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Companion animal ownership has been reported to be beneficial for human health. Attachment is an important mechanism involved in interpersonal relationships and potentially in health concerns. In this study, we investigated the influence of companion animal species and owners’ gender on owners’ attachment to their animals. To do this, we validated the French translation of the Pet Attachment Questionnaire (Zilcha-Mano et al. 2011), the Attachment Figure Questionnaire, and the Closeness and Care scales (Kurdek, 2008). Our translations have the requisite psychometric properties, high internal consistency, structure, and temporal stability. Women had significantly higher scores than men in several attachment dimensions and closeness. Owners preferring a cat had higher avoidance and lower attachment figure scores than owners preferring a dog. It is not yet clear what causes these differences; we recommend more investigations into specific aspects of attachment to companion animals., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Objetivos: analisar a construção das representações do cuidado em saúde nas rezas inscritas nos folhetos Makuxi Tarumu. Metodologia: Estudo de cunho histórico-antropológico, documen-tal, que utilizou elementos da Nova História Cultural na perspectiva do Historiador Roger Chartier e da etnografia. A pesquisa foi realizada no Centro de Documentação Indígena (CDI) de Boa Vista-RR-Brasil. Como documento-objeto utilizou-se o folheto intitulado Makuxi Tarumu (Orações Makuxi), volumes I e II, de 1987. Resultados: Nas orações Makuxi, escritas nos folhetos Makuxi Tarumu, a representação do cuidado aparece em todas as orações de uma forma sobrenatural, onde a autoridade espiritual faz uma evocação, interferindo no mundo natural. O rezador e o pajé são as autoridades. Conclusão: as orações preservam características marcantes da cultura Makuxi sem sincretismo religioso, apesar de ter sido produzido pela Diocese-RR., Objetivos: analizar la construcción de las representaciones del cuidado en salud en las rezas inscritas en los folletos Makuxi Tarumu. Metodología: Estudio de cuño histórico-antropológico, documental, que utilizó elementos de la Nueva Historia Cultural en la perspectiva del Historiador Roger Chartier y de la etnografía. La investigación se realizó en el Centro de Documentación Indígena (CDI) de Boa Vista-RR-Brasil. Como documento-objeto se utilizó el folleto titulado Makuxi Tarumu (Oraciones Makuxi), volúmenes I y II, de 1987. Resultados: En las oraciones Makuxi, escritas en los folletos Makuxi Tarumu, la representación del cuidado aparece en todas las oraciones de una forma sobrenatural, donde la autoridad espiritual hace una evocación, interfiriendo en el mundo natural. El rezador y el pajé son las autoridades. Conclusión: las oraciones preservan características marcadas de la cultura Makuxi sin sincretismo religioso, a pesar de haber sido producido por la Diócesis-RR., Objective: to analyze the construction of representations of health care in the drawings, stories and prayers inscribed in the Makuxi Tarumu leaflets. Method: This is a historical-anthropological, documentary that used elements of New Cultural History from the perspective of the Historian Roger Chartier and ethnography. The research was carried out at the Indigenous Documentation Center (IDC) in Boa Vista-RR-Brazil. The leaflet entitled Makuxi Tarumu (Makuxi Prayers), volumes I and II, of 1987 was used as the object document. Results: In the Makuxi prayers, written in the Makuxi Tarumu leaflets, the representation of care appears in all prayers in a super-natural form, where the spiritual authority makes an evocation, interfering in the natural world. The prayer and the shaman are the authorities. Conclusion: The prayers preserve remarkable features of the Makuxi culture without religious syncretism, although it was produced by the Diocese-RR.

Microscopic fungi are widely present in the environment and, more importantly, are also an essential part of the human healthy mycobiota. However, many species can become pathogenic under certain circumstances, with Candida spp. being the most clinically relevant fungi. In recent years, the importance of metabolism and nutrient availability for fungi-host interactions have been highlighted. Upon activation, immune and other host cells reshape their metabolism to fulfil the energy-demanding process of generating an immune response. This includes macrophage upregulation of glucose uptake and processing via aerobic glycolysis. On the other side, Candida modulates its metabolic pathways to adapt to the usually hostile environment in the host, such as the lumen of phagolysosomes. Further understanding on metabolic interactions between host and fungal cells would potentially lead to novel/enhanced antifungal therapies to fight these infections. Therefore, this review paper focuses on how cellular metabolism, of both host cells and Candida, and the nutritional environment impact on the interplay between host and fungal cells., QC 20220405

Metabolic differences between Candida species are uncovered using the BioFung database alongside genomic and metabolic analysis. Candida species are a dominant constituent of the human mycobiome and associated with the development of several diseases. Understanding the Candida species metabolism could provide key insights into their ability to cause pathogenesis. Here, we have developed the BioFung database, providing an efficient annotation of protein-encoding genes. Along, with BioFung, using carbohydrate-active enzyme (CAZymes) analysis, we have uncovered core and accessory features across Candida species demonstrating plasticity, adaption to the environment and acquired features. We show a greater importance of amino acid metabolism, as functional analysis revealed that all Candida species can employ amino acid metabolism. However, metabolomics revealed that only a specific cluster of species (AGAu species-C. albicans, C. glabrata and C. auris) utilised amino acid metabolism including arginine, cysteine, and methionine metabolism potentially improving their competitive fitness in pathogenesis. We further identified critical metabolic pathways in the AGAu cluster with biomarkers and anti-fungal target potential in the CAZyme profile, polyamine, choline and fatty acid biosynthesis pathways. This study, combining genomic analysis, and validation with gene expression and metabolomics, highlights the metabolic diversity with AGAu species that underlies their remarkable ability to dominate they mycobiome and cause disease., QC 20221011

Introduction: Chronic non-communicable diseases are highly prevalent in Argentina and the consumption of free sugars and ultra-processed foods is associated with their development. The aim of this study was to design and validate a food frequency questionnaire capable of estimating their intake. Methodology: A 211-item food frequency questionnaire called CFA-UP was designed, of which 122 were ultra-processed foods. Also, a chemical composition table was constructed, collecting information from the nutritional labels of packaged foods. The relative validation of the food frequency questionnaire was carried out through an analytical cross-sectional study on a healthy adult population, comparing the energy and nutrient intake obtained in the CFA-UP with that from a self-administered food record. The association and concordance between methods was evaluated at the individual and group level. Reproducibility was analyzed by comparing the intake at the beginning of the study and after three months. Results: Pearson correlation coefficient was good for total energy and nutrient intake, being acceptable for cholesterol. The cross-classification into tertiles of intake was accurate and the weighted Kappa coefficient was good for total energy and acceptable for nutrients. The percentage differences in intake were greater than 20% for carbohydrates, polyunsaturated fatty acids and fiber. The total sugar intake was 16.4 (DE:6.6) % of the total energy intake, the free sugar intake was 9.3 (DE:5.4) % and the ultra-processed food intake was 35.3 (DE:12.4) %. Conclusions: The CFA-UP constitutes an adequate tool for the classification of individuals according to their energy, nutrient and food intake, including total sugars, free sugars and ultra-processed foods., Introducción: Las enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles son muy prevalentes en Argentina y el consumo de alimentos ultraprocesados y azúcares libres se asocia a su desarrollo. El objetivo de este estudio fue diseñar y validar un cuestionario de frecuencia alimentaria capaz de estimar su ingesta. Metodología: Se elaboró un cuestionario de frecuencia alimentaria denominado CFA-UP de 211 ítems, de los cuales 122 fueron alimentos ultraprocesados. Asimismo, se construyó una tabla de composición química, recopilando información a partir de los rótulos nutricionales de los alimen-tos envasados. La validación relativa del cuestionario se realizó mediante un estudio transversal analítico en adultos sanos, comparando la ingesta de energía y nutrientes obtenida en el CFA-UP con la de un registro alimentario autoadministrado. La asociación y concordancia entre métodos se evaluó a nivel individual y grupal. La reproducibilidad se analizó comparando la ingesta al inicio del estudio y al cabo de tres meses. Resultados: El coeficiente de correlación de Pearson fue bueno para la ingesta de energía to-tal y de nutrientes y aceptable para colesterol. La clasificación cruzada en terciles de ingesta fue precisa y el coeficiente Kappa ponderado fue bueno para energía total y aceptable para los nutrientes. Las diferencias porcentuales de ingesta fueron mayores al 20% para carbohidratos, ácidos grasos poliinsaturados y fibra. La ingesta de azúcares totales fue de 16,4 (DE:6,6) % de la ingesta de energía total, la de azúcares libres del 9,3 (DE:5,4) % y la de alimentos ultraprocesados del 35,3 (DE:12,4) %.Conclusiones: CFA-UP constituye una herramienta adecuada para la clasificación de individuos de acuerdo a la ingesta de energía, nutrientes y alimentos, incluyendo a los azúcares totales, azúcares libres y alimentos ultraprocesados.

