Beijaard, Douwe

2014-01-01

This study focuses on improving teacher feedback during active learning. Changing teachers' behavior sustainably, however, is very difficult. Several conditions should be taken into account, and programs should build on teachers' cognitions and practices. Effects of a specifically designed professional development program on 16 elementary…

Targeting the receptor tyrosine kinase RET in combination with aromatase inhibitors in ER positive breast cancer xenografts.

PubMed

Andreucci, Elena; Francica, Paola; Fearns, Antony; Martin, Lesley-Ann; Chiarugi, Paola; Isacke, Clare M; Morandi, Andrea

2016-12-06

The majority of breast cancers are estrogen receptor positive (ER+). Blockade of estrogen biosynthesis by aromatase inhibitors (AIs) is the first-line endocrine therapy for post-menopausal women with ER+ breast cancers. However, AI resistance remains a major challenge. We have demonstrated previously that increased GDNF/RET signaling in ER+ breast cancers promotes AI resistance. Here we investigated the efficacy of different small molecule RET kinase inhibitors, sunitinib, cabozantinib, NVP-BBT594 and NVP-AST487, and the potential of combining a RET inhibitor with the AI letrozole in ER+ breast cancers. The most effective inhibitor identified, NVP-AST487, suppressed GDNF-stimulated RET downstream signaling and 3D tumor spheroid growth. Ovariectomized mice were inoculated with ER+ aromatase-overexpressing MCF7-AROM1 cells and treated with letrozole, NVP-AST487 or the two drugs in combination. Surprisingly, the three treatment regimens showed similar efficacy in impairing MCF7-AROM1 tumor growth in vivo. However in vitro, NVP-AST487 was superior to letrozole in inhibiting the GDNF-induced motility and tumor spheroid growth of MCF7-AROM1 cells and required in combination with letrozole to inhibit GDNF-induced motility in BT474-AROM3 aromatase expressing cells. These data indicate that inhibiting RET is as effective as the current therapeutic regimen of AI therapy but that a combination treatment may delay cancer cell dissemination and metastasis.

The Hemingway Project: A Collaborative School-based Program for Teacher Certification.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butler, Shannon K.; And Others

At Weber State University (Utah), teacher educators have collaborated with English faculty to design a pilot program (Hemingway Project) which serves as an initial effort to restructure the teacher education program. The program, funded by the Hemingway Foundation, is intended to provide greater integration of the university experience with actual…

Factors Associated with Teacher Delivery of a Classroom-Based Tier 2 Prevention Program.

PubMed

Sutherland, Kevin S; Conroy, Maureen A; McLeod, Bryce D; Algina, James; Kunemund, Rachel L

2018-02-01

Teachers sometimes struggle to deliver evidence-based programs designed to prevent and ameliorate chronic problem behaviors of young children with integrity. Identifying factors associated with variations in the quantity and quality of delivery is thus an important goal for the field. This study investigated factors associated with teacher treatment integrity of BEST in CLASS, a tier-2 prevention program designed for young children at risk for developing emotional/behavioral disorders. Ninety-two early childhood teachers and 231 young children at-risk for emotional/behavioral disorders participated in the study. Latent growth curve analyses indicated that both adherence and competence of delivery increased across six observed time points. Results suggest that teacher education and initial levels of classroom quality may be important factors to consider when teachers deliver tier-2 (i.e., targeted to children who are not responsive to universal or tier-1 programming) prevention programs in early childhood settings. Teachers with higher levels of education delivered the program with more adherence and competence initially. Teachers with higher initial scores on the Emotional Support subscale of the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) delivered the program with more competence initially and exhibited higher growth in both adherence and competence of delivery across time. Teachers with higher initial scores on the Classroom Organization subscale of the CLASS exhibited lower growth in adherence across time. Contrary to hypotheses, teacher self-efficacy did not predict adherence, and teachers who reported higher initial levels of Student Engagement self-efficacy exhibited lower growth in competence of delivery. Results are discussed in relation to teacher delivery of evidence-based programs in early childhood classrooms.

Dimerization Domain of Retinal Membrane Guanylyl Cyclase 1 (RetGC1) Is an Essential Part of Guanylyl Cyclase-activating Protein (GCAP) Binding Interface.

PubMed

Peshenko, Igor V; Olshevskaya, Elena V; Dizhoor, Alexander M

2015-08-07

The photoreceptor-specific proteins guanylyl cyclase-activating proteins (GCAPs) bind and regulate retinal membrane guanylyl cyclase 1 (RetGC1) but not natriuretic peptide receptor A (NPRA). Study of RetGC1 regulation in vitro and its association with fluorescently tagged GCAP in transfected cells showed that R822P substitution in the cyclase dimerization domain causing congenital early onset blindness disrupted RetGC1 ability to bind GCAP but did not eliminate its affinity for another photoreceptor-specific protein, retinal degeneration 3 (RD3). Likewise, the presence of the NPRA dimerization domain in RetGC1/NPRA chimera specifically disabled binding of GCAPs but not of RD3. In subsequent mapping using hybrid dimerization domains in RetGC1/NPRA chimera, multiple RetGC1-specific residues contributed to GCAP binding by the cyclase, but the region around Met(823) was the most crucial. Either positively or negatively charged residues in that position completely blocked GCAP1 and GCAP2 but not RD3 binding similarly to the disease-causing mutation in the neighboring Arg(822). The specificity of GCAP binding imparted by RetGC1 dimerization domain was not directly related to promoting dimerization of the cyclase. The probability of coiled coil dimer formation computed for RetGC1/NPRA chimeras, even those incapable of binding GCAP, remained high, and functional complementation tests showed that the RetGC1 active site, which requires dimerization of the cyclase, was formed even when Met(823) or Arg(822) was mutated. These results directly demonstrate that the interface for GCAP binding on RetGC1 requires not only the kinase homology region but also directly involves the dimerization domain and especially its portion containing Arg(822) and Met(823). © 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Understanding science teacher enhancement programs: Essential components and a model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spiegel, Samuel Albert

Researchers and practioners alike recognize that "the national goal that every child in the United States has access to high-quality school education in science and mathematics cannot be realized without the availability of effective professional development of teachers" (Hewson, 1997, p. 16). Further, there is a plethora of reports calling for the improvement of professional development efforts (Guskey & Huberman, 1995; Kyle, 1995; Loucks-Horsley, Hewson, Love, & Stiles, 1997). In this study I analyze a successful 3-year teacher enhancement program, one form of professional development, to: (1) identify essential components of an effective teacher enhancement program; and (2) create a model to identify and articulate the critical issues in designing, implementing, and evaluating teacher enhancement programs. Five primary sources of information were converted into data: (1) exit questionnaires, (2) exit surveys, (3) exit interview transcripts, (4) focus group transcripts, and (5) other artifacts. Additionally, a focus group was used to conduct member checks. Data were analyzed in an iterative process which led to the development of the list of essential components. The Components are categorized by three organizers: Structure (e.g., science research experience, a mediator throughout the program), Context (e.g., intensity, collaboration), and Participant Interpretation (e.g., perceived to be "safe" to examine personal beliefs and practices, actively engaged). The model is based on: (1) a 4-year study of a successful teacher enhancement program; (2) an analysis of professional development efforts reported in the literature; and (3) reflective discussions with implementors, evaluators, and participants of professional development programs. The model consists of three perspectives, cognitive, symbolic interaction, and organizational, representing different viewpoints from which to consider issues relevant to the success of a teacher enhancement program. These

Systemic Perspectives on Beginning Teacher Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schlechty, Phillip C.; Whitford, Betty Lou

1989-01-01

Discusses the importance of basing beginning teacher programs in schools where roles are structured to support induction and provide exemplary education for students. Addresses structural and political issues, human resource development, and symbolism. (RJC)

Science Teacher Leadership: Learning from a Three-Year Leadership Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luft, Julie A.; Dubois, Shannon L.; Kaufmann, Janey; Plank, Larry

2016-01-01

Teachers are professional learners and leaders. They seek to understand how their students learn, and they participate in programs that provide new instructional skills, curricular materials, and ways to become involved in their community. This study follows a science teacher leadership program over a three-year period of time. There were…

Design of a Teacher-Student Research Program Using the Spitzer Space Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pompea, S. M.; Daou, D.; Thaller, M.

2004-12-01

Under the sponsorship of the NASA Spitzer Science Center, we have designed a program for teacher and student research using observing time on the Spitzer Space Telescope. The participating teachers attended a fall, 2004 workshop to become familiar with the Spitzer Science Center Archives, observation planning process, and telescope and instrument capabilities in order to plan observations. They also received fundamental training in infrared astronomy and infrared observational techniques, before they began planning their observing program. This program has as its goals the fundamental NASA goals of inspiring and motivating students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics as well as to engage the public in shaping and sharing the experience of exploration and discovery. Our educational plan addresses the OSS/NASA objectives of improving student proficiency in science and improving science instruction by providing a unique opportunity to a group of teachers and students to observe with the Spitzer Space Telescope and work with infrared archival data. This program allows a team of 12 teachers and their students to utilize up to 3 hours of Director's discretionary observing time on the Spitzer Space Telescope for educational observations. With the goal of leveraging on a well-established teacher professional development, the program serves teachers in the NSF-sponsored Teacher Leaders in Research Based Science Education (TLRRBSE), an ongoing Public Affairs and Educational Outreach Department program at the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) in Tucson. The program touches the formal education community through a national audience of well-trained and supported middle and high school teachers. There are currently 68 teachers (and their students) participating in TLRBSE with an additional 57 teachers in the still-supported precursor RBSE program. The Spitzer educational research program also reaches an additional national audience

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Teacher Career Development Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schlechty, Phillip C.; And Others

1985-01-01

Effective training, evaluation, and incentives are key aspects of this school system's six-level career ladder program for teacher development. The three-pronged committee structure for planning and communication and the program's ownership by everyone involved have been vital to its successful planning and development. (DCS)

Middle East Studies Teacher Training Program. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sefein, Naim A.

This guide presents a teacher training program in Middle Eastern studies and procedures for program implementation. Details concerning program announcement, participant selection, and travel accommodations are included. Participants attended an orientation and registration workshop and an intensive academic workshop before flying to Egypt for the…

Researcher/Teacher Orientation of Doctoral Programs for Business.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burkholder, Jeanette S.; Stevens, Robert E.

1987-01-01

A survey of business school directors and department administrators attempted to (1) determine the orientation of doctoral programs toward researcher/teacher training, (2) assess the desires of administrators who hire doctoral business graduates in terms of researcher/teacher training, and (3) compare the reality with the desired reality. (CH)

Teacher Philosophy and Program Implementation and the Impact on Sex Education Outcomes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Gaston, Jacqueline F.; And Others

1994-01-01

Reports a study that evaluated teacher influence and impact in a middle school abstinence sex education program, noting pre-post change, teacher differences, and student differences. Surveys indicated abstinence sex education programs can produce positive outcomes that are significantly influenced by the teacher's own philosophy and commitment to…

Ethics Education in Australian Preservice Teacher Programs: A Hidden Imperative?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boon, Helen J.; Maxwell, Bruce

2016-01-01

This paper provides a snapshot of the current approach to ethics education in accredited Australian pre-service teacher programs. Methods included a manual calendar search of ethics related subjects required in teacher programs using a sample of 24 Australian universities and a survey of 26 university representatives. Findings show a paucity of…

Characteristics of Teacher Incentive Pay Programs: A Statewide District Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liang, Guodong; Akiba, Motoko

2015-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the characteristics of teacher incentive pay programs used by midsize to large school districts in Missouri. Design/methodology/approach: This study primarily used the Teacher Compensation Programs (TCP) survey data. The TCP survey was developed by the authors to understand the nature and…

Establishing high resolution melting analysis: method validation and evaluation for c-RET proto-oncogene mutation screening.

PubMed

Benej, Martin; Bendlova, Bela; Vaclavikova, Eliska; Poturnajova, Martina

2011-10-06

Reliable and effective primary screening of mutation carriers is the key condition for common diagnostic use. The objective of this study is to validate the method high resolution melting (HRM) analysis for routine primary mutation screening and accomplish its optimization, evaluation and validation. Due to their heterozygous nature, germline point mutations of c-RET proto-oncogene, associated to multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN2), are suitable for HRM analysis. Early identification of mutation carriers has a major impact on patients' survival due to early onset of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) and resistance to conventional therapy. The authors performed a series of validation assays according to International Conference on Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) guidelines for validation of analytical procedures, along with appropriate design and optimization experiments. After validated evaluation of HRM, the method was utilized for primary screening of 28 pathogenic c-RET mutations distributed among nine exons of c-RET gene. Validation experiments confirm the repeatability, robustness, accuracy and reproducibility of HRM. All c-RET gene pathogenic variants were detected with no occurrence of false-positive/false-negative results. The data provide basic information about design, establishment and validation of HRM for primary screening of genetic variants in order to distinguish heterozygous point mutation carriers among the wild-type sequence carriers. HRM analysis is a powerful and reliable tool for rapid and cost-effective primary screening, e.g., of c-RET gene germline and/or sporadic mutations and can be used as a first line potential diagnostic tool.

