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Workshop International pour Experts - Traitement des dystonies focales: anatomie et échographie
No full textWorkshop organised in 2 days: DAY1 - Anatomy theory, Deep muscles theory, hands-on ultrasound, Sialorrhea Treatment, Post-mortem dissection (cervical muscles, salivary glands); DAY2 - Caput-colli concept, Non-responders management, Post-mortem injections under ultrasound guidance, botulinum toxin injections in clinical settings
UAV surveys, 3D geomodels and Virtual Reality supporting the structural geology analysis of large rockslides
No full texteditorial reviewedGeological structures, such as bedding, faults, folds, joints and fractures often contribute to decreased stability of rock slopes according to their strike and dip with respect to the general orientation of the main slope. Additionally, a rock slope may undergo many forms of gravitational displacement-induced (e.g. toppling), erosional (e.g. river undercutting) and/or weathering-induced destabilisation.A variety of deep-seated very large (with a volume of > 107 m3) rock slope failures have been analyzed according to their structural characteristics. Studies include field surveys with structural geology measurements and image collection with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). The latter were then used to construct digital twins of the rockslide sites. Structural elements were analysed by using stereoplot tools that can also produce 3D outputs of the studied planes. In a few cases additional geophysical data were collected in the field (both on the rockslide deposits and on bedrock around the scarps). All those data were then combined within 3D geomodels of the studied sites and related 3D representations were integrated in immersive virtual environments.One first practical objective of the use of 3D constructions from UAV imagery within Virtual Reality is to investigate sites that are barely accessible in the field, such as the rock outcrops within high and very steep rockslide scarps. Second, 3D geomodels help reconstruct the subsurface domain and allow for viewing the geological structures from all sides in order to understand better the spatial relationships between different structural elements (including different joint families, and toppling-related folding and fracturing).For a few cases, also numerical models have been developed to study the influence of structural and geomechanical elements on (potentially seismically induced) rock slope failure. The main goal is to identify features that would allow us to distinguish seismic trigger modes from climatic ones, notably on the basis of the source zone rock structures. For instance, anti-dip slope bedding orientation may hint at a seismic origin, but we also consider a series of mixed structural types, which are more difficult to be interpreted as markers for a seismic or of climatic rocsk slope failure origin.Most of our studied rockslide sites are located in seismically active mountain ranges (southeastern Carpathians, Caucasus, Tien Shan, Eastern Tibet and Longmenshan). However, outcomes of this study could also help identify rockslides with a partly seismic origin in less seismically active mountain regions, such as the northern and western Carpathians and the Alps. In the Alps, sites previously studied include the Fernpass, Tamins, and the Oeschinensee and Kandersteg rockslides and avalanches
Health outcomes of sarcopenia: a consensus report by the outcome working group of the Global Leadership Initiative in Sarcopenia (GLIS).
No full textpeer reviewedThe Global Leadership Initiative in Sarcopenia (GLIS) aims to standardize the definition and diagnostic criteria for sarcopenia into one unifying, common classification. Among other actions to achieve this objective, the GLIS has organized three different working groups (WGs), with the WG on outcomes of sarcopenia focusing on reporting its health outcomes to be measured in clinical practice once a diagnosis has been established. This includes sarcopenia definitions that better predict health outcomes, the preferred tools for measuring these outcomes, and the cutoffs defining normal and abnormal values. The present article synthesizes discussions and conclusions from this WG, composed of 13 key opinion leaders from different continents worldwide. Results rely on systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and relevant cohort studies in the field. With a high level of evidence, sarcopenia is significantly associated with a reduced quality of life, a higher risk of falls and fractures and a higher risk of mortality. Sarcopenia has been moderately associated with a higher risk of reduced instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). However, the GLIS WG found only inconclusive level of evidence to support associations between sarcopenia and higher risks of hospitalization, nursing home admission, mobility impairments, and reduced basic activities of daily living (ADL). This limitation underscores the scarcity of longitudinal studies, highlighting a barrier to understanding its progression and implications over time
Echoes of Evolution in Holocentridae: Harmony between Phylogeny, Morphology and Acoustics
No full textBioecology and aquaculture of the white-spotted spinefoot rabbitfish Siganus sutor, in a context of conservation and food security
No full textLa forte pression de la pêche à Madagascar causée par la pratique de technique de pêche non réglementée combinée au manque de mesures de protections sur les poissons marins menace le stock de poisson marin. Cette thèse s’inscrit dans ce contexte de surexploitation des ressources halieutiques à Toliara, Madagascar, et explore les potentialités du poisson corallien, Sigan cordonnier ou Siganus sutor (S. sutor), comme espèce modèle pour des pratiques de pêche durable et d’aquaculture respectueuse de l’environnement. Le choix de cette espèce réside sur son abondance dans les captures dans les filets à moustiquaire (40% des captures). En plus de cela, c’est une espèce qui joue un rôle important dans la résilience des récifs coralliens en tant que poisson herbivore. Et sans oublier sa valeur commerciale (très apprécié par la communauté locale) et territoriale (endémique de la région Ouest de l’Océan Indien. Cette thèse s’intitule bio-écologie et aquaculture du Sigan cordonnier Siganus sutor, dans un contexte de conservation et de sécurité alimentaire. Cette thèse a pour objectif de connaitre la biologie et l’écologie du S. sutor sur le Grand Récif de Toliara ainsi que de démontrer la faisabilité de son grossissement en milieu contrôlé
La première partie de l’étude a porté sur la distribution spatiale et temporelle des juvéniles et des adultes de S. sutor dans la baie de Toliara. Les résultats ont montré que cette espèce effectue une migration ontogénétique entre les habitats côtiers et récifaux. En effet, les juvéniles sont principalement associés aux herbiers marins, en particulier dans les zones peu profondes protégées, tandis que les adultes sont plus abondants sur la grande barrière récifale et dans la pente externe. Les juvéniles colonisent la zone des herbiers, considéré dès lors comme leur zone de nourricerie et leur colonisation connait une variation saisonnière avec deux pics qui occurrent en janvier et en août.
