Redox regulation of immunity and the role of small molecular weight thiols

It is thought that excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) can be a causal component in many diseases, some of which have an inflammatory component. This led to an oversimplification whereby ROS are seen as inflammatory and antioxidants anti-inflammatory. This paper aims at reviewing some of the literature on thiols in host defense. The review will first summarize the mechanisms by which we survive infections by pathogens. Then we will consider how the redox field evolved from the concept of oxidative stress to that of redox regulation and how it intersects the field of innate immunity. A third section will analyze how an oversimplified oxidative stress theory of disease led to a hypothesis on the role of ROS and glutathione (GSH) in immunity, respectively as pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators. Finally, we will discuss some recent research and how to think out of the box of that oversimplification and link the role of thiols in redox regulation to the mechanisms by which we survive an infection outlined in the first section

Le sexe de l’autogestion

Proponents of self-management in fact have no reason to congratulate themselves on seeing their propositions taken up by the bureaucracies, systems and hierarchies which, in usurping self-management for their own ends, also incorporate the paradoxal aptitude of self-management doctrines for regenerating old faiths and thus assure themselves new sources of legitimation. By confounding need and desire and in refusing the necessity of clarifying the libidinal positions on which they are based, the propositions for self-man agment organise themselves their proper reduction.• Los autogestionarios no tienen verdaderamente de qué regocijarse de ver sus proposiciones recuperadas por los burocratas, los aparatos, las jerarquias que, atrayendo la autogestión, incorporan la aptitud paradojal de los discursos autogestionarios para regenerar creencias y por consecuencia, se aseguran así nuevas legitimidades. Confundiendo necesidad y deseo y rechazando la necesaria dilucidación de posiciones libidinales que las fundan, las proposiciones autogestionarias organizan ellas mismas su auto-reducción.Davreux Pierre. Le sexe de l’autogestion. In: Autogestions, NS N°1, 1980. Métamorphoses, utopies et expérimentations autogestionnaires. pp. 61-65

El programa de español lengua tercera en Quebec: ¿hacia una integración de las directrices del Consejo de Europa?

Here I present work from my Masters� thesis completed at the University of Granada, Spain. The main objective of this project is to analyse the secondary school program for Spanish as a Third Language published by the Ministry of Education of Quebec for its integration to the recommandations of the Council of Europe. The study proposes an analysis of the program components, a comparison between the European documents of reference and a correlation of the levels. The context of the study, its objectives and results are first presented, then final thoughts and conclusions are outlined.En este trabajo expongo mi memoria de Máster realizado en la Universidad de Granada, España. Su principal objetivo es analizar el programa de español lengua tercera en la enseñanza secundaria, publicado en el 2006 por el Ministerio de Educación de Quebec (MELS), para averiguar si integra las directrices del Consejo de Europa. El estudio propone un análisis profundo de los componentes del programa, una comparación con los documentos de referencia europeos y una correlación de niveles. Se describe el contexto del estudio, sus objetivos y los resultados del análisis y de la correlación a través de reflexiones y conclusiones

Antioxidant therapy for the management and prevention of adult respiratory distress syndrome

grantor: University of TorontoThe development of the Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) in the critically ill patient is associated with a significant morbidity and mortality. The pulmonary dysfunction in ARDS is largely secondary to neutrophil-mediated oxidant injury. The purpose of these studies was to examine the effect of the antioxidant N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) on a rodent model of lung injury. We postulated that NAC might attenuate lung injury following intratracheal challenge with endotoxin (LPS). Male Sprague-Dawley rats were administered NAC systemically either before or after intratracheal administration of LPS. Lung injury was assessed by measuring the transpulmonary leakage of \sp{125}I-albumin, pulmonary myeloperoxidase (MPO) content, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid cell counts, pulmonary lipid peroxidation and histology. NAC administration significantly attenuated the LPS-induced increases in lung albumin leakage (LPS: 0.24 $\pm$ 0.08 vs LPS + NAC: 0.12 $\pm$ 0.03, p $<$ 0.05) and reduced the LPS-dependent increase in lipid peroxidation. However, total and differential BAL cell counts and MPO content were not affected by NAC pretreatment. Although neutrophil influx was unaffected, neutrophil activation as assessed by surface CD11b expression and chemiluminescence was significantly downregulated by NAC. Importantly, NAC administration up to two hours after endotoxin challenge was still able to significantly ameliorate LPS-induced lung injury. Our data suggests that the attenuation of acute lung injury by NAC in our rodent model is related to free radical scavenging and inhibition of the neutrophil oxidative burst, rather than by an effect on inflammatory cell migration. These results suggest novel approaches for therapeutic interventions in acute lung injury.M.Sc