Stances, Paradigms, Personae

This paper argues that paradigmatic thinking in organization studies has failed to treat personhood as a central problematic within the research enterprise and that this oversight underlies a number of seemingly intractable field-level problems. We emphasise the centrality of personhood to the development and exercise of knowledge via three distinct but complementary projects: Ian Hunter’s investigation into ‘the moment of theory’, Pierre Hadot’s exposition of ‘philosophy as a way of life’, and Bas Van Fraassen’s reconceptualization of philosophical positions as ‘stances’. The notion of ‘stance’ provides a means for assimilating and differentiating otherwise distinct paradigms and thereby circumvents debates about paradigm incommensurability or the theory-practice dualism. Rather, the shift from ‘paradigms’ to ‘stances’ enables us to re-classify the field of organizational analysis according to new values-based criteria such that practical relevance and ethical seriousness can be restored

Grossesses extra utérines successives et bilharziose tubaire chez une touriste française

La bilharziose est la seconde endémie parasitaire mondiale et ses atteintes génito urinaires sont bien décrites. Les grossesses ectopiques (GEU) sur obstruction tubaire par les oeufs de bilharziose sont rapportées dans les populations africaines. La bilharziose affecte aussi les voyageurs mais l'atteinte de l’appareil génital féminin est plus rare. Nous rapportons un cas exceptionnel de deux GEU successives sur bilharziose tubaire chez une patiente d'origine Française, sept ans après un voyage touristique au Mali, la première découverte sur pièce de salpingectomie et la seconde ayant nécessité une salpingotomie controlatérale avec une injection de  méthotrexate, deux mois plus tard.Key words: Grossesse extra utérine, bilharziose tubaire, tromp

Identification of key residues that confer Rhodobacter sphaeroides LPS activity at horse TLR4/MD-2.

The molecular determinants underpinning how hexaacylated lipid A and tetraacylated precursor lipid IVa activate Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) are well understood, but how activation is induced by other lipid A species is less clear. Species specificity studies have clarified how TLR4/MD-2 recognises different lipid A structures, for example tetraacylated lipid IVa requires direct electrostatic interactions for agonism. In this study, we examine how pentaacylated lipopolysaccharide from Rhodobacter sphaeroides (RSLPS) antagonises human TLR4/MD-2 and activates the horse receptor complex using a computational approach and cross-species mutagenesis. At a functional level, we show that RSLPS is a partial agonist at horse TLR4/MD-2 with greater efficacy than lipid IVa. These data suggest the importance of the additional acyl chain in RSLPS signalling. Based on docking analysis, we propose a model for positioning of the RSLPS lipid A moiety (RSLA) within the MD-2 cavity at the TLR4 dimer interface, which allows activity at the horse receptor complex. As for lipid IVa, RSLPS agonism requires species-specific contacts with MD-2 and TLR4, but the R2 chain of RSLA protrudes from the MD-2 pocket to contact the TLR4 dimer in the vicinity of proline 442. Our model explains why RSLPS is only partially dependent on horse TLR4 residue R385, unlike lipid IVa. Mutagenesis of proline 442 into a serine residue, as found in human TLR4, uncovers the importance of this site in RSLPS signalling; horse TLR4 R385G/P442S double mutation completely abolishes RSLPS activity without its counterpart, human TLR4 G384R/S441P, being able to restore it. Our data highlight the importance of subtle changes in ligand positioning, and suggest that TLR4 and MD-2 residues that may not participate directly in ligand binding can determine the signalling outcome of a given ligand. This indicates a cooperative binding mechanism within the receptor complex, which is becoming increasingly important in TLR signalling.This work was supported by a project grant from the Horserace Betting Levy Board to CEB and a Horserace Betting Levy Board Veterinary Research Training Scholarship to KLI. This work was also supported by a Wellcome Trust program grant to NJG and CEB. CEB is a BBSRC Research Development Fellow.This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from PLOS at http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0098776

Towards portable X-ray spectroscopic imaging of Palaeolithic cave art. Insights into used pigments and wall taphonomy at three Palaeolithic key cave sites

