Neuronal Thy-1 induces astrocyte adhesion by engaging syndecan-4 in a cooperative interaction with alphavbeta3 integrin that activates PKCalpha and RhoA.

Clustering of alphavbeta3 integrin after interaction with the RGD-like integrin-binding sequence present in neuronal Thy-1 triggers formation of focal adhesions and stress fibers in astrocytes via RhoA activation. A putative heparin-binding domain is present in Thy-1, raising the possibility that this membrane protein stimulates astrocyte adhesion via engagement of an integrin and the proteoglycan syndecan-4. Indeed, heparin, heparitinase treatment and mutation of the Thy-1 heparin-binding site each inhibited Thy-1-induced RhoA activation, as well as formation of focal adhesions and stress fibers in DI TNC(1) astrocytes. These responses required both syndecan-4 binding and signaling, as evidenced by silencing syndecan-4 expression and by overexpressing a syndecan-4 mutant lacking the intracellular domain, respectively. Furthermore, lack of RhoA activation and astrocyte responses in the presence of a PKC inhibitor or a dominant-negative form of PKCalpha implicated PKCalpha and RhoA activation in these events. Therefore, combined interaction of the astrocyte alphavbeta3-integrin-syndecan-4 receptor pair with Thy-1, promotes adhesion to the underlying matrix via PKCalpha- and RhoA-dependent pathways. Importantly, signaling events triggered by such receptor cooperation are shown here to be the consequence of cell-cell rather than cell-matrix interactions. These observations are likely to be of widespread biological relevance because Thy-1-integrin binding is reportedly relevant to melanoma invasion, monocyte transmigration through endothelial cells and host defense mechanisms.

Asessing public policies. The case of education in Europe and the interaction between personal and institutional factors

The paper deals with the comparative study of European citizens satisfaction with thestate of education in their respective countries. Individual and contextual effects aretested applying multilevel analysis. The results show that educational public policies(level of decentralization, degree of comprehensiveness and public spending) as well asthe students social environment (socioeconomic and cultural status) have a soundimpact on the opinions about the state of education.

Interaction between Telenomus remus and Trichogramma pretiosum in the management of Spodoptera spp.

Interaction betweeen Telenomus remus and Trichogramma pretiosum in the management of Spodoptera spp. The use of egg parasitoids is a promising strategy for Integrated Pest Management (IPM), but different species of parasitoids have greater or lesser control efficiency, depending on the pest species. Recently, not only Anticarsia gemmatalis and Pseudoplusia includens but also Spodoptera cosmioides and S. eridania have been among the key Lepidoptera larvae attacking soybeans. This study evaluated the combination of Telenomus remus and Trichogramma pretiosum for parasitism of eggs of the Spodoptera complex, for better control efficiency and broader spectrum of action among the key pests of soybeans. The experiment was carried out under controlled environmental conditions (25 ± 2ºC; 70 ± 10% RH; and 14 h photophase) in a completely randomized experimental design with seven treatments and 10 replicates with S. frugiperda, S. cosmioides and S. eridania eggs. Each replicate consisted of one egg mass of each Spodoptera species, with approximately 100 eggs offered to the parasitoids. The treatments were: 1) 10 females of T. pretiosum; 2) nine females of T. pretiosum and one female of T. remus; 3) eight females of T. pretiosum and two females of T. remus; 4) seven females of T. pretiosum and three females of T. remus; 5) six females of T. pretiosum and four females of T. remus; 6) five females of T. pretiosum and five females of T. remus, and 7) 10 females of T. remus. The parameter evaluated was the percentage of parasitized eggs. Results showed that treatments combining both parasitoid species with only 1 T. remus for each 9 T. pretiosum (10%) and only 2 T. remus for each 8 T. pretiosum (20%) were enough to significantly increase the parasitism observed on eggs of S. cosmioides and S. frugiperda, respectively. This association of T. pretiosum and T. remus in different proportions is very promising for biological control in IPM programs because it provides wide spectrum of control.

