Between Equity and Differentiation: An Analytical Schema of the Social Function of Education

The educational sphere has an internal function relatively agreed by social scientists. Nonetheless, the contribution that educational systems provide to the society (i.e., their social function) does not have the same degree of consensus. Taking into consideration such theoretical precedent, the current article raises an analytical schema to grasp the social function of education considering a sociological perspective. Starting from the assumption that there is an intrinsic relationship between the internal and social functions of social systems, we suggest there are particular stratification determinants modifying the internal pedagogical function of education, which impact on its social function by creating simultaneous conditions of equity and differentiation. Throughout the paper this social function is considered a paradoxical mechanism. We highlight how this paradoxical dynamic is deployed in different structural levels of the educational sphere. Additionally, we discuss eventual consequences of this paradoxical social function for the inclusion possibilities that educational systems offer to individuals.

Do socioeconomic factors shape weight and obesity trajectories over the transition from midlife to old age? Results from the French GAZEL cohort study

BACKGROUND: Obesity is a contemporary epidemic that does not affect all age groups and sections of society equally. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to examine socioeconomic differences in trajectories of body mass index (BMI; in kg/m(2)) and obesity between the ages of 45 and 65 y. DESIGN: A total of 13,297 men and 4532 women from the French GAZEL (Gaz de France Electricité de France) cohort study reported their height in 1990 and their weight annually over the subsequent 18 y. Changes in BMI and obesity between ages 45 and 49 y, 50 and 54 y, 55 and 59 y, and 60 and 65 y as a function of education and occupational position (at age 35 y) were modeled by using linear mixed models and generalized estimating equations. RESULTS: BMI and obesity rates increased between the ages of 45 and 65 y. In men, BMI was higher in unskilled workers than in managers at age 45 y; this difference in BMI increased from 0.82 (95% CI: 0.66, 0.99) at 45 y to 1.06 (95% CI: 0.85, 1.27) at 65 y. Men with a primary school education compared with those with a high school degree at age 45 y had a 0.75 (95% CI: 0.51, 1.00) higher BMI, and this difference increased to 1.32 (95% CI: 1.03,1.62) at age 65 y. Obesity rates were 3.35% and 7.68% at age 45 y and 9.52% and 18.10% at age 65 y in managers and unskilled workers, respectively; the difference in obesity increased by 4.25% (95% CI: 1.87, 6.52). A similar trend was observed in women. Conclusions: Weight continues to increase in the transition between midlife and old age; this increase is greater in lower socioeconomic groups.

The function of natural killer cells: education, reminders and some good memories.

The effector response of natural killer (NK) cells is determined by opposing signals received through activating and inhibitory receptors. A process termed NK cell education, which is guided by the recognition of Major Histocompatibility Complex class I (MHC-I) molecules, determines how efficiently activating receptors respond to stimulation. This ensures NK cell tolerance to healthy tissues while allowing robust responses to diseased host cells. It was thought that NK cells are educated during their development in the bone marrow and that education fixes the NK cells' functional properties. However, recent findings suggest that the function of mature peripheral NK cells can adapt to changes in their environment and that the persistent exposure to normal-self is essential to maintain NK cell reactivity. Notwithstanding, NK cell stimulation in the context of inflammation can stably improve the functional properties of NK cells.

Effective corporate governance : experimental evidence on international auditors'judgments and the contribution of financial accounting education

