Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Histoire coloniale : développement et inégalités dans l'ancienne Afrique occidentale française

Cette these s'appuie sur l'extraction de donnees historiques originales puisees dans les archives de l'ancienne Afrique Occidentale Francaise. Elle est tout d'abord consacree a la question du bilan economique de l'experience coloniale pour la France. Je montre que la question n'est pas reglee et apporte une re��ponse quant au cout direct de la colonisation de l'Afrique Occidentale Francaise pour l'Etat francais : il a ete extremement faible, en moyenne 0,1 % des depenses de l'Etat. Le peu d’investissements publics realises pendant la periode coloniale a ete finance presque en totalite par les populations africaines elles-memes. En s'appuyant sur ! es techniques de l'econometrie, cette these s'interesse ensuite aux effets de long terme de la colonisation francaise sur le developpement et les inegalites regionales au sein de l'ancienne Afrique Occidentale Francaise. Je montre d'abord que les investissements publics effectues pendant la periode coloniale ont cree des inegalites persistantes entre les regions de l'ancienne AOF : la scolarisation, la sante infantile, et les niveaux d’equipement actuels des menages ouest-africains restent plus eleves dans les regions qui ont beneficie d’investissements publics plus importants au debut de la periode coloniale. Enfin, je montre, que les regions dans lesquelles les colons europeens ont ete relativement plus nombreux ont aujourd'hui un developpement relativement plus eleve. La presence europeenne a entraine sur un siecle des modifications dans la repartition du leadership regional : certaines regions tres dynamiques ont perdu leur place au profit de regions secondaires, preferees pas les colons pour leur plus grande hospitalite politique.
Dormant and Self‐Renewing Hematopoietic Stem Cells and Their Niches

Abstract: In the mouse, over the last 20 years, a set of cell‐surface markers and activities have been identified, enabling the isolation of bone marrow (BM) populations highly enriched in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). These HSCs have the ability to generate multiple lineages and are capable of long‐term self‐renewal activity such that they are able to reconstitute and maintain a functional hematopoietic system after transplantation into lethally irradiated recipients. Using single‐cell reconstitution assays, various marker combinations can be used to achieve a functional HSC purity of almost 50%. Here we have used the differential expression of six of these markers (Sca1, c‐Kit, CD135, CD48, CD150, and CD34) on lineage‐depleted BM to refine cell hierarchies within the HSC population. At the top of the hierarchy, we propose a dormant HSC population (Lin−Sca1+c‐Kit+ CD48−CD150+CD34−) that gives rise to an active self‐renewing CD34+ HSC population. HSC dormancy, as well as the balance between self‐renewal and differentiation activity, is at least, in part, controlled by the stem cell niches individual HSCs are attached to. Here we review the current knowledge about HSC niches and propose that dormant HSCs are located in niches at the endosteum, whereas activated HSCs are in close contact to sinusoids of the BM microvasculature.
A complications-based clinical staging of obesity to guide treatment modality and intensity

Purpose of reviewThe current medical model for obesity management is BMI-centric because BMI is the predominant measure used to gauge disease severity, as well as indications for various treatment modalities. Recent advancements in therapy and understanding of the relationship between BMI and obesity-related complications call for a re-examination of this approach. Recent findingsAdvancements in treatment, including the recent approval of two new weight loss medications in the USA, have enabled development of new medical models for management of obesity. On the basis of accumulating data demonstrating the benefits of weight loss regarding multiple obesity-related complications (e.g., diabetes prevention, type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease risk, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, sleep apnea), a complications-centric model is proposed that employs weight loss as a tool to treat and prevent obesity comorbidities. This model assures that the aggressiveness of therapy is commensurate with disease severity, and that therapy is directed at those obese patients who will benefit most from weight loss therapy. The treatment algorithm is comprehensive in addressing complications and quantitative when possible in the staging of risk or disease severity. SummaryA complications-centric approach to obesity management identifies patients who will benefit most from weight loss, and optimizes patient outcomes, benefit/risk ratio, and the cost–effectiveness of interventions.
Mesenchymal Stem Cell‐Derived Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Promotes Macrophage Polarization and Inhibits B Cell Differentiation

