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Future growth of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) in Norway is tied to finding solutions for major ecological challenges connected to salmon lice, escapees, and nutrient emissions from sea cages. At the same time, nutrient-rich sludge from salmon production comprises a valuable resource for the cultivation of lower trophic species using an integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) approach. This study aimed to quantify the sedimentation of aquaculture sludge under sea cages of an Atlantic salmon aquaculture site and to qualify the composition of this sludge. Additionally, the study evaluated the hypothetical use of sludge from sea-based aquaculture as a feed source for polychaetes Hediste diversicolor. Using sediment traps, sludge samples were collected under two different Atlantic salmon sea cages, at two different depths, and three different sampling dates. Subsequently, they were quantified, and their composition was assessed with regards to carbon (C), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), lipid, fatty acid (FA), protein, amino acid (AA), and ash content as well as elemental ratios and composition of FAs and AAs. The quantity of collected sludge was significantly different between sea cages, with a strong positive correlation between feed input and collected sludge (R2 = 0.98, p < 0.05). Sampling depth did not affect the quantity of collected sludge in the sediment traps (2215 ± 480 mg DW day−1), and no significant difference in sedimented sludge as a proportion of theoretically produced sludge (12.94 ± 2.16%) was found when comparing the different cages and sampling depths. Furthermore, the composition of collected sludge was similar at all sampling points. The overall nutritional value was lower compared to sludge from land-based aquaculture; regardless, sludge from sea-based salmon production can in theory be considered a potential feed resource to be used for the production of polychaetes H. diversicolor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the associations between patient-provider cost discussions with patient-reported out-of-pocket (OOP) spending and long-term financial toxicity (FT) among adolescent and young adult (AYA; 15–39 years old) cancer survivors. Methods: Using a cross-sectional survey, we assessed the themes and quality of patient discussions with providers about financial needs and general survivorship preparation, quantified patients’ levels of FT, and evaluated patient-reported OOP spending. We determined the association between cancer treatment cost discussion and FT using multivariable analysis. In a subset of survivors (n = 18), we conducted qualitative interviews and used thematic analysis to characterize responses. Results: Two hundred forty-seven AYA survivors completed the survey at a mean of 7 years post treatment and with a median COST score of 13. 70% of AYA survivors did not recall having any cost discussion about their cancer treatment with a provider. Having any cost discussion with a provider was associated with decreased FT (β = 3.00; p = 0.02) but not associated with reduced OOP spending (χ2 = 3.77; p = 0.44). In a second adjusted model, with OOP spending included as a covariate, OOP spending was a significant predictor of FT (β = − 1.40; p = 0.002). Key qualitative themes included survivors’ frustration about the lack of communication related to financial issues throughout treatment and in survivorship, feeling unprepared, and reluctance to seek help. Conclusion: AYA patients are not fully informed about the costs of cancer care and FT; the dearth of cost discussions between patients and providers may represent a missed opportunity to reduce costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Santiago de Compostela is, together with Rome and Jerusalem, one of the three main pilgrimage and religious centres for Catholicism. The belief that the remains of St James the Great, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ, is buried there has stimulated, since their reported discovery in the 9th century AD, a significant flow of people from across the European continent and beyond. Little is known about the practical experiences of people living within the city during its rise to prominence, however. Here, for the first time, we combine multi-isotope analysis (δ13C, δ15N, δ18Oap, δ13Cap and 87Sr/86Sr) and radiocarbon dating (14C) of human remains discovered at the crypt of the Cathedral of Santiago to directly study changes in diet and mobility during the first three centuries of Santiago’s emergence as an urban centre (9th–12th centuries AD). Together with assessment of the existing archaeological data, our radiocarbon chronology broadly confirms historical tradition regarding the first occupation of the site. Isotopic analyses reveal that the foundation of the religious site attracted migrants from the wider region of the northwest corner of the Iberian Peninsula, and possibly from further afield. Stable isotope analysis of collagen, together with information on tomb typology and location, indicates that the inhabitants of the city experienced increasing socioeconomic diversity as it became wealthier as the hub of a wide network of pilgrimage. Our research represents the potential of multidisciplinary analyses to reveal insights into the origins and impacts of the emergence of early pilgrimage centres on the diets and status of communities within Christian mediaeval Europe