Toulouse Region Research Articles

Higher levels of Pseudomonas aeruginosa LasB elastase expression are associated with early-stage infection in cystic fibrosis patients

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common pathogen in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients and a major contributor to progressive lung damage. P. aeruginosa elastase (LasB), a key virulence factor, has been identified as a potential target for anti-virulence therapy. Here, we sought to differentiate the P. aeruginosa isolates from early versus established stages of infection in CF patients and to determine if LasB was associated with either stage. The lasB gene was amplified from 255 P. aeruginosa clinical isolates from 70 CF patients from the Toulouse region (France). Nine LasB variants were identified and 69% of the isolates produced detectable levels of LasB activity. Hierarchical clustering using experimental and clinical data distinguished two classes of isolates, designated as ‘Early’ and ‘Established’ infection. Multivariate analysis revealed that the isolates from the Early infection class show higher LasB activity, fast growth, tobramycin susceptibility, non-mucoid, pigmented colonies and wild-type lasR genotype. These traits were associated with younger patients with polymicrobial infections and high pFEV1. Our findings show a correlation between elevated LasB activity in P. aeruginosa isolates and early-stage infection in CF patients. Hence, it is this patient group, prior to the onset of chronic disease, that may benefit most from novel therapies targeting LasB.

Intentional craniofacial remodelling in Europe in the XIXth century: Quantitative evidence of soft tissue modifications from Toulouse, France

Intentional skull deformations have been practiced by every human population, from the prehistoric times until the XXth century. In Europe, they were specifically prevalent in the region of Toulouse, France. The soft-tissue modifications due to such practices are not well characterized in the literature due to the rarity of photographic data. Most studies on skull deformations are thus based on skeletal remains. Here we performed a controlled geometric morphometric assessment of 31 frontal pictures and 70 lateral pictures of individuals from Toulouse with intentional deformations extracted from two XIXth century historical French photographic archives. We also measured the forces exerted on the skull vault by the traditional deformation device from Toulouse using a 3D-printed skull and pressure sensors. We showed that individuals with Toulouse deformations have distinctive facial features, caused by moderate forces exerted on the skull vault. Our results exhibit and quantify for the first time the real face of intentional skull deformations, which are a ubiquitous and distinctive feature of the human species.

The Laà 2 cave in Arudy (64). The Mesolithic and Final Neolithic occupations within their chrono-cultural contexts

Summary. Due to the important number of archaeological sites studied therein, the Arudy basin is a favored place for seeking improved understanding of settlement dynamics and cultural characteristics of the populations that occupied these sites since the Paleolithic. In this case, the Mesolithic and Final Neolithic archaeological levels of room 5 of the Laà 2 cave will be analyzed and then inserted within the larger context of the Béarn valleys, as well as the northwestern Pyrenees. Four Mesolithic levels allow us to address certain features of the mobility of small groups utilizing impermanent campsite installations. These provide new data for the analysis of modalities of land occupancy and mobility strategies of the last hunter-gatherer societies of the French Pyrenees and their outskirts. Four or five phases of occupation are also identified for the Final Neolithic, and likewise, provide evidence of short-lived encampments. When compared with what is currently known for the northwestern Pyrenees, analysis of the ceramic material allows us to highlight Véraza influences, the likes of which are already known to exist within the Toulouse region.

L’entrée des jeunes actifs dans l’animation socioculturelle : évolutions du rapport au travail durant le processus de socialisation professionnelle

This article explores changes in the “relationship to work” (Paugam, 2000; Longo, 2011; Longo & Bourdon,
 2016) among young entrants in the field of youth work across the stages of “professional socialization”
 (Hughes, 1996; Author 1, 2020) associated with the first years of practice. It explores the experiences of
 17 young youth workers, based on comprehensive interviews conducted during ethnographic fieldwork
 carried out in nine youth services organizations based in the Toulouse region of France. A combination
 of thematic analysis and temporal bracketing supports cross-case analysis of the collected professional
 trajectory narratives, revealing a four-part typology of how young workers develop their relationship to
 work. The article identifies the three main factors at play as employment and working conditions, access
 to occupational training, and relationships with managers in the workplace.