Our Student-Teacher Program Lets Us Spot Hot Faculty Prospects Early.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kolze, Richard C.

1988-01-01

A high school district in suburban Chicago recruits top quality teachers by emphasizing the importance of its student teaching program, committing extra time and resources to the program, and recruiting new staff members from the student teacher ranks. (MLF)

The NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program (NITARP): Lessons Learned

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rebull, Luisa M.; Gorjian, Varoujan; Squires, Gordon K.

2017-01-01

NITARP, the NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program, gets teachers involved in authentic astronomical research. We partner small groups of educators with a professional astronomer mentor for a year-long original research project. The teams echo the entire research process, from writing a proposal, to doing the research, to presenting the results at an American Astronomical Society (AAS) meeting. The program runs from January through January. Applications are available annually in May and are due in September. The educators’ experiences color their teaching for years to come, influencing hundreds of students per teacher. In support of other teams planning programs similar to NITARP, in this poster we present our top lessons learned from running NITARP for more than 10 years. Support is provided for NITARP by the NASA ADP program.

Expression and copy number gains of the RET gene in 631 early and mid stage non‐small cell lung cancer cases

PubMed Central

Tan, Ling; Hu, Yerong; Tao, Yongguang; Wang, Bin; Xiao, Jun; Tang, Zhenjie; Lu, Ting

2018-01-01

Background To identify whether RET is a potential target for NSCLC treatment, we examined the status of the RET gene in 631 early and mid stage NSCLC cases from south central China. Methods RET expression was identified by Western blot. RET‐positive expression samples were verified by immunohistochemistry. RET gene mutation, copy number variation, and rearrangement were analyzed by DNA Sanger sequencing, TaqMan copy number assays, and reverse transcription‐PCR. ALK and ROS1 expression levels were tested by Western blot and EGFR mutation using Sanger sequencing. Results The RET‐positive rate was 2.5% (16/631). RET‐positive expression was related to poorer tumor differentiation (P < 0.05). In the 16 RET‐positive samples, only two samples of moderately and poorly differentiated lung adenocarcinomas displayed RET rearrangement, both in RET‐KIF5B fusion partners. Neither ALK nor ROS1 translocation was found. The EGFR mutation rate in RET‐positive samples was significantly lower than in RET‐negative samples (P < 0.05). Conclusion RET‐positive expression in early and mid stage NSCLC cases from south central China is relatively low and is related to poorer tumor differentiation. RET gene alterations (copy number gain and rearrangement) exist in all RET‐positive samples. RET‐positive expression is a relatively independent factor in NSCLC patients, which indicates that the RET gene may be a novel target site for personalized treatment of NSCLC. PMID:29473341

A novel de novo germ-line V292M mutation in the extracellular region of RET in a patient with phaeochromocytoma and medullary thyroid carcinoma: functional characterization.

PubMed

Castellone, Maria D; Verrienti, Antonella; Magendra Rao, Deva; Sponziello, Marialuisa; Fabbro, Dora; Muthu, Magesh; Durante, Cosimo; Maranghi, Marianna; Damante, Giuseppe; Pizzolitto, Stefano; Costante, Giuseppe; Russo, Diego; Santoro, Massimo; Filetti, Sebastiano

2010-10-01

In multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN), rearranged during transfection (RET), gene testing has been extensively exploited to characterize tumour aggressiveness and optimize the diagnostic and clinical management. To report the underlying genetic alterations in an unusual case of MEN type 2 (MEN-2A). Occult medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) was diagnosed in a 44-year-old man who had presented with unilateral phaeochromcytoma. DNA extracted from the blood and tumour tissues was analysed for mutations in RET. The transforming potential and mitogenic properties of the identified RET mutation were investigated. The patient carried a novel heterozygous germ-line RET mutation in exon 5 (Val292Met, GTG>ATG) (V292M/RET) with no evidence of additional somatic alterations. The mutation maps to the third cadherin-like domain of RET, which is usually not included in RET screening. Interestingly, MTC with concomitant phaeochromcytoma has never been associated with a RET mutation involving the extracellular cadherin-like domain. V292M/RET was absent in the only two relatives examined. In vitro assays indicate that the mutant has low-grade transforming potential. Complete characterization and classification of all novel RET mutations are essential for extending genetic analysis in clinical practice. Our findings suggest that: (i) in all MEN-2 patients negative for RET hot-spot mutations, testing should be extended to all coding regions of the gene and (ii) the newly identified V292M/RET mutation is characterized by relatively weak in vitro transforming ability. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Teachers or Psychologists: Who Should Facilitate Depression Prevention Programs in Schools?

PubMed Central

Wahl, Melanie S.; Adelson, Jill L.; Patak, Margarete A.; Pössel, Patrick; Hautzinger, Martin

2014-01-01

The current study evaluates a depression prevention program for adolescents led by psychologists vs. teachers in comparison to a control. The universal school-based prevention program has shown its efficacy in several studies when implemented by psychologists. The current study compares the effects of the program as implemented by teachers versus that implemented by psychologists under real-life conditions. A total of 646 vocational track 8th grade students from Germany participated either in a universal prevention program, led by teachers (n = 207) or psychologists (n = 213), or a teaching-as-usual control condition (n = 226). The design includes baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up (at 6 and 12 months post-intervention). The cognitive-behavioral program includes 10 sessions held in a regular school setting in same-gender groups and is based on the social information-processing model of social competence. Positive intervention effects were found on the change in girls’ depressive symptoms up to 12 months after program delivery when the program was implemented by psychologists. No such effects were found on boys or when program was delivered by teachers. The prevention program can successfully be implemented for girls by psychologists. Further research is needed for explanations of these effects. PMID:24837667

Perceived Learning and Satisfaction in a Blended Teacher Education Program: An Experience of Malaysian Teacher Trainees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karimi, Leila; Ahmad, Tunku Badariah Tunku

2013-01-01

Blended learning, as a new approach to education, is rapidly being adopted by educational institutions for the purpose of teacher education or teacher training. This study reports the results of a survey exploring the relationships between perceived learning and satisfaction in a blended teacher education program among three different groups of…

Independent Teacher Education Programs: Apocryphal Claims, Illusory Evidence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zeichner, Ken

2016-01-01

Teacher education provided in U.S. colleges and universities has been routinely criticized since its inception in the early nineteenth century. These programs are uneven in quality and can be improved. Advocacy groups and self-proclaimed social entrepreneurs are working aggressively to deregulate the preparation of teachers and to expand…

Teacher Incentive Pay Programs: Characteristics and Association with Instructional Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liang, Guodong

2011-01-01

This dissertation research examined the characteristics of teacher incentive pay programs in the state of Missouri and across the nation in the United States. The purposes of this study were (a) to examine the characteristics of districts that offered performance-related pay (PRP) programs and teachers who received PRP awards in 2007 using the…

Teachers' Use of Technology: Lessons Learned from the Teacher Education Program to the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, Vivian H.; Wilson, Elizabeth K.

2011-01-01

This paper describes 10 teachers' perceptions of technology integration and technology use in their classrooms, five years after their graduation from a teacher education program which encouraged technology use in teaching and learning. The researchers used Hooper and Rieber's (1999) five phases of technology use (familiarization, utilization,…

In-Service Program for Teachers of Educable Mentally Retarded Children. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hebeler, Jean R.; Simms, Betty H.

To extend and modify university teacher education to meet the needs of noncertified special class teachers, to improve the classroom program and to provide the opportunity for certification, 26 teachers took part in a 2 year educational program. Formal course work was combined with internship activities in which actual classroom assistance was…

The Industrial Vocational High School Teacher Training Program Cooperating with the Enterprises.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chi, Cheng-Feng

Training of vocational education teachers should be closely linked to the industries in which the teachers are preparing to instruct students. A teacher training program in Taiwan has been designed with the cooperation of the metals manufacturing industry. In this four-year program, students are assigned to the industry to learn the product…

Facilitating Participant Success: Teachers Experiencing Antarctica and the Arctic Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shipp, S. S.; Bruccoli, A.; Porter, M.; Meese, D.

2003-12-01

Through the NSF-funded Teachers Experiencing Antarctica and the Arctic (TEA) Program K-12 science teachers participate as members of polar field projects. Objectives of the program include: immersing the science teacher in the experience of research; 2) leveraging the research experience of the teacher to better inform teaching practices; and 3) sharing the experience with the broader educational and general community. The polar field experience is an exciting opportunity accompanied by a daunting number of responsibilities. In addition to preparing for field research, TEA teachers bring their experience to colleagues, classrooms, and communities. Before going into the field, they give presentations, help plan how students can connect to the polar regions, and share the expedition with the public. In the field, the TEA teacher is a team member and educational liaison, responding to questions by e-mail, and posting e-journals describing the research experience. Upon return, the TEA again shares the experience broadly with the community. In addition, they work closely with 3 colleagues for 140 hours to bring the experience of research into classrooms. Formative evaluation of the TEA Program underscores the need to support teachers in accomplishing their responsibilities; this support is necessary to achieve program objectives. TEA teachers are responsible for sharing the science content of their research. While many broadcast the excitement of the experience, they may not have the scientific background to convey the content. This is due, in part, to many teachers having to be generalists in their classrooms. Shifting into the role of specialist can be challenging. In the year of preparation before the field experience, TEA teachers attend orientation, meet with their research teams for several days, and are encouraged to learn more about their science topic. Understanding builds through the field experience. It may take two or more years after the field work for the

Six teachers' experience with a video-based professional development program: Its implementation and development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, Marianne T.

Many professional development programs fall short of accomplishing their objectives. Recently, programs have been developed that would appear to appeal to teachers and to enhance their potential to influence teachers' practice. My research describes six teachers' responses to a professional development program that employs video as a key feature. The Next Move program consists of eight two-hour sessions, and includes a one-hour video intended to stimulate discussion among a group of teachers. All group participants were invited to participate in the study. My interview sample consisted of six teachers from two groups who volunteered to participate in the study. The first group consisted of four study participants from an urban district. Twelve teachers from this district attended the initial session. Of these, seven became regular participants who completed all sessions. Most of them registered for the graduate credit option. Two study participants were from a single suburban elementary school that had five teachers; they occasionally met jointly with a group from another elementary school, so the numbers varied. Teachers volunteering for this study had from four to seventeen years experience. They were all Caucasian and included four women and two men. My data set consists of three interviews with each teacher, one at the start of the program, one after the last session, and one at the end of the school year. I interviewed each facilitator and jointly interviewed the program's producer and project manager. Additional data was obtained from observation of program sessions and classrooms. Print data sources were the program guide and the project summative evaluation. The data analysis suggests a poor match between the funder's intent and what the teachers expected, based on the program title and information in the promotional flyer. Because of these discontinuities, the program failed to meet its objectives fully. However, some interesting benefits did appear. For

Hybrid-Mentoring Programs for Beginning Elementary Science Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bang, EunJin

2013-01-01

This study examines four induction models and teacher changes in science teaching practices, as a result of several mentoring programs. It explores three different computer-mediated mentoring programs, and a traditional offline induction program--in terms of interactivity, inquiry-based teaching, and topics of knowledge. Fifteen elementary science…

Light: Teacher's Curriculum Guide for the Thirteen-College Curriculum Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

George, Aleyamma; Ragland, Leon

This booklet is a teacher's manual in a series of booklets that make up the core of a Physical Science course designed for the freshman year of college and used by teachers in the 27 colleges participating in the Thirteen College Curriculum Program. This program is a curriculum revision project in support of 13 predominantly Negro colleges and…

Infrequent detectable somatic mutations of the RET and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) genes in human pituitary adenomas.

