Enrichment Clusters Research Articles

Comparative quantitative phosphoproteomic and parallel reaction monitoring analysis of soybean roots under aluminum stress identify candidate phosphoproteins involved in aluminum resistance capacity

Aluminum (Al) toxicity adversely impacts soybean (Glycine max) growth in acidic soil. Reversible protein phosphorylation plays an important role in adapting to adverse environmental conditions by regulating multiple physiological processes including signal transduction, energy coupling and metabolism adjustment in higher plant. This study aimed to reveal the Al-responsive phosphoproteins to understand their putative function and involvement in the regulation of Al resistance in soybean root. We used immobilized metal affinity chromatography to enrich the key phosphoproteins from soybean root apices at 0, 4, or 24 h Al exposure. These phosphoproteins were detected using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry measurement, verified by parallel reaction monitoring (PRM), and functionally characterized via overexpression in soybean hairy roots. A total of 638 and 686 phosphoproteins were identified as differentially enriched between the 4-h and 0-h, and the 24-h and 0-h Al treatment comparison groups, respectively. Typically, the phosphoproteins involved in biological processes including cell wall modification, and RNA and protein metabolic regulation displayed patterns of decreasing enrichment (clusters 3, 5 and 6), however, the phosphoproteins involved in the transport and metabolic processes of various substrates, and signal transduction pathways showed increased enrichment after 24 h of Al treatment. The enrichment of phosphoproteins in organelle organization bottomed after 4 h of Al treatment (cluster 1). Next, we selected 26 phosphoproteins from the phosphoproteomic profiles, assessed their enrichment status using PRM, and detected enrichment patterns similar to those observed via phosphoproteomic analysis. Among them, 15 phosphoproteins were found to reduce the accumulation of Al and callose in Al-stressed soybean root apices when their corresponding genes were individually overexpressed in soybean hairy roots. In summary, the findings of this study facilitated a comprehensive understanding of the protein phosphorylation events involved in Al resistance responses and revealed some critical phosphoproteins that enhance Al resistance in soybean roots.

Forging Talent Pathways: Signaling A Call to Action

ABSTRACT Although her career was cut woefully short, Dr. Marcia Gentry’s contributions to the field of gifted and talented education will undoubtedly be remembered for years to come. Building on landmark historical events that highlighted the need for talent development, Gentry fervently worked to address complex, enduring questions within our field, namely: Who are gifted and talented students? How do we find them? What strategies will develop students’ emerging gifts and talents? Gentry’s research on enrichment clusters, cluster grouping, access and equity, identification, and scholarly identity development in underserved youth made commendable progress, but further work is needed. Gentry’s enduring body of work signals an important call to action. We must honor her legacy by answering it.

Marcia Gentry: Early Research Passions and Subsequent Important Contributions to Equity and Diverse Students

ABSTRACT When Marcia Gentry died last year, our field lost a fierce champion for inclusion and equity. In this article, I reflect on her work and the ways in which her early research helped to develop her interests in identifying and supporting the talent development of culturally diverse students. This early research on Enrichment Clusters was facilitated in two urban schools with diverse populations and the insights gained from this work contributed to her beliefs on talent development, more open and equitable identification, and enrichment opportunities for all students.

Memories and Musings: My Experiences with Marcia Gentry and More

ABSTRACT Marcia Gentry personified a life well-lived. In this tribute to her work and legacy, her early ideas are highlighted. The author describes her professional experiences with Marcia during the years when Marcia was a doctoral student at the University of Connecticut. Recalling her initial motivation for a more inclusive form of identification of gifted students, the author shares Marcia’s experiment with cluster grouping while still working in a public school in Michigan and describes how that experience grew into one of Marcia’s major lines of inquiry in her quest for more inclusive and authentic strategies for identifying gifted and talented youngsters. The author relates how this line of inquiry mirrored her own work in identifying twice-exceptional students using more authentic identification methods. Also explored is Marcia’s early experience with authentic learning as she developed curriculum for Project High Hopes, and how this problem-based curriculum was a precursor for Marcia’s extensive work with Enrichment Clusters as a means to extend gifted pedagogy to all students. The author then details her own research in using authentic learning as a research-based intervention for twice-exceptional students.