Agencies, scales and times of path creation: The case of IoT in Toulouse

AbstractPath creation for regional diversification is a hot topic on economic geography. This paper seeks to contribute to these debates in three ways. First, by adopting a micro‐perspective to study the structure of agency distribution (multi‐actor). Second, by opening the regional scale and analysing the ways in which local and non‐local factors are combined in path creation processes (multi‐scalar). Third, by integrating past legacies and future expectations in the actors of change decisions (inter‐temporal). To do so, the paper studies the path creation process around Internet of Things industry in the region of Toulouse (France).

Avant l’âge d’or. Le premier essor du commerce du pastel du Midi toulousain (milieu du XIIIe-milieu du XIVe siècle

The history of pastel is traditionally limited to the golden age of the international trade of this dye, which made the fortune of Toulouse between the end of the 15th and the middle of the 16th century. This story forgets that the production and sale of pastel ensured for more than two centuries the prosperity of part of the southern countryside. The enumeration of references to this product in the leude and toll tariffs of the Toulouse region and the main transit centers of the Mediterranean coast reveals indeed a very clear intensification of its circulation from the end of the 13th century, which can be correlated with the rapid expansion of the centers of drapery production in Catalonia, Roussillon and Languedoc. The development of this trade encouraged the expansion of the areas devoted to woad in Lauragais, Albigeois and Toulousain during the first half of the 14th century, and was one of the driving forces behind the expansion of the villages that, in these areas, ensured the concentration and redistribution of woad. It thus testifies to the early emergence of these «small village capitalists » evoked by Philippe Wolff concerning the 15th century.

Impact de la téléphonie mobile et de l’adaptation intériorisée sur la satisfaction de vie des enfants âgés de 9 à 12 ans

ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to describe and identify the associated variables with some indicators of children's life satisfaction, aged from 9 to 12 years old, who use or not a mobile phone, taking account of their sex and age group, in order to appreciated the respective contributions. Participants and methodA survey using questionnaires was conducted in 15 schools of the Toulouse region. Children and their parents participated in this research. Among the 508 children who participate in this research, 164 (80 girls and 84 boys) own a mobile phone. The French version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire made by Goodman (1997) is used in order to measure the level of children's internalising problems. This questionnaire inquiries the parental perceptions relating to child's socio-affective and behavioral adaptation. Besides parents, children answered to an auto-administrated questionnaire asking them about their mobile phone use. Then, the French version of the Multidimensional Students's Life Satisfaction Scale (Huebner, 1994) is used in order to measure the level of children's life satisfaction. ResultsOlder children (11–12 years old) are four times more likely to have a mobile phone (n=130, 79.3%). On the other hand, only 29.9% (n=103) do not have a mobile phone at this age. A slightly larger number of children (53.4%, n=87) preferentially uses mobile phone in their bedroom and the vast majority of children do not use their mobile phone when they are in the classroom (92.1%, n=13). While, children generally report a high level of life satisfaction, some factors contribute to a more or less positive evaluation. Main finding show that differences exist according to sex and age, and confirm the contribution of some characteristics, including the place at which the mobile phone is used, and particularly internalising problems on family, friends, and self satisfaction. ConclusionWith its mobility, the mobile phone appeared to be the perfect tool to cover the growing communication needs, both now and in the future. Additionally, mobile phone offers children the opportunity to shape a specific culture while getting closer to teenage years. Indeed, its use being an essential component of everyday social interaction, through phone calls or SMS help children have similar social experiences. Thus, the use of mobile phone and SMS will be able to bring about a sense of social connectivity, which can reciprocally improve the quality of face-to-face relationships and promote the well-being of their users.

Impact de l’utilisation de Facebook sur l’adaptation socio-affective des enfants de 9–12 ans

ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to describe and identify the associated variables with different factors of socio-affective adaptation of children aged from 9–12 years old, who possess a Facebook account. These variables are analyzed according to the child's age and its gender in order to find the main risk factors. Participants and methodA survey using questionnaires was conducted in 15 schools of the Toulouse region. Children and their parents participated in this research. Out of 508 participants, 147 children had a Facebook account. The French version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire made by Goodman (1997) was used in order to measure the level of children's socio-affective adaptation. This questionnaire inquiries the parental perceptions relating to child's socio-affective and behavioral adaptation. In addition to the parents, children replied to an auto-administrated questionnaire asking them about the frequency, the period of time spent online, the digital device (computer, mobile phone), the friendships and communication partners on Facebook. ResultsA slightly larger number of girls than boys have a Facebook account, that is 56.5% (n=83) versus 43.5% (n=64). More than one third of children (n=104, 70.7%) who have an account are between 11 and 12 years old. On the other hand, only 29.3% (n=43) are between 9and 10 years old. As far as the communication partners are concerned, 12.2% (n=18) of children talk with children that they don’t know and the younger ones are proportionally and significantly more apt (20.9%, n=9) to talk with people that they don’t know as compared with older children (8.7%, n=9) [Chi2 (1)=4.26, P=0.039]. The majority of children are in the standards in terms of socio-affective adaptation. Having a communication with unknown people online and friendships with the “celebrities” may be a risk factor while having a communication with friends would be a protection factor. ConclusionFacebook use does not seem to harm children's socio-affective adaptation of 9–12 years old children apart from the boys who exhibit more behavioral troubles as compared to girls. Moreover, in a perspective of prevention, it appears to be essential to support children being at a risk of exhibiting psychological issues in order to reduce and avoid the negative outcome of a problematic Facebook use.

Ontogeny of Size and Shape Sexual Dimorphism in the Pubis: A Multislice Computed Tomography Study by Geometric Morphometry.

Few studies have been conducted to determine sex differences in the immature coxal bone and the results were often contradictory. The authors studied sexual dimorphic differences of the pubis using geometric morphometric analysis of five osteometric landmarks recorded by multislice computed tomography (MSCT), based on three-dimensional reconstructions of 188 children (95 boys, 93 girls) living in the region of Toulouse, southwestern France, ranging in age from 1 to 18years old. They used geometric morphometric methodology first to test sexual dimorphism in size (centroid size) and shape (Procrustes residuals) and second to examine patterns of shape change with age (development) and size change with age (growth). Based on statistical significance test results, the pubic shape became sexually dimorphic at 13years old, although visible shape differences were observed as early as 9years old. This work showed that the trajectories of pubis shape (development) and size (growth) differed throughout ontogeny and between sexes.

The Origins of the 'Four Branches of the Mabinogi' by Andrew Breeze

830 Reviews Looking Westward is thus perhaps not for junior students,who may be confused bymodish postcolonial remarks in it,picked up fromwriters less able and honest thanHill. Yet itdoes merit attention fromprofessional scholars. Reinterpretation of itsclues and arguments will let them see theworld of theGawain-Poet more closely: his familiaritywith luxury; his expertise inhunting; his curiosity aboutWales; and his first-hand knowledge of France, especially the Toulouse region. By working on this and other evidence, theymay determine whether or not the Gawain-Poet was (as this reviewer proposes) Sir John Stanley (d. 1414), north-western magnate, courtier, huntsman, campaigner in the French wars, Garter Knight, and valued servant ofRichard II and Henry IV. University of Navarre, Pamplona Andrew Breeze The Origins of the 'FourBranches of the MabinogV. By Andrew Breeze. Leomin ster:Gracewing. 2009. viii+155 pp. ?9-99- ISBN 978-0-85244-533-2. After publishing his hypothesis on the authorship of the Four Branches of the Mabinogi in the third chapter of his book Medieval Welsh Literature (Dublin: Four Courts, 1997), Andrew Breeze has devoted an entire book to the controversial viewpoint that awoman, namely princess Gwenllian ofDyfed, wrote one of Wales's most significant contributions tomedieval literature. First, the author cites textual evidence from the Four Branches for a female writer by evoking several striking features of the narratives. Breeze points out the dialogues where the female characters are often presented as being stronger than theirmale counterparts. Another argument in favour of a woman author consists in the lengthypassages dedicated to female interests such asmotherhood, wet-nursing, fostering, or childlessness, in contrast to the shortmentions of battles and war. In addition the author of the Four Branches shows compassion for the defeated army and is aware of the human tragedy.Having presented all arguments that hint at a female author in general, Breeze goes on to narrow down possible female candidates for a prose narrative in early twelfth-century Wales. First of all, the style of the narrative hints at an author familiarwith etiquette, who isprobably amember of a royal court. In the following section Breeze listsnineteen arguments forGwenllian's authorship and the probable time of composition. He makes use of internal textual evidence as well as references to other manuscripts of the time in bothWelsh and Irish literature, and makes a semantic comparison between poems ofHywel ab Owain Gwynedd, Gwenllian's nephew, and theFour Branches. Reaching beyond literary argumentation, Breeze backs up his theory by exploit ing archaeological and topographical evidence, e.g. the frequency of toponyms in the text.He claims that the detailed knowledge of the local geography ofGwynedd, a somewhat limited acquaintance with Dyfed, and even lesswith Ireland coincide very strongly with Gwenllian's biography as a Gwynedd princess married to a Dyfed ruler with whom she spent some time in exile in Ireland. Several of the points he makes are taken up later in the book for a detailed line of arguments. MLR, 105.3, 2010 831 The chapter entitled 'Politics and the Four Branches' argues that the evident knowledge of the system of government?including diplomacy and warfare, the function of native law, the political constellation at the time in southWales, in particular interest in the fate of Dyfed and the threat of the rise of the kingdom of England?strongly points to amember of the court ofDyfed, corroborating the previous arguments. The chapters entitled 'The Four Branches inOur Time' and 'Some Recent Views of theFour Branches' deserve special mention. In the firstBreeze reviews themajor works on the origin of these tales over the last century, among others the public ations of Sir JohnLloyd,W. J. Gruffydd, and Rachel Bromwich. The other chapter contains very detailed replies to dissenting opinions on the authorship of theFour Branches in recent papers by Fiona Winward, William Parker, and others. The book in its entirety reads like an academic detective story,approaching the case to be solved from different angles. This is apparently the author's intention when, in the introduction, he challenges his readers to sharpen theirwits, develop their opinion on the hypothesis, and, ifpossible, find evidence against it.Breeze also compares his methodology tomodern criminology and theuse of circumstan tial evidence such...

