Une vision sur le bilinguisme selon les bilingues et les monolingues

La classe de FLE est un environnement bilingue d'apprentissage. Enseigner le FLE requiert, par conséquent, que l’enseignant comprenne l'importance d'enseigner une langue hégémonique, ainsi que toutes les autres questions relatives à l'acquisition des langues. Étant bilingue, il est primordial que l’enseignant connaisse son propre bilinguisme, en sache l'importance et soit en mesure de former des bilingues qui le comprennent également à leur tour. Le but de ce travail vise à analyser la vision du locuteur bilingue à propos de son bilinguisme et de mettre donc en évidence les mythes et les préjugés qui entourent le terme en question. Pour développer cette recherche, on a proposé un questionnaire contenant des questions liées aux opinions des répondants en matière de bilinguisme. Les informateurs ont été divisés en 3 groupes d’ environ 10 personnes : étudiants de lettres bilingues parce qu’en double licence portugais-français; étudiants de FLE dans des écoles spécialisées ; personnes monolingues extérieures à l'Université. Si cette recherche est toujours dans les premiers stades,il a déjà été possible de confirmer certaines hypothèses à partir des données recueillies. La plupart des répondants croit, par exemple, qu’être un bilingue c’est avoir une très haute compétence dans toutes les habiletés de chaque langue.Fil: Costa Mendes, Júlia. Universidade Federal de PelotasFil: Mozzillo, Isabella. Universidade Federal de Pelota

Severe obstructive sleep disorders in Prader-Willi syndrome patients in southern Italy

Sleep-related disordered breathing (SDB) is very common in paediatric patients affected by Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS). However, data addressing SBD patterns and their management are lacking. The aim of the present study was to analyse SDB features in 14 PWS patients (age range, 8 months-17 years). Polygraphic registration (PG) during a 12-h nocturnal sleep was performed in all patients. Obstructive and central apnoea indices and oxygen saturation (SpO2) were recorded along with demographic and clinical data. Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) was diagnosed in 13/14 patients (92.9%); the mean obstructive apnoea-hypopnea index (OAHI) was 7.6 ± 4.2 events/h with a mean central apnoea index (CAI) of 0.7 ± 1.04 events/h. Time spent with SpO2 < 90% was of 0.02% [range 0–23%], with a mean oxygen desaturation index of 12.1 ± 6.9 events/h. No correlation was found between OAHI and body mass index (mean BMI 28 ± 9.8 kg/m2 and BMI z-score 2.7 ± 1.7). Conclusion: OSA was the predominant sleep-related disorder in our PWS patients, not associated with age or obesity, and appeared more severe than previously reported. Further studies addressing the underlying mechanisms are necessary in larger study populations to better design the most appropriate clinical approach.What is Known:• Sleep-related patterns and their management are very limited in patients with Prader-Willi syndrome.What is New:• Severe obstructive sleep apnoea is the most frequent sleep-related disorder in our case series

Do BRAF inhibitors select for populations with different disease progression kinetics?

Ipilimumab, an anti-CTLA-4 monoclonal antibody, has been shown to improve overall survival in patients with metastatic melanoma. Preliminary data suggest that patients who fail BRAF inhibitor treatment experience a very rapid progression of disease. Such selectivity for more rapid disease progression may mean these patients do not receive the same benefit from subsequent treatment with ipilimumab as patients without prior BRAF inhibitor treatment. The current challenge is focused on how to identify and approach the two populations of fast and slow progressors and recent hypothesis suggest that treatment choice could be guided by baseline risk factors. However, no data have yet defined which the best sequence is and more research is needed to identify predictors of response in patients with metastatic melanoma to help guide whether a BRAF inhibitor or ipilimumab should be used first in sequential therapy

AurkA inhibitors enhance the effects of B-RAF and MEK inhibitors in melanoma treatment