TBS discrimine les femmes avec ostéoporose fracturaire des femmes non ostéoporotiques indépendamment de la DMO, de l'âge et de l'IMC : Etude de la cohorte Ostéo-Mobile Vaud

Introduction. - « Ostéo-Mobile Vaud » est un projet pilote visant àinformer et promouvoir les mesures générales de prévention del'ostéoporose chez les femmes vaudoises de 60 ans et plus. Son butest également d'évaluer le risque de fracture dans cette populationen associant les facteurs de risque cliniques, la mesure de la DMOpar DXA de la colonne lombaire et du fémur proximal (Hologic Discovery),la recherche des fractures vertébrales préexistantes parVFA et une appréciation de la « qualité osseuse » par TBS. Une phaseprospective de 5 ans est prévue. Le Trabecular Bone Score (TBS) estun procédé qui consiste à appliquer un traitement informatique àl'image 2D de projection de la DXA basé sur la quantification desvariations locales de niveaux de gris. Un modèle mathématiquerelie le paramètre TBS avec des paramètres de microarchitecture 3Dtels la connectivité 3D, le nombre de travées et l'espace inter-trabéculaire.Ce modèle fait de TBS une mesure indirecte de microarchitectureosseuse.Résultats. - Fin juillet 2011, 510 femmes de ± 67 ans, IMC ± 26 kg/m2,ont été évaluées. Une ou plusieurs fractures de fragilité ont été rapportéeschez 72 femmes, parmi lesquelles 39 avec fractures vertébrales.TBS diminue avec l'âge (-0.005 par année, p < 0,001) etdiminue en fonction de l'IMC (- 0,011 par kg/m2, p < 0,001). La corrélationentre TBS et la DMO de la colonne lombaire est faible(r = 0,4, p < 0,001) et un grand pourcentage de la variabilité du TBSest indépendant de la DMO (> 84%). TBS discrimine les femmes avecfractures vertébrales des femmes sans fracture vertébrale et lesfemmes avec OP clinique (fractures de fragilité) de celles sans OPclinique. Ce pouvoir discriminatif est indépendant de la DMO de lacolonne lombaire ou du T-score le plus bas, après ajustement pourl'âge et l'IMC.Odd ratio (OR, 95 % IC) pour une diminution d'une déviation standarddu TBS, ajusté pour l'âge, l'IMC et la mesure de DMO :Conclusion. - TBS représente une plus-value par rapport à la DMOdans l'appréciation du risque de fracture chez les femmes vaudoisesde 60 ans et plus.

Interaction between tobacco and alcohol use and the risk of head and neck cancer: pooled analysis in the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology Consortium.

BACKGROUND: The magnitude of risk conferred by the interaction between tobacco and alcohol use on the risk of head and neck cancers is not clear because studies have used various methods to quantify the excess head and neck cancer burden. METHODS: We analyzed individual-level pooled data from 17 European and American case-control studies (11,221 cases and 16,168 controls) participating in the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology consortium. We estimated the multiplicative interaction parameter (psi) and population attributable risks (PAR). RESULTS: A greater than multiplicative joint effect between ever tobacco and alcohol use was observed for head and neck cancer risk (psi = 2.15; 95% confidence interval, 1.53-3.04). The PAR for tobacco or alcohol was 72% (95% confidence interval, 61-79%) for head and neck cancer, of which 4% was due to alcohol alone, 33% was due to tobacco alone, and 35% was due to tobacco and alcohol combined. The total PAR differed by subsite (64% for oral cavity cancer, 72% for pharyngeal cancer, 89% for laryngeal cancer), by sex (74% for men, 57% for women), by age (33% for cases <45 years, 73% for cases >60 years), and by region (84% in Europe, 51% in North America, 83% in Latin America). CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirm that the joint effect between tobacco and alcohol use is greater than multiplicative on head and neck cancer risk. However, a substantial proportion of head and neck cancers cannot be attributed to tobacco or alcohol use, particularly for oral cavity cancer and for head and neck cancer among women and among young-onset cases.

Définir la nouvelle économie sociale par les critères plutôt que par les statuts ? Une analyse théorique à partir des critères retenus en Suisse par APRÈS-GE

Les contours principalement admis pour définir le noyau dur de l'ESS, à savoir les formes juridiques, ne semblent plus être une condition suffisante pour garantir l'adhésion à l'ESS. Des entreprises ont émergé depuis les années 1990 se revendiquant de la filiation ESS (critères Emes). Mais la seule prise en compte des critères en matière de résultats suffit-elle à qualifier une entreprise de « sociale » au sens de l'ESS ? C'est dans ce contexte que nous poserons les termes du débat en nous focalisant sur le récent exemple de la Chambre de l'ESS en Suisse romande (APRÈS- GE) qui nous servira d'étude de cas, la filiation affichée de celle-ci étant celle de l'ESS selon une visée élargie aux critères. Nous présenterons l'enquête menée en 2010 par APRÈS-GE et les critères choisis (partie 1) avant d'évaluer le potentiel, les limites et les interprétations théoriques de cette approche originale (partie 2). Des pistes de collaboration concrète avec les collectivités locales seront évoquées en conclusion.

