Genetic analysis of pig survival in a crossbred population

in Journal of Animal Science (in press)

Chronos et la clé du temps

in Revue des Hôpitaux de Jour Psychiatriques et des Thérapies Institutionnelles 2013, 15 : à paraître. (in press), 15

L’argument de ce XLème Colloque des Hôpitaux de jour psychiatriques nous a plongés dans un abîme de questionnements théoriques et pratiques. Défiés par cette immersion dans les tréfonds du modèle, nous ... [more ▼]

L’argument de ce XLème Colloque des Hôpitaux de jour psychiatriques nous a plongés dans un abîme de questionnements théoriques et pratiques. Défiés par cette immersion dans les tréfonds du modèle, nous avons choisi de nous accrocher aux fondements de notre univers. La mythologie grecque sera donc notre source d’inspiration en mettant un dieu antique à notre disposition. Chronos sera notre guide dans un périple réflexif soumettant nos théories et notre pratique à l’épreuve du temps. Le récit de la conception d’un atelier thérapeutique, l’atelier « Art & Temps », sera notre fil d’Ariane dans notre tentative de symboliser notre pratique thérapeutique quotidienne et ses enjeux. Par la suite, l’exposé d’un cas clinique concrétisera un raisonnement théorique visant à situer notre modèle de prise en charge dans le réseau psychiatrique global. [less ▲]

Vie et praxis : le statt de l'organisme dans la Critique de la Raison dialectique

in Bulletin d'Analyse Phénoménologique (in press)

Détection automatique de réminiscences potentielles de Xénophon chez Arrien

in Etudes Classiques (Namur, Belgium) (in press)

Depuis des siècles, les spécialistes et les savants des littératures grecque et latine se sont attachés à repérer les citations et les reprises d’un auteur chez un autre en raison de l’importance de ... [more ▼]

Depuis des siècles, les spécialistes et les savants des littératures grecque et latine se sont attachés à repérer les citations et les reprises d’un auteur chez un autre en raison de l’importance de l’imitatio et de l’aemulatio dans le processus de création littéraire des œuvres anciennes. Arrien de Nicomédie en est un parfait exemple puisqu’il s’inspira abondamment de son modèle admiré, Xénophon. C’est pourquoi, après avoir répertorié le plus grand nombre possible de réutilisations déjà mises au jour entre les deux historiens par les philologues de manière livresque, notre projet a pour but de détecter et de commenter de nouvelles réminiscences potentielles de Xénophon dans l’œuvre d’Arrien grâce à un logiciel développé spécifiquement à l’Université de Liège sur base de fichiers de textes lemmatisés en collaboration avec le LASLA. [less ▲]

Les ambiguïtés de l’anthropomorphisme : de la divinité agissante à sa statue dans la céramique grecque

in MethIS : Méthodes et Interdisciplinarité en Sciences Humaines (in press)

L’image, sous ses divers aspects, a joué un rôle essentiel dans la vie des anciens Grecs, en particulier dans le domaine religieux, puisque elle était l’une des modalités de perception du divin. En Grèce ... [more ▼]

L’image, sous ses divers aspects, a joué un rôle essentiel dans la vie des anciens Grecs, en particulier dans le domaine religieux, puisque elle était l’une des modalités de perception du divin. En Grèce, la figuration anthropomorphe des dieux est largement majoritaire. Toutefois, en se tournant vers un support particulier, le vase peint, et un type de représentation particulier, la statue divine, on montrera ici que l’anthropomorphisme a pu amener une certaine ambiguïté. Dans la céramique, les représentations de statues fonctionnent sur plusieurs modes, selon la chronologie. C’est ce que l’on propose d’analyser, en examinant un groupe de vases décorés d’un thème semblable et sur lesquels une divinité est représentée, mais soit sous la forme d’une figure « vivante », soit d’une statue plus ou moins bien caractérisée. Cette étude permettra d’aborder les concepts de « fixité » et de « mouvement » de/dans l’image, mais aussi d’explorer quelques pistes de réflexions sur l’image divine et, plus largement, sur les modes de représentation du divin en Grèce ancienne. [less ▲]

Peuple(s) et subjectivations politiques chez Claude Lefort: une lecture du "Machiavel

in Tumultes (in press)

The soundtrack of RR Lyrae in Omega Cen at high-frequency

in Memorie della Società Astronomica Italiana : Journal of the Italian Astronomical Society (in press)

Scalar triplet leptogenesis without right-handed neutrino decoupling

in Nuclear Physics B Proceedings Supplement (in press)

We discuss leptogenesis in the context of type-II seesaw in the case in which in addition to the scalar electroweak triplet decays the lepton asymmetry is also induced by right-handed neutrino decays ... [more ▼]

We discuss leptogenesis in the context of type-II seesaw in the case in which in addition to the scalar electroweak triplet decays the lepton asymmetry is also induced by right-handed neutrino decays (mild hierarchical scenarios). We show that within this setup, depending on the relative sizes of the relevant parameters, one can identify three classes of generic models, each one with its own consequences for leptogenesis. [less ▲]

Zur Stellung des Deutschen in Belgien

in Rundbrief. Mitteilungsblatt des BGDV (in press), 29

Imaginer l’indicible. De la mise en mouvement des images dans les récits de visions de la Trinité des hagiographes et des mystiques médiévaux (VIIe-XIIe siècles)

in MethIS : Méthodes et Interdisciplinarité en Sciences Humaines (in press)

Cette communication consistait en une réflexion sur les tentatives d’imagination de la Trinité divine, dogme fondamental du christianisme. Elle portait plus particulièrement sur la manière dont les clercs ... [more ▼]

Cette communication consistait en une réflexion sur les tentatives d’imagination de la Trinité divine, dogme fondamental du christianisme. Elle portait plus particulièrement sur la manière dont les clercs et les moines du haut moyen âge et du moyen âge central ont perçu, le temps d’une expérience mystique extraordinaire, les relations unissant les trois personnes divines entre elles. L'auteur pose la question du rôle et de l’importance des représentations mentales et de la traduction picturale de certains détails et mouvements – énoncés ou non dans les traités théologiques, la tradition scripturaire ou les textes liturgiques – dans le processus de compréhension et d’appréhension de ce mystère. Elle n'hésite pas à confronter des images perçues par les visionnaires aux images de la Trinité produites à la même époque (Trône de grâce, Trinité du psautier, Trinité triandrique, Trinité tricéphale/trifrons, Paternité, Trinité à deux médaillons). [less ▲]

