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In the muon ( g - 2 ) experiment at Brookhaven National Laboratory, the spin precession frequency ω a is obtained from a standard χ 2 minimization fit applied to the time distribution of decay electrons. The unusually high accuracy ( ∼ 0.5 ppm ) of the experiment puts stringent requirements on the quality of the fit and the level of understanding of the statistical properties of the fitted parameters. We discuss the properties of the fits and their implications on the derived value for ω a , including estimates of the effect of an imperfect fit function, methods of including additional external information to reduce the error, the effects of splitting the data into many smaller subsets of data, applying different weighting methods to the data using energy information, and various tests of data suitability.

Resume Le dosage de l’iode urinaire ne fait plus partie du bilan de base de l’exploration des sujets hyperthyroidiens, remplace par les dosages hormonaux et la scintigraphie. En utilisant une methode colorimetrique sur microplaques, nous avons cherche a montrer que ce dosage pouvait presenter un interet dans le diagnostic differentiel de certaines pathologies. Nous avons montre que les concentrations de l’iode urinaire ne sont pas differentes entre euthyroidiens et sujets presentant une maladie de Basedow. Chez les sujets avec une thyroidite subaigue virale ou auto-immune, l’iode urinaire est multiplie par 3 et par 10 pour les patients presentant une surcharge iodee. Dans les thyroidites, l’iodurie est maximale au moment de la poussee aigue et le suivi des concentrations permet d’evaluer l’atteinte du tissu thyroidien et l’efficacite therapeutique.

The experimental method together with the analysis method and results of the data taken in 2000 and prospects of the muon anomalous magnetic and electric dipole moment experiments are presented here., 12 pages, 20 figures. Proceedings of my plenary talk at ICHEP02, Amsterdam, 31 July 2002

Hormonal changes, substrate mobilization and energy metabolism were studied inturbot Scophthalmus maximus exposed to 3 hypoxic conditions (oxygen partial pressure in water,PwO 2 = 90, 60 and 30 mm Hg) followed by recovery under normoxia. Measurements of the blood pH,total CO 2 concentration, arterial oxygen partial pressure, hematocrit, glucose, lactate, and ‘stress’hormones (cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline) plasmatic concentrations were performed. High-energy phosphorylated compounds, glycogen, glucose and lactate concentrations were also deter-mined in liver and white muscle tissues. Exposure to 90 or 60 mm Hg did not induce any majorphysiological change, as hyperventilation by itself could compensate for the decrease in wateroxygen tension. At 30 mm Hg, marked increases in cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline concen-trations, associated with a decrease in blood arterial oxygen partial pressure, were observed. Duringexposure to 30 mm Hg, turbot resorted to anaerobic metabolism, resulting in liver glycogen depletionand lactate production. This mechanism appeared to be efficient enough to produce energy, as nosignificant change in phosphorylated compounds and adenylate energy charges in muscle and livercould be observed. These results indicate an absence of metabolic depression in turbot downto 30 mm Hg and confirm the high capacity of this species to cope with low water oxygen tension.KEY WORDS: Hypoxia · Anaerobiosis · Catecholamines · Cortisol · Lactate · Turbot

L’efficacite de la coloscopie, principal examen de diagnostic et de depistage des affections coliques, depend etroitement de la qualite de la preparation. Les facteurs influencant l’efficacite de cette preparation sont divers (experience de l’operateur, action du produit prescrit pour la preparation, acceptabilite et observance des modalites de la preparation par le patient).

Resume Les adenocarcinomes mammaires s'accompagnent frequemment de localisation metastatiques osseuses. La determination urinaire de marqueurs specifiques de la resorption osseuse a ete decrite dans le diagnostic et le suivi de ces metastases. Le Crosslaps (TM) , produit de degradation de l'extremite C-terminale du telopeptide du collagene de type I, fait partie de ces marqueurs. Cependant le recueil des urines reste toujours delicat et la mesure au niveau serique est preferable. En utilisant une methode immunoenzymatique pour le dosage serique du Crosslaps (TM) , nous avons compare chez 45 femmes presentant un cancer du sein, les concentrations de ce marqueur au niveau serique (S-CTX) et urinaire (CTX). Comme pour le CTX, les concentrations en S-CTX sont plus elevees chez les femmes avec metastases. Les variations du S-CTX sont un bon reflet de l'efficacite de la chimiotherapie. Cependant, compare a l'imagerie, le S-CTX a la meme specificite que le CTX (96 %) mais une sensibilite plus faible (81 % versus 95 % pour le CTX).

