Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ecrire l’histoire des enseignantes. Enjeux et perspectives internationales

Cet article introductif prend pour objet l’historiographie des femmes enseignantes en Europe, en Amerique du Nord et en Australie depuis les annees 1960. Le poids de l’historiographie anglo-americaine sur le sujet s’explique en grande partie par le succes de l’histoire des femmes et du genre dans ces aires geographiques. Les auteurs proposent une approche thematique et prennent en compte les etudes portant sur la presence des femmes dans la profession enseignante, le processus de feminisation, la formation et la professionnalisation des enseignantes, leurs experiences au travail, les enseignantes du secteur prive et les approches nouvelles qui s’interessent a la culture enseignante par l’etude des discours et l’analyse des experiences. La variete et la quantite de la production historique montrent a quel point l’interet porte aux femmes et au genre a transforme l’histoire de la profession enseignante au XIXe et au XXe siecles.
Electro-membrane filtration for the selective isolation of bioactive peptides from an alpha(s2)-casein hydrolysate.

For the isolation of the ingredients required for functional foods and nutraceuticals generally membrane filtration has too low a selectivity and chromatography is (too) expensive. Electro-membrane filtration (EMF) seems to be a breakthrough technology for the isolation of charged nutraceutical ingredients from natural sources. EMF combines the separation mechanisms of membrane filtration and electrophoresis. In this study, positively charged peptides with antimicrobial activity were isolated from an alpha(s2)-casein hydrolysate using batch-wise EMF. alpha(s2)-Casein f(183-207), a peptide with strong antimicrobial activity, predominated in the isolated product and was enriched from 7.5% of the total protein components in the feed to 25% in the permeate product. With conventional membrane diafiltration using the same membrane (GR60PP), isolation of this and other charged bioactive peptides could not be achieved. The economics of EMF are mainly governed by the energy costs and the capital investment, which is affected by the flux of the desired peptide. A maximum average transport rate of alpha(s2)-casein f(183-207) during batch-wise EMF of 1.2 g/m2. h was achieved. Results indicate that an increase in the hydrolysate (feed) concentration, the applied potential difference and the conductivity of the permeate and electrode solutions, and a reduction in the conductivity of the feed result in a higher transport rate of alpha(s2)-casein f(183-207). This is in line with the expectation that the transport rate is improved when the concentration, the electrical field strength, or the electrophoretic mobility is increased, provided that the electrophoretic transport predominates. The expected energy consumption of the EMF process per gram of peptide transported was reduced by approximately 50% by applying a low overall potential difference and by processing desalinated hydrolysate. Considerable improvements in transport rate, energy efficiency, and process economics seem to be attainable by additional optimization of the process parameters and the EMF module design.
Demographic profile of CSOM in a rural tertiary care hospital

Objectives : To analyze the demographic and clinical aspects of chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) Materials and Methods : Prospective observational study over a period of 6 years (January, 2007 to December, 2013), 1717 patients with CSOM have been cared for in the department of ENT , Burdwan Medical College & Hospital, Burdwan. Results : CSOM commonly occurs in the age group from 11 to 30 years (40.50%). Female predominate male. Tubotympanic type (86.02%) is more common. Complications were associated with atticoantral type of CSOM. Conclusion : CSOM is a common public health problem that is often wrongly trivialized by people.Health awareness campaign, improved health education and easy accessibility to health care facilities can reduce the morbidity and mortality of this disease and therefore can reduce the incidence of this disease.
Gingival enlargement and its risk factors in kidney transplant patients receiving cyclosporine A.

