Violence et non-violence, modèle et contre-modèle dans le contexte de l'Inde moderne.

(Résumé de l'ouvrage) La violence dans nos sociétés ne semble pas diminuer; bien au contraire, elle resurgit toujours avec des moyens et des stratagèmes de plus en plus perfectionnés, provoquant la destruction de la vie humaine et mettant en danger son épanouissement. Avec la rationalisation des activités dans de nombreux secteurs de la vie, la violence et ses moyens se sont rationalisés aussi, pour mieux servir le pouvoir et la force. Les armes sous toutes leurs formes deviennent ainsi une marchandise pour soutenir les économies des pays. Les religions provoquent-elles vraiment la violence? Si elles n'affichent pas ouvertement une telle intention, peuvent-elles induire des actes violents? Dans l'éventualité où les religions ne sont pas vraiment à l'origine de violences, on peut cependant se demander si, par elles-mêmes, elles peuvent contribuer à une diminution de la violence dans les sociétés et créer la paix. Quelques spécialistes universitaires, enseignant et chercheurs, se posent ces questions et tentent d'y apporter une réponse.

Les communautés bulu contre la plantation industrielle HEVECAM au Cameroun

In 1975 the Kribi region (Southern Cameroon) became host of the rubber plantation HEVECAM, the third largest employer in Cameroon. The establishment of the plantation has been preceded by the expropriation of customary land and by the destruction of the rainforest used by local populations. As a result, conflicts – mostly latent – pitting neighbouring Bulu communities against the plantation have occurred, especially during the last few years. Drawing on fieldwork data as well as on anthropological, economic and historical materials, I try to explore a new way of looking at such environmental conflicts by arguing that they reflect the struggle between two distinct institutional logics with different impacts on the environment, i.e. the logic of property versus the one of possession. In short, the logic of possession corresponds to a multi-functional community-based forest management, while the logic of property gave birth to the commercial monoculture model, the highest stage of the transformation of an ecosystem in order to match the requirements of property. It is argued that the conflict between the logic of possession and the logic of property is at the heart of many cases of “environmentalisms of the poor” that arise in reaction to “development”.

Microtubule-depolymerizing agents used in antibody-drug conjugates induce antitumor immunity by stimulation of dendritic cells.

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADC) are emerging as powerful treatment strategies with outstanding target-specificity and high therapeutic activity in patients with cancer. Brentuximab vedotin represents a first-in-class ADC directed against CD30(+) malignancies. We hypothesized that its sustained clinical responses could be related to the stimulation of an anticancer immune response. In this study, we demonstrate that the dolastatin family of microtubule inhibitors, from which the cytotoxic component of brentuximab vedotin is derived, comprises potent inducers of phenotypic and functional dendritic cell (DC) maturation. In addition to the direct cytotoxic effect on tumor cells, dolastatins efficiently promoted antigen uptake and migration of tumor-resident DCs to the tumor-draining lymph nodes. Exposure of murine and human DCs to dolastatins significantly increased their capacity to prime T cells. Underlining the requirement of an intact host immune system for the full therapeutic benefit of dolastatins, the antitumor effect was far less pronounced in immunocompromised mice. We observed substantial therapeutic synergies when combining dolastatins with tumor antigen-specific vaccination or blockade of the PD-1-PD-L1 and CTLA-4 coinhibitory pathways. Ultimately, treatment with ADCs using dolastatins induces DC homing and activates cellular antitumor immune responses in patients. Our data reveal a novel mechanism of action for dolastatins and provide a strong rationale for clinical treatment regimens combining dolastatin-based therapies, such as brentuximab vedotin, with immune-based therapies. Cancer Immunol Res; 2(8); 741-55. ©2014 AACR.

Electrode location and clinical outcome in hippocampal electrical stimulation for mesial temporal lobe epilepsy.

PURPOSE: To study the clinical outcome in hippocampal deep brain stimulation (DBS) for the treatment of patients with refractory mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) according to the electrode location. METHODS: Eight MTLE patients implanted in the hippocampus and stimulated with high-frequency DBS were included in this study. Five underwent invasive recordings with depth electrodes to localize ictal onset zone prior to chronic DBS. Position of the active contacts of the electrode was calculated on postoperative imaging. The distances to the ictal onset zone were measured as well as atlas-based hippocampus structures impacted by stimulation were identified. Both were correlated with seizure frequency reduction. RESULTS: The distances between active electrode location and estimated ictal onset zone were 11±4.3 or 9.1±2.3mm for patients with a >50% or <50% reduction in seizure frequency. In patients (N=6) showing a >50% seizure frequency reduction, 100% had the active contacts located <3mm from the subiculum (p<0.05). The 2 non-responders patients were stimulated on contacts located >3mm to the subiculum. CONCLUSION: Decrease of epileptogenic activity induced by hippocampal DBS in refractory MTLE: (1) seems not directly associated with the vicinity of active electrode to the ictal focus determined by invasive recordings; (2) might be obtained through the neuromodulation of the subiculum.