and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the middle part of his Brouillon Project on conics, Girard Desargues develops the theory of the traversale, a notion that generalizes the Apollonian diameter and allows to give a unified treatment of the three kinds of conics. We showed elsewhere that it leads Desargues to a complete theory of projective polarity for conics. The present article, which shall close our study of the Brouillon Project, is devoted to the last part of the text, in which Desargues puts his theory of the traversal into practice by giving a very elegant tratment of the classical theory of parameters and foci. This will lead us to show that Desargues' proofs can only be understood if one accepts that he reasons in a resolutely projective framework, completely assimilating elements at infinity to those at finite distance in his proofs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The implementation of a culture of seismic risk preparedness is becoming increasingly critical in Europe as the building stock ages and the awareness about seismic risk rises. In this context, the assessment of the seismic vulnerability of existing buildings, followed by the implementation of appropriate retrofitting solutions, can help to substantially reduce the levels of physical damage and economic impact of future events. The central region of Portugal is particularly susceptible to large seismic events and is characterized by the prevalence of historic masonry buildings. This work aims to validate assessment methods for the risk of historical city centers in order to propose management strategies for municipalities and assess the economic impact of large-scale seismic retrofitting. To do this, an application of these methods was performed on the historical city center of Leiria. An in-depth inspection was performed of the entire center and the results were compiled into a database. Using an index-based seismic vulnerability assessment approach, a vulnerability assessment was made for each building. Based on vulnerability and predicted damage, estimates of human and economic losses were made for the city center before and after retrofitting to justify interventions on a broad scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In his Brouillon Project on conic sections, Girard Desargues studies the notion of traversale, which generalizes that of diameter introduced by Apollonius. One often reads that it is equivalent to the notion of polar, a concept that emerged in the beginning of 19th century. In this article we shall study in great detail the developments around that notion in the middle part of the Brouillon project. We shall in particular show, using the notes added by Desargues after the first draft was written, how here arises a new theory, that of the polarity associated to a conic section. We shall show that besides a natural correspondance between points and lines, Desargues has understood that a conic induces on every line in its plane an involution, and how he progressively handles the considerable conceptual difficulties he has to deal with when trying to explain clearly his novative ideas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic market gardening is often promoted by urban municipalities as a way to resource part of the food supply, creating new social links and protecting groundwater resources. The agronomical and environmental performance of six commercial organic market gardening farms supplying vegetables in Paris were evaluated and compared with other vegetable production systems. When expressed in terms of protein production, the yield of these systems appears rather low compared with the productive capacity of open-field organic cropping systems where vegetable production is inserted into rotation with other crops. Moreover, the requirement of producing infiltrated water meeting the drinking water standards seriously limits the allowable rate of fertilisation, thus limiting production. The data reported herein show that to supply the amount of vegetables required by the Paris agglomeration (12 million inhabitants) only by organic market gardening, 160,000-205,000 ha, i.e. 28-36 % of the agricultural area of the surrounding Ile-de-France region, would be required. We conclude that organic market gardening is only one of several other farming systems which can contribute to a re-localised supply of vegetables to large cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a part of a comprehensive survey of macroparasites of commercially exploited fish species off the coast of Otago, New Zealand, the parasite fauna of the New Zealand sole Peltorhamphus novaezeelandiae Günther was recently studied. Steringotrema robertpoulini n. sp. is described from this host and compared with known species of Steringotrema Odhner, 1911. The new species is readily distinguished from all of its congeners, except for S. divergens (Rudolphi, 1809) Odhner, 1911, by having the follicular vitellarium divided in four zones rather than two, and can be differentiated from S. divergens mainly by the posterior extent of the intestinal caeca in the hindbody, as well as by host association and geographical distribution. DNA sequences of the 28S ribosomal gene were generated and phylogenetic analyses were undertaken using maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference to assess the phylogenetic position of the new species within the family Fellodistomidae Nicoll, 1909. Analyses included the available sequences for 14 species of the family distributed among eight genera, along with nine species of other members of the order Plagiorchiida La Rue, 1957 as outgroups. The resulting topology shows that the new species of Steringotrema is nested as the sister species of Steringophorus dorsolineatus (Reimer, 1985) Bray, 1995. However, low nodal support indicates that relationships among these species are not fully resolved and require further revision and denser taxon sampling for more detailed molecular work. More information is required to draw further conclusions about the taxonomic status of the genera Steringotrema and Steringophorus Odhner, 1905. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we propose a coherent thesis for the formation of the notion of involution in Girard Desargues' Brouillon Project. For this, we give a detailed analysis of the first 10 pages of the Brouillon, dealing in particular with various particular cases which help us to understand Desargues' intention, which is to find a notion unifying the harmonic divisions considered in Apollonius's theory of conics. We compare this analysis with the way Jean de Beaugrand read and criticised the Brouillon in his Advis Charitables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives of the study were to assess genome wide association study (GWAS) for sugarcane on a panel of 183 accessions and to evaluate the impact of population structure and family relatedness on QTL detection. The panel was genotyped with 3327 AFLP, DArT and SSR markers and phenotyped for 13 traits related to agro-morphology, sugar yield, bagasse content and disease resistances. Marker-trait associations were detected using (i) general linear models that took population structure into account with either a Q matrix from STRUCTURE software or principal components from a principal component analysis added as covariates, and (ii) mixed linear models that took into account both population structure and family relatedness estimated using a similarity matrix K* computed using Jaccard's coefficient. With general linear models analysis, test statistics were inflated in most cases, while mixed linear models analysis allowed the inflation of test statistics to be controlled in most cases. When only detections in which both population structure and family relatedness were correctly controlled were considered, only 11 markers were significantly associated with three out of the 13. Among these 11 markers, six were linked to the major resistance gene Bru1, which has already been identified. Our results confirm that the use of GWAS is feasible for sugarcane in spite of its complex polyploid genome but also underline the need to take into account family relatedness and not only population structure. The small number of significant associations detected suggests that a larger population and/or denser genotyping are required to increase the statistical power of association detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Seine Basin, characterised by intensive arable crops, most of the surface and groundwater is contaminated by nitrate (NO). The goal of this study is to investigate nitrogen leaching on commercial arable crop farms in five organic and three conventional systems. In 2012-2013, a total of 37 fields are studied on eight arable crop rotations, for three different soil and climate conditions. Our results show a gradient of soil solution concentrations in function of crops, lower for alfalfa (mean 2.8 mg NO-N l) and higher for crops fertilised after legumes (15 mg NO-N l). Catch crops decrease nitrate soil solution concentrations, below 10 mg NO-N l. For a full rotation, the estimated mean concentrations is lower for organic farming, 12 ± 5 mg NO-N l than for conventional farming 24 ± 11 mg NO-N l, with however a large range of variability. Overall, organic farming shows lower leaching rates (14-50 kg NO-N ha) than conventional farms (32-77 kg NO-N ha). Taking into account the slightly lower productivity of organic systems, we show that yield-scaled leaching values are also lower for organic (0.2 ± 0.1 kg N kg N year) than for conventional systems (0.3 ± 0.1 kg N kg N year). Overall, we show that organic farming systems have lower impact than conventional farming on N leaching, although there is still room for progress in both systems in commercial farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  We made a first descriptive study of weedy sunflowers infesting sunflower crop fields in one Spanish and three French regions. Overall, weedy sunflowers affected around 15% of sunflower fields. Infested fields were most often dispersed over the study areas without evident geographical clustering. In France, five weedy populations were surveyed more intensively. They were composed of a large diversity of morphotypes showing a combination of typical wild and domesticated traits in proportions that differed between populations. Yield losses reached 50% in heavily infested patches. Our results suggest that weedy sunflowers may have arisen through the hybridization of cultivated and wild sunflower, potentially during the seed production process. Such crop-wild hybrids would have been introduced recurrently into fields through the seed lots, where they evolved to locally invasive weedy populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the contribution of transcranial Doppler measurements obtained in the emergency room for detecting patients with secondary neurological deterioration after mild or moderate brain