Looking Westward: Poetry, Landscape, and Politics in 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight' by Ordelle G. Hill

MLR, 105.3, 2010 829 Looking Westward: Poetry, Landscape, and Politics in 'SirGawain and theGreen Knight\ By Ordelle G. Hill. Newark: University ofDelaware Press. 2009. 203 pp. $51.50. ISBN 978-0-87413-049-2. Looking Westward is not by some fledgling doctor of philosophy, but an emeritus professor of Eastern Kentucky University. Believing that old men should be ex plorers, Ordelle Hill blazes new territory (some of itCeltic) forGawain Studies. His courage and independence thus deserve praise. However regarded, his book is an unconventional but serious contribution to knowledge. He offers four chapters, with introduction, conclusion, and appendices. We start with accounts of Welsh poetry,Henry ofGrosmont's Livre de SeyntzMedicines, and theNero manuscript. Then comes Gawain's journey throughWales and north-west England, followed by discussion of the poem's people and places (illustrated by somewhat murky pictures of Lud's Church and similar sites).We conclude with beheadings in Welsh history and legend. Most English medievalists have zero interest inmatters Celtic. So it is refreshing to find an American Gawain-scholar who takes account of the Mabinogion, or the poems ofDafydd ap Gwilym and Iolo Goch. Professor Hill's attention toHenry of Grosmont is likewise welcome. Yet ifthe aim is lofty,the results are not as compel ling as they should be. Many statements inLooking Westward require qualification. Hill should have downplayed self-reliance, and consulted Celticists and others at Harvard or UCLA. They would have corrected a simplistic view ofWelsh history, and directed him towriters ofwhom he seems unaware. Among errors ormisleading remarks are the following. Anglesey, North Wales, andWirral are not 'the only identifiable place-names in the poem' (p. 13). Lom bardy, Rome, Tintagel, and Tuscany are also locatable, while the 'Holy Head' is surelyHolywell, Flintshire.Monmouth isnot an 'English' city (p. 14). It is in Wales, as Shakespeare makes clear inHenry V. To say that it is 'difficult to locate the castle prototype' of Hautdesert (p. 21) ignores parallels of itsname with those of Monthault orMold and Disserd or Diserth. These places in north-east Wales had castles (fragments survive) known to the Gawain-Poet. Similarities in accounts of storms (p. 33) by Dafydd ap Gwilym and Sir Gawain may be due to Le Roman de la Rose, a poem read by both authors. Comments on the Stanleys ofWirral (p. 68), which cite Edward Wilson ofOxford and this reviewer,misrepresent both. For linguistic evidence on the author of Sir Gawain and theGreen Knight, see this writer's 'Sir John Stanley (c. 1350-1414) and the Gawam-Poet', Arthuriana, 14.1 (2004), 15-30, which sets out verbal similarities between the poem and one of Stanley's letters,but appears unknown toHill. For all that, Looking Westward has many merits. Its author is an energetic re searcher, labouring infieldswhere he isnot a specialist. He has scrambled up slopes in theGawam-Country; he has a careful eye for castle furnishing and architecture (pp. 94~95> 98), though the phrase 'pared out of papure' (with an equivalent in Dafydd ap Gwilym) will not bear the interpretation he puts on it. What we lack is incisive finality,assembling thematerial to provide weighty conclusions. 830 Reviews Looking Westward is thus perhaps not for junior students,who may be confused bymodish postcolonial remarks in it,picked up fromwriters less able and honest thanHill. Yet itdoes merit attention fromprofessional scholars. Reinterpretation of itsclues and arguments will let them see theworld of theGawain-Poet more closely: his familiaritywith luxury; his expertise inhunting; his curiosity aboutWales; and his first-hand knowledge of France, especially the Toulouse region. By working on this and other evidence, theymay determine whether or not the Gawain-Poet was (as this reviewer proposes) Sir John Stanley (d. 1414), north-western magnate, courtier, huntsman, campaigner in the French wars, Garter Knight, and valued servant ofRichard II and Henry IV. University of Navarre, Pamplona Andrew Breeze The Origins of the 'FourBranches of the MabinogV. By Andrew Breeze. Leomin ster:Gracewing. 2009. viii+155 pp. ?9-99- ISBN 978-0-85244-533-2. After publishing his hypothesis on the authorship of the Four Branches of the Mabinogi in the third chapter of his book Medieval Welsh Literature (Dublin: Four Courts, 1997...

