The cost of scientific excellence - could it be expensive and out of reach?

SCOPUS: ed.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Why another conference on personalized medicine?

Editorialinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

The best Open Access policies put researchers in charge, and recent EU Horizon 2020 and COST policies support this.

COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) – an intergovernmental framework supporting cooperation among scientists and researchers across Europe – recently supported an independent Strategic Initiative to better understand issues pertaining to open access publishing across a range of disciplines. Here COST Domain Committee members Marc Caball, Soulla Louca and Roland Pochet, Policy Officer for Open Access at the European Commission, Daniel Spichtinger, and Chair of the COST Strategic Initiative on Open Access, Barbara Prainsack emphasise here that the best pathways to the goal of open access vary across disciplines and across countries and institutions. The individuals best placed to decide what is right for them are the researchers themselves. The European Commission also encourages this position through the adoption of the Horizon 2020 open access regulation which will present researchers with a range of OA options, rather than prescribing one narrow format

Early phrenic motor neuron loss and transient respiratory abnormalities following unilateral cervical spinal cord contusion

Contusion-type cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) is one of the most common forms of SCI observed in patients. In particular, injuries targeting the C3-C5 region affect the pool of phrenic motor neurons (PhMNs) that innervates the diaphragm, resulting in significant and often chronic respiratory dysfunction. Using a previously described rat model of unilateral midcervical C4 contusion with the Infinite Horizon Impactor, we have characterized the early time course of PhMN degeneration and consequent respiratory deficits following injury, as this knowledge is important for designing relevant treatment strategies targeting protection and plasticity of PhMN circuitry. PhMN loss (48% of the ipsilateral pool) occurred almost entirely during the first 24 h post-injury, resulting in persistent phrenic nerve axonal degeneration and denervation at the diaphragm neuromuscular junction (NMJ). Reduced diaphragm compound muscle action potential amplitudes following phrenic nerve stimulation were observed as early as the first day post-injury (30% of pre-injury maximum amplitude), with slow functional improvement over time that was associated with partial reinnervation at the diaphragm NMJ. Consistent with ipsilateral diaphragmatic compromise, the injury resulted in rapid, yet only transient, changes in overall ventilatory parameters measured via whole-body plethysmography, including increased respiratory rate, decreased tidal volume, and decreased peak inspiratory flow. Despite significant ipsilateral PhMN loss, the respiratory system has the capacity to quickly compensate for partially impaired hemidiaphragm function, suggesting that C4 hemicontusion in rats is a model of SCI that manifests subacute respiratory abnormalities. Collectively, these findings demonstrate significant and persistent diaphragm compromise in a clinically relevant model of midcervical contusion SCI; however, the therapeutic window for PhMN protection is restricted to early time points post-injury. On the contrary, preventing loss of innervation by PhMNs and/or inducing plasticity in spared PhMN axons at the diaphragm NMJ are relevant long-term targets

Neural stem cells from mouse strain Thy1 YFP-16 are a valuable tool to monitor and evaluate neuronal differentiation and morphology

To analyse events following transplantation of stem cells in the brain robust tools for tracing stem cells are required. Here we took advantage of the mouse strain B6.Cg-Tg(Thy1-YFP)16Jrs/J (Thy1 YFP-16), where yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) is under control of the promoter of Thy1 gene. This allows visualising whole neurons, i.e. their cell body, axons and dendrites. In this work fluorescent cells were followed during embryonic development, in vitro differentiation, and after transplantation in the healthy and stroke-affected mouse brain. During embryonic development Thy1-YFP positive cells were first observed on E12.5 and subsequently located in the prosencephalon, rhombencephalon, spinal cord and peripheral nerves. Quantitative analysis by RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry revealed that Thy1-YFP positive cells during embryo development and in vitro differentiation were expressing nestin and SOX2 then MAP2, β3-tubulin and NeuN. Thy1-YFP positive cells isolated from E14.5 represented 21.88±053% (SD) of the cultivated neurons and this remained constant along in vitro differentiation. On the other hand, proportion of Thy1-YFP positive cells reached 50% of neurons in perinatal and one month old mouse brain. Neural stem cells isolated from Thy1 YFP-16 mouse strain transplanted near hippocampus of the healthy and stroke-affected brain were distinguishable by YFP fluorescence. They differentiated into mature neurons and were detectable even 14 weeks after transplantation, the end point of our experiment. In conclusion, stem cells originating from Thy1 YFP-16 mice represent an outstanding tool to monitor neurogenesis enabling morphological analyses of new neurons and their projections, in particular after transplantation in the brain

Design and management of reconfigurable assembly lines in the automotive industry

Automotive suppliers are facing the challenge of continuously adapting their production targets to variable demand requirements due to the frequent introduction of new model variants, materials and assembly technologies. In this context, the profitable management of the product, process and system co-evolution is of paramount importance for the company competitiveness. In this paper, a methodology for the design and reconfiguration management of modular assembly systems is proposed. It addresses the selection of the technological modules, their integration in the assembly cell, and the reconfiguration policies to handle volume and lot size variability. The results are demonstrated in a real automotive case study. (C) 2016 CIRP

The Global Brain Health Survey: Development of a Multi-Language Survey of Public Views on Brain Health.

Background: Brain health is a multi-faceted concept used to describe brain physiology, cognitive function, mental health and well-being. Diseases of the brain account for one third of the global burden of disease and are becoming more prevalent as populations age. Diet, social interaction as well as physical and cognitive activity are lifestyle factors that can potentially influence facets of brain health. Yet, there is limited knowledge about the population's awareness of brain health and willingness to change lifestyle to maintain a healthy brain. This paper introduces the Global Brain Health Survey protocol, designed to assess people's perceptions of brain health and factors influencing brain health. Methods: The Global Brain Health Survey is an anonymous online questionnaire available in 14 languages to anyone above the age of 18 years. Questions focus on (1) willingness and motivation to maintain or improve brain health, (2) interest in learning more about individual brain health using standardized tests, and (3) interest in receiving individualized support to take care of own brain health. The survey questions were developed based on results from a qualitative interview study investigating brain health perceptions among participants in brain research studies. The survey includes 28 questions and takes 15-20 min to complete. Participants provide electronically informed consent prior to participation. The current survey wave was launched on June 4, 2019 and will close on August 31, 2020. We will provide descriptive statistics of samples distributions including analyses of differences as a function of age, gender, education, country of residence, and we will examine associations between items. The European Union funded Lifebrain project leads the survey in collaboration with national brain councils in Norway, Germany, and Belgium, Brain Foundations in the Netherlands and Sweden, the National University of Ostroh Academy and the Women's Brain Project. Discussion: Results from this survey will provide new insights in peoples' views on brain health, in particular, the extent to which the adoption of positive behaviors can be encouraged. The results will contribute to the development of policy recommendations for supporting population brain health, including measures tailored to individual needs, knowledge, motivations and life situations

Belgian Brain Council

Le Belgian Brain Council est une association nationale qui rassemble des sociétés scientifiques de neurologues, psychiatres et chercheurs, des associations de patients, et des firmes pharmaceutiques. Cette plateforme multidisciplinaire a pour objectifs: améliorer la prise en charge des malades neurologiques et psychiatriques, sensibiliser la population, favoriser la recherche et les échanges entre les différentes disciplines et associations et agir auprès des autorités publiques afin d'améliorer le remboursement de certains examens et traitements.info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublishe

Translation of the focus toward excellence in translational science: comment on "TDP-43 Repression of Nonconserved Cryptic Exons is Compromised in ALS-FTD"

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Contribution à l'étude de l'interaction hormone récepteur

Doctorat en Sciencesinfo:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublishe