Comparative and international education: policy transfer, context sensitivity and professional development

This paper examines the intellectual and professional contribution of comparative and international studies to the field of education. It explores the nature of the challenges that are currently being faced, and assesses its potential for the advancement of future teaching, research and professional development. Attention is paid to the place of comparative and international education (CIE)-past and present-in teacher education, in postgraduate studies, and in the realms of policy and practice, theory and research. Consideration is first given to the nature and history of CIE, to its initial contributions to the field of education in the UK, and to its chief mechanisms and sites of production. Influential methodological and theoretical developments are examined, followed by an exploration of emergent questions, controversies and dilemmas that could benefit from sustained comparative analysis in the future. Conclusions consider implications for the place of CIE in the future of educational studies as a whole; for relations between and beyond the 'disciplines of education'; and for the development of sustainable research capacity in this field.

Contrastive analysis of keywords in discourses: intégration and integration in French and German discourses about migration

This article suggests a theoretical and methodological framework for a systematic contrastive discourse analysis across languages and discourse communities through keywords, constituting a lexical approach to discourse analysis which is considered to be particularly fruitful for comparative analysis. We use a corpus assisted methodology, presuming meaning to be constituted, revealed and constrained by collocation environment. We compare the use of the keyword intégration and Integration in French and German public discourses about migration on the basis of newspaper corpora built from two French and German newspapers from 1998 to 2011. We look at the frequency of these keywords over the given time span, group collocates into thematic categories and discuss indicators of discursive salience by comparing the development of collocation profiles over time in both corpora as well as the occurrence of neologisms and compounds based on intégration/Integration.

COMPARATIVE EVALUATION of OCULOMETRIC VARIABLES IN GRAVES' OPHTHALMOPATHY

OBJECTIVES: To estimate oculometric parameters of Graves' ophthalmopathy in comparison to healthy eyes using digital photography and digital image analysis.INTRODUCTION: Graves' ophthalmopathy is the main cause of eye proptosis. Because these protrusions cause clinically perceived distortions in orbital architecture, digital photographs can be used to detect and quantify these changes.METHODS: We carried out a cross-sectional study comprising 12 healthy volunteers and 15 Graves' ophthalmopathy patients with the purpose of evaluating the use of simple, non-invasive digital photography to estimate oculometric parameters of Graves' ophthalmopathy and compare them with the parameters of unaffected eyes. Facial photographs of cases and controls were taken in a standardized manner. Oculometric parameters were compared between the groups and then correlated to proptometer measures.RESULTS: All estimated oculometric variables showed significant differences between the groups, in particular with regard to mediopupilar aperture, lateral height, distance from the iris edge to the lateral boundary of the palpebral fissure, and distance from the higher point of the iris to the lateral limit of the palpebral fissure. The product of medial aperture and horizontal palpebral fissure also revealed greater discrepancy between the groups. Proptometer measures showed significant linear correlation between the distance from the iris edge to the lateral boundary of the palpebral fissure and between the distance from the higher point of the iris to the lateral limit of palpebral fissure (p<0.05).CONCLUSIONS: Comparative analysis of oculometric parameters in Graves' ophthalmopathy suggests that eye proptosis is related to an asymmetric increase in lateral oculometric measures. Standardized digital photographs can be used in clinical practice to objectively estimate oculometric parameters of Graves' ophthalmopathy patients.

A radiation hybrid map of river buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) chromosome 7 and comparative mapping to the cattle and human genomes

A preliminary radiation hybrid (RH) map containing 50 loci on chromosome 7 of the domestic river buffalo Bubalus bubalis (BBU; 2n = 50) was constructed based on a comparative mapping approach. The RH map of BBU7 includes thirty-seven gene markers and thirteen microsatellites. All loci have been previously assigned to Bos taurus (BTA) chromosome BTA6, which is known for its association with several economically important milk production traits in cattle. The map consists of two linkage groups spanning a total length of 627.9 cR(5,000). Comparative analysis of the BBU7 RH 5,000 map with BTA6 in cattle gave new evidence for strong similarity between the two chromosomes over their entire length and exposed minor differences in locus order. Comparison of the BBU7 RH 5,000 map with the Homo sapiens (HSA) genome revealed similarity with a large chromosome segment of HSA4. Comparative analysis of loci in both species revealed more variability than previously known in gene order and several chromosome rearrangements including centromere relocation. The data obtained in our study define the evolutionarily conserved segment on BBU7 and HSA4 to be between 3.5 megabases (Mb) and 115.8 Mb in the HSA4 (genome build 36) DNA sequence. Copyright (c) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Cytogenetic analysis of five species of the subfamily Corydoradinae (Teleostei: Siluriformes: Callichthyidae)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

SYNAPTONEMAL COMPLEX-ANALYSIS IN SPERMATOCYTES AND OOCYTES OF RAINBOW-TROUT, ONCORHYNCHUS-MYKISS (PISCES, SALMONIDAE) - THE PROCESS OF AUTOSOME AND SEX-CHROMOSOME SYNAPSIS

