Impact du Percussionaire® et de la kinésithérapie respiratoire conventionnelle après chirurgie cardiaque : étude randomisée contrôlée

peer reviewedaudience: researcher, professional, studen

Immunologic and Molecular Characteristics of Encephalitozoon-Like Microsporidia Isolated from Humans and Rabbits Indicate That Encephalitozoon cuniculi Is a Zoonotic Parasite

To assess the zoonotic potential of Encephalitozoon-like microsporidia, we isolated and cultivated spores from specimens of urine, respiratory secretions, and stool from six patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus and from nine rabbits. Because spores of Encephalitozoon-like species are indistinguishable by microscopy, we characterized the isolates by western blot analysis and by restriction enzyme analysis of the small subunit (SSU) rDNA after amplification by the polymerase chain reaction. We identified Septata intestinalis in one patient and Encephalitozoon hellem in two symptomatic patients. Encephalitozoon cuniculi was found in all rabbits and in three patients. One of these patients had clinical manifestations of infection with this parasite (severe interstitial pneumonitis). We observed abatement of symptoms and cessation of parasite excretion when these patients were treated with albendazole. Our findings suggest that E. cuniculi may be pathogenic in humans and that it is a zoonotic parasit

Theatrical dialogue in teaching the classics

This article addresses some fundamental affinities between theatre and teaching and is based on emerging work in a long-term experiment which we began in the conference ‘Weber/Simmel Antagonisms: Staged Dialogues’, held at the University of Edinburgh on December 2015. Aimed at exploring the possibilities of the theatrical and dialogical forms for teaching the classics of social and cultural theory, it is a risky experiment whose initial results are presented in this special issue. In order to introduce the dialogues and situate them in the context of the broader project, the article does three things: first, it expounds the process of subjectivation at work in both theatre and teaching and explores some of the modalities of the subjective shift sought for in spectators and students. Second, it explains the specificity of this experiment by contrasting it with other uses of theatrical dialogue in teaching. Finally, before briefly introducing each of the dialogues, the article clarifies the fundamental difference between the dialogical form and debate, as radically separating them is at the heart of any experiment in subjectivation, away from the stirring of opinions

Solution NMR structure of the SH3 domain of human nephrocystin and analysis of a mutation-causing juvenile nephronophthisis.

Human nephrocystin is a protein associated with juvenile NPH, an autosomal recessive, inherited kidney disease responsible for chronic renal failure in children. It contains an SH3 domain involved in signaling pathways controlling cell adhesion and cytoskeleton organization. The solution structure of this domain was solved by triple resonance NMR spectroscopy. Within the core, the structure is similar to those previously reported for other SH3 domains but exhibits a number of specific noncanonical features within the polyproline ligand binding site. Some of the key conserved residues are missing, and the N-Src loop exhibits an unusual twisted geometry, which results in a narrowing of the binding groove. This is induced by the replacement of a conserved Asp, Asn, or Glu residue by a Pro at one side of the N-Src loop. A systematic survey of other SH3 domains also containing a Pro at this position reveals that most of them belong to proteins involved in cell adhesion or motility. A variant of this domain, which carries a point mutation causing NPH, was also analyzed. This change, L180P, although it corresponds to a nonconserved and solvent-exposed position, causes a complete loss of the tertiary structure. Similar effects are also observed with the L180A variant. This could be a context-dependent effect resulting from an interaction between neighboring charged side-chains

ELECTRONIC SPECTRA OF PERI-HEXABENZOCORONENE AND OVALENE ISOLATED IN SOLID PARA-HYDROGEN

Diffuse interstellar bands (DIB), narrow absorption features observed from the near IR to the UV, have drawn a lot of interest since their first discovery in 1922. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and their cationic, protonated and hydrogenated derivatives are considered particularly promising candidates for the DIB carriers, but laboratory spectra of these unstable species suitable for comparison to astronomical observations are scarce. para-Hydrogen (para-H₂) matrix isolation spectroscopy has frequently been employed to record the IR spectra of PAH derivatives. The obtained spectra exhibit only small shifts in line positions due to small interactions with the matrix host, in line with the ‘softness’ of the quantum solid para-H₂. However, electronic spectra of PAH isolated in solid para-H₂ have rarely been reported. Ovalene (C₃₂H₁₄) and peri-hexabenzocoronene (HBC, C₄₂H₁₈) have both been discussed as potential DIB carriers and, therefore, their electronic absorption spectra have been studied in the gas-phase and in rare gas matrices. To assess the properties of para-H₂ as a matrix host for electronic spectroscopy, we present the fluorescence excitation and dispersed fluorescence spectra of these two large PAH isolated in solid para-H₂. We located the 0⁰ bands of the S₁–S₀ transitions at 21049 cm−¹and about 22075 cm−¹for ovalene and HBC, respectively. The recorded excitation spectra in general show a good agreement with previously reported absorption spectra indicating a matrix shift below 100 cm−¹due to the para-H₂ matrix host, consistent with our earlier experiments on several smaller PAH. We complemented our experimental work with Franck-Condon Herzberg-Teller simulations on the basis of optimized geometries and vibrational frequencies obtained from (TD-)DFT calculations to derive a first assignment of individual vibrational modes to the observed absorption and emission bands associated with the electronic S₀–S₁ transition. For ovalene, we find that a consideration of the closely lying S₂ state is required to reproduce the complexity of the experimental excitation spectrum by the simulation

High prevalence of PRPH2 in autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa in France and characterization of biochemical and clinical features.

International audiencePURPOSE:To assess the prevalence of PRPH2 in autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (adRP), to report six novel mutations, to characterize the biochemical features of a recurrent novel mutation and to study the clinical features of adRP patients.DESIGN:Retrospective clinical and molecular genetic study.METHODS:Clinical investigations included visual field testing, fundus examination, high-resolution spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT), fundus autofluorescence imaging and electroretinogram (ERG) recording. PRPH2 was screened by Sanger sequencing in a cohort of 310 French families with adRP. Peripherin-2 protein was produced in yeast and analyzed by Western blot.RESULTS:We identified 15 mutations, including 6 novel and 9 previously reported changes in 32 families, accounting for a prevalence of 10.3% in this adRP population. We showed that a new recurrent p.Leu254Gln mutation leads to protein aggregation, suggesting abnormal folding. The clinical severity of the disease in examined patients was moderate with 78% of the eyes having 1 to 0.5 of visual acuity and 52% of the eyes retaining more than 50% of the visual field. Some patients characteristically showed vitelliform deposits or macular involvement. In some families, pericentral RP or macular dystrophy were found in family members while widespread RP was present in other members of the same families.CONCLUSIONS:The mutations in PRPH2 account for 10.3% of adRP in the French population, which is higher than previously reported (0-8%) This makes PRPH2 the second most frequent adRP gene after RHO in our series. PRPH2 mutations cause highly variable phenotypes and moderate forms of adRP, including mild cases which could be underdiagnosed