Multiple myeloma causes extensive bone remodeling. Classical biochemical markers such as urinary calcium have poor sensitivity for detecting multiple myeloma bone remodeling. New biochemicals have been developed including a carboxyterminal telopeptide of collagen I (CTX). We used an immunoenzymatic assay to determine urinary CTX in 60 patients with multiple myeloma. This marker was evaluated with regard to total pyridinolines, urinary calcium, radiological features, pain and response to treatment with bisphosphonates. In patients with bone involvement, CTX concentrations were significantly higher (+230%) than those of deoxypyridinoline (DPD) (+175%) and pyridinolines (PYD) (+130%). In all patients we have found a close correlation between CTX and DPD but not between CTX and PYD. Compared to radiological features, CTX was more sensitive (97%) and specific (96%) than DPD. After treatment by bisphosphonates, the fall in CTX concentrations was paralleled to urinary calcium and more marked than pyridinolines. Although our results need to be confirmed, CTX appears to be a potential marker to explore bone involvement in multiple myeloma.

In modern medicine the undeniable value and indispensability of scientific investigations are now universally recognized both for diagnostic purposes and monitoring of disease and in basic epidemiology. The direct treatment of patients is an undeniable task of doctors in medicine. Progress in laboratory science is largely the result of contributions by scientists with an adequate education and specialisation in the field, i.e. by clinical chemists. Clinical laboratory science has developed on a broad front throughout the European Community, resulting in significant differences in what constitutes a national clinical chemistry service in each state. Clinical chemistry is the medical discipline devoted to obtain, explore and employ chemical knowledge and chemical methods of investigation, in order to procure knowledge about normal and abnormal chemical processes in man. These processes are studied on a general level, in order to get insight into human health and disease, and on a patient-specific level for diagnostic or monitoring purposes. The delimitation of clinical chemistry varies from country to country, since there is no sharp boundary to haematology, immunology, molecular biology and microbiology. One of the main tasks of the clinical chemist is direction and supervision of a laboratory department in a hospital or health service (public or private), where his role involves bridging the gap between rapidly developing laboratory science and technology and the growing knowledge on characteristics of disease. He must possess fundamental biochemical knowledge and have the ability to use this knowledge most appropriately as applied to clinical requirements, i.e. diagnosis of disease and planning and monitoring of therapy. Apart from providing a competent laboratory service, the clinical chemist must be able to function as a consultant to his clinical colleagues and liaise with them in the interpretation of laboratory results. His advice and professional consultation have at least three aspects, i.e. choosing the most appropriate laboratory investigation in a certain case, ensuring that the analyses are performed in the best possible way and correctly reported and, finally, providing information and (most important) interpretation on the significance and consequences of the laboratory data obtained. As the results of laboratory investigations and the consultation of the clinical chemist have a direct and important influence on the treatment of the patient, it is to the benefit of the public that the profession of the clinical chemist is duly regulated.

resume Les adenocarcinomes mammaires s'accompagnent, dans environ un tiers des cas, de localisations metastatiques osseuses de nature osteoclastique. La scintigraphie osseuse aux biphosphonates marques au 99m Tc reste la methode de reference pour depister et localiser ces metastases. Recemment, divers marqueurs biochimiques sont apparus, qui permettent une etude du remodelage osseux. Le Crosslaps ™ , produit de degradation de l'extremite C-terminale du telopeptide du collagene de type I, fait partie de ces marqueurs. En utilisant une methode immuno-enzymatique, nous avons pu mettre en evidence chez 50 patients une bonne correlation entre l'aspect scintigraphique et la concentration urinaire en Crosslaps ™ . Le suivi de ces patients pendant leurs cures de chimiotherapie nous a permis de montrer qu'un dosage regulier du Crosslaps ™ est un bon reflet de l'evolution des metastases et de l'efficacite therapeutique.