Exuberant inflammatory reaction after an infiltration of platelet-rich plasma (PRP)

in British Journal of Sports Medicine (2013, June), 47(10 (e3)), 92

Background: PRP, obtained from centrifuged autologous blood, contains a large quantity of growth factors, which may enhance the tissue healing processes. Local infiltration of PRP represents a relatively ... [more ▼]

Background: PRP, obtained from centrifuged autologous blood, contains a large quantity of growth factors, which may enhance the tissue healing processes. Local infiltration of PRP represents a relatively new treatment for tendinopathies. To date, no side effects have been reported after infiltration of PRP to treat tendinopathy. Case report: A 35-year-old patient had a right upper patellar tendinopathy which was resistant to all conservative treatments for more than 6 months. The patient was a type 1 diabetic (well controlled). He had an intratendinous infiltration of 6 mL of PRP (8.105 platelets/mm3, almost no red or white blood cells) after disinfection but without local anaesthetic. Immediately following the infiltration, local cryotherapy was performed for 15 minutes. NSAIDs were avoided, but class-1 or -2 pain-killers were authorised if necessary. A standardised sub-maximal eccentric rehabilitation should have been started 1 week after. However, the patient experienced local swelling with erythema, increased heating and pain which appeared just underneath the patella, but without biological inflammatory syndrome. A great Doppler signal in a thicker patellar tendon was observed by US, but there was no sign of local infectious disease demonstrated by either CT or MRI. However, the local inflammation did not decrease after a progressive 3-week treatment of local cryotherapy, local and oral NSAIDs and colchicine 1 mg. Thus, an insidious infection was suspected, even though there was neither evidence of biological inflammatory syndrome nor sign of infectious lesion on imagery examination. An antibiotic therapy (rifampicine 600 mg + minocycline 100 mg) was initiated for 3 months. Finally, a 3-phase bone scintigraphy suggested the presence of a complex regional pain syndrome type 1 treated by a classical physical therapy and concomitant class-2 pain killers. The evolution was favourable after 6 months of symptomatic treatment, and the pain decreased to a level similar to that before the infiltration of PRP. Discussion/Conclusions: This case report draws attention to potential side effects that are linked to this new therapy by infiltration of platelet rich plasma in case of tendinopathy, in particular when used in patients with type 1 diabetes. Thus, the balance between benefits and risks must be carefully evaluated before using this treatment in patients with type 1 diabetes. Reference: Platelet-rich plasma application in the management of chronic tendinopathies. Acta Orthop Belg 2013; 79: 10-15. [less ▲]

Drug related problems and interventions of pharmacists on prescribed medicines in Belgium

in International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy [=IJCP] (2013, June), 35(3), 497

Aim of project/study (1) To study the frequency and nature of drug related problems (DRP) detected by community pharmacists and internship students when dispensing prescribed medicines. (2) To investigate ... [more ▼]

Aim of project/study (1) To study the frequency and nature of drug related problems (DRP) detected by community pharmacists and internship students when dispensing prescribed medicines. (2) To investigate the nature and frequency of interventions by pharmacists. (3) To study whether there is a difference between DRP detection at the moment of dispensing versus in a quiet setting. [less ▲]

Creatinine- or cystatin C-based equations to estimate glomerular filtration rate in the general population: impact on the epidemiology of chronic kidney disease

in Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation (2013, May), 28(S1),

Impact of strenuous exercise on the release of cardiac biomarkers

in Biochimica Clinica (2013, May), 37(SS), 545

Background: Cardiac troponins (cTn) are considered as the best biomarkers for detection of myocardial cell injury and NT-proBNP as the best for the cardiac insufficiency. In this study, cTnT was measured ... [more ▼]

Background: Cardiac troponins (cTn) are considered as the best biomarkers for detection of myocardial cell injury and NT-proBNP as the best for the cardiac insufficiency. In this study, cTnT was measured by new commercially available high-sensitive methods in subjects un-dergoing the Maasmarathon. Our aim was to compare cTnT and NT-proBNP levels before and after the stress tests, in sportive subjects. Methods: Twenty eight subjects (26 ♂, 42.5±11yo) underwent a race of 42.195 kilometers be-tween Visé (Belgium) and Maastricht (The Netherlands). We drowned blood sample before (T0), just after (T1) and three hours after the race (T3). In all patients, cTnT concentrations were measured by high sensitive methods (hsTnT, Roche Diagnostics) on heparin plasma. The NT-proBNP was also determined with the kit Roche on heparin plasma. The protocol was approved by the ethics committee of the University of Liège (Belgium). All subjects gave their informed consent. All statistical analyses were performed using Medcalc version 8.1 for Windows. p-value <0.01 was regarded as statistically significant. Results: There was a significant difference between hsTnT concentrations at T0 and T1 (p<0.0001), and between T0 and T3 (p<0.001) for NT-proBNP, but not between T1 and T3. This observation appeared only after a strenuous exercise but today this type of exercise is not reproduce easier in a laboratory of sport. Moreover, at this moment, nobody knows if these observations would have cardiac consequences at long terms. Conclusions: Measurement of cardiac troponins by high sensitive methods allows detecting significant release of biomarkers from the heart during exercise. The value of NT-proBNP are also significant but less than TnThs. We think that the TnThs could be an interesting tool in the future to help sport medicine to detect risk of developing a cardiac problem in the future or a sudden death. [less ▲]

Therapeutic Strategy and Patient Outcome during the First 2 Years of Pediatric Crohn’s Disease

in Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition (2013, May)

Comparison of the Heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) with the high sensitive cardiac troponin T in healthy runners

in Biochimica Clinica (2013, May), 37(SS), 544

Background: Heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) is a low molecular weight protein involved in the intracellular uptake and buffering of long chain fatty in the myocardium. It is an early marker ... [more ▼]

