Georgetown University

About: Georgetown University is a education organization based out in Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Cancer. The organization has 23377 authors who have published 43718 publications receiving 1748598 citations. The organization is also known as: GU & Georgetown.

Attention, Awareness, and Foreign Language Behavior

Abstract: This study qualitatively and quantitatively addressed the role of awareness in relation to Schmidt's noticing hypothesis in second language acquisition (1990, 1993, 1994, 1995). It analyzed both the think-aloud protocols produced by 28 beginning adult L2 learners of Spanish (selected carefully from a pool of 85 people on the basis of relevant criteria) completing a problem-solving task and their immediate performances on 2 post-exposure assessment tasks, a recognition and written production task. The qualitative and quantitative analyses of learners' performances suggest the following conclusions: (a) Different levels of awareness lead to differences in processing, (b) more awareness contributes to more recognition and accurate written production of noticed forms, and (c) the findings provide empirical support for the facilitative effects of awareness on foreign language behavior.

Family Language Policy

Abstract: This article describes the newly emerging field of family language policy, defined as explicit and overt planning in relation to language use within the home among family members, and provides an integrated overview of research on how languages are managed, learned, and negotiated within families. A comprehensive framework for understanding family language policy is sketched by bringing together two independent and currently disconnected fields of study: language policy and child language acquisition. Within such a framework, this article reviews research on the role of language ideologies in shaping family language practices, and on the connection between different family language policies, such as the one person–one language approach, and child language outcomes. We argue that family language policies are important as they shape children's developmental trajectories, connect in significant ways with children's formal school success, and collectively determine the maintenance and future status of minority languages.

Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology of Antiestrogen Action and Resistance

Abstract: Antiestrogen therapy remains one of the most widely used and effective treatments for the management of endocrine responsive breast cancers. This reflects the ability of antiestrogens to compete with estrogens for binding to estrogen receptors. Whereas response rates of up to 70% are reported in patients with tumors expressing estrogen and progesterone receptors, most responsive tumors will eventually acquire resistance. The most important factor in de novo resistance is lack of expression of these receptors. However, the mechanisms driving resistance in tumors that express estrogen and/or progesterone receptors are unclear. A tamoxifen-stimulated phenotype has been described, but seems to occur only in a minority of patients. Most tumors (>80%) may become resistant through other, less well defined, resistance mechanisms. These may be multifactorial, including changes in immunity, host endocrinology, and drug pharmacokinetics. Significant changes within the tumor cells may also occur, including alterations in the ratio of the estrogen receptor alpha:beta forms and/or other changes in estrogen receptor-driven transcription complex function. These may lead to perturbations in the gene network signaling downstream of estrogen receptors. Cells may also alter paracrine and autocrine growth factor interactions, potentially producing a ligand-independent activation of estrogen receptors by mitogen-activated protein kinases. Antiestrogens can affect the function of intracellular proteins and signaling that may, or may not, involve estrogen receptor-mediated events. These include changes in oxidative stress responses, specific protein kinase C isoform activation, calmodulin function, and cell membrane structure/function.

Dissociating Syntax from Morphology in a Divergent L2 End-State Grammar.

Abstract: This article addresses current proposals in the literature suggesting that thematic verb-raising is optional in the grammars of L2 acquirers, due either to failure to acquire verbal agreement morphology or to an impairment of the mechanism relating the ‘richness’ of morphological agreement paradigms to syntactic feature strength. I examine naturalistic longitudinal production data from Patty, a native Chinese speaker whose L2 English grammar has ‘fossilized’ with regard to verbal agreement morphology. The data show that, despite the omission of regular agreement suffixation in about 96% of obligatory contexts, thematic verbs are never raised in Patty's English,thus showing no optionality of raising.The results indicate that even in cases where regular verbal morphology is neveracquired,it is still possible for the learner to determine feature strength and the status of verb-raising in the target language.

The hyaluronan receptor (CD44) participates in the uptake and degradation of hyaluronan.

Abstract: The hyaluronan receptor belongs to the polymorphic family of CD44 glycoproteins, which have been implicated in a variety of cellular functions including adhesion to hyaluronan and collagen, the binding of lymphocytes to high endothelial cells during extravasation, and conferring metastatic potential to carcinoma cells. Here, we demonstrate that the receptor also participates in the uptake and degradation of hyaluronan by both transformed fibroblasts (SV-3T3 cells) and alveolar macrophages. These cells were incubated with isotopically labeled hyaluronan for various periods of time, and the extent of degradation was determined by either molecular-sieve chromatography or centrifugation through Centricon 30 microconcentrators. The macrophages degraded the hyaluronan at a faster rate than the SV-3T3 cells, which may reflect the fact that they contained a greater number of receptors. More importantly, in both cell types, the degradation of hyaluronan was specifically blocked by antibodies directed against the receptor. However, the receptor by itself did not have the ability to degrade hyaluronan, since preparations of SV-3T3 membranes containing the receptor did not break down hyaluronan. Subsequent experiments revealed that macrophages can internalize fluorescein-tagged hyaluronan, and this process was blocked by antibodies against the receptor. Furthermore, the subsequent degradation of hyaluronan was inhibited by agents that block the acidification of lysosomes (chloroquine and NH4Cl). Thus, the most likely explanation for these results is that the receptor mediates the uptake of hyaluronan into the cell where it can be degraded by acid hydrolases in lysosomes. The ability of cells expressing the receptor to degrade hyaluronan may be important during tissue morphogenesis and cell migration.