Désensibilisation: vers de nouvelles perspectives [Allergen specific immunotherapy: review of new perspectives].

Allergic diseases constitute a health problem worldwide. More than just a treatment option, the classical desensitization (SIT--Specific immunotherapy) by subcutaneous injection has profiled over time as a unique approach, able to attenuate the immune response to allergic stimuli proved. For a long time conservative, desensitization has now progressed in the knowledge of allergens, in the understanding of the mechanisms involved in immune response and in production techniques. From recombinants to alternative routes of allergen delivery, this article gives an overview of new perspectives and assesses SIT in order to provide guidance to the general physician before choosing to initiate such treatment or not in patients with respiratory allergy.

Thérapie focale du cancer de la prostate: rationnel, résultats et perspectives [Focal therapy in prostate cancer: rationale, results and perspectives].

Focal therapy is a novel treatment strategy in prostate cancer aiming to treat only the area of the gland harbouring clinically significant disease. The overall objective is to maintain the oncological benefit of active treatment while minimising treatment-related morbidity. Leading centres are currently evaluating various minimally invasive technologies in a rigorous manner. Oncological and functional results in mid-term are encouraging with low rate of urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction. However, the oncological outcome needs to be evaluated in the long-term in the light of the prolonged natural history of the disease.

Genes, environment and sex : perspectives from ectothermic vertebrates

RESUMELes modèles classiques sur l'évolution des chromosomes sexuels supposent que des gènes sexe- antagonistes s'accumulent sur les chromosomes sexuels, entraînant ainsi l'apparition d'une région non- recombinante, qui se répand progressivement en favorisant l'accumulation de mutations délétères. En accord avec cette théorie, les chromosomes sexuels que l'on observe aujourd'hui chez les mammifères et les oiseaux sont considérablement différenciés. En revanche, chez la plupart des vertébrés ectothermes, les chromosomes sexuels sont indifférenciés et il existe une impressionnante diversité de mécanismes de détermination du sexe. Au cours de cette thèse, j'ai étudié l'évolution des chromosomes sexuels chez les vertébrés ectothermes, en outre pour mieux comprendre ce contraste avec les vertébrés endothermes. L'hypothèse « high-turnover » postule que les chromosomes sexuels sont remplacés régulièrement à partir d'autosomes afin d'éviter leur dégénérescence. L'hypothèse « fountain-of-youth » propose que la recombinaison entre le chromosome X et le chromosome Y au sein de femelles XY empêche la dégénérescence. Les résultats de ma thèse, basés sur des études théoriques et empiriques, suggèrent que les deux processus peuvent être entraînés par l'environnement et ainsi jouent un rôle important dans l'évolution des chromosomes sexuels chez les vertébrés ectothermes.SUMMARYClassical models of sex-chromosome evolution assume that sexually antagonistic genes accumulate on sex chromosomes leading to a non-recombining region, which progressively expands and favors the accumulation of deleterious mutations. Concordant with this theory, sex chromosomes in extant mammals and birds are considerably differentiated. In most ectothermic vertebrates, such as frogs, however, sex chromosomes are undifferentiated and a striking diversity of sex determination systems is observed. This thesis was aimed to investigate this apparent contrast of sex chromosome evolution between endothermic and ectothermic vertebrates. The "high-turnover" hypothesis holds that sex chromosomes arose regularly from autosomes preventing decay. The "fountain-of-youth" hypothesis posits that sex chromosomes undergo episodic X-Y recombination in sex-reversed XY females, thereby purging ("rejuvenating") the Y chromosome. We suggest that both processes likely played an important role in sex chromosome evolution of ectothermic vertebrates. The literature largely views sex determination as a dichotomous process: individual sex is assumed to be determined either by genetic (genotypic sex determination, GSD) or by environmental factors (environmental sex determination, ESD), most often temperature (temperature sex determination, TSD). We endorsed an alternative view, which sees GSD and TSD as the ends of a continuum. The conservatism of molecular processes among different systems of sex determination strongly supports the continuum view. We proposed to define sex as a threshold trait underlain by a liability factor, and reaction norms allowing modeling interactions between genotypic and temperature effects. We showed that temperature changes (due to e.g., climatic changes or range expansions) are expected to provoke turnovers in sex-determination mechanisms maintaining homomorphic sex chromosomes. The balanced lethal system of crested newts might be the result of such a sex determination turnover, originating from two variants of ancient Y-chromosomes. Observations from a group of tree frogs, on the other hand, supported the 'fountain of youth' hypothesis. We then showed that low rates of sex- reversals in species with GSD might actually be adaptive considering joint effects of deleterious mutation purging and sexually antagonistic selection. Ongoing climatic changes are expected to threaten species with TSD by biasing population sex ratios. In contrast, species with GSD are implicitly assumed immune against such changes, because genetic systems are thought to necessarily produce even sex ratios. We showed that this assumption may be wrong and that sex-ratio biases by climatic changes may represent a previously unrecognized extinction threat for some GSD species.