Ugine a decide en 1991 la construction d’une nouvelle unite de production d’acier inoxydable lamine a froid en Thailande.Apres la description du projet et des principales etapes de la construction, des phases de mise en route et de la montee en puissance, nous exposons les facteurs cles de cette reussite. En respectant le delai initial et le budget de 184 millions de US$, la pleine capacite de 5 000 t/mois (60 000 t/an) a ete atteinte en novembre 1994, soit 34 mois apres le debut des travaux sur un terrain vierge.

In liver and serum, AST activity is dependent on two isoenzymes, which are mitochondrial and cytosolic in nature. In an attempt to explain the well-known increase of serum mitochondrial AST-to-total AST ratio in chronic alcoholism (which is due to a specific increase of the mitochondrial isoenzyme), we analyzed: (a) liver and serum AST, ALT and glutamate dehydrogenase activities in 23 active drinkers with minimal liver changes, 11 alcoholic patients with cirrhosis who had stopped drinking, 18 nonalcoholic patients with viral chronic hepatitis and 11 subjects with normal livers; and (b) the expression of messenger RNAs for AST isoenzymes in the corresponding liver samples. Enzymatic activities were decreased in the liver irrespective of the origin of the liver disease. In patients with viral chronic hepatitis (or in those with alcoholic cirrhosis when abstinent), variations in liver proteins and messenger RNAs paralleled significant decreases in mitochondrial AST, ALT and glutamate dehydrogenase and a nonsignificant decrease of cytosolic AST. In alcoholic patients with minimal liver changes, the significant decrease of hepatic cytosolic AST, ALT and glutamate dehydrogenase activities contrasted with a close-to-normal liver mitochondrial AST activity; the increased amounts of mitochondrial AST messenger RNA give evidence for a pretranslational mechanism of regulation, indicating a possible increase in the total production of mitochondrial AST in the liver. The decrease of hepatic cytosolic AST activity was statistically significant only in alcoholic patients without cirrhosis who had a normal cytosolic AST mRNA level, thus suggesting a contributory role of translational or posttranslational regulation. In conclusion, regulation of AST isozymes during liver disease is complex, including differential, pretranslational and translational or posttranslational mechanisms. (HEPATOLOGY 1991;14:620–625.)

Human cytosolic aspartate aminotransferase (cAspAT) cDNA clones have been isolated from an adult human liver cDNA library. Among the clones, two cDNAs of 1,550 and 1,950 base pairs, respectively, have been characterized. These two cDNAs differ only in the lengths of their 3{prime} noncoding regions and by the presence of one or two putative polyadenylation signals AATAAA. Northern blot analysis revealed two different mRNAs of 2.1 and 1.8 kbp in several human tissues, whereas Southern blot analysis suggested the existence of a single gene for the human cAspAT. The two mRNA species result from the alternative use of two polyadenylation signals. In the liver, the relative ratio of these mRNAs varies among different species and, in humans at least, during development. The properties of the two mRNAs were compared. The half-lives of the 2.1 and 1.8 kbp mRNAs, in the HepG2 cell line, are 8 and 12 h, respectively. The two mRNAs have similar and rather short poly(A) tracts of 20-50 nucleotides. Both mRNAs are capable of directing the in vitro synthesis of the cAspAT protein. The authors conclude that both the 2.1 and 1.8 kbp cAspAT mRNAs are functional and exhibit similar properties.

The promoter of the gene coding for the rat cytosolic aspartate aminotransferase was cloned from a Charon 4A genomic library. We have sequenced a 1.1-kilobase PstI-PstI fragment which contains the first exon of the gene, the beginning of the first intron and 682 base pairs of the 5' regulatory region (+1 being the A of the first ATG codon), which exhibits promoter activity. The promoter region is G + C rich, does not include any TATA-like element, but has 4 putative Sp1-binding sites and 6 regularly spaced CCAAT boxes. The promoter activity of the 5' regulatory region, as well as its sensitivity to glucocorticoids, were assessed by transient gene expression assays after fusion to the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene in the hepatoma cell lines HepG2 and Fao. Multiple transcription start sites were found on the gene over a short distance (55 base pairs), but they were differentially regulated by glucocorticoids as determined by both primer extension analysis and S1 mapping. In particular, transcription from 2 start sites was increased 15- to 18-fold, whereas transcription from the 3 other ones was increased 3-fold. In addition, three new start sites, below the detection limit in control cells, were highly induced. Therefore, a hormonal regulatory element can discriminate among closely related transcription start sites.