INTRODUCTION Gingival enlargement is one of the most cumbersome complications of cyclosporine A. It affects patient's life style by impairing the appearance and function of masticatory tract. This study was conducted on a sample of Iranian kidney transplant recipients to determine the frequency and risk factors of cyclosporine-induced gingival enlargement. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 200 kidney transplant recipients (mean age, 39.7 +/- 13.2 years) were enrolled in this study. All of the participants were receiving cyclosporine for at least 12 months prior to the study. Factors including age, gender, cyclosporine dose, serum concentration of cyclosporine, duration of immunosuppressive administration, plaque, and gingival indexes were evaluated. RESULTS Seventy kidney transplant recipients (35%) showed various degrees of gingival enlargement. Serum cyclosporine concentration and the intensity of gingival enlargement (McGraw index) had a significant correlation (r = 0.35, P < .001). Multiple regression analysis revealed an independent association between gingival enlargement and either serum concentrations of cyclosporine and plaque index (P < .05). The other variables failed to show a significant relationship with gingival enlargement. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of cyclosporine-induced gingival enlargement in our patients seems to be almost greater than the prevalence reported in previous studies. There was a significant relationship between cyclosporine immunosuppressive treatment and gingival overgrowth in Iranian kidney transplant recipients.
Evaluation of dysmyelopoiesis in cats: 34 cases (1996-2005).

OBJECTIVE To further classify dysmyelopoiesis as diagnosed by use of a general classification scheme and to determine clinical features and laboratory test results that could be used to differentiate between the various forms of dysmyelopoiesis in cats. DESIGN Retrospective case series. Sample Population-Bone marrow slides from 34 cats. PROCEDURES Medical records of cats in which dysmyelopoiesis was diagnosed on the basis of blood and bone marrow analyses from 1996 to 2005 were reviewed. Criteria for inclusion in the study were findings of > 10% dysplastic cells in 1 or more hematologic cell lines in the bone marrow and concurrent cytopenias in the blood. Cats that met these criteria were classified into subcategories of myelodysplastic syndromes or secondary dysmyelopoiesis on the basis of reevaluation of slides. RESULTS Of 189 bone marrow slides reviewed, 34 (14.9%) had > 10% dysplastic cells in 1 or more cell lines. Cats were subcategorized as having myelodysplastic syndrome with excessive numbers of blast cells (n = 13), myelodysplastic syndrome with refractory cytopenias (8), a variant form of myelodysplastic syndrome (1), and secondary dysmyelopoiesis (12). Findings of dysmyelopoiesis and autoagglutination in cats with myelodysplastic syndrome and in those with immune-mediated anemia complicated differentiating between the 2 conditions. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Differentiating cats with myelodysplastic syndromes from cats with immune-mediated hemolytic anemia was difficult because severe anemia and autoagglutination may be concurrent findings in both conditions. Differentiating between myelodysplastic syndrome with excessive numbers of blast cells and myelodysplastic syndrome with refractory cytopenias was useful in predicting clinical outcome.
Tracking performance limits for SIMO discrete-time feedback control systems

The limitations imposed by non-square plants, non-minimum phase zeros, and unstable poles in optimal tracking problem for LTI SIMO continuous-time systems responding to a step reference signal are now known. This paper examines and derives equivalent results for discrete-time feedback control systems. An extension is made by considering a problem of minimizing the tracking error simultaneously with the control effort.
Age related preservation and loss in optimized brain SPECT

BackgroundRecent single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) studies have reported age related increases in regional brain perfusion (called preservation here) as well as losses. AimTo apply optimized SPECT processing to better define and understand both age related preservation and loss in brain SPECT. MethodsBrain SPECT was performed on 85 healthy subjects using 99mTc hexamethylpropylene amine oxime (HMPAO), processed using findings from recent optimization work, and subjected to voxel based statistical analysis. ResultsSPECT preservation was seen in white matter. This distribution differs from other SPECT reports, but is similar to that for preservation observed with structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This suggests that SPECT preservation may arise from age related changes in brain anatomy, not regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), and we demonstrate that it can arise from the partial-volume effect in areas where white matter contracts with age. Age related losses extended over the whole pre-frontal midline area and an extended pattern of focal losses was seen in the peripheral cortex that was consistent with major sulci. There were also focal losses in the cerebellum. The most significant SPECT loss was in the anterior cingulate, although no structural changes were observed there in the MRI study. A model of sulcal widening at the junction of the inter-hemispheric fissure and cingulate sulcus, when degraded by the partial-volume effect, could explain this anterior cingulate loss. ConclusionOptimized processing has revealed spatial patterns for age related preservation and losses in brain SPECT that indicate their origin is primarily structural. Correction for structural effects in optimized SPECT is needed to confirm whether any regional ageing effects derive from changes in rCBF.
H‐NS‐dependent activation of pectate lyases synthesis in the phytopathogenic bacterium Erwinia chrysanthemi is mediated by the PecT repressor

