Search

Recent research on the effects of processing instruction (PI) have incorporated online research methods in order to demonstrate that PI has effects on cognitive processing behaviors as well as on accuracy (e.g. Lee & Doherty, 2019a). The present study uses self-paced reading and a moving windows technique to examine the effects of PI on second language (L2) learners’ processing of Spanish active and passive sentences to explore the effects of PI on instructed second language acquisition. One group received PI but the Control group did not. Between group comparisons on passive sentences showed changes in performance for the PI group but not the Control group with the PI group gaining in accuracy and processing speed, specifically faster response times to select the correct picture and faster reading time on passive verb forms. Within group analyses showed changes in the PI group’s performance on all dependent variables at the immediate posttest and a subsequent decline in performance at the delayed posttest (8 weeks later). We discuss the implications of our results and treatment format for classroom and hybridized instruction.

The present study compared the performance of two groups of second language learners processing three linguistic structures in Spanish. The linguistic targets were passives, object pronouns in OproVS sentences, and gender-cued null subjects in subordinate clauses. The primary differences between the two groups were language experience and an instructional treatment. The group with greater language experience was enrolled in the last course of their Spanish major, the other group in the middle of their major coursework. The group with less language experience received Processing Instruction on passives. The scores of the greater language experience group were compared to the pretest and then posttest scores of the Processing Instruction group. Results demonstrated that greater language experience gave learners an advantage in processing the linguistic targets when compared to the Processing Instruction group's pretest scores. Comparisons between the greater language experience group's scores with the Processing Instruction group's posttest scores showed that Processing Instruction provided a superior effect on passives, an equalizing effect on null subjects, and a non-effect on object pronouns. Experience counted more with object pronouns.

Recent scholarship in multiliteracies-oriented pedagogies has advocated for greater attention to fostering ‘textual thinking’, understood as forms of literacy that consider the complexities of semiotic choices made by authors, and their underlying meanings, rhetorical purposes, and cultural contexts. This kind of engagement with texts calls upon readers to focus on form–meaning connections, and shifts the focus of reading purposes, toward reading as a form of participation in everyday literacy practices, and reading as a way of thinking critically about representation and communication. This article presents findings from an empirical study investigating the reading processes of second language (L2) French learners while interpreting an authentic multimodal web text, guided by tasks informed by multiliteracies. A prompted think-aloud methodology was used to capture learners’ dynamic meaning-making processes. Drawn from a larger group of participants ( n = 9), the current article reports on three unique cases, documenting their engagement with different semiotic modes and their evolving interpretations. The participants performed three phases of reading tasks: skimming for predictions about topic and authorship, scanning for specific details, and tracking webs of text signals. Participants saw the question prompts prior to each task phase, and again at the end of the phase, with multiple choice response options. Findings demonstrate participants’ unique sets of interpretations and processes in terms of the way they drew differently upon various domains of background knowledge, genre knowledge, and reading strategies; the way they attended to various linguistic and non-linguistic modes; and the way the tasks guided their reading. The article concludes by suggesting several concrete instructional practices for L2 literacy development, including tasks that are adaptable for a range of languages.