The role of interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL1RA) in mediating the immunosuppressive effect of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) has been reported in several studies. However, how MSC‐derived IL1RA influences the host response has not been clearly investigated. We therefore derived MSCs from the bone marrow of IL1RA knockout mice and evaluated their immunosuppressive effect on different immune cell subsets. IL1RA deficient (IL1RA−/−) or wild type (wt) MSCs inhibited to the same extend the proliferation of T lymphocytes. On the contrary, IL1RA−/− MSCs were less effective than wt MSCs to induce in vitro the macrophage polarization from M1 to M2 phenotype secreting IL10 and exerting a suppressive effect on CD4+ T cells. Moreover compared with wt MSCs, IL1RA−/− MSCs did not efficiently support the survival of quiescent B lymphocytes and block their differentiation toward CD19+CD138+ plasmablasts secreting IgG antibodies. The effectiveness of IL1RA secreted by MSCs in controlling inflammation was further shown in vivo using the collagen‐induced arthritis murine model. MSCs lacking IL1RA expression were unable to protect mice from arthritic progression and even worsened clinical signs, as shown by higher arthritic score and incidence than control arthritic mice. IL1RA−/− MSCs were not able to decrease the percentage of Th17 lymphocytes and increase the percentage of Treg cells as well as decreasing the differentiation of B cells toward plasmablasts. Altogether, our results provide evidence of the key role of IL1RA secreted by MSCs to both control the polarization of macrophages toward a M2 phenotype and inhibit B cell differentiation in vivo. Stem Cells 2016;34:483–492
Remodeling technique for endovascular treatment of ruptured intracranial aneurysms had a higher rate of adequate postoperative occlusion than did conventional coil embolization with comparable safety.

PURPOSE To compare the safety and efficacy of the remodeling technique with that of conventional coil embolization in a large multicenter series involving the endovascular treatment of ruptured intracranial aneurysms, the CLARITY study (Clinical and Anatomic Results in the Treatment of Ruptured Intracranial Aneurysms). MATERIALS AND METHODS The institutional review board approved the CLARITY study, and written informed consent was obtained from all patients. A total of 768 patients (age range, 19-80 years; mean age ± standard deviation, 51.0 years ± 11.1) with 768 ruptured aneurysms were treated with either conventional coil embolization (608 patients, 79.2%) or the remodeling technique (160 patients, 20.8%). Patient and aneurysm characteristics, the rate of adverse events related to the treatment or initial intracranial hemorrhage, and patient outcome were compared between treatment groups by using the χ(2), Fisher exact, or Student t test. RESULTS The overall rate of treatment-related complications, with or without clinical manifestations, was 17.4% (106 of 608 patients) with coil embolization and 16.9% (27 of 160 patients) with remodeling (P = .999). The difference in the rates of thromboembolic events, intraoperative rupture, and early repeat bleeding between the treatment groups was not statistically significant. The cumulative morbidity and mortality rate related to the treatment in the remodeling group (3.8%, six of 160 patients) was similar to that in the coil embolization group (5.1%, 31 of 608 patients) (P = .678). Likewise, the global cumulative morbidity and mortality rates related to both the treatment and the initial hemorrhage did not differ significantly between groups (16.2% [26 of 160 patients] with remodeling and 19.6% [119 of 608 patients] with coil embolization, P = .366). The rate of adequate aneurysm occlusion, however, was significantly higher in the remodeling group (94.9%, 150 of 158 aneurysms) than in the coil embolization group (88.7%, 534 of 602 aneurysms) (P = .017). CONCLUSION In our large series of patients treated for ruptured aneurysms, the remodeling technique-despite being performed in aneurysms with unfavorable characteristics-was as safe as conventional coil embolization and more efficacious in terms of the rate of adequate postoperative occlusion. These results indicate that the remodeling technique can be routinely used in the treatment of ruptured aneurysms.
Palmar hyperhidrosis: evidence of genetic transmission.

