Retrospective evaluation of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in 68 dogs

BACKGROUND: There is a lack of clinical data on hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) in dogs. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: To investigate signalment, clinical signs, diagnostic findings, and survival in dogs with HCM. ANIMALS: Sixty-eight client-owned dogs. METHODS: Retrospective multicenter study. Medical records were searched between 2003 and 2015. The diagnosis of left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy was made by echocardiographic examination. RESULTS: Three hundred and forty-five dogs with LV hypertrophy were identified, of which 277 were excluded. The remaining 68 dogs were 0.3 to 14 years old and predominantly <10 kg (85%), and without a sex predilection. Twenty-four % were Shih Tzu and 24% terrier breeds. Most (80%) had a systolic heart murmur. Owner-determined exercise intolerance (37%) and syncope (18%) were most commonly reported signs. The majority (84%) of dogs had symmetrical LV hypertrophy, whereas asymmetrical septal and LV free wall hypertrophy was observed in 9% and 6% of dogs, respectively. Isolated basal interventricular septal hypertrophy was not observed. Commonly recorded were systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve (60%) and LV diastolic dysfunction (89% of dogs where diastolic function was evaluated). Six dogs died unexpectedly, and 3 developed congestive heart failure. Known survival times were between 1 day and 114 months after diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in dogs should be considered as a differential diagnosis if LV hypertrophy is identified. Small breed dogs are overrepresented, and it is uncommon for dogs with HCM to develop CHF although sudden death can occur

Long-Term Survival of Human Neural Stem Cells in the Ischemic Rat Brain upon Transient Immunosuppression

Understanding the physiology of human neural stem cells (hNSCs) in the context of cell therapy for neurodegenerative disorders is of paramount importance, yet large-scale studies are hampered by the slow-expansion rate of these cells. To overcome this issue, we previously established immortal, non-transformed, telencephalic-diencephalic hNSCs (IhNSCs) from the fetal brain. Here, we investigated the fate of these IhNSC's immediate progeny (i.e. neural progenitors; IhNSC-Ps) upon unilateral implantation into the corpus callosum or the hippocampal fissure of adult rat brain, 3 days after global ischemic injury. One month after grafting, approximately one fifth of the IhNSC-Ps had survived and migrated through the corpus callosum, into the cortex or throughout the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. By the fourth month, they had reached the ipsilateral subventricular zone, CA1-3 hippocampal layers and the controlateral hemisphere. Notably, these results could be accomplished using transient immunosuppression, i.e administering cyclosporine for 15 days following the ischemic event. Furthermore, a concomitant reduction of reactive microglia (Iba1+ cells) and of glial, GFAP+ cells was also observed in the ipsilateral hemisphere as compared to the controlateral one. IhNSC-Ps were not tumorigenic and, upon in vivo engraftment, underwent differentiation into GFAP+ astrocytes, and β-tubulinIII+ or MAP2+ neurons, which displayed GABAergic and GLUTAmatergic markers. Electron microscopy analysis pointed to the formation of mature synaptic contacts between host and donor-derived neurons, showing the full maturation of the IhNSC-P-derived neurons and their likely functional integration into the host tissue. Thus, IhNSC-Ps possess long-term survival and engraftment capacity upon transplantation into the globally injured ischemic brain, into which they can integrate and mature into neurons, even under mild, transient immunosuppressive conditions. Most notably, transplanted IhNSC-P can significantly dampen the inflammatory response in the lesioned host brain. This work further supports hNSCs as a reliable and safe source of cells for transplantation therapy in neurodegenerative disorders

International collaborative study to assess cardiovascular risk and evaluate long-term health in cats with preclinical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and apparently healthy cats:The REVEAL Study

