Teacher Gender, Student Gender, and Primary School Achievement: Evidence from Ten Francophone African Countries

Using an exceptionally rich dataset comprising over 1,800 primary schools and nearly 40,000 students from ten francophone Sub-Saharan African countries, this study analyzes the relationship between teacher gender, student gender, and student achievement in mathematics and reading. Findings indicate that being taught by a female teacher increases academic achievements and that both performance and subject appreciation rise when taught by a same-gender teacher. Traditional academic gender stereotypes are prevalent among both male and female teachers. Our findings suggest that hiring more female teachers in Western and Central Africa can reduce educational gender gaps without hurting boys

Teacher Gender, Student Gender, and Primary School Achievement: Evidence from Ten Francophone African Countries

Using an exceptionally rich dataset comprising over 1,800 primary schools and nearly 40,000 students from ten francophone Sub-Saharan African countries, this study analyzes the relationship between teacher gender, student gender, and student achievement in mathematics and reading. Findings indicate that being taught by a female teacher increases academic achievements and that both performance and subject appreciation rise when taught by a same-gender teacher. Traditional academic gender stereotypes are prevalent among both male and female teachers. Our findings suggest that hiring more female teachers in Western and Central Africa can reduce educational gender gaps without hurting boys

Fractional exhaled nitric oxide measurements in rhinitis and asthma in children.

Exaled nitric oxide (FeNO) is considered a good noninvasive marker to assess airway inflammation in asthma and allergic rhinitis. In asthma, exhaled NO is very useful to verify adherence to therapy, and to predict upcoming asthma exacerbations. It has been also proposed that adjusting anti-inflammatory drugs guided by the monitoring of exhaled NO, could improve overall asthma control. Other studies showed increased FeNO levels in subjects with allergic rhinitis

An Increase in Mean Platelet Volume/Platelet Count Ratio Is Associated with Vascular Access Failure in Hemodialysis Patients

<div><p>After stenosis of arteriovenous vascular access in hemodialysis patients, platelets play a crucial role in subsequent thrombus formation, leading to access failure. In a previous study, the mean platelet volume (MPV)/platelet count ratio, but not MPV alone, was shown to be an independent predictor of 4-year mortality after myocardial infarction. However, little is known about the potential influence of MPV/platelet count ratio on vascular access patency in hemodialysis patients. A total of 143 patients undergoing routine hemodialysis were recruited between January 2013 and February 2016. Vascular access failure (VAF) was defined as thrombosis or a decrease of greater than 50% of normal vessel diameter, requiring either surgical revision or percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. Cox proportional hazards model analysis ascertained that the change of MPV/platelet count ratio between baseline and 3 months [Δ(MPV/platelet count ratio)_3mo-baseline] had prognostic value for VAF. Additionally, the changes of MPV/platelet count ratio over time were compared in patients with and without VAF by using linear mixed model analysis. Of the 143 patients, 38 (26.6%) were diagnosed with VAF. During a median follow-up of 26.9 months (interquartile range 13.0–36.0 months), Δ(MPV/platelet count ratio)_3mo-baseline significantly increased in patients with VAF compared to that in patients without VAF [11.6 (6.3–19.0) vs. 0.8 (-1.8–4.0), <i>P</i>< 0.001]. In multivariate analysis, Δ(MPV/platelet ratio count)_3mo-baseline was an independent predictor of VAF, after adjusting for age, sex, diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, vascular access type, the presence of previous VAF, and antiplatelet drug use (hazard ratio, 1.15; 95% confidence interval, 1.10–1.21; <i>P</i>< 0.001). Moreover, a liner mixed model revealed that there was a significant increase of MPV/platelet count ratio over time in patients with VAF compared to those without VAF (<i>P</i>< 0.001). An increase in MPV/platelet count ratio over time was an independent risk factor for VAF. Therefore, continuous monitoring of the MPV/platelet count ratio may be useful to screen the risk of VAF in patients undergoing routine hemodialysis.</p></div

Autotaxin loss accelerates intestinal inflammation by suppressing TLR4‐mediated immune responses

Autotaxin (ATX) converts lysophosphatidylcholine and sphingosyl-phosphorylcholine into lysophosphatidic acid and sphingosine 1-phosphate, respectively. Despite the pivotal function of ATX in lipid metabolism, mechanisms by which ATX regulates immune and inflammatory disorders remain elusive. Here, using myeloid cell lineage-restricted Atx knockout mice, we show that Atx deficiency disrupts membrane microdomains and lipid rafts, resulting in the inhibition of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) complex formation and the suppression of adaptor recruitment, thereby inhibiting TLR4-mediated responses in macrophages. Accordingly, TLR4-induced innate immune functions, including phagocytosis and iNOS expression, are attenuated in Atx-deficient macrophages. Consequently, Atx-/- mice exhibit a higher bacterial prevalence in the intestinal mucosa compared to controls. When combined with global Il10-/- mice, which show spontaneous colitis due to the translocation of luminal commensal microbes into the mucosa, myeloid cell lineage-restricted Atx knockout accelerates colitis development compared to control littermates. Collectively, our data reveal that Atx deficiency compromises innate immune responses, thereby promoting microbe-associated gut inflammation

Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of Δ(MPV/platelet count ratio)_3mo-baseline for VAF.

<p>Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of Δ(MPV/platelet count ratio)_3mo-baseline for VAF.</p

Correlation between Δ(MPV/P ratio)_3mo-baseline and variables.

<p>Correlation between Δ(MPV/P ratio)_3mo-baseline and variables.</p

MPV/platelet count ratio over time in patients with VAF (A) and without VAF (B).

<p>Dash lines represent individual patient measurements, and darker solid lines represent predicted values. The linear mixed model revealed a significantly increased MPV/platelet count ratio over time in patients with VAF (A) compared with patients without VAF (B) (<i>P</i> < 0.001). A row of dots along the bottom of the plot (A) showed the time points at which vascular accesses failed.</p