S. mediterranea is a planarian with extensive regenerative ability which requires substantial cell division. However, DNA replication stress occurs every cell division and must be resolved. From ...yeast to man, an evolutionary conserved DNA replication stress response (RSR) is essential for life. The RSR is a signal transduction pathway regulated by Ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3‐related kinase (ATR) and Checkpoint 1 kinase (CHK1) to respond to replication stress. However, the RSR has not been established in planarian nor do we know if it functions in regeneration. We hypothesize that ATR may be essential for regeneration. Preliminary results show reduced regenerative ability in the presence of hydroxyurea (HU), a replication stress inducing agent. However, low concentrations (2mM) did not attenuate regeneration, indicating that ATR and the RSR may be present and able to overcome replication stress. To test this, we treated amputated tails with HU, ATR inhibitor (ATRi), and a combination of both. In 2mM HU, tails regenerated similarly to control. We observed only a one day delay in regeneration with ATRi alone. However, ATRi and 2mM HU in combination prevented planarian regeneration completely. This synergistic effect suggests that ATR is significant in the response to replication stress during regeneration. To obtain genetic evidence, we are in the process of knocking down ATR as well as other RSR genes like CHK1, WRN, etc. Further determining the importance of RSR genes in planarian will elucidate the conserved components and allow us to understand how ATR and the RSR contributes to the incredible regenerative abilities in planarian.
Support or Funding Information
This is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this published in The FASEB Journal.
Crafts are human-material interaction. Documentation of handicrafts is challenging and needs creativity because individual craftwork heavily depends on the understanding of the materials at hand and ...the hand movement to apply the creator's unique kinesthetic knowledge. In this study, we investigate the layers of information for crocheting intelligence visualization. To frame the structure of the learning process, we conduct introspective ethnographic research and visual analysis. From the insights from the crocheter's sketches, we develop idea sketches and prototypes of overlay designs for instructional videos and augmented reality. Discussion follows on design implications for visual learning of kinesthetic cognition over augmented reality and visual medium.
Despite research demonstrating the importance of student-teacher relationships for student functioning, little is known about strategies to enhance such relationships, particularly in secondary ...school. The current study examined effects of a professional development for middle school teachers on the Establish-Maintain-Restore (EMR) approach. EMR aims to enhance teachers' skills in cultivating relationships with students and involves brief training (3 hr) and ongoing implementation supports. In a randomized controlled trial, 20 teachers and 190 students were assigned to EMR or control. Observers rated academically engaged time and disruptive behavior, and teachers reported on relationship quality. Multilevel models showed that EMR resulted in significant improvements in student-teacher relationships (Hedge's g = .61, 95% CI 0.21, 1.02), academically engaged time (g = .81, 95% CI 0.01, 1.63), and disruptive behavior (g = 1.07, 95% CI 0.01, 2.16). Results indicate potential promise for EMR.
Impact and Implications
This study tested a novel, brief training for middle school teachers aimed at enhancing their skills in building relationships with students, called Establish-Maintain-Restore (EMR). Students of EMR-trained teachers had improved behavior in the classroom. While these findings suggest that EMR is a promising cost-effective strategy for improving student behavior, more research is needed to test its impact on student achievement.
S. mediterranea is a planarian with extensive regenerative ability which requires substantial cell division. However, DNA replication stress occurs every cell division and must be resolved. From ...yeast to man, an evolutionary conserved DNA replication stress response (RSR) is essential for life. The RSR is a signal transduction pathway regulated by Ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3‐related kinase (ATR) and Checkpoint 1 kinase (CHK1) to respond to replication stress. However, the RSR has not been established in planarian nor do we know if it functions in regeneration. We hypothesize that ATR may be essential for regeneration. Preliminary results show reduced regenerative ability in the presence of hydroxyurea (HU), a replication stress inducing agent. However, low concentrations (2 mM) did not attenuate regeneration, indicating that ATR and the RSR may be present and able to overcome replication stress. To test this, we treated amputated tails with HU, ATR inhibitor (ATRi), and a combination of both. In 2mM HU, tails regenerated similarly to control. We observed only a one day delay in regeneration with ATRi alone. However, ATRi and 2mM HU in combination prevented planarian regeneration completely. This synergistic effect suggests that ATR is significant in the response to replication stress during regeneration. To obtain genetic evidence, we are in the process of knocking down ATR as well as other RSR genes like CHK1, WRN, etc. Further determining the importance of RSR genes in planarian will elucidate the conserved components and allow us to understand how ATR and the RSR contributes to the incredible regenerative abilities in planarian.
