Interférométrie I. Astrophysique et Techniques Spatiales: Cours No 4/ Ingés aéro/Ingés phys, Cours No 1/Phys Master en Sciences Spatiales 2011-2012 (Fichiers pdf + vidéos:mov, avi)

Learning material (2011)

Introduction à l'interférométrie optique/IR (1ère partie)

Interférométrie IV. Astrophysique et Techniques Spatiales: Cours No 7/ Ingés aéro/Ingés phys, Cours No 4/Phys Master en Sciences Spatiales 2011-2012 (Fichiers pdf + vidéos:mov, m4v)

Learning material (2011)

Introduction à l'interférométrie optique/IR (4ème partie)

Interferon Response Factor 3 is essential for house dust mite-induced airway allergy

in Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (The) (2010), 126(4), 836-844

IRF3, mainly known as a central orchestrator of antiviral responses, is required for proallergic functions of dendritic cells in response to aeroallergens. Thus, this study demonstratively identifies a ... [more ▼]

IRF3, mainly known as a central orchestrator of antiviral responses, is required for proallergic functions of dendritic cells in response to aeroallergens. Thus, this study demonstratively identifies a new pathway potentially implicated in the etiology of airway allergy [less ▲]

Interferon Response Factor-3 is essential for house dust mite-induced airway allergy

in Proceedings of the Belgian Thoracic Society Annual Meeting (2011, May 23)

Les interférons de type 1 et leur fonction antivirale

in Annales de Médecine Vétérinaire (2006), 150

Type I interferons are part of the innate immune system involved in the first line defense against invasion, replication and spreading of pathogens such as viruses. Through specific membrane or ... [more ▼]

Type I interferons are part of the innate immune system involved in the first line defense against invasion, replication and spreading of pathogens such as viruses. Through specific membrane or intracellular receptors, virus entry induces the expression of type I interferons which stimulates the cells through an autocrine and paracrine manner. Interferons are polypeptides that stimulate cells through membrane receptors. They induce a cascade of events leading to the synthesis of many proteins some of which having specific antiviral properties. The most characterized are the MX proteins, the 2’5’ oligoadenylate synthetase/ ribonuclease L pathway and the double-stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase R system. Recently, the protein ISG20 has been involved in the specific antiviral function of type I interferons. The interferons act on multiple steps of the viral cycle including penetration, decapsidation, mRNA transcription, protein synthesis, genome replication, assembling and excretion of viral particles. Nowadays, due to their major efficiency, type I interferons are used in therapeutics against some viral infections and cancers. [less ▲]

Interfollicular fibrosis in the thyroid of the harbour porpoise: An endocrine disruption?

in Archives of Environmental Contamination & Toxicology (2006), 51

Previous studies have described high levels of polychlorobiphenyls (PCB), polybrominated diphenylether (PBDE), toxaphene, ,p0-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), and ,p0 ... [more ▼]

Previous studies have described high levels of polychlorobiphenyls (PCB), polybrominated diphenylether (PBDE), toxaphene, ,p0-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), and ,p0-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) in the blubber of the harbour porpoise from the North Sea raising the question of a potential endocrine disruption in this species. In the present study, the thyroids of 57 harbour porpoises from the German and Danish (North and Baltic Seas), Norwegian, and Icelandic coasts have been collected for histological and immunohistological investigations. The number of follicles and the relative distribution of follicles, connective, and solid tissues (%) were quantified in the thyroid of each individual. Then, the potential relationship between the thyroid morphometry data and previously described organic compounds (namely, PCB, PBDE, toxaphene, DDT, and DDE) was investigated using factor analysis and multiple regressions. Thyroid morphology differed strongly between ampling sites. Porpoises from the German (North and Baltic Seas) and Norwegian coasts displayed a high percentage of connective tissues between 30 and 38% revealing severe interfollicular fibrosis and a high number of large follicles (diameter >200 lm). A correlation-based principal component analysis (PCA) revealed two principal components explaining 85.9% of the total variance. The variables PCB, PBDE, DDT, and DDE compounds loaded highest on PC1 whereas toxaphene compound loaded most on PC2. Our results pointed out a relationship between PC1 (PCBs, PBDE, DDE, and DDT compounds) and interfollicular fibrosis in the harbour porpoise thyroids. Such an association is not alone sufficient for a cause–effect relationship but supports the hypothesis of a contaminant-induced thyroid fibrosis in harbour porpoises raising the question of the longterm viability in highly polluted areas. [less ▲]

Interictal abnormalities of gamma band activity in visual evoked responses in migraine: an indication of thalamocortical dysrhythmia?

in Cephalalgia : An International Journal of Headache (2007), 27(12), 1360-1367

Between attacks, migraineurs lack habituation in standard visual evoked potentials (VEPs). Visual stimuli also evoke high-frequency oscillations in the gamma band range (GBOs, 20-35 Hz) assumed to be ... [more ▼]

