bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Le darwinisme et ses doubles : note sur la linguistique organiciste
Authors: Blanckaert Claude
Published: January 2012

Considérée comme une impasse scientifique dès les années 1890, la linguistique naturaliste a connu son meilleur succès éditorial avec la popularisation des théories biologiques du développement. L’étude de la sphère langagière, le « quatrième règne de la nature », fut-elle pour autant, comme on le dit souvent, subordonnée au curieux patronage des doctrines darwiniennes ? Rien n’est moins vérifié. La linguistique dite « organiciste » fit école au moment même où le darwinisme, contesté de toute part, suscitait passions et démentis. La synchronisation des deux problématiques, pour n’être pas fautive, laisse ainsi dans l’ombre nombre de questions, quant à la circularité des sources et au champ des recherches « naturalistes » par là même unifié. À force d’y voir l’accaparement des sciences en vogue, peu d’historiens ont envisagé le mouvement opposé, l’impact du comparatisme linguistique sur la documentation empirique de l’hypothèse évolutionniste.
L'hippopotame et le coursier amphibie : de la survie du langage poétique en un siècle de science
Authors: Marchal Hugues
Published: January 2012

L’analogie que certains linguistes établissent, dans la seconde moitié du XIX e siècle, entre vie des langues et évolution des espèces, ainsi que la reprise de ce modèle pour penser la concurrence des genres littéraires, ont exacerbé les craintes de voir la science et ses néologismes « monstres » éradiquer l’esprit et le discours poétiques. Or, malgré les nombreuses affirmations posant que les mots de la science ne devaient ni ne pouvaient trouver place dans les vers, la condamnation des périphrases employées dans la poésie scientifique de Delille montre que critiques et poètes, comme le public, font des termes savants qui se naturalisent peu à peu des mots propres, qu’on ne saurait éviter sans ridicule. On analyse donc les paradoxes d’un refus de la science qui conduit à prôner l’isolation de la poésie hors du milieu culturel qui l’accueille, tout en puisant à des modèles biologiques.
La poétique évolutionniste, de Darwin et Haeckel à Sully Prudhomme et René Ghil
Authors: Wanlin Nicolas
Published: January 2012

La théorie de l’évolution initiée par Charles Darwin entretient une relation problématique à l’expression poétique : la poésie représente l’ensemble des métaphores rendues caduques mais la science lui adresse le défi d’une nouvelle représentation du monde. C’est moins chez Darwin que chez Haeckel que l’on trouve une pleine assomption de la part poétique et esthétique du discours savant, qui fécondera un large intertexte. Mais il n’y a pas de filiation évidente entre textes scientifiques et œuvres littéraires ; les deux discours se développent parallèlement, comme deux manifestations d’un même bouleversement imaginaire et culturel. Chez des poètes aussi différents que Sully Prudhomme et René Ghil, l’évolutionnisme pousse à repenser les relations entre science, philosophie et poésie, et impulse une recherche stylistique et générique. Ainsi, la poésie trouve dans les sciences du vivant un nouveau ferment, parce qu’elle y voit un discours sur l’homme.
Les valeurs du vivant au tournant des XIX e et XX e siècles
Authors: Cabanès Jean-Louis
Published: January 2012

Le darwinisme et le néo-darwinisme ont imposé un cadre notionnel dont Bergson hérite même s’il conteste le monisme de Haëckel et le « système » spencérien. La vie se perpétue et s’accroît à travers les formes évolutives du vivant, tandis que l’individu est à la fois un récapitulatif et un individu nouveau, un bourgeon en qui se manifeste la poussée vitale, mais aussi un être pour la mort. À ce gradualisme semblent correspondre sur le plan rhétorique des réseaux métaphoriques qui lient le biologique et le social, le psychique et le biologique. Dans les dix dernières années du siècle, la vie s’impose comme l’institutrice des valeurs. Elle est fécondité, elle en appelle à la productivité économique, à l’expansion des races civilisées. Donnée immédiate, socle premier, elle est aussi l’horizon final d’une éthique dans le roman de Zola, Le Docteur Pascal , comme dans les essais de Jean-Marie Guyau. Il faut réconcilier l’art et la vie, estiment, à l’instar de ce philosophe, les écrivains naturistes que Gide semble prolonger dans Les Nourritures terrestres . En réalité, il s’en distingue par l’abandon de tout solidarisme et rompt avec le gradualisme biologique. Plus généralement, les dix dernières années du siècle s’éloignent du pathos, du dramatisme dont le darwinisme s’était parfois auréolé. L’apologie de l’être en vie, c’est aussi celle de la joie dont Bergson se fait le chantre.
Voyage où il vous plaira de Johannot, Musset et Stahl : la tentation de l'excentricité
Authors: Castagnès Gilles
Published: January 2012

Voyage où il vous plaira , livre illustré écrit en 1843 pour l’essentiel par P.-J. Hetzel sous le pseudonyme de P.-J. Stahl, connut un succès certain puis tomba dans l’oubli. Il est possible d’expliquer cette désaffection par la fantaisie déroutante du livre, voire par une certaine « excentricité » : c’est à travers ce concept, tel qu’il a été défini par Daniel Sangsue dans son essai intitulé Le Récit excentrique , que Voyage où il vous plaira est abordé dans cette étude. Si ce livre présente bon nombre des caractéristiques définies par D. Sangsue, il n’est cependant pas assimilable aux récits excentriques qui fleurirent surtout au début des années 1830, et ne franchit pas les portes d’une fantaisie revendiquée et totalement assumée par ailleurs. Tenter de comprendre les raisons d’un choix d’écriture effectué par l’auteur revient alors à confronter ces deux notions proches, mais qui ne se recoupent pas entièrement : la fantaisie et l’excentricité.
Parcours du mythe d'Hérodias : Ysengrimus , Atta Troll , Trois contes , Salomé
Authors: Ogane Atsuko
Published: January 2012

D’ Atta Troll de Heine à son illustration la plus fameuse, Salomé de Wilde, en passant par Flaubert, Gustave Moreau et Huysmans, la généalogie moderne du mythe fin-de-siècle d’Hérodias-Salomé est bien connue. Cependant, ses origines restent encore entourées de mystère. Pour éclairer la genèse de ce mythe, il faut remonter jusqu’à l’épopée Ysengrimus en latin, un des avant-textes du Roman de Renart qui présente pour la première fois le baiser à la tête coupée ; mais il est également nécessaire d’examiner le rôle essentiel de la Mythologie allemande (1835) de Jacob Grimm, découvreur des manuscrits de cette épopée en 1814, et d’ Atta Troll , écrit qui est à l’origine de la floraison du mythe de Salomé en France. Tous ces textes fondateurs permettent de mieux comprendre l’histoire de ce mythe et le croisement de ses deux voies, française et allemande, de la légende médiévale à ses lectures modernes.
Le travail avec les familles qui ne demandent rien : la non-collaboration comme une solution…
Authors: Pregno Gilbert
Published: January 2012

Résumé Le travail avec les familles qui ne demandent rien : la non-collaboration comme une solution … – L’expérience montre que de nombreuses familles n’ont pas de demande d’aide, alors même que, vu de l’extérieur, nous faisons le constat de graves difficultés. Dans un certain nombre de cas, la non-collaboration est une réaction à des tentatives de collaboration échouées du passé et à ce titre les professionnels doivent être compris comme une partie du problème. Travailler avec les ressources, créer de la confiance et de l’espoir là où ils n’existent plus, les notions de directivité bienveillante et celle d’autocompétence des familles ont pour but de créer un contexte qui permet d’éviter de répéter des échecs de collaboration que la famille et l’intervenant accumulent dans leur biographie personnelle et professionnelle.
Les contes de fées, un tremplin pour les enfants victimes de sévices ?
Authors: Bey Jean-Louis
Published: January 2012

Résumé Les contes de fées, un tremplin pour les enfants victimes de sévices ? – Quelle approche thérapeutique de résilience pour les enfants victimes de sévices ? Dix ans après la métaphore « Tchernobyl », cet article étudie, dans le même registre, l’utilisation des contes de fées comme modélisations de nouvelles procédures de résilience par les victimes.
Les sculptures d'échelles
Authors: Crottet Bertrand
Published: January 2012

Résumé Les sculptures d’échelles. Un nouvel objet flottant face au sentiment d’impuissance. – Les familles migrantes, résidant dans des quartiers défavorisés, souffrent de problématiques complexes, souvent sous-tendues par un sentiment d’impuissance important. C’est probablement une des raisons pour lesquelles les professionnels et ces familles ont des difficultés à coconstruire autour d’un projet commun. Dès lors, il semble pertinent de rechercher de nouvelles stratégies thérapeutiques, afin d’échanger de manière authentique au sujet de ce vécu d’impuissance, de créer un lien plus « secure » et ainsi de permettre un espoir de changement. L’outil présenté apporte des pistes intéressantes quant à l’échange, à la coconstruction et à la réactivation des projets existentiels. Un exemple clinique vient illustrer le propos.
Le jeu de rôle et le sculpting : deux dispositifs pour la supervision individuelle et/ou collective
Authors: Hanot Michel
Published: January 2012

Résumé Le jeu de rôle et le sculpting : deux dispositifs pour la supervision individuelle et/ou collective. – Comment aider les supervisés à réfléchir à leur pratique professionnelle ? Je souhaite présenter deux dispositifs à savoir le jeu de rôle et le sculpting. Le jeu de rôle consiste à confronter les participants ou protagonistes à des scènes, situations ou scénarios similaires à ceux de leur futur rôle. Le sculpting, relevant de ce qu’on appelle les « objets flottants », met l’accent sur la métaphore et la prise de conscience grâce à des expériences supprimant le rôle prédominant de la parole. Le sculpting consiste à modeler les protagonistes d’une situation en fonction de la représentation qu’on a de leur relation les uns vis-à-vis des autres. J’expliquerai pourquoi deux sculpting sont toujours demandés au supervisé. Un exemple alimente le propos. Je termine l’article en précisant les limites de ces dispositifs, des perspectives d’évaluation et propose des pistes d’amélioration ainsi qu’une conclusion.
Adolescence : quand les revendications à l'autonomie dénoncent un manque d'appartenance
Authors: Habets Isabelle
Published: January 2012

Résumé Adolescence : Quand les revendications à l’autonomie dénoncent un manque d’appartenance. – Dans un contexte sociétal où l’individualisme fait de l’autonomie la capacité à vivre indépendamment de tout, les conflits qui opposent les adolescents à leurs parents pourraient dénoncer un manque d’appartenance. L’auteur nous emmène à la rencontre d’une famille dans laquelle une adolescente s’oppose pour maintenir le lien. Elle illustre par son cheminement la nécessité d’appartenir à un groupe pour s’en différencier et devenir autonome au sens premier du terme.
Ethnographie matérielle, sonore et spatiale de la mort en pays maale (Éthiopie méridionale)
Authors: Ferran Hugo
Published: January 2012

