Lingua (non) grata

Que font les migrations aux langues et les langues aux migrations ? Dans la crise de l’accueil des migrants qui secoue l’Europe depuis 2015, les langues sont les grandes oubliées des politiques publiques. Pourtant, dans les territoires de l’asile, des dizaines de langues se rencontrent et se croisent aux frontières. Est-ce alors un grand malentendu ou un parler de la migration qui émerge dans ces territoires de Babel ? Une lingua franca ou à l’inverse une lingua non grata ? Cet ouvrage est le fruit de quatre années de recherche de l’équipe Liminal (Linguistic and Intercultural Mediations in a context of International Migrations – ANR, Inalco, 2017-2021) dans les campements, camps et centres d’hébergement et d’accueil pour demandeurs d’asile. Les enquêtes en pashto, persan, arabe(s), ourdou, tigrinya, français, anglais, italien, se sont déroulées au plus près des acteurs, dans la région parisienne, le Calaisis et aux frontières franco-anglaise et franco-italienne. Grâce à une méthodologie originale et une approche pluridisciplinaire à la croisée de l’anthropologie et de la sociolinguistique, l’ouvrage présente une perspective inédite pour aborder par les langues ce qui se joue en migration : une expérience politique, de violences et de résistances

(L)armes alimentaires. Violences en temps de paix et distribution de repas à Calais : Espace-temps de la relation entre les acteurs associatifs et étatiques et les exilés

International audienceThis article investigates the modalities of food distribution for exile groups in Calais, France, on the basis of several days of collective research. We examine first the temporal implications of this form of humanitarian action that is deployed, under constraints, in the most segregated and marginalised areas. Given that public scrutiny of the situation was limited to police activity impeding food distributions, we focus next on how associations on the ground depict the “immigrant” and perpetuate that image through their discourse and practices. The final part of the article discusses how our position as researchers was impacted by the state violence, humanitarian emergency and incessant media attention that we observed.En nous appuyant sur plusieurs journées d’observation collective, nous nous intéressons à des distributions alimentaires dont les récipiendaires sont des groupes d’exilés. Nous mettons d’abord en avant les temporalités qu’implique cette forme d’action humanitaire qui se déploie, sous la contrainte, dans les espaces les plus ségrégués du Calaisis, des espaces a priori non socialisés. Dans un contexte où les dénonciations publiques se limitaient aux pratiques policières entravant ces distributions, nous nous intéressons ensuite aux représentations du « migrant » que perpétuent, par leurs discours et leurs pratiques, les acteurs associatifs. Nous nous interrogeons enfin sur notre positionnement, à la fois scientifique et politique, sur ce terrain de violence étatique et d’urgence humanitaire et médiatique

Modulation of Type 5 Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor-Mediated Intracellular Calcium Mobilization by Regulator of G Protein Signaling 4 (RGS4) in Cultured Astrocytes

Acting as GTPase activating proteins promoting the silencing of activated G-proteins, regulators of G protein signaling (RGSs) are generally considered negative modulators of cell signaling. In the CNS, the expression of RGS4 is altered in diverse pathologies and its upregulation was reported in astrocytes exposed to an inflammatory environment. In a model of cultured cortical astrocytes, we herein investigate the influence of RGS4 on intracellular calcium signaling mediated by type 5 metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR5), which is known to support the bidirectional communication between neurons and glial cells. RGS4 activity was manipulated by exposure to the inhibitor CCG 63802 or by infecting the cells with lentiviruses designed to achieve the silencing or overexpression of RGS4. The pharmacological inhibition or silencing of RGS4 resulted in a decrease in the percentage of cells responding to the mGluR5 agonist DHPG and in the proportion of cells showing typical calcium oscillations. Conversely, RGS4-lentivirus infection increased the percentage of cells showing calcium oscillations. While the physiological implication of cytosolic calcium oscillations in astrocytes is still under investigation, the fine-tuning of calcium signaling likely determines the coding of diverse biological events. Indirect signaling modulators such as RGS4 inhibitors, used in combination with receptor ligands, could pave the way for new therapeutic approaches for diverse neurological disorders with improved efficacy and selectivity