PubMed

Yoshimoto, K; Tanaka, C; Moritani, M; Shimizu, E; Yamaoka, T; Yamada, S; Sano, T; Itakura, M

1999-02-01

RET is a receptor tyrosine kinase expressed in neuroendocrine cells and tumors. RET is activated by a ligand complex comprising glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and GDNF receptor-alpha (GDNFR-alpha). Activating mutations of the RET proto-oncogene were found in multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) 2 and in sporadic medullary thyroid carcinoma and pheochromocytoma of neuroendocrine origin. Mutations of the RET proto-oncogene and the glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) gene were examined in human pituitary tumors. No mutations of the RET proto-oncogene including the cysteine-rich region or codon 768 and 918 in the tyrosine kinase domain were detected in 172 human pituitary adenomas either by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) or by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). Further, somatic mutations of the GDNF gene in 33 human pituitary adenomas were not detected by PCR-SSCP. One polymorphism of the GDNF gene at codon 145 of TGC or TGT was observed in a prolactinoma. The RET proto-oncogene message was detected in a normal human pituitary gland or 4 of 4 human pituitary adenomas with reverse transcription (RT)-PCR, and in rodent pituitary tumor cell lines with Western blotting. The expression of GDNF gene was detected in 1 of 4 human somatotroph adenomas, 1 of 2 corticotroph adenomas, and 2 of 6 rodent pituitary tumor cell lines with RT-PCR. Based on these, it is concluded that somatic mutations of the RET proto-oncogene or the GDNF gene do not appear to play a major role in the pituitary tumorigenesis in examined tumors.

Project ESCAPE; A Performance-Based Teacher Education Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vigo County School Corp., Terre Haute, IN.

Project ESCAPE is sponsored by the Vigo County School Corporation of Terre Haute, Indiana, with the cooperation of Indiana State University. The unique characteristic of this project is that it is a competency-based teacher education program that has been created, tested, and implemented by practicing professional teachers. It is based on the…

Discovery of 4-chloro-3-(5-(pyridin-3-yl)-1,2,4-oxadiazole-3-yl)benzamides as novel RET kinase inhibitors.

PubMed

Han, Mei; Li, Shan; Ai, Jing; Sheng, Rong; Hu, Yongzhou; Hu, Youhong; Geng, Meiyu

2016-12-01

A series of novel 4-chloro-benzamides derivatives containing substituted five-membered heteroaryl ring were designed, synthesized and evaluated as RET kinase inhibitors for cancer therapy. Most of compounds exhibited moderate to high potency in ELISA-based kinase assay. In particular, compound I-8 containing 1,2,4-oxadiazole strongly inhibited RET kinase activity both in molecular and cellular level. In turn, I-8 inhibited cell proliferation driven by RET wildtype and gatekeeper mutation. The results implied that 4-chloro-3-(5-(pyridin-3-yl)-1,2,4-oxadiazole-3-yl)benzamides are promising lead compounds as novel RET kinase inhibitor for further investigation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Somatotropinomas, but not nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas, maintain a functional apoptotic RET/Pit1/ARF/p53 pathway that is blocked by excess GDNF.

PubMed

Diaz-Rodriguez, Esther; Garcia-Rendueles, Angela R; Ibáñez-Costa, Alejandro; Gutierrez-Pascual, Ester; Garcia-Lavandeira, Montserrat; Leal, Alfonso; Japon, Miguel A; Soto, Alfonso; Venegas, Eva; Tinahones, Francisco J; Garcia-Arnes, Juan A; Benito, Pedro; Angeles Galvez, Maria; Jimenez-Reina, Luis; Bernabeu, Ignacio; Dieguez, Carlos; Luque, Raul M; Castaño, Justo P; Alvarez, Clara V

2014-11-01

Acromegaly is caused by somatotroph cell adenomas (somatotropinomas [ACROs]), which secrete GH. Human and rodent somatotroph cells express the RET receptor. In rodents, when normal somatotrophs are deprived of the RET ligand, GDNF (Glial Cell Derived Neurotrophic Factor), RET is processed intracellularly to induce overexpression of Pit1 [Transcription factor (gene : POUF1) essential for transcription of Pituitary hormones GH, PRL and TSHb], which in turn leads to p19Arf/p53-dependent apoptosis. Our purpose was to ascertain whether human ACROs maintain the RET/Pit1/p14ARF/p53/apoptosis pathway, relative to nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas (NFPAs). Apoptosis in the absence and presence of GDNF was studied in primary cultures of 8 ACROs and 3 NFPAs. Parallel protein extracts were analyzed for expression of RET, Pit1, p19Arf, p53, and phospho-Akt. When GDNF deprived, ACRO cells, but not NFPAs, presented marked level of apoptosis that was prevented in the presence of GDNF. Apoptosis was accompanied by RET processing, Pit1 accumulation, and p14ARF and p53 induction. GDNF prevented all these effects via activation of phospho-AKT. Overexpression of human Pit1 (hPit1) directly induced p19Arf/p53 and apoptosis in a pituitary cell line. Using in silico studies, 2 CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha (cEBPα) consensus-binding sites were found to be 100% conserved in mouse, rat, and hPit1 promoters. Deletion of 1 cEBPα site prevented the RET-induced increase in hPit1 promoter expression. TaqMan qRT-PCR (real time RT-PCR) for RET, Pit1, Arf, TP53, GDNF, steroidogenic factor 1, and GH was performed in RNA from whole ACRO and NFPA tumors. ACRO but not NFPA adenomas express RET and Pit1. GDNF expression in the tumors was positively correlated with RET and negatively correlated with p53. In conclusion, ACROs maintain an active RET/Pit1/p14Arf/p53/apoptosis pathway that is inhibited by GDNF. Disruption of GDNF's survival function might constitute a new therapeutic route in

Living Alongside: Teacher Educator Experiences Working in a Community-Based Aboriginal Teacher Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kitchen, Julian; Hodson, John

2013-01-01

Aboriginal education in Canada needs to shift away from the assimilative model to a model of culturally responsive pedagogy. Teacher education programs that serve Aboriginal teachers have an important role to play in developing an education system that both meets mainstream and Indigenous criteria for success. This paper examines the experiences…

Know How? Show How: Experienced Teachers Share Best Practices through Ontario Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amato, Lindy; Anthony, Paul; Strachan, Jim

2014-01-01

Launched in 2007, the Teacher Learning and Leadership Program, out of Ontario, Canada, operates on the belief that classroom teachers know their learning needs and the needs of their students best. Additionally, the program assumes teachers have the greatest knowledge of how to build and foster multiple learning networks in order to share their…

The Arctic Climate Modeling Program: Professional Development for Rural Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bertram, Kathryn Berry

2010-01-01

The Arctic Climate Modeling Program (ACMP) offered yearlong science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) professional development to teachers in rural Alaska. Teacher training focused on introducing youth to workforce technologies used in Arctic research. Due to challenges in making professional development accessible to rural teachers, ACMP…

Binding of GDNF and neurturin to human GDNF family receptor alpha 1 and 2. Influence of cRET and cooperative interactions.

PubMed

Cik, M; Masure, S; Lesage, A S; Van Der Linden, I; Van Gompel, P; Pangalos, M N; Gordon, R D; Leysen, J E

2000-09-08

The members of the glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) family signal via binding to the glycosyl phosphatidylinositol-anchored membrane proteins, the GDNF family receptors alpha (GFRalpha), and activation of cRET. We performed a detailed analysis of the binding of GDNF and neurturin to their receptors and investigated the influence of cRET on the binding affinities. We show that the rate of dissociation of (125)I-GDNF from GFRalpha1 is increased in the presence of 50 nm GDNF, an effect that can be explained by the occurrence of negative cooperativity. Scatchard plots of the ligand concentration binding isotherms reveal a pronounced downward curvature at low (125)I-GDNF concentrations suggesting the presence of positive cooperativity. This effect is observed in the range of GDNF concentrations responsible for biological activity (1-20 pm) and may have an important role in cRET-independent signaling. A high affinity site with a K(D) of 11 pm for (125)I-GDNF is detected only when GFRalpha1 is co-expressed with cRET at a DNA ratio of 1:3. These results suggest an interaction of GFRalpha1 and cRET in the absence of GDNF and demonstrate that the high affinity binding can be measured only when cRET is present.

1970-1971 Yearly Report: Consulting Teacher Program; Chittenden South School District.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vermont Univ., Burlington. Coll. of Education.

Reported are service and research projects which consultants from Vermont's 1970-71 Consulting Teacher Program (Chittenden South) helped teachers to implement to improve the social and academic behaviors of 269 handicapped learners in regular elementary classes. Such program aspects as inservice education, consulting activities, parent…

Accelerated Reader Program: What Do Teachers Really Think?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Amy Frances; Westberg, Karen; Hejny, Anne

2017-01-01

What do teachers really think about the Accelerated Reader program, a widely used supplemental, independent reading program in which their students read fiction and non-fiction books of their choice and take brief online comprehension quizzes about the books? The Accelerated Reader (AR) program was designed by Renaissance Learning Company to…

Exploring the Mathematical Confidence of Indigenous Preservice Teachers in a Remote Teacher Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thornton, Steve; Giles, Wendy; Prescott, Debbie; Rhodes, David

2011-01-01

This paper reports on the efficacy of an accelerated teacher education program ("Growing Our Own") focused in remote Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory. The program is a joint initiative of Charles Darwin University and the Northern Territory Catholic Education Office, providing an intensive two-year program designed to…

Cooperation: A Key to Urban Teacher Education. Cooperative Urban Teacher Education Program, No. 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clothier, Grant; Swick, James

The Laboratory's Cooperative Urban Teacher Education Program (CUTE), presently involving 23 Midwest liberal arts colleges plus four public and two parochial school systems in Oklahoma City, Wichita, and Kansas City, was organized in 1966 to develop and implement practical plans for cooperation in the preparing of teachers for inner-city schools. A…

Theory to Practice through Teacher Inquiry Courses in a Graduate Program: Two Teachers' Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keat, Jane Blakely

2005-01-01

Our graduate degree program includes a component of six one-credit courses, in which teachers find ways to bring into their own classroom practices theory learned in related three-credit courses. Prior research indicates that taking course work alone may not bring about changes in teachers' decision-making. Prior research also encourages higher…

Developing, testing, and implementing a survey of scientist mentoring teachers as part of an RET: The GABI RET mentor survey.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davey, B.

2017-12-01

The impacts of mentoring in education have been well established. Mentors have a large impact on their mentees and have been show to affect mentee attitudes towards learning, interest in subjects, future success, and more. While mentoring has a well-documented impact on the mentees, mentoring also has an impact on the mentors themselves. However, little has been studied empirically about these impacts. When we looked for a validated instrument that measured the impact of mentoring on the scientists working with the teachers, we found many anecdotal reports but no instruments that meet our specific needs. To this end, we developed, tested, and implemented our own instrument for measuring the impacts of mentoring on our scientist mentors. Our instrument contained both quantitative and qualitative items designed to reveal the effects of mentoring in two areas: 1) cognitive domain (mentoring, teaching, understanding K-12) and 2) affective domain (professional, personal, participation). We first shared our survey with experts in survey development and mentoring, gathered their feedback, and incorporated their suggestions into our instrument. We then had a subsection of our mentors complete the survey and then complete it again three to four days later (test-retest). Our survey has a high correlation for the test-retest quantitative items (0.93) and a high correlation (0.90) between the three reviewers of the qualitative items. From our findings, we feel we have a validated instrument (face, content, and contruct validity) that answers our research questions reliably. Our contribution to the study of mentoring of science teachers reveals a broad range of impacts on the mentors themselves including an improved understanding of the challenges of classroom teaching, a recognition of the importance of scientists working with science teachers, an enhanced ability to communicate their research and findings, and an increased interest and excitement for their own work.

Evaluating Preparation Programs for School Leaders and Teachers in Specialty Areas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berney, Mary F., Ed.; Ayers, Jerry B., Ed.

This book is a guide to evaluating the educational programs for preparation of school administrators, school counselors and psychologists, school library media specialists, vocational education teachers, special education teachers, health and physical education teachers, and music and visual arts education teachers. It is a practical guide to the…

Teachers' Readiness to Implement Nutrition Education Programs: Beliefs, Attitudes, and Barriers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perikkou, Anastasia; Kokkinou, Eleni; Panagiotakos, Demosthenes B.; Yannakoulia, Mary

2015-01-01

Teachers' attitudes about school food environments and their readiness to implement school-based nutrition programs were investigated. A total of 1,436 primary-school teachers filled out a questionnaire on their demographic and professional characteristics and their attitudes, beliefs, and barriers for implementing health educational programs. The…

Education Program - Teacher in Space

NASA Image and Video Library

1985-12-17

S85-46205 (December 1985) --- Sharon Christa McAuliffe (left), from Concord, New Hampshire, and Barbara R. Morgan of McCall, Idaho, have been named NASA Teacher-in-Space Project prime and backup payload specialists, respectively, for the first citizen observer position of the STS program, scheduled for a Challenger flight in January 1986. Photo credit: NASA

The Real World and People Teacher Education Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Gene E.

