A 3-year follow-up study of inpatients with lower limb ulcers: evidence of an obesity paradox?

Objectives: To determine whether body composition is related to long-term outcomes amongst vascular inpatients with lower limb ulcers. Design: Prospective study with 3 years follow-up. Materials and methods: Body mass index (BMI), fat, and fat-free mass were measured and associations with readmission to hospital (number, cause, length of stay) and all-cause mortality were explored. Results: Thirty patients (22 men, 8 women) participated in the study. Ten patients (33%) had a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2. 18/20 (90%) patients with a BMI < 30 kg/m2 and 9/10 (90%) patients with a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 were admitted to hospital in the 3 years of follow-up. Patients with a BMI < 30 kg/m2 were admitted more frequently, earlier and for longer compared to those with BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 but these did not reach statistical significance. The 3 year mortality rate for patients with BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 was 20% (n = 2/10) compared to 70% (n = 14/20) with a BMI <30 kg/m2, P = 0.019. Conclusion: This preliminary study suggests that higher BMI may have a protective effect against mortality in vascular patients with lower limb ulcers. These findings contradict the universal acceptance that obesity leads to poor health outcomes. Further work is required to confirm these findings and explore some of the potential mechanisms for this effect

Aizier – Chapelle Saint-Thomas

Identifiant de l'opération archéologique : 1405 Date de l'opération : 1999 - 2000 (FP) ; 1998 (SD) Présentation du site Le site d'Aizier est localisé en lisière de la forêt de Brotonne, sur la rive gauche de la Seine correspondant à la frange septentrionale du plateau Roumois. La première mention de la chapelle remonte à 1227, cependant ses caractéristiques architecturales et sa dédicace à saint Thomas-Becket permettent de proposer de la dater de la fin du XIIe s. au plus tôt. Les mentions co..

The ocean sampling day consortium.

Ocean Sampling Day was initiated by the EU-funded Micro B3 (Marine Microbial Biodiversity, Bioinformatics, Biotechnology) project to obtain a snapshot of the marine microbial biodiversity and function of the world's oceans. It is a simultaneous global mega-sequencing campaign aiming to generate the largest standardized microbial data set in a single day. This will be achievable only through the coordinated efforts of an Ocean Sampling Day Consortium, supportive partnerships and networks between sites. This commentary outlines the establishment, function and aims of the Consortium and describes our vision for a sustainable study of marine microbial communities and their embedded functional traits

CD95 recruits PLCγ1 to trigger a calcium response promoting Th17 accumulation in inflamed organs of lupus mice

CD95 ligand (CD95L) is expressed by immune cells and triggers apoptotic death. Metalloprotease-cleaved CD95L (cl-CD95L) is released into the bloodstream but does not trigger apoptotic signaling. Hence, the pathophysiological role of cl-CD95L remains unclear. We observed that skin-derived endothelial cells from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients expressed CD95L, and that after cleavage, cl-CD95L promoted T helper 17 (Th17) lymphocyte transmigration across the endothelial barrier at the expense of T regulatory cells. T cell migration relied on a direct interaction between the CD95 domain called calcium-inducing domain (CID) and the Src homology 3 domain of phospholipase Cγ1. Th17 cells stimulated with cl-CD95L produced sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), which promoted endothelial transmigration by activating the S1P receptor 3. We generated a cell-penetrating CID peptide that prevented Th17 cell transmigration and alleviated clinical symptoms in lupus mice. Therefore, neutralizing the CD95 non-apoptotic signaling pathway may be attractive therapeutic approach for SLE treatment

The ocean sampling day consortium

Ocean Sampling Day was initiated by the EU-funded Micro B3 (Marine Microbial Biodiversity, Bioinformatics, Biotechnology) project to obtain a snapshot of the marine microbial biodiversity and function of the world’s oceans. It is a simultaneous global mega-sequencing campaign aiming to generate the largest standardized microbial data set in a single day. This will be achievable only through the coordinated efforts of an Ocean Sampling Day Consortium, supportive partnerships and networks between sites. This commentary outlines the establishment, function and aims of the Consortium and describes our vision for a sustainable study of marine microbial communities and their embedded functional traits

Potencialidades e limitações da Rede Sentinela para o aperfeiçoamento do monitoramento pós-comercialização/pós-uso de produtos sob vigilância sanitária adotado pela Anvisa