Palaeolithic cave art has taken a more and more important place in our cultural heritage. Its preservation is one of the major issues and involves necessarily a better understanding of the cave environments and of their evolution over time. However, the on-site geo-physico- chemical study of archaeological record stays dif cult and the conservation of its integrity imposes restrictions. Taking bene t of recent analytical developments in the X-ray eld, new perspectives of acquiring statistically relevant data for archaeological interpretation directly in the eld are provided by the implementation of portable and non-invasive characterization methods. It allows the improvement of archaeological and physico-chemical knowledge about the pigments used, the evaluation of the state of wall decorated surfaces over time and a better assessment of the relationship between pigment and wall support. For these purposes, complementary self-built portable spectrometers (X-ray uorescence in one and two dimensional mode, X-ray diffraction) are combined to perform qualitative and quantitative characterization of the pigments and cave walls as well as for chemical imaging on a decimetre scale. By using this combination of portable instruments the feasibility of analysis under very dif cult conditions speci c to the cave environments (humidity, temperature, dif cult access to the caves and to the decorated panels) was shown. Special spectrum evaluation procedures have been developed to take into account the heterogeneity of the cave walls in order to gain reliable data for chemical characterisation. The ef ciency of the analytical procedure has been demonstrated for three major cave sites featuring Palaeolithic art: Font-de-Gaume and Rouf gnac cave in Dordogne (France) and La Garma in Cantabria (Spain). A large assortment of colours can be observed in these caves (red, black, yellow and purple), associated to different mineral phases (iron and/or manganese oxides, charcoal and mixtures). Their detailed characterization provides an improved comprehension of the pictorial techniques used. Furthermore, it allows a better comparison between representations in a same cave, giving more detailed insights into its pictorial homogeneity and the different execution phases of its gures. As an example, the results obtained at Rouf gnac cave showed that heterogeneous mixtures of manganese oxides have been employed to design the 65 Great Ceiling gures whereas a unique pigment mixture has been used for the drawing of the Ten Mammoths Frieze. Further information has been obtained on the taphonomic wall processes. The spectroscopic study of these cave art illustrate the strong potential of such combined in situ and non-invasive analyses to better characterize the prehistoric gures in their cave environment and in a wider perspective to better understand the symbolic practices of past societies, appreciate possible cultural changes and relationships within the Franco-Cantabrian region

Vorinostat Renders the Replication-Competent Latent Reservoir of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Vulnerable to Clearance by CD8 T Cells

Latently human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected cells are transcriptionally quiescent and invisible to clearance by the immune system. To demonstrate that the latency reversing agent vorinostat (VOR) induces a window of vulnerability in the latent HIV reservoir, defined as the triggering of viral antigen production sufficient in quantity and duration to allow for recognition and clearance of persisting infection, we developed a latency clearance assay (LCA). The LCA is a quantitative viral outgrowth assay (QVOA) that includes the addition of immune effectors capable of clearing cells expressing viral antigen. Here we show a reduction in the recovery of replication-competent virus from VOR exposed resting CD4 T cells following addition of immune effectors for a discrete period. TAKE HOME MESSAGE: VOR exposure leads to sufficient production of viral protein on the cell surface, creating a window of vulnerability within this latent reservoir in antiretroviral therapy (ART)-suppressed HIV-infected individuals that allows the clearance of latently infected cells by an array of effector mechanisms

L'imaginaire urbain dans les régions ouvrières en reconversion: Le bassin stéphanois et le bassin minier du Nord Pas de Calais

