Persistent infection of thymic epithelial cells with coxsackievirus B4 results in a decreased expression of insulin-like growth factor 2

in Journal of Virology (2012), 86

It has been hypothesized that a disturbance of central self-tolerance to islet β-cell may play a role in the enteroviral pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes. Whether enteroviruses can induce an impaired ... [more ▼]

It has been hypothesized that a disturbance of central self-tolerance to islet β-cell may play a role in the enteroviral pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes. Whether enteroviruses can induce an impaired expression of β-cell self-antigens in thymic epithelial cells has been investigated in a murine thymic epithelial (MTE) cell line. This cell line was permissive to the diabetogenic strain CV-B4 E2 and spontaneously expressed type 2 insulin-like growth factor (Igf2), the dominant self-antigen of the insulin family. In this model, a persistent replication of CV-B4 E2 was obtained as attested by the prolonged detection of intracellular positive and negative-strand viral RNA by RT-PCR, and capsid protein VP1 by IF and by the release of infectious particles in culture supernatant fluids. The chronic stage of the infection was characterized by a low proportion of VP1-positive cells (1-2%) whereas many cells harbored enteroviral RNA as displayed by RT-PCR without extraction applied directly on a few cells. Igf2 mRNA and IGF-2 protein were dramatically decreased in CV-B4 E2-infected MTE cultures compared with mock-infected cultures, whereas housekeeping and Il6 genes expression were maintained and Igf1 mRNA was decreased but at a lower extent. Inoculation of CV-B3-, CV-B4 JVB- or Echovirus 1 resulted in a low level of IGF-2 in culture supernatant fluids as well, whereas HSV-1 stimulated the production of the protein. Thus, a persistent infection of a thymic epithelial cell line with enteroviruses, like CV-B4 E2 can result in a disturbed production of IGF-2, a protein involved in central self-tolerance towards islet β-cells. [less ▲]

Persistent Ischemic Mitral Regurgitation After Annuloplasty can be Predicted by Pre-operative Echocardiography.

Conference (2006)

Persistent organic pollutants in wild seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) from the Northeast atlantic coastal regions and relationship with thyroid hormone levels

Poster (2008, October 30)

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides like Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloroethane (DDTs), Hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), Aldrin and Dieldrin were analysed in the muscle of sea bass ... [more ▼]

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides like Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloroethane (DDTs), Hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), Aldrin and Dieldrin were analysed in the muscle of sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) sampled in coastal regions near several important European river mouths (Garonne, Charente, Loire, Seine and Scheldt). These organochlorinated compounds are known to influence the endocrine system of many fish species and mammals and are thus qualified as endocrine disrupters. To highlight a potentially harmful effect of these compounds on the thyroid function of these fishes, we measured the muscular concentrations of thyroid hormones T3 and T4 by Radio-Immuno-Assay. The contamination levels were as follows: the highest concentrations were measured in individuals collected from the coastal region near the Scheldt > Seine > Loire > Charente and the lowest levels were observed in sea bass from coastal regions near the Garonne (from 2422 to 6188 ng.g-1 lw). The measured levels were generally higher than those reported in literature in sea bass from other regions in the Mediterranean Sea. Contamination patterns were different depending on the sampling area and thus the river input of pollutants. The multivariate statistical analysis revealed a significant relationship between the measured persistent organic pollutants and thyroid hormones in muscle. We cannot exclude the assumption that an endocrine disruption of the thyroid related to these pollutants could be the origin of these modifications of the thyroid hormone concentrations. [less ▲]

Persistent tumor 18F-FDG uptake after a few cycles of polychemotherapy is predictive of treatment failure in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

in Haematologica (2000), 85(6), 613-8

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Early recognition of the ineffectiveness of chemotherapy could result in lower cumulative drug toxicity and tumor burden at the start of salvage therapy, which might improve ... [more ▼]

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Early recognition of the ineffectiveness of chemotherapy could result in lower cumulative drug toxicity and tumor burden at the start of salvage therapy, which might improve clinical outcome. Therefore, we studied the value of (18)F-FDG PET for early evaluation of response in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). DESIGN AND METHODS: We studied 28 patients by (18)F-FDG PET after a median of 3 cycles of polychemotherapy. The presence or absence of abnormal (18)F-FDG uptake was correlated to clinical outcome (median follow-up: 17.5 months, range 4-47 months). RESULTS: Five of 28 patients still had increased (18)F-FDG uptake in one or more sites previously shown to be involved by lymphoma at baseline evaluation. Only one of these five patients entered complete remission (CR), whereas among the 23 patients with negative (18)F-FDG PET studies, two died of toxicity during chemotherapy and all the others entered clinical CR (p<0.00001). All five patients with and 7/21 patients without residual abnormal (18)F-FDG uptake relapsed or reprogressed (positive predictive value for relapse: 100%, negative predictive value: 67%). By Kaplan-Meier analysis, progression-free survival (PFS) at 1 and 2 years was respectively 20+/-18% and 0% for (18)F-FDG PET positive patients and 81+/-9% and 62+/-12% for (18)F-FDG PET negative patients (p=0.0001). Overall survival (OS) at 1 and 2 years was respectively 20+/-18% and 0% for (18)F-FDG PET positive and 87+/-7% and 68+/-11% for (18)F-FDG PET negative patients (p<0.0001). INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS: Persistent tumoral (18)F-FDG uptake after a few cycles of polychemotherapy is predictive of CR, PFS and OS in NHL. Further studies are warranted to determine whether (18)F-FDG PET has a predictive value independent from conventional prognostic factors. However, the sensitivity of qualitative (18)F-FDG PET imaging in identifying patients with a poor outcome was insufficient. Earlier evaluation after only one cycle of chemotherapy and quantitative analysis might increase the sensitivity of 18F-FDG PET is predicting treatment failure. [less ▲]

