Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Learners’ Experiences of Writing in English First Additional Language

Abstract Children’s literacy skill is a very important issue in the world in general and South Africa in particular. The issue is more complex in South Africa as learners are immersed in a second language (L2) learning. South Africa is fronted with the challenge of successfully furnishing a bulk of its populace with a second language, in this case English. There is, however, insufficient literature that looks into writing experiences of isiXhosa and Afrikaans background learners in English First Additional Language (EFAL). Hence, this study investigates the learners’ experiences of writing in English First Additional Language. The theoretical and conceptual framework for the study is provided by studies on constructivist theories and socio-cultural theories. In exploring these issues, a qualitative approach through semi-structured interviews, classroom observations and document analysis was adopted. This data is analyzed using critical discourse analysis (CDA).
Indoleamine‐accumulating amacrine cells are presynaptic to rod bipolar cells through GABAC receptors

γ‐Aminobutyric acid (GABA), is a main source of inhibitory modulation of the rod pathway in the mammalian retina. The authors previously showed that rod bipolar cells express at least three types of ionotropic GABA receptors. Here, the authors sought to determine which neurons are the presynaptic partners at these synapses in the rabbit retina. Indoleamine‐accumulating amacrine cells (IACs) were immunolabeled with an antiserum against serotonin (5HT) in vertical sections and wholemounts of rabbit retinae that had been preloaded with 5HT. The tissue was double labeled for the ρ subunits of the GABAC receptor or the α3 subunit of the GABAA receptor. Punctate immunofluorescence was observed for both receptor subunits and was found to coincide with the dendrites and varicosities of IACs. The localization of ρ subunits was examined at the ultrastructural level by using postembedding techniques on slam‐frozen, cryosubstituted tissue. Double labeling at the electron microscopic level revealed that 5HT‐immunoreactive processes were presynaptic to rod bipolar cells through GABAC receptors. Intracellular injection of the two morphologic subclasses of IAC amacrine cells, S1 and S2, with Lucifer yellow followed by immunolabeling for the α3 or ρ subunits revealed that varicosities on the dendrites of both cell types were in register with α3‐ and ρ‐immunoreactive puncta. Taken together, these results suggest that IACs are presynaptic to rod bipolar cells through GABAC receptors and possibly through GABAA receptors. J. Comp. Neurol. 413:155–167, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Integración automática de fuentes de conocimiento lingüistico en el desarrollo de sistemas de diálogo

espanolEl desarrollo de sistemas de dialogo practicos, orientados a aplicaciones especificas, requiere un esfuerzo de diseno muy elevado. La practica en el desarrollo, manejo y refinamiento de sistemas concretos nos ha hecho ver que una de las razones de este problema es la interdependencia entre las fuentes de conocimiento linguistico, que requieren coherencia en todos sus niveles. Para solucionar este problema sin afectar a la calidad del sistema, presentamos una arquitectura especifica para sistemas de dialogo que permite la integracion automatica de todas las fuentes de conocimiento linguistico a partir de la especificacion formal de la aplicacion. Esta arquitectura se caracteriza por su modularidad y su independencia completa de la aplicacion. Presentamos tambien la aplicacion de esta metodologia a nuestro sistema de dialogo, asi como los resultados preliminares obtenidos. EnglishThe development of practical dialogue systems, designed towards specific applications, requires a very high design effort. Our experience in the development, use and refinement of specific systems has made clear to us that one of the causes of this problem is the close relationship between the various linguistic knowledge sources involved and the need of coherence between them. In order to solve this problem without affecting the system quality, we present a specific dialogue system architecture which integrates automatically all the linguistic knowledge sources based on the formal application specification. Our proposed architecture is completely modular and application-independent. We present also the results obtained in the implementation of our system through the guidelines described.
Sub-aperture method for the wide-bandwidth wide-angle inverse synthetic aperture radar imaging

