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Exploring the individual differences of the longitudinal growth of early numeracy (EN) in young children with Intellectual disabilities (IDs) prerequires the critical stage of exploring and validating the potential factor structure. Despite the fact that Relational Skills (RS), Counting Skills (CS) and Operations (O) are expected to constitute distinct domains of EN, there is not sufficient evidence to support either the above position or the position that they are different means of assessing a general-informal numeracy skill construct. This study was designed to shed light in the field through the evaluation of a measurement model describing the structure of RS, CS and O domains of EN and their interrelation. The sample included N = 155 children with IDs, enrolled in special school classes, mentally aged between 5;02 (y;m) and 6;10 (M = 5.11, SD = 0.974). Confirmatory Factor Analysis indicated a “good fit” of the two-factor model (RS, CS + O) of EN in ID (RMSEA=.029

The mitochondrial calcium (Ca

In the present study, the role of interpersonal coping strategies was examined in relation to teachers’ characteristics and burnout factors. Two hundred sixty-nine General and Special Education teachers completed the Teachers’ Interpersonal Competences Test and the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Differences in the use of interpersonal coping strategies were noted on teachers’ gender, teaching experience, grade level, experience and training in Special Education. Interpersonal coping strategies predicted most of teachers’ burnout factors according to regression analyses. The importance of developing strategies that enhance interpersonal relationships and reduce conflicts at schools, in order to reduce teachers’ burnout, is discussed. © 2020 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Although deaf role model projects have existed for some time and their benefits and outcomes for deaf children/young people and their parents have been recorded, almost no attention has been paid to the experiences of the deaf people who take on these roles. Additionally, the experiences of being a deaf role model have been little explored in the literature. This paper explores available literature on role models for supporting families of deaf children and hearing practitioners. Most deaf people (about 95%), all over the world, have hearing parents and do not meet deaf adults and sign language before the age that formal primary education starts. The majority of hearing parents do not come in touch with deafness even after their child is diagnosed of being deaf. But it’s really crucial for families to have resources that allow them to help their child develop language and have full interaction with their family. Additionally, deaf role models can play a vital role in the development of deaf children’s knowledge, skills, and perceptions. Further work would be also required to understand the longer-term benefits and further developments that deaf role models may wish to initiate. Article visualizations

Calcium (Ca2+) signaling is critical for cell function and cell survival. Mitochondria play a major role in regulating the intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i). Mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake is an important determinant of cell fate and governs respiration, mitophagy/autophagy, and the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis. Mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake occurs via the mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter (MCU) complex. This review summarizes the present knowledge on the function of MCU complex, regulation of MCU channel, and the role of MCU in Ca2+ homeostasis and human disease pathogenesis. The channel core consists of four MCU subunits and essential MCU regulators (EMRE). Regulatory proteins that interact with them include mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake 1/2 (MICU1/2), MCU dominant-negative β-subunit (MCUb), MCU regulator 1 (MCUR1), and solute carrier 25A23 (SLC25A23). In addition to these proteins, cardiolipin, a mitochondrial membrane-specific phospholipid, has been shown to interact with the channel core. The dynamic interplay between the core and regulatory proteins modulates MCU channel activity after sensing local changes in [Ca2+]i, reactive oxygen species, and other environmental factors. Here, we highlight the structural details of the human MCU heteromeric assemblies and their known roles in regulating mitochondrial Ca2+ homeostasis. MCU dysfunction has been shown to alter mitochondrial Ca2+ dynamics, in turn eliciting cell apoptosis. Changes in mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake have been implicated in pathological conditions affecting multiple organs, including the heart, skeletal muscle, and brain. However, our structural and functional knowledge of this vital protein complex remains incomplete, and understanding the precise role for MCU-mediated mitochondrial Ca2+ signaling in disease requires further research efforts.

