Astrophysics datamining in the classroom: Exploring real data with new software tools and robotic telescopes

Within the efforts to bring frontline interactive astrophysics and astronomy to the classroom, the Hands on Universe (HOU) developed a set of exercises and platform using real data obtained by some of the most advanced ground and space observatories. The backbone of this endeavour is a new free software Web tool - Such a Lovely Software for Astronomy based on Image J (Salsa J). It is student-friendly and developed specifically for the HOU project and targets middle and high schools. It allows students to display, analyze, and explore professionally obtained astronomical images, while learning concepts on gravitational dynamics, kinematics, nuclear fusion, electromagnetism. The continuous evolving set of exercises and tutorials is being completed with real (professionally obtained) data to download and detailed tutorials. The flexibility of the Salsa J platform tool enables students and teachers to extend the exercises with their own observations. The software developed for the HOU program has been designed to be a multi-platform, multi-lingual experience for image manipulation and analysis in the classroom. Its design enables easy implementation of new facilities (extensions and plugins), minimal in-situ maintenance and flexibility for exercise plugin. Here, we describe some of the most advanced exercises about astrophysics in the classroom, addressing particular examples on gravitational dynamics, concepts currently introduced in most sciences curricula in middle and high schools.Comment: 10 pages, 12 images, submitted to the special theme issue Using Astronomy and Space Science Research in Physics Courses of the American Journal of Physic

Maternal imprinting and determinants of neonates’ immune function in the SEPAGES mother-child cohort

IntroductionImmune function in pregnancy is influenced by host-specific and environmental factors. This may impact fetal immune development, but the link between maternal and neonatal immune function is still poorly characterized. Here, we investigate the relationship between maternal and neonatal immune function, and identify factors affecting the association between maternal and child cytokine secretion.MethodsIn the French prospective cohort SEPAGES, blood samples were obtained from pregnant women (n=322) at gestational week 20 ± 4 and from their child at birth (n=156). Maternal and cord blood cytokine and chemokine (CK) levels were measured at baseline in all subjects and after T cell or dendritic cell activation with phytohemagglutinin or R848 (in total 29 and 27 measures in maternal and cord blood samples, respectively). Associations between environmental, individual factors and CK level were estimated by linear regression modeling. The maternal-cord blood CK relations were assessed by Pearson correlation and regression models.ResultsWe observed that pregnant women and neonates displayed specific CK secretion profiles in the innate and adaptive compartments at baseline and upon activation. Activation of T cells in cord blood induced high levels of IL-2, but low levels of IFNγ, IL-13 or IL-10, in comparison to maternal blood samples. Elsewhere, neonatal innate immune responses were characterized by low production of IFNα, while productions of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and TNFα were higher than maternal responses. Strong correlations were observed between most CK after activation in maternal and cord blood samples. Strikingly, a statistical association between global mother and child cytokine profiles was evidenced. Correlations were observed between some individual CK of pregnant women and their children, both at baseline (MCP1, RANTES) and after activation with R848 (IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10). We looked for factors which could influence cytokine secretion in maternal or cord blood, and found that leucocyte counts, maternal age, pre-conception BMI, smoking and season were associated with the levels of several CK in mothers or children. DiscussionOur study reveals in utero immune imprinting influencing immune responses in infants, opening the way to investigate the mechanisms responsible for this imprinting. Whether such influences have long lasting effects on children health warrants further investigation

Dramaturges et dramaturgie

Le laboratoire junior Agôn a organisé sa première table ronde autour du thème : « Dramaturges et dramaturgie au théâtre » - Invités : Anne-Françoise Benhamou, conseillère artistique et pédagogique au Théâtre National de Strasbourg ; Joseph Danan, dramaturge, professeur à l'Institut d'Etudes Théâtrales Paris III-Sorbonne Nouvelle ; Gérald Garutti, conseiller littéraire au Théâtre National Populaire de Villeurbanne ; Jean-Loup Rivière, dramaturge, professeur à l'ENS-LSH et au CNSAD et Leslie Si..

Impact of geocoding methods on associations between long-term exposure to urban air pollution and lung function

Background: Errors in address geocodes may affect estimates of the effects of air pollution on health.Objective: We investigated the impact of four geocoding techniques on the association between urban air pollution estimated with a fine-scale (10 m × 10 m) dispersion model and lung function in adults.Methods: We measured forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) in 354 adult residents of Grenoble, France, who were participants in two well-characterized studies, the Epidemiological Study on the Genetics and Environment on Asthma (EGEA) and the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS). Home addresses were geocoded using individual building matching as the reference approach and three spatial interpolation approaches. We used a dispersion model to estimate mean PM10 and nitrogen dioxide concentrations at each participant's address during the 12 months preceding their lung function measurements. Associations between exposures and lung function parameters were adjusted for individual confounders and same-day exposure to air pollutants. The geocoding techniques were compared with regard to geographical distances between coordinates, exposure estimates, and associations between the estimated exposures and health effects.Results: Median distances between coordinates estimated using the building matching and the three interpolation techniques were 26.4, 27.9, and 35.6 m. Compared with exposure estimates based on building matching, PM10 concentrations based on the three interpolation techniques tended to be overestimated. When building matching was used to estimate exposures, a one-interquartile range increase in PM10 (3.0 μg/m3) was associated with a 3.72-point decrease in FVC% predicted (95% CI: -0.56, -6.88) and a 3.86-point decrease in FEV1% predicted (95% CI: -0.14, -3.24). The magnitude of associations decreased when other geocoding approaches were used [e.g., for FVC% predicted -2.81 (95% CI: -0.26, -5.35) using NavTEQ or 2.08 (95% CI -4.63, 0.47, p = 0.11) using Google Maps].Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the choice of geocoding technique may influence estimated health effects when air pollution exposures are estimated using a fine-scale exposure model.Citation: Jacquemin B, Lepeule J, Boudier A, Arnould C, Benmerad M, Chappaz C, Ferran J, Kauffmann F, Morelli X, Pin I, Pison C, Rios I, Temam S, Künzli N, Slama R, Siroux V. 2013. Impact of geocoding methods on associations between long-term exposure to urban air pollution and lung function. Environ Health Perspect 121:1054-1060; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1206016