1 Summary This dissertation deals with two major aspects of corporate governance that grew in importance during the last years: the internal audit function and financial accounting education. In three essays, I contribute to research on these topics which are embedded in the broader corporate governance literature. The first two essays consist of experimental investigations of internal auditors' judgments. They deal with two research issues for which accounting research lacks evidence: The effectiveness of internal controls and the potentially conflicting role of the internal audit function between management and the audit committee. The findings of the first two essays contribute to the literature on internal auditors' judgment and the role of the internal audit function as a major cornerstone of corporate governance. The third essay theoretically examines a broader issue but also relates to the overall research question of this dissertation: What contributes to effective corporate governance? This last essay takes the perspective that the root for quality corporate governance is appropriate financial accounting education. r develop a public interest approach to accounting education that contributes to the literature on adequate accounting education with respect to corporate governance and accounting harmonization. The increasing importance of both the internal audit function and accounting education for corporate governance can be explained by the same recent fundamental changes that still affect accounting research and practice. First, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX, 2002) and the 8th EU Directive (EU, 2006) have led to a bigger role for the internal audit function in corporate governance. Their implications regarding the implementation of audit committees and their oversight over internal controls are extensive. As a consequence, the internal audit function has become increasingly important for corporate governance and serves a new master (i.e. the audit committee) within the company in addition to management. Second, the SOX (2002) and the 8th EU Directive introduced additional internal control mechanisms that are expected to contribute to the reliability of financial information. As a consequence, the internal audit function is expected to contribute to a greater extent to the reliability of financial statements. Therefore, effective internal control mechanisms that strengthen objective judgments and independence become important. This is especially true when external- auditors rely on the work of internal auditors in the context of the International Standard on Auditing (ISA) 610 and the equivalent US Statement on Auditing Standards (SAS) 65 (see IFAC, 2009 and AICPA, 1990). Third, the harmonization of international reporting standards is increasingly promoted by means of a principles-based approach. It is the leading approach since a study of the SEC (2003) that was required by the SOX (2002) in section 108(d) was in favor of this approach. As a result, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) commit themselves to the development of compatible accounting standards based on a principles-based approach. Moreover, since the Norwalk Agreement of 2002, the two standard setters have developed exposure drafts for a common conceptual framework that will be the basis for accounting harmonization. The new .framework will be in favor of fair value measurement and accounting for real-world economic phenomena. These changes in terms of standard setting lead to a trend towards more professional judgment in the accounting process. They affect internal and external auditors, accountants, and managers in general. As a consequence, a new competency set for preparers and users of financial statements is required. The basil for this new competency set is adequate accounting education (Schipper, 2003). These three issues which affect corporate governance are the initial point of this dissertation and constitute its motivation. Two broad questions motivated a scientific examination in three essays: 1) What are major aspects to be examined regarding the new role of the internal audit function? 2) How should major changes in standard setting affect financial accounting education? The first question became apparent due to two published literature reviews by Gramling et al. (2004) and Cohen, Krishnamoorthy & Wright (2004). These studies raise various questions for future research that are still relevant and which motivate the first two essays of my dissertation. In the first essay, I focus on the role of the internal audit function as one cornerstone of corporate governance and its potentially conflicting role of serving both management and the audit committee (IIA, 2003). In an experimental study, I provide evidence on the challenges for internal auditors in their role as servant for two masters -the audit committee and management -and how this influences internal auditors' judgment (Gramling et al. 2004; Cohen, Krishnamoorthy & Wright, 2004). I ask if there is an expectation gap between what internal auditors should provide for corporate governance in theory compared to what internal auditors are able to provide in practice. In particular, I focus on the effect of serving two masters on the internal auditor's independence. I argue that independence is hardly achievable if the internal audit function serves two masters with conflicting priorities. The second essay provides evidence on the effectiveness of accountability as an internal control mechanism. In general, internal control mechanisms based on accountability were enforced by the SOX (2002) and the 8th EU Directive. Subsequently, many companies introduced sub-certification processes that should contribute to an objective judgment process. Thus, these mechanisms are important to strengthen the reliability of financial statements. Based on a need for evidence on the effectiveness of internal control mechanisms (Brennan & Solomon, 2008; Gramling et al. 2004; Cohen, Krishnamoorthy & Wright, 2004; Solomon & Trotman, 2003), I designed an experiment to examine the joint effect of accountability and obedience pressure in an internal audit setting. I argue that obedience pressure potentially can lead to a negative influence on accountants' objectivity (e.g. DeZoort & Lord, 1997) whereas accountability can mitigate this negative effect. My second main research question - How should major changes in standard setting affect financial accounting education? - is investigated in the third essay. It is motivated by the observation during my PhD that many conferences deal with the topic of accounting education but very little is published about what needs to be done. Moreover, the Endings in the first two essays of this thesis and their literature review suggest that financial accounting education can contribute significantly to quality corporate governance as argued elsewhere (Schipper, 2003; Boyce, 2004; Ghoshal, 2005). In the third essay of this thesis, I therefore focus on approaches to financial accounting education that account for the changes in standard setting and also contribute to corporate governance and accounting harmonization. I argue that the competency set that is required in practice changes due to major changes in standard setting. As the major contribution of the third article, I develop a public interest approach for financial accounting education. The major findings of this dissertation can be summarized as follows. The first essay provides evidence to an important research question raised by Gramling et al. (2004, p. 240): "If the audit committee and management have different visions for the corporate governance role of the IAF, which vision will dominate?" According to the results of the first essay, internal auditors do follow the priorities of either management or the audit committee based on the guidance provided by the Chief Audit executive. The study's results question whether the independence of the internal audit function is actually achievable. My findings contribute to research on internal auditors' judgment and the internal audit function's independence in the broader frame of corporate governance. The results are also important for practice because independence is a major justification for a positive contribution of the internal audit function to corporate governance. The major findings of the second essay indicate that the duty to sign work results - a means of holding people accountable -mitigates the negative effect of obedience pressure on reliability. Hence, I found evidence that control .mechanisms relying on certifications may enhance the reliability of financial information. These findings contribute to the literature on the effectiveness of internal control mechanisms. They are also important in the light of sub-certification processes that resulted from the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the 8th EU Directive. The third essay contributes to the literature by developing a measurement framework that accounts for the consequences of major trends in standard setting. Moreovér, it shows how these trends affect the required .competency set of people dealing with accounting issues. Based on this work, my main contribution is the development of a public interest approach for the design of adequate financial accounting curricula. 2 Serving two masters: Experimental evidence on the independence of internal auditors Abstract Twenty nine internal auditors participated in a study that examines the independence of internal auditors in their potentially competing roles of serving two masters: the audit committee and management. Our main hypothesis suggests that internal auditors' independence is not achievable in an institutional setting in which internal auditors are accountable to two different parties with potentially differing priorities. We test our hypothesis in an experiment in which the treatment consisted of two different instructions of the Chief audit executive; one stressing the priority of management (cost reduction) and one stressing the priority of the audit committee (effectiveness). Internal auditors had to evaluate internal controls and their inherent costs of different processes which varied in their degree of task complexity. Our main results indicate that internal auditors' evaluation of the processes is significantly different when task complexity is high. Our findings suggest that internal auditors do follow the priorities of either management or the audit committee depending on the instructions of a superior internal auditor. The study's results question whether the independence of the internal audit function is actually achievable. With our findings, we contribute to research on internal auditors' judgment and the internal audit function's independence in the frame of corporate governance.

