61 research outputs found
CNS delivery of anti-CD52 antibodies modestly reduces disease severity in an animal model for multiple sclerosis
No full textBackground and aims: Alemtuzumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody that depletes CD52-bearing B and T lymphocytes. Clinical trials defined that systemic administration of alemtuzumab reduces disease severity in the relapsing-remitting phase of multiple sclerosis (MS). However, its efficacy in progressive MS patients is limited, which may reflect the inability of alemtuzumab to cross the reconstituted BBB in these patients. Objective: to study whether central nervous system (CNS) delivery of anti-CD52 antibodies reduces disease severity and the neuroinflammatory burden in the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model. Methods: Anti-CD52 antibodies were administered intrathecally during the acute and chronic phases of EAE. Flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry were utilized to define immunological and pathological parameters. Results: We show that subcutaneously administrated anti-CD52 antibodies completely abolish EAE disease severity. CNS delivery of anti-CD52 antibodies during both the acute and chronic phases of EAE moderately reduces disease severity and the neuroinflammatory burden. Our findings further suggest that CNS delivery of anti-CD52 antibodies impacts both the peripheral and CNS immune cell compartments in the EAE model but not in healthy mice. Conclusion: Collectively, our findings highlight the therapeutic potential of CNS delivery of alemtuzumab for the treatment of progressive as well as early MS.The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was funded by Sanofi Genzyme, and grants of the Belgian Charcot Foundation, Research Foundation Flanders (FWO), and European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS).Hendriks, JJA (corresponding author), Hasselt Univ, Biomed Res Inst, Dept Immunol & Infect, Agoralaan Bldg C, B-3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium.
[email protected]
Le culte du lion en Égypte d'après Elien
No full textLe culte du lion en Égypte est bien développé. Si l’animal a donné ses traits à de nombreuses divinités essentielles du panthéon pharaonique, c’est à partir de l’époque ptolémaïque que cette pratique a connu son apogée, ce que nous savons grâce à diverses sources. Parmi ces dernières, les auteurs classiques nous ont transmis de nombreux renseignements. Elien, auteur du deuxième siècle après Jésus Christ, a composé un ouvrage sur la vie et les mœurs des animaux, le Περì Zᾡω ΄Ιδιότητος traduit par De la personnalité des animaux, dans lequel il parle longuement du culte égyptien du félin. Cet auteur, combiné à d’autres sources permet de rendre compte de ce culte.The cult of the lion is well known in Egypt because of its importance. Indeed the animal gave its characteristics to several essential deities from the Egyptian pantheon. But this devotion reached its peak from the Ptolemaic period onwards, we know it not only thanks to direct sources, but also thanks to indirect sources. Among these ones, the classical authors passed precious information on to us. Aelian who was an author from the second century after Jesus Christ, handed a work down upon the life and behaviour of the animals called Περì Zᾡω ΄Ιδιότητος which is often translated by About the personality of the animals. In this book, he speaks at length upon the cult of the feline. Thanks to this author, associated with other sources, we can try to understand better why the lion was worshipped.</p
Contacten met professionele hulpverleners omwille van sociale of emotionele problemen: een onderzoek naar de rol van de partnerrelatie
No full textZorggebruik omwille van sociale en emotionele problemen bij alleenstaande moeders en vaders
No full textMental healthcare use among recently cohabiting and newlywed couples: the role of social control
No full textDrawing on health-related social control theory, we examine how young partners influence each other’s mental health care use. We use the data of a sample of newlywed and recently cohabiting heterosexual couples (N = 798) of the survey “Relationships in Flanders.” Logistic regression analyses are performed, stratifying all analyses by gender. Results reveal that married men are less likely to use health care than cohabiting men. No effect of parenthood is shown. Women consume less mental health care the longer they live together with their male partner, and when their partner has not contacted a health care provider. Hence, the results show limited support for a social learning process
Mental healthcare use among single parents: the role of work-family conflict, social support and conflicts
No full textAltered PPARγ Expression Promotes Myelin-Induced Foam Cell Formation in Macrophages in Multiple Sclerosis
No full textMacrophages play a crucial role during the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS), a neuroinflammatory autoimmune disorder of the central nervous system. Important regulators of the metabolic and inflammatory phenotype of macrophages are liver X receptors (LXRs) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs). Previously, it has been reported that PPAR gamma expression is decreased in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of MS patients. The goal of the present study was to determine to what extent PPAR gamma, as well as the closely related nuclear receptors PPAR alpha and beta and LXR alpha and beta, are differentially expressed in monocytes from MS patients and how this change in expression affects the function of monocyte-derived macrophages. We demonstrate that monocytes of relapsing-remitting MS patients display a marked decrease in PPAR gamma expression, while the expression of PPAR alpha and LXR alpha/beta is not altered. Interestingly, exposure of monocyte-derived macrophages from healthy donors to MS-associated proinflammatory cytokines mimicked this reduction in PPAR gamma expression. While a reduced PPAR gamma expression did not affect the inflammatory and phagocytic properties of myelin-loaded macrophages, it did impact myelin processing by increasing the intracellular cholesterol load of myelin-phagocytosing macrophages. Collectively, our findings indicate that an inflammation-induced reduction in PPAR gamma expression promotes myelin-induced foam cell formation in macrophages in MS.Hendriks, JJA (corresponding author), Hasselt Univ, Biomed Res Inst, Dept Immunol & Infect, B-3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium.
[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]
Professional health care use and subjective unmet need for social or emotional problems: a cross-sectional survey of the married and divorced population of Flanders
No full textAbstract Background The high mental health care consumption rates of divorced singles may constitute a heavy burden on the public health care system. This raises the question of whether their higher health care use stems from a greater need, or whether there are other factors contributing to these high consumption rates. We examine both health care use and subjective unmet need (perceiving a need for care without seeking it) because of social or emotional problems of the divorced singles, the repartnered divorcees, and the married. Moreover, we investigate how health care use and subjective unmet need relate to each other. Methods We conduct several gender specific logistic regressions employing data from the Divorce in Flanders Survey (N men = 2884; N women = 3317). Results Results show that the divorced singles have more contact with professional health care providers (general practitioners, psychiatrists, and psychologists) because of social or emotional problems, and more often perceive unmet needs. The higher health care use rates and greater subjective unmet needs can largely be attributed to higher levels of depressive symptoms. Surprisingly, we find that non-frequent health care users more often perceive a subjective unmet need than frequent health care users and those who have not contacted any health care provider. Conclusion The single divorced consult health care providers more often because of social or emotional problems and they also perceive unmet needs more often.</p
- …
