Synthesizers : the assimilation of the monsters of film music = Synthétiseurs : l’assimilation des monstres de la musique de film

Le regard de la société sur les avancées technologiques a été la cible de multiples remises en question. Des premiers synthétiseurs aux allures monstrueuses et presque grotesques aux instruments virtuels, les compositeurs de musique de film ont souvent port. un regard curieux sur cet instrument énigmatique, aussi singulier que versatile. Un synthétiseur est un appareil musical électronique ou un logiciel utilisé pour générer et combiner des signaux audio par des processus analogiques ou numériques . (traduit de Devine, 2013). Par un processus d’expérimentation, certains compositeurs ont relevé le défi musical d’utiliser le synthétiseur dans la musique de film. Avec le temps, ils ont trouvé en lui un outil irremplaçable.Society's view of technological advances has been the target of many questionings. From the first monstrous and almost grotesque looking synthesizers to virtual instruments, composers of film music have often taken a curious look at this enigmatic instrument, as singular as it is versatile. A synthesizer is an "electronic musical device or software used to generate and combine audio signals through analog or digital processes" (translated from Devine, 2013). Through a process of experimentation, some composers have taken on the musical challenge of using the synthesizer in film music. Over time, they have found in it an irreplaceable tool

COVID-19 symptoms at hospital admission vary with age and sex: results from the ISARIC prospective multinational observational study

Background: The ISARIC prospective multinational observational study is the largest cohort of hospitalized patients with COVID-19. We present relationships of age, sex, and nationality to presenting symptoms. Methods: International, prospective observational study of 60 109 hospitalized symptomatic patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 recruited from 43 countries between 30 January and 3 August 2020. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate relationships of age and sex to published COVID-19 case definitions and the most commonly reported symptoms. Results: ‘Typical’ symptoms of fever (69%), cough (68%) and shortness of breath (66%) were the most commonly reported. 92% of patients experienced at least one of these. Prevalence of typical symptoms was greatest in 30- to 60-year-olds (respectively 80, 79, 69%; at least one 95%). They were reported less frequently in children (≤ 18 years: 69, 48, 23; 85%), older adults (≥ 70 years: 61, 62, 65; 90%), and women (66, 66, 64; 90%; vs. men 71, 70, 67; 93%, each P < 0.001). The most common atypical presentations under 60 years of age were nausea and vomiting and abdominal pain, and over 60 years was confusion. Regression models showed significant differences in symptoms with sex, age and country. Interpretation: This international collaboration has allowed us to report reliable symptom data from the largest cohort of patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19. Adults over 60 and children admitted to hospital with COVID-19 are less likely to present with typical symptoms. Nausea and vomiting are common atypical presentations under 30 years. Confusion is a frequent atypical presentation of COVID-19 in adults over 60 years. Women are less likely to experience typical symptoms than men

Regulation of Energy Balance during Long-Term Physical Inactivity Induced by Bed Rest with and without Exercise Training.

International audienceBackground: Short-term physical inactivity affects energy balance and is considered conducive to weigh gain. Long-term effects are unknown. Objective: The objective of the study was to use a bed-rest model to determine the long-term effects of physical inactivity on energy balance regulation and test the effect of exercise training on energy balance adjustment to physical inactivity. Design: Sixteen lean women were divided into two groups (n = 8 each): a control group subjected to a strict 60-d bed rest and an exercise group subjected to a combined aerobic/resistive exercise training concomitantly to bed rest. Body composition, spontaneous energy intake, hunger, total energy expenditure (TEE), and fasting gut hormones were measured. Results: Based on bed-rest-induced body composition changes, the control group were in slight negative energy balance (-0.4 +/- 0.4 MJ/d; P = 0.01 vs. zero), essentially due to muscle atrophy (P < 0.001 vs. zero). The stable fat mass (P = 0.19 vs. zero), and the matching between spontaneous energy intake and TEE indicated, however, a stable energy balance. Hunger and gut hormones remained unchanged during the bed rest. In the exercise group, TEE was 24% higher than in the control group (P = 0.004). Unexpectedly, desire to consume food (P = 0.025) decreased and spontaneous energy intake (P = NS) was not stimulated, promoting a negative energy balance (-1.1 +/- 0.5 MJ/d, P = 0.0003 vs. zero). Conclusions: Energy balance is regulated during 2 months of physical inactivity, contrasting with short-term experiments. Conversely, exercise-induced energy expenditure in bed-resting subjects who have no spontaneous physical activity did not induce hunger and promoted a negative energy balance, suggesting a potential role of nonexercise physical activities in energy balance regulation

Aza-BODIPY Platform: Toward an Efficient Water-Soluble Bimodal Imaging Probe for MRI and Near-Infrared Fluorescence

International audienceIn this study, an original aza-BODIPY system comprising two Gd3+ complexes has been designed and synthesized for magnetic resonance imaging/optical imaging applications, by functionalization of the boron center. This strategy enabled the obtainment of a positively charged bimodal probe, which displays an increased water solubility, optimized photophysical properties in the near-infrared region, and very promising relaxometric properties. The absorption and emission wavelengths are 705 and 741 nm, respectively, with a quantum yield of around 10% in aqueous media. Moreover, the system does not produce singlet oxygen upon excitation, which would be toxic for tissues. The relaxivity obtained is high at intermediate fields (16.1 mM-1 s-1 at 20 MHz and 310 K) and competes with that of bigger or more rigid systems. A full relaxometric and 17O NMR study and fitting of the data using the Lipari-Szabo approach showed that this high relaxivity can be explained by the size of the system and the presence of some small aggregates. These optimized photophysical and relaxometric properties highlight the potential use of such systems for future bimodal imaging studies