Direct electrical stimulation using a battery-operated device for induction and modulation of colonic contractions in pigs.

Direct electrical stimulation of the colon offers a promising approach for the induction of propulsive colonic contractions by using an implantable device. The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility to induce colonic contractions using a commercially available battery-operated stimulator (maximum pulse width of 1 ms and maximum amplitude of 10 V). Three pairs of pacing electrodes were inserted into the cecal seromuscular layer of anesthetized pigs. During a first set of in vivo experiments conducted on six animals, a pacing protocol leading to cecum contractions was determined: stimulation bursts with 1 ms pulse width, 10 V amplitude (7-15 mA), 120 Hz frequency, and 30-s burst duration, repeated every 2-5 min. In a second testing phase, an evaluation of the pacing protocol was performed in four animals (120 stimulation bursts in total). By using the battery-operated stimulator, contractions of the cecum and movement of contents could be induced in 92% of all stimulations. A cecal shortening of about 30% and an average intraluminal pressure increase of 10.0 +/- 6.0 mmHg were observed.

Evaluation des campagnes de prévention contre le SIDA en Suisse : Les éducateurs et assistants sociaux : rôle de conseillers dans la prévention et l'accompagnement : rapport final 1988

Dans le cadre de l'évaluation de la campagne STOP-SIDA, les auteurs avaient pour but d'examiner: 1) l'influence et l'intégration des messages préventifs dans la pratique professionnelle des travailleurs sociaux chargés de missions diverses avec les adolescents; 2) le poids de l'épidémie de SIDA dans les pratiques de ceux qui affrontent déjà le problème; 3) l'émergence de demandes particulières, formatives ou matérielles, pour aider à l'accompagnement de jeunes séropositifs ou de malades; 4) les difficultés et les blocages de l'action préventive dus à des conflits de rôles, à des contradictions entre discours professionnels et pratiques personnelles. ANNEXE: Questionnaire envoyé aux institutions. Guide d'entretien.

Adrenergic, dopaminergic, and muscarinic receptor stimulation leads to PKA phosphorylation of Na-K-ATPase.

Na-K-adenosinetriphosphatase (Na-K-ATPase) is a potential target for phosphorylation by protein kinase A (PKA) and C (PKC). We have investigated whether the Na-K-ATPase alpha-subunit becomes phosphorylated at its PKA or PKC phosphorylation sites upon stimulation of G protein-coupled receptors primarily linked either to the PKA or the PKC pathway. COS-7 cells, transiently or stably expressing Bufo marinus Na-K-ATPase wild-type alpha- or mutant alpha-subunits affected in its PKA or PKC phosphorylation site, were transfected with recombinant DNA encoding beta 2- or alpha 1-adrenergic (AR), dopaminergic (D1A-R), or muscarinic cholinergic (M1-AChR) receptor subspecies. Agonist stimulation of beta 2-AR or D1A-R led to phosphorylation of the wild-type alpha-subunit, as well as the PKC mutant, but not of the PKA mutant, indicating that these receptors can phosphorylate the Na-K-ATPase via PKA activation. Surprisingly, stimulation of the alpha 1B-AR, alpha 1C-AR, and M1-AChR also increased the phosphorylation of the wild-type alpha-subunit and its PKC mutant but not of its PKA mutant. Thus the phosphorylation induced by these primarily phospholipase C-linked receptors seems mainly mediated by PKA activation. These data indicate that the Na-K-ATPase alpha-subunit can act as an ultimate target for PKA phosphorylation in a cascade starting with agonist-receptor interaction and leading finally to a phosphorylation-mediated regulation of the enzyme.

Pour une politique active contre l'érosion des bonnes volontés [For an active policy against the erosion of goodwill].

Maintaining a regular physical activity practice throughout lifetime is a challenge for most of us. This often means "resisting" against a physical environment and a social organization that promotes physical inactivity and discourage those who, fiercely, walk or try to commute by bike. So there's a little hero behind every doctor that distills the subtle potion of motivational interviewing against sedentary habits. Any hope of change in our living conditions, taking into account our natural need to move, is however not lost. This article illustrates the paths that are traced by collectivities in order that the advices we provide to our patients continue to make sense once the practice door is crossed.

Evaluation des campagnes de prévention contre le SIDA en Suisse : rapport de l'étude "homosexuels" : novembre 1987

Cette étude est destinée à évaluer les effets des campagnes de prévention du SIDA en Suisse chez les homosexuels, en termes de modifications des représentations, attitudes et comportements face à cette maladie et aux manières de s'en protéger. Elle s'intéresse aussi aux modalités d'acquisition d'attitudes et comportements nouveaux, ainsi qu'à la manière dont les campagnes ont été accueillies et répercutées. (Questionnaire en annexe).