Between attacks, migraineurs lack habituation in standard visual evoked potentials (VEPs). Visual stimuli also evoke high-frequency oscillations in the gamma band range (GBOs, 20-35 Hz) assumed to be generated both at subcortical (early GBOs) and cortical levels (late GBOs). The consecutive peaks of GBOs were analysed regarding amplitude and habituation in six successive blocks of 100 averaged pattern reversal (PR)-VEPs in healthy volunteers and interictally in migraine with (MA) or without aura patients. Amplitude of the two early GBO components in the first PR-VEP block was significantly increased in MA patients. There was a significant habituation deficit of the late GBO peaks in migraineurs. The increased amplitude of early GBOs could be related to the increased interictal visual discomfort reported by patients. We hypothesize that the hypofunctioning serotonergic pathways may cause, in line with the thalamocortical dysrhythmia theory, a functional disconnection of the thalamus leading to decreased intracortical lateral inhibition, which can induce dishabituation. [less ▲]

Interictal cortical excitability in migraine: a study using transcranial magnetic stimulation of motor and visual cortices.

in Annals of Neurology (1998), 44(2), 209-15

We performed transcranial magnetic stimulations of the motor and visual cortices in healthy controls (n = 27) and in patients suffering from migraine without (n = 33) or with (n = 25) aura between attacks ... [more ▼]

We performed transcranial magnetic stimulations of the motor and visual cortices in healthy controls (n = 27) and in patients suffering from migraine without (n = 33) or with (n = 25) aura between attacks. By using a 13-cm circular coil placed over the vertex and recordings of the first dorsal interosseus muscle, we measured thresholds (at rest and during contraction), amplitudes of motor evoked potentials and cortical silent periods. Paired stimulations with short (1-20 msec) interstimulus intervals were performed to assess intracortical inhibition. The visual cortex was stimulated with the same coil placed over the occipital scalp (7 cm above the inion) and the prevalence and threshold of phosphene production was determined. In patients with migraine with aura, motor thresholds during isometric contraction were significantly higher, whereas the prevalence of stimulation-induced phosphene production was lower compared with healthy controls. These changes were not correlated with attack frequency or disease duration. No differences were found between subject groups in thresholds at rest, motor evoked potential amplitudes, cortical silent periods, or response curves after paired stimuli. These results are in favor of cortical hypoexcitability rather than hyperexcitability in patients with migraine with aura between attacks. [less ▲]

Interictal Potentiation of Passive "Oddball" Auditory Event-Related Potentials in Migraine

in Cephalalgia : An International Journal of Headache (1998), 18(5), 261-5241

We have studied habituation of the P3a component of the passive "oddball" auditory event-related potential which reflects automatic processing of a "novel" stimulus in 24 patients suffering from migraine ... [more ▼]

We have studied habituation of the P3a component of the passive "oddball" auditory event-related potential which reflects automatic processing of a "novel" stimulus in 24 patients suffering from migraine without aura and in 21 healthy volunteers. Three blocks of responses to 160 standard and to 40 novel tones were sequentially averaged at Cz and analyzed for latencies and peak-to-peak amplitudes. Latencies of components N1 and P2 elicited by standard tones and of components N1, P2, N2, and P3a elicited by novel tones were not significantly different between sequential blocks or between subject groups, nor were mean N1-P2 amplitudes. The N2-P3a amplitude tended to be lower in migraine, but not significantly so. The most striking result in migraineurs was a significant potentiation of N2-P3a in successive blocks, contrasting with an habituation in controls. Our previous evoked- and event-related potential studies and the present one suggest that deficient habituation, or even potentiation, represents interictally a fundamental dysfunction of cortical information processing in migraine, which might increase energy demands and play a role in etiopathogenesis. [less ▲]

Interim results on the clinical effects of i.v. administered thymopentin in active rheumatoid arthritis

in International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, Therapy and Toxicology (1984), 4(6), 451-457

Forty-one patients with active rheumatoid arthritis entered a controlled, double-blind, randomized study; 21 received prolonged i.v. injections (10 min) of thymopentin 50 mg 3 times a week for 3 ... [more ▼]

Forty-one patients with active rheumatoid arthritis entered a controlled, double-blind, randomized study; 21 received prolonged i.v. injections (10 min) of thymopentin 50 mg 3 times a week for 3 consecutive weeks; the other 20 received placebo under the same conditions. The groups were comparable at the start of the study. Statistical tests of changes within the treatment groups after 3 weeks showed that the improvement achieved in the thymopentin group was significant (p less than 0.05 or p less than 0.01) for each clinical parameter, except for left-hand grip strength. On the other hand, no significant improvement was observed for any parameter except morning stiffness in the patients on placebo. The intergroup comparison showed significant differences, favouring thymopentin over placebo treatment, in the Ritchie index, scores for swollen joints, assessment of severity of pain and scores for changes in the activity of the disease. Only minor side-effects were experienced in the two treatment groups. The present placebo-controlled double-blind study confirms the previous positive results achieved in open studies, i.e., the beneficial therapeutic effect of prolonged i.v. injections of thymopentin in patients with severe rheumatoid arthritis observed after 3 weeks of therapy. The drug appears to be safe at the dose regimen used. [less ▲]