BACKGROUND Primary palmar hyperhidrosis is a condition marked by excessive perspiration and is reported to have an incidence of 1% in the Western population. It is a potentially disabling disorder that interferes with social, psychological, and professional activities. Over the past several years, several investigators have reported a positive family history in their patients treated for hyperhidrosis. To date, the cause is unknown; furthermore, epidemiologic data are scarce and inadequate. METHODS To characterize the genetic contribution to hyperhidrosis, we conducted a prospective study of 58 consecutive patients with palmar, plantar, or axillary hyperhidrosis treated with thoracoscopic sympathectomy from September 1993 to July 1999. Forty-nine of the 58 probands volunteered family history data for these analyses (84% response rate). A standardized questionnaire was administered during the postoperative visit or by phone interview, and a detailed family history was obtained. The same questionnaire was also administered to a set of 20 control patients. The familial aggregation of hyperhidrosis has been quantified by estimating the recurrence risks to the offspring, parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins of 49 probands and 20 controls. We estimated the penetrance by use of a genetic analysis program. RESULTS Thirty-two of 49 (65%) reported a positive family history in our hyperhidrosis group, and 0% reported a positive family history in our control group. A recurrence risk of 0.28 in the offspring of probands compared with frequency of 0.01 in the general population provides strong evidence for vertical transmission of this disorder in pedigrees and is further supported by the 0.14 risk to the parents of the probands. The results indicate that the disease allele is present in about 5% of the population and that one or two copies of the allele will result in hyperhidrosis 25% of the time, whereas the normal allele will result in hyperhidrosis less than 1% of the time. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that primary palmar hyperhidrosis is a hereditary disorder, with variable penetrance and no proof of sex-linked transmission. However, this does not exclude other possible causes, and we anticipate that genetic confirmation of this disorder may lead to earlier diagnoses and advances in medical and psychosocial interventions.
Targeted treatment with a combination of traditional DMARDs produces excellent clinical and radiographic long-term outcomes in early rheumatoid arthritis regardless of initial infliximab. The 5-year follow-up results of a randomised clinical trial, the NEO-RACo trial

Objective To study whether adding initial infliximab to remission-targeted initial combination-DMARD treatment improves the long-term outcomes in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods Ninety-nine patients with early, DMARD-naïve RA were treated with a triple combination of DMARDs, starting with methotrexate (max 25 mg/week), sulfasalazine (max 2 g/day), hydroxychloroquine (35 mg/kg/week), and with prednisolone (7.5 mg/day), and randomised to double blindly receive either infliximab (3 mg/kg; FIN-RACo+INFL) or placebo (FIN-RACo+PLA) infusions during the first 6 months. After 2 years the treatment strategies became unrestricted, but the treatment goal was strict ACR remission. At 5 years the clinical and radiographic outcomes were assessed. Results Ninety-one patients (92%) were followed up to 5 years, 45 in the FIN-RACo+INFL and 46 in the FIN-RACo+PLA groups. At 5 years, the respective proportions of patients in strict ACR and in disease activity score 28 remissions in the FIN-RACo+INFL and FIN-RACo+PLA groups were 60% (95% CI 44% to 74%) and 61% (95% CI 45% to 75%) (p=0.87), and 84% (95% CI 71% to 94%) and 89% (95% CI 76% to 96%) (p=0.51). The corresponding mean (SD) total Sharp/van der Heijde scores at 5 years were 4.3 (7.6), and 5.3 (7.3), while the respective mean Sharp/van der Heijde scores changes from baseline to 5 years were 1.6 (95% CI 0.0 to 3.4) and 3.7 (95% CI 2.2 to 5.8) (p=0.13). Conclusions In early RA, targeted treatment with a combination of traditional DMARDs and prednisolone induces remission and minimises radiographic progression in most patients up to 5 years; adding initial infliximab for 6 months does not improve these outcomes.
Hair follicle stem cell cultures reveal self‐organizing plasticity of stem cells and their progeny