The present study compares native and nonnative processing of Spanish active and passive sentences. The nonnative speakers were tested before and after receiving processing instruction on the Spanish passive. The native speakers were tested once and provide a baseline for comparisons. We measured accuracy and response time to select the correct response in a paired picture matching task. We used eye-tracking measures to capture processing behaviors on both active and passive verb forms. We measured processing using time to first fixation on the verb area of interest, mean first fixation duration, mean first pass time, and mean second pass time. The results revealed that processing passive sentences comes at a cost to both native and nonnative speakers. After instruction the nonnative speakers showed no significant differences with native speakers in accuracy and response time. Also, the nonnative speakers’ processing behaviors became more nativelike but did not reach the native speaker level.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging regulators of pathophysiological processes including atherosclerosis. Using RNA-seq profiling of the intima of lesions, here we identify a macrophage-specific lncRNA MAARS (Macrophage-Associated Atherosclerosis lncRNA Sequence). Aortic intima expression of MAARS increases by 270-fold with atherosclerotic progression and decreases with regression by 60%. MAARS knockdown reduces atherosclerotic lesion formation by 52% in LDLR−/− mice, largely independent of effects on lipid profile and inflammation, but rather by decreasing macrophage apoptosis and increasing efferocytosis in the vessel wall. MAARS interacts with HuR/ELAVL1, an RNA-binding protein and important regulator of apoptosis. Overexpression and knockdown studies verified MAARS as a critical regulator of macrophage apoptosis and efferocytosis in vitro, in an HuR-dependent manner. Mechanistically, MAARS knockdown alters HuR cytosolic shuttling, regulating HuR targets such as p53, p27, Caspase-9, and BCL2. These findings establish a mechanism by which a macrophage-specific lncRNA interacting with HuR regulates apoptosis, with implications for a broad range of vascular disease states., Long non coding RNA molecules have been implicated in the immunopathology of a range of inflammatory pathologies. Here the authors show lncRNA MAARS regulates apoptosis via interaction with HuR in the context of atherosclerosis.

Time-course data are temporal data that can be explored statically as an outcome measure of accuracy or dynamically from evolutionary and developmental perspectives. The present study examines the development and evolution of accuracy throughout the time-course of a pre-test/treatment/post-test study of instructed second language acquisition. The treatment is processing instruction (PI), which has a long history of positive results. PI research has overwhelmingly compared pre-test with post-test accuracy scores. The present study provides a fine-grained analysis as accuracy evolved and developed sentence by sentence. We analyse two sentence types: baseline active sentences and the target of instruction, passive sentences. Participants were divided into two groups, higher/lower prior knowledge, based on their pre-test scores processing passive sentences. Typically, PI research excludes higher prior knowledge participants, but here they are a comparison group. Our base measurement of development is an accuracy trend, defined as at least three correct answers in a row. We found that the number and length of accuracy trends increased over the time-course of the study and are affected by both sentence type and prior knowledge. The higher prior knowledge group always seems to have the advantage. Both prior knowledge groups benefit from instruction, but in different ways. We also found individual differences within the lower prior knowledge group: some participants benefited a great deal from instruction, some very little, and for some their accuracy with the baseline active sentences was temporarily destabilised.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging regulators of biological processes in the vessel wall; however, their role in atherosclerosis remains poorly defined. We used RNA sequencing to profile lncRNAs derived specifically from the aortic intima of Ldlr−/− mice on a high-cholesterol diet during lesion progression and regression phases. We found that the evolutionarily conserved lncRNA small nucleolar host gene-12 (SNHG12) is highly expressed in the vascular endothelium and decreases during lesion progression. SNHG12 knockdown accelerated atherosclerotic lesion formation by 2.4-fold in Ldlr−/− mice by increased DNA damage and senescence in the vascular endothelium, independent of effects on lipid profile or vessel wall inflammation. Conversely, intravenous delivery of SNHG12 protected the tunica intima from DNA damage and atherosclerosis. LncRNA pulldown in combination with liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis showed that SNHG12 interacted with DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK), an important regulator of the DNA damage response. The absence of SNHG12 reduced the DNA-PK interaction with its binding partners Ku70 and Ku80, abrogating DNA damage repair. Moreover, the anti-DNA damage agent nicotinamide riboside (NR), a clinical-grade small-molecule activator of NAD+, fully rescued the increases in lesional DNA damage, senescence, and atherosclerosis mediated by SNHG12 knockdown. SNHG12 expression was also reduced in pig and human atherosclerotic specimens and correlated inversely with DNA damage and senescent markers. These findings reveal a role for this lncRNA in regulating DNA damage repair in the vessel wall and may have implications for chronic vascular disease states and aging.