Adult stem cells maintain regenerative tissue structure and function by producing tissue-specific progeny, but the factors that preserve their tissue identities are not well understood. The small and large intestines differ markedly in cell composition and function, reflecting their distinct stem cell populations. Here we show that SATB2, a colon-restricted chromatin factor, singularly preserves LGR5+ adult colonic stem cell and epithelial identity in mice and humans. Satb2 loss in adult mice leads to stable conversion of colonic stem cells into small intestine ileal-like stem cells and replacement of the colonic mucosa with one that resembles the ileum. Conversely, SATB2 confers colonic properties on the mouse ileum. Human colonic organoids also adopt ileal characteristics upon SATB2 loss. SATB2 regulates colonic identity in part by modulating enhancer binding of the intestinal transcription factors CDX2 and HNF4A. Our study uncovers a conserved core regulator of colonic stem cells able to mediate cross-tissue plasticity in mature intestines.

The activity of fumagillin, a mycotoxin produced by Aspergillus fumigatus, has not been studied in depth. In this study, we used a commercial fumagillin on cultures of two cell types (A549 pneumocytes and RAW 264.7 macrophages). This toxin joins its target, MetAP2 protein, inside cells and, as a result, significantly reduces the electron chain activity, the migration, and the proliferation ability on the A549 cells, or affects the viability and proliferation ability of the RAW 264.7 macrophages. However, the toxin stimulates the germination and double branch hypha production of fungal cultures, pointing out an intrinsic resistant mechanism to fumagillin of fungal strains. In this study, we also used a fumagillin non-producer A. fumigatus strain (∆fmaA) as well as its complemented strain (∆fmaA::fmaA) and we tested the fumagillin secretion of the fungal strains using an Ultra High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (UHPLC) method. Furthermore, fumagillin seems to protect the fungus against phagocytosis in vitro, and during in vivo studies using infection of immunosuppressed mice, a lower fungal burden in the lungs of mice infected with the ∆fmaA mutant was demonstrated.

The activity of fumagillin, a mycotoxin produced by Aspergillus fumigatus, has not been studied in depth. In this study, we used a commercial fumagillin on cultures of two cell types (A549 pneumocytes and RAW 264.7 macrophages). This toxin joins its target, MetAP2 protein, inside cells and, as a result, significantly reduces the electron chain activity, the migration, and the proliferation ability on the A549 cells, or affects the viability and proliferation ability of the RAW 264.7 macrophages. However, the toxin stimulates the germination and double branch hypha production of fungal cultures, pointing out an intrinsic resistant mechanism to fumagillin of fungal strains. In this study, we also used a fumagillin non-producer A. fumigatus strain (∆fmaA) as well as its complemented strain (∆fmaA::fmaA) and we tested the fumagillin secretion of the fungal strains using an Ultra High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (UHPLC) method. Furthermore, fumagillin seems to protect the fungus against phagocytosis in vitro, and during in vivo studies using infection of immunosuppressed mice, a lower fungal burden in the lungs of mice infected with the ∆fmaA mutant was demonstrated.

The article presents an approximate portrait of works on education and technology in Brazil that claimed themselves as being developed under Paulo Freire’s framework. The composition performed through content analysis exposes characteristics of the sample of 29 articles. The investigation focused on one point of this portrait, when analyzing whether the works addressed the relations of power, exploitation and domination, common elements in critical approaches and examined through the contributions of Apple and Au (2015) and Selwyn (2016a, 2017), in dialogue with Freire (1987, 1998). Although they do not adhere to the predominant discourse in the literature in the area, most articles do not explore these important issues for a critical approach. In the limits of this research, it is highlighted the necessity of more works of education and technology under Paulo Freire’s framework that considers the political nature of technology., O artigo apresenta um retrato aproximado de trabalhos sobre educação e tecnologia no Brasil que anunciam terem sido desenvolvidos com o referencial de Paulo Freire. A composição realizada por meio de análise de conteúdo expõe características da amostra de 29 artigos. A investigação também focou um ponto desse retrato ao discutir se os trabalhos abordavam relações de poder, exploração e dominação, elementos comuns em abordagens críticas e examinadas a partir de contribuições de Apple e Au (2015) e Selwyn (2016a, 2017), em diálogo com Freire (1987, 1998). Embora não apresentem aderência ao discurso predominante na literatura da área, a maioria dos artigos não explora essas questões caras a uma abordagem crítica. Nos limites desta pesquisa, destaca-se a necessidade de mais trabalhos sobre educação e tecnologia com referencial de Freire que considerem a natureza política da tecnologia., El artículo presenta un retrato aproximado de trabajos sobre educación y tecnología en Brasil que anuncian haber sido desarrollados con el marco teórico de Paulo Freire. La composición realizada por medio del análisis de contenido expone características de la muestra de 29 artículos. La investigación también se centró en un punto de este retrato al discutir si los trabajos abordaban las relaciones de poder, explotación y dominación, elementos comunes en enfoques críticos y examinados a partir de las contribuciones de Apple y Au (2015) y Selwyn (2016a, 2017), en diálogo con Freire (1987, 1998). Aunque no presenten adherencia al discurso predominante en la literatura del área, la mayoría de los artículos no explora estos temas que son vitales para un enfoque crítico. Dentro de los límites de esta investigación, se destaca la necesidad de más trabajos sobre educación y tecnología con el referente de Freire que consideren la naturaleza política de la tecnología.