Social justice in education : how the function of selection in educational institutions predicts support for (non)egalitarian assessment practices

Educational institutions are considered a keystone for the establishment of a meritocratic society. They supposedly serve two functions: an educational function that promotes learning for all, and a selection function that sorts individuals into different programs, and ultimately social positions, based on individual merit. We study how the function of selection relates to support for assessment practices known to harm vs. benefit lower status students, through the perceived justice principles underlying these practices. We study two assessment practices: normative assessment-focused on ranking and social comparison, known to hinder the success of lower status students-and formative assessment-focused on learning and improvement, known to benefit lower status students. Normative assessment is usually perceived as relying on an equity principle, with rewards being allocated based on merit and should thus appear as positively associated with the function of selection. Formative assessment is usually perceived as relying on corrective justice that aims to ensure equality of outcomes by considering students' needs, which makes it less suitable for the function of selection. A questionnaire measuring these constructs was administered to university students. Results showed that believing that education is intended to select the best students positively predicts support for normative assessment, through increased perception of its reliance on equity, and negatively predicts support for formative assessment, through reduced perception of its ability to establish corrective justice. This study suggests that the belief in the function of selection as inherent to educational institutions can contribute to the reproduction of social inequalities by preventing change from assessment practices known to disadvantage lowerstatus student, namely normative assessment, to more favorable practices, namely formative assessment, and by promoting matching beliefs in justice principles.

A Role for cis Interaction between the Inhibitory Ly49A receptor and MHC class I for natural killer cell education.

Natural killer (NK) cells show enhanced functional competence when they express inhibitory receptors specific for inherited major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) molecules. Current models imply that NK cell education requires an interaction of inhibitory receptors with MHC-I expressed on other cells. However, the inhibitory Ly49A receptor can also bind MHC-I ligand on the NK cell itself (in cis). Here we describe a Ly49A variant, which can engage MHC-I expressed on other cells but not in cis. Even though this variant inhibited NK cell effector function, it failed to educate NK cells. The association with MHC-I in cis sequestered wild-type Ly49A, and this was found to relieve NK cells from a suppressive effect of unengaged Ly49A. These data explain how inhibitory MHC-I receptors can facilitate NK cell activation. They dissociate classical inhibitory from educating functions of Ly49A and suggest that cis interaction of Ly49A is necessary for NK cell education.

