Coupling economic models and environmental assessment methods to support regional policies: A critical review

This review analyses and compares the most promising methods to perform ex ante economic and environmental assessment of policies at the meso scale, i.e. from local communities to subnational regions. These methods called Economic-Environment Integrated Models (EEIM) are based on the coupling of formalised economic modelling tools with environmental assessment methods. The economic modelling tools considered are Input Output (IO) models, Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) and Partial Equilibrium (PE) models, Agent-Based models (ABM), and System Dynamics (SD) models, which we pair with environmental assessment methods such as Footprints (FP), Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), or Material Flow Analysis (MFA). A grid of criteria is developed to perform a qualitative rating of the EEIMs according to existing literature. The grid encompasses the detail level of the economic modelling, the level of coupling between environmental and economic tools, the quality and diversity of indicators, the ability to account for diverse indirect effects, spatial differentiation, time aspects, and the coupled model usability. First, the results show that the couplings do not perform on the same criteria, which shows complementarity to deal with diverse issues. Second, overall, for most criteria, PE/CGE models coupled with FP/LCA ranked highest. Third, a few case studies showed that couplings involving a third tool can be beneficial— for instance AB modelling or MFA with PE/CGE-LCA/FP may allow to overcome some shortcomings such as agent behaviour modelling or data availability for biophysical flows

Heterogeneity of Expression of IgA Receptors by Human, Mouse, and Rat Eosinophils

International audienc

Overexpression of the NOTCH ligand JAG2 in malignant plasma cells from multiple myeloma patients and cell lines.

The NOTCH ligand, JAG2, was found to be overexpressed in malignant plasma cells from multiple myeloma (MM) patients and cell lines but not in nonmalignant plasma cells from tonsils, bone marrow from healthy individuals, or patients with other malignancies. In addition, JAG2 overexpression was detected in 5 of 5 patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), an early phase of myeloma disease progression. This overexpression appears to be a consequence of hypomethylation of the JAG2 promoter in malignant plasma cells. An in vitro coculture assay was used to demonstrate that JAG2 induced the secretion of interleukin-6 (IL-6), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in stromal cells. Further, the induction of IL-6 secretion was blocked in vitro by interference with anti-Notch-1 monoclonal antibodies raised against the binding sequence of Notch-1 with JAG2. Taken together, these results indicate that JAG2 overexpression may be an early event in the pathogenesis of multiple myeloma involving IL-6 production

Rapport d’activités 2018 – Laboratoire Santé Environnement et Microbiologie.

Ce rapport présente une synthèse des actions, et travaux réalisés par le laboratoire Santé Environnement et Microbiologie pendant l’année 2018. Les divers projets de recherche sont résumés et les derniers développements ou résultats sont brièvement évoqués. Les actions en tant que Laboratoire National de Référence pour la Microbiologie des Coquillages et les activités pour la coordination du réseau REMI sont également présentées

Prospective Evaluation of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and [18F]Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography at Diagnosis and Before Maintenance Therapy in Symptomatic Patients With Multiple Myeloma Included in the IFM/DFCI 2009 Trial: Results of the IMAJEM Study

IF 24.008International audiencePurpose Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) are important imaging techniques in multiple myeloma (MM). We conducted a prospective trial in patients with MM aimed at comparing MRI and PET-CT with respect to the detection of bone lesions at diagnosis and the prognostic value of the techniques. Patients and Methods One hundred thirty-four patients received a combination of lenalidomide, bortezomib, and dexamethasone (RVD) with or without autologous stem-cell transplantation, followed by lenalidomide maintenance. PET-CT and MRI were performed at diagnosis, after three cycles of RVD, and before maintenance therapy. The primary end point was the detection of bone lesions at diagnosis by MRI versus PET-CT. Secondary end points included the prognostic impact of MRI and PET-CT regarding progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Results At diagnosis, MRI results were positive in 127 of 134 patients (95%), and PET-CT results were positive in 122 of 134 patients (91%; P = .33). Normalization of MRI after three cycles of RVD and before maintenance was not predictive of PFS or OS. PET-CT became normal after three cycles of RVD in 32% of the patients with a positive evaluation at baseline, and PFS was improved in this group (30-month PFS, 78.7% v 56.8%, respectively). PET-CT normalization before maintenance was described in 62% of the patients who were positive at baseline. This was associated with better PFS and OS. Extramedullary disease at diagnosis was an independent prognostic factor for PFS and OS, whereas PET-CT normalization before maintenance was an independent prognostic factor for PFS. Conclusion There is no difference in the detection of bone lesions at diagnosis when comparing PET-CT and MRI. PET-CT is a powerful tool to evaluate the prognosis of de novo myeloma

Carfilzomib maintenance in newly diagnosed non-transplant eligible multiple myeloma

