Vanin-1 licenses inflammatory mediator production by gut epithelial cells and controls colitis by antagonizing peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ activity

Colitis involves immune cell–mediated tissue injuries, but the contribution of epithelial cells remains largely unclear. Vanin-1 is an epithelial ectoenzyme with a pantetheinase activity that provides cysteamine/cystamine to tissue. Using the 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-colitis model we show here that Vanin-1 deficiency protects from colitis. This protection is reversible by administration of cystamine or bisphenol A diglycidyl ether, a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)γ antagonist. We further demonstrate that Vanin-1, by antagonizing PPARγ, licenses the production of inflammatory mediators by intestinal epithelial cells. We propose that Vanin-1 is an epithelial sensor of stress that exerts a dominant control over innate immune responses in tissue. Thus, the Vanin-1/pantetheinase activity might be a new target for therapeutic intervention in inflammatory bowel disease

Intercellular MHC transfer between thymic epithelial and dendritic cells.

International audienceThymic dendritic cells (DC) and epithelial cells play a major role in central tolerance but their respective roles are still controversial. Epithelial cells have the unique ability to ectopically express peripheral tissue-restricted antigens conferring self-tolerance to tissues. Paradoxically, while negative selection seems to occur for some of these antigens, epithelial cells, contrary to DC, are poor negative selectors. Using a thymic epithelial cell line, we show the functional intercellular transfer of membrane material, including MHC molecules, occurring between epithelial cells. Using somatic and bone marrow chimeras, we show that this transfer occurs efficiently in vivo between epithelial cells and, in a polarized fashion, from epithelial to DC. This novel mode of transfer of MHC-associated, epithelial cell-derived self-antigens onto DC might participate to the process of negative selection in the thymic medulla

Time courses of emotions experienced after a mountain ultra-marathon: Does emotional intelligence matter?

International audienceThis research examined the time courses of emotions in sport settings (anxiety, dejection, anger, happiness, excitement) experienced by mountain ultra-marathon (MUM) runners within the month following a demanding MUM race and the role of emotional intelligence (EI) in these time courses. A six-wave one-month longitudinal design was used with one measurement point within two days before the race to measure EI and five time points within the month following the race to assess emotions experienced among a sample of 29 runners. Results of multilevel growth curve analyses showed significant linear decreases of dejection and anxiety and a significant linear increase of anger. EI was related to the intercept (level at the end of the MUM race) of happiness, excitement and dejection. Moreover the interaction of EI with time was associated with happiness, excitement and anger. This means that high and low emotional intelligent runners exhibited distinct trajectories of emotional intelligence within the month following the MUM race. Indeed, trait-EI appeared to have a protective role against stress process leading to emotional adjustment within the recovery period following an ultra-endurance event. As such, consultants and coaches could conduct specific program over the sport season designed to enhance trait-EI of MUM runners

Metabolic landscapes in sarcomas

International audienceAbstract Metabolic rewiring offers novel therapeutic opportunities in cancer. Until recently, there was scant information regarding soft tissue sarcomas, due to their heterogeneous tissue origin, histological definition and underlying genetic history. Novel large-scale genomic and metabolomics approaches are now helping stratify their physiopathology. In this review, we show how various genetic alterations skew activation pathways and orient metabolic rewiring in sarcomas. We provide an update on the contribution of newly described mechanisms of metabolic regulation. We underscore mechanisms that are relevant to sarcomagenesis or shared with other cancers. We then discuss how diverse metabolic landscapes condition the tumor microenvironment, anti-sarcoma immune responses and prognosis. Finally, we review current attempts to control sarcoma growth using metabolite-targeting drugs

Gas phase concomitant dehydrations of ethanol and 1-butanol to alkenes mixture useful in a successive metathesis reaction to produce propylene

International @ ECI2D+NTT:LMA:LBU:JMIInternational audienceIn the future, a strong increase in the demand for propylene is expected because of the growing markets for polypropylene and propylene oxide. In the other hand next generation of steam crackers will use shale gas ethane as raw material and less by-products will be available for propylene production. There is thus a need to develop bio-propylene. The later could be produce by dehydration of 1 or 2-propanol but contrarily to ethanol and 1-butanol, there are not large-scale industrial processes to produce them. One way to overcome this problem would be to produce propylene by metathesis from ethylene and 2-butene. The process would be economically attractive if 2-butene is produced by dehydration of 1-butanol, which is the isomer predominantly formed by fermentation and the number of reaction steps minimized. This can be done by running the dehydration of ethanol and 1-butanol in one step without water pre-separation. In this study, we report on the catalytic properties of rare earth phosphates tested for the dehydration of alcohols mixtures. The study of the catalytic properties of these solids has been extended to ABE (acetone-butanol-ethanol) mixtures produced by bacterial fermentation. Nd, Gd and Sm phosphates with Rhabdophane structure have been prepared by co-precipitation [1]. The acid-base properties of the catalysts have been studied by NH3- and CO2-TPD and Lutidine adsorption followed by IRTF to correlate these properties to the catalytic properties [2]. The phosphates have been tested in the dehydration of ethanol and 1-butanol mixtures (Fig.1). Activity in dehydration of ethanol was in the order: Gd>Sm>Nd but inverse for activity in 1-butanol and 2-butene selectivity. The results were from acid-base properties. Gd is more active for ethanol dehydration because it has more strong Br?nsted acid sites compared to Sm and Nd. But Sm and Nd have more weak and moderate acids sites, which make them more active to dehydrate 1-butanol and more selective to 2-butene. In any case, only 1-butene is formed besides 2-butene when 1-butanol is dehydrated. Since ethanol dehydration takes preferentially place on stronger acid sites, there is little competition between the reactions and total conversion of the 2 alcohols is observed. The catalysts were also shown to be very efficient to dehydrate ABE mixture (acetone, butanol, ethanol in 3-6-1 ratio).The conclusion of the work is that rare earth phosphates can dehydrate selectively alcohol mixtures or ABE mixtures produced by industrial fermentation processes. The catalysts are very selective for all alcohols in the same time and stable with time on stream. 1-butanol is preferentially dehydrated to 2-butene, which can be fruitfully used to transform ethanol 1-butanol mixtures and subsequently performed metathesis reaction to produce propene. Industrially they open the way to build a large-scale process to produce propene from alcohols minimizing purification/separation steps energetically costly

