European guidance for the diagnosis and management of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.

in Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA (2013), 24(1), 23-57

Guidance is provided in a European setting on the assessment and treatment of postmenopausal women at risk of fractures due to osteoporosis. INTRODUCTION: The International Osteoporosis Foundation and ... [more ▼]

Guidance is provided in a European setting on the assessment and treatment of postmenopausal women at risk of fractures due to osteoporosis. INTRODUCTION: The International Osteoporosis Foundation and European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis published guidance for the diagnosis and management of osteoporosis in 2008. This manuscript updates these in a European setting. METHODS: Systematic literature reviews. RESULTS: The following areas are reviewed: the role of bone mineral density measurement for the diagnosis of osteoporosis and assessment of fracture risk, general and pharmacological management of osteoporosis, monitoring of treatment, assessment of fracture risk, case finding strategies, investigation of patients and health economics of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: A platform is provided on which specific guidelines can be developed for national use. [less ▲]

Identification and typing of Salmonella serotypes isolated from guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) farms in Benin during four laying seasons (2007-2010)

in Avian Pathology : Journal of the W.V.P.A (2013), 42

Lower intracellular concentration of cryoprotectants after vitrification than after slow freezing despite exposure to higher concentration of cryoprotectant solutions.

in Human reproduction (Oxford, England) (2013)

STUDY QUESTION: What is the intracellular concentration of cryoprotectant (ICCP) in mouse zygotes during vitrification (VIT) and slow-freezing (SLF) cryopreservation procedures? SUMMARY ANSWER: Contrary ... [more ▼]

STUDY QUESTION: What is the intracellular concentration of cryoprotectant (ICCP) in mouse zygotes during vitrification (VIT) and slow-freezing (SLF) cryopreservation procedures? SUMMARY ANSWER: Contrary to common beliefs, it was observed that the ICCP in vitrified zygotes is lower than after SLF, although the solutions used in VIT contain higher concentrations of cryoprotectants (CPs). WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: To reduce the likelihood of intracellular ice crystal formation, which has detrimental effects on cell organelles and membranes, VIT was introduced as an alternative to SLF to cryopreserve embryos and gametes. Combined with high cooling and warming rates, the use of high concentrations of CPs favours an intracellular environment that supports and maintains the transition from a liquid to a solid glass-like state devoid of crystals. Although the up-to-date publications are reassuring in terms of obstetric and perinatal outcomes after VIT, a fear about exposing gametes and embryos to high amounts of CPs that exceed 3-4-fold those found in SLF was central to a debate initiated by advocates of SLF procedures. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: Two experimental set-ups were applied. The objective of a first study was to determine the ICCP at the end of the exposure steps to the CP solutions with our VIT protocol (n = 31). The goal of the second investigation was to compare the ICCP between VIT (n = 30) and SLF (n = 30). All experiments were performed in triplicates using mouse zygotes. The study took place at the GIGA-Research Institute of the University of Liege. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: Cell volume is modified by changes in extracellular osmolarity. Hence, we estimated the final ICCP after the incubation steps in the VIT solutions by exposing the cells to sucrose (SUC) solutions with defined molarities. The ICCP was calculated from the SUC concentration that produced no change in cell volume, i.e. when intra- and extracellular osmolarities were equivalent. Cell volume was monitored by microscopic cinematography. ICCP was compared between SLF and VIT based on the principle that a high ICCP lowers the probability of (re)crystallization during warming but increases the probability of over-swelling of the cell due to fast inflow of water. The survival rates of mouse zygotes after SLF or VIT were compared using either (i) various warming rates or (ii) various concentrations of SUC in the warming dilution medium. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: The ICCP in mouse zygotes during the VIT procedure prior to plunging them in liquid nitrogen was approximately 2.14 M, i.e. one-third of the concentration in the VIT solution. After SLF, the warming rate did not affect the zygote survival rate. In contrast, only 3/30 vitrified zygotes survived when warmed slowly but as many as 30/30 zygotes survived when warming was fast (>20 000 degrees C/min). Vitrified zygotes showed significantly higher survival rates than slow-frozen zygotes when they were placed directly in the culture medium or in solutions containing low concentrations of SUC (P < 0.01). These two experiments demonstrate a lower ICCP after VIT than after SLF. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: The results should not be directly extrapolated to other stages of development or to other species due to possible differences in membrane permeability to water and CPs. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: The low ICCP we observed after VIT removes the concern about high ICCP after VIT, at least in murine zygotes and helps to explain the observed efficiency and lack of toxicity of VIT. STUDY FUNDING / COMPETING INTEREST(S): The study was funded by the FNRS (National Funds for Scientific Research). The authors declare that they have no competing interests. [less ▲]

Physico-chemical and membrane-interacting properties of D-xylose-based bolaforms. Influence of the anomeric configuration

in MATEC Web of Conferences (2013), ACCEPTED

Sugar-based biosurfactants such as xylose-derived bolaforms have interesting properties, for example high biocompatibility and biodegradability which make them potential useful molecules in the ... [more ▼]

Sugar-based biosurfactants such as xylose-derived bolaforms have interesting properties, for example high biocompatibility and biodegradability which make them potential useful molecules in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic fields. Until now, no detailed analyses of the physico-chemical properties of these compounds have been undertaken. Two symmetrical D-xylose-based bolaforms were chemically synthesized where the two xylose heads are linked via an acetal link to a hydrocarbon chain containing 18 carbon atoms and an unsaturation. The two bolaforms differ only by their anomeric configuration: or The bolaform exhibits interfacial properties at the air-water interface which is not the case for the . FTIR spectroscopy showed that the interactions between the bolaform and POPC, a model phospholipid, involve the carbonyl groups of the phospholipid [less ▲]

Familial Pituitary Adenomas : An overview

in Hayat, MA (Ed.) Tumors of the Central nervous system (2013)

Les récusations

in L'instance (2013)

Les conclusions

in L'instance (2013)

La communication des pièces

in L'instance (2013)

La perception de la présence des investisseurs institutionnels publics dans la structure de capital des « Maisons de luxe » belges : le point de vue des entrepreneurs dirigeants

in Les Investisseurs Institutionnels : diabolisation ou sacralisation ? (2013)

This contribution aims at proposing a synthetic review of the perceived interest for Belgian Luxury Houses of the presence of public institutional investors in their capital structure from the ... [more ▼]

This contribution aims at proposing a synthetic review of the perceived interest for Belgian Luxury Houses of the presence of public institutional investors in their capital structure from the entrepreneur's point of view. Our results highlight the duality of interests perceived by CEO's of Belgian luxury Houses. [less ▲]

Instruction à l'audience d'introduction

in L'instance (2013)