ntroduction: Argentina is one of the countries with the highest consumption of sugary drinks in the world. The high consumption of these drinks is associated with the development of overweight, obesity and other cardio-metabolic risk factors, effects attributed to their high fructose content. The objectives of this work were: to validate a specific, accessible and inexpensive method for the determination of fructose and glucose in sugary drinks, to evaluate their content in soft drinks marketed in Argentina and to compare the results obtained with the declarations of the nutritional labels. Material and Methods: A commercial enzymatic-colorimetric method developed for use in the food industry was selected. The method was validated for the first time for the determination of fructose and glucose in sugary drinks, by determining bias, recovery, repeatability, and internal reproducibility. The fructose and glucose content was evaluated in thirty sugary drinks. The results obtained were contrasted with the information on the nutritional label. Results: All the parameters obtained in the validation protocol indicate that the method is suitable for use in the determination of fructose and glucose in sugary drinks. Fructose content ranged between 2.2g and 14.3g per serving, while glucose content ranged between 1.7g and 10.5g per serving. In 83% of the beverages tested, high fructose corn syrup was the only sweetener used in the formulation. In 75% of the drinks sweetened exclusively with high fructose corn syrup, a higher fructose:glucose ratio was found than expected for the use of high fructose-55 corn syrup. Conclusions: The enzymatic-colorimetric method is suitable for the determination of fructose and glucose in sugary drinks. It has the advantage of being specific, economical and of not requiring sophisticated equipment., Introducción: Argentina es uno de los países con mayor consumo de bebidas azucaradas en el mun-do. El consumo elevado de estas bebidas se asocia con el desarrollo de sobrepeso, obesidad y otros factores de riesgo cardiometabólico, efectos atribuidos a su alto contenido de fructosa. Los objetivos de este trabajo fueron: validar un método específico, accesible y económico para la determinación de fructosa y glucosa en bebidas azucaradas, evaluar su contenido en refrescos comercializados en Argentina y comparar los resultados obtenidos con las declaraciones de los rótulos nutricionales. Material y Métodos: Se seleccionó un método enzimático-colorimétrico comercial desarrollado para su uso en la industria alimentaria. El método se validó por primera vez para la determinación de fructosa y glucosa en bebidas azucaradas, mediante la determinación del sesgo, la recuperación, la repetibilidad y la reproductibilidad interna. El contenido de fructosa y glucosa se evaluó en treinta be-bidas azucaradas. Los resultados obtenidos se contrastaron con la información del rótulo nutricional. Resultados: Todos los parámetros obtenidos en el protocolo de validación indican que el método es adecuado para su utilización en la determinación de fructosa y glucosa en bebidas azucaradas. El contenido de fructosa varió entre 2,2g y 14,3g por porción, mientras que el de glucosa varió entre 1,7g y 10,5g por porción. En el 83% de las bebidas analizadas, el jarabe de maíz de alta fructosa fue el único edulcorante utilizado en la formulación. En el 75% de las bebidas endulzadas exclusi-vamente con jarabe de maíz de alta fructosa, se encontró una relación fructosa:glucosa mayor a lo esperado para el uso de jarabe de maíz de alta fructosa-55. Conclusiones: El método enzimático-colorimétrico resulta adecuado para la determinación de fruc-tosa y glucosa en bebidas azucaradas. El mismo presenta la ventaja de ser específico, económico y de no requerir equipamiento sofisticado.

This study aims at degrading siloxanes through a biological process in reactors operated in continuous.

0, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Background. The Amazon River is one of the largest in the world and receives huge amounts of terrestrial organic matter (TeOM) from the surrounding rainforest. Despite this TeOM is typically recalcitrant (i.e. resistant to degradation), only a small fraction of it reaches the ocean, pointing to a substantial TeOM degradation by the river microbiome. Yet, microbial genes involved in TeOM degradation in the Amazon River were barely known. Here, we examined the Amazon River microbiome by analysing 106 metagenomes from 30 sampling points distributed along the river. Results. We constructed the Amazon River basin Microbial non-redundant Gene Catalogue (AMnrGC) that includes ~ 3.7 million non-redundant genes, affiliating mostly to bacteria. We found that the Amazon River microbiome contains a substantial gene-novelty compared to other relevant known environments (rivers and rainforest soil). Genes encoding for proteins potentially involved in lignin degradation pathways were correlated to tripartite tricarboxylates transporters and hemicellulose degradation machinery, pointing to a possible priming effect. Based on this, we propose a model on how the degradation of recalcitrant TeOM could be modulated by labile compounds in the Amazon River waters. Our results also suggest changes of the microbial community and its genomic potential along the river course. Conclusions. Our work contributes to expand significantly our comprehension of the world’s largest river microbiome and its potential metabolism related to TeOM degradation. Furthermore, the produced gene catalogue (AMnrGC) represents an important resource for future research in tropical rivers

In humans, social communication is mostly conveyed by facial expressions, which are widely shared among Mammals. Based on current knowledge, we explore the concept of facial communication from an evolutionary point of view and examine how far it might not only be performed by Mammals, but more broadly by Amniotes. As we investigate facial communication in various species, we find out that facialexpressions are restrained to Mammals. However, even if non-mammals lack of cutaneous facial muscles responsible of facial expressions, they display facial signals bearing a communicative value. Thus, facial communication is not clustered to Mammals. Moreover, some facial displays are shared by almost every Amniotes, as the eyeblink which has been suggested to be related to social factors aside its physiological role. Yet, to understand the terminology of this research field, definitions should be unified. Thus, based on current data on Amniotes’ facial communication, we proposed extended definitions of facial movements, behaviours and expressions: movements are visible displacements of body segments or tissues. They are motor action that do not need cognitive and emotional implication, while behaviours require the interpretation of environmental or internal stimuli, as the presence of an audience or emotional experiences. Behaviours are movements that can be involved in social communication. So facial behaviours are not cluster to Mammals but might be also expressed by other Amniote’s species. Whereas facial expressions are facial behaviours generated by the contraction of cutaneous facial muscles, innervated by the cranial nerve VII, and thus only expressed by Mammals., info:eu-repo/semantics/published

The high mortality rates of Lomentospora prolificans infections are due, above all, to the tendency of the fungus to infect weakened hosts, late diagnosis and a lack of effective therapeutic treatments. To identify proteins of significance for diagnosis, therapy or prophylaxis, immunoproteomics-based studies are especially important. Consequently, in this study murine disseminated infections were carried out using L. prolificans, Scedosporium aurantiacum, Scedosporium boydii and Aspergillus fumigatus, and their sera used to identify the most immunoreactive proteins of L. prolificans total extract and secreted proteins. The results showed that L. prolificans was the most virulent species and its infections were characterized by a high fungal load in several organs, including the brain. The proteomics study showed a high cross-reactivity between Scedosporium/Lomentospora species, but not with A. fumigatus. Among the antigens identified were, proteasomal ubiquitin receptor, carboxypeptidase, Vps28, HAD-like hydrolase, GH16, cerato-platanin and a protein of unknown function that showed no or low homology with humans. Finally, Hsp70 deserves a special mention as it was the main antigen recognized by Scedosporium/Lomentospora species in both secretome and total extract. In conclusion, this study identifies antigens of L. prolificans that can be considered as potential candidates for use in diagnosis and as therapeutic targets and the production of vaccines.

The high mortality rates of Lomentospora prolificans infections are due, above all, to the tendency of the fungus to infect weakened hosts, late diagnosis and a lack of effective therapeutic treatments. To identify proteins of significance for diagnosis, therapy or prophylaxis, immunoproteomics-based studies are especially important. Consequently, in this study murine disseminated infections were carried out using L. prolificans, Scedosporium aurantiacum, Scedosporium boydii and Aspergillus fumigatus, and their sera used to identify the most immunoreactive proteins of L. prolificans total extract and secreted proteins. The results showed that L. prolificans was the most virulent species and its infections were characterized by a high fungal load in several organs, including the brain. The proteomics study showed a high cross-reactivity between Scedosporium/Lomentospora species, but not with A. fumigatus. Among the antigens identified were, proteasomal ubiquitin receptor, carboxypeptidase, Vps28, HAD-like hydrolase, GH16, cerato-platanin and a protein of unknown function that showed no or low homology with humans. Finally, Hsp70 deserves a special mention as it was the main antigen recognized by Scedosporium/Lomentospora species in both secretome and total extract. In conclusion, this study identifies antigens of L. prolificans that can be considered as potential candidates for use in diagnosis and as therapeutic targets and the production of vaccines.