In this paper, a method for obtaining focused inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) images of targets based on the radar backscattering measurements taken over wide bands and wide angles. The proposed method divides wide angle and wide frequency band into small aperture bands in the spatial frequency or Fourier domain. This set-up makes it possible to use fast calculation of ISAR images for every sub-aperture data set as in the case of standard ISAR case of small-bandwidth and small-angle. The details of the method are presented and numerical examples are given for the validation the method. The electromagnetic scattering estimation from the target is calculated via a hybrid simulator that uses both the physical optics and the shooting & bouncing ray concepts.
Morbid Obesity and Postoperative Pulmonary Atelectasis: An Underestimated Problem

Perturbation of respiratory mechanics produced by general anesthesia and surgery is more pronounced in morbidly obese (MO) patients. Because general anesthesia induces pulmonary atelectasis in nonobese patients, we hypothesized that atelectasis formation would be particularly significant in MO patients. We investigated the importance and resorption of atelectasis after general anesthesia in MO and nonobese patients. Twenty MO patients were anesthetized for laparoscopic gastroplasty and 10 nonobese patients for laparoscopic cholecystectomy. We assessed pulmonary atelectasis by computed tomography at three different periods: before the induction of general anesthesia, immediately after tracheal extubation, and 24 h later. Already before the induction of anesthesia, MO patients had more atelectasis, expressed in the percentage of the total lung area, than nonobese patients (2.1% versus 1.0%, respectively;P < 0.01). After tracheal extubation, atelectasis had increased in both groups but remained significantly more so in the MO group (7.6% for MO patients versus 2.8% for the nonobese;P < 0.05). Twenty-four hours later, the amount of atelectasis remained unchanged in the MO patients, but we observed a complete resorption in nonobese patients (9.7% versus 1.9%, respectively;P < 0.01). General anesthesia in MO patients generated much more atelectasis than in nonobese patients. Moreover, atelectasis remained unchanged for at least 24 h in MO patients, whereas atelectasis disappeared in the nonobese.
Age‐related loss of axospinous synapses formed by two afferent systems in the rat dentate gyrus as revealed by the unbiased stereological dissector technique

Previous attempts to elucidate whether a loss of hippocampal synapses occurs during aging provided conflicting results, possibly due to the unavailability, at the time, of unbiased methods for synapse quantitation. This study was designed to reexamine the issue by means of modern technical procedures that provide unbiased estimates of synaptic numbers. Groups of 14 young adult (5 months old) and 14 aged (28 months old) male Fischer‐344 rats were compared. Synapses were examined in the middle (MML) and inner (IML) molecular layer of the hippocampal dentate gyrus, where synaptic contacts are predominantly formed by different systems of afferents, the entorhinal and commissural‐associational fibers, respectively. The number of synapses per neuron was estimated with the aid of the stereological dissector technique. The results showed that the total number of synaptic contacts per neuron was significantly diminished in the MML (by 23.6%) and IML (by 22.7%) of aged rats relative to young adults. This age‐related synaptic loss involved axospinous, but not axodendritic, junctions of the MML (−24.4%) and IML (−24.0%). Both perforated and nonperforated axospinous synapses (distinguished by a discontinuous or continuous postsynaptic density, respectively) exhibited an age‐dependent decrease in numbers, though this decrease did not reach statistical significance in the case of perforated junctions of the IML. The observed age‐related loss of axospinous synapses may underlie the reduction in the amplitude of excitatory postsynaptic potentials and the decline in functional synaptic plasticity detected in the dentate gyrus of senescent rats.
Facteurs biologiques des qualités de la viande bovine

HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access archive for the deposit and dissemination of scientific research documents, whether they are published or not. The documents may come from teaching and research institutions in France or abroad, or from public or private research centers. L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires publics ou privés. Facteurs biologiques des qualités de la viande bovine G. Monin
Metabolic consequences of differing protein diets in experimental renal disease