Production of the main virulence determinant pectate lyases (Pels) of the phytopathogenic bacterium Erwinia chrysanthemi is modulated by a complex regulatory network involving the repressor proteins KdgR, PecS and PecT and the activator systems Pir, ExpI–ExpR and CRP. Of these regulators, CRP and PecT are particularly important since the absence of CRP or a slight overproduction of PecT leads to a drastic reduction in synthesis of Pel species. Recently, it has been shown that production of Pel species is strongly reduced in an E. chrysanthemi hns mutant, suggesting an activator function of the nucleoid‐associated protein H‐NS in the expression of the pel genes. Here, we report that the reduced synthesis of Pel species in the hns mutant results from a negative control, exerted by H‐NS, on the transcription of the regulatory gene pecT. This H‐NS/PecT cascade regulation is one of the first elucidations of a positive effect of H‐NS on target gene expression. Moreover, we found that H‐NS also represses the expression of expI, expR and pel genes. H‐NS control is the result of H‐NS binding to extended regions within the pecT, expI, expR and pel genes. Investigation of the simultaneous binding of CRP, RNA polymerase (RNAP) and H‐NS on the pelD gene revealed that these three proteins form a nucleoprotein com‐plex. Together, these data indicate that, by exerting a negative control at multiple levels, H‐NS plays a crucial role in the E. chrysanthemi pel regulatory network.
Long distance quantum cryptography made simple

Any two-party cryptographic primitive can be implemented using quantum communication under the assumption that it is difficult to store a large number of quantum states perfectly. However, achieving reliable quantum communication over long distances remains a difficult problem. Here, we consider a large network of nodes with only neighboring quantum links. We exploit properties of this cloud of nodes to enable any two nodes to achieve security even if they are not directly connected. Our results are based on techniques from classical cryptography and do not resort to technologically difficult procedures like entanglement swapping. More precisely, we show that oblivious transfer can be achieved in such a network if and only if there exists a path in the network between the sender and the receiver along which all nodes are honest. Finally, we show that useful notions of security can still be achieved when we relax the assumption of an honest path. For example, we show that we can combine our protocol for oblivious transfer with computational assumptions such that we obtain security if either there exists an honest path, or, as a backup, at least the adversary cannot solve a computational problem.
AlGaN/GaN HEMTs with PAE of 53% at 35 GHz for HPA and Multi-Function MMIC Applications

We would like to report on AlGaN/GaN HEMTs on SiC substrate with stat-of the-art power performance at Ka-band. Power gains of 5.6, 6.3 and 6.7 dB and peak PAE of 53, 53 and 51% were measured at 35 GHz when 200-mum GaN HEMTs were biased at 10, 15 and 20 volts, respectively. At 10 GHz, 400-mum GaN HEMTs exhibited maximum PAE of 67%, power gain of 11.3 dB and power density of 5.6 W/mm when devices were biased at 30 volts. Furthermore, we have also achieved 36 to 38.7 ilBm TOI at a wide range of 10 to 26 dBm total output power for a 400-mum GaN HEMT. Very low noise figures of 1.4 dB at 26 GHz were measured on 100, 200 and 300-mum wide GaN HEMTs as well. In this work, we have demonstrated that GaN HEMTs on SiC substrate is a much superior device technology to GaAs-based pHEMT for microwave applications up through Ka-band.
SOX2 primes the epigenetic landscape in neural precursors enabling proper gene activation during hippocampal neurogenesis