trauma.Design and Setting: Prospective cohort study in the emergency room in a university teaching hospital.Patients: Seventy-eight adult patients admitted to the emergency room after a traumatic brain injury (TBI), including 42 patients with Glasgow Coma Score 14-15 and 36 with 9-13.Measurements and Results: All patients had transcranial Doppler measurements on both middle cerebral arteries and computed tomography on admission. Neurological outcome was assessed 7 days after trauma. Of the patients included 7 and 10 had secondary neurological deterioration after mild and moderate TBI, respectively. On admission these groups of patients had significantly more injuries on computed tomography using the Trauma Coma Data Bank classification and higher pulsatility index using transcranial Doppler than the patients having no subsequent neurological worsening.Conclusions: Increased pulsatility index after mild or moderate TBI is a reason for concern about the possibility of further neurological deterioration. Computed tomography and Doppler measurements could be combined to detect on admission patients at risk for secondary neurological deterioration in order to improve their initial disposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES:Reactive oxygen metabolites have been suggested to participate in the pathogenesis of Crohn’s disease, but the evidence supporting this contention in vivo is incomplete. Isoprostaglandin F2α type III (iPF2α-III, or 15-F2t-IsoP) is a prostaglandin F2α isomer produced in vivo by free radical-catalyzed peroxidation of arachidonic acid. We aimed to investigate urinary iPF2α-III concentrations as an index of lipid peroxidation in 23 patients with Crohn’s disease compared with 23 healthy controls, and to test whether lipid peroxidation correlates to clinical relapse and inflammation.METHODS:Urinary iPF2α-III was measured by gas chromatography/electronic impact mass spectrometry.RESULTS:Urinary iPF2α-III concentrations were significantly higher in patients with Crohn’s disease than in healthy controls (median [range] = 130 [38–622] vs 91 [35–152] pmol/mmol of creatinine, respectively; p < 0.01). There was a trend toward significance for patients with clinical relapse versus patients with clinical remission (median [range] = 155 [38–622] vs 96 [64–253] pmol/mmol of creatinine, respectively; p = 0.09). A significant correlation was found between urinary iPF2α-III and plasma C-reactive protein concentrations, suggesting a link between lipid peroxidation and inflammation.CONCLUSION:This study provides evidence of increased lipid peroxidation in patients suffering from Crohn’s disease, especially in patients with clinical relapse. iPF2α-III quantification has to be investigated as a prognosis biomarker in patients suffering from Crohn’s disease. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The aim of this work was to study the effect of paraquat (P2+) on NADPH iron-dependent lipid peroxidation (basal peroxidation) either in the presence of NADPH or in the presence of NADPH-generating systems. When NADPH is present, P2+ potentiates NADPH iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, but use of NADPH-generating systems cancels this effect. This may be attributed to certain components in NADPH-generating systems such as glucose-6-phosphate and sodium isocitrate, which act as iron chelators. The binding of iron by these molecules facilitates its reduction and enhances its reactivity toward dioxygen molecules, leading to the formation of reactive species capable of initiating lipid peroxidation, such as Fe3+-O. Under these conditions of rapid basal peroxidation, any additional reduction of iron(III) by a reduced form of P2+ (P+.) has no apparent effect on the peroxidation itself, probably because the initial reaction between iron(II) and O2 followed by initiation of the peroxidation are both rate-limiting steps in the process. Consequently, any alteration of the composition of the reacting mixture (e.g., buffers or the generating system) must be taken into consideration because the formation of new iron chelates can change the rate of basal peroxidation and will modify the effect of redoxcycling molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small cell mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphonias rarely affect the duodenum, and optimal treatment has not been defined. The aim of this case series was to determine the clinical features and outcome of duodenal MALT lymphoma in four patients (three men, one woman; median age 52 yr) treated with cyclophosphamide p.o. Initial manifestations were abdominal pain (n = 4), vomiting (n = 2), and an obstructive syndrome (n = 1). MALT lymphoma was diagnosed on the basis of endoscopic biopsies. It was localized in the duodenum in three cases and involved the entire small bowel in one case. Tumor infiltration was limited to the duodenal wall in one case and was associated with locoregional lymphadenopathy in three cases. The patients were graded EI (n = 1) and EII1 (n = 3), respectively, according to the Ann Arbor classification revised by Musshof. Cyclophosphamide, 100 mg daily, was administered p.o. for 18 months. Gastroscopy with biopsies, radiography of the small intestine and abdominal CT (CT) were performed every 6 months. Complete remisssion was defined by morphological and histological normalization, and partial remission as morphological normalization only. Follow-up lasted from 9 to 65 months. Three patients were in complete remission at 18 