Quelle image pour quel texte et quel texte pour quelle image ?

La pertinence du rapport entre l’image et le texte qu’elle accompagne dans les manuels scolaires tient souvent au fait que celle-là illustre et/ou complète celui-ci. C’est cette dimension qui retient l’attention aussi bien des programmateurs que celle des praticiens et des analystes. La question du lieu de figuration de ces « illustrations » dans le manuel n’est presque jamais (ou ne l’est que très peu) posée au niveau de la pratique pédagogique. Or, il est important de rendre visibles la logique et la cohérence qui sous-tendent l’ordre de succession des textes et des images qui les accompagnent. Par ailleurs, il est important de souligner que, outre les informations que l’image communique, elle relève d’un choix qui oriente la lecture, comme elle est l’expression d’une esthétique à laquelle les récepteurs peuvent être progressivement initiés. Cette éducation à l’art commence à la page de couverture des œuvres au programme, lieu stratégique où s’effectue l’entrée dans l’univers de la signification. En passant en revue un certain nombre de cas, c’est surtout ce lieu-ci que nous proposons d’explorer dans notre intervention

An overview of the welfare of animals used for scientific and educational purposes in Algeria

This study describes the welfare and animals used for scientific and educational purposes in the field of laboratory animal sciences in Algeria. The aim of this study is to provide an overview of the status of the care and use of animals and to improve implementing plans and animal welfare measures. A literature review was performed using online databases and reference lists of the US National Library of Medicine to assess the prevalence of animal use for research in Algeria between 2013 and 2017. Also a retrospective study was conducted using the Pasteur Institute of Algeria report for 2015 to assess the prevalence of animal use in both teaching and research. The first workshop on animal experimentation was organized in 2013 in collaboration with international animal laboratory organizations (ICLAS and OIE) and involving the participation of universities, research centers, veterinary schools and the Pasteur Institute of Algeria. In addition, after accreditation of the Algerian Association of Experimental Animal Sciences, a number of training workshops and courses relating to laboratory animal sciences were organized. In Algeria the use of laboratory animals in research and education is a subject of debate regarding the need to establish regulations and to propose an appropriate ethical framework for the use of animals. Finally, some actions have been already taken in Algeria to promote the ethical use of animals but many more sustainable actions are needed and require cooperation, harmonization of policies and establishment of regional and international networks for experience exchange

Evaluation of gastroprotective effect of jujube honey in ethanol-induced stomach ulcer in mice

Honey has been widely documented to have therapeutic benefits, especially on the healing of wounds, digestive disorders, and as an antimicrobial agent. It’s known that stomach ulcers are one of the most prevalent diseases that affect humans with no effective treatment. The objective of this study was to investigate the gastroprotective effects of jujube honey against ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in mice and to explore possible mechanism of its action on the gastric mucosa. Stomach’s tissues were examined for ulcerative lesions and white blood cell count (WBC), plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) and nitric oxide (NO) for clinical inflammation evaluation. The antioxidant enzyme activities were investigated using the measurement of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase. Treatment with jujube honey reduced the ulcer index and preserved gastric tissue. It also decreased the inflammatory response by reducing WBC and plasma levels of CRP and NO in ulcerative group. In addition, jujube honey-treated group showed increased antioxidant enzyme activities of catalase and SOD. Furthermore, diluted jujube honey is more effective in preserving mucosal gastric integrity. In conclusion, these findings suggest that jujube honey, especially with dilution, may exert a protective effect against ethanol-induced gastric ulcer, through the improvement of antioxidant system and suppression of the inflammatory response via its bioactive compounds.

Sex differences in adrenal cortex beta-catenin immunolocalization of the Saharan gerbil, Libyan jird (Meriones libycus, Lichtenstein, 1823)

Background: The adrenal cortex provides adequate steroidogenic responses to environmental changes. However, in desert rodents, the adrenocortical activity varies according to several factors especially sex, age, and seasonal variations. Herein, we examined the sex differences in the adrenal cortex activity and explored the involvement of sex hormones in the regulation of this function in Libyan jird Meriones libycus. Materials and methods: Twenty-four adults male and female animals weighing 109-110g were captured in the breeding season and equally assigned into control and gonadectomised groups. Animal euthanasia was performed 50 days after the gonadectomy. Adrenal gland was processed for structural and immunohistochemistry study of β-catenin, whereas plasma was used for cortisol assay. Results: The results showed that female adrenal gland weight was heavier than male and gonadectomy reduced this dimorphism. The adrenal cortex thickness was greater in the female than in the male, mainly due to significant development of the zona fasciculata. Females presented higher cell density in fasciculata and reticularis zones. The plasma cortisol was higher in females than in males. The immunolocalization of β-catenin showed that the expression was particularly glomerular in both sexes. However, in the female, the immunostaining was present in the zona reticularis while it was absent in the control male. Orchiectomy reduced zona glomerulosa cell density and induced hypertrophy of zona reticularis characterized by strong β-catenin immunoreactivity. However, ovariectomy leads to hyperplastic expansion and high β-catenin expression in the zona glomerulosa associated with zona fasciculata and reticularis hypoplasia distinguished by weak β-catenin immunostaining. Conclusions: Results indicated that sex hormones had a major role in the regulation of the Saharan gerbil’s adrenal homeostasis by modulating β-catenin signaling. Androgens seem to inhibit the Wnt β-catenin pathway and estrogens are activators of the adrenal inner zones

Androgen receptor-mediated regulation of adrenocortical activity in the sand rat, Psammomys obesus

The wild sand rat, Psammomys obesus, displays seasonal variations in adrenocortical activity that parallel those of testicular activity, indicating functional cross-talk between the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal and hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axes. In the present study, we examined androgen receptor (AR)-mediated actions of testicular steroids in the regulation of adrenocortical function in the sand rat. Specifically, we examined the expression of AR in the adrenal cortex, as well as adrenal apoptosis in male sand rats that had been surgically castrated or castrated and supplemented with testosterone; biochemical indices of adrenocortical function and hormone profiles were also measured. Orchiectomy was followed by an increase in adrenocorticotropic hormone secretion from the anterior pituitary and subsequently, increased adrenocortical activity; the latter was evidenced by orchiectomy-induced increases in the adrenal content of cholesterol and lipids as well as adrenal hypertrophy (seen as an elevation of the RNA/DNA ratio). Further, androgen deprivation respectively up- and downregulated the incidence of apoptosis within the glucocorticoid-producing zona fasciculata and sex steroid-producing zona reticularis. Interestingly, orchiectomy resulted in increased expression of AR in the zona fasciculata. All of the orchiectomy-induced cellular and biochemical responses were reversible after testosterone substitution therapy. Together, these data suggest that adrenocortical activity in the sand rat is seasonally modulated by testicular androgens that act through AR located in the adrenal cortex itself