Deuxièmement, l’analyse du régime alimentaire a été réalisée dans le but d’étudier des variation spatio-temporelle et aussi ontogénétique. Les résultats de l’analyse des contenus stomacaux combinés à ceux des analyses de l’isotope stable (C, N, S) ont révélé un régime à tendance omnivore chez les juvéniles avec prédominance de macroalgues, phanérogames marine et de proies benthiques mobiles. Les adultes consomment le même groupe de proies par contre la proportion de nourriture à base de plante prend de plus grande proportion. Une corrélation positive existe ainsi entre la taille des individus et l’abondance des proies végétales. Par contre, la corrélation est négative quand il s’agit des proies animales. Cette variation ontogénétique est reflétée sur une augmentation progressive de la longueur du tube digestive au cours de la croissance des individus. Cette croissance s’explique par la digestibilité du tube digestive dont la digestion dure beaucoup plus longtemps que pour les proies animales.
La troisième partie de cette thèse est consacré à l’étude du cycle de reproduction et la taille à la première maturité du S. sutor. La combinaison de l’étude de l’indice gonadosomatic avec l’étude histologique des gonades des poissons a permis d’étudier la biologie reproductive de cette espèce. Les résultats ont révélé que cette espèce présente une ponte biannuelle avec deux pics en saison fraiche (juillet) et en saison chaude (décembre à mars). La taille à la première maturité de cette espèce a aussi été déterminée à 20,84 cm et 21,38 cm (longueur totale) chez les femelles et les males respectivement.
Enfin, les trois expérimentations menées sur les post-larves et les juvéniles de S. sutor ont montré l’efficacité de l’élevage en captivité de cette espèce. Cette partie de la thèse servait à optimiser les paramètres d’élevage de cette espèce en se basant essentiellement sur les connaissances sur sa bio-écologie. Ainsi deux densités d’élevages et quatre différents types d’aliments ont été testé. Les résultats ont montré une différence significative de la croissance et la survie des S. sutor en fonction de la densité d’élevage et le type d’aliment. Parmi les aliments testés, la provende industrielle présentait de meilleur croissance alors que le riz cuit présentait le meilleur taux de survie. La provende formulée à base de laisse de marée, quand-à elle, représentait le prix le plus bas.
En conclusion, les résultats de cette étude ont permis de déterminer les habitats et moments clés à la survie des S. sutor aussi bien pour les juvéniles que les adultes. Cette étude a alors démontré le potentiel de S. sutor pour le développement d’une aquaculture durable à Madagascar, tout en renforçant les bases scientifiques pour une gestion écosystémique de la pêche artisanale.14. Life below wate
Liposomal Indacaterol/Ciclesonide Delivery: A Promising Strategy to Improve Pharmacodynamic Outcomes in Asthma models
No full textBackground: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the respiratory system for which there is currently no cure. The available treatments can only control and decrease the symptoms and exacerbations. Combined steroid and bronchodilator therapies are considered the first-line approach to asthma management and are preferably administered via inhalation to limit systemic side effects and reduce the required doses. Nonetheless, most currently available formulations exhibit low pulmonary deposition of active compounds. Combined with rapid mucociliary clearance and macrophage-mediated elimination, low bioavailability, and high systemic absorption, this often necessitates frequent administration and higher doses. In addition, effective asthma management relies on regular and consistent use of inhaled therapies to maintain disease control. This often results in suboptimal patient adherence to prescribed regimens, highlighting the need for simplified treatment strategies.