months: two relapsed after 2 yr and one was still in complete remission at 65 months. The patient with 9 months of follow-up was in complete remission at 6 months. The two patients who relapsed did not complain of symptoms, and no morphological abnormalities were seen. Relapse was diagnosed on histological grounds. Cyclophosphamide monotherapy p.o. thus seems well adapted to this slowly progressive disease, but it is unclear whether it should be resumed in the case of histological relapse or only in the case of symptomatic relapse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liver, kidney, gill and olfactory epithelium cytosolic fractions of rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss) were examined for glutathione S-transferase (GST) contents. Proteins retained on a glutathione (GSH)-affinity matrix were separated as monomers by reversed-phase HPLC and characterized by immunoblotting, mass spectrometry and partial amino acid sequence. For each organ concerned, a specific pattern of these proteins was determined and appeared similar for liver and kidney on one hand, and for gill and olfactory epithelium on the other hand. It was confirmed that the prominent hepatic GST is a class π enzyme, also constitutively expressed as a major isoform in the four organs studied. Moreover, a class π variant and two new class μ GST subunits were characterized in minor fractions. An unknown protein, which was found major in gills and olfactory epithelium, exhibited some characteristics of class θ GSTs. Occurrence of possible GSH-adduct formation observed on two distinct monomers in specific experimental conditions is discussed. These results and methods were used to investigate the effect of 3,3′,4,4′-tetrachlorobiphenyl (TCB), a polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB), on GST expression in trout liver. From HPLC-profiling, significant co-induction of the major class π and the two minor class μ GST subunits was observed in trout after waterborne exposure to TCB which was followed by a slight increase in 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) activity. The present work allows qualitative evaluation of the specific detoxification potential of rainbow trout. The use of HPLC-profiling of GSTs as a possible tool for the biomonitoring of polluted aquatic environment is suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two out of nine patients in which inferior vena cava interruption was performed with a Günther filter developed a recurrent pulmonary embolism. In both cases, the filter had moved down and the anchoring legs had perforated the wall of the vena cava. The source of the pulmonary embolism was a clotted basket filter. Anticoagulation was given for two weeks in one patient and six months in the other after insertion of the filter, but it had been stopped before the thrombotic event leading to the recurrent pulmonary embolism. The formation of the thrombi had probably been caused by the migration of the filter and the subsequent perforation, which may have been facilitated by the cessation of the anticoagulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immunohistochemical localization of substance P (SP), CGRP, VIP, neuropeptide Y (NPY), and somatostatin (SOM) in the carotid labyrinth were compared in some species of amphibians using the peroxidase-antiperoxidase method. Immunoreactivity of SP, CGRP, VIP, and NPY was found in the nerve fibers distributed in the intervascular stroma of the carotid labyrinth. SP, CGRP, and VIP immunoreactive varicose fibers were densely distributed in the peripheral portion of the carotid labyrinth. Some SP-immunoreactive fibers were distributed similarly to CGRP-immunoreactive fibers. The density of NPY and SOM immunoreactive varicose fibers was low. No immunoreactivity of enkephalins was observed in the labyrinth. The intensities of these peptides were varied from species to species. No glomus cells showed immunoreactivity for any of the 7 peptides studied. These results suggest that the vascular regulatory function, which is one of the possible functions of the carotid labyrinth, is controlled by the peptidergic mechanisms in addition to regulation through intimate apposition of glomus and smooth muscle cells (g-s connection). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Descriptions of the effects of paraquat (P) on the peroxidation of liver microsomes are very divergent. Therefore, the presence of ferric iron in the medium and the activity of microsomal mixed-function oxidase system are two factors that we have taken into consideration to explain the discrepancies. The results showed that 100 μ M P potentializes the slight production of MDA induced by low concentrations of Fe (≤15 μ M). In these conditions, P, arising from the one-step reduction of P by NADPH-cytochrome C reductase, could reduce Fe and cause the formation of species that initiate peroxidation. However, unlike the results obtained with CBrCl, for animals induced by phenobarbital (Ph), the production of MDA in the presence of FeCl and of P was weaker than for the controls. The establishment of a new Fe/Fe equilibrium owing to increased production of P could be responsible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To determine the incidence of hyperintensity on T1-weighted spin echo (SE) images in benign liver lesions, value of fat-suppressed magnetic resonance (MR) imaging for the detection of fat within these lesions, and the causes of hyperintensity by correlation to pathologic