Entreprises innovantes en agriculture biologique en Europe

OMIARD Organic Marketing Initiatives and Rural Development FP-5 Life QualityInternational audienceCe volume appartient à la série des volumes du projet OMIaRD, qui concerne l'émergence et le développement d'entreprises innovantes où des agriculteurs biologiques ont un rôle clé. Une large présentation de ces OMI est faite, sur 19 pays européens, puis une analyse plus détaillée dans quarante régions, où les déterminants du succès sont analysés. Cette dernière analyse aborde les structures, le fonctionnement et les performances de quatre vingt une entreprises. En troisième lieu, l'étude présente quatre cas approfondis, en Autriche, France, Grande Bretagne et Italie. La vision des fondateurs et leur management stratégique sont des facteurs primordiaux, ainsi que leur capacité à faire les adaptation nécessaires lorsque le marché se développe et que les conditions socio-politiques changent. Maintenir la cohésion des membres autour de finalités économiques, mais aussi sociales, éthiques et environnementales est aussi un point clé

The influence of plasma proteins on the distribution of leucocytes within the brain parenchyma in a murine model of stroke

Inflammatory responses are thought to play an important role in the exacerbation of neuronal loss following stroke. Leucocyte recruitment following cerebral ischaemia has been demonstrated in experimental animals, and procedures which reduce the entry of leucocytes into the brain reduce neuronal loss and improve aspects of functional recovery in these models. In this study we investigate whether leakage of plasma proteins into the central nervous system (CNS) following ischaemia influences leucocyte adhesion within the parenchyma. Using an in vitro adhesion assay, we demonstrate that the addition of exogenous serum proteins increases macrophage adhesion to CNS tissue. Following permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in mice, plasma proteins leak into the apparently healthy cortex surrounding the infarcted area. We show that there is increased macrophage adhesion to sections in the border region where endogenous plasma proteins are present within the parenchyma. Using immunohistochemistry, we co-localize plasma protein distribution within the tissue with leucocyte recruitment following MCAO. We show that monocytes, not neutrophils, infiltrate the lesion border where plasma proteins are present in the parenchyma. This distribution is compatible with their contributing to neuropathology, whereas neutrophils are found in clusters in the lesion core. We conclude that leakage of plasma proteins into the brain could influence leucocyte adhesion within the parenchyma. Recruited monocytes may exacerbate neuropathology in situations such as permanent cerebral ischaemia, where disruption of the blood-brain barrier occurs.</p

SWAN-iCare project: Towards smart wearable and autonomous negative pressure device for wound monitoring and therapy

This paper describes the SWAN-iCare system and its potential impact in the area of wound management. The SWAN-iCare project aims at developing an integrated autonomous device for the monitoring and the personalized management of chronic wounds, mainly diabetic foot ulcers and venous leg ulcers. Most foot and leg ulcers are caused by diabetes and vascular problems respectively but a remarkable number of them are also due to the co-morbidity influence of many other diseases (e.g. kidney disease, congestive heart failure, high blood pressure, inflammatory bowel disease). More than 10 million people in Europe suffer from chronic wounds, a number which is expected to grow due to the aging of the population. The core of the project is the fabrication of a conceptually new wearable negative pressure device equipped with Information and Communication Technologies. Such device will allow users to: (a) accurately monitor many wound parameters via non-invasive integrated micro-sensors, (b) early identify infections and (c) remotely provide an innovative personalized two-line therapy via non-invasive micro-actuators to supplement the negative pressure wound therapy