Understanding how complex tissues are formed, maintained, and regenerated through local growth, differentiation, and remodeling requires knowledge on how single‐cell behaviors are coordinated on the population level. The self‐renewing hair follicle, maintained by a distinct stem cell population, represents an excellent paradigm to address this question. A major obstacle in mechanistic understanding of hair follicle stem cell (HFSC) regulation has been the lack of a culture system that recapitulates HFSC behavior while allowing their precise monitoring and manipulation. Here, we establish an in vitro culture system based on a 3D extracellular matrix environment and defined soluble factors, which for the first time allows expansion and long‐term maintenance of murine multipotent HFSCs in the absence of heterologous cell types. Strikingly, this scheme promotes de novo generation of HFSCs from non‐HFSCs and vice versa in a dynamic self‐organizing process. This bidirectional interconversion of HFSCs and their progeny drives the system into a population equilibrium state. Our study uncovers regulatory dynamics by which phenotypic plasticity of cells drives population‐level homeostasis within a niche, and provides a discovery tool for studies on adult stem cell fate.
Reasoning with Constrained Goal Models

Goal models have been widely used in Computer Science to represent software requirements, business objectives, and design qualities. Existing goal modeling techniques, however, have shown limitations of expressiveness and/or tractability in coping with complex real-world problems. In this work we exploit advances in automated reasoning technologies, notably SMT solvers, to propose and formalize: (i) an extended notion of goal model, namely Constrained Goal Models (CGMs), which makes explicit the notion of goal refinement and allows for constraints and penalties/rewards over goals and their refinements; (ii) a novel set of automated reasoning functionalities over CGMs, allowing for automatically generating suitable refinements of input CGMs, under user-specified assumptions and constraints, that also optimize given penalty/reward functions. We have implemented these modeling and reasoning functionalities in a prototype tool, using the Optimization Modulo Theory solver OptiMathSAT as automated reasoning backend.
Absorption of Solar Radiation by Clouds: Observations Versus Models

There has been a long history of unexplained anomalous absorption of solar radiation by clouds. Collocated satellite and surface measurements of solar radiation at five geographically diverse locations showed significant solar absorption by clouds, resulting in about 25 watts per square meter more global-mean absorption by the cloudy atmosphere than predicted by theoretical models. It has often been suggested that tropospheric aerosols could increase cloud absorption. But these aerosols are temporally and spatially heterogeneous, whereas the observed cloud absorption is remarkably invariant with respect to season and location. Although its physical cause is unknown, enhanced cloud absorption substantially alters our understanding of the atmosphere's energy budget.
Clinical Features and Epidemiology of Acinetobacter baumannii Colonization and Infection in Spanish Hospitals

Abstract Objective: To investigate the clinical features and the epidemiology of Acinetobacter baumannii in Spanish hospitals. Design: Prospective multicenter cohort study. Setting: Twenty-seven general hospitals and one paraplegic center in Spain. Methods: All cases of A. baumannii colonization or infection detected by clinical samples during November 2000 were included. Isolates were identified using phenotypic and genotypic methods. The molecular relatedness of the isolates was assessed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Results: Twenty-five (89%) of the hospitals had 221 cases (pooled rate in general hospitals, 0.39 case per 1,000 patient-days; range, 0 to 1.17). The rate was highest in intensive care units (ICUs). Only 3 cases were pediatric. The mean age of the patients in the general hospitals was 63 years; 69% had a chronic underlying disease and 80% had previously received antimicrobial treatment. Fifty-three percent of the patients had an infection (respiratory tract, 51%; surgical site, 16%; and urinary tract, 11%). Crude mortality was higher in infected than in colonized patients (27% vs 10%; relative risk, 1.56; 95% confidence interval, 1.2 to 2.0; P = .003). Molecular analysis disclosed 79 different clones. In most hospitals, a predominant epidemic clone coexisted with other sporadic clones. Imipenem resistance was present in 39% of the hospitals. Conclusions: A. baumannii was present in most participating Spanish hospitals (particularly in ICUs) with different rates among them. The organisms mainly affected predisposed patients; half of them were only colonized. Epidemic and sporadic clones coexisted in many centers.
Genetic characterization of families with von Willebrand disease

