Spinal cord repair strategies: Schwann cells, neurotrophic factors, and biodegradable polymers

Injury to the adult mammalian spinal cord leads to permanent loss of controlled neurological function. Endogenous repair mechanisms fail to reestablish functional synoptic connections. Moreover, neurological outcome usually gets worse in time, due to neurodestructive processes inherent to the adult spinal cord. Surgical repair strategies need to focus on replacing damaged/lost nervous tissue, promoting axonal regeneration and reestablishing functional synaptic contacts. This review will discuss the current understanding of the potential beneficial role of Schwann cells, neurotrophic factors, biodegradable polymers or combinations thereof in spinal cord injury. Replacement, of injured spinal tissue with a Schwann cell graft promotes axonal regeneration and myelination. Neurotrophic factors initiate and/or enhance events that are crucial for functional recovery, such as cell survival and axonal regeneration. Biodegradable polymers can be used as a scaffold for cell implantation and/or as a drug delivery vehicle. The complex nature of spinal cord injury demands a combinatorial restorative approach. For the future, the challenge will be to combine individual growth-promoting properties such that neurological recovery in spinal cord injured humans can be achieved.Biomedical Reviews 1999; 10: 75-88

Les leviers de la création de valeur partagée en contexte PME : étude exploratoire dans la région Rhône-Alpes

http://www.strategie-aims.com/events/conferences/24-xxiiieme-conference-de-l-aims/communications/3106-les-leviers-de-la-creation-de-valeur-partagee-en-contexte-pme-etude-exploratoire-dans-la-region-rhone-alpes/downloadInternational audienceLa notion de création de valeur partagée (Porter, Kramer, 2011) invite les entreprises à replacer les démarches de responsabilité sociétale (RSE) a u cœur de leur stratégie, tout en recherchant la compétitivité. Parallèlement, les travaux académiques sur la RSE dans l'univers des PME demeurent marginaux en dépit d'un regain d'intérêt récent (Spence, Perrini, 2009). Ce papier exploratoire propose d'interroger la pertinence de la création de valeur partagée au travers de ses trois leviers : (1) l'intégration à un réseau territorialisé; (2) la remise à plat des produits/services et marchés de l'entreprise et (3) la redéfinition de sa chaîne de valeur dans le contexte des PME. Une enquête par questionnaire a été réalisée dans la région Rhône-Alpes auprès de 488 PME. Les résultats des analyses statistiques montrent que la notion de création de valeur partagée telle que présentée par Porter et Kramer (2011) nécessite des aménagements de manière à mieux refléter les réalités des PME. De nature exploratoire, cette étude invite à approfondir les résultats notamment en termes de renforcement potentiel des différents leviers mobilisés par les PME au travers d'une analyse dynamique, par exemple

Bioconductor: open software development for computational biology and bioinformatics.

The Bioconductor project is an initiative for the collaborative creation of extensible software for computational biology and bioinformatics. The goals of the project include: fostering collaborative development and widespread use of innovative software, reducing barriers to entry into interdisciplinary scientific research, and promoting the achievement of remote reproducibility of research results. We describe details of our aims and methods, identify current challenges, compare Bioconductor to other open bioinformatics projects, and provide working examples

Internal frequency conversion extreme ultraviolet interferometer using mutual coherence properties of two high-order-harmonic sources

International audienceWe report on an innovative two-dimensional imaging extreme ultraviolet (XUV) interferometer operating at 32 nm based on the mutual coherence of two laser high order harmonics (HOH) sources, separately generated in gas. We give the first evidence that the two mutually coherent HOH sources can be produced in two independent spatially separated gas jets, allowing for probing centimeter-sized objects. A magnification factor of 10 leads to a micron resolution associated with a subpicosecond temporal resolution. Single shot interferograms with a fringe visibility better than 30% are routinely produced. As a test of the XUV interferometer, we measure a maximum electronic density of 3×10^20 cm^−3 1.1 ns after the creation of a plasma on aluminum target