Purpose: Our aim is to address some of the challenges in asthma management by producing an innovative formulation containing Indacaterol/Ciclesonide (IND/CIC)-loaded liposomes, which will be converted into a dry powder for inhalation. The goal is to enhance the bioavailability of the active molecules, thereby reducing the required doses, posology, and associated side effects. This will be achieved by leveraging the targeted, local and sustained drug release provided by the biocompatible liposomal delivery system, and by optimizing pulmonary deposition of the dry powder via the use of innovative excipients such as the hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrins.
Methods: We first evaluated the efficacy and pharmacological potency of IND/CIC-loaded liposomes
[1,2-dilinoleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DLPC, 65%), cholesterol (Chol, 30%), distearoyl-phosphatidyl-ethanolamine-PEG2000 (DSPE-PEG, 15%)] with an ex vivo model of methacholine’s pre-contracted rat tracheal rings using an organ bath system. Subsequently, we used an acute ovalbumin (OVA)-induced mouse model of eosinophilic asthma. Balb/C mice received 10 µg OVA via intraperitoneal injection on days 1 and 8 and were challenged with OVA’s aerosol on days 24-25-26. Mice were treated from day 21 to day 26 with either liposomal or free IND/CIC formulations at two concentrations (low: IND 12.3 µg/mL, CIC 13.04 µg/mL; high: IND 123.0 µg/mL, CIC 130.4 µg/mL), and sacrificed on day 27. Lung tissue, plasma, and broncho-alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were collected to assess the anti-inflammatory activity of CIC, while IND’s bronchodilatory efficacy was evaluated by measuring lung mechanics parameters using the FlexiVent® system.
Results: Ex vivo, liposomal IND/CIC significantly reduced methacholine-induced bronchoconstriction in rat tracheal rings and demonstrated greater potency, as reflected by lower EC₅₀, than commercial non-liposomal IND. In vivo, both low and high concentrations of liposomal formulations significantly improved lung mechanics—reducing airway resistance (Rrs), increasing compliance (Crs), decreasing elastance (Ers), and enhancing inspiratory capacity (IC)—compared to the corresponding non-liposomal treatments.
Moreover, IND/CIC liposomes at both concentrations strongly decreased BALF’s eosinophils and histological inflammation score compared to equivalent corresponding concentrations of IND/CIC solutions. Notably, low-dose IND/CIC liposomes provided comparable bronchodilatory and anti-inflammatory effects to the high-dose formulation, underscoring its improved therapeutic efficiency.
Conclusion and perspectives: Our findings demonstrate that liposomal encapsulation of IND/CIC enhances therapeutic efficacy and potency compared to non-liposomal formulations, potentially enabling dose reduction and extended duration of action. These benefits are likely driven by improved local drug retention, protection from degradation, and sustained release. Future work will aim to confirm these results and to characterize the pharmacokinetic profile of the final dry powder formulation intended for inhalation
Atomic data for Os VI spectral lines of interest to nuclear fusion research from independent computational approaches
No full texteditorial reviewe
Katabatic and foehn winds control the distribution of supraglacial lakes in Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica
No full textpeer reviewedMeltwater ponding along the margins of Antarctica poses a threat to ice shelf stability, increasing the risk of accelerated inland ice mass loss. Understanding the key drivers of supraglacial lake formation is therefore essential for assessing the vulnerability and future stability of Antarctic ice shelves. In this study, we combine high-resolution simulation from the regional climate model Modèle Atmosphérique Régional (MAR) with satellitederived records of supraglacial lakes in coastal Dronning Maud Land to investigate the role of topographic downslope winds on spatial lake distribution. We find that persistent katabatic winds and episodic foehn winds are key controls on the observed regional patterns of lakes. Katabatic winds, most persistent in eastern Dronning Maud Land, exert a sustained impact near grounding zones through snow erosion, scouring and sublimation. Foehn winds predominantly affect ice shelves on the lee (western) side of large ice rises and promontories, causing considerable surface warming. While these downslope winds directly contribute to surface melt and ponding during summer, they also precondition the surface year-round through wind-driven warming and sublimation. Statistical analysis of downslope wind exposure further allows us to identify other Antarctic ice shelves that may become vulnerable to future ponding as firn retention capacity is diminished
Recommendations for good clinical practice in the management of delirium and associated behavioural crisis
No full texteditorial reviewedIl est essentiel de ne pas méconnaître la présence d’un syndrome confusionnel aigu, d’en déterminer rapidement la (ou les) cause(s) et de la (les) traiter. Tout changement brutal concernant le niveau d’éveil, de vigilance, le fonctionnement cognitif, le langage, l’humeur ou le comportement devrait être considéré comme un signe potentiel de confusion et inciter à sa confirmation. L’identification de la ou des cause(s) de la confusion est une démarche probabiliste tenant compte du contexte clinique récent et du profil du patient. La prise en charge, médicamenteuse ou non, de la confusion doit comprendre le traitement des symptômes comportementaux associés et la prévention de ses complications. Enfin, tout patient âgé, sans antécédent de démence, et ayant été confus, devrait bénéficier d’un suivi cognitif et fonctionnel à distance de l’événement aigu