Many studies have analyzed relationships between microorganisms and cancer, demonstrating that microorganisms are able to prevent the onset of cancer and, others to provoke it. Specifically, more and more scientific articles are publishing on microorganisms, linking them to the creation, implementation and dispersion of cancer. In fact, it is estimated that microorganisms cause 17.8% of all cancers. The cancer-causing viral capability is the most studied and, in consequence, many different viral mechanisms that can cause cancer have been described. The International Cancer Re-search Institute has categorized eight viruses for the first time as "carcinogenic to hu-mans", including a human papillomavirus, two herpesvirus and two hepatitis viruses. Regarding bacteria, among cancerous agents, Helicobacter pylori is the most studied in relation to stomach cancer. In addition, many other bacteria, such as Salmonella typhi, Chlamydia pneumoniae and Streptococcus bovis, have been directly related to cancer. Although relatively little research on the effect of fungi on cancer has been investi-gated, some of the toxins produced by these microorganisms have been shown to cause cancer. In addition, some mechanism for the generation and spread of cancer have been described in Candida albicans. Studies to date have shown the influence of microor-ganisms on the development and promotion of cancer. For this reason, to face cancer in the next future, deepen into the relationship between cancer and microorganisms will be essential; Ikerketa askok mikroorganismoen eta minbizien arteko erlazioak aztertu dituzte, eta erakutsi dute mikroorganismo batzuek minbiziaren agerpena saihesten dutela eta beste batzuek, aldiz, minbizia eragin dezaketela. Hain zuzen ere, gero eta artikulu zientifiko gehiago argitaratzen ari dira mikroorganismoak minbiziaren sortzearekin, ezarpenarekin eta sakabanaketarekin erlazionatuz. Izan ere, mikroorganismoek minbizi guztien % 17,8 eragiten dutela estimatu da.

Species of Scedosporium and Lomentospora are considered as emerging opportunists, affecting immunosuppressed and otherwise debilitated patients, although classically they are known from causing trauma-associated infections in healthy individuals. Clinical manifestations range from local infection to pulmonary colonization and severe invasive disease, in which mortality rates may be over 80%. These unacceptably high rates are due to the clinical status of patients, diagnostic difficulties, and to intrinsic antifungal resistance of these fungi. In consequence, several consortia have been founded to increase research efforts on these orphan fungi. The current review presents recent findings and summarizes the most relevant points, including the Scedosporium/Lomentospora taxonomy, environmental distribution, epidemiology, pathology, virulence factors, immunology, diagnostic methods, and therapeutic strategies.

Many studies have analyzed relationships between microorganisms and cancer, demonstrating that microorganisms are able to prevent the onset of cancer and, others to provoke it. Specifically, more and more scientific articles are publishing on microorganisms, linking them to the creation, implementation and dispersion of cancer. In fact, it is estimated that microorganisms cause 17.8% of all cancers. The cancer-causing viral capability is the most studied and, in consequence, many different viral mechanisms that can cause cancer have been described. The International Cancer Re-search Institute has categorized eight viruses for the first time as "carcinogenic to hu-mans", including a human papillomavirus, two herpesvirus and two hepatitis viruses. Regarding bacteria, among cancerous agents, Helicobacter pylori is the most studied in relation to stomach cancer. In addition, many other bacteria, such as Salmonella typhi, Chlamydia pneumoniae and Streptococcus bovis, have been directly related to cancer. Although relatively little research on the effect of fungi on cancer has been investi-gated, some of the toxins produced by these microorganisms have been shown to cause cancer. In addition, some mechanism for the generation and spread of cancer have been described in Candida albicans. Studies to date have shown the influence of microor-ganisms on the development and promotion of cancer. For this reason, to face cancer in the next future, deepen into the relationship between cancer and microorganisms will be essential; Ikerketa askok mikroorganismoen eta minbizien arteko erlazioak aztertu dituzte, eta erakutsi dute mikroorganismo batzuek minbiziaren agerpena saihesten dutela eta beste batzuek, aldiz, minbizia eragin dezaketela. Hain zuzen ere, gero eta artikulu zientifiko gehiago argitaratzen ari dira mikroorganismoak minbiziaren sortzearekin, ezarpenarekin eta sakabanaketarekin erlazionatuz. Izan ere, mikroorganismoek minbizi guztien % 17,8 eragiten dutela estimatu da.

Objective: The study’s goal has been to discuss the use of the New Cultural History as a methodology for analysis of nursing practices and behaviors related to printed materials. Methods: It is descriptive research with qualitative approach, which is derived from the reflection on the theoretical and methodological advances defended by the historian Roger Chartier in the Cultural History field. In order to establish links between the New Cultural History, which was proposed by the historian, and the Nursing History, it was reviewed 2 Doctoral Theses and 3 Master Theses produced at the Laboratory of Scientific Approaches in the Nursing History. Results: The studies showed that the methodological approach proposed by Chartier is based on the intimate relationship between representations and the effects produced by its appropriations. Conclusion: The printed text can suit different forms, and then may gain status of a document-object for the study of cultural history by allowing them to bring back an object, concept or missing person by replacing it with an image capable of representing them adequately., Objetivo: Discutir a utilização da Nova História Cultural como método para análise dos usos e costumes da enfermagem relacionados aos materiais impressos. Método: Pesquisa descritiva de natureza qualitativa, a partir da reflexão sobre os avanços teórico-metodológicos defendidos pelo historiador Chartier no campo da História Cultural. Para estabelecer nexos entre a Nova História Cultural, proposta pelo historiador, e a História da Enfermagem foram levantadas 02 teses e 03 dissertações produzidas no Laboratório de Abordagens Científicas na História da Enfermagem- LACENF/UNIRIO. Resultado: Os estudos apontaram que a metodologia proposta por Chartier está pautada na íntima relação entre representações e os efeitos produzidos pelas suas apropriações. Conclusão: As diferentes formas que adquirem o texto impresso ganham status de documento-objeto para os estudos da história cultural por permitirem que se tornem presentes um objeto, conceito ou pessoa ausente mediante sua substituição por uma imagem, capaz de representá-los adequadamente., Meta: Discutir el uso de la nueva historia cultural como un método para el análisis de las prácticas de enfermería y costumbres relacionadas con los materiales impresos. Método: Cualitativa descriptiva, a partir de la reflexión sobre los avances teóricos y metodológicos defendidas por Chartier en el campo de la historia cultural. Establecer vínculos entre la nueva historia cultural, propuesto por el historiador , y la Historia de la Enfermería se plantearon 02 tesis y 03 dissertaciones producidas por Laboratorio de Ciencia de abordaje en la historia Enfermagem – LACENF/UNIRIO. Resultado: Los estudios apuntaron que la metodología propuesta por Chartier está pautada en la íntima relación entre representaciones y los efectos producidos por sus apropiaciones. Conclusión: Las diferentes formas de obtener el documento de estado de ganancia objeto de texto impreso para el estudio de la historia cultural para permitir que se conviertan presente un objeto, concepto o una persona desaparecida reemplazándolo con una imagen capaz de representar adecuadamente.