The anomalous magnetic moment of the negative muon has been measured to a precision of 0.7 parts per million (ppm) at the Brookhaven Alternating Gradient Synchrotron. This result is based on data collected in 2001, and is over an order of magnitude more precise than the previous measurement of the negative muon. The result a_mu= 11 659 214(8)(3) \times 10^{-10} (0.7 ppm), where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is sytematic, is consistend with previous measurements of the anomaly for the positive and negative muon. The average for the muon anomaly a_{mu}(exp) = 11 659 208(6) \times 10^{-10} (0.5ppm)., Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Physical Review Letters, revised to reflect referee comments. Text further revised to reflect additional referee comments and a corrected Fig. 3 replaces the older version

The magnetic moment anomaly a_mu = (g_mu - 2) / 2 of the positive muon has been measured at the Brookhaven Alternating Gradient Synchrotron with an uncertainty of 0.7 ppm. The new result, based on data taken in 2000, agrees well with previous measurements. Standard Model evaluations currently differ from the experimental result by 1.6 to 3.0 standard deviations., Comment: Talk presented at RADCOR - Loops and Legs 2002, Kloster Banz, Germany, September 8-13 2002, to be published in Nuclear Physics B (Proc. Suppl.); 5 pages, 3 figures

A higher precision measurement of the anomalous g value, a_mu = (g-2)/2, for the positive muon has been made at the Brookhaven Alternating Gradient Synchrotron, based on data collected in the year 2000. The result a_{mu^+} = 11 659 204(7)(5) times 10^{-10} (0.7 ppm) is in good agreement with previous measurements and has an error about one half that of the combined previous data. The present world average experimental value is a_mu(exp) = 11 659 203(8) times 10^{-10} (0.7 ppm)., Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures. submitted to Physical Review Letters. as accepted for publication in Physical Review Letters. As accepted for publication in Physical Review Letters

We have studied the expression and regulation of the rat testis cytosolic aspartate aminotransferase gene. The cytosolic aspartate aminotransferase activity was 5-fold lower in the testis than in the liver and kidney. A 1.9-kilobase mRNA form was detected in the rat testis in contrast to the 2.1- and 1.8-kilobase forms present in other organs. Using Northern blot and S1 mapping analyses, we found that the proximal polyadenylation site was almost exclusively used in the testis as opposed to other organs where the distal site was preferentially used. RNase protection and primer extension analysis showed that transcription was initiated at multiple sites in all organs, but the pattern of those start sites was different in the testis; in particular, a novel transcription start site was specifically detected in this organ (at position -115 from the translation start site). This site was first observed in 29-day-old rats and was maximally utilized in the adult testis. DNase I footprinting using testis nuclear extracts revealed the presence of three sites of DNA-protein interaction in the 250-base pair proximal promoter, a pattern similar to the one found using liver nuclear extracts. However, the proteins bound had different properties as shown by gel retardation experiments. We conclude that the pattern of transcription initiation and the polyadenylation site selection of a housekeeping gene can be tissue-specific.

The Entamoeba histolytica transcription factor Upstream Regulatory Element 3-Binding Protein (URE3-BP) is a calcium-responsive regulator of two E. histolytica virulence genes, hgl5 and fdx1. URE3-BP was previously identified by a yeast one-hybrid screen of E. histolytica proteins capable of binding to the sequence TATTCTATT (Upstream Regulatory Element 3 (URE3)) in the promoter regions of hgl5 and fdx1. In this work, precise definition of the consensus URE3 element was performed by electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) using base-substituted oligonucleotides, and the consensus motif validated using episomal reporter constructs. Transcriptome profiling of a strain induced to produce a dominant-positive URE3-BP was then used to identify additional genes regulated by URE3-BP. Fifty modulated transcripts were identified, and of these the EMSA defined motif T[atg]T[tc][cg]T[at][tgc][tg] was found in over half of the promoters (54% p, Author Summary Most infections with Entamoeba histolytica are asymptomatic. However, in a minority of cases, they develop into invasive and even life-threatening amebiasis. We suspect, based on prior studies of invasive amebae, that changes in amebic gene expression enable the transition from asymptomatic to invasive infection. Our long-term goal is to identify the genetic program required to cause amebic colitis. Here, we studied a transcription factor named URE3-BP that controls the expression of two virulence genes, the Galactose and Galactose N- acetyl- galactosamine inhibitable lectin (Gal/GalNAc lectin) and ferredoxin. We suspected that this factor might coordinate invasiveness by co-regulating additional virulence factors. The consensus DNA motif that is recognized by URE3-BP was identified by reporter gene assays and by electromobility shift assays. We then inducibly expressed a constitutively active form of the transcription factor, and measured the changes in total amebic gene expression mediated by overexpression of this dominant-positive version of URE3-BP. This analysis allowed for a further definition of the functional URE3 motif. Inducible expression of URE3-BP led to changes in the transcript levels of several novel amebic membrane proteins. In conclusion, this genome-wide analysis of a transcription factor and its cis-acting regulatory sequence in Entamoeba histolytica has identified new transcripts regulated by URE3-BP that may play a role in trophozoite motility within a coordinated virulence-specific gene regulatory network.