The surface-spreading synaptonemal complex (SC) technique was employed to analyze spermatocytes and oocytes of rainbow trout in order to visualize the process of autosome and sex chromosome synapsis in this species. The structure of lateral elements (LEs) of the SC and the chromosome synapsis process at the stages of leptotene, zygotene and pachytene are described. Comparative analysis of SCs of spermatocytes and oocytes showed a difference in the synaptic process, i.e. in spermatocytes all LEs were synapsed before the appearance of centromeric regions in the biarmed elements, while in the oocytes some fully synapsed LEs, including the centromeric region of the biarmed elements, were found together with fully or partially unsynapsed LEs. In males the sex chromosome synapsis starts only after all autosomes have synapsed. Irregular synapses involving three or four LEs were found in 3.4% of the cells analyzed in mid or late zygotene. Multivalents were found in males and females. Some aspects of initial meiotic development and their implications in rainbow trout cytogenetics, genetics and evolution are discussed.

Primary myiasis in dog caused by Phaenicia eximia (Diptera: Calliphoridae) and preliminary mitochondrial DNA analysis of the species in Brazil

A case of primary myiasis in a dog caused by Phaenicia eximia (Robineau-Desvoidy) in Brazil is presented. A young and healthy female dog, Canis familiaris, approximate to 10 d old and still under maternal care, was found to have several eggs and Is: instars larvae in its abdomen and urogenital regions. Samples were collected in Campinas, São Paulo, and transferred to the laboratory for rearing and identification. A comparative analysis of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) with 12 restriction enzymes in 2 sampled populations of P. eximia collected in different hosts (live dog and bovine carcass) and in the same locality revealed that 4, EcoRI, EcoRV, HaeIII, and MspI were suitable for detecting mtDNA markers in the 2 populations.

Identification of bacteria in endodontic infections by sequence analysis of 16S rDNA clone libraries

A significant proportion of oral bacteria are unable to undergo cultivation by existing techniques. In this regard, the microbiota from root canals still requires complementary characterization. The present study aimed at the identification of bacteria by sequence analysis of 16S rDNA clone libraries from seven endodontically infected teeth. Samples were collected from the root canals, subjected to the PCR with universal 16S rDNA primers, cloned and partially sequenced. Clones were clustered into groups of closely related sequences (phylotypes) and identification to the species level was performed by comparative analysis with the GenBank, EMBL and DDBJ databases, according to a 98 % minimum identity. All samples were positive for bacteria and the number of phylotypes detected per subject varied from two to 14. The majority of taxa (65(.)2 %) belonged to the phylum Firmicutes of the Gram-positive bacteria, followed by Proteobacteria (10(.)9 %), Spirochaetes (4(.)3 %), Bacteroidetes (6(.)5 %), Actinobacteria (2(.)2 %) and Deferribacteres (2(.)2 %). A total of 46 distinct taxonomic units was identified. Four clones with low similarity to sequences previously deposited in the databases were sequenced to nearly full extent and were classified taxonomically as novel representatives of the order Clostridiales, including a putative novel species of Mogibacterium. The identification of novel phylotypes associated with endodontic infections suggests that the endodontium may still harbour a relevant proportion of uncharacterized taxa.

Comparative genomics of two Leptospira interrogans serovars reveals novel insights into physiology and pathogenesis

Leptospira species colonize a significant proportion of rodent populations worldwide and produce life-threatening infections in accidental hosts, including humans. Complete genome sequencing of Leptospira interrogans serovar Copenhageni and comparative analysis with the available Leptospira interrogans serovar Lai genome reveal that despite overall genetic similarity there are significant structural differences, including a large chromosomal inversion and extensive variation in the number and distribution of insertion sequence elements. Genome sequence analysis elucidates many of the novel aspects of leptospiral physiology relating to energy metabolism, oxygen tolerance, two-component signal transduction systems, and mechanisms of pathogenesis. A broad array of transcriptional regulation proteins and two new families of afimbrial adhesins which contribute to host tissue colonization in the early steps of infection were identified. Differences in genes involved in the biosynthesis of lipopolysaccharide 0 side chains between the Copenhageni and Lai serovars were identified, offering an important starting point for the elucidation of the organism's complex polysaccharide surface antigens. Differences in adhesins and in lipopolysaccharide might be associated with the adaptation of serovars Copenhageni and Lai to different animal hosts. Hundreds of genes encoding surface-exposed lipoproteins and transmembrane outer membrane proteins were identified as candidates for development of vaccines for the prevention of leptospirosis.