Modulation of Type 5 Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor-Mediated Intracellular Calcium Mobilization by Regulator of G Protein Signaling 4 (RGS4) in Cultured Astrocytes

Acting as GTPase activating proteins promoting the silencing of activated G-proteins, regulators of G protein signaling (RGSs) are generally considered negative modulators of cell signaling. In the CNS, the expression of RGS4 is altered in diverse pathologies and its upregulation was reported in astrocytes exposed to an inflammatory environment. In a model of cultured cortical astrocytes, we herein investigate the influence of RGS4 on intracellular calcium signaling mediated by type 5 metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR5), which is known to support the bidirectional communication between neurons and glial cells. RGS4 activity was manipulated by exposure to the inhibitor CCG 63802 or by infecting the cells with lentiviruses designed to achieve the silencing or overexpression of RGS4. The pharmacological inhibition or silencing of RGS4 resulted in a decrease in the percentage of cells responding to the mGluR5 agonist DHPG and in the proportion of cells showing typical calcium oscillations. Conversely, RGS4-lentivirus infection increased the percentage of cells showing calcium oscillations. While the physiological implication of cytosolic calcium oscillations in astrocytes is still under investigation, the fine-tuning of calcium signaling likely determines the coding of diverse biological events. Indirect signaling modulators such as RGS4 inhibitors, used in combination with receptor ligands, could pave the way for new therapeutic approaches for diverse neurological disorders with improved efficacy and selectivity

Regulators of G protein signalling as pharmacological targets for the treatment of neuropathic pain.

Neuropathic pain, a specific type of chronic pain resulting from persistent nervous tissue lesions, is a debilitating condition that affects about 7% of the population. This condition remains particularly difficult to treat because of the poor understanding of its underlying mechanisms. Drugs currently used to alleviate this chronic pain syndrome are of limited benefit due to their lack of efficacy and the elevated risk of side effects, especially after a prolonged period of treatment. Although drugs targeting G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) also have several limitations, such as progressive loss of efficacy due to receptor desensitization or unavoidable side effects due to wide receptor distribution, the identification of several molecular partners that contribute to the fine-tuning of receptor activity has raised new opportunities for the development of alternative therapeutic approaches. Regulators of G protein signalling (RGS) act intracellularly by influencing the coupling process and activity of G proteins, and are amongst the best-characterized physiological modulators of GPCR. Changes in RGS expression have been documented in a range of models of neuropathic pain, or after prolonged treatment with diverse analgesics, and could participate in altered pain processing as well as impaired physiological or pharmacological control of nociceptive signals. The present review summarizes the experimental data that implicates RGS in the development of pain with focus on the pathological mechanisms of neuropathic pain, including the impact of neuropathic lesions on RGS expression and, reciprocally, the influence of modifying RGS on GPCRs involved in the modulation of nociception as well as on the outcome of pain. In this context, we address the question of the relevance of RGS as promising targets in the treatment of neuropathic pain

Study of a fishery product process in the frame of microplastics research

International audienc

Microplastics in seafood: study of different fish transformation process in the frame of contamination mitigation

International audienceAim: Microplastics (MPs) have been detected in numerous fish species, yet the presence of MPs in filets or transformed seafood products has received only a limited attention in scientific research. Moreover, from these few studies, they only focused on end-products. The aim of this study was to gather comprehensive data from different processes and their steps, finally comparing them in order to estimate flow of MPs throughout process in order to provide recommendations.Materials & Methods:All samples collected during the different process were treated using the usual methodology: digestion with 10% KOH at 40°C for 24h, filtration on 90 mm GF/A 1.6 µm pore size filters, characterization of particles using stereomicroscope and FT-IR spectroscopy. Data have then were corrected regarding the contaminations that occurred during analyses in the laboratory. Using these corrected data, a comparative analysis was carried out for the whole processes to identify potential sources of contamination. Results and Discussions:The results varied depending on the specific process studied, making it impossible to establish a standardized pattern. Across processes, some steps help to reduce the quantity of some MPs. Regarding the sources of contamination, some were clearly identified for some processes, while for others it remains more difficult to characterize. Conclusions:The examination of various seafood product transformation processes provided a comprehensive understanding of the contamination levels of MPs throughout their different steps. This help to have a better knowledge of MP flows, and will contribute in elaborating some recommendation on good practices in order to mitigate the quantities of MP in seafood products

How to evaluate the presence of microplastic in edible part of processed fishery products ?

