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Easy access to the internet allows adolescents to share humor, such as memes, via social media. This quasi-experimental study investigated whether there was a difference in the number of memes comprehended on an assessment test among adolescents who were typically developing, adolescents who were deaf or hard of hearing, and adolescents with language disorders. It also sought to determine if the meme's picture, whether related to the text or unrelated, contributed to adolescents' comprehension. Participants were given a short reading screening and a multiple-choice test of meme comprehension. Adolescents who were typically developing out-performed adolescents who were deaf or hard of hearing or who had language disorders. Supporting pictures did not appear to aid in meme comprehension. Findings from this study suggest the need for professionals to include direct instruction of humor when working with adolescents who are deaf or hard of hearing or who have language disorders.

Educating students who are deaf and hard of hearing (D/HH) is complex; compounding this complexity is the situation in rural areas, where the incidence levels are lower, students are more spread out, and the availability of specialty staff is more limited. The purpose of this mixed-methods action research study was to examine the impact of a collaborative consultation (CC) service delivery model on the knowledge and self-efficacy of school professionals who serve students who are D/HH in rural areas. A case study research design was used on a team of 3 school professionals from a rural school in the Upper Midwest. Findings indicated that CC increased the knowledge and self-efficacy of school professionals serving rural D/HH students. Implications for social change pertain to education administrators, inservice educators, and D/HH students.

The past two decades have seen unprecedented changes to the field of deaf education. Several factors including technological advances and educational policy have resulted in the inclusion of the majority of students who are deaf or hard of hearing in the general education classroom with various levels of support services. Consequently, the role of the professional educator of the deaf has changed to the itinerant teaching model as the primary service delivery system in deaf education in the nation today. Because this role for teachers of the deaf is evolving, ongoing research is necessary to identify emerging trends, successes, and potential barriers to ensure effective service provision to students who are deaf or hard of hearing. This study sought to obtain a current picture of the roles and responsibilities of the itinerant teacher of the deaf (ITOD) via an electronic survey conducted through postings on a well-known professional website. Participants were 267 itinerant teachers of the deaf. Survey results support previous findings that lack of awareness of the needs of this population of students and lack of time due to increasing caseloads are barriers to service provision. Teachers reported being better prepared for the itinerant role in their preservice program than in past studies, and the use of mentorship appears to be an emerging teacher support strategy. Results supported the adequacy of the itinerant model in supporting students who are above, at, or within 6 months of grade level expectations, with increasing concerns about the ability to provide adequate levels of support to students in inclusive settings with greater educational delays via the itinerant model. Implications for these findings for the field as well as potential questions for future research on this topic are discussed.

The pandemic coronavirus infectious disease (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is rapidly spreading across the globe. In this issue of theJCI, Chen and colleagues compared the clinical and immunological characteristics between moderate and severe COVID-19. The authors found that respiratory distress on admission is associated with unfavorable outcomes. Increased cytokine levels (IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-[alpha]), lymphopenia (in [CD4.sup.+] and [CD8.sup.+] T cells), and decreased IFN-[gamma] expression in [CD4.sup.+] T cells are associated with severe COVID-19. Overall, this study characterized the cytokine storm in severe COVID-19 and provides insights into immune therapeutics and vaccine design., A rapidly expanding pandemic In early December 2019, several local health facilities first reported pneumonia cases of unknown origin in Wuhan, China. This new coronavirus infectious disease (COVID-19), caused by [...]