Support or Funding Information
U.S. Department of Education HSI STEM Articulation Grant P031C160118
University of St. Thomas Committee of Student Research
This is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this published in The FASEB Journal.
Abstract only
S. mediterranea
is a planarian with extensive regenerative ability which requires substantial cell division. However, DNA replication stress occurs every cell division and must be ...resolved. From yeast to man, an evolutionarily conserved DNA replication stress response (RSR) is essential for life. The RSR is a signal transduction pathway regulated by Ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3‐related kinase (ATR) and Checkpoint 1 kinase (CHK1) to respond to replication stress. However, the RSR has not been established in planarian nor do we know if it functions in regeneration. We hypothesize that ATR may be essential for regeneration. Preliminary results show reduced regenerative ability in the presence of hydroxyurea (HU), a replication stress inducing agent. However, low concentrations (2mM) did not attenuate regeneration, indicating that ATR and the RSR may be present and able to overcome replication stress. To test this, we treated amputated tails with HU, ATR inhibitor (ATRi), and a combination of both. In 2mM HU, tails regenerated similarly to control. We observed only a one day delay in regeneration with ATRi alone. However, ATRi and 2mM HU in combination prevented planarian regeneration completely. In addition, replication stress was confirmed through comet assays, which quantified levels of DNA damage within each planarian experimental group. The ATRi and 2mM HU combination group exhibited the highest average comet tail moment. These synergistic effect suggests that ATR is significant in the response to replication stress during regeneration. Additionally, inhibition of CHK1, another kinase in the RSR pathway, exhibited similar tail moment values with ATRi. Future experiments will allow us to support the presence of CHK1 and its important role in resolving replication stress. Further, determining the importance of RSR genes in planarian will elucidate the conserved components and allow us to understand how ATR and the RSR contributes to the incredible regenerative abilities in planarian.
Support or Funding Information
UST Committee for Student ResearchAlvarado Sanchez LabJim Jenkin for
S. mediterranea
Department of Education HSI‐STEM grantUST Biology Smith ChairUST Biology Department
Abstract only
DNA replication is an important mechanism involved in cellular processes like reproduction, repair, and regeneration. S. mediterranea, a planarian with an amazing regenerative ability, ...goes through continuous rounds of cell division. Consequently, DNA replication stress occurs with each cell division and must be resolved. From yeast to man, The DNA replication stress response (RSR) is evolutionarily conserved and necessary for life among organisms. The RSR is a signal transduction pathway regulated by Ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3‐related kinase (ATR) and Checkpoint 1 kinase (CHK1) to respond to replication stress, including DNA damage. However, the RSR has not yet been established in the planarian and its involvement in regeneration is currently unknown. We hypothesize that ATR may be essential in replication by preventing and resolving DNA damage. Regeneration experiments were conducted and results indicated that the regenerative ability of planaria were reduced in the presence of hydroxyurea (HU), a replication stress inducing agent. Low HU concentrations (2mM) had similar phenotypic results to the control which suggests that ATR and the RSR may be present in this low dosage to overcome the replication stress. However, when treated with a combination of 2mM HU and ATR inhibitor (ATRi), planarian regeneration was severely hindered. To confirm replication stress shown phenotypically in the regeneration experiments, comet assays were performed to quantify the levels of DNA damage in each experimental group. The ATRi and 2mM HU combination group exhibited the highest average comet tail moment, a parameter used to measure the amounts of fragmented DNA within each planarian cell. The synergistic effects of ATR in combination with HU suggest that ATR is significant in the response to replication stress during regeneration. Additionally, inhibition of CHK1, another kinase in the RSR pathway exhibited similar tail moment values as ATRi. Future experiments will allow us to support the presence of CHK1 and its important role in resolving replication stress. Determining the importance of RSR genes in planarian will elucidate the conserved components and allow us to understand how ATR and the RSR contributes to the incredible regenerative abilities in planarian.