Significance Sex-determining region Y-related HMG box 2 (SOX2) is a well-established marker of neural stem and progenitor cells, and its function was shown to be required for the self-renewal of these cells. However, the function of SOX2 in neuronal differentiation is poorly understood. Here we described a novel role of SOX2 in neuronal differentiation in which SOX2 binds to bivalently marked promoters of poised proneural genes in neural progenitor cells and limits the activity of polycomb repressive complex 2 and excessive levels of histone H3 Lys 27 trimethylation. We propose a novel function of SOX2 in maintaining a permissive epigenetic state thus enabling proper activation of the neuronal differentiation program under neurogenic cue. Newborn granule neurons generated from neural progenitor cells (NPCs) in the adult hippocampus play a key role in spatial learning and pattern separation. However, the molecular mechanisms that control activation of their neurogenic program remain poorly understood. Here, we report a novel function for the pluripotency factor sex-determining region Y (SRY)-related HMG box 2 (SOX2) in regulating the epigenetic landscape of poised genes activated at the onset of neuronal differentiation. We found that SOX2 binds to bivalently marked promoters of poised proneural genes [neurogenin 2 (Ngn2) and neurogenic differentiation 1 (NeuroD1)] and a subset of neurogenic genes [e.g., SRY-box 21 (Sox21), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf), and growth arrest and DNA-damage–inducible, beta (Gadd45b)] where it functions to maintain the bivalent chromatin state by preventing excessive polycomb repressive complex 2 activity. Conditional ablation of SOX2 in adult hippocampal NPCs impaired the activation of proneural and neurogenic genes, resulting in increased neuroblast death and functionally aberrant newborn neurons. We propose that SOX2 sets a permissive epigenetic state in NPCs, thus enabling proper activation of the neuronal differentiation program under neurogenic cue.
Benzodiazepines Affect Channel Opening of GABAA Receptors Induced by Either Agonist Binding Site

Benzodiazepines are widely used as anxiolytics, sedatives, muscle relaxants, and anticonvulsants. They allosterically modulate GABA type A (GABAA) receptors by increasing the apparent affinity of the agonist GABA to elicit chloride currents. Such an increase in apparent affinity of channel gating could either be caused by an increase in affinity for GABA or by a facilitation of channel opening. In the first case, conformation of the affected sites would have to be altered. In the second case, the affected sites are not necessarily altered, because diazepam could facilitate conformational changes leading to the open channel. It is controversial as to whether benzodiazepines affect only channel opening induced by the occupation of one of the two agonist binding sites or by both. We used receptors formed by concatenated subunits to selectively destroy one of the two agonist sites by point mutation. Both of the receptors harboring only one active agonist site could be stimulated by diazepam. We therefore present evidence that binding of diazepam can affect channel opening induced by either agonist binding site.
Role of EP2 receptors and cAMP in prostaglandin E2 regulated expression of type I collagen α1, lysyl oxidase, and cyclooxygenase‐1 genes in human embryo lung fibroblasts

In a recent communication, we demonstrated that prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) lowers basal while it ablates interleukin‐1β( (IL‐1β) and transforming growth factor‐β (TGFβ) upregulated lysyl oxidase (LO) mRNA levels. Correspondingly, PGE2 increases cyclooxygenase‐1 (COX1) mRNA in diploid, human embryo lung fibroblasts (IMR90) [Roy et al., 1996]. We now report that these actions by PGE2 are routed through cAMP via the PGE2, EP2 receptor. Among the PGE2 receptor types, the IMR90 predominantly express the EP2 mRNA. These cells also express EP3 and EP4 mRNA at comparatively low levels. Northern blot analyses show that 11‐deoxy PGE1, an EP2/EP4 agonist, emulates the action of PGE2. In a similar manner to PGE2, 11‐deoxy PGE1 decreases basal and TGF‐β induced type I collagen α1 (COL) mRNA, basal and IL‐1β induced LO mRNA while it increases COX1 mRNA. Sulprostone, an EP3/EP1 agonist, has no effect on the expression of these three genes. Forskolin, an adenylate cyclase activator, acts in a very similar manner to PGE2or 11‐deoxy PGE1. It suppresses both basal and TGF‐β induced COL mRNA levels. Both PGE2 and 11‐deoxy PGE1 increase cAMP to a level comparable with forskolin. The role of the EP2 receptor in controlling collagen production is further underscored in the immortalized Rat‐1 fibroblasts, derived from Fischer rat embryos, which do not express detectable EP2 mRNA. In these cells, PGE2 has little effect on COL mRNA level, whereas forskolin increases it. Furthermore, forskolin increases cAMP level in Rat‐1 cells, whereas PGE2 does not. Overall, these results illustrate that much of the PGE2 action on the expression of COL, LO, and COX1 genes is mediated through the EP2 receptor and a subsequent increase in intracellular cAMP. J. Cell. Biochem. 71:254–263, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Bacteriological and epidemiological studies of campylobacter spp. in Swedish broilers