International audienc

Maintenance with daratumumab or observation following treatment with bortezomib, thalidomide, and dexamethasone with or without daratumumab and autologous stem-cell transplant in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (CASSIOPEIA): an open-label, randomised, phase 3 trial

International audienceBackground CASSIOPEIA part 1 showed superior depth of response and significantly improved progression-free survival with daratumumab, bortezomib, thalidomide, and dexamethasone (D-VTd) versus bortezomib, thalidomide, and dexamethasone (VTd) as induction and consolidation in patients with autologous stem-cell transplant (ASCT)-eligible newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. In part 2, we compared daratumumab maintenance versus observation only. Methods CASSIOPEIA is a two-part, open-label, randomised, phase 3 trial of patients aged 18-65 years with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0-2, done in 111 European academic and community practice centres. In part 1, patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to induction and consolidation with D-VTd or VTd. Patients still on study who had a partial response or better were randomly assigned (1:1) by an interactive web-response system to daratumumab 16 mg/kg intravenously every 8 weeks (a reduced frequency compared with standard daratumumab long-term dosing) or observation only for up to 2 years. Stratification factors were induction treatment and depth of response in part 1. The part 2 primary endpoint was progression-free survival from second randomisation. This preplanned interim analysis of progression-free survival was done after 281 events and shall be considered the primary analysis of progression-free survival. Sponsor personnel and designees who were involved in the analysis were masked to treatment group until the independent data monitoring committee recommended that the preplanned interim analysis be considered the main analysis of progression-free survival in part 2. Otherwise, treatment assignments were unmasked. The interaction between induction and consolidation and maintenance was tested at a two-sided significance level of 0.05 by a stratified Cox regression model that included the interaction term between maintenance treatment and induction and consolidation treatment. Efficacy analyses were done in the maintenance-specific intention-to-treat population, which comprised all patients who underwent second randomisation. Safety was analysed in all patients in the daratumumab group who received at least one dose and all patients randomly assigned to observation only. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02541383. Long-term follow-up is ongoing and the trial is closed to new participants. Findings Between May 30, 2016, and June 18, 2018, 886 patients (458 [84%] of 543 in the D-VTd group and 428 [79%] of 542 in the VTd group) were randomly assigned to daratumumab maintenance (n=442) or observation only (n=444). At a median follow-up of 35.4 months (IQR 30.2-39.9) from second randomisation, median progression-free survival was not reached (95% CI not evaluable [NE]-NE) with daratumumab versus 46.7 months (40.0-NE) with observation only (hazard ratio 0.53, 95% CI 0.42-0.68, p<0.0001). A prespecified analysis of progression-free survival results showed a significant interaction between maintenance and induction and consolidation therapy (p<0.0001). The most common grade 3 or 4 adverse events were lymphopenia (16 [4%] of 440 patients in the daratumumab group vs eight [2%] of 444 patients in the observation-only group), hypertension (13 [3%] vs seven [2%]), and neutropenia (nine [2%] vs ten [2%]). Serious adverse events occurred in 100 (23%) patients in the daratumumab group and 84 (19%) patients in the observation-only group. In the daratumumab group, two adverse events led to death (septic shock and natural killer-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma); both were related to treatment. Interpretation Daratumumab maintenance every 8 weeks for 2 years significantly reduced the risk of disease progression or death compared with observation only. Longer follow-up and other ongoing studies will shed further light on the optimal daratumumab-containing post-ASCT maintenance treatment strategy. Copyright (C) 2021 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Bipyridine-Based Nanosized Metal–Organic Framework with Tunable Luminescence by a Postmodification with Eu(III): An Experimental and Theoretical Study

A gallium 2,2'-bipyridine-5,5'-dicarboxylate metal-organic framework, Ga(OH)(bpydc), denoted as COMOC-4 (COMOC = Center for Ordered Materials, Organometallics and Catalysis, Ghent University) has been synthesized via solvothermal synthesis procedure. The structure has the topology of an aluminum 2,2'-bipyridine-5,5'-dicarboxylate - the so-called MOF-253. TEM and SEM micrographs show the COMOC-4 crystals are formed in nanoplates with uniform size of 30-50 nm. The UV-vis spectra of COMOC-4 in methanol solution show maximal electronic absorption at 307 nm. This results from linker to linker transitions as elucidated by time-dependent density functional theory simulations on the linker and COMOC-4 cluster models. When excited at 400 nm, COMOC-4 displays an emission band centered at 542 nm. Upon immersion in different solvents, the emission band for the framework is shifted in the range of 525-548 nm depending on the solvent. After incorporating Eu3+ cations, the emission band of the framework is shifted to even shorter wavelengths (505 nm). By varying the excitation wavelengths from 250 to 400 nm, we can fine-tune the emission from red to yellowish green in the CIE diagram. The luminescence behavior of Eu3+ cations is well preserved and the solid-state luminescence lifetimes of tau(1) = 45 mu s (35.4%) and tau(2) = 162 mu s (64.6%) are observed