Teaching grammar: A survey of EAP teachers in New Zealand

This paper reports on a survey of New Zealand teachers ' attitudes towards grammar and grammar teaching in their own particular teaching contexts. It uses a questionnaire adapted from that used in a survey of teachers of English for Academic Purposes (EAP) in British universities (Burgess & Etherington, 2002), followed by a series of email interviews with volunteer respondents. The findings of the present study indicate that, like the teachers reported in the 2002 study, EAP teachers in New Zealand appreciate the centrality of grammar in their language teaching and have a critical awareness of many of the problems and issues involved. There is also evidence to suggest that the teachers favour the treatment of grammar through its emergence in whole texts, rather than its presentation in decontextualised sentences and structures. In this regard, there is support for an approach tending towards Focus on Form (Long, 1991: Long & Robinson, 1998). However, the teachers' comments on the importance of systematic practice of grammatical features and detailed error correction suggests that there is a preference for more extensive treatment of grammatical issues than is usually suggested by proponents of a strictly incidental Focus on Form approach

libcov: A C++ bioinformatic library to manipulate protein structures, sequence alignments and phylogeny

BACKGROUND: An increasing number of bioinformatics methods are considering the phylogenetic relationships between biological sequences. Implementing new methodologies using the maximum likelihood phylogenetic framework can be a time consuming task. RESULTS: The bioinformatics library libcov is a collection of C++ classes that provides a high and low-level interface to maximum likelihood phylogenetics, sequence analysis and a data structure for structural biological methods. libcov can be used to compute likelihoods, search tree topologies, estimate site rates, cluster sequences, manipulate tree structures and compare phylogenies for a broad selection of applications. CONCLUSION: Using this library, it is possible to rapidly prototype applications that use the sophistication of phylogenetic likelihoods without getting involved in a major software engineering project. libcov is thus a potentially valuable building block to develop in-house methodologies in the field of protein phylogenetics

Effect of Dietary Zinc Oxide on Morphological Characteristics, Mucin Composition and Gene Expression in the Colon of Weaned Piglets

The trace element zinc is often used in the diet of weaned piglets, as high doses have resulted in positive effects on intestinal health. However, the majority of previous studies evaluated zinc supplementations for a short period only and focused on the small intestine. The hypothesis of the present study was that low, medium and high levels of dietary zinc (57, 164 and 2,425 mg Zn/kg from zinc oxide) would affect colonic morphology and innate host defense mechanisms across 4 weeks post-weaning. Histological examinations were conducted regarding the colonic morphology and neutral, acidic, sialylated and sulphated mucins. The mRNA expression levels of mucin (MUC) 1, 2, 13, 20, toll-like receptor (TLR) 2, 4, interleukin (IL)-1β, 8, 10, interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) were also measured. The colonic crypt area increased in an age-depending manner, and the greatest area was found with medium concentration of dietary zinc. With the high concentration of dietary zinc, the number of goblet cells containing mixed neutral-acidic mucins and total mucins increased. Sialomucin containing goblet cells increased age-dependently. The expression of MUC2 increased with age and reached the highest level at 47 days of age. The expression levels of TLR2 and 4 decreased with age. The mRNA expression of TLR4 and the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-8 were down-regulated with high dietary zinc treatment, while piglets fed with medium dietary zinc had the highest expression. It is concluded that dietary zinc level had a clear impact on colonic morphology, mucin profiles and immunological traits in piglets after weaning. Those changes might support local defense mechanisms and affect colonic physiology and contribute to the reported reduction of post-weaning diarrhea

A manually annotated Actinidia chinensis var. chinensis (kiwifruit) genome highlights the challenges associated with draft genomes and gene prediction in plants

Most published genome sequences are drafts, and most are dominated by computational gene prediction. Draft genomes typically incorporate considerable sequence data that are not assigned to chromosomes, and predicted genes without quality confidence measures. The current Actinidia chinensis (kiwifruit) 'Hongyang' draft genome has 164\ua0Mb of sequences unassigned to pseudo-chromosomes, and omissions have been identified in the gene models

Cardiopoietic cell therapy for advanced ischemic heart failure: results at 39 weeks of the prospective, randomized, double blind, sham-controlled CHART-1 clinical trial

Cardiopoietic cells, produced through cardiogenic conditioning of patients' mesenchymal stem cells, have shown preliminary efficacy. The Congestive Heart Failure Cardiopoietic Regenerative Therapy (CHART-1) trial aimed to validate cardiopoiesis-based biotherapy in a larger heart failure cohort

Exploring the Zn deficiency hypothesis to explain the beneficial effect of therapeutic ZnO in weaning pigs