Novel genomic markers and genes related to reproduction in prolific Chios dairy sheep: a genome-wide association study.

Genetic architecture of sheep reproduction is increasingly gaining scientific interest due to the major impact on sheep production systems. In the present study, we conducted pedigree-based analyses and genome-wide association studies using the Illumina Ovine SNP50K BeadChip to explore the genetic mechanisms underlying the reproduction of the highly prolific Chios dairy sheep. First lambing age, total prolificacy and maternal lamb survival were selected as representative reproductive traits and estimated as significantly heritable (h2 = 0.07-0.21) with no evident genetic antagonism among traits. We identified novel genome-wide and suggestive significant single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on chromosomes 2 and 12 associated with age at first lambing. The new variants detected on chromosome 2 span a region of 357.79 kb with high pairwise linkage disequilibrium estimates (r2 = 0.8-0.9). Functional annotation analysis revealed candidate genes, such as the collagen-type genes and the Myostatin gene, that participate in osteogenesis, myogenesis, skeletal and muscle mass development resembling the functionality of major genes affecting the ovulation rate and prolificacy. Additional functional enrichment analysis associated the collagen-type genes with multiple uterine-related disfunctions, such as cervical insufficiency, uterine prolapse and abnormalities of the uterine cervix. Several genes (e.g., KAZN, PRDM2, PDPN, LRRC28) localised close to the SNP marker on chromosome 12 were grouped in annotation enrichment clusters majorly involved in developmental and biosynthetic pathways, apoptosis, and nucleic acid-templated transcription. Our findings may further contribute to unravel the genomic regions that are important for sheep reproduction and could be incorporated into future selective breeding programmes.

Survival Genie: A Web Portal for Single-Cell Data, Gene-Ratio, and Cell Composition-Based Survival Analyses

The genomics data-driven identification of gene signatures and pathways has been routinely explored for predicting cancer survival and making decisions related to targeted treatments. Many packages and tools have been developed to correlate single-gene features to clinical outcomes, but lack in performing such analysis based on multiple-genes, gene sets, and genes ratio. Furthermore, cluster marker genes associated with cell types, states and function from cancer single-cell transcriptomics studies remain an underutilized prognostic option. Additionally, no bioinformatics online tool evaluates associations between the enrichment of known cell types and survival outcome across cancers.We have developed Survival Genie (https://bbisr.shinyapps.winship.emory.edu/SurvivalGenie/, a web tool to perform survival analysis on single-cell RNA-seq data and a variety of other molecular inputs such as gene sets, genes ratio, tumor-infiltrating immune cells proportion, gene expression profile scores, and tumor mutation burden (Fig. 1). For comprehensive survival evaluation, the Survival Genie contains 53 datasets of 27 distinct malignancies from 11 different cancer programs for both adult and pediatric cancers including different types of leukemia. Users can upload single-cell data or gene sets and select partitioning methods (i.e., mean, median, quartile, cutp) to determine the effect of their levels on patient survival outcomes. The tool provides comprehensive results including box plots of low and high-risk groups, Kaplan-Meier plots with univariate Cox proportional hazards model, and correlation of immune cell enrichment and molecular profile (Fig. 1). The Survival Genie source code is written in the R programming language and the interactive web application with the R Shiny framework.We demonstrate the application of the Survival Genie tool by exploring the prognostic utility of blast cell and immune cell markers generated from single cell RNA-seq analysis of paired pediatric AML bone marrow samples taken at the time of diagnosis and end of induction (Thomas, Perumalla et al. 2020) . We identified AML blast specific signature consisting of 7 genes (CLEC11A, PRAME, AZU1, NREP, ARMH1, C1QBP, TRH) that depicted significant association with poor survival (HR=2.3 and Log Rank P-value=.007). Further analysis of AML relapse-associated single cell clusters showed increased levels of individual markers, including CRIP1, FLNA, and RFLNB/FAM101B and their significant association with poor survival in TARGET AML dataset. Additionally, expression of combined RFLNB/FAM101B and WDFY4 genes was associated with poor overall survival (HR=1.8 Log Rank P-value=0.01) and shorter event-free survival (HR=1.9, Log Rank P-value<0.0001). This clearly shows the usefulness of Survival Genie tool in exploring the prognostic association of genes as well as gene sets.Survival Genie is a one-stop web-portal for single-cell phenotype clusters, list of genes, and cell composition-based survival analyses across multiple cancer datasets including hematological malignancies. The analytical options and harmonized collection of multiple cancer types makes Survival Genie a comprehensive resource to correlate gene sets, pathways, cellular enrichment, and single cell clusters to clinical outcome to assist in developing next generation prognostic and therapeutic biomarkers. [Display omitted] DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Structural and Functional Characterization of a Testicular Long Non-coding RNA (4930463O16Rik) Identified in the Meiotic Arrest of the Mouse Topaz1 -/- Testes.