The promoter of the gene coding for the rat cytosolic aspartate aminotransferase was cloned from a Charon 4A genomic library. We have sequenced a 1.1-kilobase PstI-PstI fragment which contains the first exon of the gene, the beginning of the first intron and 682 base pairs of the 5' regulatory region (+1 being the A of the first ATG codon), which exhibits promoter activity. The promoter region is G + C rich, does not include any TATA-like element, but has 4 putative Sp1-binding sites and 6 regularly spaced CCAAT boxes. The promoter activity of the 5' regulatory region, as well as its sensitivity to glucocorticoids, were assessed by transient gene expression assays after fusion to the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene in the hepatoma cell lines HepG2 and Fao. Multiple transcription start sites were found on the gene over a short distance (55 base pairs), but they were differentially regulated by glucocorticoids as determined by both primer extension analysis and S1 mapping. In particular, transcription from 2 start sites was increased 15- to 18-fold, whereas transcription from the 3 other ones was increased 3-fold. In addition, three new start sites, below the detection limit in control cells, were highly induced. Therefore, a hormonal regulatory element can discriminate among closely related transcription start sites.

Many authors have stressed the role of serotonin in mood disorders and some aspects of schizophrenia. Cerebral serotonin synthesis depends on the quantity of circulating free tryptophan not bound to albumin. It thus appeared interesting to estimate the two forms of tryptophan by measuring their plasmatic concentration as well as the free/total tryptophan ratio. These evaluations were performed by an automatic spectrofluorimetric method. 19 blood samples were analyzed from normal subjects and 47 from schizophrenic or manic-depressive patients including treated and untreated cases. The only significant differences in the free/total tryptophan ratio were reported in untreated paranoid schizophrenics and in anxiety cases. A dual nosological and symptomatical approach was adopted in the course of attempted correlation with biological data in order to underline the possible role of symptomatic elements common to different diagnoses. The results for melancholia agreed with those reported in the literature (4). In the case of schizophrenia, however, there are only a few reports and no discrimination has been made between untreated and treated patients or between the different types of schizophrenia. The clinical picture is different for paranoid schizophrenia which is the delusive aspect of the disease and for hebephrenic schizophrenia. It seems fairly logical to find opposite results in delusive mania and paranoid schizophrenia compared to melancholia, since delusive mania and paranoid schizophrenia have similar symptomatology which is the opposite of that found in melancholic depression.

One of the pathways of tryptophan catabolism induced formation of tryptamine (T) then, after the action of monoamine oxidase (MAO), indolacetic acid (IA). The study of T/IA can permit an appreciation of MAO activity. After the determination of reference values, we studied different syndromes. In phenylketonuria (PKU), T/IA is very low with a decrease of T and an increase of IA; in carcinoid syndrome the results are more variable but in several cases the decrease of MAO activity is likely; in different dermatological diseases, we observe abnormal values, especially in scleroderma and acrosclerosis.

The cDNA of human mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase (E.C.2.6.1.1.) was isolated from a human liver cDNA library using a rat mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase cDNA as probe. The sequence of this cDNA gives a predicted aminoacid sequence for the human presequence and for the human mature protein exhibiting respectively 93% and 95% homology with rat sequences. A Northern blot of total RNA, isolated from various human tissues and hybridized with this cDNA, revealed a single 2.4 Kb RNA band. Mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase RNA was clearly detected in human kidney, placenta, stomach and spleen as well as in both fetal and adult liver.