Species of Scedosporium and Lomentospora are considered as emerging opportunists, affecting immunosuppressed and otherwise debilitated patients, although classically they are known from causing trauma-associated infections in healthy individuals. Clinical manifestations range from local infection to pulmonary colonization and severe invasive disease, in which mortality rates may be over 80%. These unacceptably high rates are due to the clinical status of patients, diagnostic difficulties, and to intrinsic antifungal resistance of these fungi. In consequence, several consortia have been founded to increase research efforts on these orphan fungi. The current review presents recent findings and summarizes the most relevant points, including the Scedosporium/Lomentospora taxonomy, environmental distribution, epidemiology, pathology, virulence factors, immunology, diagnostic methods, and therapeutic strategies.

Objective: To describe an educational practice based diagnosis of vulnerabilities, aimed at decision making regarding the health of the individuals involved. Method: The methodological approach involved four distinct steps: negotiation with the practice field, ambiencing, data collection and the development of educational practice. Results: The diagnosis of their vulnerability, concerning, among others, the nutritional deficit, permitted to establish the following nursing action: to dialogue with the children, in order to strengthen the pre-existing knowledge about healthy eating. Conclusion: The achievement of educational practice, related to vulnerability diagnosis and supported by the concept of health promotion, requires an approach that considers objective and subjective aspects of living of the population subject of attention.

Drawing from the results of an empirical study of the conflict in South-Ossetia (Georgia) and building on social network analysis and inter-organisational theory, this contribution challenges current IR approaches of inter-organisational cooperation in conflict management. Collective conflict management is conceptualised as a dynamic system of a selected set of actors engaged in persistent and structured inter-organisational relations. Using the new Database On Inter-Organisational Relations In Conflicts, the article applies the two-mode network thinking to inter-organisational cooperation and examines three key but neglected issues dealing with how inter-organisational networks are governed, how they evolve over time and what is the outcome of inter-organisational relations at the level of the whole network. The main findings are threefold. First, the study shows that the South-Ossetian network is a new kind of lead-organisation governed network, the lead-clique governance, where network governance occurs through several cohesive groups of organisations. Secondly, the variations of inter-organisational activity across time demonstrate that there is a significant rise in organisational overlap due to the ongoing process of network expansion. Finally, by studying the level of connectedness in the South-Osstian conflict management network, the article discusses the performance of the model of conflict management and opens a new research agenda further to study the network effects of other models of collective conflict management. Eventually, the article identifies what future directions might be taken by IR researchers who wish to go beyond the intuition of networks and to expand empirical research of inter-organisational relations in peace processes.

Drawing from the results of an empirical study of the conflict in South-Ossetia (Georgia) and building on social network analysis and inter-organisational theory, this contribution challenges current IR approaches of inter-organisational cooperation in conflict management. Collective conflict management is conceptualised as a dynamic system of a selected set of actors engaged in persistent and structured inter-organisational relations. Using the new Database On Inter-Organisational Relations In Conflicts, the article applies the two-mode network thinking to inter-organisational cooperation and examines three key but neglected issues dealing with how inter-organisational networks are governed, how they evolve over time and what is the outcome of inter-organisational relations at the level of the whole network. The main findings are threefold. First, the study shows that the South-Ossetian network is a new kind of lead-organisation governed network, the lead-clique governance, where network governance occurs through several cohesive groups of organisations. Secondly, the variations of inter-organisational activity across time demonstrate that there is a significant rise in organisational overlap due to the ongoing process of network expansion. Finally, by studying the level of connectedness in the South-Osstian conflict management network, the article discusses the performance of the model of conflict management and opens a new research agenda further to study the network effects of other models of collective conflict management. Eventually, the article identifies what future directions might be taken by IR researchers who wish to go beyond the intuition of networks and to expand empirical research of inter-organisational relations in peace processes., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Student peer-assessment (SPA) is known as an innovative collaborative method of learning. While the values of SPA are wildly accepted (Topping, 1998; Cho & al. 2006), it can be problematic for teachers to implement this kind of method in large classrooms and to insure that students accept and benefit of it. In the Belgian context, implementing student peer-assessment at the Bachelor level is challenging in multiple ways: First, while the number of universities using this kind of method is increasing , Belgian universities have still to take the step. The experience presented in this article will, therefore, be of particular interest in terms of sharing of practices. Second, the use of SPA as a learning and assessment method means to challenge student's learning habits and to ask them to replace individual and competitive learning for collaborative learning. Both challenges raise sets of questions about the institutional, personal or technological capacity to adapt . Among all the issues raised by student peer-assessment, the question of how students benefit of this practice still needs to be studied. This contribution will focus on this specific question and will discuss the implications of implementing SPA in first year bachelor students in political sciences. Using the data of a pre and post questionnaire and of students’ results, our main argument is that online SPA can significantly help students to improve their learning outcomes. This working-in progress paper will be divided into three parts. The first part briefly presents the project implemented (objectives and design). The second part presents the research that has been carried out. The results of the research will be presented in the third part. The last part is dedicated to a more general discussion on student peer-assessment.

Depuis quelques années, l'évaluation par les étudiants (student peer-assessement) s'impose comme une méthode innovante et particulièrement efficace pour l’apprentissage des étudiants (Li et al. 2009). Dans le milieu universitaire belge francophone, cette pratique est pourtant encore peu présente. Cette communication vise à présenter et à discuter le nouveau système d'évaluation proposé depuis 2013 aux 1200 étudiants du cours de sciences politiques (BAC 1) à l'Université catholique de Louvain. Ce dispositif est construit autour de trois axes. Primo, il consiste en la mise en place d'un module d'évaluation par les pairs incluant un volet grading et un volet reviewing. Le module se compose de quatre ateliers successifs qui suivent le déroulement du cours magistral. La note finale obtenue par les étudiants se compose dès lors de la note de peer-assessement et de la note liée à la partie magistrale du cours. Secundo, ce dispositif octroie une place importante aux TIC : le module de peer-assessement, implémenté via le logiciel Moodle, a été intégré dans un parcours pédagogique sur la plateforme Claroline. Il montre que, sous certaines conditions, les désavantages soulignés par Bouzidi & Jaillet (2007) concernant l'utilisation des TIC peuvent être neutralisés. Tertio, l’impact de ce système d'évaluation sur la perception de l’apprentissage par les étudiants et sur leur réussite est étudié. A cet égard, un questionnaire a été distribué en début et en fin de processus. Celui-ci contient notamment des questions liées au sentiment de compétences des étudiants et à leur maitrise de l'outil informatique. Les résultats de ce questionnaire et des analyses des données quantitatives (activités online des étudiants) seront présentées lors du colloque. Il s'agira donc d'interroger non seulement la cohérence et l'efficacité d’un tel dispositif d'évaluation sur la perception de l'apprentissage des étudiants, mais également de réfléchir à son l'impact sur les défis rencontrés par l'ensei

