Many natural product-derived lectins such as the red algal lectin griffithsin (GRFT) have potent in vitro activity against viruses that display dense clusters of oligomannose N-linked glycans (NLG) on their surface envelope glycoproteins. However, since oligomannose NLG are also found on some host proteins it is possible that treatment with antiviral lectins may trigger undesirable side effects. For other antiviral lectins such as concanavalin A, banana lectin and cyanovirin-N (CV-N), interactions between the lectin and as yet undescribed cellular moieties have been reported to induce undesirable side effects including secretion of inflammatory cytokines and activation of host T-cells. We show that GRFT, unlike CV-N, binds the surface of human epithelial and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) through an exclusively oligosaccharide-dependent interaction. In contrast to several other antiviral lectins however, GRFT treatment induces only minimal changes in secretion of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines by epithelial cells or human PBMC, has no measureable effect on cell viability and does not significantly upregulate markers of T-cell activation. In addition, GRFT appears to retain antiviral activity once bound to the surface of PBMC. Finally, RNA microarray studies show that, while CV-N and ConA regulate expression of a multitude of cellular genes, GRFT treatment effects only minimal alterations in the gene expression profile of a human ectocervical cell line. These studies indicate that GRFT has an outstanding safety profile with little evidence of induced toxicity, T-cell activation or deleterious immunological consequence, unique attributes for a natural product-derived lectin.
The study in this article provided principals with different types of information about professional school counseling and examined the impact on their perceptions. Results demonstrated that information about the ASCA National Model® influenced principals’ perceptions of the amount of time counselors should allocate to delivery of the guidance curriculum, system support, and responsive services, as well as ratings of the importance of performing inappropriate tasks in meeting the education mission of the school.
Despite past lessons, book-banning continues to exist at all levels within our democratic society. This case presents a realistic scenario when the school district, facing a book challenge by a concerned parent, responds by removing the book from the library. On the basis of a true story, the study features a parent of an elementary child challenging a school library book for inappropriate content. The case undergirds issues surrounding First Amendment rights and may also be used to discuss samesex relationships and topics dealing with social justice such as homosexuality. The case study may be used with courses within Educational Leadership curriculum specifically educational leadership, curriculum design and development, educational law, community relationship, and supervision.
Due to the state’s recent adoption of the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium standards, all leadership preparation programs are required to develop a standards-based curriculum emphasizing the principal’s responsibility to lead schools committed to student success. The Midwest State University (MSU) educational leadership faculty, which has undergone significant turnover, is faced with the dual challenge of developing collaborative working relationships among department members while revising their principal preparation program to meet the state’s upgraded requirements. The MSU faculty used this opportunity to develop a professional learning community through a series of retreats and sustained work activities throughout the academic year as they reformed their principal preparation program.
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