Prisoners and skin diseases in Toulouse, France: epidemiological analysis and evaluation of life impact

Dermatology in a penitentiary environment is an under-researched field. To study the prison population seeking medical advice for skin diseases and to assess among detainees the life impact of these diseases, an approach that to the best of our knowledge has not previously been reported. This prospective study was carried out in the male population of two penal institutions in the region of Toulouse, south-western France. One hundred seventy-eight men were seen, for a total of 234 diagnoses and 281 consultations. The five most frequent diagnoses, in order of decreasing frequency, were disorders of the pilosebaceous follicle, fungal diseases, benign skin tumours, warts and eczemas, which are common skin diseases. However, 72% of inmates believed their skin disease was directly related to detention. This belief was related to the conditions of life in prison (seclusion and its effects) and to frequent psychological problems. The disorders observed were generally benign skin conditions that could be expected in a population of young men living in a closed community. They led to a high demand for care and treatment: skin diseases represented the largest specialist consultation in our institutions. Skin problems can easily be managed in an outpatient unit, which confirms the usefulness of a dedicated dermatology clinic within the outpatient consultation units of penal institutions in order to provide care of equivalent quality to that available in a free environment. The dermatologist can have an important role in the medical management and the health education of prisoners.

L'industrie de l'informatique à Toulouse : Développement, Structure, Enjeux

Cet article traite du développement de l’industrie de l’informatique dans la métropole toulousaine. Les activités informatiques se sont surtout constituées en interrelation avec l’industrie aéronautique et spatiale locale. La géographie économique de l’industrie toulousaine de l’informatique souligne le rôle central joué par le marché métropolitain du travail et la structure locale des transactions interentreprises. L’industrie aéronautique et spatiale opère une externalisation de plus en plus marquée des fonctions informatiques, ce qui conduit à une densification dans l’agglomération toulousaine de producteurs et de prestataires informatiques. Les dispositifs locaux de régulation de cette industrie révèlent la propension à une démarche partenariale entre les institutions privées et publiques en charge du soutien à l’industrie et des corrections portées aux insuffisances du marché.

