University of Lorraine

About: University of Lorraine is a education organization based out in Nancy, France. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 11942 authors who have published 25010 publications receiving 425227 citations. The organization is also known as: Lorraine University.

Management of tricuspid valve regurgitation: Position statement of the European Society of Cardiology Working Groups of Cardiovascular Surgery and Valvular Heart Disease.

Abstract: Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is a very frequent manifestation of valvular heart disease. It may be due to the primary involvement of the valve or secondary to pulmonary hypertension or to the left-sided heart valve disease (most commonly rheumatic and involving the mitral valve). The pathophysiology of secondary TR is complex and is intrinsically connected to the anatomy and function of the right ventricle. A systematic multimodality approach to diagnosis and assessment (based not only on the severity of the TR but also on the assessment of annular size, RV function and degree of pulmonary hypertension) is, therefore, essential. Once considered non-important, treatment of secondary TR is currently viewed as an essential concomitant procedure at the time of mitral (and, less frequently, aortic valve) surgery. Although the indications for surgical management of severe TR are now generally accepted (Class I), controversy persists concerning the role of intervention for moderate TR. However, there is a trend for intervention in this setting, especially at the time of surgery for left-sided heart valve disease and/or in patients with significant tricuspid annular dilatation (Class IIa). Currently, surgery remains the best approach for the interventional treatment of TR. Percutaneous tricuspid valve intervention (both repair and replacement) is still in its infancy but may become a reliable option in future, especially for high-risk patients with isolated primary TR or with secondary TR related to advanced left-sided heart valve disease.

Next generation of small molecules in inflammatory bowel disease

Abstract: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) encompasses two major entities: ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD).1 Both are chronic, progressive, disabling conditions that require lifelong medical treatment in most cases. IBD has a major impact on the patient's health-related quality of life,2 and the treatment-related costs place a significant burden on healthcare systems.3 Historically, the medical management of IBD has been based on the use of several small-molecule drugs (SMDs), including corticosteroids, immunomodulators (such as azathioprine, 6-mercaptopurine and methotrexate) and aminosalicylates.4 The introduction of biologic anti-tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) agents in the first few years of this century has revolutionised the clinical management of IBD. In parallel, treatment goals have shifted from symptomatic control towards more objective endpoints (such as mucosal healing and deep remission) associated with better long-term outcomes.5 ,6 Over the past 20 years, drug research in the field of IBD has focused on the development of new, large-molecule biologics; hence, several anti-TNF-α monoclonal antibodies (including infliximab,7 ,8 adalimumab,9 ,10 certolizumab pegol,11 ,12 and golimumab)13 and, most recently, antibodies with other targets (such as vedolizumab14 ,15 and ustekinumab)16 have become available in clinical practice. However, monoclonal antibodies have limitations in terms of efficacy, safety and cost. First, the available biologics are only moderately efficacious17 since up to 30% of patients show a lack of improvement after induction therapy with anti-TNF drugs (ie, primary non-response).18 Furthermore, a significant proportion of patients (between 13% and 25% per year)19–21 may develop a loss of response to anti-TNF agents over time (ie, secondary non-response).20 ,21 This loss of response may be due to pharmacodynamic, pharmacokinetic and/or immunogenic factors.22 Combination therapy is the best way to prevent the formation of antibodies,23 which …

X-ray-Induced singlet oxygen activation with nanoscintillator-coupled porphyrins

Abstract: Tb2O3 coated with a polysiloxane layer is a biocompatible nanoscintillator that exhibits an appropriate pattern of biodistribution after injection. In this contribution, we combine this nanosystem with porphyrin molecules that are able to generate singlet oxygen, a major cytotoxic agent for photodynamic therapy application. Using time-resolved laser spectroscopy and singlet oxygen probes, we demonstrate this combination is suitable for singlet oxygen generation induced by X-ray and provide a physical study of the energy transfer observed between the nanoscintillator and the porphyrin. Combined with a radiotherapy protocol, the proposed nanohybrid system presents a combination of physical, chemical, and biological properties that make it a good candidate for photodynamic effects in deep tissues.

A Complete Axiomatisation of the ZX-Calculus for Clifford+T Quantum Mechanics

Abstract: We introduce the first complete and approximately universal diagrammatic language for quantum mechanics. We make the ZX-Calculus, a diagrammatic language introduced by Coecke and Duncan, complete for the so-called Clifford+T quantum mechanics by adding two new axioms to the language. The completeness of the ZX-Calculus for Clifford+T quantum mechanics -- also called the π/4-fragment of the ZX-Calculus -- was one of the main open questions in categorical quantum mechanics. We prove the completeness of this fragment using the recently studied ZW-Calculus, a calculus dealing with integer matrices. We also prove that the π/4-fragment of the ZX-Calculus represents exactly all the matrices over some finite dimensional extension of the ring of dyadic rationals.