Effect of a fungal chitosan preparation on Brettanomyces bruxellensis,a wine contaminant

To investigate the action mechanisms of a specific fungal origin chitosan preparation on Brettanomyces bruxellensis. METHODS AND RESULTS: Different approaches in a wine-model synthetic medium were carried out: optical and electronic microscopy, flow cytometry, ATP flow measurements and zeta potential characterization. The inactivation effect was confirmed. Moreover, fungal origin chitosan induced both physical and biological effects on B. bruxellensis cells. Physical effect led to aggregation of cells with chitosan likely due to charge interactions. At the same time, a biological effect induced a leakage of ATP and thus a viability loss of B. bruxellensis cells. CONCLUSIONS: The antimicrobial action mode of chitosan against B. bruxellensis is not a simple mechanism but the result of several mechanisms acting together. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Brettanomyces bruxellensis, a yeast responsible for the production of undesirable aromatic compounds (volatile phenols), is a permanent threat to wine quality. Today, different means are implemented to fight against B. bruxellensis, but are not always sufficient. The chitosan of fungal origin is introduced as a new tool to control B. bruxellensis in winemaking and has poorly been studied before for this application

Genome analysis of the necrotrophic fungal pathogens Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Botrytis cinerea

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Botrytis cinerea are closely related necrotrophic plant pathogenic fungi notable for their wide host ranges and environmental persistence. These attributes have made these species models for understanding the complexity of necrotrophic, broad host-range pathogenicity. Despite their similarities, the two species differ in mating behaviour and the ability to produce asexual spores. We have sequenced the genomes of one strain of S. sclerotiorum and two strains of B. cinerea. The comparative analysis of these genomes relative to one another and to other sequenced fungal genomes is provided here. Their 38–39 Mb genomes include 11,860–14,270 predicted genes, which share 83% amino acid identity on average between the two species. We have mapped the S. sclerotiorum assembly to 16 chromosomes and found large-scale co-linearity with the B. cinerea genomes. Seven percent of the S. sclerotiorum genome comprises transposable elements compared t

C-Nap1 mutation affects centriole cohesion and is associated with a Seckel-like syndrome in cattle

Caprine-like Generalized Hypoplasia Syndrome (SHGC) is an autosomal-recessive disorder in Montbéliarde cattle. Affected animals present a wide range of clinical features that include the following: delayed development with low birth weight, hind limb muscular hypoplasia, caprine-like thin head and partial coat depigmentation. Here we show that SHGC is caused by a truncating mutation in the CEP250 gene that encodes the centrosomal protein C-Nap1. This mutation results in centrosome splitting, which neither affects centriole ultrastructure and duplication in dividing cells nor centriole function in cilium assembly and mitotic spindle organization. Loss of C-Nap1-mediated centriole cohesion leads to an altered cell migration phenotype. This discovery extends the range of loci that constitute the spectrum of autosomal primary recessive microcephaly (MCPH) and Seckel-like syndromes

Reversible transitions between noradrenergic and mesenchymal tumor identities define cell plasticity in neuroblastoma

Noradrenergic and mesenchymal identities have been characterized in neuroblastoma cell lines according to their epigenetic landscapes and core regulatory circuitries. However, their relationship and relative contribution in patient tumors remain poorly defined. We now document spontaneous and reversible plasticity between the two identities, associated with epigenetic reprogramming, in several neuroblastoma models. Interestingly, xenografts with cells from each identity eventually harbor a noradrenergic phenotype suggesting that the microenvironment provides a powerful pressure towards this phenotype. Accordingly, such a noradrenergic cell identity is systematically observed in single-cell RNA-seq of 18 tumor biopsies and 15 PDX models. Yet, a subpopulation of these noradrenergic tumor cells presents with mesenchymal features that are shared with plasticity models, indicating that the plasticity described in these models has relevance in neuroblastoma patients. This work therefore emphasizes that intrinsic plasticity properties of neuroblastoma cells are dependent upon external cues of the environment to drive cell identity