Dépistage du cancer de la prostate: utilité, buts et perspectives en 2010 [Prostate cancer screening: utility, goals and perspectives in 2010].

According to recent results of a sub-group of 20,000 patients from the ERSPC study, prostate cancer screening significantly increases disease specific survival for men with a life expectancy of 15 years. However presently, only 20% of prostate biopsies lead to the diagnosis of cancer. This low yield may be increased by using new tools on their way to validation, such as the blood and urinary markers p2-PSA and PCA3, so as MRI and tridimensional computerized echography. Finally, the tumours detected must be managed with subtlety, since a third of them are not overtly aggressive clinically. Hence, a significant proportion of such tumours may not need immediate curative intent treatment, and can be followed up in an active surveillance protocol.

Perspectives tecnològiques: educació superior a Iberoamèrica 2012-2017

La sèrie d'informes Horizon és el resultat més tangible del Projecte Horizon del New Media Consortium, un esforç de recerca qualitativa iniciat el 2002, que identifica i descriu les tecnologies emergents amb més potencial d'impacte en l'ensenyament, l'aprenentatge, la recerca i la expressió creativa en l'àmbit educatiu global. Aquest volum, Perspectives tecnològiques: educació superior a Iberoamèrica 2012-2017, és la segona edició del Projecte Horizon Iberoamèrica i se centra en la investigació en els països de la regió Iberoamericana (incloent-hi tota Llatinoamèrica, Espanya i Portugal) i en l'àmbit de l'educació superior. Ha estat produït pel NMC i l'eLearn Center de la Universitat Oberta de Catalunya.

Noves perspectives en el diagnòstic del deteriorament cognitiu lleu i la malaltia de l'Alzheimer

Els criteris per al diagnòstic clínic de la malaltia d’Alzheimer es van establir el 1984 pel National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke (NINCDS) i la Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association (ADRDA). D’aplicació continuada fins a l’actualitat, aquests criteris estan quedant obsolets i per tant des de diversos àmbits s’ha abogat per una revisió profunda dels mateixos. Tres grups d’experts formats per reconeguts especialistes del National Institute on Aging (NIA) i la Alzheimer’s Association proposen un conjunt de recomanacions per modificar aquests criteris en l’àmbit de la investigació clínica. Dues diferències remarcables s’inclouen en aquests nous criteris: la incorporació de biomarcadors i la formalització de diferents estadis de la malaltia d’Alzheimer. D’aquesta manera, el deteriorament cognitiu lleu s’incorpora al procés diagnòstic com un estadi més de la patologia. Tanmateix, aquests criteris es troben en revisió i, de moment sols son aplicables en l’àmbit de recerca per tal d’arribar a un consens definitiu que permeti la modificació definitiva dels criteris clínics universals a aplicar. En aquest article es presenten els principals avenços en la investigació referents a la malaltia d’Alzheimer i al Deteriorament Cognitiu lleu per tal d’emmarcar els nous criteris de recerca.

Pulmonary involvement in Fabry disease: Overview and perspectives.

Fabry disease (FD) is an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder caused by deficiency of alpha-galactosidase A, which leads to storage of sphingolipids in virtually all human cells and consequently to organ dysfunction. Pulmonary involvement is still debated. But, obstructive lung disease is up to ten times more prevalent in patients with FD compared to general public. Also, an accelerated decline in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) over time was observed in these patients. Lysosomal storage of glycosphingolipids is considered leading to small airway disease via hyperplasia of the bronchiolar smooth muscle cells. Larger airways may become involved with ongoing disease process. There is no evidence for involvement of the lung interstitium in FD. The effect of enzyme replacement therapy on respiratory involvement remains to be determined in large, prospective controlled trials.

The Gothic in Contemporary Literature and Popular Culture : Pop Goth

This interdisciplinary collection brings together world leaders in Gothic Studies, offering new readings on popular Gothic cultural productions from the last decade. Topics covered include, but are not limited to: contemporary High Street Goth/ic fashion, Gothic performance and art festivals, Gothic popular fiction from Twilight to Shadow of the Wind, Goth/ic popular music, Goth/ic on TV and film, new trends like Steampunk, well-known icons Batman and Lady Gaga, and theorizations of popular Gothic monsters (from zombies and vampires to werewolves and ghosts) in an age of terror/ism.

Monitieteinen ja tieteidenvälinen muisti : Memory from transdisciplinary perspectives

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