The Transition from Pens to Keyboards: How May Teachers Generate Reforms towards Learners’ Spelling Mistakes?

Under the current abrupt intervention of technology, the transition from handwriting to keyboard texting challenges Orthography in terms of logography and spelling. The sensorimotor skills are majorly impacted by the unbalanced modes of writing. Speaking about learning one skill of a foreign language, which is writing, the impact of social media, particularly texting, deteriorates the quality of that respective acquisition. Accordingly, correlational research was proceeded in the Algerian context, operating on, first, an experimental investigation of causality between texting and learners’ spelling mistakes, followed by teachers’ observation outcomes, where the ultimate aim was to enhance teachers’ observation and critical thinking towards spelling mistakes reasons, in addition to improve their teaching autonomy through their consideration of respective reforms to the alleged matter. The researcher opted for a 30 pupils’ sample, at third-year middle school level, where she led an experiment, embedding 60 words and non-words constituted from one to four syllables in a text. This research is constituted of six test stages upon both modes: typing and writing, where the unit of measurement was the calculation of mistakes rate for each mode, followed by teachers’ observation for each stage. The first experiment showed that pupils commit fewer spelling and logographic mistakes as hand writers on a repetitive process, accompanied with the same result concerning the transition from handwriting to keyboard typing, compared to the reversed transition. This highlights that, unlike the typing mode, handwriting motivates visual, haptic, and fine motor skills, which stimulates the sensory memory, through practicing writing, to assimilate and conceptualize the logographic aspect of a word, which leads to its correct spelling. The second stage outcomes, demonstrated that teachers could identify the difference between both modes and suggested reforms respectively, which emphasize on teacher capacity to lead a self-oriented training based on reflection on action

High-temperature Thin-layer Drying Kinetic of Cultivated and Wild Algerian Olive Leaves: Modeling and Effect on Oleuropein and Chlorophyll Contents

Olive leaves (OLs) are well known for being rich in oleuropein, their main bioactive molecule which has recently been attracting great interest from the scientific community due to its antiviral properties, including Covid-19 disease. Furthermore, the high-temperature/short-time drying process has found applications for various plants and food processing, which might be also implemented for the drying of OLs. This study focuses on: 1. the mathematical modeling of thin-layer high-temperature-drying (HTD) kinetic of olive (var. Chemlal and Oleaster) leaves, and 2. the determination of HTD effect on some physicochemical properties (oleuropein, chlorophylls, and CIELab color parameters) of the dried olive leaves (DOLs). For this, four drying temperatures (100, 120, 140, and 160 °C) were applied. For comparison purposes, low-temperature DOL samples were also prepared. The obtained data have shown that among the tens tested mathematical models, the Midilli et al. model describes more correctly experimental data for all drying temperatures and for both olive leaf varieties (R2 = 0.9960, SEE = 0.0085, RMSE = 0.0165 and χ2 = 0.0006). Moreover, the results show that the HTD at 120 and 160 °C does not differ from freeze-drying in terms of oleuropein retention (p < 0.05), highlighting the technological interest in the high-temperature/short-time drying process. Considering the biological value of oleuropein, in particular its antiviral activity, the study deserves further investigation in order to elucidate certain questions such as the storability of DOLs, and their valorization as fortification ingredient in food and pharmaceutical formulations, evaluation in vitro of their biological activities, etc

Analyse du processus traditionnel d’obtention du vinaigre de dattes tel qu’appliqué au sud algérien : essai d’optimisation

102 p. ; ill. ; 30 cmLa tendance de consommation à l’échelle mondiale va vers les produits biologiques et de terroir. La qualité du vinaigre de dattes obtenue par voie traditionnelle (double fermentation simultanée et spontanée : alcoolique/acétique) dans certaines régions du sud algérien est douteuse puisque son acidité totale est très en deçà (2.48 ± 0.02%) des normes préconisées par la réglementation en vigueur (5%). La teneur en alcool est quant à elle excessive (4.83 ± 0.07 % v/v) alors que la norme recommande un seuil maximum de 0,5%. Les expériences au laboratoire ont démontré qu’il est illusoire d’obtenir un vinaigre de dattes réglementaire par un tel procédé. Ce qui nous a amené à proposer quelques mesures d’amélioration, tenant compte des risques encourus par la consommation d’un tel vinaigre : développement des moisissures particulièrement. Par soucis d’optimisation, tout le processus d’obtention du vinaigre a été étudié. Dans un premier temps l ’extraction du jus-substrat a été optimisée par application des plans d’expériences. Le jus extrait subit une fermentation alcoolique par Saccharomyces cerevisiae L’étude de la possibilité d’utilisation de la réfractométrie comme moyen unique pour le contrôle in situ de ce processus à révélé une bonne corrélation (R2 = 0,98) entre les °Brix initial et final : °Brixf = 0.377 × °Brixi. De plus, nous avons vérifié la relation entre la variation du °Brix final et initial (Δ°Brix) et le degré alcoolique expérimental (Aexp) : CΔ°Brix/Aexp. = 1.1. Ce dernier permet le traçage d’abaque d'isoréponses facilitant l’accès au taux d’alcool produit et au taux de sucres résiduels avec une erreur relative moyenne (MRE) de 5,35%. Le produit de cette première fermentation a subit une acétification ayant abouti à un produit fini ayant des caractéristiques d’un vinaigre biologiqu