The localization of the human genes for cytosolic and mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase (AspAT) has been determined by chromosomal in situ hybridization with specific human cDNA probes previously characterized in our laboratory. The cytosolic AspAT gene is localized on chromosome 10 at the interface of bands q241-q251. Mitochondrial AspAT is characterized by a multigene family located on chromosomes 12 (p131-p132), 16 (q21), and 1 (p32-p33 and q25-q31). Genomic DNA from ten blood donors was digested by ten restriction enzymes, and Southern blots were hybridized with the two specific probes. Restriction fragment length polymorphism was revealed in only one case for cytosolic AspAT, with PvuII, while no polymorphism for mitochondrial AspAT was found.

Atomic absorption spectrometry was used to measure magnesium, calcium, and sodium, and emission spectrometry to measure potassium, in myocardium (left and right ventricles) of 26 control subjects who died of acute trauma. Results were expressed in mumol/g of proteins. Mg/Ca and K/Na ratios were also determined. The same measurements were made in 24 patients who died from acute myocardial infarction. Samples were also taken from the necrotic area. Mg/Ca and K/Na ratios were significantly higher in the left ventricle of both populations, thus providing evidence of anatomical and physiological differences between the two ventricles. As a result of cytolysis and anoxia, the Mg/Ca ratio was very significantly inverted, and the K/Na ratio very significantly smaller, for samples from the necrotic area. In these clinical conditions arrhythmias could certainly be considered likely, and there is reason to believe that magnesium depletion may be a cause of arrhythmias.

The measurement of total urinary amino acid nitrogen can be done by a semiautomatic method based on the formation of a copper complex followed by the determination of copper by atomic absorption Spectrometry. The proposed method is sensitive, reproducible, specific and is interesting for the investigation of total hypoor hyper-excretion of urinary amino acids. However, as the percentage of the copper bound by the various amino acids is different, it will be convenient in pathologic cases to separate the various amino acids and to measure them specifically, e.g. by quantitative ion exchange resin chromatography or gas-liquid chromatography.

Of the three magnesium fractions in plasma, free ionized magnesium (Mg2+) has the greatest biological activity. Accordingly, information concerning this form in plasma is of cardinal importance to investigations in biometry and human pathology. For this reason, we developed an indirect assay for ionized magnesium in which Mg2+ is determined as the difference between ultrafiltrable magnesium, as measured in plasma water after ultracentrifugation, and complexed magnesium, as obtained after fixation of the ionized and protein-bound magnesium on Amberlite IR-120(H) cation-exchange resin. All magnesium assays were performed by atomic absorption spectrometry. We used this methodology to compare ionized, complexed, and protein-bound plasma magnesium in 34 normal men and 12 normal women. Sex-related differences between the values for these fractions were not significant. Interesting preliminary results for cases of myocardial infarction prompt us to continue our investigations concerning these three states of plasma magnesium in cardiac pathology.

High-performance liquid anion-exchange chromatography is combined with continuous flow spectrofluorometry at an optimalized pH for the determination of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in urine. Its chief advantages are speed (7 min per determination), enabling measurement of large series of samples, precision (coefficient of variation = 0.72%), sensitivity (detection limit: 1 pmol) and specificity (no interference with 5-HIAA precursors or with the drugs tested). Reference values ( n = 112) are 25 ± 20 μmol per 24 h. Comparison with a reference spectrofluorometric technique shows a correlation coefficient of 0.96.