Aza-BODIPY Platform: Towards an Efficient Water-Soluble Bimodal Imaging Probe for MRI and Near-Infrared Fluorescence

In this study, an original aza-BODIPY system comprising two Gd3+ complexes has been designed and synthesized for magnetic resonance imaging/optical imaging application, by functionalization of the boron center. This strategy enabled to obtain a positively-charged bimodal probe, which displays an increased water-solubility, optimized photophysical properties in the near-infrared region, and very promising relaxometric properties. The absorption and emission wavelengths are 705 and 741 nm respectively, with a quantum yield of around 10 % in aqueous media. Moreover, the system does not produce singlet oxygen upon excitation, which would be toxic for tissues. The relaxivity obtained is high at intermediate fields (16.1 mM-1.s-1 at 20 MHz and 310 K) and competes with that of bigger or more rigid systems. A full relaxometric and 17O NMR study and fitting of the data using the Lipari-Szabo approach showed that this high relaxivity can be explained by the size of the system and the presence of some small aggregates. These optimized photophysical and relaxometric properties highlight the potential use of such systems for future bimodal imaging studies.</p

Near-infrared emitting fluorescent homobimetallic gold(I) complexes displaying promising in vitro and in vivo therapeutic properties

International audienceBoron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) has the potential to specifically destroy tumor cells without damaging the tissues infiltrated by the tumor. BNCT is a binary treatment method based on the combination of two agents that have no effect when applied individually: 10B and thermal neutrons. Exclusively, the combination of both produces an effect, whose extent depends on the amount of 10B in the tumor but also on the organs at risk. It is not yet possible to determine the 10B concentration in a specific tissue using non-invasive methods. At present, it is only possible to measure the 10B concentration in blood and to estimate the boron concentration in tissues based on the assumption that there is a fixed uptake of 10B from the blood into tissues. On this imprecise assumption, BNCT can hardly be developed further. A therapeutic approach, combining the boron carrier for therapeutic purposes with an imaging tool, might allow us to determine the 10B concentration in a specific tissue using a non-invasive method. This review provides an overview of the current clinical protocols and preclinical experiments and results on how innovative drug development for boron delivery systems can also incorporate concurrent imaging. The last section focuses on the importance of proteomics for further optimization of BNCT, a highly precise and personalized therapeutic approach

Development of an Easily Bioconjugatable Water-Soluble Single-Photon Emission-Computed Tomography/Optical Imaging Bimodal Imaging Probe Based on the aza-BODIPY Fluorophore.

peer reviewedA water-soluble fluorescent aza-BODIPY platform (Wazaby) was prepared and functionalized by a polyazamacrocycle agent and a bioconjugable arm. The resulting fluorescent derivative was characterized and bioconjugated onto a trastuzumab monoclonal antibody as a vector. After bioconjugation, the imaging agent appeared to be stable in serum (>72 h at 37 °C) and specifically labeled HER-2-positive breast tumors slices. The bioconjugate was radiolabeled with [(111)In] indium and studied in vivo. The developed monomolecular multimodal imaging probe (MOMIP) is water-soluble and chemically and photochemically stable, emits in the near infrared (NIR) region (734 nm in aqueous media), and displays a good quantum yield of fluorescence (around 15%). Single-photon emission-computed tomography and fluorescence imaging have been performed in nude mice bearing HER2-overexpressing HCC1954 human breast cancer xenografts and have evidenced the good tumor targeting of the [(111)In] In bimodal agent. Finally, the proof of concept of using it as a new tool for fluorescence-guided surgery has been shown

L'entreprise en restructuration

Cet ouvrage explore les dynamiques institutionnelles et les mobilisations à l’œuvre dans les restructurations d’entreprise. Celles-ci apparaissent, actuellement, comme des processus diffus, récurrents et complexes de réorganisation affectant l’entreprise dans sa recherche de flexibilité et d’avantages compétitifs. Dans un contexte de crise, elles prennent un relief particulier en raison de leur ampleur, de l’intensité des conflits auxquels elles donnent lieu et de leurs conséquences sociales notamment en termes d’emplois. Loin de s’imposer comme des adaptations inéluctables à une évolution économique qui leur échapperait, les restructurations se caractérisent par de nombreuses initiatives des acteurs concernés, tant les directions d’entreprise, que les salariés et leurs représentants. Prenant appui sur tout un ensemble d’équipements institutionnels et des mobilisations collectives, un débat argumenté et contradictoire s’instaure entre les différentes parties prenantes. Il ne se réduit pas aux reclassements des salariés et à la compensation financière des pertes d’emploi. Il porte également sur la formulation même des problèmes à résoudre et peut parfois conduire à la construction concertée de stratégies économiques alternatives permettant de préserver les emplois. L’ouvrage envisage les restructurations au croisement des pratiques managériales et de l’intervention des salariés et de leurs représentants dans l’entreprise. Il explore des dynamiques institutionnelles à partir de l’analyse des dispositifs juridiques européens et nationaux et d’enquêtes de terrain dans les entreprises, en adoptant une perspective transnationale et pluridisciplinaire liant histoire, économie, droit et sociologie. Cet ouvrage se compose des contributions présentées lors d’un colloque réunissant des acteurs parties prenantes des restructurations et des chercheurs. Il propose un nouveau regard sur une question sociale brûlante