L’objectiu general de la present tesi doctoral és estudiar l’estatus de Zn dels garrins deslletats i com aquest es veu afectat pel deslletament i la suplementació dietària de Zn, com són els nivells farmacològics de ZnO administrats de forma rutinària en les dietes dels garrins després del deslletament per a prevenir i/o tractar la diarrea. Per aconseguir aquest objectiu els següents experiments (Capítols 3 al 6) van ser dissenyats. En el Capítol 3 vam voler esbrinar fins a quin punt l’edat de la truja i el seu desgast productiu poden afectar l’estatus de Zn dels garrins al deslletament a causa d’un estatus mineral de les truges malmès que a més pugui alterar la composició mineral del calostre i de la llet. Al mateix temps vam voler avaluar si una dieta per a truges baixa en Ca, P i Zn amb o sense suplementació de fitassa poden afectar el rendiment reproductiu de les truges i el creixement dels garrins, a més d’afectar la digestibilitat del Ca, P i Zn de les truges i les seves concentracions en el plasma i llet. Els resultats van mostrar que les concentracions dels minerals en el calostre i la llet es van mantenir constants evidenciant que les truges fan un gran esforç per a proveir un subministrament constant de minerals a la seva descendència independentment de la seva edat i de la diferent composició mineral i suplementació en fitassa del seu pinso. En el Capítol 4 (Davin et al., 2013), volíem avaluar com el deslletament i nivells farmacològics de Zn en forma de ZnO poden afectar l’estatus de Zn dels garrins. Vam avaluar aquests dos efectes sobre la concentració mineral del plasma, òrgans (fetge, pàncrees i melsa) i dels continguts del tracte gastrointestinal (GIT). Els resultats van mostrar que els animals deslletats presentaven una concentració plasmàtica de Zn inferior a la dels animals no-deslletats, però la suplementació amb ZnO va contrarestar aquesta caiguda. La suplementació amb ZnO durant una setmana va produir un increment en els nivells de Zn al fetge, al pàncrees i als continguts del GIT. Els animals deslletats van presentar concentracions de Zn en els òrgans semblants als animals no-deslletats en canvi, la concentració de Zn en els continguts del GIT va ser superior. El Capítol 5 (Davin et al., 2012) pretenia mostrar de forma més detallada com el Zn, Fe i Cu es distribuïen en les fraccions solubles i insolubles dels diferents continguts del GIT, que es van obtenir dels animals del capítol anterior. La concentració de Zn va augmentar de forma clara al llarg del GIT dels animals que reberen nivells elevats de ZnO, en comparació als animals deslletats que reberen una dieta control i els animals no-deslletats. La proporció de Zn en la fracció soluble en el jejú, ili i cec i del Fe al llarg del GIT dels animals no-deslletats va ser superior a la dels animals deslletats. Per contra, les concentracions de Cu dels animals no-deslletats van ser inferiors a les dels animals deslletats al llarg del GIT i es van veure incrementades al cec i al colon quan els animals van rebre alts nivells de Zn a la dieta. El Capítol 6 inclou dos experiments en garrins per avaluar com les concentracions sèriques de Zn canvien al voltant del deslletament i com es veuen afectades al suplementar diferents nivells, fonts i posologies de Zn. Pocs dies després del deslletament les concentracions de Zn sèriques disminuïren i el tractament amb alts nivells de Zn en forma de ZnO a la dieta fou l’únic capaç d’incrementar de forma ràpida la concentració sèrica de Zn fins a nivells fisiològics. Els resultats exposats en aquesta tesi recolzen la idea que el Zn es troba fortament regulat en la truja durant la lactació per poder satisfer els requeriments dels garrins. Tot i això, l’estatus de Zn en els garrins es veu compromès després del deslletament, malgrat que pugui tenir un paper important en el creixement dels garrins i la seva predisposició a manifestar diarrea durant aquest període. Entre les diferents estratègies investigades, les dosis terapèutiques de ZnO que són usades de forma rutinària en les dietes dels garrins criats en granges comercials va ser l’únic tractament capaç de contrarestar aquesta situació transitòria.The general aim of this PhD thesis is to study Zn status of weaned piglets and whether it is affected by weaning or dietary Zn supplementation, like pharmacological levels of ZnO that are usually administered in post-weaning piglet’s feed to prevent and/or treat diarrhea. To achieve this goal the following experiments (Chapter 3 to 6) were designed. In Chapter 3 we wanted to explore to what extent sow’s age or productive weariness could affect piglet’s Zn status at weaning by an impaired mineral status of sows and consequently an altered mineral colostrum and milk composition. At the same experiment we wanted to assess how low Ca, P and Zn sow’s diet with or without phytase supplementation could affect sow reproductive and litter performance as well as their digestibilities and mineral plasma and milk concentrations. Results showed that colostrum and milk mineral concentrations remain nearly constant meaning that sows make a great effort to provide a constant mineral supply to their offspring regardless of its age and variations in mineral composition and phytase supplementation of its diet. In Chapter 4 (Davin et al., 2013), we wanted to assess whether weaning and dietary pharmacological levels of Zn as ZnO affect piglets Zn status. We intended to evaluate the effect of weaning and dietary ZnO supplementation on plasma, organs (liver, pancreas and spleen) and GIT contents mineral concentrations. Results showed that weaned animals presented lower plasma Zn levels compared to unweaned animals, but ZnO supplementation counteracts this drop. Supplementation with high doses of ZnO during one week increased levels of Zn in liver, pancreas and in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) contents. Weaned animals showed a similar Zn concentration in the organs but a higher total concentration of Zn in GIT contents compared to unweaned animals. Chapter 5 (Davin et al., 2012), intended to add detail on how Zn, Fe and Cu were distributed into the soluble or insoluble fraction of the different GIT contents obtained from the animals of the previous chapter. Concentration of Zn clearly increased along the GIT for animals receiving high levels of ZnO compared to weaned animals receiving the control diet and to unweaned animals. The proportion of Zn in the soluble fraction in jejunum, ileum and cecum and Fe along the GIT of unweaned pigs was higher than in those weaned animals. In contrast, Cu concentrations were lower in unweaned pigs than in weaned pigs along the GIT and were increased in cecum and colon when dietary high levels of Zn were fed. Chapter 6 includes two experiments in piglets to assess how Zn serum concentration changes around weaning and as affected by different levels, sources and posologies of supplemented Zn. Few days after weaning Zn serum concentrations decreased and pharmacological levels of Zn as ZnO was the only treatment able to rapidly increase Zn serum concentration back to physiological levels. Results exposed in this thesis support the idea that Zn is highly regulated in the sow during lactation to satisfy Zn requirements of piglets. However, Zn status is compromised in piglets after weaning, which could have a role on growth and predisposition to diarrhea during this period. Among the different explored strategies, therapeutic doses of ZnO that are routinely used in commercial farms were the only efficient Zn treatment to counteract this transient situation