Campylobacter jejuni is the most frequently reported cause of bacterial gastrointestinal illness in humans in Sweden. Chicken products are considered an important risk factor for human infection. This thesis analyses and identifies sources and risk factors for colonisation of Campylobacter spp. in broilers at both farm level and slaughter. Slaughter groups with a low within-group prevalence were identified, split slaughter was confirmed as a risk factor and contamination of carcasses was shown to occur both during transport and during the slaughter process. Environmental campylobacter load was comparable on high and low incidence farms, indicating that hygiene regime is of greater importance than environmental load. Slaughter groups with a high within-flock prevalence had significantly higher campylobacter load in carcasses at slaughter than slaughter groups with a low degree of colonisation Campylobacter jejuni is the Campylobacter sp. predominantly found in broilers. Strain characterisation below species level, so-called subtyping, is a helpful tool in epidemiological studies, e.g. in determination of transmission routes. Certain subtypes were shown to be common in Sweden and may have a higher ability to survive in the environment around broiler houses. The results from phylogenetic analysis indicated that typing based on 16S rRNA sequencing is not always sufficient for differentiating between C. jejuni and C. coli. However, nine different 16S rRNA types were identified among 47 Swedish campylobacter isolates from broilers. About one-third of Swedish broiler producers seldom deliver any campylobacter-positive broilers to slaughter, demonstrating that it is possible to produce campylobacter-free chickens in Sweden. The factors identified as carrying the highest risk of producing campylobacter-positive broilers in Sweden were (i) insufficient general tidiness on the farm, (ii) split slaughter, (iii) an in-line position of the doors between the outside and access into broiler houses instead of an angled position. Furthermore, (iv) high risk farms often had other livestock such as cattle and pigs, and (v) high risk farms were more frequently situated in groves than in forest. Reducing the proportion of campylobacter-infected broiler flocks and the numbers of campylobacter on broiler carcasses would considerably lower the risk for consumers.
Tuberous Sclerosis Gene 2 Product Modulates Transcription Mediated by Steroid Hormone Receptor Family Members*

Tuberous sclerosis (TSC) is a genetic disorder that results in the development of hamartomatous lesions in a variety of organ systems. Both the prevalence of the disease and the often devastating consequences of these tumors pose a serious health and medical care problem. The disease has been mapped to two distinct genetic loci in humans, and although the genes (TSC1 andTSC2) for both loci have recently been cloned, their function remains an enigma. Data presented here demonstrates that TSC2 protein can bind and selectively modulate transcription mediated by members of the steroid receptor superfamily of genes. These data place TSC2 into a growing list of nuclear receptor coregulators and strengthen the expanding body of evidence that these coregulators may play critical roles in cellular differentiation.
How Effective is Cushioned Therapeutic Footwear in Protecting Diabetic Feet? A Clinical Study

Therapeutic footwear with cushioned insoles was supplied to 50 diabetic patients with severe peripheral neuropathy and/or peripheral vascular disease (age 59(SD 12) years, known duration of diabetes 17(7) years), 36 of whom had a history of foot ulceration. A follow‐up examination was carried out 25(14) months later, except in 8 patients who died from conditions unrelated to their foot lesions, and 1 patient who died from sepsis due to upper limb amputation. Among the surviving 41 patients, intercurrent foot lesions during follow‐up occurred in significantly fewer (42 %) of the 26 who had worn the shoes regularly than of the 15 who had worn the shoes irregularly (87 %, p < 0.01). At follow‐up, only 15 % of the 41 patients were being treated for foot‐lesions, compared with 78 % of these 41 patients before cushioned shoes were provided. It is concluded that the availability of therapeutic shoes with cushioned insoles for diabetic patients at risk of foot lesions decreases the morbidity due to the diabetic foot syndrome.