Background: Heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) is a low molecular weight protein involved in the intracellular uptake and buffering of long chain fatty in the myocardium. It is an early marker for acute coronary syndrome. Troponin T (TnT) is a component of the contractile apparatus of the striated musculature. Cardiac TnT is a cardio-specific, highly sensitive marker for myocardial damage. The aim of our study was to compare the results obtained with the H-FABP and the highly sensitive cardiac troponins (hsTnT) and to test their cardiospecificity in healthy runners. Methods: Twenty three runners (marathon) were enrolled. We drowned samples at three times: just before (T0), just after (T1), and three hours after the end of the race (T3). H-FABP was determined with a Randox immunoturbidimetric assay and hs-TnT with a Roche electrochemiluminescence immunoassay, both on Cobas 6000. A linear regression was calculated to observe if there is any correlation between the two biomarkers. Values above the 95th percentile for H-FABP (2.5ng/mL) and the 99th percentile for hsTnT (14ng/L) were considered as positive. Results: At T0, none of the subjects were positive for hsTnT but 35% were positive for H-FABP; at T1, 83% for hsTnT and 100% for H-FABP; at T3, 83% for hsTnT and 96% for H-FABP. At T0, the regression equation was H-FABP T0 = 3.9454 – 0.1001 x hsTnT T0; at T1: H-FABP T1 = 51.838 – 1.7026 x hsTnT T1; at T3: H-FABP T3 = 47.977 – 1.6193 x hsTnT T3. No correlation was observed between the two biomarkers at the different time. Conclusions: We observed a significant increase of H-FABP and hsTnT in runners. These markers are independent to each other. These values could biologically correspond to a heart ischemia. However, we suggested that exercise-induced cardiac hsTnT and H-FABP release is not a marker of exercise-induced pathology but likely a physiologic response to effort or an exercise-induced cardiac remodelling. [less ▲]

Superior Renal Function Sustained for 24 Months through Early Everolimus-Facilitated Reduction of Tacrolimus Versus Standard Tacrolimus in De Novo Liver Transplant Recipients: Results of a Randomized Trial.

in American Journal of Transplantation (2013, April), 13(S5), 169450

mTOR inhibitors have the potential to reduce calcineurin inhibitor nephrotoxicity by minimizing or eliminating the need for their use. The 12 month (M) results of H2304 (NCT00622869) study demonstrated ... [more ▼]

mTOR inhibitors have the potential to reduce calcineurin inhibitor nephrotoxicity by minimizing or eliminating the need for their use. The 12 month (M) results of H2304 (NCT00622869) study demonstrated superior renal function with everolimus (EVR) plus reduced tacrolimus (rTAC) vs. standard TAC (TAC-C) in de novo liver transplant recipients (LTxR). Presented here are 24M renal function results. For this 24M, multicenter, open-label study 719 de novo LTxR were randomized (1:1:1) after a 30-day (±5 days) run-in period with TAC (±mycophenolate mofetil), to receive either EVR (C0 3-8 ng/mL) with rTAC (C0 3-5 ng/mL; EVR+rTAC, N=245) or EVR (C0 6-10 ng/mL) with TAC withdrawal (TAC-WD; N=231) at M4 or TAC-C (C0 6-10 ng/mL; TAC-C, N=243); all patients received corticosteroids. Enrollment in TAC-WD arm was stopped early due to higher rejection rates. Main endpoints at M24 included composite ef􏰀cacy failure rate of treated biopsy proven acute rejection, graft loss or death, and evolution of renal function from randomization (RND) to M24 measured as eGFR by MDRD4. At M24, composite ef􏰀cacy failure rate in EVR+rTAC arm was comparable to TAC-C (10.3% vs. 12.5%, p=0.452). Evolution of renal function from RND to M24 was superior for EVR+rTAC vs. TAC-C with an adjusted mean difference in eGFR change of 6.66 mL/min/1.73m2 (p=0.0018; ITT population). Signi􏰀cantly higher eGFR with EVR+rTAC was achieved at M2 post-LTx and was maintained until M24. On-treatment data showed a decrease in mean eGFR from RND to M24 of 6.6 mL/min/1.73m2 with EVR+rTAC vs. 13 mL/min/1.73m2 with TAC-C and 2.5 mL/ min/1.73m2 gain with TAC-WD. Urinary protein:creatinine ratio (mg/g) at M24 was higher with EVR+rTAC vs. TAC-C (Mean±SD: 194±280 vs. 159±284, p=0.006). Early introduction of EVR at 1M post-LTx with rTAC showed superior renal function sustained for 24M compared to TAC-C, without compromising ef􏰀cacy in de novo LTxR. [less ▲]

Health economics in osteoarthritis

in Osteoporosis International (2013, April), 24(Suppl.1), 79-80

What is the value of biomarkers for drug development in osteoarthritis?

in Osteoporosis International (2013, April), 24(Suppl.1), 77-78

Investigation of potential new targets for the diagnosis and/or the treatment of osteoarthritis

in Osteoarthritis and Cartilage (2013, April), 21(Supplement April 2013),

Purpose: Synovial inflammation plays a key role in the pathophysiology process of osteoarthritis (OA). We have previously compared the gene expression pattern of synovial cells isolated from inflammatory ... [more ▼]