Whereas 10 years ago the concerns of students were for improvement and achievement in the knowledge of science and for success in college, today they are concerned about the interactions between man and his environment. Teachers must be trained to cope with these new directions. A program for the education of science teachers is proposed which…

Teachers' Perspectives about an Anti-Bullying Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lester, Robin Rawlings; Maldonado, Nancy

2013-01-01

Bullying has become a nationwide concern at the K-12 level. Guided by the theoretical framework of social learning theory, this study explored the perceptions of secondary education teachers about the bully-proofing program in place at one target middle school. Despite the target middle school's anti-bullying program, the incidence of bullying had…

Teacher Beliefs regarding Bilingualism in an English Medium Reading Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vaish, Viniti

2012-01-01

Reading classes in schools where English is the medium of instruction are increasingly servicing a linguistically diverse population; however, teacher-training for English teachers lacks a focus on bilingualism. Using the context of Singapore, this paper analyses beliefs on bilingualism of English teachers in an early intervention reading program.…

Bridging the Gap between Classrooms and Research Laboratories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dempsey, Brian; Hibbett, David; Binder, Manfred

2007-01-01

In the ever-expanding realm of science, educators struggle to share new discoveries and techniques with their students. Keeping abreast of recent advances can be daunting, even for the most motivated teacher. Fortunately, the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) program helps educators keep up with the…

[Detection of ALK, ROS1 and RET fusion genes in non-small cell lung cancer patients and its clinicopathologic correlation].

PubMed

Zhong, Shan; Zhang, Haiping; Bai, Dongyu; Gao, Dehong; Zheng, Jie; Ding, Yi

2015-09-01

To study the prevalence of ALK, ROS1 and RET fusion genes in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and its correlation with clinicopathologic features. Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue sections from samples of 302 patients with NSCLC were screened for ALK, ROS1, RET fusions by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). All of the cases were validated by Sanger DNA sequencing. The relationship between ALK, ROS1, RET fusion genes and clinicopathologic features were analyzed. In the cohort of 302 NSCLC samples, 3.97% (12/302) were found to contain ALK fusion genes, including 3 cases with E13; A20 gene fusion, 3 cases with E6; A20 gene fusion and 3 cases with E20; A20 gene fusion. There was no statistically significant difference in patient's gender, age, smoking history and histologic type. Moreover, in the 302 NSCLC samples studied, 3.97% (12/302) were found to contain ROS1 fusion genes, with CD74-ROS1 fusion identified in 9 cases. There was no statistically significant difference in patients' gender, age, smoking history and histologic type. One non-smoking elderly female patient with pulmonary adenocarcinoma had RET gene fusion. None of the cases studied had concurrent ALK, ROS1 and RET mutations. The ALK, ROS1 and RET fusion gene mutation rates in NSCLC are low, they represent some specific molecular subtypes of NSCLC. Genetic testing has significant meaning to guide clinical targeted therapy.

Making It Real: A Practice-Based Early Childhood Teacher Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vartuli, Sue; Snider, Karrie; Holley, Maggie

2016-01-01

In early childhood teacher education programs, the reality of educational systems must be understood and teacher candidates must be ready to deal with the current challenges schools face. The rationale and application of the principles of practice based teacher education are presented in this article. Practice-based teacher education programs…

The effect of a science work experience program for teachers on the classroom environment: A qualitative program evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frazier, Wendy Michelle

Science Work Experience Programs for Teachers (SWEPTs) provide an opportunity for science and math teachers to work in research laboratories during the summer to experience science as it is practiced in the laboratory-setting. Through the use of interviews with teachers and students, classroom observations, and an analysis of printed student sheets and student work, the lived experience of a cohort of program participants in Columbia University's Summer Research Program for Secondary School Science Teachers was recorded in an effort to describe the effect of experience in a SWEPT on the classroom environment of teacher participants and student outcomes. Relying on Social Learning Theory and science education reform documentation as a theoretical framework the following dimensions of the classroom were examined: (1) emergent themes that include the participants' perceptions of the importance of technology in the classroom, (2) interpersonal relationships with the teachers at the participants' schools, fellow program participants, research scientists, and students, and (3) changes in epistemological structure, curriculum, instructional strategies, and classroom practices. Methodological and theoretical implications are addressed with respect to future studies, and suggestions for refinement of SWEPTs are provided.

The Perceived Technology Proficiency of Students in a Teacher Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coffman, Vonda G.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study is to determine the perceived technology capabilities of different levels of undergraduate students of Kent State University in the College of Education, Health, and Human Services teacher education programs; to determine if the perceived technology capabilities of students beginning the teacher education program differ…

The Education of Deaf-Blind Youth: Teacher Characteristics and Program Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maxson, B. J.; And Others

1989-01-01

Teachers (n=124) of deaf-blind students responded to a survey regarding their experience, training, program characteristics, communication methods, certification, and prevalence of deaf-blind students in their programs. Results indicated a high number of certifications for teachers, and a steady incidence of deaf-blind students across age groups…

An Alternative School Teacher Education Program. Teacher Education Forum; Volume 3, Number 7.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barr, Robert D.

The Alternative School Teacher Education Program, cooperatively developed by participating public schools and Indiana University, is a field-based masters degree program designed for completion in one calendar year. Students spend two summers on campus pursuing graduate course work. During the academic year between these summers, students earn…

Assessing the Functional Knowledge of Participants in the Virginia Beginning Teacher Assistance Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Medley, Donald M.; And Others

1989-01-01

Describes the development of an assessment program for beginning teachers and the program's effect on teaching and teacher education in Virginia. Discusses definitions of competence and performance, development of a system for assessing competence, training of classroom recorders, and measurement of competence by observations of teachers'…

Earth Science Resource Teachers: A Mentor Program for NASA's Explorer Schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ireton, F.; Owens, A.; Steffen, P. L.

2004-12-01

Each year, the NASA Explorer Schools (NES) program establishes a three-year partnership between NASA and 50 school teams, consisting of teachers and education administrators from diverse communities across the country. While partnered with NASA, NES teams acquire and use new teaching resources and technology tools for grades 4 - 9 using NASA's unique content, experts and other resources. Schools in the program are eligible to receive funding (pending budget approval) over the three-year period to purchase technology tools that support science and mathematics instruction. Explorer School teams attend a one-week summer institute at one of NASA's field centers each summer. The weeklong institutes are designed to introduce the teachers and administrators to the wealth of NASA information and resources available and to provide them with content background on NASA's exploration programs. During the 2004 summer institutes at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) the National Earth Science Teachers Association (NESTA) entered into a pilot program with NES to test the feasibility of master teachers serving as mentors for the NES teams. Five master teachers were selected as Earth Science Resource Teachers (ESRT) from an application pool and attended the NES workshop at GSFC. During the workshop they participated in the program along side the NES teams which provided the opportunity for them to meet the teams and develop a rapport. Over the next year the ESRT will be in communication with the NES teams to offer suggestions on classroom management, content issues, classroom resources, and will be able to assist them in meeting the goals of NES. This paper will discuss the planning, selection, participation, outcomes, costs, and suggestions for future ESRT mentorship programs.

Impact of Professional Development Programs for Teachers of the Gifted

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vidergor, Hava E.; Eilam, Billie

2011-01-01

The aim of the present study was to assess the impact of the Israeli certification program for teachers of gifted children. Pre- and post-tests addressed Israeli teachers' perceptions of unique teaching-learning situations in pullout centers, the desired characteristics of teachers of the gifted, as well as knowledge of gifted and instructional…

Supporting Students of Color in Teacher Education: Results from an Urban Teacher Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waddell, Jennifer

2014-01-01

This article describes an urban teacher education program on a predominantly White campus, in which 71% of the students in the program were students of color. This article details a qualitative study and highlights the structures of support most influential in the retention of students within the program. Findings suggest that a multifaceted…

A Mixed Method Study on the Missouri Beginning Teachers Assistance Program and Teacher Retention in Saint Louis School Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ciolek, Raymond

2017-01-01

The purpose of this research was to investigate whether new teacher and new teacher mentor perceptions of the effectiveness of the Missouri State Beginning Teachers' Assistance Program (BTAP) were positive and whether the new teacher perceptions led to the new teacher remaining in the teaching profession at least five years. At the time of this…

The FOSTER Project: Teacher Enrichment Through Participation in NASA's Airborne Astronomy Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koch, David; Hull, G.; Gillespie, C., Jr.; DeVore, E.; Witteborn, Fred C. (Technical Monitor)

1995-01-01

NASA's airborne astronomy program offers a unique opportunity for K-12 science teacher enrichment and for NASA to reach out and serve the educational community. Learning from a combination of summer workshops, curriculum supplement materials, training in Internet skills and ultimately flying on NASA's C-141 airborne observatory, the teachers are able to share the excitement of scientific discovery with their students and convey that excitement from first hand experience rather than just from reading about science in a textbook. This year the program has expanded to include teachers from the eleven western states served by NASA Ames Research Center's Educational Programs Office as well as teachers from communities from around the country where the scientist who fly on the observatory reside. Through teacher workshops and inservice presentations, the FOSTER (Flight Opportunities for Science Teacher EnRichment) teachers are sharing the resources and experiences with many hundreds of other teachers. Ultimately, the students are learning first hand about the excitement of science, the scientific method in practice, the team work involved, the relevance of science to their daily lives and the importance of a firm foundation in math and science in today's technologically oriented world.

Loss of One or Two PATZ1 Alleles Has a Critical Role in the Progression of Thyroid Carcinomas Induced by the RET/PTC1 Oncogene

PubMed Central

Palma, Giuseppe; Vitiello, Michela; Capiluongo, Anna; D’Andrea, Barbara; Vuttariello, Emilia; Luciano, Antonio; Cerchia, Laura; Chiappetta, Gennaro; Arra, Claudio; Fusco, Alfredo

2018-01-01

POZ/BTB and AT-hook-containing zinc finger protein 1 (PATZ1) is an emerging cancer-related gene that is downregulated in different human malignancies, including thyroid cancer, where its levels gradually decrease going from papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTC) to poorly differentiated and undifferentiated highly aggressive anaplastic carcinomas (ATC). The restoration of PATZ1 expression in thyroid cancer cells reverted their malignant phenotype by inducing mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition, thus validating a tumor suppressor role for PATZ1 and suggesting its involvement in thyroid cancer progression. Here, we investigated the consequences of the homozygous and heterozygous loss of PATZ1 in the context of a mouse modeling of PTC, represented by mice carrying the RET/PTC1 oncogene under the thyroid specific control of the thyroglobulin promoter RET/PTC1 (RET/PTC1TG). The phenotypic analysis of RET/PTC1TG mice intercrossed with Patz1-knockout mice revealed that deficiency of both Patz1 alleles enhanced thyroid cancer incidence in RET/PTC1TG mice, but not the heterozygous knockout of the Patz1 gene. However, both RET/PTC1TG;Patz1+/− and RET/PTC1TG;Patz1−/− mice developed a more aggressive thyroid cancer phenotype—characterized by higher Ki-67 expression, presence of ATCs, and increased incidence of solid variants of PTC—than that shown by RET/PTC1TG; Patz1+/+ compound mice. These results confirm that PATZ1 downregulation has a critical role in thyroid carcinogenesis, showing that it cooperates with RET/PTC1 in thyroid cancer progression. PMID:29584698

An Inservice Program for Elementary Teachers: Components, Instructional Procedures, and Evaluation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horak, Willis J.; And Others

A description and evaluation of a year-long science in-service program for elementary teachers is provided. Consisting of three components, the program was designed to expand teachers' understandings of physics and chemistry concepts and processes and to encourage more science teaching and science activities in their classrooms. The on-campus…

Teacher Reform in Indonesia: Can Offshore Programs Create Lasting Pedagogical Shift?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, William; Hyde, Mervyn; Whannel, Robert; O'Neill, Maureen

2018-01-01

Regional and national interest in reforming teaching in Indonesia has seen governments, NGOs and education specialists combine to drive pedagogical changes among school teachers there. Results of these programs have been indifferent at best. This paper reports on teacher reform programs in Provinsi Papua, one of the most marginal societies in…

Improving retting of fibre through genetic modification of flax to express pectinases.

