An universal system to de-orbit satellites at end of life

A 3-year Project financed by the European Commission is aimed at developing a universal system to de-orbit satellites at their end of life, as a fundamental contribution to limit the increase of debris in the Space environment. The operational system involves a conductive tapetether left bare to establish anodic contact with the ambient plasma as a giant Langmuir probe. The Project will size the three disparate dimensions of a tape for a selected de-orbit mission and determine scaling laws to allow system design for a general mission. Starting at the second year, mission selection is carried out while developing numerical codes to implement control laws on tether dynamics in/off the orbital plane; performing numerical simulations and plasma chamber measurements on tether-plasma interaction; and completing design of subsystems: electronejecting plasma contactor, power module, interface elements, deployment mechanism, and tether-tape/end-mass. This will be followed by subsystems manufacturing and by currentcollection, free-fall, and hypervelocity impact tests

Mesure continue du glucose dans le diabète gestationnel (impact de l'indice de masse corporelle sur le profil glycémique)

L'obésité maternelle est un facteur de risque important de diabète gestationnel. Nous avons souhaité comparer le profil glycémique de femmes minces et obèses ayant un diabète gestationnel, par un holter glycémique porté pendant 72 heures. Nous avons établi que le pic glycémique (critère principal de l'étude) est significativement plus bas chez les femmes minces, tout comme les moyennes glycémiques post-prandiales, les glycémies à jeun et pré-prandiales. Le délai repas/pic est à 70 minutes, identique dans les deux groupes. Le petit-déjeuner est le repas le plus hyperglycémiant de la journée. Enfin, le recours à l'insuline tend à être moins élevé et les accouchements non-spontanés sont moins fréquents chez les femmes minces en comparaison aux femmes obèses. En conclusion, le diabète des femmes minces semble moins sévère.TOULOUSE3-BU Santé-Centrale (315552105) / SudocSudocFranceF

Économies des populations néolithiques de Corse : Apport de l’étude typo-technologique du matériel en pierre polie et du macro-outillage du site de A Guaita (Morsiglia, Haute-Corse)

International audienc

Clinical Evaluation and Cone Alterations in Choroideremia

International audienc

New management strategy of pregnancies at risk of congenital adrenal hyperplasia using fetal sex determination in maternal serum: French cohort of 258 cases (2002-2011)

International audienceCONTEXT: Prenatal dexamethasone (DEX) treatment has been proposed since 1984 to prevent genital virilization in girls with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). DEX is effective in CAH females if initiated before the sixth week of gestation, but its safety in children treated in utero remains controversial regarding cognitive functions.OBJECTIVE: To avoid prenatal DEX in males and initiate DEX in due time in CAH females, we proposed in 2002 a protocol for fetal sex determination in the maternal serum (SRY test).DESIGN AND SETTING: We conducted a retrospective study of the management of 258 fetuses in the period 2002 through 2011 in pregnancies managed in referent medical centers with an institutional practice. PATIENTS: A total of 258 fetuses at risk of CAH (134 males and 124 females) were included.INTERVENTION: DEX was offered after informed consent to pregnant women. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The sensitivity of an early SRY test was evaluated after data collection.RESULTS: The SRY test is sensitive from 4 weeks and 5 days of gestation. It avoided prenatal DEX in 68% of males, and this percentage increased over the years. DEX was maintained until prenatal diagnosis in non-CAH females. Virilization was prevented in 12 CAH girls treated at the latest at 6 weeks gestation and minimized in 3 girls treated between 6 and 7 weeks gestation. Maternal tolerance was correct. No fetal malformations were noted in the 154 children treated in utero.CONCLUSIONS: The SRY test is reliable to avoid prenatal DEX in males, but its application must be improved. Prenatal DEX should be maintained to prevent virilization and traumatic surgery in CAH girls after informed consent and information provided to families about the benefit to risk ratio in limiting hyperandrogenism during fetal life. Our large multicentric French cohort has helped to better assess the risks previously reported

Prenatal education of overweight or obese pregnant women to prevent childhood overweight (the etoig study): an open-label, randomized controlled trial