Purpose: Synovial inflammation plays a key role in the pathophysiology process of osteoarthritis (OA). We have previously compared the gene expression pattern of synovial cells isolated from inflammatory (I) or normal/reactive (N/R) areas of a synovial membrane harvested from the same OA patient. We identified a large number of mediators belonging to key pathways involved in OA pathogenesis. The aim of this study was to validate different potential new targets for the diagnosis and/or the treatment OA. Methods: Synovial cells (SC) were isolated from synovial specimens obtained from OA patients undergoing knee replacement. The inflammatory status of the synovial membrane was characterized according to macroscopic criteria. The biopsies from N/R and I areas were cultured separately for a period of 7 days. Microarray gene expression profiling between N/R and I areas was performed. The biological relevance of up- and down-regulated genes was analyzed with Ingenuity Pathways Analysis. Western blot and immunohistochemistry confirmed the identified genes most differentially expressed in the key pathways. The production of the triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (TREM1), the alarmin S100 calcium binding protein A9 (S100A9), the wingless-type MMTV integration site family, member 5A (Wnt-5A) and the stanniocalcin 1 (STC1) were evaluated by Western blot. S100A9, hyaluronan synthase-1 (HAS1) and STC1 expression and localization were investigated by immunohistochemistry. Results: 896 genes differentially expressed in N/R and I areas were identified. The key pathways were related to inflammation, cartilage metabolism, Wnt signaling and angiogenesis. In the inflammatory gene pattern, TREM1 and S100A9 were strongly upregulated. We validated the production of these proteins in OA synovial biopsies by Western blot. TREM1 and S100A9 were increased in I compared to N/R synovial cells culture. S100A9 was observed in the perivascular area and in sublining cells in I synovial biopsies, but not in N/R biopsies. An increased staining was also observed in the intima lining layer of I when compared to N/R biopsies. The most upregulated anabolism enzyme in I synovial biopsies was HAS1. Using immunohistochemistry, we observed in I areas an increase of the HAS1-positive cells mainly in the intima lining. We also studied the protein production of Wnt-5A, the most upregulated intermediate of Wnt signaling pathway. The protein level was increased in I compared to N/R areas. Finally, in the angiogenesis pathway, one the most u-regulated gene was STC1. A significant increase of STC1 production was observed in I areas compared to N/R areas by Western blot. This result was also supported by the immunohistochemical analysis. In I area, the staining for STC1 was more intense in perivascular and sublining cells. Conclusions: Synovial membrane inflammation is a key target for OA treatments. In this work, we have identified proteins involved in the synovitis pathways like angiogenesis, cells infiltration and matrix remodeling. These proteins could be targeted by drugs and used as companion biomarkers for evaluating their efficacy. Although qualitative, our results could also yield to the identification of markers of the disease. This investigation has to be further pursued. [less ▲]

Quantitative gait assessment using an accelerometer technology as a predictive tool of falls among nursing home residents: a 6-month prospective study

in Osteoporosis International (2013, April), 24(Suppl.1), 210

Effects of chondroitin sulfate on the gene expression profile in IL-1β stimulated synovial fibroblast cells cultures

in Osteoarthritis and Cartilage (2013, April), 21(Supplement April 2013),

Purpose: Chondroitin sulfate (CS) is one the most used molecules in the management of OA. In this study, we performed a microarray analysis and identified a differential expression profile between control ... [more ▼]

Purpose: Chondroitin sulfate (CS) is one the most used molecules in the management of OA. In this study, we performed a microarray analysis and identified a differential expression profile between control and IL-1β stimulated synovial fibroblast cells cultures. In a second step, we investigated the effects of CS on this gene expression profile. Methods: OA synovial specimens were obtained from 12 patients undergoing knee replacement. At the surgery time, the synovial membrane was dissected. Synovial fibroblast cells (SFC) were enzymatically isolated and used after four passages (P4). SFC were pre-treated 1 hour with highly purified bovine CS (200 µg/ml, Bioibérica S.A., Barcelona, Spain) before treatment with IL-1β (1 ng/ml) for 24 hours. Total RNA was extracted using the RNeasy Mini Kit. RNA purity and quality were evaluated using the Experion RNA StdSens Analysis kit (Bio-rad Laboratories). Gene expression profiling was performed using Illumina’s multi-sample format Human HT-12 BeadChip (Illumina Inc.). Differential analysis was performed with the BRB array tools software. Class comparison test between control (Ctl) and interleukin (IL)-1β conditions, Ctl and Ctl/CS and IL-1β and IL-1β/CS conditions was based on paired t-test where Ctl and IL-1β, Ctl and Ctl/CS and IL-1β and IL-1β/CS were paired for each patient. The biological relevance of up- and down-regulated genes was analyses with Ingenuity Pathways Analysis (Ingenuity® Systems). Probes with a p-value below 0.001 were chosen and classified as up- or down-regulated ones. Results: 3308 genes were identified as differentially expressed genes between Ctl and IL-1β conditions. We observed a differential profile of expression of major pathways involved in OA pathogenesis. The key identified pathways were related to inflammation, complement cascade, angiogenesis, cartilage catabolism and anabolism and Wnt signaling. In the inflammatory network, the most upregulated cytokines were IL-8 and IL-6 with a fold change of 156.25 and 58.8 respectively. We also identified several chemokines, enzymes and metallothioneins (MTs). Complement factor B (CFB) and complement component 3 (C3) are two factors upregulated in the inflammatory complement cascade. We also identified some genes implicated in the angiogenesis pathway. The most upregulated was Stanniocalcin 1 (STC1) with a fold change of 9.09. The differential expression of intermediates involved in both cartilage anabolism and catabolism was revealed by the IL-1β stimulation, showing an imbalance in favour of catabolism. MMP-3 was largely upregulated (fold change of 62.5). Wnt 5A and low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP8) were significantly upregulated while frizzled homolog 2 (FZD2) and dickkopf homolog 3 (DKK3) were downregulated in the Wnt signaling pathway. We next performed a class comparison test between Ctl and Ctl/CS in one hand and IL-1β and IL-1β/CS on the other hand. 660 genes were identified as differentially expressed between Ctl and Ctl/CS conditions while 241 genes were identified between IL-1β and IL-1β/CS. Among them, our attention was focused on two genes upregulated in the presence of CS: lysyl oxidase-like 4 (LOXL4) and claudin 11 (CDLN11), two genes that negatively regulate cell invasion. Conclusions: We here evidenced in synovial fibroblast cells the modulation of gene expression following IL-1β stimulation. We also demonstrated the modulatory effects of CS on gene expression and isolated several CS-modulated genes of interest such as LOXL4 and CDLN11, which could constitute new mechanisms of action of the molecule and contribute to explain the symptomatic efficacy of CS in the treatment of OA. [less ▲]

Validity of the French hip and knee replacement expectations surveys

in Osteoporosis International (2013, April), 24(Suppl.1), 374

Changes in the structure and the symptoms of the osteoarthritis knee and prediction of future knee replacement over an 8-year follow-up period

in Osteoporosis International (2013, April), 24(Suppl.1), 209

Clinical characteristics of patients responsive to whole body vibration

in Osteoporosis International (2013, April), 24(Suppl.1), 243

Planet TOPERS: Planets, Tracing the Transfer, Origin, Preservation, and Evolution of Their Reservoirs

in Geophysical Research Abstracts (2013, April), 15

An overview is given of the Planet TOPERS project addressing habitability in our solar system.