Support or Funding Information
UST Committee for Student Research Alvarado Sanchez Lab, Stowers Institute for Medical Research Jim Jenkin for S. mediterranea Department of Education HSI‐STEM grant UST Biology Smith Chair UST Biology Department
Background: Student-teacher relationships are associated with the social and emotional climate of a school, a key domain of the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child Model. Few interventions ...target student-teacher relationships during the critical transition to high school, or incorporate strategies for enhancing equitable relationships. We conducted a mixed-methods feasibility study of a student-teacher relationship intervention, called Equity-Explicit Establish-Maintain-Restore (E-EMR). Methods: We tested whether students (N = 133) whose teachers received E-EMR training demonstrated improved relationship quality, school belonging, motivation, behavior, and academic outcomes from pre- to post-test, and whether these differences were moderated by race. We also examined how teachers (N = 16) integrated a focus on equity into their implementation of the intervention. Results: Relative to white students, students of the color showed greater improvement on belongingness, behavior, motivation, and GPA. Teachers described how they incorporated a focus on race/ethnicity, culture, and bias into E-EMR practices, and situated their relationships with students within the contexts of their own identity, the classroom/school context, and broader systems of power and privilege. Conclusions: We provide preliminary evidence for E-EMR to change teacher practice and reduce educational disparities for students of color. We discuss implications for other school-based interventions to integrate an equity-explicit focus into program content and evaluation.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND
Student‐teacher relationships are associated with the social and emotional climate of a school, a key domain of the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child Model. Few ...interventions target student‐teacher relationships during the critical transition to high school, or incorporate strategies for enhancing equitable relationships. We conducted a mixed‐methods feasibility study of a student‐teacher relationship intervention, called Equity‐Explicit Establish‐Maintain‐Restore (E‐EMR).
METHODS
We tested whether students (N = 133) whose teachers received E‐EMR training demonstrated improved relationship quality, school belonging, motivation, behavior, and academic outcomes from pre‐ to post‐test, and whether these differences were moderated by race. We also examined how teachers (N = 16) integrated a focus on equity into their implementation of the intervention.
RESULTS
Relative to white students, students of the color showed greater improvement on belongingness, behavior, motivation, and GPA. Teachers described how they incorporated a focus on race/ethnicity, culture, and bias into E‐EMR practices, and situated their relationships with students within the contexts of their own identity, the classroom/school context, and broader systems of power and privilege.
CONCLUSIONS
We provide preliminary evidence for E‐EMR to change teacher practice and reduce educational disparities for students of color. We discuss implications for other school‐based interventions to integrate an equity‐explicit focus into program content and evaluation.
Strong student–teacher relationships foster students’ social, emotional, and academic development, particularly for students from marginalized racial/ethnic groups. The current study gathered input ...from teachers, school and district administrators, and education researchers (
N
= 22) regarding strategies that can help teachers build relationships with high school students and to build such relationships in an equitable manner. Participants completed quantitative ratings, open-ended survey questions, and then participated in a series of focus groups. Descriptive analyses of quantitative ratings and content analysis of qualitative data examined teachers’ perceptions of the value of relationships generally and equity in relationships in particular. Analyses also examined barriers to relationship building and potential strategies to address barriers. Results suggest that teachers see relationships with students as important, but they vary in the amount of time and effort they invest in relationships. Teachers may not have the requisite training or skills, particularly when dealing with students with behavioral difficulties and/or individualized needs. Some teachers have professional identities that center around their content area and may not conceptualize building relationships with students as part of their role. Finally, structural features of secondary schools and a lack of leadership support were seen as barriers to relationship building. Participants had a number of concrete suggestions for successful school-wide efforts to enhance student–teacher relationships. With regard to equity, participants did not perceive that teachers take an equity lens to relationship building. Attitudinal, systemic, and skills-related barriers to relationships with racial/ethnic minority students were named, and strategies suggested included elevating student voice. The paper concludes with a discussion of implications for future research and practice.
Student–teacher relationships are important to student outcomes and may be especially pivotal at the high school transition and for minoritized racial/ethnic groups. Although interventions exist to ...improve student–teacher relationships, none have been shown to be effective among high school students or in narrowing racial/ethnic disparities in student outcomes. This study was conducted to examine the effects of an equity-explicit student–teacher relationship intervention (Equity-Explicit Establish Maintain Restore, or E-EMR) for high school teachers and students. A cluster-randomized pilot trial was conducted with 94 ninth grade teachers and 417 ninth grade students in six high schools. Teachers in three schools were randomized to receive E-EMR training and follow-up supports for one year. Teachers in three control schools conducted business as usual. Student–teacher relationships, sense of school belonging, academic motivation, and academic engagement were collected via student self-report in September and January of their ninth-grade year. Longitudinal models revealed non-significant main effects of E-EMR. However, there were targeted benefits for students who started with low scores at baseline, for Asian, Latinx, multicultural, and (to a lesser extent) Black students. We also found some unexpected effects, where high-performing and/or advantaged groups in the E-EMR condition had less favorable outcomes at post, compared to those in the control group, which may be a result of the equity-explicit focus of E-EMR. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.
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