Cranial morphology and karyotypic analysis of Ceratophrys joazeirensis (Anura: Ceratophryidae, Ceratophrynae): Taxonomic considerations

The frog species Ceratophrys joazeirensis Mercadal, 1986 is only known from the Caatinga (semi-arid savanna) and, until recently, from the type locality of Juazeiro, State of Bahia, Brazil. It has now also been found in the States of Paraíba and Rio Grande do Norte, in environments of hypoxerophylic Caatinga. Cytogenetic and comparative analysis of the cranial morphology of C. joazeirensis and C. aurita (Raddi, 1823) were undertaken. The karyotype of the species is also shown for the first time. The results show important differences in the cranial morphology between C. joazeirensis (8n) and C. aurita (8n), species whose areas of distribution (Caatinga and Northeast Atlantic forest, respectively) are contiguous. The chromosomes of C. joazeirensis show similar size and morphology to the ones of C. aurita (C. dorsata), C. ornata Bell, 1843 (8n) and C. cranwelli Barrio, 1980 (2n). Such data would be in agreement with the opinion of some authors who consider these species to constitute a monophyletic group. Copyright © 2006 Magnolia Press.

Analysis of numeric conditioning of Hessian matrix of Lagrangian via singular values

This paper presents an analyze of numeric conditioning of the Hessian matrix of Lagrangian of modified barrier function Lagrangian method (MBFL) and primal-dual logarithmic barrier method (PDLB), which are obtained in the process of solution of an optimal power flow problem (OPF). This analyze is done by a comparative study through the singular values decomposition (SVD) of those matrixes. In the MBLF method the inequality constraints are treated by the modified barrier and PDLB methods. The inequality constraints are transformed into equalities by introducing positive auxiliary variables and are perturbed by the barrier parameter. The first-order necessary conditions of the Lagrangian function are solved by Newton's method. The perturbation of the auxiliary variables results in an expansion of the feasible set of the original problem, allowing the limits of the inequality constraints to be reached. The electric systems IEEE 14, 162 and 300 buses were used in the comparative analysis. ©2007 IEEE.

Comparative study of spermatogenesis and nucleolar behavior in testicular lobes of Euschistus heros (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae)

In some testicular lobes of the Pentatomidae there may be occurrence of atypical spermatogenesis or polymegaly, leading to the production of nonfertile sperm. The comparative analysis of spermatogenesis and nucleolar behavior in testicular lobes of Euschistus heros showed cells with polymegaly in lobes 4 and 6. Generally, when these lobes are present in the same individual, there is also the formation of atypical cells in the flanking lobe. Such characteristic was not seen in E. heros. However, differences regarding the concentration of heteropyknotic chromatin and silver-positive bodies in this lobe deserve attention. This study explored the literature and demonstrated the prevalence of some lobes in the formation of differentiated cells. It was also found in the literature that there is an association of the chromocenter with the nucleolus in several species of Pentatomidae, but in E. heros this association does not appear to occur. © 2010 Hederson Vinicius de Souza and Mary Massumi Itoyama.

Rigidities and fiscal space in Latin America: a comparative case study

Includes Bibliography

Morphological and molecular analysis of the collagen fibers in inflammatory process

Collagen makes up one third of the total protein in humans, being formed by the connection of three polypeptide chains arranged in a triple helix. This protein has fundamental importance in the formation of extracellular matrix of connective tissue. This study aimed to analyze the structural changes of collagen, which are resulting from inflammatory processes in oral mucosa, and to make the comparative analysis between the histopathology and the Raman spectra. The samples of tissues with inflammatory fibrous hyperplasia (IFH) and normal mucosa (NM) were evaluated by Raman Spectroscopy, hematoxylin-eosin and Massons trichrome stain. The histological analysis in both stains showed differences in collagen fibers, which was presented as thin fibers and arranged in parallel direction in NM and as collagen fibers are thick, mature and not organized, showing that these types of stain show morphological changes of collagen in IFH. The Raman Spectroscopy discriminate the groups of NM and IFH based on vibrational modes of proline, hydroxiproline and CH3, CH2. The histological stains only shows information from morphological data, and can be complemented by Raman spectra. This technique could demonstrate that inflammatory process caused some changes in collagen structure which is related to aminoacids such as proline and hidroxyproline. © 2011 SPIE-OSA.

Analysis of electronic structure of boron nitride nanotubes with different positions of intrinsic impurities

The pristine boron nitride nanotubes have a large direct band gap around 5 eV. This band gap can be engineered by doping. We investigate electronic structure of the doped hexagonal boron nitride (5,5) nanotubes using the linearized augmented cylindrical wave method. In particular, this work focuses on systematical study of the band gap and the density of states around the Fermi-level when the nanotubes are doped by intrinsic impurities of two substitutional boron atoms in a super cell and a comparative analysis of the relative stability of three structures studied here. This corresponds to 3.3% of impurity concentration. We calculate 29 configurations of the nanotubes with different positions of the intrinsic impurities in the nanotube. The band gap and density of states around the Fermi level show strong dependence on the relative positions of the impurity atoms. The two defect sub bands called D^∏(B) appear in the band gap of the pristine nanotube. The doped nanotubes possess p-type semiconductor properties with the band gap of 1.3-1.9 eV.