Monocytes are critical mediators of the inflammatory response following myocardial infarction (MI) and ischemia-reperfusion injury. They are involved in both initiation and resolution of inflammation and play an integral role in cardiac repair. The antagonistic nature of their function is dependent on their subset heterogeneity and biphasic response following injury. New advancements in single-cell transcriptomics and mass cytometry have allowed us to identify smaller, transcriptionally distinct clusters that may have functional relevance in disease and homeostasis. Additionally, recent insights into the spatiotemporal dynamics of monocytes following ischemic injury and their subsequent interactions with the endothelium and other immune cells reveal a complex interplay between monocytes and the cardiac milieu. In this review, we highlight recent findings on monocyte functional heterogeneity, present new mechanistic insight into monocyte recruitment and fate specification following MI, and discuss promising therapeutic avenues targeting monocytes for the treatment of ischemic heart disease.

Students with learning disabilities often struggle with reading skill acquisition, due to the nature and complexity of the reading process (Brown, 2009). In addition, it has been documented that students experiencing reading disabilities, have problems with the basic cognitive skills of visual perception (Stokes, Matthen & Biggs, 2015). The purpose of the present study was to investigate the role of the cognitive parameters of visual perception, assessed by the Developmental Test of Visual Perception-2nd Edition (DTVP-2, Hammill, Pearson & Voress, 1993) on the reading ability of students with learning disabilities, assessed by Test A (Panteliadou & Antoniou, 2007, Standardized test for reading disabilities in Greek). The sample consisted of 73 children (N=73) attending the 4th and 5th grade of Primary school, diagnosed with learning disability in reading. The results indicated that visual perception was a predictive factor for reading performance. Implications of these findings are discussed in terms of developing early detection programmes as well as effective educational interventions for pre-school and primary school students.

The current study explores the parental perspectives of children with intellectual disabilities (ID) on the effectiveness of inclusive education in Greek mainstream schools. The participants were 83 parents, whose children had different degrees of ID and all of them were attending mainstream schools at the time of the study. They completed a questionnaire examining their perspectives with regard to (a) the most effective educational placement in mainstream schools (special class, mainstream class or co-teaching), (b) their satisfaction with the inclusive mainstream education, (c) their cooperation with the teachers, (d) the perceived benefits of their children’s educational placement and (e) their suggestions regarding the improvement of the inclusive educational model. Results indicated that most parents of children with ID would like their child to attend a mainstream class with a co-teaching arrangement. The perceived benefits are mostly related to the development of their children’s social skills. Significant considerations regarding cooperation with the teachers, lack of individualized information and guidance, administrative and organizational issues were expressed.

Upon inositol trisphosphate (IP3) stimulation of non-excitable cells, including vascular endothelial cells, calcium (Ca2+) shuttling between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria, facilitated by complexes called Mitochondria-Associated ER Membranes (MAMs), is known to play an important role in the occurrence of cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]Cyt) oscillations. A mathematical compartmental closed-cell model of Ca2+ dynamics was developed that accounts for ER-mitochondria Ca2+ microdomains as the µd compartment (besides the cytosol, ER and mitochondria), Ca2+ influx to/efflux from each compartment and Ca2+ buffering. Varying the distribution of functional receptors in MAMs vs. the rest of ER/mitochondrial membranes, a parameter called the channel connectivity coefficient (to the µd), allowed for generation of [Ca2+]Cytoscillations driven by distinct mechanisms at various levels of IP3 stimulation. Oscillations could be initiated by the transient opening of IP3 receptors facing either the cytosol or the µd, and subsequent refilling of the respective compartment by Ca2+ efflux from the ER and/or the mitochondria. Only under conditions where the µd became the oscillation-driving compartment, silencing the Mitochondrial Ca2+ Uniporter led to oscillation inhibition. Thus, the model predicts that alternative mechanisms can yield [Ca2+]Cyt oscillations in non-excitable cells, and, under certain conditions, the ER-mitochondria µd can play a regulatory role.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between the Test of Detection and Investigation of Attention and Concentration, the Test of Executive Function (Simos et al., 2007a,b) and the Test of Psychosocial Adjustment and Self-Report Scale (Hatzichristou et al., 2007), in a sample of 44 Greek 5th grade students with writing disabilities. The results in our study indicated that there were significant Pearson correlations ranged from 0.39 to 0.43 between cognitive, academic and social factors. Additionally, regression analysis indicated that certain scales of the Test of Attention and Concentration have predictive power to emotional sufficiency (t = 2.001, p < 0.05) and academic self-concept (t = 2.072, p < 0.05). Further implications of these findings for a school-based neuropsychological evaluation and planning of individualized educational interventions are discussed.