Background: Aurora kinase A (AurkA) is over-expressed in melanoma and its inhibition has been observed to limit tumor growth, suggesting a potential role in melanoma treatment. Methods: A human melanoma cell line with the B-RAF (V600E) mutation (A375mel) was exposed to B-RAF inhibitor (GSK2118436), MEK inhibitor (GSK1120212) and AurkA inhibitor (MLN8054) as single agents or in various combinations (BRAF plus AurkA inhibitor, MEK plus AurkA inhibitor or triple combination BRAF plus MEK plus AurkA inhibitor). Cell proliferation was assessed using xCELLigence technology. Total protein extracts were examined for p53 and c-Myc protein expression by Western blot analysis. Drug anti-tumor effects were further assessed using a 3D-human melanoma skin reconstruction model, in which tissues were incubated with serum-free medium containing control, B-RAF plus MEK inhibitor, MEK plus AurkA inhibitor or the triple combination. Results: AurkA inhibitor plus B-RAF inhibitor, AurkA inhibitor plus MEK inhibitor or triple combination had a markedly greater anti-proliferative effect on A375 (BRAFV600E) melanoma cells than single agents. In the 3D human skin model, the triple combination had a greater anti-tumor effect at the epidermal/dermal junction than control or either double combination. However, S-100 and Ki-67 positively stained spindle-shaped cells were detected in the dermal stratum, suggesting the presence of alive and proliferating melanoma cells. Conclusions: These findings provide new prospects for melanoma research, including combined B-RAF/AurkA inhibition for B-RAF mutated melanomas and MEK/AurkA inhibitor combination for patients without B-RAF mutations. Moreover, for the first time, we have shown that a B-RAF, MEK and AurkA inhibitor triple drug combination offers increased efficacy against melanoma cell growth and might be considered as a potential treatment strategy for enhancing clinical response in melanoma. However, although this triple drug combination was more effective at the epidermal/dermal junction, the suggested presence of alive and proliferating melanoma cells in the dermal stratum could result in drug resistance and disease recurrence. Molecular characterization of these dermal cells may be critical for the development of novel therapeutic strategies

Transferência conceitual: o relativismo linguístico na aprendizagem de segunda língua

The influence of a language on the learning of another, or language transfer, has been extensively investigated in the field of Second Language Acquisition. There are, however, studies on a kind of transfer that occurs in the level of conceptual categorizations and that supports the hypothesis of the influence of language on cognition, or Linguistic Relativity. This phenomenon, known as conceptual transfer (JARVIS and PAVLENKO, 2010), is the object of this theoretical literature review. First, we revisit the development of the research on cross-linguistic influence, from the earlier studies, which considered it something negative for second language learning, to the latest ones, which show various effects, including facilitation. We then approach Linguistic Relativity, also known as the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis, recalling what was postulated by its classic authors and by more recent researchers, which have reformulated the hypothesis. Finally, we review the most preeminent models of representation of the bilingual mental lexicon up to Pavlenko’s (2009), which explains conceptual transfer and brings Linguistic Relativity closer to Second Language Acquisition. The review ends with the claim that the research on bilingual cognition, through the investigation of conceptual transfer, may show how the languages we speak influence our cognition.A influência de uma língua na aprendizagem de outra, ou transferência linguística, é matéria bastante investigada na área de Aquisição de Segunda Língua. Entretanto, há estudos sobre um fenômeno de transferência que ocorre no nível das categorizações conceituais e que dá suporte à hipótese da influência das línguas sobre a cognição, ou Relativismo Linguístico. Esse fenômeno, chamado transferência conceitual (JARVIS; PAVLENKO, 2010), é o objeto deste artigo, que traz uma revisão teórica da literatura sobre a questão. Primeiramente, traçamos o percurso da pesquisa sobre a influência translinguística, dos estudos iniciais, que a tomavam como algo negativo na aprendizagem de L2, até os últimos, que mostram diversos efeitos, inclusive o de facilitação. Depois, abordamos o Relativismo Linguístico, ou Hipótese Sapir-Whorf, revisitando o que foi postulado por seus autores clássicos e por pesquisadores mais recentes, que reformularam a hipótese. Finalmente, revisamos os principais modelos de representação do léxico bilíngue até o de Pavlenko (2009), que explica a transferência conceitual e aproxima o Relativismo Linguístico da Aquisição de Segunda Língua. A revisão termina com a conclusão de que a pesquisa sobre a cognição bilíngue, através da investigação da transferência conceitual, poderá revelar como as línguas que falamos influenciam a nossa cognição

Tourism in smart villages as an enhancement of rural areas

The purpose of this work is to verify whether Italian smart villages are attractive on a tourist level. This article has the task of analyzing and highlighting the health status of rural villages and checking which and how many of them have evolved toward a sustainable rural village concept, defined in the literature by the name smart village. The study was conducted through the analysis of the projects applied within the two smart villages under study. The two villages analyzed focus on future-oriented development and identify already integrated urban areas as a test bed, capable of attracting the population, workers, and tourists