PubMed

Musialak, Magdalena; Wróbel-Kwiatkowska, Magdalena; Kulma, Anna; Starzycka, Eligia; Szopa, Jan

2008-02-01

Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) is a raw material used for important industrial products. Linen has very high quality textile properties, such as its strength, water absorption, comfort and feel. However, it occupies less than 1% of the total textile market. The major reason for this is the long and difficult retting process by which linen fibres are obtained. In retting, bast fibre bundles are separated from the core, the epidermis and the cuticle. This is accomplished by the cleavage of pectins and hemicellulose in the flax cell wall, a process mainly carried out by plant pathogens like filamentous fungi. The remaining bast fibres are mainly composed of cellulose and lignin. The aim of this study was to generate plants that could be retted more efficiently. To accomplish this, we employed the novel approach of transgenic flax plant generation with increased polygalacturonase (PGI ) and rhamnogalacturonase (RHA) activities. The constitutive expression of Aspergillus aculeatus genes resulted in a significant reduction in the pectin content in tissue-cultured and field-grown plants. This pectin content reduction was accompanied by a significantly higher (more than 2-fold) retting efficiency of the transgenic plant fibres as measured by a modified Fried's test. No alteration in the lignin or cellulose content was observed in the transgenic plants relative to the control. This indicates that the over-expression of the two enzymes does not affect flax fibre composition. The growth rate and soluble sugar and starch contents were in the range of the control levels. It is interesting to note that the RHA and PGI plants showed higher resistance to Fusarium culmorum and F. oxysporum attack, which correlates with the increased phenolic acid level. In this report, we demonstrate for the first time that over-expression of the A. aculeatus genes results in flax plants more readily usable for fibre production. The biochemical parameters of the cell wall components indicated that

Three Essays on Teacher Education Programs and Test-Takers' Response Times on Test Items

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Qian, Hong

2013-01-01

This dissertation includes three essays: one essay focuses on the effect of teacher preparation programs on teacher knowledge while the other two focus on test-takers' response times on test items. Essay One addresses the problem of how opportunities to learn in teacher preparation programs influence future elementary mathematics teachers'…

Effects of a Play-Based Teacher Consultation (PBTC) Program on Interpersonal Skills of Elementary School Teachers in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carlson, Sarah E.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a play-based teacher consultation (PBTC) program on individual teachers' interpersonal classroom behaviors and teacher-child relationships. The research questions addressed the application of child-centered play therapy principles and PBTC increasing teacher responsiveness, decreasing…

Activated RET and ROS: two new driver mutations in lung adenocarcinoma

PubMed Central

Bos, Marc; Gardizi, Masyar; Schildhaus, Hans-Ulrich; Buettner, Reinhard

2013-01-01

Rearrangements of ROS1 and RET have been recently described as new driver mutations in lung adenocarcinoma with a frequency of about 1% each. RET and ROS1 rearrangements both represent unique molecular subsets of lung adenocarcinoma with virtually no overlap with other known driver mutations described so far in lung adenocarcinoma. Specific clinicopathologic characteristics have been described and several multitargeted receptor kinase inhibitors have shown in vitro activity against NSCLC cells harbouring these genetic alterations. In addition, the MET/ALK/ROS inhibitor crizotinib has already shown impressive clinical activity in patients with advanced ROS1-positive lung cancer. Currently, several early proof of concept clinical trials are testing various kinase inhibitors in both molecular subsets of lung adenocarcinoma patients. Most probably, personalized treatment of these genetically defined new subsets of lung adenocarcinoma will be implemented in routine clinical care of lung cancer patients in the near future. PMID:25806222

Theory and Implementation of an Innovative Teacher Professional Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seals, Christopher; Mehta, Swati; Wolf, Leigh Graves; Marcotte, Candace

2017-01-01

U.S. teachers have less time to plan, collaborate, and research related work in comparison to teachers in competing countries (NECTL) and time is needed for teachers to learn new skills, understand new concepts, and to integrate new ideas into their practice (Corcoran, 1995). The MSUrbanSTEM Teaching and Leadership Fellowship program is a…

Productive Partnerships: Pilot Program Brings Teachers and SPCA Together.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kukulka, Judi; Soltow, Willow

1984-01-01

A pilot program providing a comprehensive humane education curriculum is described. Packets containing instructional material on animal classification, pet care, wildlife, animal communication, and human activism are provided to teachers. In addition, school visits make it possible to demonstrate the activities, and motivate teachers to make…

"Spanish as a Foreign Language" Teachers' Profiles: Inclusive Beliefs, Teachers' Perceptions of Student Outcomes in the TCLA Program, Burnout, and Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rojas Tejada, Antonio J.; Cruz Del Pino, Raquel M.; Tatar, Moshe; Jimenez Sayans, Pablo

2012-01-01

The present study focuses on the Temporary Classroom of Linguistic Adaptation program (TCLA program) in which specialist teachers (Spanish as a foreign language teachers--SFL teachers) teach Spanish to immigrants who are not proficient in the language. We suggest that support for immigrant students in Spanish schools should adopt a new inclusive…

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - (From left) Brian Duffy, Lockheed Martin vice president/associate program manager, Mildred Carter and Col. (Ret.) Herbert E. Carter, one of the Tuskegee Airmen, attend a dinner sponsored by the KSC Spaceflight and Life Sciences Office. Col. Carter was a guest speaker at the dinner.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-07-18

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - (From left) Brian Duffy, Lockheed Martin vice president/associate program manager, Mildred Carter and Col. (Ret.) Herbert E. Carter, one of the Tuskegee Airmen, attend a dinner sponsored by the KSC Spaceflight and Life Sciences Office. Col. Carter was a guest speaker at the dinner.

Investigation of the bacterial retting community of kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus) under different conditions using next-generation semiconductor sequencing.

PubMed

Visi, David K; D'Souza, Nandika; Ayre, Brian G; Webber Iii, Charles L; Allen, Michael S

2013-05-01

The microbial communities associated with kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus) plant fibers during retting were determined in an effort to identify possible means of accelerating this process for industrial scale-up. Microbial communities were identified by semiconductor sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons from DNA harvested from plant-surface associated samples and analyzed using an Ion Torrent PGM. The communities were sampled after 96 h from each of three different conditions, including amendments with pond water, sterilized pond water, or with a mixture of pectinolytic bacterial isolates. Additionally, plants from two different sources and having different pretreatment conditions were compared. We report that the best retting communities are dominated by members of the order Clostridiales. These bacteria appear to be naturally associated with the plant material, although slight variations between source materials were found. Additionally, heavy inoculations of pectinolytic bacteria established themselves and in addition their presence facilitated the rapid dominance of the original plant-associated Clostridiales. These data suggest that members of the order Clostridiales dominate the community and are most closely associated with efficient and effective retting. The results further suggest that establishment of the community structure is first driven by the switch to anaerobic conditions, and subsequently by possible competition for nitrogen. These findings reveal important bacterial groups involved in fiber retting, and suggest mechanisms for the manipulation of the community and retting efficiency by modifying nutrient availability.

America Reads-Mississippi Future Teacher Corps: A Study of Program Completers' Perception of Factors Influencing the Decision to Become and Remain Classroom Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Deborah Green

2012-01-01

Despite the number of programs in Mississippi that focus on developing and training teachers, the State continues to face a critical teacher shortage. This non-experimental, ex-post facto, quantitative study investigated the America Reads-Mississippi (ARM) Future Teacher Corps (FTC) program, an AmeriCorps program in Mississippi with a mission to…

The Efficacy of Multicultural Education Training in Teacher-Credentialing Programs: A Descriptive Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delk, Tricia

2017-01-01

The purpose of the qualitative descriptive embedded single case study research was to explore how multicultural curriculum and instruction in a teacher-credentialing program prepared pre-service teachers to work with diverse students. The problem was the inadequacy on the part of teacher-credentialing programs to train pre-service teachers to make…

The Relationship between Beginning Teachers' Engagement with Induction Program Components and Student Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holt, Janice Hooper

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine induction programs in North Carolina during the 2010-2011 school year to determine beginning teachers received the support as recommended by State Board of Education policy. Participants were second-year high school teachers participating in district level beginning teacher induction programs and were…

Perceived Factors Impacting School Music Programs: The Teacher's Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abril, Carlos R.; Bannerman, Julie K.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine elementary music teachers' perceptions of factors impacting their music programs and teaching positions as well as the actions these teachers take in response to those factors. The following research questions guided the study: (1) What factors are perceived to impact music programs and teaching…

Sexual Orientation Topics in Elementary Teacher Preparation Programs in the USA

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jennings, Todd; Sherwin, Gary

2008-01-01

This investigation is a descriptive study documenting the inclusion of sexual orientation (gay and lesbian) topics in a sample of 65 public university elementary teacher preparation programs across the USA (representing the preparation of 14,000-19,000 new teachers annually). Findings indicate that only 55.6% of programs address sexual orientation…

Development of Effective Teacher Program: Teamwork Building Program for Thailand's Municipal Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chantathai, Pimpka; Tesaputa, Kowat; Somprach, Kanokorn

2015-01-01

This research is aimed to formulate the effective teacher teamwork program in municipal schools in Thailand. Primary survey on current situation and problem was conducted to develop the plan to suggest potential programs. Samples were randomly selected from municipal schools by using multi-stage sampling method in order to investigate their…

The Influence of Teacher Preparation Programs' Field Experiences on Pre-Service Teacher Candidates' Sense of Teaching Efficacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reddy, Alison Marie

2012-01-01

In this descriptive, mixed methods study, the researcher investigated the influence of teacher preparation programs' field experiences on teacher candidates' sense of teaching efficacy. Tschannen-Morgan & Woolfolk-Hoy's (2001) Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale questionnaire was sent to 221 teacher candidates enrolled in one of…

Unifying the RET design flow with portable modeling information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sweis, Jason; Staud, Wolf; Naber, Bob; Laidig, Tom; Van Denbroeke, Doug

2006-05-01

The RET Design Flow has become a conglomeration of various point tools and methodologies. Deep sub-wavelength DFM requirements have forced the design and manufacturing communities into very tight collaboration. EDA is also driven to provide an infrastructure to facilitate communication for these communities. Having this infrastructure in place has a direct impact on productivity and quality for which the value added is emphasized here.

Computer Literacy for Student Teachers and Elementary Children through Programming.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elliott, John D.

This paper argues that teachers and students should be creators as well as consumers of computer software, not only so that they might better appreciate the skills involved, but also to improve teacher effectiveness in the classroom. As part of their own class work, 13 second-year student teachers developed a branching program using simple basic…

Georgia's Grow-Your-Own Teacher Programs Attract the Right Stuff

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swanson, Peter B.

2011-01-01

There is a shortage of educators and there are various factors that account for the lack of teachers. Millions of new teachers will be needed in the near future and the present study juxtaposes the vocational personality profiles of adolescents (N = 262) participating in Future Educators of America programs in Georgia to in-service teachers'…

Experienced Teacher Fellowship Program. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolansky, William D.; Cochran, Leslie H.

The Industrial Arts Fellowship Program provides an opportunity for 24 experienced teachers to pursue graduate study related to two occupational clusters: industrial materials and processes or energy and propulsion systems. As part of their studies, students developed, field tested, and evaluated curriculum materials which applied these evolving…

Promoting Reflection in Teacher Preparation Programs: A Multilevel Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Etscheidt, Susan; Curran, Christina M.; Sawyer, Candace M.

2012-01-01

Teacher reflection has been promoted as a necessary tool for educators to sustain responsive instructional practices. A variety of approaches for integrating inquiry into teaching and reflection in practice emerged from extensive and intensive efforts to reform teacher preparation programs. Based on those conceptualizations, a three-level model of…

Distinct TrkA and Ret modulated negative and positive neuropathic behaviors in a mouse model of resiniferatoxin-induced small fiber neuropathy.

