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The electronic spectra of organic trichlorides (n-C4Hg)4NCl3 and ϕ4AsCl3) in acetonitrile and dichloromethane are studied and compared with spectra of other trihalide ions: Br3−, I3−, BrCl2−, ICl2−. The apparent constant of the equilibrium, Cl2 + Cl− − Cl3−, is evaluated in acetonitrile with lithium chloride and tetrabutylammonium chloride. Typical trichloride absorption bands in saturated chlorine brines of NaCl (or hydrochloride solutions) are not observed and thus no trichloride complex ions are formed in aqueous phase.

L'article presente une methode de preconcentration de traces d'elements lourds (Zn, Hg, Cr, Cd, Cu) dans les eaux en vue de leur dosage par activation neutronique. Le choix s'est porte sur la resine complexante Dowex Al. Les rendements de fixation ont ete determines pour les elements cites. L'influence du pH et de la force ionique a ete etudiee et les conditions optima de fixation ont ete etablies. Cette etude montre que la resine Dowex A1 s'avere satisfaisante.

In this paper, we study the oxydant concentration stability of diluted halogen solutions of bromine, chlorine in organic solvents: acetonitrile, nitromethane, N,N-dimethylformamide, N,N-dimethylacetamide, 1 methylpyrrolidinone-2, tetrahydrofuran, dimethylsulfoxide, tetramethylurea and tetramethylthiourea. Raman spectroscopy examinations of halogen Solutions show undoubted formation of trichloride and tribromide ions in N,N-disubstituted amide solvents. This specific chlorine solvation explains the immonium chloride formation observed during styren chloration in N,N-dimethylformamide. Bromine solvation in dimethylsulfoxide and other nucleophilic solvents are also studied.

This paper studies the equilibrium HOCl in NaCl brines and the variation of the apparent constant (ka) with ionic strength and temperature. Several reactions (decomposition, chloride formation and loss of Cl(I)) that remove the equilibrium are also examined. The brine acidity is experimentally determined and compared to the concept of pH.

L'article decrit un procede de dosage de plusieurs elements metalliques: aluminium, cadmium, cuivre, fer, plomb et zinc a l'etat de traces dans les eaux. Les elements sont extraits sous forme de chelates metalliques de β-dicetones fluorees (trifluoroacetyl-acetone, thenoyltrifluoroacetone) ou de la thiothenoyltrifluoroacetone au moyen de propionate d'ethyle. Ils sont ensuite doses par spectrophotometrie d'absorption atomique de l'extrait organique. Les courbes d' etalonnage sont lineaires de 0 a 100 μg/l au moins; les sensibilites varient du ppb a la dizaine de ppb selon les metaux. Le procede peut etre etendu a de nombreux autres elements.

The cancer stem cell theory states that cancers contain tumor-forming cells that have the ability to self-renew as well as give rise to cells that differentiate. Cancer stem cells have been identified in several solid tumors, but stem cells in normal human esophagus or in Barrett's esophagus or adenocarcinoma have not been reported. Musashi-1 is expressed by the crypt base columnar cells identified as intestinal stem cells. In other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, local inflammation of the tunica mucosa may be an initiating factor of alteration of focal tissue 'niches,' where dormant stem cells locate. The present study investigated whether Musashi-1 is expressed in the esophagus and its relation to immune inflammation of the mucosa in Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma. A total of 41 esophageal tissue specimens from 41 patients were studied. Of these, 15 were esophageal adenocarcinoma, 17 were Barrett's esophagus (10 intestinal metaplasia and 7 dysplasia), and 9 were normal squamous esophagus tissue specimens from patients without esophageal pathology. Immunohistochemistry was performed using antibodies to Musashi-1 and to a set of cell type-specific markers. A multiplexed tandem polymerase chain reaction method was used to measure the relative mRNA expression levels of Musashi-1 and the specific dendritic cell marker dendritic cell-specific intercellular molecule-3 (ICAM-3)-grabbing nonintegrin. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated the presence of small numbers of Musashi-1+ cells scattered in the connective tissue stroma and within the epithelium in cardiac-type glands in biopsies from patients without Barrett's esophagus. Musashi-1 expression was present in Barrett's intestinal metaplasia and in dysplastic Barrett's in which the majority of epithelial cells in individual glands expressed this antigen. Expression of Musashi-1 was highest in esophageal adenocarcinoma, where it was most intense in glands that displayed features of early stages of adenocarcinoma formation. In contrast, Musashi-1 staining level was weaker in glands that displayed features of advanced adenocarcinoma. Double immunostaining with proliferating cell nuclear antigen showed low proliferation in the vast majority of Musashi-1+ cells. Musashi-1 mRNA expression levels were significantly higher in esophageal adenocarcinoma than in normal esophagus or Barrett's esophagus tissues. Dendritic cell-specific intercellular molecule-3 (ICAM-3)-grabbing nonintegrin (DC-SIGN) mRNA expression levels were significantly increased in both Barrett's tissues and adenocarcinoma tissues. Expression of the putative stem cell marker Musashi-1 is absent in normal squamous epithelium, weak in esophageal cardiac-type glands and Barrett's esophagus, and markedly increased in adenocarcinoma, especially in glands displaying features of early cancer development. Musashi-1 expressing cells may be significant in the etiology of Barrett's esophagus and adenocarcinoma, and perhaps even a cell of origin for this disease. We speculate that immune inflammation occurring in Barrett's esophagus alters the mucosal microenvironment in a manner which is favorable to the activation of dormant stem cells.