The Person and Justice in Tunisian Souq: A Reflection upon the Linkages Between Justice, Impartiality and Respect for the Person

in DUPRET, Baudouin (Ed.) Standing Trial. Law and the Person in the Modern Middle East (2004)

Person recognition: Effects of face and voice learning on access to semantic information from names.

Conference (2010, May 28)

Several studies showed that it is more difficult to retrieve semantic information from recognized voices than from recognized faces. However, earlier studies that investigated the recall of biographical ... [more ▼]

Several studies showed that it is more difficult to retrieve semantic information from recognized voices than from recognized faces. However, earlier studies that investigated the recall of biographical information following person recognition used stimuli that were pre-experimentally familiar to the participants, such as famous people’s voices and faces. The present study was designed in order to allow a stricter control of frequency exposure with both types of stimuli (voices and faces). In the present study, subjects had to associate lexical (i.e., name) and semantic information (i.e., occupation) with faces or voices. When asked later to recall semantic information being cued by the person’s names, participants provided significantly more occupations for the targets that had been previously associated with faces than with voices. These results and their implications for current Interactive Activation and Competition person recognition models are discussed. Finally, the potential role of the relative distinctiveness of voices and faces is also considered. [less ▲]

Personal interview on National Radio Kiev (Ukraine) on the occasion of the 35th Conference of the Kommission für Volksdichtung as the first international conference hosted by the Ryslky Institute of Arts, Folklore and Ethnology (Academy of Sciences) since the Orange Revolution

Diverse speeche and writing (2005)

Personal name anomia: A single case study

in Cortex (1995), 31

Personality modulation of (un)conscious processing: Novelty seeking and performance following supraliminal and subliminal reward cues

Poster (2012, January)

This study provides evidence that personality traits associated with responsiveness to conscious reward cues also influence responsiveness to unconscious reward cues. Participants with low and high levels ... [more ▼]

This study provides evidence that personality traits associated with responsiveness to conscious reward cues also influence responsiveness to unconscious reward cues. Participants with low and high levels of Novelty Seeking (NS) performed updating tasks in which they could either gain 1 euro or 5 cents. Gains were presented either supraliminally or subliminally at the beginning of each trial. Results showed that low NS participants performed better in the high-reward than in the low-reward condition, whereas high NS participants’ performance did not differ between reward conditions. Interestingly, we found that low NS participants performed significantly better when rewards were presented unconsciously, whereas high NS participants’ performance did not differ whether reward cues were presented subliminally or supraliminally. Our findings highlight the necessity to take personality into account in unconscious cognition research. They also suggest that whether implicit and explicit motives have similar or complementary influences might be determined by individual differences. [less ▲]

Personality profile and drug of choice; a multivariate analysis using Cloninger's TCI on heroin addicts, alcoholics, and a random population group.

in Drug and Alcohol Dependence (2004), 73(2), 175-82

As personality may predispose, precipitate or perpetuate substance abuse and/or dependence, and as it is considered to remain stable across the years in a given subject, potential links with the drug of ... [more ▼]

As personality may predispose, precipitate or perpetuate substance abuse and/or dependence, and as it is considered to remain stable across the years in a given subject, potential links with the drug of choice may help screen future patients before drug consumption. The present study compared three groups: 42 patients with heroin dependence (mean age: 31.2; standard deviation (SD): 5.5; 10 females), 37 patients with alcohol dependence (mean age 44.2; SD: 9.1; 9 females) and 83 subjects from a random population sample (mean age: 38.8; SD: 6.9; 20 females). Personality was measured by Cloninger's Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Pillai's MANCOVA with age as a covariate and gender as a cofactor was highly significant. Univariate ANOVA analyses using TCI dimensions as dependent variable showed most variables to vary in parallel for the two patient groups in comparison with controls. Post-hoc tests showed heroin patients to score higher in Novelty-Seeking and Self-Directedness than alcohol patients. Sub-dimensions Exploratory Excitability, Fear of the Uncertain, Responsibility, Congruent Second Nature and Transpersonal Identification were also significantly different in the two patient samples. Logistic regression showed Exploratory Excitability to segregate up to 76% of heroin patients from alcohol patients. In conclusion, personality profiles were linked to some preferential choice of drug and personality screening might be tested in preventive strategies. [less ▲]