L'ingénieur, moteur de l'innovation. Un siècle de formation d'ingénieurs à Grenoble

Au pays de la « houille blanche », la demande en techniciens et ingénieurs qualifiés en électricité se fait pressante à la fin du XIXe siècle. Fortement dépendantes des particularités régionales que sont les demandes en mécanique et en hydraulique, les écoles grenobloises d'ingénieurs ont dispensé des enseignements résolument tournés vers la satisfaction de l'industrie locale. En ce début du XXe siècle, fortes de leur haute technicité, elles rayonnent néanmoins bien au-delà du Dauphiné. L'amb..

Les électrobus de Savoie (années 1920-années 1960) : mobilité, territoire et énergie autour d’un choix technique intermédiaire

Bénéficiant des opportunités fournies par la loi sur l’hydroélectricité de 1919, le Conseil général de Savoie entreprend d’utiliser le courant électrique disponible pour construire des lignes de transport public, mêlant déplacements des habitants et des touristes et transport des marchandises. Le choix de la technique des électrobus, qui permet d’affronter pentes et climat de montagne, mobilise les experts départementaux et les hommes politiques. Ce moment du choix technique correspond à l’élaboration d’un discours de développement territorial articulant industrie et tourisme.Due to the economic opportunities of the law on hydropower energy in France (1919), the Conseil général of the Savoy Department decided to use electrical current to build new public transportation lines. These lines combined movements of local inhabitants, foreign tourists and also freight transportation. The choice of the technology of electrobus was a moment of debate between engineers, experts and politicians. This moment shaped a discourse on local development based on industry and tourism

L'ingénieur, moteur de l'innovation. Un siècle de formation d'ingénieurs à Grenoble

Au pays de la « houille blanche », la demande en techniciens et ingénieurs qualifiés en électricité se fait pressante à la fin du XIXe siècle. Fortement dépendantes des particularités régionales que sont les demandes en mécanique et en hydraulique, les écoles grenobloises d'ingénieurs ont dispensé des enseignements résolument tournés vers la satisfaction de l'industrie locale. En ce début du XXe siècle, fortes de leur haute technicité, elles rayonnent néanmoins bien au-delà du Dauphiné. L'amb..

Elevated plasma phospholipase A2 and platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase activity in colorectal cancer.

This clinical study reports that blood levels of the pro-inflammatory mediator platelet-activating factor (PAF) did not change in colorectal cancer patients. In contrast, plasma levels of two enzymatic activities, one implicated in PAF production (i.e. phospholipase A2) and one in PAF degradation (i.e. PAF acetylhydrolase activity) were significantly elevated

0400: Degenerative calcific mitral stenosis in patients referred for high surgical risk aortic stenosis: detection and quantification by multi-detector computed tomography

BackgroundMitral annular calcifications (MAC) is a common finding in elder patients referred for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), sometimes responsible of significant degenerative calcified mitral stenosis (CaMS), but prevalence of both is poorly defined. Multidectector computed tomography (MDCT) allows fine quantification of calcifications and is a reliable tool in rheumatic mitral stenosis, but its contribution in CaMS remains unknown. Our objective was to estimate prevalence of MAC and CaMS in patients referred for TAVI using MDCT, and determine morphological factors leading from MAC to CaMS.Methods and resultsA cohort of 346 consecutive patients referred for TAVI evaluation was screened by MDCT for MAC. One hundred and seventy four patients were positive for MAC. Among these patients, 165 patients had mitral valve area (MVA) assessable by MDCT planimetry (mean age 84 years). Analysis by segment revealed calcifications on: A1 30.9%, A2 29.1%, A3 42.4%, P1 56.4%, P2 78.8%, P3 69.7%. Mean mitral calcification volume and MVA were 1020±1398mm3 and 246±90mm 2, respectively. CaMS were severe, moderate and mild in 2.4%, 21.8% and 9.7% patients, respectively. Correlation between mitral calcification volume and MVA was significant but moderate (r=–0.433). On multivariate analysis, MVA was independently linked to mitral calcification volume, aortic annular area and specific patterns of mitral leaflet calcification underlining the role of A2 (AUC 0.81). Interobserver reproducibility of MVA was high (ICC 0.935).ConclusionsMDCT allows detailed assessment of MAC in TAVI populations, demonstrating high prevalence, and quantification of CaMS with high reproducibility. Mitral analysis should become routine during MDCT screening before TAVI as it may significantly alter the therapeutic strategy

Bradykinin is a mediator of anaphylactoid reactions during hemodialysis with AN69 membranes

Bradykinin is a mediator of anaphylactoid reactions during hemodialysis with AN69 membranes. Anaphylactoid reactions (AR) are the most feared complications of hemodialysis. Recently, a high incidence of AR has been reported during dialysis with AN69 membranes in patients treated with ACE inhibitors. Plasma levels of C3a, histamine and bradykinin were measured in 12 patients at the onset of AR during dialysis with AN69. We also investigated bradykinin generation in 10 symptom-free patients dialyzed with four different membranes. None of the 12 patients studied during AR displayed excessive complement activation or histamine release. In contrast, high bradykinin plasma levels (2392 53 fmol/ml; mean sem) were observed in all nine patients of whom bradykinin was measured. One patient developed two consecutive episodes of hypersensitivity on AN69 membranes even without taking ACE inhibitors. Bradykinin levels were high in both episodes (5280 and 10467.7 fmol/ml). Furthermore, this patient showed no symptoms and normal bradykinin levels (123.4 fmol/ml) when dialyzed with other membranes. The role of the membrane type in the AR is further substantiated by the observation that AN69 also provoked a significantly higher bradykinin generation (327.6 18 fmol/ml; mean SEM) during symptom-free sessions compared to other membranes like CuprophanR (5.1 7.3), HemophanR (17.2 6.3) and PolysulfoneR (39.7 6.6). Our findings strongly suggest that bradykinin is the principal mediator of AR during hemodialysis with AN69 membranes. To our knowledge it is the first time that data support the hypothesis of a more general role of bradykinin in shock-like symptoms. Furthermore, bradykinin generation must be regarded as a new marker of biocompatibility of extracorporeal treatments

Histoire de l’innovation et des technologies de l’information

Larissa Zakharova, maîtresse de conférencesYves Bouvier, maître de conférences à l’Université de SavoieLéonard Laborie, Valérie Schafer, chargés de recherche au CNRSStéphanie Le Gallic, allocataire-moniteur à l’Université Paris-SorbonneBenjamin Thierry, PRAG à l’IUFM Paris-Sorbonne Le séminaire a permis de mener une réflexion collective autour des technologies de l’information et de la communication, en s’intéressant aux acteurs de l’innovation (individuels et collectifs), à leurs interaction..

Incidence and prognosis of sustained arrhythmias in critically III patients,”

Rationale: Sustained arrhythmias are common in postoperative and cardiac intensive care units (ICUs), but their incidence and prognosis in general ICUs have never been reported. Objectives: To estimate the incidence and prognosis of sustained arrhythmias in a general ICU population. Methods: Prospective, multicenter, 1-month inception cohort study. Measurements and Main Results: A total of 1,341 patients were included: 12% (163/1,341) had sustained arrhythmias, including 8% (113/1,341) and 2% (30/1,341) with supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias, respectively, and 2% (30/1,341) with conduction abnormalities. In-hospital death rates were 17% (205/1,178) in patients without arrhythmia and 29% (33/113