Background: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is the most prevalent heart disorder in cats and principal cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Yet, the impact of preclinical disease is unresolved. Hypothesis/Objectives: Observational study to characterize cardiovascular morbidity and survival in cats with preclinical nonobstructive (HCM) and obstructive (HOCM) hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and in apparently healthy cats (AH). Animals: One thousand seven hundred and thirty client-owned cats (430 preclinical HCM; 578 preclinical HOCM; 722 AH). Methods: Retrospective multicenter, longitudinal, cohort study. Cats from 21 countries were followed through medical record review and owner or referring veterinarian interviews. Data were analyzed to compare long-term outcomes, incidence, and risk for congestive heart failure (CHF), arterial thromboembolism (ATE), and cardiovascular death. Results: During the study period, CHF, ATE, or both occurred in 30.5% and cardiovascular death in 27.9% of 1008 HCM/HOCM cats. Risk assessed at 1, 5, and 10 years after study entry was 7.0%/3.5%, 19.9%/9.7%, and 23.9%/11.3% for CHF/ATE, and 6.7%, 22.8%, and 28.3% for cardiovascular death, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences between HOCM compared with HCM for cardiovascular morbidity or mortality, time from diagnosis to development of morbidity, or cardiovascular survival. Cats that developed cardiovascular morbidity had short survival (mean \ub1 standard deviation, 1.3 \ub1 1.7 years). Overall, prolonged longevity was recorded in a minority of preclinical HCM/HOCM cats with 10% reaching 9-15 years. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Preclinical HCM/HOCM is a global health problem of cats that carries substantial risk for CHF, ATE, and cardiovascular death. This finding underscores the need to identify therapies and monitoring strategies that decrease morbidity and mortality

Long-term Incidence and risk of noncardiovascular and all-cause mortality in apparently healthy cats and cats with preclinical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Background Epidemiologic knowledge regarding noncardiovascular and all‐cause mortality in apparently healthy cats (AH) and cats with preclinical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (pHCM) is limited, hindering development of evidence‐based healthcare guidelines. Objectives To characterize/compare incidence rates, risk, and survival associated with noncardiovascular and all‐cause mortality in AH and pHCM cats. Animals A total of 1730 client‐owned cats (722 AH, 1008 pHCM) from 21 countries. Methods Retrospective, multicenter, longitudinal, cohort study. Long‐term health data were extracted by medical record review and owner/referring veterinarian interviews. Results Noncardiovascular death occurred in 534 (30.9%) of 1730 cats observed up to 15.2 years. Proportion of noncardiovascular death did not differ significantly between cats that at study enrollment were AH or had pHCM (P = .48). Cancer, chronic kidney disease, and conditions characterized by chronic weight‐loss‐vomiting‐diarrhea‐anorexia were the most frequently recorded noncardiovascular causes of death. Incidence rates/risk of noncardiac death increased with age in AH and pHCM. All‐cause death proportions were greater in pHCM than AH (65% versus 40%, respectively; P &lt; .001) because of higher cardiovascular mortality in pHCM cats. Comparing AH with pHCM, median survival (study entry to noncardiovascular death) did not differ (AH, 9.8 years; pHCM, 8.6 years; P = .10), but all‐cause survival was significantly shorter in pHCM (P = .0001). Conclusions and Clinical Importance All‐cause mortality was significantly greater in pHCM cats due to disease burden contributed by increased cardiovascular death superimposed upon noncardiovascular death

Pushing into crisis and putting in order circuits of social housing funding in France and Italy : social conceptions from 1947 to 2018