Les Maale du Sud-Ouest éthiopien distinguent deux catégories de défunts. Les premiers, sans descendants, meurent « totalement », en ce qu’ils sont rayés de la mémoire collective. Les seconds, avec descendants, meurent « partiellement », puisqu’ils acquièrent le statut d’ancêtres à l’issue de trois rituels post mortem. Si tous les ancêtres sont amenés à reposer dans la maisonnée de leur fils aîné, seuls les plus prestigieux d’entre eux continuent d’habiter la mémoire collective. Cet article vise à analyser deux systèmes de mémorisation des ancêtres et des « Grands Hommes » : l’un matériel (la disposition des tombes dans les maisonnées), l’autre immatériel (la musique dans les rites funéraires). L’examen de ces différents supports de la mémoire révèle que l’organisation sociale dite traditionnelle est fondée sur un système inégalitaire, d’une part, qui tend à hiérarchiser les êtres humains selon leur rang lignager, et un système égalitaire, d’autre part, qui vise à accroître le statut de chacun, en valorisant la réussite sociale (richesse, fertilité, exploits de chasse ou de guerre, etc.).
Les tombeaux des rois Zāgwē, Yemreḥanna Krestos et Lālibalā (XIIe-XVIe siècle), et leurs évolutions symboliques
Authors: Derat Marie-Laure
Published: January 2012

Les tombeaux de deux saints-rois de la dynastie éthiopienne des Zāgwē, Yemreḥanna Krestos et Lālibalā, sont réputés être situés dans les églises qu’ils auraient fondées. Mais cette information n’apparaît pas dans les premiers textes consacrés aux rois-saints. Cet article tente de reprendre la chronologie des textes et de leur production, et d’identifier les moments où surgissent de nouveaux symboles destinés à authentifier les sépultures des saints-rois ou à modifier la perception de celles-ci en fonction des époques. Il s’agit de s’intéresser aux processus qui ont permis de situer ces tombes et de les considérer comme les tombes de saints, et non plus de rois. Les sépultures de Yemreḥanna Krestos et Lālibalā sont devenues le but de pèlerinages au cours desquels l’intercession de ces rois devenus saints est sollicitée.
Onction des malades, funérailles et commémorations : pour une histoire des textes et des pratiques liturgiques en Éthiopie chrétienne
Authors: Wion Anaïs
Published: January 2012

Dans quels contextes historiques les textes liturgiques accompagnant le chrétien éthiopien dans l’au-delà ont-ils été introduits dans les corpus éthiopiens ? Deux textes régissent le sacrement de l’onction des malades. Le Maṣḥafa Bāḥry (Livre de la Substance) fait partie des textes normatifs copiés sous la houlette du souverain Zar’a Yā‘eqob (1434-1468). Il propose une synthèse des traditions apostoliques. Il est suivi, un siècle plus tard, du Maṣḥafa Qandil (Livre de la Lampe), une traduction du rituel copte opéré pendant le règne du roi Galāwdēwos (1540-1554). Ce dernier texte ne semble pourtant pas détrôner le premier, à en croire les copies réalisées, même si c’est bien lui qui est imprimé au xxe siècle. Le recueil du Maṣḥafa Genzat (Livre de l’Ensevelissement) régit les rituels des funérailles et des commémorations. Après une description des formes successives connues de ce recueil, nous avons tenté d’interroger les liens entre les pratiques rituelles et les textes, ainsi que la place de la « magie » dans la médiation avec l’au-delà. Les prières du recueil connu sous le nom de Lefafā Ṣedeq, d’un usage commun, prennent pied dans cette pensée magique liée à la puissance de l’intercession par la prière pour le salut des âmes.
Le coût de la mort dans les communautés chrétiennes en Éthiopie
Authors: Ancel Stéphane
Published: January 2012

En Éthiopie, au sein des communautés chrétiennes orthodoxes, la perte d’un individu génère un coût économique important pour les familles des défunts. Ce phénomène s’explique par la forme des rites funéraires et par le nombre de personnes y participant. Ainsi, la mort est l’occasion de mouvements de biens matériels et d’échanges de services entre la famille, la communauté et l’Église. Au-delà de la simple exposition du coût de la mort pour une famille, cette contribution se propose d’étudier les raisons et les caractéristiques de ces échanges engendrés par la mort d’une personne dans l’Éthiopie chrétienne contemporaine. En cela, elle participe à une réflexion sur l’économie de la mort en Éthiopie en mettant en lumière un système de dons/contre-dons ainsi que les politiques d’épargne du défunt et de sa famille.
La mort au cœur de l’histoire des « Sept Maisons » de l’Ouest Gurāgē
Authors: Kruczynski Arnaud
Published: January 2012

Cet article décrit les mécanismes du deuil et des funérailles en même temps qu’il s’interroge sur la place des conceptions relatives à la mort dans la culture des Sept Maisons de l’Ouest Gurāgē. La description des premiers nous permet de saisir la dynamique des rapports entre les différents segments de la société des Sept Maisons. L’analyse des secondes révèle que celles-ci jouent un rôle déterminant dans la constitution même des lignages, des clans, des maisons et des Sept Maisons : elles légitiment cette organisation du point de vue religieux. L’article tend ainsi à montrer que la mort constitue un thème central de l’histoire des populations de l’Ouest Gurāgē aux xixe et xxe siècles, et qu’elle peut être considérée comme un des moteurs de l’émergence et de l’épanouissement des Sept Maisons.
Une visite au cimetière arménien d’Addis Abeba. Éléments pour la connaissance d’une diaspora et de ses pratiques funéraires en Éthiopie
Authors: Adjemian Boris
Published: January 2012