von Willebrand disease (VWD) is the most common hereditary bleeding disorder. It is caused by quantitative and/or qualitative defects of the von Willebrand factor (VWF). The severity of the disease can vary considerably, as can the hereditary patterns. The variable phenotypes of VWD have given rise to a classification scheme that divides the disease into three types according to how it is manifested and inherited. The genetics of, especially type 1, VWD is relatively complicated and many aspects of it remain to be elucidated. The purpose of these studies was therefore to investigate and clarify certain genetic mechanisms that underlie VWD. When we investigated to what extent co-segregation exists in type 1 VWD, we found that the disease is linked to the VWF gene in a majority (27 of 31) of Swedish type 1 VWD families. Several common disease haplotypes probably exist for type 1 VWD in Sweden, which suggests founder effects. The Y1584C variation is not as common in the Swedish type 1 VWD population as it is in some other populations. We confirmed that blood group O is over-represented among type 1 VWD patients in Sweden. Apart from certain misunderstandings, the participants in the linkage study were found to have a satisfying level of knowledge of the genetics of the disease. In general, patients, younger individuals, and women have a higher knowledge about the genetics causing type 1 VWD than do healthy relatives, older individuals, and men, respectively. Inherited recessively, the C570S mutation causes a distinct subtype of type 2A VWD characterized by very low plasma FVIII and VWF levels and the exclusive presence of the dimeric form of VWF in plasma. The findings define a structural element that is indispensable for VWF multimerization. Inherited dominantly, the N1421K mutation causes type 2M VWD characterized by moderately decreased plasma FVIII and VWF levels, disproportionately low plasma VWF:RCo levels, and an apparently normal multimeric pattern. The findings indicate a structural element in the A1 domain that is necessary for proper GPIb binding. (Less)
Effects of Internal Gain and Illumination-Induced Stored Charges in MgZnO Metal–Semiconductor–Metal Photodetectors

The effects of the internal gain originated from the trapping of minority carriers and illumination-induced stored charges have been investigated systematically in MgZnO metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) photodetectors (PDs) by a proposed semianalytical equivalent circuit model with the basic semiconductor equations and the external parasitic elements taken into account. To verify the accuracy and effectiveness of this model, the simulated steady and transient results are compared with the reported experimental data. It is found that a fall time of 400 ns, much longer than the response time with no internal gain, is attributed to the hole trapping process, inducing an internal gain with a value of 181. In addition, for the high input optical pulse energy (above 10 pJ), the time-delay of the response is caused by the stored charges. This paper indicates that it is very important to improve the MgZnO thin-film quality and balance the optical gain with the response speed. Meanwhile, a reasonable compromise should be found between the energy level of the optical pulse and the bias voltage to minimize the stored charges effect for practical applications. This paper is helpful for the design of high-speed and high-power MgZnO MSM PDs.
German general practitioners' views on their involvement and role in cancer care: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND The multidisciplinary and sequential nature of cancer care makes continuity of care for patients difficult. Cancer patients have often known their general practitioners (GPs) for years and are often in constant contact with them. Objective(s). We examined German GPs' views on their involvement in the care of cancer patients. METHODS We conducted semi-structured interviews with 30 German GPs. Purposeful sampling was applied to secure maximum heterogeneity. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and then analyzed using qualitative content analysis according to Mayring. RESULTS GPs perceive a clear involvement in the latter phase of cancer care but a mainly sporadic role (as and when required) in earlier phases. They think that greater care contributions from GPs are generally beneficial to cancer patients, as their ability to take the patient's history, surroundings and co-morbidities into account enables them to provide more patient-centred care. GPs want to stay involved and to know how their cancer patients are progressing, and they complain about slow or non-existent information sharing between providers, as well as insufficient care coordination. They pro-actively try to overcome these obstacles through direct contact with patients and physicians, and by building networks of trusted care providers. CONCLUSIONS Given their long-lasting and close relationships with cancer patients, GPs are in a position to accompany them throughout the whole process of cancer care. However, such general involvement is as yet uncommon. Shared care models may have the potential to take into account the complementary character of primary and specialist care.