The intra-articular injection of a new chitosan biomaterial prevents the progression of osteoarthritis in ACLT rabbit model

in Osteoarthritis and Cartilage (2013, April), 21(Supplement April 2013), 69

Purpose To evaluate the effects of a single intra-articular injection of a new biomaterial consisting in a mix of alginate-chitosan (AC) beads and a viscous thermogelling chitosan-based (H) hydrogel on ... [more ▼]

Purpose To evaluate the effects of a single intra-articular injection of a new biomaterial consisting in a mix of alginate-chitosan (AC) beads and a viscous thermogelling chitosan-based (H) hydrogel on cartilage lesion in osteoarthritis (OA) rabbit model. These effects were compared to those obtained with the intra-articular injection of either chitosan-based (H) hydrogel without the AC bead or saline solution. Methods OA was surgically induced by the transection of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACLT) in HYLA albino rabbits. One week after surgery, animals were randomly divided into 3 groups: group I (n=7): mix of AC beads and H hydrogel; group II (n=7): H hydrogel alone; group III (n=7): saline solution (control). The treatments (900 µl) were injected intra-articularly. X-rays from the right knee were performed before surgery, at the time of injection and at sacrifice. The standard radiographs were acquired in extension and scored by the Kellgren and Lawrence (K&L) scale. After 6 weeks, animals were euthanized and the right joint was dissected. The macroscopic evaluation of cartilage from femoral condyles and tibial plateaus stained with India ink was done. Histological sections stained with Safranine-O/fast green from bearing areas of each compartment were evaluated according to the OARSI histological score. Briefly, the evaluation considered: staining of the cartilage matrix (0-6), cartilage structure (0-11), chondrocyte density (0-4) and cluster formation (0-3), where 0 represented a normal situation and 24 points the maximum severity score. Blood samples were collected the day of injection and prior the sacrifice. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured in serum using immunoassays. Results The X-rays analysis showed a significant decrease (p <0.05) of the K&L score in group I (AC beads and H hydrogel; 1.5 ± 0.2) compared with group II (H hydrogel; 2.2 ± 0.5) and group III (saline solution; 3.0 ± 0.4). The size and the severity of the macroscopic OA cartilage lesion tended to decrease in group I compared to the other groups. The histological global score that refers to all compartments of the knee joint was significantly decreased in group I (11.0 ± 0.7) compared to group II (14.4 ± 0.6, p <0.01) and group III (14.8 ± 0.6, p <0.001). No significant variation of PGE2 and CRP serum levels were observed in each after 6 weeks follow-up whatever the treatment injected. Conclusions This study showed that a biphasic hydrogel composed by AC beads and H hydrogel prevented OA in rabbit with ACL transection. This effect was not observed with the hydrogel alone, suggesting that AC beads play a role in joint protection. The preventive effect was observed in all joint compartments indicating a global protective effect of this new viscosupplementation. [less ▲]

Belgian multicentre experience with intestinal transplantation

in Acta Gastro-Enterologica Belgica (2013, March), 76(1), 07

Stockage de bois chablis sous bâche

in Infos de RND (Les) (2013, March), (1er semestre), 3-5

Le samedi 24 janvier 2009, la tempête Klaus traverse le sud-ouest de la France. Tempête la plus dévastatrice depuis 1999, la forêt des Landes et ses pins maritimes paient un lourd tribut à ce phénomène ... [more ▼]

Le samedi 24 janvier 2009, la tempête Klaus traverse le sud-ouest de la France. Tempête la plus dévastatrice depuis 1999, la forêt des Landes et ses pins maritimes paient un lourd tribut à ce phénomène extrême: 60% de la superficie est touchée, environ 40 millions de m3 de bois sont à terre, quatre fois la récolte annuelle. Il faudra attendre plusieurs mois avant que les aires de stockage par aspersion soient opérationnelles. Trop tard, le pin maritime montre déjà des signes de bleuissement de son bois, il est invendable sur les marchés à forte valeur ajoutée, là où l’esthétisme prime. Écarté des meilleurs débouchés, le lambris et le plancher, le manque à gagner est énorme. Un tel scénario catastrophe, notre région s’y prépare depuis 2005, tirant les enseignements des expériences étrangères et fondant son action sur les spécificités de notre forêt, de notre filière. C’est dans ce cadre que le 28 février dernier, à Eupen, des grumes d’épicéa stockées depuis presque cinq ans ont été extraites des bâches hermétiques qui les protégeaient. Comment le bois est-il ressorti de cette épreuve? Que penser de cette méthode alternative de stockage? Quelle place lui réserver ? Benoit Jourez du Laboratoire de Technologie du Bois du DEMNA (Département de l’Étude du milieu naturel et agricole) nous a apporté son éclairage et nous a conviés à l’ouverture de la poche étanche. Entre supputations et réalité des bois extraits après cinq ans, suspense… [less ▲]

Asteroseismology of hot B subdwarf stars

in EPJ Web of Conferences (2013, March), 43

Nonradial pulsations in Extreme Horizontal Branch stars (also known as hot B subdwarfs or sdB stars) offer strong opportunities to study through asteroseismology the structure and internal dynamics of ... [more ▼]

Nonradial pulsations in Extreme Horizontal Branch stars (also known as hot B subdwarfs or sdB stars) offer strong opportunities to study through asteroseismology the structure and internal dynamics of stars in this intermediate stage of stellar evolution. Most sdB stars directly descend from former red giants and are expected to evolve straight into white dwarfs after core helium exhaustion. They thus represent the most direct link between these two stages. Their properties should therefore reflect both the outcome of the core evolution of red giant stars and the initial state for a fraction of the white dwarfs. We review the status of this field after a decade of efforts to exploit both p-mode and g-mode pulsating sdB stars as asteroseismic laboratories. From the discoveries of these two classes of pulsators in 1997 and 2003, respectively, up to the current epoch of data gathering of unprecedented quality from space, a lot of progress has been made in this area and prospects for future achievements look very promising. [less ▲]