La thèse retrace l’histoire de deux organismes de logement social, l’un français, l’autre italien, depuis l’après deuxième guerre mondiale. Prenant appui sur les deux études de cas, ce travail cherche à remonter le fil des transformations des circuits de financement du logement social et des conceptions du social qui traversent les politiques publiques du logement françaises et italiennes. Le récit historique met au premier plan l’analyse des flux d’argent qui circulent au sein des organismes. Inspirée par les travaux de Zelizer, la thèse part du principe selon lequel l’argent n’est pas neutre mais est « marqué » par les acteurs entre lesquels ils circulent. Ses modalités de collecte, de distribution et d’usage reflètent des relations sociales, opèrent des distinctions, incarnent les représentations et valeurs des acteurs, matérialisent des rapports de domination. En suivant l’argent du logement social, nous proposons de construire une histoire qui explique les transformations des organismes au travers (1) des changements des flux d’argent qu’ils reçoivent - subventions à la construction, loyers, prêts, marchés financiers, aide à la personne, etc.- (2) des activités qui sont permises par cet argent - construction, vente, rénovation, gestion locative - et (3) des justifications qui les accompagnent - loger des ouvriers, résorber le chômage, soutenir le secteur immobilier, aménager la ville, etc. Nous illustrons comment se fabrique la « mise en crise » de circuits de financement. Les flux d’argent, activités et justifications peuvent faire l’objet d’intenses critiques qui entrainent la réduction voire la suppression du financement. En parallèle, de nouveaux flux peuvent prendre forme, se combiner et rendre possible une « remise en ordre » par la fabrication d’un nouveau circuit de financement. Il s’agit donc de refaire l’histoire des transformations des politiques du logement social par le bas sur le long terme. Enfin, nous montrons comment les circuits de financement des deux organismes s’inscrivent dans des conceptions du social. La comparaison diachronique des circuits a permis d’identifier au cours de l’enquête quatre conceptions du social successives – les conceptions du social insérée, dissociée, autofinancée et valorisée - qui façonnent de façon similaire les politiques du logement social dans deux contextes institutionnels pourtant contrastés.L’enquête s’appuie sur une immersion de quatre mois au sein de chaque organisme sous forme de stage. L’observation participante a facilité la collecte des rapports de gestion et des comptes économiques, fondamentaux à l’étude des flux de financement, complétée par la consultation des archives des administrations publiques en relation avec les deux organismes et l’étude de littérature grise publiée par les acteurs du logement social (n=253). En outre, une campagne d’entretiens auprès de dirigeants et employés des deux bailleurs étudiés a été réalisée, ainsi qu’auprès d’acteurs publics, d’associations représentantes des organismes et d’autres bailleurs sociaux (n=79).This thesis traces the history of two social housing association in France and Italy since the post-war period. Drawing on the two case studies this research examines the transformation in the financial circuits of social housing and the conceptions of the social that underlie French and Italian public housing policies. The historical narrative brings the analysis of flows of money within organizations to the forefront. Inspired by the research of Zelizer, this thesis is based on the hypothesis that money is not neutral but « earmarked » by the actors. Different modes of collection, distribution and use of money reflect social relations, produce distinctions, embody the representations and the moral values of the actors, and materialize relations of domination. Following the money of social housing policies, this thesis constructs the history of the two organisms by identifying changes in the money flows. I analyze (1) changes in the money flow, from subsidies for housing construction, rents, loans, financial markets, or tenants allowances, to (2) the activities that the money flows make possible such as construction, sale, renovation, rental management, and (3) how actors justify these changes, for instance by the housing of workers, reducing unemployment, boosting the real estate sector or urban planning, etc. This thesis shows how a particular circuit of social housing funding is « pushed into crisis ». The money flow and their justifications can be the subject of intense criticism, leading to the reduction or even elimination of funding. At the same time, new flows can take shape and make it possible to « put in order », to build, a new circuit of social housing funding. Therefore, this doctoral thesis contributes to an history of social housing policies, studied from the bottom up and over the long term. Finally, I show how the funding circuits of the two organizations rely on different conceptions of the social. The diachronic comparison of funding circuits reveals four successive conceptions of the social, the inserted, the dissociated, self-financed and the valued. In consecutive periods, they shape similarly the social housing policies in two contrasting institutional contexts. The study is based on a four-month immersion in both organizations in the form of an internship. Participatory observation also allowed for the collection of business reports and financial accounts, which are fundamental to the study of financial flows. The analysis of internal documents has been supplemented by researching the links of the two organizations in the archives of public administrations and the analysis of grey literature published by social housing stakeholders (n=253). In addition, I conducted interviews with managers and employees of the two social housing organisms, as well as with public actors, associations representing social housing associations and other social housing associations (n=79

Lucie Bonnet, Métamorphoses du logement social. Habitat et citoyenneté

Tiré d’une thèse de doctorat, cet ouvrage retrace l’évolution des conceptions du logement en France. D’après les institutions publiques, que doit-on assurer aux personnes logées pour qu’elles puissent se sentir reconnues en tant que citoyennes ? Quel type de rapport à l’habitat est valorisé ? Pour répondre à ces questions, Lucie Bonnet étudie dans une première partie de l’ouvrage l’évolution des « qualifications » du logement par les politiques publiques depuis le XIXe siècle. Elle observe en..