Meroterpenes are compounds of mixed biogenesis, isolated from plants, microorganisms and marine invertebrates. We have previously isolated and determined the structure for a series of meroterpenes extracted from the ascidian Aplidium aff. densum. Here, we demonstrate the chemical synthesis of three of them and their derivatives, and evaluate their biological activity on two bacterial strains, on sea urchin eggs, and on cancerous and healthy human cells.

A contingent valuation survey of forest landowners in Southern Vermont and Western Massachusetts suggests that it would cost about $700 per acre to entice about one-half of Massachusetts and 33% of Vermont respondents to permanently conserve their forestland. Policies that promote early development of management plans and cooperation with neighbors are recommended because these activities appear to increase the likelihood that landowners will convey conservation easements. Education and a strong environmental ethic also improve the chances that respondents would sell conservation easements. A prediction-based contingent valuation format designed to reduce incentives for strategic behavior suggests that our results likely represent a lower bound estimate of landowner response to a large-scale conservation easement program.

Next generation integrated circuits (IC’s) will require the use of porous dielectric materials with low shear strengths and at the same time still require processing with chemical mechanical polishing (CMP). CMP polishes the substrate material (e.g. SiO2 ) by rubbing the surface with nanometer scale SiO2 particles. The particles are suspended in an aqueous slurry and are rubbed on the substrate by a porous polyurethane pad. The high friction of CMP can damage porous dielectric materials. This research is defining the source of this friction to enable development of CMP which will not damage porous (low dielectric constant) materials. Experiments were done to determine the contributions of the SiO2 particles and bare pad asperities to the total friction with an SiO2 substrate. Further experiments were done to determine the change in friction for various SiO2 particle sizes. This system level friction data was obtained using a bench-scale tribometer at contact stresses near that of commercial CMP. Very low speeds (∼ 10−3 m/s) were used to eliminate confounding hydrodynamic effects. AFM (Atomic Force Microscope) and instrumented indentation experiments will be used to determine the friction contribution of a single SiO2 particle/substrate contact. The bench-scale experiments showed that the coefficient of friction increased by as much as 10% with the increasing weight percent of SiO2 particles in the slurry. This data suggests that a constant real area of contact is distributed between bare pad asperity contacts and higher friction SiO2 particle contacts. As more SiO2 particles are added, their contact area increases as the pad asperity contacts decrease thereby increasing the coefficient of friction of the system. Further experiments revealed a trend of increasing coefficient of friction with smaller particle diameter. This friction increase is consistent with theories which suggest that particle real contact area is a function of the particle cross-sectional area as opposed to a purely Hertzian model. The results demonstrate a possible route to controlling CMP friction by varying the relative combinations of the pad friction, the percentage of abrasives in the slurry, and the abrasive particle size.© 2006 ASME

La « Goutte de lait » est une œuvre fondee a Fecamp en 1894 par Leon Dufour, medecin hygieniste. Par le biais d’une distribution quotidienne de lait sterilise, il sauve des generations de bebes et opere une transformation des representations a l’egard de l’enfant et de la mere. C’est notamment a travers l’usage inedit d’objets (biberons sterilisateurs, balance, carnets de sante) et de pratiques qui leur sont liees que de nouveaux modeles sont instaures, facilitant egalement une surveillance sociale. Cette relation entre objets, pratiques et mentalites a pu lui etre inspiree par l’etude d’une serie d’artefacts lies aux soins des nourrissons qu’il collecte lui-meme des les annees 1890. En 1918, il les reunit au sein d’un musee de l’Enfance qui complete son action medicale, sociale et ideologique.

The desolation of New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina necessitated the evacuation, repopulation, and reconstruction of the city. Historic social, economic, and political divisions conditioned that process, both reflecting and exacerbating racial tensions. The lack of trust between blacks and whites generated rumors and, for many, explanations for the slow response to cries for relief, the attempts to restrict black mobility in the immediate aftermath of the storm, and fears of exclusion or other-race domination in the post-Katrina political era. Contemporary opportunists and exploiters of such racial divisions lent their weight to the support of traditional racial reactions. The strategy, tactics, and outcomes of the first post-Katrina elections thus revealed the deep influence of pre-Katrina values and behavior in the rebuilding process. Under such conditions, that process remains halting, mired in racial and political conflict, and seemingly unable to make a break with a racially burdened past.