Micelles complexes de polyions (optimisation d'un vecteur pour la thérapie cellulaire Ex Vivo par les cellules dentritiques)

MONTPELLIER-BU Pharmacie (341722105) / SudocSudocFranceF

Penser les transformations du rapport à la viande par les lieux et l'espace

Documenter la réforme de l’abattoir urbain de Bruxelles. Reportage photographique de la démarche de Forum Abattoir de Cataline Sénéchal Avec ce numéro spécial de Anthropology of Food « Viande et architecture à l'époque moderne et contemporaine » consacré à l'espace dans lequel la viande est travaillée, de la mise à mort à la vente, nous abordons une thématique qui a fédéré des auteurs de disciplines et d'horizons très divers : archéologues, historiens et historiens de l'art, géographes, anthr..

Grande leçon de théâtre d’Oriza Hirata

La « grande leçon de théâtre d’Oriza Hirata » est destinée aux étudiants à partir du niveau licence pour appréhender la spécificité de l’écriture théâtrale, texte et mise en scène, mais également questionner les formes du théâtre contemporain (le « théâtre tranquille » notamment, mais plus largement les nouvelles formes de réalisme au théâtre, le théâtre japonais par rapport au théâtre occidental), ainsi que les matériaux nouveaux auquels celui-ci se confronte (nouvelles technologies, robotique, notamment). A travers le déroulement d’une master class d’un mois, qui a eu lieu en février 2010 à l’ENS, Oriza Hirata développe une méthode d’enseignement simple et efficace qui, en faisant alterner jeux, exercices pratiques et exposés théoriques, permet d’aborder les grandes étapes de la construction d’une pièce de théâtre : du choix de la thématique à la construction de l’intrigue et à l’écriture des dialogues, puis à l’interprétation et à la mise en scène

Le Coran en contexte(s) omeyyade(s) : introduction

International audienceThe historical context of the genesis of the Qurʾān is a central issue within the field of Islamic Studies dealing with the founding text of Islam – even more so that no consensus on an academic reconstruction of this context has been reached. To set the Qurʾān « within its context(s) » appear therefore as an adequate ground for dialogue between History and the study of the religion of Islam. This introduction first describes what is at stake within the early history of the Qurʾān, i.e. its composition and canonisation, and then evokes how these issues relate to the Umayyad context. The initial idea of the conference that took place in June 2021, which was to address this topic within the limited framework of Syria-Palestine during the Umayyad period (661-750), eventually led to the possibility of a multi-situated view on the Umayyad developments regarding the Qurʾān, through confronting the sources in their diversity, in a wider, imperial horizon.Le contexte historique de la genèse du Coran constitue une question centrale dans les recherches islamologiques sur le texte fondateur de l’islam, d’autant plus vive qu’il n’existe pas de consensus sur une reconstruction scientifique de ce contexte. Placer le Coran « en contexte(s) » apparaît donc comme un terrain propice au dialogue entre islamologie et histoire. Cette introduction revient d’abord sur les enjeux propres à l’histoire première du Coran, c’est-à-dire à sa composition et à sa canonisation, avant d’évoquer comment ces enjeux s’articulent au contexte omeyyade. L’idée initiale d’un colloque organisé en juin 2021, qui consistait à appréhender l’histoire du Coran dans le contexte de la Syrie-Palestine à l’époque omeyyade (661-750), a finalement ouvert à la possibilité d’un regard multi-situé sur les développements omeyyades autour du Coran, à travers la confrontation des sources dans leur diversité et l’élargissement à un horizon impérial

pH-sensitive double-hydrophilic block copolymer micelles for biological applications.

International audienceIn the recent years, double-hydrophilic block copolymer (DHBC) micelles have appeared as potential vectors for pharmaceutical applications due to their simple preparation method in aqueous solvent. The present study aims at underscoring the strategy for the choice of the partners in the formulation of DHBC micelles presenting a good stability in physiological conditions (pH 7.4, 0.15mol/L NaCl) and a pH-sensitivity allowing their disassembly at pH 5. Using light scattering and laser-doppler electrophoresis, micelles of polymethacrylic acid-b-polyethylene oxide complexing either poly-L-lysine (PLL) or an oligochitosan were characterised. Whatever the polyamine counter-polyion considered, the micelles were perfectly formed for an amine/methacrylic acid molar charge ratio of one. They were characterised by a hydrodynamic diameter of 28nm for PLL and 60nm for oligochitosan and by a neutral zeta potential. The stability study as a function of the pH and of the ionic strength revealed different behaviours. Oligochitosan micelles were stable until pH 7 and unstable at 0.15mol/L NaCl. On the contrary, PLL micelles were stable in physiological conditions and disassembled at pH 5. As a conclusion, the choice of the partners to formulate double-hydrophilic block copolymer based-micelles is strategic in order to obtain well-adapted vectors applied to the pharmaceutical field