Expression levels of the lactate-H+ cotransporter MCT4 (also known as SLC16A3) and its chaperone CD147 (also known as basigin) are upregulated in breast cancers, correlating with decreased patient survival. Here, we test the hypothesis that MCT4 and CD147 favor breast cancer invasion through interdependent effects on extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation. MCT4 and CD147 expression and membrane localization were found to be strongly reciprocally interdependent in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Overexpression of MCT4 and/or CD147 increased, and their knockdown decreased, migration, invasion and the degradation of fluorescently labeled gelatin. Overexpression of both proteins led to increases in gelatin degradation and appearance of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-generated collagen-I cleavage product reC1M, and these increases were greater than those observed upon overexpression of each protein alone, suggesting a concerted role in ECM degradation. MCT4 and CD147 colocalized with invadopodia markers at the plasma membrane. They also colocalized with MMP14 and the lysosomal marker LAMP1, as well as partially with the autophagosome marker LC3, in F-actindecorated intracellular vesicles. We conclude that MCT4 and CD147 reciprocally regulate each other and interdependently support migration and invasiveness of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Mechanistically, this involves MCT4-CD147-dependent stimulation of ECM degradation and specifically of MMP-mediated collagen-I degradation. We suggest that the MCT4-CD147 complex is co-delivered to invadopodia with MMP14. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This single case study concerns an 11-year-old girl, Agata, who recently moved to a rural community in the United States from the Philippines. Agata is profoundly deaf, has had no access to amplification, and has had very limited access to language and formal school. The journey through the next year, including the COVID-19 pandemic, saw Agata's language and literacy skills blossom at an unexpected rate. The study examines the how and why of Agata's progress by using multiple sources of both quantitative and qualitative data. A conceptual framework of both direct instruction theory (Engelmann & Carnine, 1982) and resilience theory (Garmezy, 1993) was used to systematically analyze the factors that contributed to Agata's growth and offer a more thorough understanding of the complex challenges and potential successes in supporting students from Asian communities who are d/Deaf or hard of hearing (d/DHH). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The itinerant teaching model is the most common service delivery method for students who are deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) in the United States. Itinerant teachers of the deaf and hard of hearing (ITODHHs) may serve several school buildings and travel extensive distances. Substantial literature exists regarding ITODHHs; however, a notable gap exists regarding parent perceptions of itinerant teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing (ITODHH) services for their children in the US. Modelled after work completed in Australia, the current study examined parent perceptions of ITODHH services for their children who were DHH. Results indicated that most parents were mostly satisfied with the ITODHH services and offered specific suggestions for improvement. Implications of these results for service delivery and attending to family-school partnerships are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the importance of transmembrane transporter proteins in facilitating essential physiological functions in living cells. It explains the various mechanisms by which molecules are transported across biological membranes, including simple diffusion, specialized channels, and active transport. The article also highlights the role of ATPases in regulating these transport processes and provides examples of specific transporters, such as the Na+/K+ ATPase and dopamine transporter. The article concludes by summarizing the different topics covered in this special issue, which aim to advance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms and regulatory factors of transmembrane transporter proteins. [Extracted from the article]

Background: The COVID‐19 pandemic was a global health and economic crisis. In the early phase of the pandemic, studies found that populations were reporting lower levels of mental well‐being and high levels of distress and worry. This study investigated potential protective and risk factors such as sociodemographics and psychological factors such as adaptation/coping. Methods: Two convenience samples from Norway and Denmark were recruited during the early phase of the first lockdown in May 2020 using snowball sampling primarily by social media. Measures included the Patient Health Questionnaire‐4 (PHQ‐4) for screening anxiety and depression, COVID‐19 distress, and coping strategies applied during the lockdown. Descriptive analyses were applied as well as bivariate correlations for associations between coping and mental health measures. Results: Levels of anxiety and depression were not alarmingly high, but being young, single, and female constituted a higher risk for poorer mental health. Applying positive reframing strategies was negatively associated with poor mental health and high COVID‐19 stress, whereas distraction coping strategies were positively correlated with poor mental health and high COVID‐19 stress. Conclusion: Applying positive reframing as a coping strategy may constitute a protective factor for mental health in the early phase of a crisis such as a pandemic. This knowledge may inform public health agencies on how to promote mental health in similar situations in the future. However, longitudinal and qualitative studies are needed to investigate the long‐term effects of the different coping strategies applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]