Background and Study Aim: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of exercise in the communication skills and behavior of a child with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Material and Methods: The survey involved a 7 years old boy attending a mainstream school who was diagnosed at 2.5 years of age with pervasive developmental disorder and at 3.5 years of age with ADS. The annual re-assessment, at the age of 6 defined him as a child with high functional autism. The study consisted of three phases. In the interview process through a questionnaire, data concerning the overall picture of the boy was collected. The same questionnaire was answered by all participants (parents, general class teacher, parallel support teacher and physical education teacher) two days prior and two days after the implementation of the intervention program, so as to record observations. The questionnaire investigated four areas, that is, intention or function of communication, semantic categories and use of words, context (framework) communication and ways (means) of communication. The intervention program lasted 12 weeks, at a frequency of 3 sessions per week, of 40-45 minutes each session including balance activities, self-awareness exercises, group games (3-4 people), visual - motor coordination activities, lateral movement and time and space orientation games. Results: After the implementation of the intervention program, the child showed significant improvement in all domains and in almost all subcategories. Conclusions: An individually structured exercise program results in a significant improvement in behavior, skills and communication for a child with ASD.

Calcium (Ca2+) transport by mitochondria is an important component of the cell Ca2+ homeostasis machinery in metazoans. Ca2+ uptake by mitochondria is a major determinant of bioenergetics and cell fate. Mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake occurs via the mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter (MCU) complex, an inner mitochondrial membrane protein assembly consisting of the MCU Ca2+ channel, as its core component, and the MCU complex regulatory/auxiliary proteins. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the molecular nature of the MCU complex and its regulation by intra- and extramitochondrial levels of divalent ions and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i), mitochondrial Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]m) and mitochondrial ROS (mROS) are intricately coupled in regulating MCU activity. Here, we highlight the contribution of MCU activity to vascular endothelial cell (EC) function. Besides the ionic and oxidant regulation, ECs are continuously exposed to haemodynamic forces (either pulsatile or oscillatory fluid mechanical shear stresses, depending on the precise EC location within the arteries). Thus, we also propose an EC mechanotransduction-mediated regulation of MCU activity in the context of vascular physiology and atherosclerotic vascular disease.

The present study aimed at comparing the working memory of Greek monolingual students to bilingual ones from migrant backgrounds who all attend primary school. Secondly, an effort was made to investigate the correlation of the working memory with the academic performance in both groups. Moreover, the correlation of the vocabulary strategies, employed by monolingual and bilingual students in an integrated memory-based text framework (Rachanioti, Griva & Alevriadou, 2017), with their working memory was explored. The sample consisted of 20 monolingual and 20 bilingual students of Albanian origin, who attended the 5th and 6th grade of three primary schools in Eastern Thessaloniki, Greece. The monolingual and bilingual students were matched according to their mark reports on academic performance. The Automated Working Memory Assessment (Alloway, 2007) was used to assess the students’ working memory. The data revealed that monolingual and bilingual students did not differ either in the verbal working memory or the visuospatial working memory performance. A statistically significant positive correlation between working memory and academic performance was found in both monolingual and bilingual students. The correlation of the Process strategies with the verbal working memory was statistically significant in monolingual students, as well as in the bilingual ones. The Memory strategies were positively correlated with the verbal and visuospatial working memory in both groups. The Confirmation/consolidation strategies were positively correlated with the verbal working memory only in the bilingual students. Results are discussed in terms of memory strategy instruction that may compensate for a poor working memory of both monolingual and bilingual students in a classroom’s setting, thus aiding to improve their academic performance. This study is the first trial of the AWMA in Greek students as well as bilingual immigrant ones.