Bacterial ætiology of diarrhoea in young children: high prevalence of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) not belonging to the classical EPEC serogroups

Diarrhoeal disease continues to be one of the most common causes of admittance in Children hospital emergency. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relative contribution of enteropathogenic and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EPEC and EHEC, respectively) as a cause of infectious bacterial diarrhoea in children from the region of Toulouse. We analysed 280 samples of stools from 280 children (< 2 years) with diarrhoea admitted in the “Hopital des Enfants” from January to August 2005. Classic pathogens ( Salmonella, Campylobacter, Yersinia, Shigella, Aeromonas and Vibrio) were detected by standard culture methods. Enterotoxigenic Clostridium difficile were identified after culture by immuno-enzyme assay (IEA). Virulence genes of EPEC and EHEC were detected by using PCR. Shiga-toxin production of EHEC strains was confirmed with an IEA test. Potential enteric pathogens were identified in 55 patients. EPEC was the most frequently identified agent (30 patients), followed by Campylobacter (9 cases: 7 C. jejuni and 2 C. coli) and C. difficile (8 patients), then EHEC (5 patients) and Salmonella (3 patients). No Shigella, Yersinia, Aeromonas or other pathogenic bacteria were detected during this period in that class of children. EPEC not belonging to the classical EPEC serogroups were highly prevalent (24 versus 6). EHEC possessed different genotypes and serogroups: O26 (2 strains), O157 (2 strains) and one un-typable strain. This study demonstrates the importance of EPEC (55 % of positive cases) and of EHEC (more frequent than Salmonella) in the aetiology of diarrhoeal diseases of young children. We confirm the usefulness of the PCR methodology: it allows the detection of virulent E. coli and thus increases by two fold the diagnosis of bacterial diarrhoea.

Le Tuchinat en Toulousain et dans le Rouergue (1381-1393) : d’une émeute urbaine à une guérilla rurale ?

The « Tuchinat » in the Toulouse region and in Rouergue (1381-1393) : an urban riot or a rural guerilla action ? The revolt which took place in Languedoc and Auvergne at the end of the 14th century, and which is generally known under the name of the Tuchins Revolt, is clearly one of the most serious revolts that the kingdom of France experienced during the medieval period. An uprising of this scope and this duration is necessarily complex in its motivations and many-sided in its expressions. The analysis of the “ Tuchinat” in the Toulouse and Rouergue regions underlines the ambiguity of a movement with which part of the urban elites identified and which benefitted from the tacit support of Gaston Febus, count of Foix, whose primary preoccupation was the struggle against the companies of routiers. The study also charts its evolution that led individuals from the lower strata of Toulouse to become mercenaries hired by different communities in Rouergue in order to insure their security from English companies. This mission, which explains the long duration of the movement, rejoined the preoccupations of Auvergne’s Tuchins and allows us to understand why such seemingly diverse movements were regrouped under the same term by royal authorities.

La région toulousaine : un territoire de tradition taurine à la géographie variable et incertaine

The Toulouse area : an area of bullfighting tradition with a variable and ill defined geography. Bullfighting corresponds both to a social reality and a space dimension in south-west Europe. This paper looks at the case of the neighbouring Toulouse region. The bullfighting reality of this place can hardly escape the dynamics of the bullfighting projects of the mundillo actors on the local scale, but acknowledging the judicial area of Spanish bullfight, and doing so, the permanency of a regional afición. The evolving frame of the Toulouse area produces both geography and also stakes of local development.

L’historiographie de saint Dominique en pays toulousain, de Rechac à Touron (1640-1740)

Historiography of St Dominic in the Region of Toulouse, from Rechac to Touron (1640-1740). Cambefort and Rechac, who were largely dependent upon each other, belonged to a generation which accepted tradition as a whole. The following generation, embodied by Souèges and Percin, distanced itself from it. Baillet and Echard were more critical towards tradition, as especially Cuypers, a Bollandist, and Antoine Touron. The analysis of the works of those historians allows to grasp the development of the legend around St Dominic, which owes a great deal to Alain de la Roche. In the region, the second half of the 17th century marks a climax with the building of several memorials in Fanjeaux and its surroundings. Inspired by fervour, the most cutting authors do not question the most sacred traditions that were the miracle of the fire, the preaching of the rosary to the inhabitants of Toulouse or the presence of the founder of their Order at the Battle of Muret.