Glucocorticoid hormones increase the activity of cytosolic aspartate aminotransferase (cAspAT) in the Fao rat hepatoma cell line. Maximal increase (6-10-fold) was observed 48 h following the addition of the glucocorticoid agonist dexamethasone at a concentration of 0.1 microM. The effect of dexamethasone was specific since it was not mimicked by sex steroids and was inhibited by the glucocorticoid antagonist RU 486. Insulin (0.1 microM) inhibited by more than 50% the induction of cAspAT by glucocorticoids. The cAMP analog, 8-bromoadenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (Br8cAMP, 0.5 mM), potentiated the effect of dexamethasone (2-3-fold) and partially relieved the inhibitory effect of insulin on the induction by dexamethasone. Both insulin and Br8-cAMP had no significant effect on basal activity. The mitochondrial isoenzyme was insensitive to the various hormonal treatments. Northern blot analysis revealed the presence of two major (2.1-kb and 1.8-kb) and one minor (4-kb) mRNA species hybridizing with a rat cAspAT probe. The regulation of these mRNAs by glucocorticoids, insulin and cAMP correlated with the variation of the cAspAT activity, suggesting that these hormones act at the pretranslational level. We compared the regulation of cAspAT mRNAs with those of tyrosine aminotransferase mRNA. Both were similarly increased by dexamethasone but the latter was also increased by cAMP even in the absence of the glucocorticoid agonist. In addition, the increase in tyrosine aminotransferase mRNA was inhibited by cycloheximide whereas the increase in cAspAT mRNAs was not. These results show that there are significant differences in the regulation of cAspAT and tyrosine aminotransferase by glucocorticoids and other hormones, although both enzymes probably contribute to the same metabolic pathway.

Growth of the fastidious enteric adenoviruses 40 and 41 was compared in different human cell lines. Purified virions were used to infect the following cell lines: A549; KB; Chang's conjunctiva; 293; HeLa. Both types of enteric adenovirus were infectious for each cell line, with the exception of adenovirus 40 in HeLa cells. Relatively low infectious titers were obtained from each cell type following infection with adenovirus 40 (TCID50 average = 10−1.5), whereas adenovirus 41 replicated to significantly higher titer (TCID50 average = 10−3.0). For both viruses, the highest infectious titers were obtained with A549 and KB cells. A time course experiment performed to quantitate the amount of hexon present in A549 and KB cells infected with each virus indicated that while the kinetics of accumulation were similar for both viruses, the concentration of type 41 hexon was significantly greater than that for type 40 in either cell line. The concentration of type 41 hexon was similar in each cell type; for type 40, a greater concentration of hexon was obtained in the A549 cell line than in the KB cells. The results indicate the distinct replication characteristics exhibited by adenovirus 40 are not due to a restriction in a specific host cell, and, because purified virions were used, not attributable to interference that might occur with co-infection from multiple viruses present in the same clinical specimen. We conclude the differences observed in the replication of these viruses are independent of host cell type and are associated, uniquely, with each virus.

Of the three magnesium fractions in plasma, free ionized magnesium (Mg2+) has the greatest biological activity. Accordingly, information concerning this form in plasma is of cardinal importance to investigations in biometry and human pathology. For this reason, we developed an indirect assay for ionized magnesium in which Mg2+ is determined as the difference between ultrafiltrable magnesium, as measured in plasma water after ultracentrifugation, and complexed magnesium, as obtained after fixation of the ionized and protein-bound magnesium on Amberlite IR-120(H) cation-exchange resin. All magnesium assays were performed by atomic absorption spectrometry. We used this methodology to compare ionized, complexed, and protein-bound plasma magnesium in 34 normal men and 12 normal women. Sex-related differences between the values for these fractions were not significant. Interesting preliminary results for cases of myocardial infarction prompt us to continue our investigations concerning these three states of plasma magnesium in cardiac pathology.

Atomic absorption spectrometry was used to measure magnesium, calcium, and sodium, and emission spectrometry to measure potassium, in myocardium (left and right ventricles) of 26 control subjects who died of acute trauma. Results were expressed in mumol/g of proteins. Mg/Ca and K/Na ratios were also determined. The same measurements were made in 24 patients who died from acute myocardial infarction. Samples were also taken from the necrotic area. Mg/Ca and K/Na ratios were significantly higher in the left ventricle of both populations, thus providing evidence of anatomical and physiological differences between the two ventricles. As a result of cytolysis and anoxia, the Mg/Ca ratio was very significantly inverted, and the K/Na ratio very significantly smaller, for samples from the necrotic area. In these clinical conditions arrhythmias could certainly be considered likely, and there is reason to believe that magnesium depletion may be a cause of arrhythmias.