Abstract. Investigation into the effects of two different dietary proteins, casein and soya, fed at isonitrogenous and isocaloric levels, upon renal function, plasma amino acids and serum lipids, in normal and subtotally nephrectomized rats was undertaken. Groups 1 (24% casein, n = 10) and 2 (24% soya, n = 10) were maintained upon the diets for a 10‐week period following subtotal nephrectomy, whilst groups 3 (24% casein, n = 6) and 4 (24% soya, n = 5) served as normal controls. Determination of glomerular filtration rate (GFR), effective renal plasma flow (ERPF) and histological analysis were undertaken at the end of the study. Serum lipids and plasma amino acids were determined in subtotally nephrectomized rats (group 5, 24% casein, n = 11: group 6, 24% soya, n = 12) 12 weeks following reduction in renal mass, and serum lipids determined in normal control animals (group 7, 24% casein, n = 10: group 8, 24% soya, n = 10). The glomerular filtration rate and ERPF in normal animals fed casein were significantly greater than those fed soya (P < 0·01). Survival, proteinuria, renal histological damage and blood urea when killed were all significantly worse in subtotally nephrectomized animals fed casein. Serum cholesterol of groups 5 and 7 fed casein were significantly higher than groups 6 and 8 (P < 0·05), whilst a significant reduction in serum triglyceride was found for group 6 (P < 0·001). Plasma amino acids, and essential amino acid ratios of subtotally nephrectomized rats were equivalent, with the exception of plasma glycine (P < 0·05).
Regulation of Reentrainment Function Is Dependent on a Certain Minimal Number of Intact Functional ipRGCs in rd Mice

Purpose To investigate the effect of partial ablation of melanopsin-containing retinal ganglion cells (mcRGCs) on nonimage-forming (NIF) visual functions in rd mice lacking rods. Methods The rd mice were intravitreally injected with different doses (100 ng/μl, 200 ng/μl, and 400 ng/μl) of immunotoxin melanopsin-SAP. And then, the density of ipRGCs was examined. After establishing the animal models with different degrees of ipRGC damage, a wheel-running system was used to evaluate their reentrainment response. Results Intravitreal injection of melanopsin-SAP led to partial ablation of ipRGCs in a dose-dependent manner. The survival rates of ipRGCs in the 100 ng/μl, 200 ng/μl, and 400 ng/μl groups were 74.14% ± 4.15%, 39.25% ± 2.29%, and 38.38% ± 3.74%, respectively. The wheel-running experiments showed that more severe ipRGC loss was associated with a longer time needed for reentrainment. When the light/dark cycle was delayed by 8 h, the rd mice in the PBS control group took 4.67 ± 0.79 days to complete the synchronization with the shifted cycle, while those in the 100 ng/μl and 200 ng/μl groups required 7.90 ± 0.55 days and 11.00 ± 0.79 days to complete the synchronization with the new light/dark cycle, respectively. Conclusion Our study indicates that the regulation of some NIF visual functions is dependent on a certain minimal number of intact functional ipRGCs.
Knowing is not loving: media effects on knowledge about and attitudes toward the EU

ABSTRACT Media provide the public with information related to the European Union which may alter individuals’ perceptions, ultimately resulting in changes in performance evaluations of the EU. Knowledge gains may be an important mediator in this process. We present data from a study in the context of the 2016 Bratislava summit in which the Heads of the Union’s governments discussed the outcome of the Brexit vote and the EU’s future. A panel survey assessed the relationship between exposure to media content, event-related knowledge gains, and changes in attitudes towards the European Union. Our results show that when attending to news about the summit, citizens attain event-related knowledge which negatively affects EU performance evaluations. We discuss our findings in light of the role media play in informing the European citizenry.
Transient Notch Activation Induces Long-Term Gene Expression Changes Leading to Sick Sinus Syndrome in Mice