Long term measurements of volatile organic compounds exchanges above a maize field at Lonzee (Belgium)

in Communications in Agricultural and Applied Biological Sciences (2013, February), 78(1), 127-132

VOC (volatile organic compounds) include a wide set of molecules which are mostly emitted by the plants. Atmospheric scientists are strongly interested in these compounds because of their important role ... [more ▼]

VOC (volatile organic compounds) include a wide set of molecules which are mostly emitted by the plants. Atmospheric scientists are strongly interested in these compounds because of their important role in the atmospheric chemistry and their final impact on air pollution and climate change. Evaluation of current and future VOC emissions is thus necessary and requires a comprehensive understanding of VOC production and exchange dynamics under a wide panel of climatic conditions and ecosystems. Forest and non pastured grasslands have been largely studied for the last decade. However, knowledge about VOC fluxes from croplands remains scarce. Our study focuses on the VOC exchanges between a maize field and the atmosphere. It is incorporated in a wider project that aims to study VOC fluxes from two croplands (maize and winter wheat) and a pastured grassland. VOC fluxes have been measured on a maize field during the whole growing season using a micrometeorological method (eddy covariance). While first results show half-hourly bidirectionnal exchanges among all the preselected compounds, in average methanol stands for the greatest emitted VOC, followed by green leaf volatiles, and acetic acid is the greatest taken up VOC. Small isoprene and monoterpenes fluxes are also observed. A diurnal pattern is found for all those VOC, with greater emission/uptake during the day, suggesting a flux dependence on environmental parameters. These environmental controls will be further investigated [less ▲]

Therapeutic Strategy and Patient Outcome during the First 2 Years of Pediatric Crohn’s Disease

in Acta Gastroenterologica Belgica (2013, February)

Estimation of the fascine efficiency in terms of runoff infiltration and sediments deposition

in Geophysical Research Abstracts (2013), 15

Runoff inundations and mudflows are more and more frequent phenomena. In 2011, Belgium had a lot of its municipalities affected by this problematic. Since then, mitigation measures are more and more set ... [more ▼]

Runoff inundations and mudflows are more and more frequent phenomena. In 2011, Belgium had a lot of its municipalities affected by this problematic. Since then, mitigation measures are more and more set up in agricultural watersheds. The fascines are one of these measures which allow to protect the public and private infrastructures and in the same way, which don’t reduce the famers productivity. They consist in branches faggots piled up between two rows of stakes. These linear constructions are mainly put in place across concentrated runoff axis in order to slow down the water and to filter the mud. Only few quantifications of their effectiveness (in terms of flow and concentration water reduction) exist and are however needed to better recommend these types of mitigation measures. Our experiment aims at measuring discharge and mud concentration reduction due to the fascines in a completely defined context. The tests were realised through fascines planted in field border. A watertight surface of 2,45m to 0,80m carries the water to the fascines. Three types of fascines were tested (willow wood fascine, straw fascine, straw compacted fascine), three different water flows were applied (0,5L/s, 3L/s and 6L/s) and three water concentration in dry soil (13g/L, 26g/L, 38g/L) were used. The different factor combinations were tested. The results show that we can expect a reduction of 60% of the flow for the biggest water flows (proportional efficiency with the water flow). The factor interaction study doesn’t allow to see a difference between the type. About the sediment water concentration, the filtration can reach 50%, the fascine with wood faggots showing a better efficiency. Finally, the difference between the fascine type show that straw fascine can support a biggest watershed (25 hectares) than the wood faggot fascine can (5-10 hectares) but during a smaller return period (one year against five years). [less ▲]

Visean corals from the transverse Jebel Begaa to Gara el Itima (eastern Tafilalt, Morocco)

in Document de l'Institut Scientifique, Rabat (2013), 26

Mise en image du spectacle et spectacularisation de l’image à l’âge baroque

in Degrés : Revue de Synthèses à Orientation Sémiologique (2013)

Self-shuffling words

in Lecture Notes in Computer Science (2013)

In this paper we introduce and study a new property of infinite words which is invariant under the action of a morphism: We say an infinite word x, defined over a finite alphabet A, is self-shuffling if x ... [more ▼]

In this paper we introduce and study a new property of infinite words which is invariant under the action of a morphism: We say an infinite word x, defined over a finite alphabet A, is self-shuffling if x admits factorizations: x=\prod_{i=1}^\infty U_iV_i=\prod_{i=1}^\infty U_i=\prod_{i=1}^\infty V_i with U_i,V_i \in \A^+. In other words, there exists a shuffle of x with itself which reproduces x. The morphic image of any self-shuffling word is again self-shuffling. We prove that many important and well studied words are self-shuffling: This includes the Thue-Morse word and all Sturmian words (except those of the form aC where a is a letter and C is a characteristic Sturmian word). We further establish a number of necessary conditions for a word to be self-shuffling, and show that certain other important words (including the paper-folding word and infinite Lyndon words) are not self-shuffling. In addition to its morphic invariance, which can be used to show that one word is not the morphic image of another, this new notion has other unexpected applications: For instance, as a consequence of our characterization of self-shuffling Sturmian words, we recover a number theoretic result, originally due to Yasutomi, which characterizes pure morphic Sturmian words in the orbit of the characteristic. [less ▲]

Strunian Rugose and Tabulate corals from Northwestern Turkey

in Document de l'Institut Scientifique, Rabat (2013), 26

How adaptation strategies of crops could counteract climate change effects? The case of four catchments in Wallonia, Belgium.

in Geophysical Research Abstracts (2013), 15

A sharp increase in extreme heat and drought stress is projected in Belgium by the end of the 21st century, with the potential to significantly reduce crops’ yields under current agricultural practices ... [more ▼]