L’étude de leurs lieux d’inhumation à Addis Abeba permet de réfléchir au caractère et à l’évolution de la présence des immigrants arméniens et de leurs descendants en Éthiopie au xxe siècle. Le cimetière international de Gulēlē est un héritage de la progression rapide du nombre des étrangers dans le pays à partir du règne de Ménélik II. Sa création pose la question de la manière dont étaient perçus les étrangers en Éthiopie à cette époque. Les pratiques funéraires des immigrants arméniens et de leurs descendants traduisent la réalité difficile à saisir d’individus considérés comme relativement proches des Éthiopiens mais qui ont persisté à s’en distinguer en se rangeant parmi les étrangers dans l’au-delà. Lieu qui marque le mieux l’ancienne présence arménienne en Éthiopie, le cimetière possède aussi une valeur patrimoniale pour les derniers descendants de l’immigration arménienne demeurés sur place. Son étude permet de restituer une part de leur histoire.
Multiple Receptors Trigger Human NK Cell-Mediated Cytotoxicity against Porcine Chondrocytes
Authors: Sommaggio Roberta , Cohnen André , Watzl Carsten , Costa Cristina
Published: January 2012

Xenotransplantation of genetically engineered porcine chondrocytes may provide a therapeutic solution for the repair of cartilage defects of various types. However, the mechanisms underlying the humoral and cellular responses that lead to rejection of xenogeneic cartilage are not well understood. In this study, we investigated the interaction between human NK cells and isolated porcine costal chondrocytes (PCC). Our data show that freshly isolated NK cells adhere weakly to PCC. Consequently, PCC were highly resistant to cytolysis mediated by freshly isolated NK cells. However, the presence of human natural Abs in the coculture was often sufficient to trigger cytotoxicity against PCC. Furthermore, IL-2 stimulation of NK cells or activation of PCC with the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α or IL-1α resulted in increased adhesion, which was paralleled by increased NK cell-mediated lysis of PCC. NK cell adhesion to PCC could be blocked by Abs against human LFA-1 and porcine VCAM-1. NKG2D and NKp44 were involved in triggering cytotoxicity against PCC, which expressed ligands for these activating NK cell receptors. Our data further suggest that NKp30 and NKp46 may contribute to the activation of NK cells by PCC under certain conditions. Finally, comparative studies confirmed that PCC are more resistant than porcine aortic endothelial cells to human NK cell-mediated lysis. Thus, the data demonstrate that human NK cells can kill pig chondrocytes and may therefore contribute to rejection of xenogeneic cartilage. In addition, we identify potential targets for intervention to prevent the NK cell response against pig xenografts.
MicroRNA-127 Inhibits Lung Inflammation by Targeting IgG Fcγ Receptor I
Authors: Xie Ting , Liang Jiurong , Liu Ningshan , Wang Qingguo , Li Yuhang , Noble Paul W. , Jiang Dianhua
Published: January 2012

The molecular mechanisms of acute lung injury are incompletely understood. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are crucial biological regulators that act by suppressing their target genes and are involved in a variety of pathophysiologic processes. miR-127 appears to be downregulated during lung injury. We set out to investigate the role of miR-127 in lung injury and inflammation. Expression of miR-127 significantly reduced cytokine release by macrophages. Looking into the mechanisms of regulation of inflammation by miR-127, we found that IgG FcγRI (CD64) was a target of miR-127, as evidenced by reduced CD64 protein expression in macrophages overexpressing miR-127. Furthermore, miR-127 significantly reduced the luciferase activity with a reporter construct containing the native 3′ untranslated region of CD64. Importantly, we demonstrated that miR-127 attenuated lung inflammation in an IgG immune complex model in vivo. Collectively, these data show that miR-127 targets macrophage CD64 expression and promotes the reduction of lung inflammation. Understanding how miRNAs regulate lung inflammation may represent an attractive way to control inflammation induced by infectious or noninfectious lung injury.
Decoy Receptor 3 Enhances Tumor Progression via Induction of Tumor-Associated Macrophages
Authors: Tai Shyh-Kuan , Chang Hsin-Chuan , Lan Keng-Li , Lee Chun-Ting , Yang Chih-Ya , Chen Nien-Jung , Chou Teh-Ying , Tarng Der-Cherng , Hsieh Shie-Liang
Published: January 2012

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are the major component of tumor-infiltrating leukocytes. TAMs are heterogeneous, with distinct phenotypes influenced by the microenvironment surrounding tumor tissues. Decoy receptor 3 (DcR3), a member of the TNFR superfamily, is overexpressed in tumor cells and is capable of modulating host immunity as either a neutralizing decoy receptor or an effector molecule. Upregulation of DcR3 has been observed to correlate with a poor prognosis in various cancers. However, the mechanisms underlying the DcR3-mediated tumor-promoting effect remain unclear. We previously demonstrated that DcR3 modulates macrophage activation toward an M2-like phenotype in vitro and that DcR3 downregulates MHC class II expression in TAMs via epigenetic control. To investigate whether DcR3 promotes tumor growth, CT26-DcR3 stable transfectants were established. Compared with the vector control clone, DcR3-transfectants grew faster and resulted in TAM infiltration. We further generated CD68 promoter-driven DcR3 transgenic (Tg) mice to investigate tumor growth in vivo. Compared with wild-type mice, macrophages isolated from DcR3-Tg mice displayed higher levels of IL-10, IL-1ra, Ym1, and arginase activity, whereas the expression of IL-12, TNF-α, IL-6, NO, and MHC class II was downregulated. Significantly enhanced tumor growth and spreading were observed in DcR3-Tg mice, and the enhanced tumor growth was abolished by arginase inhibitor N-ω-hydroxy-l-norarginine and histone deacetylase inhibitor sodium valproate. These results indicated that induction of TAMs is an important mechanism for DcR3-mediated tumor progression. Our findings also suggest that targeting DcR3 might help in the development of novel treatment strategies for tumors with high DcR3 expression.
A Metalloproteinase Karilysin Present in the Majority of Tannerella forsythia Isolates Inhibits All Pathways of the Complement System
Authors: Jusko Monika , Potempa Jan , Karim Abdulkarim Y. , Ksiazek Miroslaw , Riesbeck Kristian , Garred Peter , Eick Sigrun , Blom Anna M.
Published: January 2012