Concours annuel 1971. Cinquième question. Rapport sur le mémoire de Madame Kurgan-Van Hentenryk : Léopold II et les groupes financiers belges en Chine. Rapports des Commissaires

Aubert Roger, Vanlangenhove Fernand, Davin L. Concours annuel 1971. Cinquième question. Rapport sur le mémoire de Madame Kurgan-Van Hentenryk : Léopold II et les groupes financiers belges en Chine. Rapports des Commissaires. In: Bulletin de la Classe des lettres et des sciences morales et politiques, tome 57, 1971. pp. 143-149

Concours annuel 1971. Cinquième question. Rapport sur le mémoire de Madame Kurgan-Van Hentenryk : Léopold II et les groupes financiers belges en Chine. Rapports des Commissaires

Aubert Roger, Vanlangenhove Fernand, Davin L. Concours annuel 1971. Cinquième question. Rapport sur le mémoire de Madame Kurgan-Van Hentenryk : Léopold II et les groupes financiers belges en Chine. Rapports des Commissaires. In: Bulletin de la Classe des lettres et des sciences morales et politiques, tome 57, 1971. pp. 143-149

Effect of two phytases at two doses on performance and phytate degradation in broilers during 1-21 days of age.

The effect of two microbial phytases at two dose-levels on performance and apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of nutrients in broilers fed European-type diets was studied. A total of 1,200 d-old Ross 308 male broilers were randomly assigned to 5 treatments with 30 birds/pen and 8 pens/treatment. A nutritionally adequate positive control (PC) diet was tested against 4 experimental diets containing reduced total P, retainable P, Ca and Na as per the recommended nutritional contribution for Buttiauxella phytase (Phy B) at 1,000 FTU/kg (-1.87 g/kg, -1.59 g/kg, -1.99 g/kg and -0.4 g/kg vs. PC, respectively). Experimental diets were supplemented with Phy B at 500 FTU/kg or 1,000 FTU/kg, or Citrobacter phytase (Phy C) at 1,000 FTU/kg or 2,000 FTU/kg. Diets were based on corn, soybean meal, rapeseed meal and sunflower meal and formulated by phase (starter 1-10 d, grower 11-21 d) in crumbled or pelleted form. Overall (d 1-21), at 1,000 FTU/kg, birds fed Phy C exhibited lower BWG (-2.7%), FI (-3.4%) and tibia ash (-2.2%) vs. PC (P < 0.05), and reduced BWG (-3.6%), FI (-3.9%) and tibia ash (-1.8%) vs. Phy B (P < 0.05). Phy B at 1,000 FTU/kg and Phy C at 2,000 FTU/kg maintained performance equivalent to the PC. Digestibility of Ca did not differ among phytase treatments but at 1,000 FTU/kg AID P was greater with Phy B than Phy C (72.3% vs. 62.7%, P < 0.05). Ileal phytate (myo-inositol hexakisphosphate, IP6) digestibility was greatest with Phy B at 1,000 FTU/kg which was higher than Phy C at 1,000 FTU/kg (87.6 vs. 60.6%, P < 0.05). The findings indicate a higher phytate degradation rate of Phy B than Phy C at equivalent dose-level and this is correlated to the performance of the broilers