Spermatogenesis involves coordinated processes, including meiosis, to produce functional gametes. We previously reported Topaz1 as a germ cell-specific gene highly conserved in vertebrates. Topaz1 knockout males are sterile with testes that lack haploid germ cells because of meiotic arrest after prophase I. To better characterize Topaz1–/– testes, we used RNA-sequencing analyses at two different developmental stages (P16 and P18). The absence of TOPAZ1 disturbed the expression of genes involved in microtubule and/or cilium mobility, biological processes required for spermatogenesis. Moreover, a quarter of P18 dysregulated genes are long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and three of them are testis-specific and located in spermatocytes, their expression starting between P11 and P15. The suppression of one of them, 4939463O16Rik, did not alter fertility although sperm parameters were disturbed and sperm concentration fell. The transcriptome of P18-4939463O16Rik–/– testes was altered and the molecular pathways affected included microtubule-based processes, the regulation of cilium movement and spermatogenesis. The absence of TOPAZ1 protein or 4930463O16Rik produced the same enrichment clusters in mutant testes despite a contrasted phenotype on male fertility. In conclusion, although Topaz1 is essential for the meiosis in male germ cells and regulate the expression of numerous lncRNAs, these studies have identified a Topaz1 regulated lncRNA (4930463O16Rik) that is key for both sperm production and motility.

El papel del profesor en el desarrollo de habilidades cognitivas complejas en personas jóvenes

This article provides a rationale and practical set of guidelines for enrichment clusters, a program that supports a different brand of learning from the deductive and prescriptive approach that dominates activities in so many of today’s classrooms. Enrichment clusters are interest-based and student-centric, and provide a space for inductive, investigative high-end learning that can fit into any school program. This article describes the learning theories and goals that guided the development of enrichment clusters and describes in detail the meaning of highend learning and real problems. Also discussed are results from studies of Enrichment Cluster implementations regarding the specific learning outcomes that students demonstrated and teachers ob- served, which include: problem finding and fo- cusing, determining the relevance and bias of found information, planning and sequencing, metacognition, argumentation, problem solving, communication, collaboration, and evaluating data for patterns and discrepancies. This approach has been adopted in thousands of schools around the world and it seeks to develop gifted behaviours in larger numbers of students than most programs that focus only on high IQ students.