Tannerella forsythia is a poorly studied pathogen despite being one of the main causes of periodontitis, which is an inflammatory disease of the supporting structures of the teeth. We found that despite being recognized by all complement pathways, T. forsythia is resistant to killing by human complement, which is present at up to 70% of serum concentration in gingival crevicular fluid. Incubation of human serum with karilysin, a metalloproteinase of T. forsythia, resulted in a decrease in bactericidal activity of the serum. T. forsythia strains expressing karilysin at higher levels were more resistant than low-expressing strains. Furthermore, the low-expressing strain was significantly more opsonized with activated complement factor 3 and membrane attack complex from serum compared with the other strains. The high-expressing strain was more resistant to killing in human blood. The protective effect of karilysin against serum bactericidal activity was attributable to its ability to inhibit complement at several stages. The classical and lectin complement pathways were inhibited because of the efficient degradation of mannose-binding lectin, ficolin-2, ficolin-3, and C4 by karilysin, whereas inhibition of the terminal pathway was caused by degradation of C5. Interestingly, karilysin was able to release biologically active C5a peptide in human plasma and induce migration of neutrophils. Importantly, we detected the karilysin gene in >90% of gingival crevicular fluid samples containing T. forsythia obtained from patients with periodontitis. Taken together, the newly characterized karilysin appears to be an important virulence factor of T. forsythia and might have several important implications for immune evasion.
Concurrent Bacterial Stimulation Alters the Function of Helminth-Activated Dendritic Cells, Resulting in IL-17 Induction
Authors: Perona-Wright Georgia , Lundie Rachel J. , Jenkins Stephen J. , Webb Lauren M. , Grencis Richard K. , MacDonald Andrew S.
Published: January 2012

Infection with schistosome helminths is associated with granulomatous inflammation that forms around parasite eggs trapped in host tissues. In severe cases, the resulting fibrosis can lead to organ failure, portal hypertension, and fatal bleeding. Murine studies identified IL-17 as a critical mediator of this immunopathology, and mouse strains that produce high levels of IL-17 in response to schistosome infection show increased mortality. In this article, we demonstrate that schistosome-specific IL-17 induction by dendritic cells from low-pathology C57BL/6 mice is normally regulated by their concomitant induction of IL-10. Simultaneous stimulation of schistosome-exposed C57BL/6 dendritic cells with a heat-killed bacterium enabled these cells to overcome IL-10 regulation and induce IL-17, even in wild-type C57BL/6 recipients. This schistosome-specific IL-17 was dependent on IL-6 production by the copulsed dendritic cells. Coimmunization of C57BL/6 animals with bacterial and schistosome Ags also resulted in schistosome-specific IL-17, and this response was enhanced in the absence of IL-10–mediated immune regulation. Together, our data suggest that the balance of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines that determines the severity of pathology during schistosome infection can be influenced not only by host and parasite, but also by concurrent bacterial stimulation.
Brain-Derived Antigens in Lymphoid Tissue of Patients with Acute Stroke
Authors: Planas Anna M. , Gómez-Choco Manuel , Urra Xabier , Gorina Roser , Caballero Miguel , Chamorro Ángel
Published: January 2012

In experimental animals, the presence of brain-derived constituents in cervical lymph nodes has been associated with the activation of local lymphocytes poised to minimize the inflammatory response after acute brain injury. In this study, we assessed whether this immune crosstalk also existed in stroke patients. We studied the clinical course, neuroimaging, and immunoreactivity to neuronal derived Ags (microtubule-associated protein-2 and N-methyl d-aspartate receptor subunit NR-2A), and myelin-derived Ags (myelin basic protein and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein) in palatine tonsils and cervical lymph nodes of 28 acute stroke patients and 17 individuals free of neurologic disease. Stroke patients showed greater immunoreactivity to all brain Ags assessed compared with controls, predominantly in T cell zones. Most brain immunoreactive cells were CD68+ macrophages expressing MHC class II receptors. Increased reactivity to neuronal-derived Ags was correlated with smaller infarctions and better long-term outcome, whereas greater reactivity to myelin basic protein was correlated with stroke severity on admission, larger infarctions, and worse outcome at follow-up. Patients also had more CD69+ T cells than controls, indicative of T cell activation. Overall, the study showed in patients with acute stroke the presence of myelin and neuronal Ags associated with lymph node macrophages located near activated T cells. Whether the outcome of acute stroke is influenced by Ag-specific activation of immune responses mediated by CD69 lymphocytes deserves further investigation.
Strain-Dependent Airway Hyperresponsiveness and a Chromosome 7 Locus of Elevated Lymphocyte Numbers in Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator-Deficient Mice
Authors: Bazett Mark , Stefanov Anguel N. , Paun Alexandra , Paradis Josee , Haston Christina K.
Published: January 2012