examinations.Methods: Five hundred forty-nine patients with 805 benign liver lesions including 585 hemangiomas, 188 focal nodular hyperplasias (FNHs), 14 hepatic adenomas (HAs), 14 focal fatty infiltrations (FFIs), two biliary cystadenomas, and two hemorrhagic cysts were examined by T2-weighted and T1-weighted SE MR imaging. For hyperintense lesions on T1-weighted SE images, fat-suppressed images were obtained by selective presaturation of fat.Results: Thirty-two lesions (four FNHs, 10 HAs, 14 FFIs, two biliary cystadenomas, and two hemorrhagic cysts) appeared hyperintense on T1-weighted SE images; 21 of these became hypointense on the fat-suppressed T1 weighted SE images (one FNH, six HAs, and 14 FFIs) and contained fat at pathological examination. The other 11 lesions remained hyperintense on fat-suppressed T1-weighted SE images and had no fat deposition. Causes of hyperintensity in these cases were sinusoidal dilatation, copper deposition, hemorrhage, and high protein content.Conclusion: Among benign liver lesions, hyperintensity on T1-weighted SE images is rare (3.9%). Causes of this hyperintensity are fat deposition, copper accumulation, sinusoidal dilatation, bemorrhage, and high protein content. Fat-suppressed imaging can distinguish fat deposition from other causes of hyperintensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the large number of studies devoted to the pituitary of teleosts, the origin of the direct pituitary innervation is still largely unknown. Although such a model is ideal for applying retrograde transport techniques, these methods involve the difficult in vivo injection of tracers into the pituitary and have never been applied. Recently, a lipophilic fluorescent dye (1-1′-dioctadecyl-3,3,3′,3′-tetramethylindocarbocyanin; DiI) has been introduced and shown to have the capacity of being transported by the membranes of paraformaldehydefixed tissues. Microcrystals of DiI were implanted via a ventral approach into the pituitary of goldfish previously fixed by intracardiac perfusion of paraformaldehyde. The goldfish heads were kept immersed in paraformaldehyde for various periods of time (2-6 weeks). The brains were then dissected and cut transversally using a Vibratome. The results demonstrate that hypophysiotrophic areas are essentially restricted to the preoptic region, the mediobasal hypothalamus and the nucleus dorsolateralis thalami. In addition, cell bodies probably containing gonadotrophin releasing-hormone were also retrogradely stained along a pathway that can be traced up to the olfactory bulbs. The results also confirm that cell bodies, located around the ventral aspect of the preoptic recess and probably corresponding to dopaminergic neurons, project to the pituitary. Large neurons have also been observed in the rostral dorsal midbrain tegmentum just caudal to the posterior commissure. Most neurons of the so-called paraventricular organ remain unstained. Finally, a fiber tract originating from an undetermined territory of the posterior brain has been observed. The results are discussed in relation to the possible chemical nature of the hypophysiotropic neurons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cold-hardening capacity of larvae of the pink maize stalk borer, Sesamia nonagrioides Lef., was examined. Supercooling points (SCPs) of field collected diapausing larvae from south-east and south-west France and non-diapausing and diapausing laboratory-reared larvae did not differ and ranged between −5 and −8°C. Thus, this insect possesses sufficient supercooling ability to avoid freezing over its normal environmental temperature ranges. Despite this, we found that Sesamia presents paradoxical cold reactions. Mortality of cold acclimated diapausing larvae after short-term exposure to temperatures above the SCP is high, supporting the view that Sesamia is cold-sensitive. On the other hand, Sesamia could survive freezing for at least 24 h to temperatures close to the SCP. This ability does not seem to be related to haemolymph trehalose, the sole cold-accumulated compound detected by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Despite the mildness of the winter 1990-1991, only 5% of the field population survive and pupate in April. The main part of the population died from November to January, the period during which larvae were mainly located in the part of the corn stem above the ground and experienced air temperatures. After January, all surviving larvae were excuusively located in the root, 10 cm below the soil, where they experienced milder temperatures than air. They exhibited a constant low rate of mortality, possibly independent of the cold. In their current distribution area, survival of overwintering larvae of S. nonagrioides is only related to the microclimate of the overwintering site and freezing tolerance capacity seems to be irrelevant. This study allows us to propose a non-pollutant pest control method based on the 'behavioral strategy' of this insect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute splenoportal and superior mesenteric venous thrombosis were diagnosed on sonography and computed tomography (CT) in six patients. Sonography demonstrated the presence of echoic material filling the involved vessels in all patients. Precontrast CT scans demonstrated an increased, intra luminal density of the clots in four patients with splenoportal thrombosis. However, in two cases of superior mesenteric venous thrombosis, no hyperdensity was observed within the