Frontal Non-Invasive Neurostimulation Modulates Antisaccade Preparation in Non-Human Primates

A combination of oculometric measurements, invasive electrophysiological recordings and microstimulation have proven instrumental to study the role of the Frontal Eye Field (FEF) in saccadic activity. We hereby gauged the ability of a non-invasive neurostimulation technology, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), to causally interfere with frontal activity in two macaque rhesus monkeys trained to perform a saccadic antisaccade task. We show that online single pulse TMS significantly modulated antisaccade latencies. Such effects proved dependent on TMS site (effects on FEF but not on an actively stimulated control site), TMS modality (present under active but not sham TMS on the FEF area), TMS intensity (intensities of at least 40% of the TMS machine maximal output required), TMS timing (more robust for pulses delivered at 150 ms than at 100 post target onset) and visual hemifield (relative latency decreases mainly for ipsilateral AS). Our results demonstrate the feasibility of using TMS to causally modulate antisaccade-associated computations in the non-human primate brain and support the use of this approach in monkeys to study brain function and its non-invasive neuromodulation for exploratory and therapeutic purposes

The European Space Agency BIOMASS mission: Measuring forest above-ground biomass from space

The primary objective of the European Space Agency's 7th Earth Explorer mission, BIOMASS, is to determine the worldwide distribution of forest above-ground biomass (AGB) in order to reduce the major uncertainties in calculations of carbon stocks and fluxes associated with the terrestrial biosphere, including carbon fluxes associated with Land Use Change, forest degradation and forest regrowth. To meet this objective it will carry, for the first time in space, a fully polarimetric P-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR). Three main products will be provided: global maps of both AGB and forest height, with a spatial resolution of 200 m, and maps of severe forest disturbance at 50 m resolution (where “global” is to be understood as subject to Space Object tracking radar restrictions). After launch in 2022, there will be a 3-month commissioning phase, followed by a 14-month phase during which there will be global coverage by SAR tomography. In the succeeding interferometric phase, global polarimetric interferometry Pol-InSAR coverage will be achieved every 7 months up to the end of the 5-year mission. Both Pol-InSAR and TomoSAR will be used to eliminate scattering from the ground (both direct and double bounce backscatter) in forests. In dense tropical forests AGB can then be estimated from the remaining volume scattering using non-linear inversion of a backscattering model. Airborne campaigns in the tropics also indicate that AGB is highly correlated with the backscatter from around 30 m above the ground, as measured by tomography. In contrast, double bounce scattering appears to carry important information about the AGB of boreal forests, so ground cancellation may not be appropriate and the best approach for such forests remains to be finalized. Several methods to exploit these new data in carbon cycle calculations have already been demonstrated. In addition, major mutual gains will be made by combining BIOMASS data with data from other missions that will measure forest biomass, structure, height and change, including the NASA Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation lidar deployed on the International Space Station after its launch in December 2018, and the NASA-ISRO NISAR L- and S-band SAR, due for launch in 2022. More generally, space-based measurements of biomass are a core component of a carbon cycle observation and modelling strategy developed by the Group on Earth Observations. Secondary objectives of the mission include imaging of sub-surface geological structures in arid environments, generation of a true Digital Terrain Model without biases caused by forest cover, and measurement of glacier and icesheet velocities. In addition, the operations needed for ionospheric correction of the data will allow very sensitive estimates of ionospheric Total Electron Content and its changes along the dawn-dusk orbit of the mission

Success And Failures Of SWFS On The Macroeconomic Performance, Time-Varying Objectives And First Liquidations Of Sovereign Wealth Funds

There are now more than 100 Sovereign Wealth Funds around the world and some exist for more than 50 years. Currently, they face headwinds due to the end of the commodity supercycle and to gradual reduction of the global imbalances. We review what remains from their original definitions and discuss the SWFs’ alternative institutional design for reaching their objectives (saving, stabilization and development). We find that SWFs are more heterogenous than ever. We then review the available literature on the assessment of their effectiveness in stabilizing the economy, economic development and long-term savings. We find that this is a severely understudied area. By extension, not all SWF have had a successful track-record and the world has moved into a period with regular SWF liquidations, which may be a new area research

Severity and disease control before house dust mite immunotherapy initiation: ANTARES a French observational survey

International audienceBackgroundAllergen immunotherapy (AIT) may be prescribed for patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) induced by house dust mites (HDM) whether asthma is present or not. Current guidelines provide insufficient support for therapeutic management strategy of these patients. Allergists however have long-term experience with AIT. This study aims to describe the characteristics of the patients seen in clinical practice with HDM allergy and the process used to determine whether AIT should be initiated.MethodsThis was an observational, multicenter, prospective and cross-sectional study, conducted in France from 2013 to 2014 with a representative sample of allergy specialists. Any patient over 5 years of age with confirmed HDM allergy untreated with AIT within the last 12 months was eligible. Data were prospectively collected using physician and patient questionnaires.ResultsA total of 1589 patients (60 % adults, 40 % children) were included by 195 randomly selected allergists. A subgroup of 1212 patients (median age: 22 years; 52 % women) were selected for AIT treatment with a median time of AR diagnosis of 3 years. Amongst these, 59 % had a moderate to severe persistent AR according to AR and its Impact on Asthma guidelines, 57.5 % were polysensitized, and 56.5 % also suffered from conjunctivitis (median rhinitis total symptom score: 11). Asthma was present in 42 % of patients, and was controlled according to Global Initiative for Asthma guidelines in 62 % of patients. The asthma control questionnaire score was 1–1.5 in 20 % and ≥1.5 in 37 % of patients. A total of 57 % patients received a prescription of ≥2 medications (mainly antihistamines). Usual daily activities and sleep quality were slightly-to-moderately impaired as the mean rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life questionnaire score was 2.7 ± 1.5. The major driver of AIT prescription is AR uncontrolled by previous medications leading to patient dissatisfaction.ConclusionsHDM-AR associated conjunctivitis was present in 60 % and asthma in 40 % of cases. In >40 % of these cases, asthma was inadequately controlled at the start of AIT