PubMed

Hsieh, Yu-Lin; Kan, Hung-Wei; Chiang, Hao; Lee, Yi-Chen; Hsieh, Sung-Tsang

2018-02-01

Neurotrophic factors and their corresponding receptors play key roles in the maintenance of different phenotypic dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons, the axons of which degenerate in small fiber neuropathy, leading to various neuropathic manifestations. Mechanisms underlying positive and negative symptoms of small fiber neuropathy have not been systematically explored. This study investigated the molecular basis of these seemingly paradoxical neuropathic behaviors according to the profiles of TrkA and Ret with immunohistochemical and pharmacological interventions in a mouse model of resiniferatoxin (RTX)-induced small fiber neuropathy. Mice with RTX neuropathy exhibited thermal hypoalgesia and mechanical allodynia, reduced skin innervation, and altered DRG expression profiles with decreased TrkA(+) neurons and increased Ret(+) neurons. RTX neuropathy induced the expression of activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3), and ATF3(+) neurons were colocalized with Ret but not with TrkA (P<0.001). As a neuroprotectant, 4-Methylcatechol (4MC) promoted skin reinnervation partially with correlated reversal of the neuropathic behaviors and altered neurochemical expression. Gambogic amide, a selective TrkA agonist, normalized thermal hypoalgesia, and GW441756, a TrkA kinase inhibitor, induced thermal hypoalgesia, which was already reversed by 4MC. Mechanical allodynia was reversed by a Ret kinase inhibitor, AST487, which induced thermal hyperalgesia in naïve mice. The activation of Ret signaling by XIB4035 induced mechanical allodynia and thermal hypoalgesia in RTX neuropathy mice in which the neuropathic behaviors were previously normalized by 4MC. Distinct neurotrophic factor receptors, TrkA and Ret, accounted for negative and positive neuropathic behaviors in RTX-induced small fiber neuropathy, respectively: TrkA for thermal hypoalgesia and Ret for mechanical allodynia and thermal hypoalgesia. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Structure of Primary Mathematics Teacher Education Programs in Spain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cañadas, María C.; Gómez, Pedro; Rico, Luis

2013-01-01

Spain was 1 of the 17 countries that participated in the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement's Teacher Education and Development Study in Mathematics (TEDS-M 2008). In this paper, we explore and describe the structure of Spanish primary mathematics teacher education programs. We analyzed the documents collected…

Increasing Accountability for Teacher Preparation Programs. Challenge to Lead

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Jenny, Comp.

2006-01-01

Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) states face new challenges as they adapt to the requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. This report reviews SREB states' progress in strengthening their accountability systems to ensure that their teacher preparation programs are producing quality teachers. This report identifies what…

Integrating quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods to compare two teacher inservice training programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lawrenz, Frances; McCreath, Heather

Qualitative and quantitative evaluation procedures were used to compare two physical-science teacher inservice training programs. The two programs followed the master teacher training model espoused by NSF but used different types of master teachers and types of activities. The two evaluation procedures produced different results and together they provided a much clearer picture of the strengths and weaknesses of the two programs. Using only one approach or the other would have substantially altered the conclusions.

Exemplary Programs Supporting Teacher Professional Development in the U.S.A.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Passow, Michael J.

2015-04-01

By Law, there is no national curriculum in the U.S.A., so each State sets its own regulations for teacher certification and professional development. The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS, http://www.nextgenscience.org/next-generation-science-standards) provide guidelines for teacher training and curriculum development in Earth Science, Life Science, and the physical sciences (chemistry and biology). Presented here are examples of effective programs designed to support in-service Earth Science teachers, especially at the middle school and high school level (grades 6 - 12, ages 12 - 18). The Earth2Class Workshops for Teachers at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University (E2C) provides monthly gatherings of research scientists and teachers to learn about cutting-edge investigations in a wide variety of fields, and develop lesson plans to share these discoveries. The E2C website, www.earth2class.org/site, also provides a wide variety of educational resources used by teachers and students to learn about the planet. The National Earth Science Teachers Association (www.nestanet.org) is the largest professional society focused on pre-college Earth Science education. Together with its partner, Windows to the Universe (www.windows2universe.org), NESTA offers workshops and other programs at national and regional teacher conferences, a quarterly journal designed for classroom use, monthly E-Newsletters, and one of the largest collection of web resources in education. For more than twenty years, the American Meteorological Society has trained teachers across the country through its online courses: DataStreme Weather, DataStreme Ocean, and DataStreme Earth's Climate System (www.ametsoc.org/amsedu). Informal science education institutions also provide strong in-person and web-based professional development programs. Among these are the American Museum of Natural History's "Seminars on Science" (http://www.amnh.org/learn/) and many programs for educators

How Do School-Based Prevention Programs Impact Teachers? Findings from a Randomized Trial of an Integrated Classroom Management and Social-Emotional Program.

PubMed

Domitrovich, Celene E; Bradshaw, Catherine P; Berg, Juliette K; Pas, Elise T; Becker, Kimberly D; Musci, Rashelle; Embry, Dennis D; Ialongo, Nicholas

2016-04-01

A number of classroom-based interventions have been developed to improve social and behavioral outcomes for students, yet few studies have examined how these programs impact the teachers who are implementing them. Impacts on teachers may affect students and therefore also serve as an important proximal outcome to examine. The current study draws upon data from a school-based randomized controlled trial testing the impact of two prevention programs. In one intervention condition, teachers were trained in the classroom behavior management program, PAX Good Behavior Game (PAX GBG). In a second intervention condition, teachers were trained to use an integrated program, referred to as PATHS to PAX, of the PAX GBG and a social and emotional learning curriculum called Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS©). This study aimed to determine whether both interventions positively impacted teachers, with a particular interest in the teachers' own beliefs and perceptions regarding self-efficacy, burnout, and social-emotional competence. The sample included 350 K-5 teachers across 27 schools (18 schools randomized to intervention, 9 to control). Multilevel latent growth curve analyses indicated that the PATHS to PAX condition generally demonstrated the most benefits to teachers, relative to both the control and PAX GBG conditions. These findings suggest that school-based preventive interventions can have a positive impact on teachers' beliefs and perceptions, particularly when the program includes a social-emotional component. Several possible mechanisms might account for the added benefit to teachers. Additional research is needed to better understand how these programs impact teachers, as well as students.

Will State Regulation of Teacher Education Diminish Program Diversity? An Examination of Three Virginia Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duke, Daniel L.; Tucker, Pamela D.; Bucko, Scott; Duffey, Gena; McBride, Melissa

2005-01-01

Growing regulation of teacher preparation programs has raised concerns about standardization in the field of teacher education. With greater uniformity, is there a loss of innovation and program identity? To gather information on this question, we examined teacher preparation programs in Elementary Education, Secondary English, Secondary…

An Assessment of the Impact of a Science Outreach Program, Science In Motion, on Student Achievement, Teacher Efficacy, and Teacher Perception

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herring, Phillip Allen

2009-01-01

The purpose of the study was to analyze the science outreach program, Science In Motion (SIM), located in Mobile, Alabama. This research investigated what impact the SIM program has on student cognitive functioning and teacher efficacy and also investigated teacher perceptions and attitudes regarding the program. To investigate student…

Disease-modifying polymorphisms and C609Y mutation of RET associated with high penetrance of phaeochromocytoma and low rate of MTC in MEN2A.

PubMed

Speak, Rowena; Cook, Jackie; Harrison, Barney; Newell-Price, John

2016-01-01

Mutations of the rearranged during transfection ( RET ) proto-oncogene, located on chromosome 10q11.2, cause multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A (MEN2A). Patients with mutations at the codon 609 usually exhibit a high penetrance of medullary thyroid cancer (MTC), but a sufficiently low penetrance of phaeochromocytoma that screening for this latter complication has been called to question. Patients with other RET mutations are at higher risk of younger age onset phaeochromocytoma if they also possess other RET polymorphisms (L769L, S836S, G691S and S904S), but there are no similar data for patients with 609 mutations. We investigated the unusual phenotypic presentation in a family with MEN2A due to a C609Y mutation in RET . Sanger sequencing of the entire RET -coding region and exon-intron boundaries was performed. Five family members were C609Y mutation positive: 3/5 initially presented with phaeochromocytoma, but only 1/5 had MTC. The index case aged 73 years had no evidence of MTC, but presented with phaeochromocytoma. Family members also possessed the G691S and S904S RET polymorphisms. We illustrate a high penetrance of phaeochromocytoma and low penetrance of MTC in patients with a RET C609Y mutation and polymorphisms G691S and S904S. These data highlight the need for life-long screening for the complications of MEN2A in these patients and support the role for the screening of RET polymorphisms for the purposes of risk stratification. C609Y RET mutations may be associated with a life-long risk of phaeochromocytoma indicating the importance of life-long screening for this condition in patients with MEN2A.C609Y RET mutations may be associated with a lower risk of MTC than often quoted, questioning the need for early prophylactic thyroid surgery discussion at the age of 5 years.There may be a role for the routine screening of RET polymorphisms, and this is greatly facilitated by the increasing ease of access to next-generation sequencing.

Grounding Teacher Education in Practice around the World: An Examination of Teacher Education Coursework in Teacher Education Programs in Finland, Norway, and the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jenset, Inga Staal; Klette, Kirsti; Hammerness, Karen

2018-01-01

Worldwide, teacher educators and policy makers have called for teacher preparation that is more deeply linked to practice. Yet we know little about how such linkages are achieved within different international programs. We examine the degree to which programs provide opportunities to learn that are grounded in practice, during university…

Role of prophylactic thyroidectomy in RET 790 familial medullary thyroid carcinoma.

PubMed

Bihan, Hélène; Baudin, Eric; Meas, Taly; Leboulleux, Sophie; Al Ghuzlan, Abir; Hannoteaux, Véronique; Travagli, Jean-Paul; Valleur, Patrice; Guillausseau, Pierre-Jean; Cohen, Régis

2012-04-01

We describe a family harboring RET 790 mutation and review the role of prophylactic thyroidectomy for medullary thyroid carcinoma. We evaluated in detail both clinical and biological follow-up and reviewed literature reports. Among 86 family members, 15 of 22 members screened harbored the 790 mutation. Abnormal calcitonin levels were found in 8/15. Total thyroidectomy with lymph node dissection cured the 5 operated patients (range, 45-76 years). Tumor staging was pT1N0M0. Among 10 carriers who did not undergo surgery, 3 patients had abnormal calcitonin levels. For the others, calcitonin levels remained <30 pg/mL. Two asymptomatic carriers were older than 70 years. Four subjects were lost to follow-up. In RET codon 790 mutations families, a case-by-case decision instead of systematic prophylactic thyroidectomy should be discussed. Difficulties of follow-up should be taken into account and represent the main challenge. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

MTU-pre-service teacher enhancement program. Final report, September 1992--May 1995

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anderson, C.S.; Yarroch, W.J.

1996-01-01

The MTU Pre-Service Teacher Enhancement Program was a two year extended project designed to introduce a select group of science and engineering undergraduate students, with good {open_quotes}people skills,{close_quotes} to the teaching profession. Participants were paid for their time spent with area teacher/mentors and were involved in a variety of in school activities, projects and observations to illustrate the teaching profession. They were encouraged to consider the teaching profession as a future career option. The student participants, however, were under no obligation to enter the Teacher Education Program at the conclusion of the program.

Children, teachers and nature: An analysis of an environmental education program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Judith Chen-Hsuan

Environmental education is an important tool for providing knowledge, supporting positive attitudes toward nature, and building skills to protect and improve the environment. Because of limited funding sources and increasing environmental challenges, it is important to provide effective environmental education programs. Program evaluation is one strategy to engage stakeholders and increase program effectiveness. An evaluation of a fourth grade environmental education program, Lagoon Quest developed by Brevard Zoo, provides an unique opportunity to answer several questions about implementing an effective environmental education program. The first question is about the effectiveness of Lagoon Quest. Evaluation data are reported in a case study that provides details about the development of the evaluation questions and evaluation instruments. The pre/posttest comparison suggests that participating in Lagoon Quest effectively increases students' knowledge of Indian River Lagoon (mean increase = 5.03, p<0.05). This program is effective among students' from different socio-economic background. Moreover, teachers and parents indicate that the program positively influenced the students and are supportive of it. Lagoon Quest is now a required program in the fourth grade curriculum in Brevard County, which raises the second question: how do teachers react to a required fourth grade program? Teachers' prior experience in environmental education, science education, Lagoon Quest and their attitudes toward Lagoon Quest were examined. A teacher survey was conducted to explore teachers' attitudes, but the low response rate necessitated a process to explore non-respondents' attitudes. Follow-up focus groups at schools with few respondents suggest that teachers who had prior experience in teaching science were more likely to be highly supportive of Lagoon Quest and were more likely to use additional resources to support the program. Also, teachers' interest in Indian River Lagoon is

Learning in Context: Technology Integration in a Teacher Preparation Program Informed by Situated Learning Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, Randy L.; Maeng, Jennifer L.; Binns, Ian C.