Cells infected with herpes simplex virus, respiratory syncytial virus and adenovirus were subjected to several cryogenic regimens to determine whether these procedures were detrimental to the performance and results obtained with an indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA). Infected cells were harvested and divided into equal aliquots prior to freezing at different temperatures (-20, -70 and -165 degrees C). Cells fixed onto glass slides immediately after harvesting were used as controls. For the IFA, cells were thawed and fixed onto glass slides immediately prior to reaction with an appropriate virus-specific antibody and, subsequently, an FITC-conjugated anti-species antibody. The virus-infected cells retained their structural integrity following the experimental cryogenic regimens and were useable in the IFA. The quality of the image and the intensity of the fluorescent signal were enhanced by the incorporation of dimethyl sulfoxide into the freezing medium; cells frozen at -165 degrees C with DMSO gave the most satisfactory IFA results, although cells frozen at either -20 or -70 degrees C with DMSO were also useable. The use of cells frozen at the experimental temperatures in either phosphate buffered saline or tissue culture medium resulted in IFA substrate slides of diminished quality, often with a blurred image and distorted cellular morphology. We conclude that freezing of virus-infected cells prior to preparation for IFA is not detrimental to the performance of this procedure and the interpretation of immunological reactivity.

We have suggested the determination of different indolic metabolites of tryptophan: OH 5 trptophan (5 HTP), OH 5 tryptamine (5 HT), OH 5 indolyl-acetic acid (5 HIA) by column chromatography on cationic coupled with spectrofluorimetry after amplification obtained with o-phtaldehyde. The different metabolites are determined alone or simultaneously depending on the buffer used. The following qualitates are examined: sensitivity, specificity, accuracy. We have established normal reference values. For 5 HTP the normal values in urine are less than or equal to 50 microgram per day. In 12 cases of carcinoid tumors we have measured 5 HIA, 5 HTP, 5 HT and calculated the ratio between 5 HT and 5 HTP in the urine which makes it possible to have an idea of the enzyme activity in the hydroxyindol pathway in cases of intestinal and bronkial carcinoids.

Femtosecond laser writing in glasses is a growing field of research and development in photonics, since it provides a versatile, robust and efficient approach to directly address 3D material structuring. Laser-glass interaction process has been studied for many years, especially the local changes of the refractive index that have been classified by three distinct types (types I, II and III, respectively). These refractive index modifications are widely used for the creation of photonics devices such as waveguides [1], couplers, photonic crystals to fabricate integrated optical functions in glasses for photonic applications as optical circuits or integrated sensors. Femtosecond laser writing in a home-developed silver containing zinc phosphate glasses induces the creation of fluorescent silver clusters distributed around the laser-glass interaction voxel [2]. In this paper, we introduce a new type of refractive index modification in glasses. It is based on the creation of these photo-induced silver clusters allowing a local change in the refractive index Δn = 5×10-3, which is sufficient for the creation of waveguides and photonics devices. The wave guiding process in our glasses along these structures with original geometry is demonstrated for wavelengths from visible to NIR [3], giving a promising access to integrated optical circuits in these silver containing glasses. Moreover, the characterization of the waveguides is presented, including their original geometry, the refractive index change, the mode profile, the estimation of propagation losses and a comparison with simulation results. 1. K. M. Davis, K. Miura, N. Sugimoto, and K. Hirao, Opt. Lett. 21, 1729-1731 (1996). 2. M. Bellec, A. Royon, K. Bourhis, J. Choi, B. Bousquet, M. Treguer, T. Cardinal, J.-J. Videau, M. Richardson, and L. Canioni, The Journal of Physical Chemistry C 114, 15584-15588 (2010). 3. S. Danto, F. Desevedavy, Y. Petit, J.-C. Desmoulin, A. Abou Khalil, C. Strutynski, M. Dussauze, F. Smektala, T. Cardinal, and L. Canioni, Advanced Optical Materials 4, 162-168 (2016).

[∗] Dr. A. Royon , Dr. M. Bellec , G. Papon , Dr. B. Bousquet , Prof. L. Canioni Centre de Physique Moleculaire Optique et Hertzienne University of Bordeaux 351 Cours de la Liberation, 33405 Talence (France) E-mail: l.canioni@cpmoh.u-bordeaux1.fr K. Bourhis , Dr. T. Cardinal Institut de Chimie de la Matiere Condensee de Bordeaux University of Bordeaux 87 Avenue du Docteur Schweitzer, 33608 Pessac (France) Dr. Y. Deshayes Laboratoire de l ′ Integration du Materiau au Systeme University of Bordeaux 351 Cours de la Liberation, 33405 Talence (France)