Rôle du récepteur à l’antigène des cellules B (BCR) dans la survie des cellules du lymphome du manteau : Implication des facteurs de transcription STAT3 et EGR1

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is an aggressive lymphoma characterized by a proliferation of mature CD5+ B cells from the follicular mantle zone of the lymph nodes. MCL is defined by the chromosomal translocation t(11; 14) (q13; q32) which leads to an overexpression of cyclin D1. However, this translocation by itself is not sufficient to induce lymphomagenesis and recent studies suggest a role for antigenic selection and B receptor (BCR) signaling in the emergence of the malignant clone. On this basis, we sought to identify in primary cells of MCL patients, deregulated signaling pathways downstream of the BCR and leading to the activation of transcription factors involved in the survival processes of tumor cells. We first showed that the transcription factor STAT3 is constitutively phosphorylated in MCL cells and that this phosphorylation is strongly increased in response to BCR stimulation. Both constitutive and BCR stimulation-induced phosphorylation of STAT3 are the result of an autocrine loop of IL6 and/or IL 10 secretion dependent on the transcription factor NF-kB. Inhibition of the Jak/STAT3 pathway induces apoptosis of MCL cells and suppresses the cell survival signal induced by antigen stimulation. In addition, treatment of cells with bortezomib, a proteasome inhibitor used clinically in the treatment of MCL, suppresses STAT3 phosphorylation as well as the BCR-induced cell survival signal. We then sought to identify other transcription factors, induced earlier in response to BCR stimulation, which could also be involved in the deregulation of MCL cell proliferation. We have shown that BCR stimulation leads to a significant and rapid increase (as early as 30' with maximum at 1 h) of the transcription factor EGR1 followed by that of c-MYC. Moreover, specific inhibition of JNK kinase, constitutively activated in MCL cells, leads to a decrease in EGR1 expression associated with an increase in apoptosis and an inhibition of the BCR-induced cell survival signal. Furthermore, we demonstrated a constitutive activation of Src family kinases (SFK) and more precisely of Lyn, which is enhanced in response to BCR stimulation. On this basis, we evaluated the efficacy of dasatinib (BMS-354825), a drug that targets SFKs. We showed that dasatinib at very low doses (100nM) inhibited in vitro constitutive and BCR-induced phosphorylation of Lyn and JNK, suppressed EGR-1 expression and induced apoptosis in leukemia cells. In conclusion, our results revealed a deregulation of signaling pathways (SFK, JNK) and transcription factors (STAT3, EGR1, C-MYC) which, constitutively or induced in response to antigenic stimulation, participate in the proliferation process of MCL cells. All these results open the way to the development of new targeted therapeutic strategies in this pathology.Le lymphome à cellules du manteau (MCL) est un lymphome agressif caractérisé par une prolifération de lymphocytes B matures CD5+ issus de la zone du manteau folliculaire des ganglions. Le MCL est défini par la translocation chromosomique t(11 ; 14) (q13 ; q32) qui entraine une surexpression de la cycline D1. Cependant cette translocation ne suffit pas par elle-même pour induire la lymphomagénèse et des études récentes suggèrent un rôle de la sélection antigénique et de la signalisation du récepteur B (BCR) dans l'émergence du clone malin. Sur cette base, nous avons cherché à identifier dans des cellules primaires de patients MCL, des voies de signalisation dérégulées en aval du BCR et aboutissant à l'activation de facteurs de transcription impliqués dans les processus de survie des cellules tumorales. Nous avons tout d'abord montré que le facteur de transcription STAT3 est constitutivement phosphorylé dans les cellules de MCL et que cette phosphorylation est fortement augmentée en réponse à la stimulation du BCR. Les phosphorylations constitutives et induites par la stimulation du BCR de STAT3 sont le résultat d'une boucle autocrine de sécrétion d'IL6 e/ou d'IL 10 dépendante du facteur de transcription NF-kB. L'inhibition de la voie Jak/STAT3 induit l'apoptose des cellules de MCL et supprime le signal de survie cellulaire induit par la stimulation antigénique. De plus, le traitement des cellules par le bortezomib, un inhibiteur du protéasome utilisé en clinique dans le traitement du MCL, supprime la phosphorylation de STAT3 ainsi que le signal de survie cellulaire induit par le BCR. Nous avons ensuite cherché à identifier d'autres facteurs de transcription, induits plus précocement en réponse à la stimulation du BCR et qui pourraient également être impliqués dans la dérégulation de la prolifération des cellules de MCL. Nous avons montré que la stimulation du BCR entraîne une augmentation importante et rapide (dès 30' avec maximum à 1 h) du facteur de transcription EGR1 suivi de celle de c-MYC. De plus, l'inhibition spécifique de la kinase JNK constitutivement activée dans les cellules de MCL, entraîne une diminution de l'expression d'EGR1 associée à une augmentation de l'apoptose et à une inhibition du signal de survie cellulaire induit par le BCR. Par ailleurs, nous avons mis en évidence une activation constitutive des kinases de la famille Src (SFK) et plus précisément de Lyn, activation renforcée en réponse à la stimulation du BCR. Sur cette base, nous avons évalué l'efficacité du dasatinib (BMS-354825), une drogue qui cible les kinases SFK. Nous avons montré que le dasatinib à de très faibles doses (100nM) inhibe in vitro la phosphorylation constitutive et induite par le BCR de Lyn et de JNK, supprime l'expression d'EGR-1 et induit l'apoptose des cellules de patients leucémiques. En conclusion, nos résultats ont permis de mettre en évidence une dérégulation de voies de signalisation (SFK, JNK) et de facteurs de transcription (STAT3, EGR1, C-MYC) qui, de manière constitutive ou induite en réponse à la stimulation antigénique, participent au processus de prolifération et des cellules de MCL. L'ensemble de ces résultats ouvre ainsi la voie vers le développement de nouvelles stratégies thérapeutiques ciblées dans cette pathologie