RunayaySoft

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe a support system to the selection of enrichment activities in educational environment called RunayaySoft, where Runayay comes from the word Quechua that means develop and Soft as it is an informatics tool that supports the educational institutions and their students, in the selection of activities that allow foster some of their skills based on their interests, learning styles, aptitudes, multiple intelligences, preferences and so on. Moreover, it suggests institutions about the activities that they should make in their building considering student´s characteristics and the agreements that they have.Design/methodology/approachIt does a diagnostic for identifying which characteristics are going to be considered to students and institutions. Then, it generates adaptive profiles with the aim of generating suggestions of enrichment activities that allow to boost some of their skills. For the students were considered their preferences, learning style, aptitude, multiple intelligences and interests. In the case of institutions were the agreements, resources and activities that they develop. Based on this information, it defines the relations for the generation of suggestions of activities toward students, where it does the prioritization of which activities should be considered.FindingsFor validating the system, it was done as a functional prototype that generates suggestions to students, as well as educative institutions, through a satisfaction test student assess if they agree or disagree with the suggestions given. With that assessment, it is validated the relationship between student’s characteristics, activity and institution are related for generating activities suggestions.Research limitations/implicationsRunayaySoft generates adaptive profiles for the students, activity and institution. Each profile has information that allows adapt an advice toward students and institutions.Social implicationsRunayaySoft considers student’s characteristics, activities and educational institutions for generating suggestions for enrichment activities that allow to boost some of their skills. Many times, when activities are generated in educative institutions, they are not considered a learner’s needs and characteristics. For that reason, the system helps institutions to identify activities that should be done in their facilities or with those institutions which they have agreements when the institutions that students come from do not have the required resources.Originality/valueRunayaySoft suggests enrichment activities to students as well as educative institutions. For students, it suggests disciplinary areas where they can boost their skills; for each disciplinary area are recommended activities based on their preferences. Once students select the disciplinary area and activities, the system suggests educative institutions activities that they can do. If the institutions do not have the necessary facilities, the system shows with which other institutions they can set agreements. Moreover, it supports educative institutions to identify enrichment clusters, where it clusters students based on similar interest, allowing institutions to identify the activities that they should focus on.

Leadership Roles for School Counselors in Identifying and Supporting Twice-Exceptional (2E) Students

School counselors have a variety of opportunities to serve as advocates and leaders for students identified as twice exceptional (2E). We explore these opportunities and discuss the academic and social/emotional challenges 2E students face and current operational definitions for this population. We also discuss strategies school counselors can use to help students increase their academic and social success. We introduce strengths-based educational approaches as a best practice for working with this unique population, including the use of support strategies, enrichment clusters, and extracurricular activities.

Tongmai Yangxin pills anti-oxidative stress alleviates cisplatin-induced cardiotoxicity: Network pharmacology analysis and experimental evidence.

Tongmai Yangxin Pills (TMYXP), a traditional Chinese patent medicine, has been widely used to treat coronary heart disease for few decades. However, the potential protective effect of TMYXP on cisplatin-induced cardiotoxicity has not been reported. The target proteins corresponding to compounds from Pharmmapper database, PubMed database and ChEMBL database were collected and construct a 'TMYXP-compound-target' network. DAVID database was used for annotation and enrichment pathways and String 9.1 database was used for analysis the protein-protein interaction. Cisplatin-induced rat cardiotoxicity model was established to verify the protective effects mechanism of TMYXP. The target proteins corresponding to compounds from multiple databases were collected and construct a TCM-compound-target network to enriched pathways with high enrichment score. GO analysis and enrichment clusters point that response of oxidative stress is the main biological process of TMYXP, and Nrf2 signaling pathway and MAPK signaling pathway might be the key functional pathways. In vivo experiments, we proved that TMYXP improves anti-oxidative stress ability and reduce apoptosis through regulating Nrf2/HO-1 pathway and p38-MAPK pathway. The effects of TMYXP on regulate cardiomyocyte free radical balance and reduce apoptosis, making it possible as a drug candidate for platinum chemotherapeutic induced cardiac injury.

Using Enrichment Clusters to Address the Needs of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners

Using data from teacher interviews, classroom observations, and a professional development workshop, this article explains how one component of the schoolwide enrichment model (SEM) has been implemented at a culturally diverse elementary school serving primarily Latina/o and African American students. Based on a broadened conception of giftedness, the SEM incorporates enrichment clusters, which are designed to expose students to a variety of topics that would not ordinarily be covered in the regular curriculum. The goal of enrichment clusters is for students to engage in active learning under the direction of the cluster facilitator, who encourages inductive and cooperative approaches to problem-solving and higher order thinking skills. At our investigation site, enrichment clusters are inclusive of all students, providing access to gifted methods and challenging curricula for Latina/o and African American students, who are typically underrepresented in gifted programming.