Integration of teacher education into the Swiss higher education system

The integration of specific institutions for teacher education into the higher education system represents a milestone in the Swiss educational policy and has broad implications. This thesis explores organizational and institutional change resulting from this policy reform, and attempts to assess structural change in terms of differentiation and convergence within the system of higher education. Key issues that are dealt with are, on the one hand, the adoption of a research function by the newly conceptualized institutions of teacher education, and on the other, the positioning of the new institutions within the higher education system. Drawing on actor-centred approaches to differentiation, this dissertation discusses system-level specificities of tertiarized teacher education and asks how this affects institutional configurations and actor constellations. On the basis of qualitative and quantitative empirical data, a comparative analysis has been carried out including case studies of four universities of teacher education as well as multivariate regression analysis of micro-level data on students' educational choices. The study finds that the process of system integration and adaption to the research function by the various institutions have unfolded differently depending on the institutional setting and the specific actor constellations. The new institutions have clearly made a strong push to position themselves as a new institutional type and to find their identity beyond the traditional binary divide which assigns the universities of teacher education to the college sector. Potential conflicts have been identified in divergent cognitive normative orientations and perceptions of researchers, teacher educators, policy-makers, teachers, and students as to the mission and role of the new type of higher education institution. - L'intégration dans le système d'enseignement supérieur d'institutions qui ont pour tâche spécifique de former des enseignants peut être considérée comme un événement majeur dans la politique éducative suisse, qui se trouve avoir des conséquences importantes à plusieurs niveaux. Cette thèse explore les changements organisationnels et institutionnels résultant de cette réforme politique, et elle se propose d'évaluer en termes de différentiation et de convergence les changements structurels intervenus dans le système d'éducation tertiaire. Les principaux aspects traités sont d'une part la nouvelle mission de recherche attribuée à ces institutions de formation pédagogique, et de l'autre la place par rapport aux autres institutions du système d'éducation tertiaire. Recourant à une approche centrée sur les acteurs pour étudier les processus de différen-tiation, la thèse met en lumière et en discussion les spécificités inhérentes au système tertiaire au sein duquel se joue la formation des enseignants nouvellement conçue et soulève la question des effets de cette nouvelle façon de former les enseignants sur les configurations institutionnelles et les constellations d'acteurs. Une analyse comparative a été réalisée sur la base de données qualitatives et quantitatives issues de quatre études de cas de hautes écoles pédagogiques et d'analyses de régression multiple de données de niveau micro concernant les choix de carrière des étudiants. Les résultats montrent à quel point le processus d'intégration dans le système et la nouvelle mission de recherche peuvent apparaître de manière différente selon le cadre institutionnel d'une école et la constellation spécifique des acteurs influents. A pu clairement être observée une forte aspiration des hautes écoles pédagogiques à se créer une identité au-delà de la structure binaire du système qui assigne la formation des enseignants au secteur des hautes écoles spéciali-sées. Des divergences apparaissent dans les conceptions et perceptions cognitives et normatives des cher-cheurs, formateurs, politiciens, enseignants et étudiants quant à la mission et au rôle de ce nouveau type de haute école. - Die Integration spezieller Institutionen für die Lehrerbildung ins Hochschulsystem stellt einen bedeutsamen Schritt mit weitreichenden Folgen in der Entwicklung des schweizerischen Bildungswesens dar. Diese Dissertation untersucht die mit der Neuerung verbundenen Veränderungen auf organisatorischer und institutioneller Ebene und versucht, die strukturelle Entwicklung unter den Gesichtspunkten von Differenzierung und Konvergenz innerhalb des tertiären Bildungssystems einzuordnen. Zentrale Themen sind dabei zum einen die Einführung von Forschung und Entwicklung als zusätzlichem Leistungsauftrag in der Lehrerbildung und zum andern die Positionierung der pädagogischen Hochschulen innerhalb des Hochschulsystems. Anhand akteurzentrierter Ansätze zur Differenzierung werden die Besonderheiten einer tertiarisierten Lehrerbildung hinsichtlich der Systemebenen diskutiert und Antworten auf die Frage gesucht, wie die Reform die institutionellen Konfigurationen und die Akteurkonstellationen beeinflusst. Auf der Grundlage qualitativer und quantitativer Daten wurde eine vergleichende Analyse durchgeführt, welche Fallstudien zu vier pädagogischen Hochschulen umfasst sowie Regressionsanalysen von Mikrodaten zur Studienwahl von Maturanden. Die Ergebnisse machen deutlich, dass sich der Prozess der Systemintegration und die Einführung von Forschung in die Lehrerbildung in Abhängigkeit von institutionellen Ordnungen und der jeweiligen Akteurkonstellation unterschiedlich gestalten. Es lässt sich bei den neu gegründeten pädagogischen Hochschulen ein starkes Bestreben feststellen, sich als neuen Hochschultypus zu positionieren und sich eine Identität zu schaffen jenseits der herkömmlichen binären Struktur, welche die pädagogischen Hochschulen dem Fachhochschul-Sektor zuordnet. Potentielle Konflikte zeichnen sich ab in den divergierenden kognitiven und normativen Orientierungen und Wahrnehmungen von Forschern, Ausbildern, Bildungspolitikern, Lehrern und Studierenden hinsichtlich des Auftrags und der Rolle dieses neuen Typs Hochschule.