Introduction: Hospitals are essential for the universal coverage of any health system, as well as sources of  valuable information on adverse events and technical complaints of products subjects to health surveillance. Objective: To identify the potentialities and limitations of the Sentinel Network to improve post-marketing/post-use monitoring of products subject to health surveillance adopted by Anvisa. Method: A descriptive quantitative study that used data from a national administrative survey applied to the Sentinel Network, which was conducted between August 4 and September 2, 2021, by the Anvisa. Data were collected using an electronic structured  questionnaire. Statistical analyzes were performed in the Gretl-2022a software, including the calculation of absolute and relative frequencies, medians, and interquartile ranges. Results: A response rate of 69.1% (181/262) was obtained. Among the potentialities, the following stand out: acting as a center for study, teaching, and research of health establishments (n = 145; 80.1%), presence of implanted electronic medical records (n = 142; 78.4%) and the development of initiatives focused on innovation involving risk management of health products (n = 94; 52.0%). As one of the limitations, health establishments that do not have any current excellence/quality certifications predominate (n = 104; 57.5%). Conclusions: The Sentinel Network has  several potentialities and limitations that affect the post-marketing/post-use monitoring of products subject to  health surveillance. Identifying them, as was the objective of this study, demonstrates the need to promote actions that offer the possibility of expanding the potentialities and mitigate the limiting factors to the improvement of post-marketing/post-use monitoring adopted by Anvisa.Introdução: Os hospitais são essenciais para a cobertura universal de qualquer sistema de saúde, bem como são fontes de informações valiosas sobre eventos adversos e queixas técnicas de produtos sob vigilância sanitária. Objetivo: Identificar as potencialidades e limitações da Rede Sentinela para o aperfeiçoamento do monitoramento pós-comercialização/pós-uso de produtos sob vigilância sanitária adotado pela Anvisa. Método: Estudo descritivo quantitativo que utilizou dados de levantamento administrativo nacional aplicado à Rede Sentinela realizado entre 4 de agosto e 2 de setembro de 2021 pela Anvisa. Os dados foram coletados por meio de questionário estruturado eletrônico. As análises estatísticas foram executadas no software Gretl-2022a, compreendendo o cálculo das frequências absoluta e relativa, medianas e  intervalos interquartis. Resultados: Obteve-se uma taxa de resposta de 69,1% (181/262). Dentre as potencialidades, destacam-se: a atuação como centro de estudo, ensino e pesquisa dos estabelecimentos de saúde (n = 145; 80,1%), a presença de prontuário eletrônico implantado (n = 142; 78,4%) e o desenvolvimento de iniciativas voltadas para a inovação envolvendo a gestão de risco de produtos de saúde (n = 94; 52,0%). Como uma das limitações,   predominam os estabelecimentos de saúde que não possuem quaisquer certificações de excelência/qualidade vigentes (n = 104; 57,5%). Conclusões: A Rede Sentinela apresenta várias potencialidades e limitações que afetam o monitoramento pós-comercialização/pós-uso de produtos sob vigilância sanitária. Identificá-las, como foi o objetivo deste estudo, demonstra a necessidade de fomentar ações que ofereçam a possibilidade de ampliar as potencialidades e mitigar os fatores limitantes ao aperfeiçoamento do  monitoramento pós-comercialização/pós-uso adotado pela Anvisa

CD95-mediated calcium signaling promotes T helper 17 trafficking to inflamed organs in lupus-prone mice

CD95 ligand (CD95L) is expressed by immune cells and triggers apoptotic death. Metalloprotease-cleaved CD95L (cl-CD95L) is released into the bloodstream but does not trigger apoptotic signaling. Hence, the pathophysiological role of cl-CD95L remains unclear. We observed that skin-derived endothelial cells from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients expressed CD95L and that after cleavage, cl-CD95L promoted T helper 17 (Th17) lymphocyte transmigration across the endothelial barrier at the expense of T regulatory cells. T cell migration relied on a direct interaction between the CD95 domain called calcium-inducing domain (CID) and the Src homology 3 domain of phospholipase Cγ1. Th17 cells stimulated with cl-CD95L produced sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), which promoted endothelial transmigration by activating the S1P receptor 3. We generated a cell-penetrating CID peptide that prevented Th17 cell transmigration and alleviated clinical symptoms in lupus mice. Therefore, neutralizing the CD95 non-apoptotic signaling pathway could be an attractive therapeutic approach for SLE treatment

The legend about sailing ship effects – Is it true or false? The example of cleaner propulsion technologies diffusion in the automotive industry

The global automotive industry is faced with major technological change in the field of propulsion systems. Due to low carbon emission regulations and a rising societal demand for sustainability, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are forced to innovate either in the conventional technology or in the technological alternatives such as electric drives or fuel cells. However, OEMs are only marginally switching to electromobility so far, but rather incrementally innovating traditional technologies. This behaviour can be described as sailing ship effect which contains the reaction of an old technology to a new technology by fostering innovation in the old technology. Firstly, the present study contributes to the discussion in literature on the sailing ship effect by combining its underlying ideas and consequences with the rationales of path dependence to demonstrate that such a behaviour may be individually economical rational. Based on these considerations, we respond to the call for further empirical investigation of the sailing ship effect. We show patent-based evidence that there has been a temporary sailing ship effect in the automotive industry concerning traditional and emerging propulsion systems and discuss implications for corporate technology strategy and policy

Low loss coatings for the VIRGO large mirrors

présentée par L. PinardThe goal of the VIRGO program is to build a giant Michelson type interferometer (3 kilometer long arms) to detect gravitational waves. Large optical components (350 mm in diameter), having extremely low loss at 1064 nm, are needed. Today, the Ion beam Sputtering is the only deposition technique able to produce optical components with such performances. Consequently, a large ion beam sputtering deposition system was built to coat large optics up to 700 mm in diameter. The performances of this coater are described in term of layer uniformity on large scale and optical losses (absorption and scattering characterization). The VIRGO interferometer needs six main mirrors. The first set was ready in June 2002 and its installation is in progress on the VIRGO site (Italy). The optical performances of this first set are discussed. The requirements at 1064 nm are all satisfied. Indeed, the absorption level is close to 1 ppm (part per million), the scattering is lower than 5 ppm and the R.M.S. wavefront of these optics is lower than 8 nm on 150 mm in diameter. Finally, some solutions are proposed to further improve these performances, especially the absorption level (lower than 0.1 ppm) and the mechanical quality factor Q of the mirrors (thermal noise reduction)