Implementing Enrichment Clusters in Elementary Schools

Enrichment clusters offer a way for schools to encourage a high level of learning as students and adults work together to develop a product, service, or performance by applying advanced knowledge and authentic processes to real-world problems. This study utilized a qualitative research design to examine the perceptions and experiences of two enrichment specialists who led the implementation of enrichment clusters in their schools. The perceptions of the participants hold particular value, as the success of clusters depends heavily on the ability of the specialist to effectively plan and organize clusters so that they meet the needs of administrators, teachers, students, and parents. Findings indicated that the participants felt that clusters were worthwhile, despite the time and effort required for implementation. A number of factors were considered critical for the success of clusters, including time and money, teachers as facilitators, focusing on student interests, and planning for rules, routines, and procedures. In addition, the participants identified several ways in which clusters were adapted in order to meet the needs of the school. The study indicates implications, and limitations of these findings are also discussed.

Developing the Talents of Secondary Students

A successful program needs a team approach which encourages teachers to undertake professional initiatives to enhance student growth. Such initiatives include: Type Ill's; workshops; Lunch with an Expert; an Expert in the Classroom; field trips; before; during and after school enrichment clusters; mentorships; assembly programs; speakers; starting a center; and Authentic Science Research. In addition, schools should prepare early to celebrate students' successes with a symposium and prepare early for the eventual evaluation.

Opportunity Gaps Lead to Achievement Gaps: Encouragement for Talent Development and Schoolwide Enrichment in Urban Schools

The SEM and related services and programs described in this article focus on the development of both academic and creative talents through enrichment and engaging learning experiences. The research that provides compelling evidence has been summarized in the hope that urban educators will consider implementing this approach. The research supports the use of enrichment and gifted education pedagogy to provide enjoyable learning experiences as well as increased achievement scores for urban students and also presents evidence that this approach may be more effective than the use of other types of programs. Overemphasis on test preparation and mechanistic instruction and the use of remedial materials has made many urban classrooms dreary places to learn. When enrichment pedagogy is extended to urban students, these high-end opportunities can provide more advanced and enriched learning experiences that promote creativity and engagement, as well as enable students to apply thinking skills and use knowledge in an integrated, inductive, and problem-oriented manner. In urban classrooms where students are using Renzulli Learning, both engagement and wonder emerge when they take a virtual field trip to a world-famous museum, research a topic in their area of interest, complete a self-selected independent study, or apply critical and creative thinking skills in areas of choice. The SEM integrates advanced opportunities for talent development in different types and levels of enrichment, and differentiation for students in all learning opportunities, such as enrichment clusters, the SEM-R, Renzulli Learning, and the Enrichment Triad Model. The many changes taking place in urban schools should enable educators to examine a broad range of techniques for providing equitably for all students. The research described in this article and the practical experiences gained through a few decades of field testing and refining the SEM, particularly in urban areas and in schools that serve culturally diverse students, have demonstrated the many positive benefits to students and teachers that result from using an enrichment approach, including higher achievement and lower underachievement (Baum, 1988; Baum et al., 1999; Beecher &amp; Sweeny, 2008; Gavin et al., 2007; Little et al., 2007; Reis et al., 2007; Reis et al., 2008). Academically talented students, who may be placed at risk for underachieving in school, are also the beneficiaries of this type of pedagogy. Like any innovation, implementing programs such as those described in this article requires time, energy, acceptance, and support from teachers. Yet urban educators who have effectively implemented the SEM and its related programs indicate that it takes no longer than normal teaching practices (Reis &amp; Renzulli, 2003). More important, they report that the benefits for all students make their efforts worthwhile, suggesting that engagement and enjoyment should be considered an integral part of urban education. One urban teacher's comment about enrichment clusters reflects the attitude of most teachers who have participated in enrichment pedagogy research, “Suddenly I remembered why I had gone into teaching in the first place. I had forgotten, and I didn't even know I had forgotten. Then I remembered what I had always thought teaching would be all about” (Reis, Gentry, &amp; Park, 1995).