Gas phase concomitant dehydrations of ethanol and 1-butanol to alkenes mixture useful in a successive metathesis reaction to produce propylene

International @ ECI2D+NTT:LMA:LBU:JMIInternational audienceIn the future, a strong increase in the demand for propylene is expected because of the growing markets for polypropylene and propylene oxide. In the other hand next generation of steam crackers will use shale gas ethane as raw material and less by-products will be available for propylene production. There is thus a need to develop bio-propylene. The later could be produce by dehydration of 1 or 2-propanol but contrarily to ethanol and 1-butanol, there are not large-scale industrial processes to produce them. One way to overcome this problem would be to produce propylene by metathesis from ethylene and 2-butene. The process would be economically attractive if 2-butene is produced by dehydration of 1-butanol, which is the isomer predominantly formed by fermentation and the number of reaction steps minimized. This can be done by running the dehydration of ethanol and 1-butanol in one step without water pre-separation. In this study, we report on the catalytic properties of rare earth phosphates tested for the dehydration of alcohols mixtures. The study of the catalytic properties of these solids has been extended to ABE (acetone-butanol-ethanol) mixtures produced by bacterial fermentation. Nd, Gd and Sm phosphates with Rhabdophane structure have been prepared by co-precipitation [1]. The acid-base properties of the catalysts have been studied by NH3- and CO2-TPD and Lutidine adsorption followed by IRTF to correlate these properties to the catalytic properties [2]. The phosphates have been tested in the dehydration of ethanol and 1-butanol mixtures (Fig.1). Activity in dehydration of ethanol was in the order: Gd>Sm>Nd but inverse for activity in 1-butanol and 2-butene selectivity. The results were from acid-base properties. Gd is more active for ethanol dehydration because it has more strong Br?nsted acid sites compared to Sm and Nd. But Sm and Nd have more weak and moderate acids sites, which make them more active to dehydrate 1-butanol and more selective to 2-butene. In any case, only 1-butene is formed besides 2-butene when 1-butanol is dehydrated. Since ethanol dehydration takes preferentially place on stronger acid sites, there is little competition between the reactions and total conversion of the 2 alcohols is observed. The catalysts were also shown to be very efficient to dehydrate ABE mixture (acetone, butanol, ethanol in 3-6-1 ratio).The conclusion of the work is that rare earth phosphates can dehydrate selectively alcohol mixtures or ABE mixtures produced by industrial fermentation processes. The catalysts are very selective for all alcohols in the same time and stable with time on stream. 1-butanol is preferentially dehydrated to 2-butene, which can be fruitfully used to transform ethanol 1-butanol mixtures and subsequently performed metathesis reaction to produce propene. Industrially they open the way to build a large-scale process to produce propene from alcohols minimizing purification/separation steps energetically costly

Reliability and clinical relevance of perceptual evaluation of pathological voices

International audienc

Are idiom comprehension difficulties in patients with schizophrenia due to working memory and executive deficits?

International audienceBackground and Objectives: We investigated idiom comprehension in patients with schizophrenia, and the involvement of working memory and executive functions in this comprehension. Methods: Nineteen patients with schizophrenia aged 22-46 years (mean = 34.73 years) took part in this study, and were matched for age and education level with a control group. Our assessment consisted of (1) an experimental task assessing idiom comprehension through short stories, (2) three tasks assessing verbal, visuospatial and multimodal spans, and (3) four tasks assessing executive functions (Hayling test, Stroop test, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test and Trail Making Test). Results and Conclusion: Results highlighted several deficits in the comprehension of idioms in patients with schizophrenia. An executive deficit is not sufficient to explain these difficulties. Nevertheless, the conceptual disorganization observed in the patients conduce them to not focus their attention on the relevant elements avoiding the comprehension of idioms

Gold-coated harmonic nnanoparticles for multi-modal targeted imaging and treatment of cancer

International audienc