Background: The first generation of genome sequence assemblies and annotations have had a significant impact upon our understanding of the biology of the sequenced species, the phylogenetic relationships among species, the study of populations within and across species, and have informed the biology of humans. As only a few Metazoan genomes are approaching finished quality (human, mouse, fly and worm), there is room for improvement of most genome assemblies. The honey bee (Apis mellifera) genome, published in 2006, was noted for its bimodal GC content distribution that affected the quality of the assembly in some regions and for fewer genes in the initial gene set (OGSv1.0) compared to what would be expected based on other sequenced insect genomes. Results: Here, we report an improved honey bee genome assembly (Amel_4.5) with a new gene annotation set (OGSv3.2), and show that the honey bee genome contains a number of genes similar to that of other insect genomes, contrary to what was suggested in OGSv1.0. The new genome assembly is more contiguous and complete and the new gene set includes ~5000 more protein-coding genes, 50% more than previously reported. About 1/6 of the additional genes were due to improvements to the assembly, and the remaining were inferred based on new RNAseq and protein data. Conclusions: Lessons learned from this genome upgrade have important implications for future genome sequencing projects. Furthermore, the improvements significantly enhance genomic resources for the honey bee, a key model for social behavior and essential to global ecology through pollination. © 2014 Elsik et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Este estudo tem por objetivo descrever uma prática educativa baseada em diagnostico de vulnerabilidades, visando à tomada de decisão quanto a saúde dos sujeitos envolvidos. O percurso metodológico envolveu quatro etapas distintas: negociação com o campo de prática, ambientação, coleta de dados e desenvolvimento da prática educativa. A partir do diagnóstico de vulnerabilidades, relacionados, entre outros, ao déficit nutricional, foi estabelecida a seguinte ação de enfermagem: dialogar com as crianças, visando fortalecer o conhecimento pré-existente sobre a alimentação saudável. Foi possível identificar que a realização de práticas educativas, a partir do diagnóstico de vulnerabilidade e apoiadas na concepção de promoção da saúde, requer uma abordagem que contemple aspectos objetivos e subjetivos de vida do grupo da população sujeitos da atenção.

Background: The first generation of genome sequence assemblies and annotations have had a significant impact upon our understanding of the biology of the sequenced species, the phylogenetic relationships among species, the study of populations within and across species, and have informed the biology of humans. As only a few Metazoan genomes are approaching finished quality (human, mouse, fly and worm), there is room for improvement of most genome assemblies. The honey bee (Apis mellifera) genome, published in 2006, was noted for its bimodal GC content distribution that affected the quality of the assembly in some regions and for fewer genes in the initial gene set (OGSv1.0) compared to what would be expected based on other sequenced insect genomes. Results: Here, we report an improved honey bee genome assembly (Amel_4.5) with a new gene annotation set (OGSv3.2), and show that the honey bee genome contains a number of genes similar to that of other insect genomes, contrary to what was suggested in OGSv1.0. The new genome assembly is more contiguous and complete and the new gene set includes ~5000 more protein-coding genes, 50% more than previously reported. About 1/6 of the additional genes were due to improvements to the assembly, and the remaining were inferred based on new RNAseq and protein data. Conclusions: Lessons learned from this genome upgrade have important implications for future genome sequencing projects. Furthermore, the improvements significantly enhance genomic resources for the honey bee, a key model for social behavior and essential to global ecology through pollination. © 2014 Elsik et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

The dissertation attempts to explain the EU and China’s interventions or non-interventions in humanitarian crises. The research is motivated by the high-profile debate on humanitarian intervention in international fora, and the concepts of normative power and norms contestation. The main research question here is to what extent their professed principles and norms, for instance, Responsibility to Protect vis-à-vis Non-Interference in domestic affairs, have affected the policy-makings of the EU and China. After the reviews of the two international actors’ positions, principles, and policy-making processes on crisis intervention, the dissertation traces two empirical cases, the Darfur and Libyan crises. The research findings reveal that the ideational factors have permissive, regulative, and incentive effects on the EU and China’s policy-makings on crisis intervention. In return, the empirical study provides new reflections on the normative powers, as well as the EU and China’s global roles., Doctorat en Sciences politiques et sociales, info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

During the past 30 years, IR Scholars have underlined the increase of IGO's involvement in conflict management processes as well as the emergence of new forms of intervention such as partnerships (Bah and Jones, 2008), simultaneous peace operations (Balas, 2010) or collective conflict management (Crocker and al 2011). Besides these new forms of intevention caracterized by ad hoc and non stable interactions between IGOs, there is another kind of interaction, networked forms of intervention, that have been understudied so far by IR scholars. Contrary to the others, these new kinds of intervention are caraterized by recurrent, relatively stable, non ad-hoc forms of co-operation between two or more IGOs in the same policy domain. This article adresses two questions. The first deals with the caracteristics of networked forms of intervention in conflict management. So far, the main typologies intend to compare institutional arrangements with respect to degree of institutionalization or degree of coordination. In this article, we suggest that structural criteria, such as degree of segmentation, degree of centralization and degree of redundancy may also provide very useful insights about the design of these networked forms of conflict management. Secondly, this article focuses on the effect(s) of inter-organizational relations (IOR) among IGO. Using the new Database of Inter-organizational Relations in conflicts (DIORc), this article aims at comparing, with a social network perspective, the effects of IOR in the cases of Kosovo and South-Ossetia, two violent and highly internationzalised conflict where the same group of IGOs have been jointly involved for years. Whereas the question of institutional performance remains central in the field of international institutional, collective legitimacy and structural power seems to be the more important effects of networked forms of intervention in conflict management. Finally, this article aims at illustrating the added value of soc

Existing IR studies have underlined how much International organizations’ strategies have evolved. The most obvious transformation is the increase of networked forms of conflict management arrangements such as simultaneous peace operations, ad-hoc coalitions, joint programs or joint opinions. These forms of interventions, characterized by the co-involvement of several types of actors challenge both realistic views of third parties’ cooperation in conflicts and methodological approaches of this phenomenon. In this paper, I propose to use the new Database on Inter-Organizational Relations in Conflicts (DIORc) in order to compare, with a social network perspective, the interplay between inter-governmental organizations in two conflicts. The aim of the paper is twofold: first, the network perspective is used to open the black box of multipartite intervention. Cooperation is designed as an affiliation network where ‘actors’ represent the IGO’s institutions (parliaments...) and ‘events’ are conflict management activities in which actors are involved. Secondly, this paper seeks to contribute to the understanding of cooperation in peace and conflicts. The contemporary conflict management doctrine is based on a comprehensive approach that includes two aspects: First, all the dimensions of a conflict should be addressed and second, institutional overlapping should be avoided through the division of labor between conflict managers. However, analysis of the level of coordination temper the comprehensive argument, suggesting that collaborative advantage rather linked to legitimacy than efficiency. Second, following Putman (2000)’s distinction between ‘bridging’ and ‘bonding’, this paper shows that transorganizational actions occur more frequently between homogeneous groups of institutions than across divers groups.

Résumé : La gestion internationale des conflits a toujours été une activité complexe caractérisée par l'intervention, plus ou moins coordonnée, d'une multitude d'acteurs (Etats, organisations internationales, etc.). L'existence de ces configurations interorganisationnelles complexes interroge notre compréhension de l’intervention des organisations internationales dans les conflits. Parmi toutes les questions soulevées, celle de la dynamique de ces configurations particulières est centrale. La mise en réseaux des organisations internationales brouille, en effet, les frontières connues du cadre de l'action des organisations internationales et laisse place à une forme d'action, complexe et méconnue, qui a lieu, cette fois-ci, dans un espace transorganisationnel. Cet article propose une perspective innovante d’analyse de la gestion collective de conflits. A travers les cas de l’Ossétie du Sud et du Kosovo, et en se basant la nouvelle base de données DIORc, la gestion de conflits est construite comme un phénomène d'affiliation. Notre contribution consistera alors à examiner la mécanique de ce système multi-acteurs organisée autour d’une double dynamique. Entre logique collective et logique individuelle, entre dynamiques structurantes et disjonctions structurales, entre niveau d'analyse global et local, l’analyse approfondie de la mise en réseaux des organisations internationales démontre que le multilatéralisme international fonctionne ‘en résistances’ ce qui affecte l’efficacité du système de gestion collective des conflits mis en place en Ossétie du Sud et au Kosovo.