Trace elements, dioxins and PCBs in different fish species and marine regions: Importance of the taxon and regional features

International audienceChemical contaminant concentrations in wild organisms are used to assess environmental status under the Eu-ropean Marine Strategy Framework Directive. However, this approach is challenged by the complex intra- andinter-species variability, and the different regional features. In this study, concentrations in trace elements (As,Cd, Hg and Pb), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorodibenzo-para-dioxines (PCDDs) and poly-chlorodibenzofuranes (PCDFs) were monitored in 8 fish species sampled on the continental shelf of three Frenchregions: the Eastern English Channel (EEC) and Bay of Biscay (BoB) in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean, and the Gulfof Lions (GoL) in Western Mediterranean Sea. Our objectives were to identify species or regions more likely to becontaminated and to assess how to take this variability into account in environmental assessment. While con-centrations were higher in benthic and demersal piscivores, PCB and PCDD/F concentrations (lipid-weight) weresimilar in most teleost species. For Cd, Hg and Pb, the trophic group accumulating the highest concentrationsdepended on the contaminant and region. Concentrations in Hg, PCBs and PCDD/Fs were higher in the EEC and/or GoL than in BoB. Cadmium and Pb concentrations were highest in the BoB. Lipid content accounted for 35%–84% of organic contaminant variability. Lipid normalisation was employed to enhance robustness in the iden-tification of spatial patterns. Contaminant patterns in chondrichthyans clearly differed from that in teleosts. Inaddition, trophic levels accounted for ≤1% and ≤33% of the contaminant variability in teleost fishes in the EECand BoB, respectively. Therefore, developing taxa-specific thresholds might be a more practical way forward forenvironmental assessment than normalisation to trophic level

Fish contamination and trophodynamics in three French subregions

International audienc

20 ans de suivi de la contamination chimique des eaux côtières méditerranéennes. Résultats & perspectives

Ce rapport fait le bilan de la surveillance de la contamination chimique opérée par l’Ifremer, en partenariat avec l’agence de l’eau Rhône Méditerranée Corse, entre 1998 et 2018. Il présente sur la forme de graphiques et de cartes les principaux résultats obtenus durant cette période ainsi que l’évolution des méthodes et des stratégies de surveillance des eaux côtières de Méditerranée

Bilan des essais et optimisation du suivi mutualisé « réseaux trophiques et contaminants » sur les campagnes halieutiques DCF 2014- 2015

Ce document s’adresse à un public large, familier ou non avec les problématiques couvertes par la Directive Cadre “Stratégie pour le Milieu Marin” (DCSMM). Ce public inclut donc le personnel intervenant sur la mise en oeuvre de la DCSMM, les scientifiques, et toute personne concernée par la surveillance de l’état de santé du milieu marin. L’objectif du document est de valoriser les travaux menés lors des essais du Programme de Surveillance de la DCSMM. Ces essais ont consisté à tester des protocoles visant à utiliser les campagnes océanographiques bentho-démersales et pélagiques existantes pour collecter les données indispensables à la construction et au renseignement d’indicateurs du Bon État Écologique. Cette collecte de données implique la participation de plusieurs laboratoires de recherche pour la prise en charge du traitement et de l’analyse des échantillons. Cette participation n’aurait pas été possible sans la prise en compte dans la conception même du programme de surveillance de la plus-value importante qu’apportent ces données à la recherche fondamentale, socle indispensable à la mise en place de programme de surveillance pertinent. Les données ainsi récoltées sur les réseaux trophiques et sur les concentrations en contaminants dans les organismes serviront à la fois des objectifs de surveillance et d’acquisition de connaissance sur le fonctionnement des écosystèmes marins. Ce document traitera donc aussi bien des objectifs opérationnels pour la mise en oeuvre de la DCSMM (avec la proposition d’un suivi optimisé et le renseignement d’indicateurs DCSMM actuels) que des apports pour la connaissance. Pour faciliter la lecture, des encadrés synthétiques en début de chapitres résument leur contenu et les points essentiels

Considerations for a combined index for limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis to support drug development and improve outcomes

International audienceSystemic sclerosis (SSc; systemic scleroderma) is characterized by a heterogeneous range of clinical manifestations. SSc is classified into limited cutaneous SSc (lcSSc) and diffuse cutaneous subgroups (dcSSc) based on the extent of skin involvement. Randomized controlled trials in scleroderma have mainly focused on dcSSc partly because the measurement of skin involvement, critical for evaluating a therapeutic intervention is more dynamic in this subset. Nonetheless, lcSSc, the most common cutaneous subset (about 2/3), is also associated with significant morbidity and detrimental impact on health-related quality of life. The lack of interventional studies in lcSSc is partly due to a lack of relevant outcome measures to evaluate this subgroup. Combining several clinically meaningful outcomes selected specifically for lcSSc may improve representativeness in clinical trials and responsiveness of outcomes measured in randomized controlled trials. A composite index dedicated to lcSSc combining such relevant outcomes could advance clinical trial development for lcSSc by providing the opportunity to test and select among candidate drugs that could act as disease-modifying treatments for this neglected subgroup of SSc. This proposed index would include items selected by expert physicians and patients with lcSSc across domains grounded in the lived experience of lcSSc. This article reviews the reasons behind the relative neglect of lcSSc, discusses the current state of outcome measures for lcSSc, identifies challenges, and proposes a roadmap for a combined lcSSc-specific treatment response index