2013-01-01

This investigation explores the effectiveness of a teacher preparation program aligned with situated learning theory on preservice science teachers' use of technology during their student teaching experiences. Participants included 26 preservice science teachers enrolled in a 2-year Master of Teaching program. A specific program goal was to…

Design and Implementation Considerations for Alternative Teacher Compensation Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brodsky, Andrew; DeCesare, Dale; Kramer-Wine, Jennifer

2010-01-01

Over the past decade, educators and policymakers have used a variety of approaches to designing and implementing teacher compensation programs. These approaches include federal incentive funds, state-level programs, and district initiatives. This article reviews 6 such programs in order to identify themes and draw conclusions relevant to…

PSYCHOLOGY IN THE TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

HERBERT, JOHN; WILLIAMS, DONALD

SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE IN THE FORM AND SUBSTANCE OF PSYCHOLOGY OFFERINGS IN TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAMS MAY BE IMMINENT. ALTHOUGH THERE SEEMS TO BE SUBSTANTIAL AGREEMENT THAT PSYCHOLOGY SHOULD BE TAUGHT, AGREEMENT THAT CHANGES MUST BE MADE IS GENERAL. COURSE OBJECTIVES FORMULATED BY THE PSYCHOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS PLANNING GROUP ARE LISTED. IT IS…

What the Research Says about Alternative Teacher Certification Programs. Information Capsule. Volume 1104

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blazer, Christie

2012-01-01

The shortage of qualified teachers across the U.S. has contributed to the popularity of alternative certification programs. These programs are designed to attract individuals into the teaching profession by allowing candidates to become certified without having to complete a traditional teacher education program. This Information Capsule reviewed…

The Predictive Validity of Measures of Teacher Candidate Programs and Performance: Toward an Evidence-Based Approach to Teacher Preparation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henry, Gary T.; Campbell, Shanyce L.; Thompson, Charles L.; Patriarca, Linda A.; Luterbach, Kenneth J.; Lys, Diana B.; Covington, Vivian Martin

2013-01-01

Calls for evidence-based reform of teacher preparation programs (TPPs) suggest the question: Do the current indicators of progress and performance used by TPPs predict effectiveness of their graduates when they become teachers? In this study, the indicators of progress and performance used by one program are examined for their ability to predict…

CSPAP Professional Preparation: Takeaways from Pioneering Physical Education Teacher Education Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carson, Russell L.; Castelli, Darla M.; Kulinna, Pamela Hodges

2017-01-01

As comprehensive school physical activity program (CSPAP) professional development becomes increasingly available to current K-12 physical education teachers, this special feature shifts attention to the preparation of future PE teachers and teacher educators for CSPAP. The purpose of this concluding article is to summarize the undergraduate- and…

Program Standards for the Initial Preparation of Teachers of Social Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Council for the Social Studies, Washington, DC.

These guidelines are derived from the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) document, "National Standards for Social Studies Teachers." The guidelines are intended to be used by institutions that prepare teachers to assess the quality of their teacher preparation programs for licensure (or certification) in comprehensive social…

Preparing Teachers to Use GIS: The Impact of a Hybrid Professional Development Program on Teachers' Use of GIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, Steven; Haviland, Don; Moore, William; Tran, Michael

2016-12-01

This article reports the findings of a 3-year study of a hybrid professional development program designed to prepare science and mathematics teachers to implement GIS in their classrooms. The study was conducted as part of the CoastLines Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers project funded by the National Science Foundation. Three cohorts of teachers participated in the program, with each participant receiving 40 h of synchronous online instruction and 80 h of in-person instruction and support over an 8-month period. Data from surveys of participants both before and after the program were analyzed using correlation, ordinary least squares, and ordered logit regression analyses. The analyses revealed increases in the self-reported frequency of GIS use and enhanced feelings of preparation, competence, community, and comfort with respect to using GIS for instruction. A composite index of all impact variables was positively influenced as well. The statistical analyses found a strong relationship between self-reported feelings of preparation and use of GIS. Some support was found for the idea that feelings of competence, community, and comfort were related to the teachers' sense of preparation. The findings suggest that a robust hybrid model of teacher professional development can prepare teachers to use GIS in their classrooms. More research is needed to understand how hybrid models influence the sociopsychological and other dimensions that support teachers' feelings of preparation to implement GIS.

Connecting Teacher Preparation to Teacher Induction: Outcomes for Beginning Teachers in a University-Based Support Program in Low-Performing Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bastian, Kevin C.; Marks, Julie T.

2017-01-01

Given concerns with the performance and attrition of novice teachers, North Carolina allocated $7.7 million from Race to the Top to create the New Teacher Support Program (NTSP), an induction model developed and implemented by the state's public university system and targeted at low-performing schools. In this study, we assess the associations…

Digital Opportunities within the Aboriginal Teacher Education Program: A Study of Preservice Teachers' Attitudes and Proficiency in Technology Integration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dragon, Karon; Peacock, Kim; Norton, Yvonne; Steinhauer, Evelyn; Snart, Fern; Carbonaro, Mike; Boechler, Patricia

2012-01-01

This article explores changes that occurred in preservice teachers' thinking about the use of educational technology in a post-secondary, Aboriginal, elementary teacher education program. The research explores relationships associated with changes in preservice teachers' attitudes and perceived proficiency with technology integration. Quantitative…

Teacher Social Capital and Student Achievement: Impact of a Cyber-Enabled Teacher Professional Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Wei

2012-01-01

This is an evaluative research study of a NSF-funded, DRK-12 cyber-enabled teacher professional development program in elementary engineering education. The finding shows the significant impact of the program on students' science and engineering knowledge in the second year of the program's implementation. However, student learning gain…

EXPLORATORY STUDY AND PLANNING FOR A FOURTH-YEAR, PAID INTERNSHIP TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR BOTH ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY TEACHERS. FINAL REPORT.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

RYERSON, NORMAN E.

THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COOPERATIVE COLLEGE-UNIVERSITY GRADUATE STUDY PROGRAM, THE AUGMENTATION OF A PAID FOURTH-YEAR INTERNSHIP APPROACH IN A TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM WAS EXPLORED. STEPS INCLUDED--(1) INVOLVEMENT OF THE FACULTY IN AN EVALUATION OF THE TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM AND THE COLLEGE CURRICULUM, (2) CHANGING WEEKLY SCHEDULES AND THE…

An "Evidence-Based" Professional Development Program for Physics Teachers Focusing on Knowledge Integration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berger, Hana

This dissertation is concerned with the design and study of an evidence-based approach to the professional development of high-school physics teachers responding to the need to develop effective continuing professional development programs (CPD) in domains that require genuine changes in teachers' views, knowledge, and practice. The goals of the thesis were to design an evidence-based model for the CPD program, to implement it with teachers, and to study its influence on teachers' knowledge, views, and practice, as well as its impact on students' learning. The program was developed in three consecutive versions: a pilot, first, and second versions. Based on the pilot version (that was not part of this study), we developed the first version of the program in which we studied difficulties in employing the evidence-based and blended-learning approaches. According to our findings, we modified the strategies for enacting these approaches in the second version of the program. The influence of the program on the teachers and students was studied during the enactment of the second version of the program. The model implemented in the second version of the program was characterized by four main design principles: 1. The KI and evidence aspects are acquired simultaneously in an integrated manner. 2. The guidance of the teachers follows the principles of cognitive apprenticeship both in the evidence and the KI aspects. 3. The teachers experience the innovative activities as learners. 4. The program promotes continuity of teachers' learning through a structured "blended learning" approach. The results of our study show that this version of the program achieved its goals; throughout the program the teachers progressed in their knowledge, views, and practice concerning the knowledge integration, and in the evidence and learner-centered aspects. The results also indicated that students improved their knowledge of physics and knowledge integration skills that were developed

An Engineering Research Program for High School Science Teachers: Year Two Changes and Results

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeJong, Brian P.; Yelamarthi, Kumar; Kaya, Tolga

2016-01-01

The research experiences for teachers program at Central Michigan University was initiated to team in-service and pre-service teachers with undergraduate engineering students and engineering faculty, in an engineering research setting. During the six-week program, teachers learn engineering concepts and develop high-school instructional material…

Exemplary Teacher Initiated Programs. Lucretia Crocker Fellows 1986-1987.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Massachusetts State Dept. of Education, Boston.

The Lucretia Crocker Program recognizes the importance and potential impact of teacher-initiated innovation in public schools. The program is named for the woman who set up educational programs for emancipated blacks after the Civil War and promoted educational opportunity for blacks and women. Brief descriptions are given of the following…

Report Card on the Effectiveness of Teacher Training Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tennessee State Board of Education, 2010

2010-01-01

Tennessee Code Annotated 49-5-108 requires the state to develop a report card or assessment on the effectiveness of teacher training programs. This report includes data on the performance of each institution's graduates in the following areas required by state statute: placement and retention rates, Praxis results, and teacher effect data based on…

Turkish Physics Teachers' Views about the 2007 Physics Teaching Program and its Implementation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mercan, Fatih Caglayan

2013-01-01

The renewal of the secondary school physics teaching program was initiated in 2008, however, there is limited research investigating physics teachers' enactment of the teaching program in their classes. The purpose of this study was to identify and describe teachers' views about the official teaching program and its implementation. The…

75 FR 338 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; NOAA Teacher at Sea Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-05

... Collection; Comment Request; NOAA Teacher at Sea Program AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric... Teacher at Sea Program. Through this program, educators spend up to 3 weeks at sea on a NOAA research... required of anyone going to sea. Once educators are selected and participate on a cruise, they write a...

Memphis State University's New Five-year Program For the Initial Preparation of Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saunders, Robert L.

A description is presented of a new extended teacher education program at Memphis State University. Instituted in 1985, the program has four objectives: (1) to develop and implement an extended (five-year) program covering all areas of teacher preparation, with institutional recommendation for certification coming only after completion of the…

CD2-associated Protein (CD2AP) Enhances Casitas B Lineage Lymphoma-3/c (Cbl-3/c)-mediated Ret Isoform-specific Ubiquitination and Degradation via Its Amino-terminal Src Homology 3 Domains*

PubMed Central

Calco, Gina N.; Stephens, Olivia R.; Donahue, Laura M.; Tsui, Cynthia C.; Pierchala, Brian A.

2014-01-01

Ret is the receptor tyrosine kinase for the glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) family of neuronal growth factors. Upon activation by GDNF, Ret is rapidly polyubiquitinated and degraded. This degradation process is isoform-selective, with the longer Ret51 isoform exhibiting different degradation kinetics than the shorter isoform, Ret9. In sympathetic neurons, Ret degradation is induced, at least in part, by a complex consisting of the adaptor protein CD2AP and the E3-ligase Cbl-3/c. Knockdown of Cbl-3/c using siRNA reduced the GDNF-induced ubiquitination and degradation of Ret51 in neurons and podocytes, suggesting that Cbl-3/c was a predominant E3 ligase for Ret. Coexpression of CD2AP with Cbl-3/c augmented the ubiquitination of Ret51 as compared with the expression of Cbl-3/c alone. Ret51 ubiquitination by the CD2AP·Cbl-3/c complex required a functional ring finger and TKB domain in Cbl-3/c. The SH3 domains of CD2AP were sufficient to drive the Cbl-3/c-dependent ubiquitination of Ret51, whereas the carboxyl-terminal coiled-coil domain of CD2AP was dispensable. Interestingly, activated Ret induced the degradation of CD2AP, but not Cbl-3/c, suggesting a potential inhibitory feedback mechanism. There were only two major ubiquitination sites in Ret51, Lys1060 and Lys1107, and the combined mutation of these lysines almost completely eliminated both the ubiquitination and degradation of Ret51. Ret9 was not ubiquitinated by the CD2AP·Cbl-3/c complex, suggesting that Ret9 was down-regulated by a fundamentally different mechanism. Taken together, these results suggest that only the SH3 domains of CD2AP were necessary to enhance the E3 ligase activity of Cbl-3/c toward Ret51. PMID:24425877

10 Myths & Realities about Community College Teacher Education Programs. Second Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maricopa Community Colleges, 2009

2009-01-01

As community colleges emerge as a solution to the teacher quality and shortage issue, the National Association of Community College Teacher Education Programs (NACCTEP) created this pamphlet in an attempt to dispel any misperceptions individuals may have about the community college role in teacher education. "10 Myths About Community College…

A Call for Reformation of Teacher Preparation Programs in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dann, Ashley Ireland

2014-01-01

Although current research, educational theorists, and international comparison prove a need for reform, the United States' teacher preparation programs are failing. The following paper will call for the reform of teacher preparation programs in three distinct areas. Examination of current data, application of educational theorists'…

The receptor tyrosine kinase RET regulates hindgut colonization by sacral neural crest cells.