Cette recherche est une recherche sociologique et anthropologique coordonnée par Michel Rautenberg rassemblant le Centre Max Weber de Saint-Étienne, le Centre Lillois d'études et de recherches sociologiques et économiques (sous la responsabilité du professeur Licia Valladarès) et l' Université de Sofia (sous la responsabilité du professeur Ivaylo Ditchev). Démarrée en décembre 2007 elle s'est terminée en avril 2011 et a bénéficié d'une aide de l'ANR de 180 k€ pour un montant global de 250 k€ de subventions publiques (non comprise une allocation de recherche).The general hypothesis at the origin of this research is that urban transformations do not go without social representations and the field of the imagination. It is essential for each image, word or story to be related to concrete situations that the researcher can describe. The choice of cities is thus not negligible. In this research programme, it has focussed on cities which have a had a difficult economic history characterised by brutal de-industrialization - more in people's minds than by its suddenness. This has left a traumatic effect on individual and collective memories, an urban landscape of industrial wasteland and 3 decades later it continues to strongly influence urban renovation policies. The first issue of this research, which in its second phase was extended to include Bulgarian cities thanks to the support of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, was to establish a method making it possible to describe this imagination. So researchers agreed to work on imagination "operators", that is to say means (administrative, artistic or social) used by socially identified actors : artists, associations, inhabitants, former miners, municipal authorities. The second issue was to favour the imagination of cites which cannot be measured against communication strategies but which considers the "popular" social imagination which is sufficiently autonomous to exist outside municipal institutions - without asserting that it is completely independent. The third issue was to find common features in the comparison between situations close enough in their history to justify a pertinent comparison.L'hypothèse générale à l'origine de cette recherche est que les transformations urbaines ne font pas l'économie des représentations et des imaginaires sociaux. Il est donc nécessaire que chaque image, parole ou récit recueilli soit rapporté à des situations concrètes que le chercheur peut décrire. Le choix des villes n'est alors pas anodin. Dans ce programme de recherche, il s'est porté sur des villes qui ont eu une histoire économique difficile caractérisée par une désindustrialisation brutale -dans les esprits peut-être plus que par sa soudaineté. Celle ci a laissé des traumatismes dans les mémoires individuelles et collectives, un paysage urbain de friches industrielles, et continue après 3 décennies d'influencer fortement sur les politiques de rénovation urbaine

Forefoot pathology in rheumatoid arthritis identified with ultrasound may not localise to areas of highest pressure: cohort observations at baseline and twelve months

BackgroundPlantar pressures are commonly used as clinical measures, especially to determine optimum foot orthotic design. In rheumatoid arthritis (RA) high plantar foot pressures have been linked to metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint radiological erosion scores. However, the sensitivity of foot pressure measurement to soft tissue pathology within the foot is unknown. The aim of this study was to observe plantar foot pressures and forefoot soft tissue pathology in patients who have RA.Methods A total of 114 patients with established RA (1987 ACR criteria) and 50 healthy volunteers were assessed at baseline. All RA participants returned for reassessment at twelve months. Interface foot-shoe plantar pressures were recorded using an F-Scan® system. The presence of forefoot soft tissue pathology was assessed using a DIASUS musculoskeletal ultrasound (US) system. Chi-square analyses and independent t-tests were used to determine statistical differences between baseline and twelve months. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to determine interrelationships between soft tissue pathology and foot pressures.ResultsAt baseline, RA patients had a significantly higher peak foot pressures compared to healthy participants and peak pressures were located in the medial aspect of the forefoot in both groups. In contrast, RA participants had US detectable soft tissue pathology in the lateral aspect of the forefoot. Analysis of person specific data suggests that there are considerable variations over time with more than half the RA cohort having unstable presence of US detectable forefoot soft tissue pathology. Findings also indicated that, over time, changes in US detectable soft tissue pathology are out of phase with changes in foot-shoe interface pressures both temporally and spatially.Conclusions We found that US detectable forefoot soft tissue pathology may be unrelated to peak forefoot pressures and suggest that patients with RA may biomechanically adapt to soft tissue forefoot pathology. In addition, we have observed that, in patients with RA, interface foot-shoe pressures and the presence of US detectable forefoot pathology may vary substantially over time. This has implications for clinical strategies that aim to offload peak plantar pressures

Erythromycin-nonsusceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae in Children, 1999–2001

After increasing from 1995 to 1999, invasive erythromycin-nonsusceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae rates per 100,000 decreased 53.6% in children from Baltimore, Maryland (US), from 1999 to 2001, which was partially attributed to strains related to the mefE-carrying England14-9 clone. The decline in infection rates was likely due to the pneumococcal 7-valent conjugate vaccine