The aim of this study was to explore the factors that are considered crucial by teachers for a successful intervention in managing of challenging behaviors of people with intellectual disabilities. We asked 177 Greek general and Special Educator teachers to prioritize, using a list of 24 factors, the 6 major that can contribute to the success of an intervention. Teachers chose the factor “knowledge and expertise, staff training” as the most important for the successful management of challenging behaviours. The x 2 test revealed no dependency relationships with teachers’ gender, working structure or Special Education expertise. The need of staff training in changing the way teachers understand challenging behaviors is also discussed.

The study was designed to determine if spatial location of movement was automatically encoded in memory by children with intellectual disabilities (ID) and typically developing (TD) children. Each participant performed motor exercises at each of four selected locations on a 20X20 m field. The condition variable consisted of intentional position-intentional exercise, incidental position-intentional exercise, and incidental position-incidental exercise. The results indicated that spatial location of movement was not automatically encoded because intention resulted in better performance for TD children. Several critical issues related to intervention strategies in the field of ID are also discussed, considering the educational practices

Several researchers explored the impact of cognition, language and social understanding on theory of mind abilities in typically developing (TD) children and children with intellectual disabilities (ID) (either ID of genetic origin or non-specific ID). The aim of the present study was to determine the specificity of the theory of mind deficit to different groups of children with ID. The results are in accordance with the developmental approach of similar structure hypothesis ( Zigler, 1969 ). The findings are discussed in terms of the specificity of the etiology-related theory of mind profiles of ID groups, considering the educational and social inclusion practices.

Bovine aortic endothelial cells (ECs) respond to nitric oxide (NO) donors by activating the redox-sensitive NF-E2-related factor 2/antioxidant response element pathway and up-regulating heme oxygenase (HO)-1 expression. EC exposure to steady laminar shear stress causes a sustained increase in NO, a transient increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS), and activation of the HO-1 gene. Because steady laminar flow increases the mitochondrial superoxide (\documentclass[10pt]{article} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{pmc} \usepackage[Euler]{upgreek} \pagestyle{empty} \oddsidemargin -1.0in \begin{document} \begin{equation*}{\mathrm{O}}_{2}^{\overline{.}}\end{equation*}\end{document}) production, we hypothesized that mitochondria-derived ROS play a role in shear-induced HO-1 expression. Flow (10 dynes/cm2, 6 h)-induced expression of HO-1 protein was abolished when BAECs were preincubated and sheared in the presence of either NG-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester or N-acetyl-l-cysteine, suggesting that either NO or ROS up-regulates HO-1. Ebselen and diphenylene iodonium blocked HO-1 expression, and uric acid had no effect. The mitochondrial electron transport chain inhibitors, myxothiazol, rotenone, or antimycin A, and the mitochondria-targeted antioxidant peptide, Szeto-Schiller (SS)-31, which scavenges \documentclass[10pt]{article} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{pmc} \usepackage[Euler]{upgreek} \pagestyle{empty} \oddsidemargin -1.0in \begin{document} \begin{equation*}{\mathrm{O}}_{2}^{\overline{.}}\end{equation*}\end{document}, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), peroxynitrite, and hydroxyl radicals, markedly inhibited the increase in HO-1 expression. These data collectively suggest that mitochondrial H2O2 mediates the HO-1 induction. MitoSOX and 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescin (DCF) fluorescence showed that mitochondrial \documentclass[10pt]{article} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{pmc} \usepackage[Euler]{upgreek} \pagestyle{empty} \oddsidemargin -1.0in \begin{document} \begin{equation*}{\mathrm{O}}_{2}^{\overline{.}}\end{equation*}\end{document} levels and intracellular peroxides, respectively, are higher in sheared ECs compared with static controls and, in part, dependent on NO. SS-31 significantly inhibited both the shear-induced MitoSOX and DCF fluorescence signals. Either phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase or mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade inhibitors blocked the HO-1 induction. In conclusion, under shear, EC mitochondria-derived H2O2 diffuses to the cytosol, where it initiates oxidative signaling leading to HO-1 up-regulation and maintenance of the atheroprotective EC status.