International note: Exploring differences in native and immigrant adolescents' mathematics achievement and dispositions towards mathematics in Qatar

The burgeoning immigrant population in major immigrant-receiving countries in North America and Europe has necessitated researchers and policymakers in these countries to examine the academic success of children of immigration and the factors contributing to their academic success. However, there is sparse research on the academic trajectories of children of immigration in other continents, such as Asia. Hence, the purpose of the present study was to examine first- and second-generation immigrant adolescents' mathematics achievement and dispositions towards mathematics in comparison to their native peers in one of the Middle Eastern countries in Asia, Qatar. The results of the study indicated that both first- and second-generation immigrant adolescents tended to have higher mathematics achievement, intrinsic motivation to learn mathematics, instrumental motivation to learn mathematics, mathematics self-efficacy, and mathematics self-concept than did their native counterparts. Moreover, immigrant adolescents tended to have lower mathematics anxiety than did their native peers. The study also revealed significant differences between first- and second-generation immigrant adolescents with respect to their mathematics achievement and dispositions towards mathematics.     

Extracellular polysaccharide from Bacillus sp. strain LBP32 prevents LPS-induced inflammation in RAW 264.7 macrophages by inhibiting NF-κB and MAPKs activation and ROS production

Extracellular polysaccharides (EPSs) are high-molecular weight sugar-based polymers that are synthesized and secreted by many microorganisms. Recently, EPSs have attracted particular attention due to their multiple biological functions including anti-inflammation. However, studies rarely reported the molecular mechanisms underlying their functions. We previously purified an EPS from an oligotrophic bacteria (Bacillus sp. LBP32) found in Lop Nur Desert, which possesses a potent antioxidant activity, while the anti-inflammatory effects of EPS and signaling mechanisms underlying its action have not been clarified. In this study, we demonstrated that EPS significantly inhibited the LPS-induced release of pro-inflammatory mediators, such as nitric oxide (NO), IL-6 and TNF-α, without any significant cytotoxicity. EPS also downregulated the expression of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) induced by LPS. Furthermore, activation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) was abrogated by EPS through inhibited the phosphorylation of IκB kinase (IKK). Activations of Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), including p38 MAPK and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), were also found to be inhibited by EPS. In addition, the level of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) was also significantly decreased with the treatment of EPS. In vivo experiments were conducted and showed that EPS could greatly improve the outcome of mice with LPS-induced endotoxic shock. Taken together, our data indicate that EPS prevents LPS-induced inflammatory response by inhibiting NF-κB and MAPKs activation and ROS production.     

MiR-154-5p regulates osteogenic differentiation of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells under tensile stress through the Wnt/PCP pathway by targeting Wnt11

Mechanical stress is a well-acknowledged positive regulatory factor for osteogenic differentiation of adipose- derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs). However, the molecular mechanisms associated with micro-RNAs (miRNAs) whereby ADSCs respond to mechanical stimuli remain elusive. We investigated the mechanism of mechanotransduction from the miRNA perspective in the osteogenic differentiation of ADSCs under tensile stress. Microarray analysis showed that miR-154-5p was remarkably downregulated when ADSCs were subjected to mechanical tension. Bioinformatics analysis with luciferase reporter assays demonstrated that Wnt11 3′UTR was a new direct target of miR-154-5p. Under tensile stress, lentivirus-mediated gain- or loss-of-function studies revealed that forced expression of miR-154-5p inhibited osteogenic differentiation of ADSCs, whereas inhibition of endogenous miR-154-5p with its antisense oligonucleotide (ASO-154-5p) obviously promoted osteogenic differentiation. Furthermore, miR-154-5p overexpression decreased activity of the non-canonical Wnt/PCP (RhoA-ROCK) pathway, as indicated by lower expression of Wnt11, active RhoA and ROCKII in miR-154-5p-treated ADSCs. By contrast, miR-154-5p inhibition activated the Wnt/PCP signals. Taken together, these results demonstrate that, under tensile stress, miR-154-5p negatively regulates ADSCs osteogenic differentiation through the Wnt/PCP pathway by directly targeting Wnt11. This novel regulatory pathway provides new insights into the molecular mechanism of mechanotransduction in osteogenic differentiation of ADSCs.     

Cross-cultural differences in the Parent Rated Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS)? Evaluation of the Finnish version among high-functioning school aged males with and without autism spectrum disorder

When importing screening questionnaires of ASD, it has been found that parental interpretation/reporting of autistic traits may be culturally influenced. In the current study, our aim was preliminary evaluation of the Finnish parent rated SRS in order to determine whether the measure would show promise as an aid in screening. The study sample consisted of high-functioning school aged male ASD outpatients of Oulu University Hospital (n = 44, age 11.4 ± 2.3) and age-matched controls (n = 44, age 11.8 ± 2.4 years). Internal consistency as well as convergent and discriminative validity was in line with previous research. However, the results indicated that the cut-off published in the SRS manual might be too high to be used in Finland. Our results emphasize the importance of determining the normative range and clinical cut-offs in various cultures when importing diagnostic screening questionnaires in order to avoid getting high percentages of false negatives in the screening phase, and thus risk leaving many children without adequate diagnostic evaluation and rehabilitation.     

Mental Health Problems and Help-Seeking Behavior Among College Students

Mental disorders are as prevalent among college students as same-aged non-students, and these disorders appear to be increasing in number and severity. The purpose of this report is to review the research literature on college student mental health, while also drawing comparisons to the parallel literature on the broader adolescent and young adult populations.     

Immune- and wound-dependent differential gene expression in an ancient insect

Two of the main functions of the immune system are to control infections and to contribute to wound closure. Here we present the results of an RNAseq study of immune- and wound-response gene expression in the damselfly Coenagrion puella, a representative of the odonates, the oldest taxon of winged insects. De novo assembly of RNAseq data revealed a rich repertoire of canonical immune pathways, as known from model insects, including recognition, transduction and effector gene expression. A shared set of immune and wound repair genes were differentially expressed in both wounded and immune-challenged larvae. Moreover 3-fold more immune genes were induced only in the immune-challenged treatment. This is consistent with the notion that the immune-system reads a balance of signals related to wounding and infection and that the response is tailored accordingly.