This dissertation is a theoretical and empirical contribution to the analysis of inter-organizational relations (IOR) between inter-governmental organizations, in the field of conflict management. Using social network analysis in the case of the interactions among European regional organizations (OSCE, EU, CoE and NATO) managing conflicts in South-Ossetia and Kosovo, this research demonstrates that IGOs'transorganizational action is driven by two main dynamics : collaborative advantage and structural power. Finally, with a new Database on Inter-Organizational Relations in Conflict (DIORc) the dissertation provides a novel instrument for the systematic analysis of inter-organizational relations., Partant des évolutions récentes en matière de gestion de conflit, cette recherche doctorale aborde la question de l’action conjointe des organisations internationales dans la gestion de conflits. La croissance des configurations interorganisationnelles complexes (CIOC) et les limites des analyses produites jusqu’à présent en Relations Internationales invitent, en effet, au réexamen des cadres traditionnels d’analyse de l’action concertée des organisations internationales. Notre thèse repose sur une perspective originale d’analyse du phénomène qui puise à la fois dans les approches interorganisationnelles développées en sciences sociales, dans la sociologie de l’action organisée ainsi que dans la perspective relationnelle de la théorie des réseaux. Rejetant l’analyse des liens purement formels entre les organisations internationales, notre recherche s’intéresse davantage à la compréhension des forces qui sous-tendent et structurent les systèmes de gestion des conflits. Le design de notre recherche est bâti autour de plusieurs éléments. Premièrement, la recherche a été construite selon une logique de nested case où le cas principal est représenté par l’action interorganisationnelle des organisations régionales européennes (OTAN, UE, Conseil de l’Europe et OSCE). Cette action collective est, ensuite, analysée à travers l’examen minutieux du conflit de l’Ossétie du Sud en Géorgie, un conflit qui présente des caractéristiques particulièrement adaptées à l’analyse longitudinale et à la mise en évidence de la dynamique globale de l’action interorganisationnelle. Des comparaisons ponctuelles sont dressées avec le conflit du Kosovo. Deuxièmement, la dynamique des réseaux de gestion de conflits est analysée en utilisant les informations disponibles dans la base de données DIORc (Database on Inter-Organizational Relations in Conflicts), construite dans le cadre de cette recherche. DIORc contient des informations sur les acteurs, les activités conjointes, la fréquence d’interac, (POL 3) -- UCL, 2012

Résumé: [La multiplication des partenariats inter-organisationnels en matière de gestion de conflits est un phénomène encore nouveau en relations internationales. Alexandru Balas (2011) a montré que 80 % des opérations de paix menées depuis 2008 était sous forme de partenariat inter-organisationnel. Ce phénomène, en pleine expansion, questionne tant notre compréhension de la coopération inter-organisationnelle que le moyen de l’étudier de manière rigoureuse. En outre, alors que les autres disciplines de sciences sociales, telles que l’action publique ou le management, se sont emparées de ce sujet depuis longtemps, produisant des études empiriques très poussées (Cropper 2010), l’étude des relations inter-organisationnelles est encore à l’état embryonnaire en Relations internationales. Rares sont, en effet, les analyses qui vont au-delà de l’étude de cas et bien souvent les approches sont dyadiques, statiques et manquent d’une vision globale. L'étude présentée ici propose une nouvelle approche de ce phénomène, et s'inscrit dans une perspective innovante d'analyse en réseau. Les analyses des processus de résolution de conflit en termes de partenariats inter-organisationnels mettent, en effet, en avant la multipli-cité des acteurs internationaux pouvant être impliqués dans ces processus, qu’ils soient or-ganisations internationales, Etats ou acteurs non-gouvernementaux. La perspective d’analyse en réseau complète cette image, en ajoutant les interactions qui (re)lient ces acteurs entre eux et tendent à former des réseaux, plus ou moins stables, dans des espaces d’action spécifiques. C’est à travers l’analyse des caractéristiques structurales de ces réseaux de coopération que l’on peut alors mettre à jour les dynamiques d’interactions et les jeux de pouvoirs entre acteurs. L'étude présente les résultats d’une analyse du processus de gestion collective du post-conflit au Kosovo. Les données empiriques ont été recueillies entre mai et septembre 2011 en utilisant la nouvell

Patent claims defi ne the protection scope of the intellectual property sought by the patent applicant or patentee. Broad claims are valuable as they can describe more expansive rights to the invention. Therefore, if these claims are too broad a potential infringer will more easily argue against them. But if the claims are too narrow the scope of protection of the intellectual property is greatly reduced. Patent claims have to be, on the one hand, determinate and precise enough and, on the other hand, as inclusive as possible. Therefore patent applicants must fi nd a balance in the broadness of the scope defi ned by their claims. This balance can be achieved by the choice of words with a convenient degree of semantic indeterminacy, by the choice of modifi ers or other strategies. In fact, vagueness in patent claims is a desirable characteristic for such documents. A quantitative and qualitative analysis of a corpus of 350 U.S. patents provides a promising starting point to understand the linguistic instruments used to achieve the balance between property claim scope and precision of property description. To conclude, some issues relating vagueness and pragmatics are suggested as a line of further research.

Patent claims defi ne the protection scope of the intellectual property sought by the patent applicant or patentee. Broad claims are valuable as they can describe more expansive rights to the invention. Therefore, if these claims are too broad a potential infringer will more easily argue against them. But if the claims are too narrow the scope of protection of the intellectual property is greatly reduced. Patent claims have to be, on the one hand, determinate and precise enough and, on the other hand, as inclusive as possible. Therefore patent applicants must fi nd a balance in the broadness of the scope defi ned by their claims. This balance can be achieved by the choice of words with a convenient degree of semantic indeterminacy, by the choice of modifi ers or other strategies. In fact, vagueness in patent claims is a desirable characteristic for such documents. A quantitative and qualitative analysis of a corpus of 350 U.S. patents provides a promising starting point to understand the linguistic instruments used to achieve the balance between property claim scope and precision of property description. To conclude, some issues relating vagueness and pragmatics are suggested as a line of further research.

Le continent européen se caractérise par une forte densité en organisations intergouvernementales compétentes dans le domaine de la sécurité. Ces deux dernières décennies, ces organisations ont vu leurs activités se multiplier, alors qu’en même temps les institutions elles-mêmes connaissaient d’importantes évolutions. Si la littérature consacrée à ces organismes et aux conflits dans la gestion desquels ils furent impliqués est abondante, beaucoup plus rares sont les tentatives d’appréhension globale des activités multilatérales de prévention et de gestion des conflits en Europe. C’est ce vide que s’efforce de combler cet ouvrage collectif en proposant un large panorama des structures institutionnelles, des instruments et des actions des organisations régionales au profit de la sécurité en Europe. L’originalité de la démarche empruntée est double. Elle réside tout d’abord dans la logique ternaire qui a présidé à l’ordonnancement des contributions. Cette logique correspond aux trois moments clés de la gestion des conflits, à savoir la prévention de leur émergence, de leur expansion et de leur récurrence. La seconde originalité de l’ouvrage réside dans sa volonté d’appréhension holistique de l’action des organisations régionales en Europe. Au-delà des institutions elles-mêmes, c’est bien la capacité globale de l’ensemble de celles-ci à gérer les conflits en Europe qui est évaluée par les auteurs. Les articles d’introduction et de conclusion servent cet objectif en proposant une conceptualisation systématique et en ouvrant de nouvelles perspectives de recherche liées à l’analyse de la coopération interinstitutionnelle.

