Circular proteins - no end in sight

Circular proteins are a recently discovered phenomenon. They presumably evolved to confer advantages over ancestral linear proteins while maintaining the intrinsic biological functions of those proteins. In general, these advantages include a reduced sensitivity to proteolytic cleavage and enhanced stability. In one remarkable family of circular proteins, the cyclotides, the cyclic backbone is additionally braced by a knotted arrangement of disulfide bonds that confers additional stability and topological complexity upon the family. This article describes the discovery, structure, function and biosynthesis of the currently known circular proteins. The discovery of naturally occurring circular proteins in the past few years has been complemented by new chemical and biochemical methods to make synthetic circular proteins; these are also briefly described.

Out of sight, out of mind? Educational outcomes of children with parents working abroad.

Impact of parental emigration on educational outcomes of children is theoretically ambiguous. Using novel data I collected on migration experience and its timing, family background and school performance of lower secondary pupils in Poland, I analyse the question empirically. Migration is mostly temporary in nature, with one parent engaging in employment abroad. As many as 63% of migrant parents have vocational qualifications, 29% graduated from high school, 4% have no qualifications and the remaining 4% graduated from university. Almost 18% of children are affected by parental migration. Perhaps surprisingly, estimates suggest that parental employment abroad has a positive immediate impact on a pupil’s grade. Parental education appears pivotal; children of high school graduates benefit most. Longer term effects appear more negative, however, suggesting that a prolonged migration significantly lowers a child’s grade. Interestingly, siblings’ foreign experiences exert a large, positive impact on pupils’ grades.

NI 2007 Sight Test Survey Final Report (PDF 715KB)

2007 Sight Test Survey Report

Dysfonction métabolique et stress chronique: un nouveau regard sur la pandémie de "diabésité" [Metabolic dysfunction and chronic stress: a new sight at "diabesity" pandemic]

Chronic stress in Western society can activate the autonomus, neuroendocrine and inflammatory/immunlogic systems. Chronic exposure to stressors can indeed stimulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and induce a disbalance between anabolic and catabolic hormones, responsible of an increased in visceral fat and of insulin resistance. These metabolic consequences can lead to pre-diabetes. Exposure to chronic stress results in allostatic load and its pathophysiologic consequences. The knowledge of this mecanisms and the cardiovascular and metabolic risk related, should influence our way of thinking about patient care. To decrease allostatic load, practitioners can rely on therapeutic relation. Therapeutic education is one of the skill that can be use to create therapeutic relation.

Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School, June 30, 2002

State Agency Audit Report

Report of Recommendations to the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School, June 30, 2003

State Agency Audit Report

Report of Recommendations to the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School, June 30, 2004

State University Audit Report

Report of Recommendations to the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School, June 30, 2005

Other Audit Reports - Regent Institutions

Audit report on the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School, Vinton, Iowa, for the year ended June 30, 2006

Audit report on the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School, Vinton, Iowa, for the year ended June 30, 2006

Report on the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School, Vinton, Iowa, for the year ended June 30, 2007

Report on the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School, Vinton, Iowa, for the year ended June 30, 2007

Report on the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School, Vinton, Iowa, for the year ended June 30, 2008

Report on the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School, Vinton, Iowa, for the year ended June 30, 2008

Report on the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School, Vinton, Iowa, for the year ended June 30, 2009

Report on the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School, Vinton, Iowa, for the year ended June 30, 2009

Report on the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School, Vinton, Iowa, for the year ended June 30, 2010

Report on the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School, Vinton, Iowa, for the year ended June 30, 2010

Report on the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School, Vinton, Iowa, for the year ended June 30, 2011

Report on the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School, Vinton, Iowa, for the year ended June 30, 2011