We previously observed the lungs of naive BALB/cJ Cftrtm1UNC mice to have greater numbers of lymphocytes, by immunohistochemical staining, than did BALB wild type littermates or C57BL/6J Cftrtm1UNC mice. In the present study, we initially investigated whether this mutation in Cftr alters the adaptive immunity phenotype by measuring the lymphocyte populations in the lungs and spleens by FACS and by evaluating CD3-stimulated cytokine secretion, proliferation, and apoptosis responses. Next, we assessed a potential influence of this lymphocyte phenotype on lung function through airway resistance measures. Finally, we mapped the phenotype of pulmonary lymphocyte counts in BALB × C57BL/6J F2 Cftrtm1UNC mice and reviewed positional candidate genes. By FACS analysis, both the lungs and spleens of BALB Cftrtm1UNC mice had more CD3+ (both CD4+ and CD8+) cells than did littermates or C57BL/6J Cftrtm1UNC mice. Cftrtm1UNC and littermate mice of either strain did not differ in anti-CD3–stimulated apoptosis or proliferation levels. Lymphocytes from BALB Cftrtm1UNC mice produced more IL-4 and IL-5 and reduced levels of IFN-γ than did littermates, whereas lymphocytes from C57BL/6J Cftrtm1UNC mice demonstrated increased Il-17 secretion. BALB Cftrtm1UNC mice presented an enhanced airway hyperresponsiveness to methacholine challenge compared with littermates and C57BL/6J Cftrtm1UNC mice. A chromosome 7 locus was identified to be linked to lymphocyte numbers, and genetic evaluation of the interval suggests Itgal and Il4ra as candidate genes for this trait. We conclude that the pulmonary phenotype of BALB Cftrtm1UNC mice includes airway hyperresponsiveness and increased lymphocyte numbers, with the latter trait being influenced by a chromosome 7 locus.
The IKKα-Dependent NF-κB p52/RelB Noncanonical Pathway Is Essential To Sustain a CXCL12 Autocrine Loop in Cells Migrating in Response to HMGB1
Authors: Kew Richard R. , Penzo Marianna , Habiel David M. , Marcu Kenneth B.
Published: January 2012

HMGB1 is a chromatin architectural protein that is released by dead or damaged cells at sites of tissue injury. Extracellular HMGB1 functions as a proinflammatory cytokine and chemoattractant for immune effector and progenitor cells. Previously, we have shown that the inhibitor of NF-κB kinase (IKK)β- and IKKα-dependent NF-κB signaling pathways are simultaneously required for cell migration to HMGB1. The IKKβ-dependent canonical pathway is needed to maintain expression of receptor for advanced glycation end products, the ubiquitously expressed receptor for HMGB1, but the target of the IKKα non-canonical pathway was not known. In this study, we show that the IKKα-dependent p52/RelB noncanonical pathway is critical to sustain CXCL12/SDF1 production in order for cells to migrate toward HMGB1. Using both mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages and mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEFs), it was observed that neutralization of CXCL12 by a CXCL12 mAb completely eliminated chemotaxis to HMGB1. In addition, the HMGB1 migration defect of IKKα KO and p52 KO cells could be rescued by adding recombinant CXCL12 to cells. Moreover, p52 KO MEFs stably transduced with a GFP retroviral vector that enforces physiologic expression of CXCL12 also showed near normal migration toward HMGB1. Finally, both AMD3100, a specific antagonist of CXCL12’s G protein-coupled receptor CXCR4, and an anti-CXCR4 Ab blocked HMGB1 chemotactic responses. These results indicate that HMGB1-CXCL12 interplay drives cell migration toward HMGB1 by engaging receptors of both chemoattractants. This novel requirement for a second receptor-ligand pair enhances our understanding of the molecular mechanisms regulating HMGB1-dependent cell recruitment to sites of tissue injury.
MicroRNA miR-150 Is Involved in Vα14 Invariant NKT Cell Development and Function
Authors: Zheng Quanhui , Zhou Li , Mi Qing-Sheng
Published: January 2012

CD1d-restricted Vα14 invariant NKT (iNKT) cells play an important role in the regulation of diverse immune responses. MicroRNA-mediated RNA interference is emerging as a crucial regulatory mechanism in the control of iNKT cell differentiation and function. Yet, roles of specific microRNAs in the development and function of iNKT cells remain to be further addressed. In this study, we identified the gradually increased expression of microRNA-150 (miR-150) during the maturation of iNKT cells in thymus. Using miR-150 knockout (KO) mice, we found that miR-150 deletion resulted in an interruption of iNKT cell final maturation in both thymus and periphery. Upon activation, iNKT cells from miR-150KO mice showed significantly increased IFN-γ production compared with wild-type iNKT cells. Bone marrow-transferring experiments demonstrated the cell-intrinsic characteristics of iNKT cell maturation and functional defects in mice lacking miR-150. Furthermore, miR-150 target c-Myb was significantly upregulated in miR-150KO iNKT cells, which potentially contribute to iNKT cell defects in miR-150KO mice. Our data define a specific role of miR-150 in the development and function of iNKT cells.
Skewed Primary Igκ Repertoire and V–J Joining in C57BL/6 Mice: Implications for Recombination Accessibility and Receptor Editing
Authors: Aoki-Ota Miyo , Torkamani Ali , Ota Takayuki , Schork Nicholas , Nemazee David
Published: January 2012

Previous estimates of the diversity of the mouse Ab repertoire have been based on fragmentary data as a result of many technical limitations, in particular, the many samples necessary to provide adequate coverage. In this study, we used 5′-coding end amplification of Igκ mRNAs from bone marrow, splenic, and lymph node B cells of C57BL/6 mice combined with amplicon pyrosequencing to assess the functional and nonfunctional Vκ repertoire. To evaluate the potential effects of receptor editing, we also compared V/J associations and usage in bone marrows of mouse mutants under constitutive negative selection or an altered ability to undergo secondary recombination. To focus on preimmune B cells, our cell sorting strategy excluded memory B cells and plasma cells. Analysis of ∼90 Mbp, representing >250,000 individual transcripts from 59 mice, revealed that 101 distinct functional Vκ genes are used but at frequencies ranging from ∼0.001 to ∼10%. Usage of seven Vκ genes made up >40% of the repertoire. A small class of transcripts from apparently nonfunctional Vκ genes was found, as were occasional transcripts from several apparently functional genes that carry aberrant recombination signals. Of 404 potential V–J combinations (101 Vκs × 4 Jκs), 398 (98.5%) were found at least once in our sample. For most Vκ transcripts, all Jκs were used, but V–J association biases were common. Usage patterns were remarkably stable in different selective conditions. Overall, the primary κ repertoire is highly skewed by preferred rearrangements, limiting Ab diversity, but potentially facilitating receptor editing.
Ecosystems, Pollution, and Use of Resources in Textbooks of 14 Countries: An Ecocentric Emphasis
Authors: Tracana Rosa Branca , Carvalho Graça S.
Published: January 2012