Le continent européen se caractérise par une forte densité en organisations intergouvernementales compétentes dans le domaine de la sécurité. Ces deux dernières décennies, ces organisations ont vu leurs activités se multiplier, alors qu’en même temps les institutions elles-mêmes connaissaient d’importantes évolutions. Si la littérature consacrée à ces organismes et aux conflits dans la gestion desquels ils furent impliqués est abondante, beaucoup plus rares sont les tentatives d’appréhension globale des activités multilatérales de prévention et de gestion des conflits en Europe. C’est ce vide que s’efforce de combler cet ouvrage collectif en proposant un large panorama des structures institutionnelles, des instruments et des actions des organisations régionales au profit de la sécurité en Europe. L’originalité de la démarche empruntée est double. Elle réside tout d’abord dans la logique ternaire qui a présidé à l’ordonnancement des contributions. Cette logique correspond aux trois moments clés de la gestion des conflits, à savoir la prévention de leur émergence, de leur expansion et de leur récurrence. La seconde originalité de l’ouvrage réside dans sa volonté d’appréhension holistique de l’action des organisations régionales en Europe. Au-delà des institutions elles-mêmes, c’est bien la capacité globale de l’ensemble de celles-ci à gérer les conflits en Europe qui est évaluée par les auteurs. Les articles d’introduction et de conclusion servent cet objectif en proposant une conceptualisation systématique et en ouvrant de nouvelles perspectives de recherche liées à l’analyse de la coopération interinstitutionnelle.

Le continent européen se caractérise par une forte densité en organisations intergouvernementales compétentes dans le domaine de la sécurité. Ces deux dernières décennies, ces organisations ont vu leurs activités se multiplier, alors qu’en même temps les institutions elles-mêmes connaissaient d’importantes évolutions. Si la littérature consacrée à ces organismes et aux conflits dans la gestion desquels ils furent impliqués est abondante, beaucoup plus rares sont les tentatives d’appréhension globale des activités multilatérales de prévention et de gestion des conflits en Europe. C’est ce vide que s’efforce de combler cet ouvrage collectif en proposant un large panorama des structures institutionnelles, des instruments et des actions des organisations régionales au profit de la sécurité en Europe. L’originalité de la démarche empruntée est double. Elle réside tout d’abord dans la logique ternaire qui a présidé à l’ordonnancement des contributions. Cette logique correspond aux trois moments clés de la gestion des conflits, à savoir la prévention de leur émergence, de leur expansion et de leur récurrence. La seconde originalité de l’ouvrage réside dans sa volonté d’appréhension holistique de l’action des organisations régionales en Europe. Au-delà des institutions elles-mêmes, c’est bien la capacité globale de l’ensemble de celles-ci à gérer les conflits en Europe qui est évaluée par les auteurs. Les articles d’introduction et de conclusion servent cet objectif en proposant une conceptualisation systématique et en ouvrant de nouvelles perspectives de recherche liées à l’analyse de la coopération interinstitutionnelle.

Le continent européen se caractérise par une forte densité en organisations intergouvernementales compétentes dans le domaine de la sécurité. Ces deux dernières décennies, ces organisations ont vu leurs activités se multiplier, alors qu’en même temps les institutions elles-mêmes connaissaient d’importantes évolutions. Si la littérature consacrée à ces organismes et aux conflits dans la gestion desquels ils furent impliqués est abondante, beaucoup plus rares sont les tentatives d’appréhension globale des activités multilatérales de prévention et de gestion des conflits en Europe. C’est ce vide que s’efforce de combler cet ouvrage collectif en proposant un large panorama des structures institutionnelles, des instruments et des actions des organisations régionales au profit de la sécurité en Europe. L’originalité de la démarche empruntée est double. Elle réside tout d’abord dans la logique ternaire qui a présidé à l’ordonnancement des contributions. Cette logique correspond aux trois moments clés de la gestion des conflits, à savoir la prévention de leur émergence, de leur expansion et de leur récurrence. La seconde originalité de l’ouvrage réside dans sa volonté d’appréhension holistique de l’action des organisations régionales en Europe. Au-delà des institutions elles-mêmes, c’est bien la capacité globale de l’ensemble de celles-ci à gérer les conflits en Europe qui est évaluée par les auteurs. Les articles d’introduction et de conclusion servent cet objectif en proposant une conceptualisation systématique et en ouvrant de nouvelles perspectives de recherche liées à l’analyse de la coopération interinstitutionnelle.

Le continent européen se caractérise par une forte densité en organisations intergouvernementales compétentes dans le domaine de la sécurité. Ces deux dernières décennies, ces organisations ont vu leurs activités se multiplier, alors qu’en même temps les institutions elles-mêmes connaissaient d’importantes évolutions. Si la littérature consacrée à ces organismes et aux conflits dans la gestion desquels ils furent impliqués est abondante, beaucoup plus rares sont les tentatives d’appréhension globale des activités multilatérales de prévention et de gestion des conflits en Europe. C’est ce vide que s’efforce de combler cet ouvrage collectif en proposant un large panorama des structures institutionnelles, des instruments et des actions des organisations régionales au profit de la sécurité en Europe. L’originalité de la démarche empruntée est double. Elle réside tout d’abord dans la logique ternaire qui a présidé à l’ordonnancement des contributions. Cette logique correspond aux trois moments clés de la gestion des conflits, à savoir la prévention de leur émergence, de leur expansion et de leur récurrence. La seconde originalité de l’ouvrage réside dans sa volonté d’appréhension holistique de l’action des organisations régionales en Europe. Au-delà des institutions elles-mêmes, c’est bien la capacité globale de l’ensemble de celles-ci à gérer les conflits en Europe qui est évaluée par les auteurs. Les articles d’introduction et de conclusion servent cet objectif en proposant une conceptualisation systématique et en ouvrant de nouvelles perspectives de recherche liées à l’analyse de la coopération interinstitutionnelle.

In this genre analysis research paper, we compare U.S. patents, contracts, and regulations on technical matters with a focus upon the relation between vagueness and communicative purposes and subpurposes of these three genres. Our main interest is the investigation of intergeneric conventions across the three genres, based on the software analysis of three corpora (one for each genre, 1 million words per corpus). The result of the investigation is that intergeneric conventions are found at the level of types of expressed linguistic vagueness, but that intergeneric conventions at the level of actual formulations are rare. The conclusion is that at this latter level the influence from the situation type underlying the individual genre is more important than the overarching legal character of the genres, when we talk about introducing explicit vagueness in the text.

In this genre analysis research paper, we compare U.S. patents, contracts, and regulations on technical matters with a focus upon the relation between vagueness and communicative purposes and subpurposes of these three genres. Our main interest is the investigation of intergeneric conventions across the three genres, based on the software analysis of three corpora (one for each genre, 1 million words per corpus). The result of the investigation is that intergeneric conventions are found at the level of types of expressed linguistic vagueness, but that intergeneric conventions at the level of actual formulations are rare. The conclusion is that at this latter level the influence from the situation type underlying the individual genre is more important than the overarching legal character of the genres, when we talk about introducing explicit vagueness in the text.