Background We aimed to evaluate whether pre and perinatal education of pregnant women would reduce childhood overweight. Methods Four French centers included women at 25 kg/m(2) before pregnancy. Patients were randomized to a control group (routine care including at least one dietary visit) or an intervention group (2 individuals (26 and 30 GW) and 4 group sessions (21, 28, 35 GW, 2 months postpartum)) aimed at educating the future mother regarding infant and maternal nutrition. The primary objective was to reduce post-natal excessive weight gain in the infant from birth to 2 years (NCT00804765). This project was funded by a grant from the National Programme for Hospital Research (PHRC-2007 French Ministry of Health). Results We included 275 women (BMI: 32.5 kg/m(2)). The rate of post-natal excessive weight gain was similar in the intervention (n = 132) and control (n = 136) groups by intention to treat (ITT: 59.1% vs 60.3% respectively, p = 0.84) in available data (AD, n = 206) and by per-protocol analysis (PP, n = 177). Two years after delivery, normalization of maternal BMI and number of infants with BMI 19 kg/m(2) in the intervention group in AD (n = 204: 0% vs 6.8%, p = 0.014) and PP (n = 176: 0% vs 6.4%, p = 0.03). Conclusions An education and nutritional counseling program for overweight women, starting after 3 months of gestation, did not significantly change post-natal excessive weight gain of infants or prevent overweight in mothers and children 2 years after delivery

Hormonal contraception in women at risk of vascular and metabolic disorders: guidelines of the French Society of Endocrinology.

International audienceHormonal contraceptive methods are widely used in France, including not only oral estrogen-progestin combinations but also non-oral estrogen-progestin delivery methods (patches, vaginal rings), as well as oral forms, implants and intra-uterine devices that deliver only a progestin. Hormonal contraception has only a modest impact on lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, but estrogen-progestin contraceptives have been linked to a variety of vascular risks. Overall, the risk of venous thrombosis is multiplied by a factor of about 4, depending on age, the compounds used, and other risk factors (including biological thrombophilia and a personal history of thrombosis), whereas the risk of arterial events is only increased in women with risk factors. Available data suggest there is no excess risk with progestin-based contraceptives, but far fewer studies have been conducted. At the initiative of the French Society of Endocrinology, an expert group met in 2010 in order to reach a consensus on the use of hormonal contraceptive methods in women with vascular or metabolic risk factors, based on available data and international guidelines published by WHO in 2009 and subsequently adapted to the United States context. The following text, intentionally limited to hormonal contraception, is intended to serve as a guide when prescribing in specific clinical situations, such as a family or personal history of arterial or venous thromboembolism, or the existence of cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, smoking, diabetes, dyslipidemia, obesity)

AZP-531, an unacylated ghrelin analog, improves food-related behavior in patients with Prader-Willi syndrome: A randomized placebo-controlled trial

<div><p>Context and objective</p><p>Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is characterized by early-onset hyperphagia and increased circulating levels of the orexigenic Acylated Ghrelin (AG) hormone with a relative deficit of Unacylated Ghrelin (UAG). AZP-531, a first-in-class UAG analog, was shown to inhibit the orexigenic effect of AG in animals, to improve glycemic control and decrease body weight in humans. We aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of AZP-531 in patients with PWS for whom no approved treatment for hyperphagia is currently available.</p><p>Methods and design</p><p>Multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Forty-seven patients with genetically confirmed PWS and evidence of hyperphagia received daily subcutaneous injections of AZP-531 (3 and 4 mg for 50–70 kg and >70 kg body weight, respectively) or matching placebo for 14 days. Assessments included adverse events, vital signs, safety laboratory tests, the Hyperphagia Questionnaire (HQ), patient-reported appetite, body composition and glycemic measures.</p><p>Results</p><p>AZP-531 was well tolerated. There was a significant improvement with AZP-531 versus placebo in the mean total score, the 9-item score and the severity domain score of the HQ (p < .05). The highest reduction in the total and 9-item scores was observed in AZP-531 subjects with the highest hyperphagia score at baseline. Findings were supported by a reduction in appetite scores observed with AZP-531 only. Body weight did not change in both groups while a significant reduction in waist circumference and fat mass was observed only with AZP-531. AZP-531 significantly decreased post-prandial glucose levels in a baseline glucose dependent fashion.</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>AZP-531 may constitute a new treatment strategy to improve hyperphagia and metabolic issues in patients with PWS. These findings support further investigation in longer-term clinical trials.</p></div

Post-prandial glucose change in treated patients from baseline to Day 14.

<p>Mean values of the 3-hour post-prandial glucose change from baseline to Day 14 was plotted for all treated patients (Panel A), normoglycemic (NG) patients (Panel B), and patients with Impaired Glucose Tolerance or Type 2 Diabetes (IGT/T2D) (Panel C).</p