Selecting highly affine and well-expressed TCRs for gene therapy of melanoma.

A recent phase 1 trial has demonstrated that the generation of tumor-reactive T lymphocytes by transfer of specific T-cell receptor (TCR) genes into autologous lymphocytes is feasible. However, compared with results obtained by infusion of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, the response rate observed in this first TCR gene therapy trial is low. One strategy that is likely to enhance the success rate of TCR gene therapy is the use of tumor-reactive TCRs with a higher capacity for tumor cell recognition. We therefore sought to develop standardized procedures for the selection of well-expressed, high-affinity, and safe human TCRs. Here we show that TCR surface expression can be improved by modification of TCR alpha and beta sequences and that such improvement has a marked effect on the in vivo function of TCR gene-modified T cells. From a panel of human, melanoma-reactive TCRs we subsequently selected the TCR with the highest affinity. Furthermore, a generally applicable assay was used to assess the lack of alloreactivity of this TCR against a large series of common human leukocyte antigen alleles. The procedures described in this study should be of general value for the selection of well- and stably expressed, high-affinity, and safe human TCRs for subsequent clinical testing.

Structural macro factors and the affine term structure of interest rates

This work consists of three essays investigating the ability of structural macroeconomic models to price zero coupon U.S. government bonds. 1. A small scale 3 factor DSGE model implying constant term premium is able to provide reasonable a fit for the term structure only at the expense of the persistence parameters of the structural shocks. The test of the structural model against one that has constant but unrestricted prices of risk parameters shows that the exogenous prices of risk-model is only weakly preferred. We provide an MLE based variance-covariance matrix of the Metropolis Proposal Density that improves convergence speeds in MCMC chains. 2. Affine in observable macro-variables, prices of risk specification is excessively flexible and provides term-structure fit without significantly altering the structural parameters. The exogenous component of the SDF is separating the macro part of the model from the term structure and the good term structure fit has as a driving force an extremely volatile SDF and an implied average short rate that is inexplicable. We conclude that the no arbitrage restrictions do not suffice to temper the SDF, thus there is need for more restrictions. We introduce a penalty-function methodology that proves useful in showing that affine prices of risk specifications are able to reconcile stable macro-dynamics with good term structure fit and a plausible SDF. 3. The level factor is reproduced most importantly by the preference shock to which it is strongly and positively related but technology and monetary shocks, with negative loadings, are also contributing to its replication. The slope factor is only related to the monetary policy shocks and it is poorly explained. We find that there are gains in in- and out-of-sample forecast of consumption and inflation if term structure information is used in a time varying hybrid prices of risk setting. In-sample yield forecast are better in models with non-stationary shocks for the period 1982-1988. After this period, time varying market price of risk models provide better in-sample forecasts. For the period 2005-2008, out of sample forecast of consumption and inflation are better if term structure information is incorporated in the DSGE model but yields are better forecasted by a pure macro DSGE model.