Esotropie précoce: résultats à long terme d'une série de 82 cas opérés par myopexie rétro-équatoriale et recul simultané des deux muscles droits médiaux avant l'âge de 24 mois [Early-onset esotropia operated before the age of 24 months: long-term results of Cüpper's retropexy combined with simultaneous recession of both medial recti]

BACKGROUND: When and how to operate an early-onset esotropia (onset before 6 months of age) is still controversial. We conducted a retrospective study of such patients operated before the age of 24 months. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 82 patients were operated by one surgeon (GK) and followed by the same team. At 5 years post-operation, evaluation criteria included the residual angle of deviation, visual acuity (Birkhäuser Nr 505, 5 m) and binocularity (Lang stereotest I, Bagolini glasses). RESULTS: At 5 years, the residual angle was excellent (0 degrees to + 5 degrees ) in 67 % good, (>+5 degrees to +10 degrees or 0 to -5 degrees ) in 23 %, and poor (>+10 degrees or <-5 degrees ) in 10 %. During the 5 years of follow-up the rate of reoperation was 9.7 %. Isoacuity was obtained in 62 %, slight amblyopia (2 lines of interocular difference) was present in 32 %, and average amblyopia (> 3 lines of interocular difference) was noted in 6 %. Simultaneous perception was present in 53 %, whereas one eye was suppressed or results were undetermined in 47 %. No patient demonstrated stereoscopy using the Lang's stereotest I. CONCLUSION: The results from our study demonstrate that early surgery of early-onset esotropia has a favourable outcome on both visual acuity and the residual angle of strabismus. Simultaneous perception was achieved in 53 %. These figures are comparable to the results of the ELISSS multicentric study.

Interaction between Musca domestica L. and its predator Muscina stabulans (Fallén) (Diptera, Muscidae): effects of prey density and food source abundance

Interaction between Musca domestica L. and its predator Muscina stabulans (Fallén) (Diptera, Muscidae): Effects of prey density and food source abundance. The objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of prey density and food source abundance on the predatory behavior of Muscina stabulans over M. domestica. Three predator/prey proportions were evaluated (1:1, 1:3 and 1:6), using 100 third instar predator larvae against second instar prey larvae. Each proportion was maintained using three different levels of food substrate (25, 50 and 100 g). The experiments were carried out in triplicate in BOD incubators (25ºC, UR 70% ± 10% and 12 h photoperiod). The mortality of the M. domestica larvae was 100% under all conditions, except in the 1:6 predator/prey proportion, at the 50g and 100g food substrate levels, where it was 99.99% and 99.22%, respectively. There was a significant increase in the development period of M. stabulans in relation to the increase in prey density and decrease in quantity of food substrate. An increase in the proportion of individuals and a reduction in the amount of resource slowed down larval development. Muscina stabulans pupal weight was proportional to the increase in prey density and the amount of food substrate. The proportion or the density influenced the survival of M. stabulans, with no difference in relation to the amount of food source and consequently in the interaction of the factors. There was no difference between the 1:1 and 1:3 predator-prey densities, with both differing from the 1:6 density.

Interaction between Tephritidae (Insecta, Diptera) and plants of the family Asteraceae: new host and distribution records for the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Twenty species of Tephritidae (Diptera) are recorded in association with capitula of plants in the family Asteraceae. The Tephritidae genus Tetreuarestais registered for Rio Grande do Sul for the first time. Five species of Tephritidae are newly recorded for Rio Grande do Sul, and new hosts are recorded for the following fly species: Dioxyna chilensis (Macquart), Plaumannimyia dolores (Hering), Plaumannimyia imitatrix (Hering), Plaumannimyia miseta(Hering), Plaumannimyia pallensHering, Tomoplagia incompleta (Williston), Tomoplagia matzenbacheriPrado, Norrbom & Lewinsohn, Tomoplagia reimoseriHendel, Xanthaciura biocellata(Thomson) and Xanthaciura chrysura(Thomson).