Helicobacter pylori Adapts to Chronic Infection and Gastric Disease via pH-Responsive BabA-Mediated Adherence

International audienceThe BabA adhesin mediates high-affinity binding of Helicobacter pylori to the ABO blood group antigen-glycosylated gastric mucosa. Here we show that BabA is acid responsive-binding is reduced at low pH and restored by acid neutralization. Acid responsiveness differs among strains; often correlates with different intragastric regions and evolves during chronic infection and disease progression; and depends on pH sensor sequences in BabA and on pH reversible formation of high-affinity binding BabA multimers. We propose that BabA's extraordinary reversible acid responsiveness enables tight mucosal bacterial adherence while also allowing an effective escape from epithelial cells and mucus that are shed into the acidic bactericidal lumen and that bio-selection and changes in BabA binding properties through mutation and recombination with babA-related genes are selected by differences among individuals and by changes in gastric acidity over time. These processes generate diverse H. pylori subpopulations, in which BabA's adaptive evolution contributes to H. pylori persistence and overt gastric disease

How do you spell development? : a study of a literacy campaign in Ethiopia

The problem of illiteracy has been the object of many studies during recent decades. In Ethiopia, a country which reports one of the lowest literacy rates in Africa, the Yemissrach Dimts Literacy Campaign (YDLC) was started in 1962. Its activities were concentrated to rural areas and directed primarly towards adults. This study is an evaluation of the Campaign. The investigation was conducted between 1974-1976 with the purpose of describing and analysing Campaign activities, focusing on student achievement, the teaching process, and benefits experienced by participants of the Campaign. Another important objective was to consider the role of the Campaign within a wider socio-economic and political context.CONTENTS: Part I: 1. Education and development - a conceptual background -- 2. A brief historical, political and social presentation of Ethiopia -- Part II: 3. The evaluative – Part III: 4. Achievement in literacy -- 5. Reading teaching Method -- 6. A study of attitudes toward education -- Part IV: 7. Motives and goals -- 8. Concluding discussion </p

Literacy and development : A study of Yemissrach Dimts literacy campaign in Ethiopia

The problem of illiteracy has been the object of many studies during recent decades. In Ethiopia, a country which reports one of the lowest literacy rates in Africa, the Yemissrach Dimts Literacy Campaign (YDLC) was started in 1962. Its activities were concentrated to rural areas and directed primarily towards adults. The present study is an evaluation of the Campaign. The investigation was conducted between 1974-1976 with the purpose of describing and analysing Campaign activities, focussing on student achievement, the teaching process, and benefits experienced by participants of the Campaign. Another important objective was to consider the role of the Campaign within a wider socio-economic and political context. The main sample consisted of 466 literacy students in eight different schools from the regions of Wollo, Wollega, Shoa and Gamu Gofa. An additional group of 66 adult villagers also took part in the interview studies. In addition to the interviews, researchers' methodology included achievement testing and classroom observations. The results of our study indicate that students became literate after one to two years at the literacy school. However, individual participants stated that they had not experienced substantial benefits arising from their literacy skills. When students were taught to read in Amharic campaign teachers used a combination of synthetic and analytic methods. The influence of traditional reading methods was clearly visible. Motivation for sending children to school appeared fairly strong, but adults declared that it was seldom possible for themselves to attend school; Contrary to what one might expect traditional values did not seem to be the reason for this. In the case of women and girls, however, tradition was probably a major obstacle. YDLC as an educative phenomenon is also discussed in an overall development perspective. A critical appraisal of evaluative strategies for development programmes in included.digitalisering@um

Literacy and development : A study of Yemissrach Dimts literacy campaign in Ethiopia

The problem of illiteracy has been the object of many studies during recent decades. In Ethiopia, a country which reports one of the lowest literacy rates in Africa, the Yemissrach Dimts Literacy Campaign (YDLC) was started in 1962. Its activities were concentrated to rural areas and directed primarily towards adults. The present study is an evaluation of the Campaign. The investigation was conducted between 1974-1976 with the purpose of describing and analysing Campaign activities, focussing on student achievement, the teaching process, and benefits experienced by participants of the Campaign. Another important objective was to consider the role of the Campaign within a wider socio-economic and political context. The main sample consisted of 466 literacy students in eight different schools from the regions of Wollo, Wollega, Shoa and Gamu Gofa. An additional group of 66 adult villagers also took part in the interview studies. In addition to the interviews, researchers' methodology included achievement testing and classroom observations. The results of our study indicate that students became literate after one to two years at the literacy school. However, individual participants stated that they had not experienced substantial benefits arising from their literacy skills. When students were taught to read in Amharic campaign teachers used a combination of synthetic and analytic methods. The influence of traditional reading methods was clearly visible. Motivation for sending children to school appeared fairly strong, but adults declared that it was seldom possible for themselves to attend school; Contrary to what one might expect traditional values did not seem to be the reason for this. In the case of women and girls, however, tradition was probably a major obstacle. YDLC as an educative phenomenon is also discussed in an overall development perspective. A critical appraisal of evaluative strategies for development programmes in included.digitalisering@um

A digital 3D signage system and its effect on customer behavior

The use of digital signs simplifies distribution. Importantly, it draws more attention than static signs. A way to increase attention is to add an experienced depth. The paper discusses possible alternatives for extending an existing digital signage system to display stereoscopic 3D contents, comparing a decentralized distribution solution and a centralized solution. A functional prototype system was implemented. A new 3D player was developed to render views from different formats. The implemented system was used to study customer behavior when exposed to digital stereoscopic 3D signage in a direct sales situation. The proportion of sales of selected products related to the total number of sold products varied approximately equally before and during tests. An interview study suggests that the sign did not interact with customer decisions: customers were lost at different stages in this series of steps, among others the sign placement.Digital 3D SignageRealistic 3D in medical and media application