The suburban commons

In European suburban areas, shopping centres are the main attractor, socially and commercially. Overcoming the scale of small town centres and providing a common regional place, these world interiors of capital are building a new territorial identity.Nevertheless, today online shopping is denaturating shopping centres, turning them into entertaining centres.The project deals with very different scales to envision a future scenario for the Western European dispersed city and to frame to future the role of the mall for these territories. The suburban commons proposes a mediation between the public, the private and the collective to imagine a new regional centre that breaks the sole commercial function and provides a place to gather, a space of appearance, linked to its territory. It imagines a sustainable, convivial scenario that rethinks the shopping centre and prepares the territory for a possible post-mall phase.Architecture, Urbanism and Building Sciences | Explorela

Un fragmento de microhistoria regional

La producción que compartimos es una breve síntesis que recrea una de las actividades realizadas por el equipo del Programa de Extensión "Tendiendo puentes", ejecutado desde la Facultad de Periodismo y Comunicación Social y la Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educación de la UNLP. En esa oportunidad, nuestra propuesta fue la de intercambiar con la comunidad de Monte Caseros, provincia de Corrientes, la experiencia adquirida por los jóvenes en su trabajo de reconstrucción de la historia local. Al mismo tiempo, la idea fue mostrar el resultado del proceso de producción al que lograron arribar los adolescentes a partir de la recuperación y elaboración de fuentes orales y visuales disponibles en su propia localidad.Sección: Producciones multimediaPara acceder a la producción multimedia, hacer clic en el segundo "Enlace externo".Facultad de Periodismo y Comunicación Socia

Un fragmento de microhistoria regional

La producción que compartimos es una breve síntesis que recrea una de las actividades realizadas por el equipo del Programa de Extensión "Tendiendo puentes", ejecutado desde la Facultad de Periodismo y Comunicación Social y la Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educación de la UNLP. En esa oportunidad, nuestra propuesta fue la de intercambiar con la comunidad de Monte Caseros, provincia de Corrientes, la experiencia adquirida por los jóvenes en su trabajo de reconstrucción de la historia local. Al mismo tiempo, la idea fue mostrar el resultado del proceso de producción al que lograron arribar los adolescentes a partir de la recuperación y elaboración de fuentes orales y visuales disponibles en su propia localidad.Sección: Producciones multimediaFacultad de Periodismo y Comunicación Socia

Effects of Liraglutide on Weight Loss, Fat Distribution, and β-Cell Function in Obese Subjects With Prediabetes or Early Type 2 Diabetes

OBJECTIVE: Obesity is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular complications. The risk depends significantly on adipose tissue distribution. Liraglutide, a glucagon-like peptide 1 analog, is associated with weight loss, improved glycemic control, and reduced cardiovascular risk. We determined whether an equal degree of weight loss by liraglutide or lifestyle changes has a different impact on subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) in obese subjects with prediabetes or early type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Sixty-two metformin-treated obese subjects with prediabetes or newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes, were randomized to liraglutide (1.8 mg/d) or lifestyle counseling. Changes in SAT and VAT levels (determined by abdominal MRI), insulin sensitivity (according to the Matsuda Index), and β-cell function (β-index) were assessed during a multiple-sampling oral glucose tolerance test; and circulating levels of IGF-I and IGF-II were assessed before and after a comparable weight loss (7% of initial body weight). RESULTS: After comparable weight loss, achieved by 20 patients per arm, and superimposable glycemic control, as reflected by HbA1c level (P = 0.60), reduction in VAT was significantly higher in the liraglutide arm than in the lifestyle arm (P = 0.028), in parallel with a greater improvement in β-index (P = 0.021). No differences were observed in SAT reduction (P = 0.64). IGF-II serum levels were significantly increased (P = 0.024) only with liraglutide administration, and the increase in IGF-II levels correlated with both a decrease in VAT (ρ=-0.435, P = 0.056) and an increase in the β-index (ρ = 0.55, P = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS: Liraglutide effects on visceral obesity and β-cell function might provide a rationale for using this molecule in obese subjects in an early phase of glucose metabolism dysregulation natural history