The accounting practices of a sixteenth-century pastel merchant from the French region of Toulouse

Until the end of the sixteenth century the French region of Toulouse was an important centre for the export of pastel, the plant used at that time to produce blue dye. What does the ledger belonging to the factor of a Toulouse pastel producer (pastelier) teach us about the role played by accounting in the relationship between the factor and the commissioning merchant? Under what accounting methods did the agent carry out his business mission? Was the accounting technique used double entry or that which we could call the factors' accounting system?

Low plasma vitamin C in Alzheimer patients despite an adequate diet.

To compare the vitamin C and E plasma levels in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and to assess the vitamin C intake and nutritional status. Case-control study. Four groups of sex- and age-matched subjects were compared: severe AD and moderate AD, in patients with moderate AD and controls. Community and hospitalized patients in the region of Toulouse, France. Patients with dementia who fulfilled criteria for Alzheimer's disease: severe Alzheimer group (N = 20), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score range 0-9; moderate Alzheimer group (N = 24), MMSE 10-23; hospitalized Alzheimer group (N = 9), MMSE 10-23. Control group (N = 19), MMSE 24-30. Plasma vitamin E and C were quantified by HPLC-fluorescence. Consumption of raw and cooked fruit and vegetables was evaluated in order to determine the mean vitamin C intakes. Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) and plasma albumin were used to measure nutritional status. Institutionalized and community subjects were analysed separately. MNA scores were normal in home-living Alzheimer subjects with moderate dementia and significantly lower in those with severe disease, despite normal plasma albumin levels. In the home-living Alzheimer subjects, vitamin C plasma levels decreased in proportion to the severity of the cognitive impairment despite similar vitamin C intakes, whereas vitamin E remained stable. The hospitalized Alzheimer subjects had lower MNA scores and albumin levels but normal vitamin C intakes, but their plasma vitamin C was lower than that of community-living subjects. Institutionalized Alzheimer subjects had significantly lower MNA scores but normal vitamin C and albumin levels and vitamin C intakes compared with community-dwelling subjects of similar degree of cognitive impairment. Plasma vitamin C is lower in AD in proportion to the degree of cognitive impairment and is not explained by lower vitamin C intake. These results support the hypothesis that oxygen-free radicals may cause damage.

Low plasma vitamin C in Alzheimer patients despite an adequate diet

Objective. To compare the vitamin C and E plasma levels in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and to assess the vitamin C intake and nutritional status. Design. Case-control study. Four groups of sex- and age-matched subjects were compared: severe AD and moderate AD, in patients with moderate AD and controls. Setting. Community and hospitalized patients in the region of Toulouse, France. Participants. Patients with dementia who fulfilled criteria for Alzheimer's disease: severe Alzheimer group (N=20), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score range 0–9; moderate Alzheimer group (N=24), MMSE 10–23; hospitalized Alzheimer group (N=9), MMSE 10–23. Control group (N=19), MMSE 24–30. Measures. Plasma vitamin E and C were quantified by HPLC-fluorescence. Consumption of raw and cooked fruit and vegetables was evaluated in order to determine the mean vitamin C intakes. Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) and plasma albumin were used to measure nutritional status. Results. Institutionalized and community subjects were analysed separately. MNA scores were normal in home-living Alzheimer subjects with moderate dementia and significantly lower in those with severe disease, despite normal plasma albumin levels. In the home-living Alzheimer subjects, vitamin C plasma levels decreased in proportion to the severity of the cognitive impairment despite similar vitamin C intakes, whereas vitamin E remained stable. The hospitalized Alzheimer subjects had lower MNA scores and albumin levels but normal vitamin C intakes, but their plasma vitamin C was lower than that of community-living subjects. Institutionalized Alzheimer subjects had significantly lower MNA scores but normal vitamin C and albumin levels and vitamin C intakes compared with community-dwelling subjects of similar degree of cognitive impairment. Conclusion. Plasma vitamin C is lower in AD in proportion to the degree of cognitive impairment and is not explained by lower vitamin C intake. These results support the hypothesis that oxygen-free radicals may cause damage. Copyright © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.