Two views of Human-Nature relation can be found: anthropocentrism and ecocentrism. In order to understand how school textbooks refer to the human’s position in nature we analysed how “Human as guest versus Humans as owners of nature” is present in the three topics of environmental education—Ecosystems, Pollution, and Use of Resource—in textbooks of 14 countries from Europe, Africa, and Middle East. A specific grid of analysis, which was constructed in the context of the European Project BIOHEAD-CITIZEN, was used in this study. Results show that this axis of analysis is present in the majority of textbooks addressing the above three topics but not in the “Biodiversity” topic. Textbooks for 12–15-year old pupils were the ones having more occurrences than those for 6–11- or 16–18-year olds. The textbooks present mainly an ecocentric position, whereas the aesthetic, ethical, and cultural aspects are limited and inadequate, limiting the full perspective of education for sustainable development.
Matrix Metalloproteinases-9 (MMPs-9) and -12 Are Upregulated in the Airways of Mice with Chronic Airway Inflammation and Remodeling
Authors: Yu Yingyan , Sakai Hiroyasu , Misawa Miwa , Chiba Yoshihiko
Published: January 2012

In the present study, we tried to develop a mouse model of chronic airway inflammation and remodeling induced by chronic exposure to antigen. Furthermore, the expressions of MMPs-9 and -12 were also investigated. BALB/c mice were sensitized and then repeatedly challenged with OVA every 3 days for 54 days. At the following day after the last challenge, of days 24, 39, and 54, histological changes of the airways were studied by hematoxylin-eosin and Masson's trichrome stains. The expressions of MMPs-9 and -12 were also measured by western blot. Persistent inflammatory cells infiltration and collagen deposition in the lung tissue were observed in repeatedly challenged mice. Furthermore, the expressions of MMPs-9 and -12 were increased in the airways after repeated antigen challenges. The severest inflammation was observed in the day-54 challenged group. These results suggest that MMPs-9 and -12 might be involved in the pathogenesis of chronic airway inflammation and remodeling induced by antigen exposure in mice.
The Lanthanides, Rare Earth Elements
Authors: Wells Willard H. , Wells Vickie L.
Published: January 2012

The lanthanides (or lanthanons) are a group of 15 elements of atomic numbers from 57 through 71 in which scandium (atomic number 21) and yttrium (atomic number 39) are sometimes included. The lanthanide series proper is that group of chemical elements that follow lanthanum in its group IIIB column position of the periodic table. Their distinguishing atomic feature is that they fill the 4felectronic subshell. Actually, only those elements with atomic numbers 58–71 are lanthanides. Most chemists also include lanthanum in the series because, although it does not fill the 4fsubshell, its properties are very much like those of the lanthanides. The elements scandium and yttrium are also known as the “rare earths” because they were originally discovered together with the lanthanides in rare minerals and isolated as oxides, or “earths.” Collectively, these metals are also called rare earth elements (REEs). In comparison with many other elements, however, the rare earths are not really rare, except for promethium, which has only radioactive isotopes. Yttrium, lanthanum, cerium, and neodymium are all more abundant than lead in the earth's crust. All except promethium, which probably does not occur in nature, are more abundant than cadmium. The relative abundance and atomic numbers are provided. The more common lanthanide compounds are listed in Section 1.

Scandium is a silvery white metallic chemical element, the first member of the first transition‐metal series in the periodic table. The name is derived from Scandinavia, where the element was discovered in the minerals euxenite and gadolinite. In 1876, L. F. Nilson prepared about 2 g of high purity scandium oxide. It was subsequently established that scandium corresponds to the element “ekaboron,” predicted by Mendeleyev on the basis of a gap in the periodic table. Scandium occurs in small quantities in more than 800 minerals and causes the blue color of aquamarine beryl.

Yttrium is one of the four chemical elements (the others are erbium, terbium, and ytterbium) named after Ytterby, a village in Sweden that is rich in unusual minerals and rare earths. Yttrium is a metal with a silvery luster and properties closely resembling those of rare earth metals. It is the first member of the second series of transition metals. Yttrium is found in several minerals and is produced primarily from the ore material xenotime.

Lanthanum is a white, malleable metal; it is the first member of the third series of transition metals, and the first of the rare earths. Lanthanum is found with other lanthanides in the ore minerals monazite, bastnaesite, and xenotime, and in other minerals. It was discovered in 1839 by the Swedish chemist Carl G. Mosander. Scientists have created many radioactive isotopes of lanthanum.
Measuring Domain Sizes and Compositional Heterogeneities in P3HT‐PCBM Bulk Heterojunction Thin Films with 1H Spin Diffusion NMR Spectroscopy
Authors: Nieuwendaal Ryan C. , Ro Hyun Wook , Germack David S. , Kline R. Joseph , Toney Michael F. , Chan Calvin K. , Agrawal Amit , Gundlach David , VanderHart David L. , Delongchamp Dean M.
Published: January 2012