Rationale: Notch signaling programs cardiac conduction during development, and in the adult ventricle, injury-induced Notch reactivation initiates global transcriptional and epigenetic changes. Objective: To determine whether Notch reactivation may stably alter atrial ion channel gene expression and arrhythmia inducibility. Methods and Results: To model an injury response and determine the effects of Notch signaling on atrial electrophysiology, we transiently activate Notch signaling within adult myocardium using a doxycycline-inducible genetic system (inducible Notch intracellular domain [iNICD]). Significant heart rate slowing and frequent sinus pauses are observed in iNICD mice when compared with controls. iNICD mice have structurally normal atria and preserved sinus node architecture, but expression of key transcriptional regulators of sinus node and atrial conduction, including Nkx2-5 (NK2 homeobox 5), Tbx3, and Tbx5 are dysregulated. To determine whether the induced electrical changes are stable, we transiently activated Notch followed by a prolonged washout period and observed that, in addition to decreased heart rate, atrial conduction velocity is persistently slower than control. Consistent with conduction slowing, genes encoding molecular determinants of atrial conduction velocity, including Scn5a (Nav1.5) and Gja5 (connexin 40), are persistently downregulated long after a transient Notch pulse. Consistent with the reduction in Scn5a transcript, Notch induces global changes in the atrial action potential, including a reduced dVm/dtmax. In addition, programmed electrical stimulation near the murine pulmonary vein demonstrates increased susceptibility to atrial arrhythmias in mice where Notch has been transiently activated. Taken together, these results suggest that transient Notch activation persistently alters ion channel gene expression and atrial electrophysiology and predisposes to an arrhythmogenic substrate. Conclusions: Our data provide evidence that Notch signaling regulates transcription factor and ion channel gene expression within adult atrial myocardium. Notch reactivation induces electrical changes, resulting in sinus bradycardia, sinus pauses, and a susceptibility to atrial arrhythmias, which contribute to a phenotype resembling sick sinus syndrome.
Distinct populations of cells in the adult dentate gyrus undergo mitosis or apoptosis in response to adrenalectomy

Granule neurons of the rat dentate gyrus are born in adulthood as well as during development. Apoptotic cell death also occurs normally in this population throughout the life of the rat. Removal of adrenal steroids results in both increased production and increased degeneration of dentate gyrus granule cells. In order to determine whether the age of a cell affects its response to adrenalectomy (ADX), the numbers of dentate gyrus cells of different ages were assessed following ADX or sham operation. Older cells, i.e., those labeled with the thymidine analog bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) on postnatal day (P) 6, were reduced in number following ADX on P60, and some had the morphologic characteristics of degenerating cells, indicating that significant numbers of mature cells die in response to ADX. In contrast, the number of younger cells, labeled with 3H‐thymidine or BrdU in adulthood, 24 hours or 2 weeks before ADX, did not decrease, suggesting that these less mature cells do not die following ADX. An increase in the number of cells that are immunoreactive for proliferating cell nuclear antigen, a marker of dividing or recently mitotic cells, indicates that immature dentate gyrus cells divide following ADX. These results suggest that following ADX, mature cells born during the 1st postnatal week die, whereas immature cells divide. © 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Chondroclasts and endothelial cells collaborate in the process of cartilage resorption

The condylar cartilage of the young rat is a major growth center of the craniofacial complex. Differences between the mechanism that results in bone formation from growth centers in the epiphyseal plates of long bones are dictated primarily by the different character of the mineralization of the cartilage. In this ultrastructural study we demonstrate that the terminal hypertrophic chondrocytes undergo apoptosis and disintegration while simultaneously chondroclasts dissolve gaps in the calcified cartilage that engulfs them. The latter are also phagocytizing debris of the chondrocytes. The chondroclasts are intimately followed by tube‐forming endothelial cells that most probably coalesce to create extensions of the invading capillaries into the evacuated lacunae. The chondroclasts have ultrastructural features similar to osteoclasts. They are multinucleate, are rich in mitochondria and vacuoles, form clear zones that adhere to the spicules of the calcified cartilage, and also form a sort of ruffled border. The latter is not as elaborate and orderly arranged as is known from osteoclasts. The capillaries that follow orient the stroma cells to the evacuated lacunae and, together with the calcified cartilaginous scaffold, supply the adequate environmental conditions for the stroma cells to differentiate into osteoblasts and to build up trabecular bone. © 1992 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Interactive presentation abstract: Assertion-based verification in embedded-software design