PubMed

Delalande, Jean-Marie; Barlow, Amanda J; Thomas, Aaron J; Wallace, Adam S; Thapar, Nikhil; Erickson, Carol A; Burns, Alan J

2008-01-01

The enteric nervous system (ENS) is formed from vagal and sacral neural crest cells (NCC). Vagal NCC give rise to most of the ENS along the entire gut, whereas the contribution of sacral NCC is mainly limited to the hindgut. This, and data from heterotopic quail-chick grafting studies, suggests that vagal and sacral NCC have intrinsic differences in their ability to colonize the gut, and/or to respond to signalling cues within the gut environment. To better understand the molecular basis of these differences, we studied the expression of genes known to be essential for ENS formation, in sacral NCC within the chick hindgut. Our results demonstrate that, as in vagal NCC, Sox10, EdnrB, and Ret are expressed in sacral NCC within the gut. Since we did not detect a qualitative difference in expression of these ENS genes we performed DNA microarray analysis of vagal and sacral NCC. Of 11 key ENS genes examined from the total data set, Ret was the only gene identified as being highly differentially expressed, with a fourfold increase in expression in vagal versus sacral NCC. We also found that over-expression of RET in sacral NCC increased their ENS developmental potential such that larger numbers of cells entered the gut earlier in development, thus promoting the fate of sacral NCC towards that of vagal NCC.

A RET-ER81-NRG1 Signaling Pathway Drives the Development of Pacinian Corpuscles.

PubMed

Fleming, Michael S; Li, Jian J; Ramos, Daniel; Li, Tong; Talmage, David A; Abe, Shin-Ichi; Arber, Silvia; Luo, Wenqin

2016-10-05

Axon-Schwann cell interactions are crucial for the development, function, and repair of the peripheral nervous system, but mechanisms underlying communication between axons and nonmyelinating Schwann cells are unclear. Here, we show that ER81 is functionally required in a subset of mouse RET + mechanosensory neurons for formation of Pacinian corpuscles, which are composed of a single myelinated axon and multiple layers of nonmyelinating Schwann cells, and Ret is required for the maintenance of Er81 expression. Interestingly, Er81 mutants have normal myelination but exhibit deficient interactions between axons and corpuscle-forming nonmyelinating Schwann cells. Finally, ablating Neuregulin-1 (Nrg1) in mechanosensory neurons results in no Pacinian corpuscles, and an Nrg1 isoform not required for communication with myelinating Schwann cells is specifically decreased in Er81-null somatosensory neurons. Collectively, our results suggest that a RET-ER81-NRG1 signaling pathway promotes axon communication with nonmyelinating Schwann cells, and that neurons use distinct mechanisms to interact with different types of Schwann cells. Communication between neurons and Schwann cells is critical for development, normal function, and regeneration of the peripheral nervous system. Despite many studies about axonal communication with myelinating Schwann cells, mostly via a specific isoform of Neuregulin1, the molecular nature of axonal communication with nonmyelinating Schwann cells is poorly understood. Here, we described a RET-ER81-Neuregulin1 signaling pathway in neurons innervating Pacinian corpuscle somatosensory end organs, which is essential for communication between the innervating axon and the end organ nonmyelinating Schwann cells. We also showed that this signaling pathway uses isoforms of Neuregulin1 that are not involved in myelination, providing evidence that neurons use different isoforms of Neuregulin1 to interact with different types of Schwann cells. Copyright �

ACE: A Collaborative School Consultation Program for Secondary School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Couture, Caroline; Massé, Line

2014-01-01

This article presents a description of ACE (Accompagnement collaboratif des enseignants (Collaborative teacher accompaniment)), a new program designed to guide secondary school teachers in integrating students with behavioral problems in their classrooms. ACE proposes collaborative accompaniment inspired by behavioral and mental health…

Correlational Study of Leadership Style and Teacher Job Satisfaction in Two Head Start Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miles, Wanda L.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between leadership style and teacher job satisfaction. The population sample consisted of teachers within two preschool programs. The research study sought to understand the leadership styles of preschool program directors while examining concerns related to preschool teachers' job…

Integrating Global Content into Special Education Teacher Preparation Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xin, Joy F.; Accardo, Amy L.; Shuff, Midge; Cormier, Mary; Doorman, Diane

2016-01-01

Globalization affects many aspects of our lives in the 21st century and requires us to adopt an international perspective. For this study, global content was integrated into one course of an undergraduate special education teacher education program. A total of 118 teacher candidates were enrolled in the course over two semesters. A pre-post test…

Effects of a Teacher Professional Development Program on Science Teachers' Views about Using Computers in Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Çetin, Nagihan Imer

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine science teachers' level of using computers in teaching and the impact of a teacher professional development program (TPDP) on their views regarding utilizing computers in science education. Forty-three in-service science teachers from different regions of Turkey attended a 5 day TPDP. The TPDP was…

A Rural Education Teacher Preparation Program: Course Design, Student Support and Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eaton, Sarah Elaine; Gereluk, Dianne; Dressler, Roswita; Becker, Sandra

2017-01-01

Attracting and retaining teachers for rural and remote areas is a pervasive global problem. Currently, teacher education in Canada is primarily delivered in face-to-face formats located in urban centres or satellite campuses. There is a need for relevant and responsive teacher education programs for rural pre-service teachers. Recognizing this…

Becoming-Teacher: The Negotiation of Teaching Practice of First-Year Secondary Science Teachers Prepared in a Hybrid Urban Teacher Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strom, Kathryn Jill

2014-01-01

While research suggests that new teachers work to put into practice the pedagogy learned from their preservice preparation programs during their first year of teaching, they often resort to traditional, teacher-centered pedagogies even when prepared to use innovative practices, particularly in urban schools. Relatively little is known, however,…

Neuro-Linguistic Programming: Enhancing Teacher-Student Communications.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Childers, John H., Jr.

1985-01-01

Defines Neurolinguistic Programming (NCP) and discusses specific dimensions of the model that have applications for classroom teaching. Describes five representational systems individuals use to process information and gives examples of effective and ineffective teacher-student communication for each system. (MCF)

Redesigning a Special Education Teacher-Preparation Program: The Rationale, Process, and Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fuchs, Wendy W.; Fahsl, Allison J.; James, Susanne M.

2014-01-01

Teacher-preparation programs across the nation are faced with multiple mandates that aim to increase rigor and effectiveness of future educators. In the state of Illinois, all teacher-preparation programs must revise and redesign their coursework to align with the new professional teaching standards and licensure requirements. This article will…

Impacts of the Retired Mentors for New Teachers Program. REL 2017-225

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeCesare, Dale; McClelland, Abby; Randel, Bruce

2017-01-01

This study evaluates the impact of the Retired Mentors for New Teachers program, a two-year mentoring program at the elementary school level developed by Aurora Public Schools in Colorado. Many of the district's schools serve a large percentage of economically disadvantaged children, experience high teacher turnover, and hire newer, less…

Attitudes of Suburban Chicago Teachers Toward Applied Biological and Agricultural Occupations Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Hollie B.; Jackson, Franklin D. R.

The attitudes of teachers in a metropolitan area toward starting programs in applied biological and agricultural occupations and other vocational areas were studied in order to establish a base line of attitudes with which program implementation must start. Specific objectives were to: (1) determine the attitude of teachers toward offering such…

The Evolution of a Mathematics Lead Teacher Program: Teacher Leaders' Perspective on the Selection and Adaptation of Their Leadership Roles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saada, Nivan

2012-01-01

I examine a unique Elementary Mathematics Lead Teacher program entering its second decade of operation. The program is based in a large, urban, Midwestern school district, with the vision of developing a cadre of teacher leaders to support mathematics education. The district's professional development content was conventional, including both…

Multilingual Pedagogies and Pre-Service Teachers: Implementing "Language as a Resource" Orientations in Teacher Education Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Catalano, Theresa; Hamann, Edmund T.

2016-01-01

While Ruiz's (1984) influential work on language orientations has substantively influenced how we study and talk about language planning, few teacher education programs today actually embed his framework in the praxis of preparing pre-service and practicing teachers. Hence, the primary purpose of this article is to demonstrate new understandings…

Teacher Adherence and Its Relation to Teacher Attitudes and Student Outcomes in an Elementary School-Based Violence Prevention Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biggs, Bridget K.; Vernberg, Eric M.; Twemlow, Stuart W.; Fonagy, Peter; Dill, Edward J.

2008-01-01

This study examined variability in teachers' reported adherence to a school-based violence prevention program, Creating a Peaceful School Learning Environment, and investigated the relations of teacher adherence to teachers' attitudes related to the intervention and students' attitudes about and responses to bullying. The results provide evidence…

English Language Teachers as Program Administrators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tannacito, Dan J.

2013-01-01

An administrator, broadly conceived, is a person who has authority to lead and manage people, practices, materials, and policies in an educational unit. Dan Tannacito shows teachers the pathway to becoming English language program administrators (ELPAs) and the myriad benefits they can derive. Most may be surprised to see that they are already on…

Promoting Student Engagement through Scholarship in a Teacher Preparation Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanchez, Claudia; Olson-Pacheco, Ali; Grosso, Liliana; Hanley, Elizabeth

2008-01-01

A project entitled "Academic Presentations and Publications by Leaders in Education" (Project APPLE) was developed to offer pre-service teachers opportunities to grow professionally outside traditional coursework requirements. Project APPLE seeks to engage students in teacher education programs in two types of scholarly activities: professional…

Teacher Development Program for ATP 2000. Project Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sutphin, Dean; And Others

Agri Tech Prep 2000 (ATP 2000) is a 4-year tech prep program linking high school and postsecondary curricula designed to prepare New York students for careers in agriculture or acceptance into a college program in agriculture. Because teacher development was designated an integral project component for fiscal year 1991-1992, a weeklong teacher…

Binational Teacher Development: Teacher Ambassador Exchange Program, New Mexico, USA and Nuevo Leon, Mexico.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Habermann, Mary Jean

The report describes the rationale for and history of an exchange program for Nuevo Leon (Mexico) and New Mexico bilingual education teachers. The program evolved from the need to help Spanish-speaking students maintain their own language and culture while in the United States. New Mexico's state policy concerning language-minority children and…

The Utilization of PBTE by the Rhode Island Teacher Center and the New England Program in Teacher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pitman, John C.

The primary purposes of this paper are (a) to describe how the Performance Based Teacher Education (PBTE) Component of the New England Program in Teacher Education (NEPTE) and Rhode Island Teacher Center (RITC) are currently operating, and (b) to project how the NEPTE and RITC delivery systems might be further utilized to diffuse PBTE. Both NEPTE…

Empirical OPC rule inference for rapid RET application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kulkarni, Anand P.

2006-10-01

A given technological node (45 nm, 65 nm) can be expected to process thousands of individual designs. Iterative methods applied at the node consume valuable days in determining proper placement of OPC features, and manufacturing and testing mask correspondence to wafer patterns in a trial-and-error fashion for each design. Repeating this fabrication process for each individual design is a time-consuming and expensive process. We present a novel technique which sidesteps the requirement to iterate through the model-based OPC analysis and pattern verification cycle on subsequent designs at the same node. Our approach relies on the inference of rules from a correct pattern at the wafer surface it relates to the OPC and pre-OPC pattern layout files. We begin with an offline phase where we obtain a "gold standard" design file that has been fab-tested at the node with a prepared, post-OPC layout file that corresponds to the intended on-wafer pattern. We then run an offline analysis to infer rules to be used in this method. During the analysis, our method implicitly identifies contextual OPC strategies for optimal placement of RET features on any design at that node. Using these strategies, we can apply OPC to subsequent designs at the same node with accuracy comparable to the original design file but significantly smaller expected runtimes. The technique promises to offer a rapid and accurate complement to existing RET application strategies.

Teacher Reflection in Indonesia: Lessons Learnt from a Lesson Study Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suratno, Tatang; Iskandar, Sofyan

2010-01-01

Although reflection is seen as a means to improve teacher professionalism, its practice in Indonesia has a scant regard until the lesson study program was implemented around the year 2005. In Indonesian context, lesson study is a process by which teachers and teacher educators work together to critically improve the quality of classroom practice…

A Culturally Responsive, Transnational Middle Grades Teacher Education Program in American Samoa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zuercher, Deborah K.; Yoshioka, Jon; Deering, Paul D.; Martin, Katie; Curry, Kezia; O'Neill, Tara; Apisa, Sheila W.

2012-01-01

Since 1979, the American Samoa Department of Education and the University of Hawai'i have partnered to provide education and training for American Samoan teachers. Beginning in 2009, these efforts have focused on teachers in the middle grades. This article describes the context, program structure, and implementation of a graduate degree program in…

Secondary Content Area Reading: Challenging Sell for Professors in Teacher Education Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Almerico, Gina M.

2011-01-01

Candidates in teacher education programs who are training to become secondary education content area teachers are required in most programs to enroll in a class dealing with teaching reading in the content areas. A number of these candidates reluctantly attend these courses and question the appropriateness of the content they are required to…

Experts in the Classroom: Fellows Program Connects Teacher Learning to Student Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pett, Kate; Strahan, David; Gates, Carlye

2014-01-01