The application of 1H spin diffusion nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is expanded to polymer‐fullerene blends for bulk heterojunction (BHJ) organic photovoltaics (OPV) by developing a new experimental methodology for measuring the thin films used in poly‐3‐hexylthiophene–phenyl C61‐butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT‐PCBM) OPV devices and by creating an analysis framework for estimating domain size distributions. It is shown that variations in common P3HT‐PCBM BHJ processing parameters such as spin‐coating speed and thermal annealing can significantly affect domain size distributions, which in turn affect power conversion efficiency. 1H spin diffusion NMR analysis reveals that films spin‐cast at fast speeds in dichlorobenzene are primarily composed of small (<10 nm) domains of each component; these devices exhibit low power conversion efficiencies (η = 0.4%). Fast‐cast films improve substantially by thermal annealing, which causes nanometer‐scale coarsening leading to higher efficiency (η = 2.2%). Films spin‐cast at slow speeds and then slowly dried exhibit larger domains and even higher efficiencies (η = 2.6%), but do not benefit from thermal annealing. The 1H spin diffusion NMR results show that a significant population of domains tens of nanometers in size is a common characteristic of samples with higher efficiencies.
Shedding Light on the Operation of Polymer Light‐Emitting Electrochemical Cells Using Impedance Spectroscopy
Authors: Munar Antoni , Sandström Andreas , Tang Shi , Edman Ludvig
Published: January 2012

A combination of impedance spectroscopy, device characterization, and modeling is used to pinpoint key processes in the operation of polymer light‐emitting electrochemical cells (LECs). At low applied voltage, electric double layers with a thickness of ≈2–3 nm are shown to exist at the electrode interfaces. At voltages exceeding the bandgap potential of the conjugated polymer (V ≥ 2.5 V for superyellow), a light‐emitting p–n junction forms in situ, with a steady‐state structure that is found to depend strongly on the applied voltage. This is exemplified by that the effective p–n junction thickness (dpn) for a device with an interelectrode gap of 90 nm decreases from ≈23 nm at 2.5 V to ≈6 nm at 3.9 V. The current increases with decreasing dpn in a concerted manner, while the brightness reaches its peak at V = 3.4 V when dpn ≈ 10 nm. The existence of an optimum dpn for high brightness in LECs is attributed to an offset between an increase in the exciton formation rate with decreasing dpn, due to an increasing current, and a simultaneous decrease in the exciton radiative decay rate, when an increasing fraction of excitons diffuses away from the p–n junction into the surrounding non‐radiative doping regions.
Antithrombotic therapy for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation and mechanical heart valves
Authors: Eikelboom John W. , Hart Robert G.
Published: January 2012

Cardioembolic strokes account for one‐sixth of all strokes and are an important potentially preventable cause of morbidity and mortality. Vitamin K antagonists (e.g., warfarin) are effective for the prevention of cardioembolic stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and in those with mechanical heart valves but because of their inherent limitations are underutilized and often suboptimally managed. Antiplatelet therapies have been the only alternatives to warfarin for stroke prevention in AF but although they are safer and more convenient they are much less efficacious. The advent of new oral anticoagulant drugs offers the potential to reduce the burden of cardioembolic stroke by providing access to effective, safe, and more convenient therapies. New oral anticoagulants have begun to replace warfarin for stroke prevention in some patients with AF, based on the favorable results of recently completed phase III randomized controlled trials, and provide for the first time an alternative to antiplatelet therapy for patients deemed unsuitable for warfarin. The promise of the new oral anticoagulants in patients with mechanical heart valves is currently being tested in a phase II trial. If efficacy and safety are demonstrated, the new oral anticoagulants will provide an alternative to warfarin for patients with mechanical heart valves and may also lead to increased use of mechanical valves for patients who would not have received them in the past because of the requirement for long term warfarin therapy. Am. J. Hematol. 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Fabrication and properties of degradable poly(amino acid)/nano hydroxyapatite bioactive composite
Authors: Zhao Zhitong , Shan Wenpeng , Zhang Yunfei , Li Xiangde , Ma Jian , Yan Yonggang
Published: January 2012

Poly(amino acid)/nano hydroxyapatite (PAA/n‐HA) bioactive composite was prepared by in situ melting polymerization. The composition, structure and morphology as well as glass transition temperature (Tg), dynamic mechanical properties of the PAA/n‐HA composite were characterized by infrared spectrometer, X‐ray diffractometer, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, differential scanning calorimeter, and dynamic mechanical analyzer. The results indicated that the n‐HA particles were uniformly distributed into PAA matrix and some interactions were found at the interface between PAA and n‐HA, and the crystallinity of PAA in the composite decreased with the increase of n‐HA content. The Tg and storage modulus of the composite increased with increasing n‐HA content, demonstrating that the n‐HA content had obvious effects on the crystallization kinetic parameters and thermo properties of the PAA/n‐HA composite. In addition, the n‐HA amount had evident effects on the degradation of the PAA/n‐HA composite in phosphate buffered saline (PBS), and the weight loss ratio of the composite decreased with the increase with n‐HA content. The pH value of the medium was stable around 7.40 after the composite immersion into PBS for 8 weeks. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012
Explicit Necessary and Sufficient Conditions for Quadratic Linearization
Authors: Ayalur Krishnamoorthy Parvathy , Vijayarajan Kamaraj , Devanathan Rajagopalan
Published: January 2012

The existing necessary and sufficient conditions for quadratic linearization of control affine systems are in effect, constructive in nature. The exception is the classical result, which requires one to check involutive properties of distributions of the quadratic polynomials to be linearized. Nevertheless, the latter condition is difficult to verify. In this paper, we provide necessary and sufficient conditions for quadratic linearization that are not constructive but are based on checking a linear system of equations involving quadratic polynomial terms only. The system needs only to be put in controller normal form of the linear part which is known. Thus, the result is verifiable and explicit. Also, if required, once the quadratic linearization conditions are met, we show how to construct the coordinate and state feedback transformation to implement the linearization.
Tissue engineering and the road to whole organs
Authors: Vacanti J P
Published: January 2012

A glimpse into the future of surgery