A sharp increase in extreme heat and drought stress is projected in Belgium by the end of the 21st century, with the potential to significantly reduce crops’ yields under current agricultural practices. This contribution uses an agro-hydrological model in order to assess the potential effects of climate evolution on crop development, yield, and water balance for the main agricultural productions in the Meuse catchment. Erosion risk is also evaluated. We show that grasslands and maize yield decrease and yield variability increases under climate change scenarios. The leaf area index study permits to put in emphasis the earlier start of the vegetation due to warmer climate. It appears that all the sensitive stages occur earlier in the season and that crops are negatively affected by summer drought stress. The better understanding of crops development under evolving climate allows us to propose some changes in agricultural practices and to assess their effectiveness. We evaluate different strategies of adaptation in agricultural practices in order to reduce the potential negative effects of climate change on grasslands and maize production. Adaptation strategies proposed are advanced sowing and harvesting date, introduction of a cover crop for maize and advance in the cutting dates for grasslands. In the particular case of the Vesdre catchment, shifting the growth period of maize permits to avoid the water-deficit period and allow increased yield. This shift makes it possible to introduce a cover crop that will drastically reduce winter soil erosion. For grassland, the adjustment of the cutting dates favored the first cut and the earlier start of the vegetation. The second cut is less profitable due to summer drought stress. The vulnerability assessments focused on the main rotation encountered in the cultivated areas and in the difference in the cover type of these crops. [less ▲]

Probing the phase of the elastic $pp$ scattering amplitude with vortex proton beams

in AIP Conference Proceedings (2013)

We show that colliding vortex proton beams instead of (approximate) plane waves can lead to a direct measurement of how the overall phase of the scattering amplitude changes with the scattering angle. In ... [more ▼]

We show that colliding vortex proton beams instead of (approximate) plane waves can lead to a direct measurement of how the overall phase of the scattering amplitude changes with the scattering angle. In elastic $pp$ scattering, this will open a novel way to measure the parameter $\rho(t)$ and probe the real part of the Pomeron. [less ▲]

Spatial distribution of erosion and deposition on an agricultural watershed

in Geophysical Research Abstracts (2013), 15

To better understand the agricultural landscapes evolution becomes an essential preoccupation and, for this, it is needed to take into account the sediments deposition, in a distributed way. As it is not ... [more ▼]

To better understand the agricultural landscapes evolution becomes an essential preoccupation and, for this, it is needed to take into account the sediments deposition, in a distributed way. As it is not possible in practice to study all terrestrial surfaces in detail by instrumenting sectors to obtain data, models of prediction are valuable tools to control the current problems, to predict the future tendencies and to provide a scientific base to the political decisions. In our case, a landscape evolution model is needed, which aims at representing both erosion and sedimentation and dynamically adjusts the landscape to erosion and deposition by modifying the initial digital elevation model. The Landsoil model (Landscape design for Soil conservation under soil use and climate change), among others, could fulfil this objective. It has the advantage to take the soil variability into account. This model, designed for the analysis of agricultural landscape, is suitable for simulations from parcel to catchment scale, is spatially distributed and event-based. Observed quantitative data are essential (notably to calibrate the model) but still limited. Particularly, we lack observations spatially distributed on the watershed. For this purpose, we choose a watershed in Belgium (Wallonia) which is a 124 ha agricultural zone in the loamy region. Its slopes range from 0% to 9%. To test the predictions of the model, comparisons will be done with: - sediment measurements which are done with water samplings in four points on the site to compare the net erosion results; - sediment selective measurements (depth variation observed along graduated bares placed on site) to compare the erosion and deposition results; - very accurate DSM’s (6,76 cm pixel resolution X-Y) obtained by the drone (Gatewing X100) each winter. Besides planning what the landscape evolution should be, a revision of the soil map (drew in 1958) is organized to compare with the past situation and establish how the landscape moved in 50 years. The first results of the sediment measurements and of the pictures of the drone will be showed in the presentation. [less ▲]

On the Number of Abelian Bordered Words

in Lecture Notes in Computer Science (2013), 7907

In the literature, many bijections between (labeled) Motzkin paths and various other combinatorial objects are studied. We consider abelian (un)bordered words and show the connection with irreducible ... [more ▼]

In the literature, many bijections between (labeled) Motzkin paths and various other combinatorial objects are studied. We consider abelian (un)bordered words and show the connection with irreducible symmetric Motzkin paths and paths in Z not returning to the origin. This study can be extended to abelian unbordered words over an arbitrary alphabet and we derive expressions to compute the number of these words. In particular, over a 3-letter alphabet, the connection with paths in the triangular lattice is made. Finally, we study the lengths of the abelian unbordered factors occurring in the Thue--Morse word. [less ▲]

Infusion of CliniMACS (Myltenyi Biotec) Enriched Regulatory T Cells Delays Experimental Xenogeneic Graft-versus-Host Disease

in Belgian Journal of Hematology (2013), Abstracts book(Supplement of 28th General Meeting of the Belgian Hematological Society), 15

Effect of a fungal infection on the volatile compounds emitted by barley’s roots and their roles in the interactions in the rhizosphere

in IOBC-WPRS Bulletins (2013), 86

Symmetries in multi-Higgs-doublet models

in AIP Conference Proceedings (2013)

We report the recent progress in understanding of symmetries which can be implemented in the scalar sector of electroweak symmetry breaking models with several Higgs doublets. In particular we present the ... [more ▼]

We report the recent progress in understanding of symmetries which can be implemented in the scalar sector of electroweak symmetry breaking models with several Higgs doublets. In particular we present the list of finite reparametrization symmetry groups which can appear in the three-Higgs-doublet models. [less ▲]

Initiation of methane turbulent flux measurements over a grazed grassland in Belgium

in Geophysical Research Abstracts (2013), 15

Processing of Ti alloys by additive manufacturing: a comparison of the microstructures obtained by laser cladding, selective laser melting and electron beam melting

in Materials Science Forum (2013), 765

Additive manufacturing processes such as laser cladding (LC) or selective laser melting (SLM) appear very promising in view of an economic near-net-shape production – and also, in the case of LC, the ... [more ▼]

