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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

This book will enable general education teachers, special educators, specialist scientists and therapists, parents/guardians, carers and social partners to more effectively address the special needs of people with intellectual disabilities. In particular, it focuses on describing the developmental course of the social, emotional and communicative characteristics of people with intellectual disabilities and especially of people with Down syndrome. Extensively demonstrates appropriate social skills and targeted intervention strategies in an inclusive educational field. Emphasizes the necessary adaptations to the curriculum through evidence based practices in support of positive social behavior. The present issues are important and we believe that the present work comes to fill a gap in the field of studying the social development of children with intellectual disabilities and Down syndrome in general education. Adaptive and social skills seem to help people with intellectual disabilities to interact appropriately in their familiar environment and to generalize their social skills in new environments. During adolescence, interactions and close, quality friendships between peers become increasingly important for personal and social well-being. The role of the family in the successful inclusion of the child with intellectual disability and Down syndrome in the general school is also crucial., Αυτό το βιβλίο θα επιτρέψει σε εκπαιδευτικούς γενικής αγωγής, ειδικούς παιδαγωγούς, ειδικούς επιστήμονες και θεραπευτές, γονείς/κηδεμόνες, φροντιστές και κοινωνικούς εταίρους να αντιμετωπίσουν πιο αποτελεσματικά τις ιδιαίτερες ανάγκες των ατόμων με νοητική αναπηρία. Ειδικότερα, εστιάζει στην περιγραφή της αναπτυξιακής πορείας των κοινωνικών, συναισθηματικών και επικοινωνιακών χαρακτηριστικών των ατόμων με νοητική αναπηρία και κυρίως των ατόμων με σύνδρομο Down. Παρουσιάζει εκτενώς τις κατάλληλες κοινωνικές δεξιότητες και τις στοχευμένες στρατηγικές παρέμβασης σε ένα συμπεριληπτικό εκπαιδευτικό πεδίο. Δίνει βαρύτητα στις απαραίτητες αναπροσαρμογές του προγράμματος σπουδών μέσα από τις εμπειρικά τεκμηριωμένες πρακτικές υποστήριξης της θετικής κοινωνικής συμπεριφοράς. Τα παρόντα ζητήματα είναι σημαντικά και θεωρούμε πως το πόνημα έρχεται να καλύψει ένα κενό στον τομέα της μελέτης της κοινωνικής ανάπτυξης των παιδιών με νοητική αναπηρία και σύνδρομο Down στη γενική και ενιαία εκπαίδευση. Οι προσαρμοστικές και κοινωνικές δεξιότητες φαίνεται να βοηθούν τα άτομα με νοητική αναπηρία να αλληλεπιδρούν κατάλληλα στο οικείο τους περιβάλλον και να γενικεύουν τις κοινωνικές τους ικανότητες σε νέα περιβάλλοντα. Κατά τη διάρκεια της εφηβείας, οι αλληλεπιδράσεις και οι στενές, ποιοτικές φιλίες μεταξύ των συνομηλίκων καθίστανται ολοένα και πιο σημαντικές για την προσωπική και κοινωνική ευημερία. Καθοριστικός, επίσης, αναδεικνύεται και ο ρόλος της οικογένειας στην επιτυχή συμπερίληψη των παιδιών με νοητική αναπηρία και σύνδρομο Down στο γενικό σχολείο.

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.

Some preschool children are at risk for reading difficulties because of inadequate emergent literacy skills. Recent studies have found evidence of the bidirectionality between executive function skills (Efs) and young children's preliteracy skills. This chapter aims to discuss the development and the efficacy of Cogni-Prelit (Cognition and Preliterature) digital application, which stimulates and enhances core Efs integrated with preliteracy activities, in children at risk for reading difficulties. A group of 30 preschool children took part in a pre-test assessment of preliteracy skills and core Efs. Children were then randomly assigned to either an experimental (n =15) or a passive control group (n =15). The experimental group participated in 2 30-min sessions of the Cogni-Prelit training program per week, for 12 weeks. Significant differences between control and experimental groups were observed in the post-test assessment, with the latter performing better on both measures.

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.

Avoidance of red blood cell (RBC) transfusions in patients awaiting heart transplantation (HTx) has been suggested to minimize the risk of allosensitization. Although recent studies have suggested that an immature immune system in younger HTx recipients may reduce risks associated with RBC transfusion, the role of age in moderating the influence of transfusion on HTx outcomes remains unclear. We used available data from a national transplant registry to explore whether the association between pre-transplant transfusions and outcomes of pediatric HTx varies by patient age. De-identified data were obtained from the United Network for Organ Sharing registry, including first-time recipients of isolated HTx performed at age 0-17 years in 1995-2015. The primary exposure was receiving blood transfusions within 2 weeks prior to HTx. Patient survival after HTx was evaluated using multivariable Cox proportional hazards, where age at transplant was interacted with exposure to pre-transplant transfusion. Age-specific hazard ratios (HRs) of pre-transplant transfusion were plotted across ages at transplant. There were 4883 patients meeting inclusion criteria, of whom 1258 died during follow-up (mean follow-up duration 6 ± 5 years). Patients receiving pre-transplant transfusions were distinguished by younger age, higher prevalence of prior cardiac surgery, greater likelihood of being in the intensive care unit, and greater use of left ventricular assist device bridge to transplant. In multivariable analysis, pre-transplant transfusions were associated with increased mortality hazard among infants

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.

Digital Cognitive Games are digital games that promote the performance of high-level cognitive activities involved in Executive functions, namely planning, working memory, attention, inhibition, self-monitoring, self regulation and initiation carried out by prefrontal areas of the frontal lobes. There is evidence that Executive Functions play an important role in learning during childhood. This issue becomes even more critical, when it concerns children with learning difficulties and research upon teaching interventions for enhancing their Executive Functions is carried out over the years. The past decade extremely positive beliefs have emerged regarding the use of Computer-assisted instruction in training Executive Functions. There is a plethora of software, online and mobile applications to claim that they improve the cognitive skills related to the Executive Functions in children and adults. This paper provides an overview of the purposeful approach underlying the utilization of Computer-assisted instruction and more specifically cognitive games in education as well as it presents the currently available online platforms/applications, which address children's population with or without learning difficulties and are supported by conducted scientific research.