Human chorionic gonadotropin and growth factors at the embryonic-endometrial interface control leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) secretion by human endometrial epithelium

peer reviewedBACKGROUND: The elucidation of the molecular mechanisms by which the embryo contributes to its implantation is an area of extensive research. The main objective of this study was to investigate the pattern of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) secretion by human endometrial epithelium, and their regulation by human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and other growth factors present at the embryonic-endometrial interface. METHODS: Endometrial epithelial cells (EEC) were isolated from biopsies collected at both proliferative and secretory phases of fertile women. RESULTS: HCG (1-50 IU/ml) increased LIF secretion by EEC cultures derived from follicular phase (up to 285+/-75%) or from secretory phase (up to 212+/-16%). In contrast, hCG reduced IL-6 secretion by EEC in both phases. The hCG/LH receptor gene was transcribed by EEC as evidenced by RT-PCR. Insulin-like growth factors 1 and 2 increased LIF secretion by EEC. Transforming growth factor beta1 stimulated LIF and reduced IL-6 secretion. CONCLUSIONS: Through hCG, the blastocyst may be involved in the control of its implantation (via an increase of proimplantatory LIF) and tolerance (via an inhibition of proinflammatory IL-6). Other growth factors present at the embryonic-endometrial interface are also involved in the control of LIF and IL-6 endometrial secretion

Clinicians' adherence versus non adherence to practice guidelines in the management of patients with sarcoma: a cost-effectiveness assessment in two European regions

International audienceABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Although the management of sarcoma is improving, non adherence to clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) remains high, mainly because of the low incidence of the disease and the variety of histological subtypes. Since little is known about the health economics of sarcoma, we undertook a cost-effectiveness analysis (within the CONnective TIssue CAncer NETwork, CONTICANET) comparing costs and outcomes when clinicians adhered to CPGs and when they did not. METHODS: Patients studied had a histological diagnosis of sarcoma, were older than 15 years, and had been treated in the Rhone-Alpes region of France (in 2005/2006) or in the Veneto region of Italy (in 2007). Data collected retrospectively for the three years after diagnosis were used to determine relapse free survival and health costs (adopting the hospital's perspective and a microcosting approach). All costs were expressed in euros at their 2009 value. A 4% annual discount rate was applied to both costs and effects. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was expressed as cost per relapse-free year gained when management was compliant with CPGs compared with when it was not. To capture uncertainty surrounding ICER, a probabilistic sensitivity analysis was performed based on a non-parametric bootstrap method. RESULTS: A total of 219 patients were included in the study. Compliance with CPGs was observed for 118 patients (54%). Average total costs reached 23,571 euros when treatment was in accordance with CPGs and 27,313 euros when it was not. In relation to relapse-free survival, compliance with CPGs strictly dominates non compliance, i.e. it is both less costly and more effective. Taking uncertainty into account, the probability that compliance with CPGs still strictly dominates was 75%. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings should encourage physicians to increase their compliance with CPGs and healthcare administrators to invest in the implementation of CPGs in the management of sarcoma

Expression et accumulation fonctionnelle de l'acétylcholinestérase dans le système nerveux central

PARIS5-BU Saints-Pères (751062109) / SudocSudocFranceF

La coarticulation en français et en chinois (étude expérimentale et modélisation)

AIX-MARSEILLE1-BU Lettres (130012101) / SudocSudocFranceF

Pratique de la dendrochronologie

Dendrochronological practices Developed from ring-trees study of North-American millennium-old trees, dendrochronology consists to day of data collecting and data analysis. Data collecting uses a wood sample from which from width is evaluated in several places to product a mean. Dating is mainly clone by comparing some parallelism between mean sample’s trend and standard’s trend. Standard is obtained by aggregation of a large number of pieces. Some particular climatic events may help research by their signatures. Parallelism between sample and standard (it exists in many areas) is controlled by statistical tests.Georges Lambert, Catherine Lavier, Patricia Perrier et Sophie Vincenot. Pratique de la dendrochronologie. Née de l'étude des cernes d'arbres millénaires aux Etats-Unis, la dendrochronologie consiste aujourd'hui en la mise en oeuvre de techniques de recueil et de traitement des données. Le recueil des données se fait sur un échantillon de bois où les largeurs des cernes sont évaluées en plusieurs endroits en vue d'arriver à une moyenne. La datation se fait essentiellement en comparant le parallélisme des évolutions entre la moyenne de l'échantillon et des moyennes provenant d'un grand nombre de pièces qui finissent par avoir valeur d'étalon. Ces recherches de datation sont aidées par la présence d'événements climatiques particuliers qui ont laissé leur signature. Les recherches de parallélisme entre un échantillon et un étalon (il en existe dans plusieurs régions), sont contrôlées par des tests statistiques.Lavier Catherine, Perrier Patricia, Vincenot Sophie, Lambert Georges. Pratique de la dendrochronologie. In: Histoire & Mesure, 1988 volume 3 - n°3. Le climat. pp. 279-308

Primary insomnia patients' performances during simulated car following and urban driving in the afternoon

According to epidemiological studies, insomnia is associated with an increase in risk of traffic accidents. Recent investigations revealed that patients with insomnia had driving performance impairment under monotonous conditions. However, it is unclear whether other driving abilities may be impacted by insomnia, especially those needing more attentional resources than those involved in monotonous driving. Other findings revealed that impaired performances are more likely to occur with the increase of cognitive demands. However, such tests did not reflect difficulties in situations of everyday life expressed by patients with insomnia, such as driving in an urban environment with traffic and critical situations. Therefore, behaviour in situations encountered in everyday life has to be explored. The aim of the present study was to assess driving performances of patients with insomnia in daily routine tasks such as urban and carfollowing tests. For this purpose, 15 patients with insomnia and 16 good sleepers performed an urban test of driving with original risk scenarios and a carfollowing test during the middle afternoon. No significant behavioural difference between patients with insomnia and good sleepers has been found in both the urban test and the carfollowing test, showing that patients with insomnia have no impairment in behaviour implicated in daily contexts driving tasks of short period of time performed in the late afternoon. Although our results provide a first step towards knowledge of behavioural performance during daily routine driving tasks in patients with insomnia, future studies are needed using ontheroad driving tests and/or different population of patients with insomnia before generalisation