The present study examines how second language learners (L2) assign the thematic roles of agent/patient in Spanish passive sentences with ser (often referred to as the true passive) when it is their initial exposure to this structure. The target sentences were preceded by a contextual sentence. After hearing the two sentences, participants were asked to identify the agent of the passive sentence. All the sentences were reversible, and other linguistic variables were manipulated. Variables that have been shown in other studies on other linguistic structures to promote correct thematic role assignment include: the number (singular/plural) of the agents and patients; the gender (masculine to feminine and feminine to masculine) of the agents and patients; and co-indexing of the grammatical subjects (1/2) in the context and target sentences. The quantitative analyses reveal that these native speakers of English, to varying degrees, assign thematic roles in passive sentences incorrectly. Furthermore, these learners show no sensitivity to number, gender, and co-referencing of grammatical subjects. None of the paired conditions promoted greater accuracy in assigning thematic roles. The results are discussed in terms of the First Noun Principle (VanPatten 2007) and the Canonical Alignment Hypothesis (Hyams et al. 2006).

Corrective feedback has been the subject of 18 meta-analyses (Plonsky & Brown, 2015) that have examined the research on the effects of corrective feedback on learning outcomes, a product-oriented focus. The present study examines the effect of feedback type (implicit positive and negative feedback) delivered as part of the learning process, a process-oriented focus. Participants received processing instruction on the Spanish passive through explicit explanation followed by structured input practice. Each practice item consisted of a series of slides: written sentence, paired images, response selection (A or B), and feedback (the two-image slide with a green checkmark over the correct answer). Using eye-tracking methodology, we examine the effect of feedback type on one target practice item on processing the elements in the next target practice item. Our results show that feedback type significantly affects subsequent processing. Learners allocate less visual attention to the subsequent practice item if they received implicit positive feedback on the previous item than when they received implicit negative feedback.

VanPatten and Cadierno (1993) published the first empirical investigation on the effects of processing instruction just over twenty years ago. This work inspired many, many more in subsequent years and continues to inspire research to this day, as evidenced by the studies gathered in this special edition. The purpose of this paper is to identify the milestones among the many processing instruction studies. Each study marks a significant development in the processing instruction research program.

The present study examines the processing of Spanish future tense morphology incidentally while reading in a second language. Previous L1 and L2 reading research has demonstrated that readers can acquire new vocabulary as a result of reading, but can they also acquire formal properties of the second language grammatical system? The participants in the present study had no previous knowledge of future tense morphology such that, as they read the passage used in the study, they encountered the target form for the first time, which is an accented á on the end of an infinitive—for example, dependerá “he, she, or it will depend.” Several variables were manipulated: (a) the frequency with which the target form appeared in the input passages (6, 10, or 16 exposures); (b) the learner-readers' orientation to the task (neutral, meaning oriented, or form oriented); and (c) cues to meaning (the presence or absence of future-oriented adverbials). The effects of these variables were measured on both comprehension and input processing immediately after reading, 2 weeks later, and 1 month later. Comprehension was measured with a free-written recall and a multiple-choice comprehension test. Input processing was measured with a multiple-choice form recognition test and a modified cloze-form production test. The results indicate that all three variables have some effect on comprehension and input processing.

CD26, a 110 kDa cell surface glycoprotein, exhibits dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV; EC 3.4.14.5) enzyme activity and plays an important role in T cell co-stimulation. In the present study, the function of CD26/DPPIV in transendothelial migration was examined using beta-chemokines as chemoattractants. When soluble recombinant CD26 (sCD26/DPPIV+) was added to the transendothelial chemotaxis system, chemotactic migration of T cells toward RANTES was significantly enhanced. Addition of sCD26 to 50 ng/ml of RANTES enhanced the migratory response by a factor of two compared to RANTES alone, whereas mutant soluble CD26 (mCD26), lacking the DPPIV enzyme activity, had no enhancing effect on RANTES-induced T cell migration. In the process of analyzing the mechanisms of the enhancement of T cell migration by sCD26, we showed that RANTES was cleaved by sCD26 under physiologic conditions at the precise site characteristic of its enzyme specificity. However, synthesized RANTES which lacks two N-terminal amino acids showed a chemotactic activity equivalent to full-length RANTES on T cells. Furthermore, addition of sCD26 showed enhancement of T cell migration induced by both forms of RANTES. In contrast to T cells, the truncated RANTES is inactive in chemotaxis of purified monocytes and supplement of sCD26 but not mCD26 reduced the migratory response of monocytes to RANTES. These results suggest that CD26/DPPIV differentially regulate the chemotactic response of T cells and monocytes to RANTES.

The purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of varying the morphological characteristics of input on comprehension and input processing. The input varied as follows. The text used in this study contained nine, targeted subjunctive verbs. These verbs were substituted in other versions of the passage with infinitives and with a nonsense morpheme. Results revealed that passage comprehension, as measured by recall, was significantly lower for the correct, subjunctive forms than for the infinitives and nonsense forms. Input processing, as measured by a word recognition task, was not affected by verb form. No significant correlations were found between comprehension and input processing scores.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of test method on the reading performance of two levels of early-stage L2 readers of French. L2 reading research examining test methods has focused primarily on discrete- point modes of response. This study compared two global response modes, the summary and the recall protocol. Half of the 80 subjects were asked to read a passage and to write a summary of the passage and the other half were asked to read the passage and to recall it. The written protocols were analysed for total number of idea units as well as the number of main ideas, supporting ideas and details. The total number of idea units was submitted to a two-way analysis of variance. The three levels of idea units were submitted to separate two-way analyses of variance. Results indicate a significant qualitative difference in the performance on the two tasks. The summaries contained significantly more main ideas than the recall protocols. Fur thermore, the summaries contained a higher percentage of main ideas than details whereas the recall protocols contained a higher percentage of details than main ideas. The results have research and pedagogical implications.

In this article, I present an approach to task-based instruction relying on the familiar instructional technique of the class discussion as the point of departure. After proposing that communication be viewed as the expression, interpretation, and negotiation of meaning rather than as simply questions and answers, classroom practices are developed that reflect all three dimensions of communication. Specifically, I take four discussion questions and transform them into task-based activities. Each of the four task-based activities is analyzed according to the following criteria: a. identify a desired outcome; What information are students supposed to extract from the interaction? b. break down the topic into subtopics; What are the relevant subcomponents of the topic? c. create and sequence concrete tasks for learners to do: lists, charts, tables; What tasks can the learners carry out to explore the subcomponents? d. build in linguistic support: lexical, grammatical; What linguistic support do the learners need?

O(6)-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) is a DNA repair protein that restores mutagenic O(6)-methylguanine to guanine. MGMT methylation is frequently observed in sporadic colorectal cancer and was recently correlated with the CT allele at SNP rs16906252, within the transcriptional enhancer element of the promoter. MGMT methylation has also been associated with KRAS mutations, particularly GA transitions. We studied 1123 colorectal carcinoma to define the molecular and clinicopathological profiles associated with MGMT methylation. Furthermore, we assessed factors contributing to MGMT methylation in the development of colorectal cancer by studying the allelic pattern of MGMT methylation using SNP rs16906252, and the methylation status of neighbouring genes within 10q26 in selected tumours and matched normal colonic mucosa. MGMT methylation was detected by combined bisulphite restriction analysis in 28% of tumours and was associated with a number of characteristics, including CDKN2A methylation, absent lymphovascular space invasion and KRAS mutations (but not specifically with KRAS GA transitions). In a multivariate analysis adjusted for age and sex, MGMT methylation was associated with the T allele of SNP rs16906252 (P0.0001, OR 5.5, 95% CI 3.8-7.9). Low-level methylation was detected by quantitative methylation-specific PCR in the normal colonic mucosa of cases, particularly those with a correspondingly methylated tumour, as well as controls without neoplasia, and this was also associated with the CT SNP. We show that the T allele at SNP rs16906252 is a key determinant in the onset of MGMT methylation in colorectal cancer, whereas the association of methylation at MGMT and CDKN2A suggests that these loci may be targets of a common mechanism of epigenetic dysregulation.