International audienc

Optimization of a method designed to extract and characterize microplastics in different packaged fish products

International audienceThe study of the presence of microplastics (MPs) in seafood products is usually carried out by analyzing the gastrointestinal tract. However, this part is mostly removed during food processing. Moreover, few studies have produced results from processed fishery products. The primary objective of this study was to optimize methods for evaluating the presence of MPs in the edible portions of several products available in supermarkets. Seven seafood products, including smoked, canned, marinated, and those stored in polystyrene trays, were selected for analysis, with saithe fillets (Pollachius virens) and canned tuna (Thunnus alalunga) among them. To achieve optimal digestion of the samples, a 10% KOH solution at 40 °C was used. For the fattiest samples, such as marinated anchovies, hydrophobic filters were employed. Additionally, bleach was utilized to lighten dark filters obtained, ensuring readability under the microscope. These parameters were defined to obtain suitable methods for each product. The average concentrations in different seafood matrices ranged from 0.05 ± 0.04 to 0.33 ± 0.08 MP/g for saithe fillets and canned tuna, respectively. After extrapolation of these values to all the particles observed on each filter, the concentrations increased from 0.06 ± 0.05 MP/g to 2.17 ± 0.33 MP/g. Particles identification across all samples, using a microscope coupled with Fournier transform infrared spectroscopy (μ-FTIR), confirmed the presence of MPs, including PET, PP, and EVA

Microbiota characterization of a protected designation of origin Belgian cheese: Herve cheese, using metagenomic analysis.

Herve cheese is a Belgian soft cheese with a washed rind, and is made from raw or pasteurized milk. The specific microbiota of this cheese has never previously been fully explored and the use of raw or pasteurized milk in addition to starters is assumed to affect the microbiota of the rind and the heart. The aim of the study was to analyze the bacterial microbiota of Herve cheese using classical microbiology and a metagenomic approach based on 16S ribosomal DNA pyrosequencing. Using classical microbiology, the total counts of bacteria were comparable for the 11 samples of tested raw and pasteurized milk cheeses, reaching almost 8 log cfu/g. Using the metagenomic approach, 207 different phylotypes were identified. The rind of both the raw and pasteurized milk cheeses was found to be highly diversified. However, 96.3 and 97.9% of the total microbiota of the raw milk and pasteurized cheese rind, respectively, were composed of species present in both types of cheese, such as Corynebacterium casei, Psychrobacter spp., Lactococcus lactis ssp. cremoris, Staphylococcus equorum, Vagococcus salmoninarum, and other species present at levels below 5%. Brevibacterium linens were present at low levels (0.5 and 1.6%, respectively) on the rind of both the raw and the pasteurized milk cheeses, even though this bacterium had been inoculated during the manufacturing process. Interestingly, Psychroflexus casei, also described as giving a red smear to Raclettetype cheese, was identified in small proportions in the composition of the rind of both the raw and pasteurized milk cheeses (0.17 and 0.5%, respectively). In the heart of the cheeses, the common species of bacteria reached more than 99%. The main species identified were Lactococcus lactis ssp. cremoris, Psychrobacter spp., and Staphylococcus equorum ssp. equorum. Interestingly, 93 phylotypes were present only in the raw milk cheeses and 29 only in the pasteurized milk cheeses, showing the high diversity of the microbiota. Corynebacterium casei and Enterococcus faecalis were more prevalent in the raw milk cheeses, whereas Psychrobacter celer was present in the pasteurized milk cheeses. However, this specific microbiota represented a low proportion of the cheese microbiota. This study demonstrated that Herve cheese microbiota is rich and that pasteurized milk cheeses are microbiologically very close to raw milk cheeses, probably due to the similar manufacturing process. The characterization of the microbiota of this particular protected designation of origin cheese was useful in enabling us to gain a better knowledge of the bacteria responsible for the character of this cheese