Additive manufacturing processes such as laser cladding (LC) or selective laser melting (SLM) appear very promising in view of an economic near-net-shape production – and also, in the case of LC, the restoration - of complex and (almost) fully dense parts from Ti alloys. Both techniques involve the melting of a metallic powder with a laser. In the SLM process, the metallic powder is deposited layer by layer in a powder bed and then molten locally according to the desired shape, whereas in LC, the metallic powder is directly projected onto a substrate through a nozzle coaxial with the laser beam. The present research aims at comparing Ti-6Al-4V samples processed by these two techniques with reference samples produced by electron beam melting (EBM), another well established additive manufacturing process (patented by Arcam AB Company) in which a powder bed is molten locally by means of an electron beam. In all three processes, the melt pool undergoes an ultrafast cooling and solidifies very rapidly once the beam has left the area, thus giving rise to strongly out-of-equilibrium microstructures. Yet, each one of these processes also has its own specificities e.g. in terms of scanning strategy and of working atmosphere (low vacuum vs. protective Ar flow). In the present work, the microstructures obtained by these three processes have been compared in details, with a particular attention for characteristics such as porosity, grain size, and the various phases present. Since epitaxial growth of the newly deposited layer on the material previously solidified has been shown [1, 2] to exert a strong influence on the microstructure and on the resulting mechanical properties, great care has been taken to study the microstructural anisotropy associated with each one of the three processes. [less ▲]

The neural correlates of recollection and familiarity during aging

in Journal of Psychophysiology (2013), 27(Suppl 1), 48

Importance of LUC and ILUC on the carbon footprint of bioproduct:case of bio-HDPE

in International seminar on society and materials (2013)

Due to the depletion of fossil fuels and the increase of greenhouse gas emissions, solutions are needed to replace petrol based products. As a consequence, the number of biobased products developed using ... [more ▼]

Due to the depletion of fossil fuels and the increase of greenhouse gas emissions, solutions are needed to replace petrol based products. As a consequence, the number of biobased products developed using agricultural feedstock is continuously increasing. This study focuses on the carbon footprint of bio-HDPE produced either from Brazilian sugar cane or Belgian sugar beet. The goal of this study is to compare the carbon footprint of bio-HDPE with the fossil one, taking into account the effect of land use change. Common boundaries of the agricultural systems comprise the cultivation step for both crops, i.e. sugar cane and sugar beet, with all associated energy and fertilizer consumptions, the transportation step from field to the industrial plant, the sugar crops transformation into hydrate bioethanol, the by-products valorisation, the dehydration and polymerization steps and the HDPE incineration as end of life issue. Fossil scenario includes the production of ethylene, its polymerization and its incineration. When comparing the entire life cycle of bio and fossil HDPE, the GHG emissions are lower for the biobased product which is the willing effect. This result is only valid if no Land Use Change (LUC) or Indirect Land Use Change (ILUC) effect appears. To assess the environmental impact of the deforestation or of the transformation of a pasture into a field, the EC-Guidelines from the European Union were used in order to calculate the CO2 emissions depending on several parameters. For sugar cane, LUC consists in the transformation of pastures into fields in the region of Sao Paulo in Brazil. Three scenarios can be developed based on different agricultural practices for pasture and field (tillage and fertilizers inputs): the best, the worst and the average. The best case leads to a supplementary environmental gain. The worst and average achieve additional emissions. A payback time, considering the time needed to find again an environmental gain compared to the fossil counterpart, was calculated for the average scenario which is equal to 12 years. The ILUC effect for sugar cane is assumed to be deforestation due to the transformation of forest into pasture induced by the previous LUC effect. The rate of deforestation can vary between 16% or 100% depending on used statistics and leads to a payback time of respectively 26 and 101 years. For sugar beet, no LUC is considered. Indeed, no land expansion is available in Belgium due to small available areas. In the case of an increase of bioplastics production, Belgium should import sugar beet from neighboring countries which can induce ILUC. In this study, sugar beet is assumed to be provided by the Netherlands on pastures previously transformed into fields. The average scenario implies a payback time of 8 years. This study permits to highlight the importance of LUC and ILUC especially for energetic crops dedicated to replace fossil products. This effect can reverse expected results and induce long payback times. [less ▲]

Prediction of residual stresses by FE simulations on bimetallic work rolls during cooling

in Computer Methods in Materials Science (2013), 13(1), 84-91

Bimetallic rolls used in the roughing stands of the Hot Strip Mill require mixed properties as a high wear resistance for the shell material and an enhanced toughness for the core material. The bimetallic ... [more ▼]

Bimetallic rolls used in the roughing stands of the Hot Strip Mill require mixed properties as a high wear resistance for the shell material and an enhanced toughness for the core material. The bimetallic roll studied in this paper is obtained from a vertical spin casting process followed by cooling and subsequent heat treatments. Failure of the compound roll sometimes occurs during the cooling stage of the casting route or later during the thermal treatments. It requires to deeply investigate the thermo mechanical metallurgical interactions generated during cooling and heat treatment in order to find the origin of cracks. For this purpose, a thermo metallurgic mechanical finite element model is used. However these numerical simulations require a high amount of mechanical, thermal and metallurgical parameters. In order to determinate these parameters, a study of available data for estimation of mechanical parameters was performed. Thermo physical parameters were obtained by DTA and DSC methods. Metallurgical characterization by inverse numerical method based on available CCT diagrams was performed to determine the TTT diagrams. First cooling numerical simulations are presented, allowing a rough estimate of residual stresses values and the identification of key parameters for predicting accurate residual stresses by sensitivity analysis. [less ▲]

Une étude de la vulnérabilité cognitive des parents au premier degré de patients schizophrènes

in Revue Francophone de Clinique Comportementale et Cognitive (2012, December), XVII(4), 53

Schizophrenic patients and their first-degree relatives suffer from cognitive deficits in different area (memory, executive, attentional and language functions) which allows us to consider these deficits ... [more ▼]

Schizophrenic patients and their first-degree relatives suffer from cognitive deficits in different area (memory, executive, attentional and language functions) which allows us to consider these deficits as endophenotypes of schizophrenia. Schizophrenic patients also suffer from a lack of autobiographical memory and instability of identity: our study aims to determine whether this deficit and this instability are endophenotypes of schizophrenia. In order to reach this objective, we evaluated first-degree relatives. The results show that first-degree relatives suffer from cognitive deficits but, contrary to our hypotheses, not any deficit of specificity or instability of identity have been highlighted among these parents. [less ▲]