Closing the Achievement Gap With Curriculum Enrichment and Differentiation: One School's Story

This article summarizes a unique approach to reducing the achievement gap that strategically blended differentiated curriculum with schoolwide enrichment teaching and learning. The theories of enrichment and instructional differentiation were translated into practice in an elementary school that had previously embraced a remedial paradigm. This enrichment approach resulted in improved student achievement and the reduction of the achievement gap between rich and poor and among different ethnic groups. The school improvement process began with a thorough analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of all dimensions of the school, and resulted in the creation of a school mission, strategic plan with broad instructional goals, specific learning objectives, and detailed action plans. Enrichment and differentiation were chosen as the methods to improve the learning environment based on evidence that engagement in learning is enhanced when students' interests and choices are considered, and the need to provide learning experiences that were responsive to the learning characteristics of a diverse student population. Specific components of the strategic plan were implemented simultaneously while others were introduced over a series of years. Teachers rewrote the curriculum for reading, writing, mathematics, and social studies to include enrichment experiences and differentiated instruction. This enriched learning environment extended to an afterschool program inspired by Enrichment Clusters. Staff development was essential to the success of each new initiative, and a significant amount of time was devoted to teacher training. Teachers were provided with training, modeling, coaching, and planning time to integrate the new ideas and skills into their lessons.

Enrichment Clusters for Developing Creativity and High-End Learning

(2007). Enrichment Clusters for Developing Creativity and High-End Learning. Gifted and Talented International: Vol. 22, No. 1, pp. 39-46.

Implementing Enrichment Clusters in a Multiage School: Perspectives from a Principal and Consultant

Does your school provide a full range of gifted education services? How frequently are your students able to explore areas of interest in addition to the basic curriculum expectations? How do you tap the talents of administrators, teachers, and staff members? Do parent volunteers have opportunities to engage students in meaningful learning experiences? Are any of your classes or courses of study student-driven? How does your school collaborate and cooperate around a common instructional strategy? These issues were addressed when enrichment clusters were implemented at Harriet Bishop (HB) Elementary School.

Infusing Talent Development Strategies into the Regular School System in Nigeria: Enrichment Clusters as a Starting Point

Developing talents has been a great concern in education. New conceptions of intelligence are revolutionizing educational practices. Because giftedness can occur in certain people at certain times and under certain conditions, (Renzulli &amp; Reis, 1985), it is necessary to extend the pedagogy for the gifted to regular classrooms. The enrichment cluster was chosen for this study for multiple reasons. This study used qualitative case study design to investigate the use of enrichment clusters as a starting point to infuse talent development strategies into the school system in Nigeria. The sample was made up of 27 boys and 33 girls between the ages of 13 and 19 years in Senior Secondary School (grades 10 to 12) drawn from different socio-economic backgrounds but from educated parents. Their common denominator was their interest in the cluster topic — an essential ingredient in any pupil programme. The study found that a lone enrichment specialist in a regular school without programmes for the gifted and talented can expose students to high-order thinking skills and high-end learning through the use of Renzulli's Type I, II &amp; III enrichments in an enrichment cluster. Parents and members of the community were found to be very helpful in conducting the enrichment cluster. The possibility of these people being advocates for programmes for talent development and mentors is discussed. Based on the findings, recommendations were made for further research.

Using Enrichment Clusters for Performance Based Identification

One of the continuing problems facing programs and services for the gifted and talented is how to identify at risk students and students who ordinarily do not show up well on test scores and other traditional identification procedures. Although ‘performance based identification’ is frequently discussed in the literature, there is limited use of this practice, and very few systematic vehicles have been created to screen general populations for unidentified or under identified students who may benefit from the types of services ordinarily provided by special programs. The enrichment cluster approach described below was designed to create highly challenging learning opportunities that, in a certain sense, allow high potential students to identify themselves! This approach works well with traditionally identified students as well as those who may be overlooked through test oriented identification procedures. The key to successful use of this approach is that whenever a student shows remarkably high interest, expertise, and creative productivity in an enrichment cluster, resource specialists, mentors, or other teachers with advanced level expertise should be available to provide the kinds of follow-up experiences that will sup-port the student's advance work.