lumens. Nevertheless, the clots were always visualized as low-density regions in the vessel lumens after bolus injection. Intravenous anticoagulant therapy was started immediately after the diagnosis. All patients were evaluated twice a week with sonography and/or CT until recanalization occurred. The patency of the previously involved vessels was assessed from 6 days to 4 weeks after the acute episode (average time of recanalization: 17 days) without development of collateral pathways. It is concluded that, in the absence of clinical signs of a life-threatening process, a conservative management of acute splanchnic thrombosis can be successfully achieved by (1) early diagnosis, (2) efficacious intravenous anticoagulant therapy, (3) careful imaging follow-up of these patients by sonography and/or CT during the acute phase and, finally, (4) by an extensive search for a hypercoagulable state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In all vertebrates, steroid feedback is one of the mechanisms by which the brain is constantly kept informed on the physiological status of the periphery. It is, therefore, a very efficient system of synchronization between the different actors of the brain-pituitary-effector axis, particularly in the context of reproduction. The central effects of steroids are mediated by specific receptors belonging to the superfamily of intracellular receptors and acting as ligand dependant transcription factors to modulate the expression of certain target genes. In order to investigate the molecular events underlying steroid actions in the brain/pituitary complex, it is necessary, as a first step, to locate precisely steroid expressing cells in the brain/pituitary complex and to identify the phenotype of these cells on the basis of the neurohormone(s) or hormones they produce. This paper will review recent data obtained in our laboratory regarding the distribution and regulation of expression of estrogen receptors in the brain and pituitary gland of the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), using both in situ hybridization or immunohistochemistry. In addition, information concerning the phenotypic identification of cells expressing these receptors is presented, especially with respect to the main neuroendocrine systems controlling reproduction. The functional meaning of these data are discussed in the context of the reproductive physiology of trout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distribution of salmon gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (sGnRH) was studied in the brain and pituitary of two-year-old immature sea bass ( Dicentrarchus labrax) by means of an enzymoimmunoassay (EIA) for sGnRH and immunocytochemistry. The EIA for sGnRH is a competitive assay using a tracer made of sGnRH coupled to acetylcholinesterase from an electric eel. The separation of free and bound tracer is achieved by coating the plates with mouse anti-rabbit IgG monoclonal antibodies. Displacement curves generated by sGnRH and extracts from pituitary and different brain regions showed a good parallelism allowing the assay to be used for sGnRH measurements in this species. Although all parts of the brain contained measurable levels of sGnRH, the highest concentrations were found in the pituitary, the olfactory bulbs and the telencephalon. These data were confirmed by immunocytochemistry. Cell bodies were found in the olfactory bulbs, ventral telencephalon, preoptic region and mediobasal hypothalamus. Immunoreactive fibers could be observed in all parts of the brain including the optic tectum, the cerebellum (corpus and valvula), the vagal lobe, the medulla oblongata and the rostral spinal cord. In most cases, these fibers do not form well defined bundles; however, there was clearly a continuum of immunoreactive fibers, extending from the olfactory bulbs to the pituitary, and along which all the cell bodies described above were located. In the ventral telencephalon and the preoptic region, clear pictures of varicose positive fibers contacting immunoreactive perikarya could be observed. These data indicate that sGnRH is most likely an endogenous peptide in the brain of the sea bass, although the presence of other forms of GnRH cannot be excluded at this point. This study also demonstrates that the general organization of the GnRH systems in the sea bass is highly similar to what has been described in most freshwater teleost species, and provides basis for further studies on the neuroendocrine control of gonadotrophin release in this commercially important species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twenty-seven rats were divided into three groups and fed on diets containing 0.3, 6 or 60 RE (retinol equivalent) retinyl palmitate/g food. After 7 weeks, hepatic vitamin A uptake was found to be more efficient in vitamin A-deficient rats than in rats given adequate vitamin A. We showed that during the metabolic adaptation of the animals to the level of vitamin A in the diet, extensive modifications occur in the antioxidant defences of the organism. In parallel with the increase in the level of vitamin A, the decrease in the level of α-tocopherol in the plasma can bring about a greater susceptibility of the lipoproteins to oxidative stress. Similarly, the decrease in the hepatic α-tocopherol level and in glutathione peroxidase activity leads to the weakening of the liver's antioxidant defences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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