On the transcriptional role of NLRC5 and the function of NLRC5-driven MHC class I expression in the immune system

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules are of crucial importance for the immune system to recognize and defend the body against external attacks. Foreign antigens are presented by specialized cells, called antigen presenting cells, to T lymphocytes in the context of MHC molecules, thereby inducing T cell activation. In addition, MHC molecules are essential for Natural Killer (NK) cell biology, playing a role in NK cell education and activation. Recently, the NOD-like receptor (NLR) family member NLRC5 (NLR caspase recruitment domain containing protein 5) was found to act as transcriptional regulator of MHC class I, in particular in T and NK cells. Its role in MHC class I expression is however minor in dendritic cells (DCs). This raised the question of whether inflammatory conditions, which augment the levels of NLRC5 in DCs, could increase its contribution to MHC class I expression. Our work shows that MHC class I transcript and intracellular levels depend on NLRC5, while its role in MHC class I surface expression is instead negligible. We describe however a general salvage mechanism that enables cells with low intracellular MHC class I levels to nevertheless maintain relatively high MHC class I on the cell surface. In addition, we lack a thorough understanding of NLRC5 target gene specificity and mechanism of action. Our work delineates the unique consensus sequence in MHC class I promoters required for NLRC5 recruitment and pinpoints conserved features conferring its specificity. Furthermore, through genome-wide analyses, we confirm that NLRC5 regulates classical MHC class I genes and identify novel target genes all encoding non-classical MHC class I molecules exerting an array of functions in immunity and tolerance. We finally asked why a dedicated factor co-regulates MHC class I expression specifically in T and NK lymphocytes. We show that deregulated NLRC5 expression affects the education of NK cells and alters the crosstalk between T and NK cells, leading to NK cell-mediated killing of T lymphocytes. Altogether this thesis work brings insights into molecular and physiological aspects of NLRC5 function, which might help understand certain aspects of immune responses and disorders. -- Les molécules du complexe majeur d'histocompatibilité (CMH) sont essentielles au système immunitaire pour l'initiation de la réponse immunitaire. En effet, l'activation des lymphocytes T nécessite la reconnaissance d'un antigène étranger présenté par les cellules présentatrices d'antigènes sur une molécule du CMH. Les molécules du CMH ont également un rôle fondamental pour la fonction des cellules Natural Killer (NK) puisqu'elles sont nécessaires à leur processus d'éducation et d'activation. Récemment, NLRC5 (NLR caspase recruitment domain containing protein 5), un membre de la famille des récepteurs de type NOD (NLRs), a été décrit comme un facteur de transactivation de l'expression des gènes du CMH de classe I. A l'état basai, cette fonction transcriptionnelle est essentielle dans les lymphocytes T et NK, alors que ce rôle reste mineur pour l'expression des molécules du CMH de classe I dans les cellules dendritiques (DCs). Dans des conditions inflammatoires, l'expression de NLRC5 augmente dans les DCs. Notre travail démontre que, dans ces conditions, les transcrits et les niveaux intracellulaires des molécules du CMH de classe I augmentent aussi d'une façon dépendante de NLRC5. A contrario, le rôle de NLRC5 sur les niveaux de molécules de surface reste minoritaire. Cette observation nous a conduits à l'identification d'un mécanisme général de compensation qui permet aux cellules de maintenir des niveaux relativement élevés de molécules de CMH de class I à leur surface malgré de faibles niveaux intracellulaires. De plus, il semblait nécessaire de s'orienter vers une approche plus globale afin de déterminer l'étendue de la fonction transcriptionnelle de NLRC5. Par une approche du génome entier, nous avons pu décrire une séquence consensus conservée présente dans les promoteurs des gènes du CMH de classe I, sur laquelle NLRC5 est spécifiquement recruté. Nous avons pu également identifier de nouveaux gènes cibles codant pour des molécules de CMH de classe I non classiques impliqués dans l'immunité et la tolérance. Finalement, nous nous sommes demandé quel est l'intérêt d'avoir un facteur transcriptionnel, en l'occurrence NLRC5, qui orchestre l'expression du CMH de classe I dans les lymphocytes T et NK. Nous montrons que la dérégulation de l'expression de NLRC5 affecte l'éducation des cellules NK et conduit à la mort cellulaire des lymphocytes T médiée par les cellules NK. Dans l'ensemble ce travail de thèse contribue à la caractérisation du rôle de NLRC5, tant au niveau moléculaire que physiologique, ce qui présente un intérêt dans le cadre de la compréhension de certains aspects physiopathologique de la réponse immunitaire.