In the hardware design, assertion-based verification (ABV) affirmed as an effective methodology for functional verification, i.e., design specification conformance. However, up to now, there were only limited studies concerning the application of simulation-based ABV to embedded-software design and verification flow. We propose an analysis aiming to bridge such a gap. In particular, we illustrate how ABV can integrate and improve the various stages of the verification flow. Moreover, the analysis leads us to develop a comprehensive and practical dynamic ABV environment for micro-controller embedded-software.
High recurrence rates of bacterial vaginosis over the course of 12 months after oral metronidazole therapy and factors associated with recurrence.

BACKGROUND We wished to determine recurrences of bacterial vaginosis (BV) after treatment over the course of 12 months and to establish factors associated with recurrence. METHODS Women with symptomatic BV (a Nugent score [NS] of 7-10 or of 4-6 with >or=3 Amsel criteria) were enrolled. BV was treated with 400 mg of oral metronidazole twice a day for 7 days. Participants completed a questionnaire and vaginal swabs were collected at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months; the study end point was an NS of 7-10. RESULTS A total of 121 (87%) women with an NS of 7-10 and 18 (13%) with an NS of 4-6 and >or=3 Amsel criteria were enrolled; 130 (94%) returned >or=1 vaginal samples. Sixty-eight women (58% [95% confidence interval {CI}, 49%-66%]) had a recurrence of BV (NS 7-10), and 84 (69% [95% CI, 61%-77%]) had a recurrence of abnormal vaginal flora (NS 4-10) by 12 months. A past history of BV, a regular sex partner throughout the study, and female sex partners were significantly associated with recurrence of BV and abnormal vaginal flora by multivariate analysis; the use of hormonal contraception had a negative association with recurrence. CONCLUSION Current recommended treatment is not preventing the recurrence of BV or abnormal vaginal flora in the majority of women; factors associated with recurrence support a possible role for sexual transmission in the pathogenesis of recurrent BV.
Localization of MyoD, myogenin and cell cycle regulatory factors in hypertrophying rat skeletal muscles.

AIM MyoD, myogenin, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21 (p21) proteins are key molecules in inducing the growth of myogenic cells in vitro. However, it has not been determined which cell types express these factors in hypertrophying skeletal muscles in vivo. METHODS Using immunohistochemical techniques, we examined the spatial and temporal expression patterns of MyoD, myogenin, PCNA and p21 proteins in functionally overloaded rat plantaris muscles induced by ablation of the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles. RESULTS MyoD and myogenin were detected in myonuclei located inside the dystrophin-positive plasma membrane of myofibres, m-cadherin-positive satellite cell nuclei and nuclei located in the interstitial spaces between myofibres on days 1, 3, 5 and 7 post-surgery. Entry of satellite cells into the cell cycle was indicated by the expression of PCNA on day 3 post-surgery, and withdrawal from the cell cycle was observed by the expression of p21 in satellite cell nuclei on day 5 post-surgery. However, the expression of both PCNA and p21 in satellite cell nuclei disappeared on day 7 post-surgery. CONCLUSION These results indicate that proliferated satellite cell-derived myoblasts and undefined myogenic cells located in the interstitial spaces may contribute to an increase in myonuclear number and/or hyperplasia. Furthermore, we provide evidence that all of myonuclei, satellite cells and undefined myogenic cells express both MyoD and myogenin proteins. These results suggest that continual expression of MyoD and myogenin proteins in these cells is an essential molecular event which induces the successful hypertrophy of skeletal muscles.