Biosorption of Cr (III) from aqueous solutions using bacterium biomass Streptomyces rimosus

In the present investigation, dead bacterium biomass Streptomyces rimosus was used as an inexpensive and efficient biosorbent for Cr (III) removal from aqueous solution. The bacterial biomass was treated with 0.1 M NaOH. Sorption level of 65 mg/g was observed at pH 4.8 while precipitation effect augmented this value at higher pH range. Chromium desorption increased with decreasing desorption agents pH (including HCl and H2SO4) to a maximum value of 95% at approximately zero pH. Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin models were applied to describe the biosorption isotherm of the metal ions by Streptomyces rimosus biomass. Langmuir model fitted the equilibrium data better than the Freundlich isotherm. Maximum metal uptake qmax was observed as 83.33 mg g”1 indicate good biosorbents than other biomass. Experimental data were also tested in terms of biosorption kinetics using fractional power, Elovich, pseudo-first order and pseudo-second order rate expressions. The results showed that the biosorption processes followed well pseudosecond- order kinetics and the intra-particle diffusion is not the rate-limiting step for the whole reaction

Preparation of a Natural Candy from Date (Phoenix dactylifera L.), Olive (Olea europaea L.), and Carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) Fruits

Until the early 1960s, the traditional recipe “Arkouy” from the mixture of carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) powder and olive (Olea europaea L.) oil represented a sought-after food product in some localities of the Kabylian region (Northeastern Algeria). The present work attempted to improve this traditional recipe to obtain a natural candy from date (Phoenix dactylifera L.), olive (Olea europaea L.), and carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) fruits. For this, different formulations with various proportions of the date paste, olive paste, and carob powder were obtained using a constrained mixture design (proportion of date paste ≥ 0.7). The hardness and total color difference in the CIELab system were adopted as dependent variables. For comparison purpose, the local commercial candy “Caprice” was taken as reference. In addition, the two formulations containing the three basic ingredients were analyzed for the overall acceptability, reducing power, and thermal analysis. At first approximation, it can be said that the formulation containing 75% date paste, 20% carob powder, and 5% olive paste ensures a balance between the target values of texture and color. The obtained candy can be used as a dietary supplement for all categories of consumers, especially patients with swallowing difficulties