Cet article presente les resultats de trois groupes de discussion, dont deux groupes de parents : un groupe de parents d’enfants ayant une trisomie 21 (T21) et un groupe de parents d’enfants ayant une deficience motrice cerebrale (DMC) et un groupe de professionnels de la sante impliques aupres de ces clienteles. Il s’agit d’un projet pilote qui a pour objectifs d’identifier, du point de vue des parents d’enfants ayant une deficience et des professionnels de la sante impliques aupres d’eux, les sources d’information des familles, les strategies utilisees pour l’obtenir et son impact sur leur adaptation. Les resultats montrent que l’information recherchee par les parents concerne le probleme de sante, les soins et les ressources disponibles, qu’ils consultent les professionnels de la sante, d’autres parents et les medias. L’information obtenue par les parents a un impact sur leur adaptation a la situation de sante et sur leur relation avec les professionnels. Enfin, des recommandations sont proposees par les parents et les professionnels en regard des interventions.

Despite the completion of the Treponema pallidum genome project, only minor genetic differences have been found between the subspecies that cause venereal syphilis (ssp. pallidum) and the nonvenereal diseases yaws (ssp. pertenue) and bejel (ssp. endemicum). In this paper, we describe sequence variation in the arp gene which allows straightforward differentiation of ssp. pallidum from the nonvenereal subspecies. We also present evidence that this region is subject to positive selection in ssp. pallidum, consistent with pressure from the immune system. Finally, the presence of multiple, but distinct, repeat motifs in both ssp. pallidum and Treponema paraluiscuniculi (the pathogen responsible for rabbit syphilis) suggests that a diverse repertoire of repeat motifs is associated with sexual transmission. This study suggests that variations in the number and sequence of repeat motifs in the arp gene have clinical, epidemiological, and evolutionary significance.

Cette etude preliminaire avait pour objectif de documenter les besoins d’information des familles ayant un enfant avec une deficience du point de vue des parents et des professionnels de la sante impliques aupres d’eux. Trois groupes de discussion ont ete realises: deux aupres de parents d’enfant ayant une trisomie 21 ou une deficience motrice cerebrale et un autre aupres de professionnels de la sante impliques aupres d’eux. Les resultats montrent que l’information recherchee par les parents concerne le probleme de sante, les soins et les ressources disponibles. Les parents consultent entre autres sources les professionnels de la sante, d’autres parents, les medias et l’Internet. L’information obtenue par les parents a un impact sur leur adaptation a la situation de sante et sur leur relation avec les professionnels. Enfin, des recommandations sont proposees par les parents et les professionnels en regard des interventions.

Cette etude preliminaire avait pour but de documenter les besoins d’information des proches soignants, les sources d’information et les strategies utilisees pour obtenir de l’information. Deux groupes de discussion ont ete realises : l’un aupres de proches soignants de personnes ayant subi un traumatisme craniocerebral, un accident vasculaire cerebral ou une blessure medullaire, et l’autre aupres de professionnels de la sante de differentes disciplines impliques aupres de ces patients. Les resultats montrent que les proches ont besoin d’information sur l’impact des incapacites dans leur vie quotidienne et sur les moyens pour la reperer. Du point de vue des professionnels, le besoin d’information des proches concerne notamment les incapacites consecutives au probleme de sante et les strategies pour y faire face. Selon les professionnels, les proches comblent leurs besoins d’information par la consultation de l’Internet, des medias, de la documentation ecrite et d’echanges avec les professionnels de la sante et les pairs.

This study sought to determine whether right-wing authoritarian (RWA) tendencies were traits common to Christian and non-Christian males who were Internet pornography compulsives. Participants of the study included males (N = 120), 18 or older, who had Internet access. An online survey that included the Kalichman Sexual Compulsivity Scale (KSCS), the Right-Wing Authoritarian Scale (RWA Scale), and a general demographics questionnaire was administered. A two-way factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted for the study. The ANOVA indicated significant interaction between compulsivity and RWA, F (1, 116) = 13.92, p < .0001, partial eta squared = .11. However, Christian compulsives did not appear to demonstrate more right-wing authoritarian tendencies than non-Christian compulsives, F (1, 116) = .52, p = .45, partial eta squared = .005. The results strengthen the field of Internet pornography research because the understanding of RWA and compulsives is necessary for the treatment of cybersexuals.

Contexte : Tout au long de l’episode de soins du traumatisme craniocerebral (TCC), le type de relation qui se construit entre la famille et les professionnels joue un role important dans l’adaptation de la personne ayant un TCC et de ses proches. Cependant, l’etablissement d’un partenariat ne se fait pas sans heurts et suscite souvent de l’insatisfaction chez l’ensemble des acteurs. But : Cette etude qualitative descriptive vise a evaluer l’impact de la formation de professionnels de la sante au Programme d’intervention interdisciplinaire et familiale (PRIFAM) sur leur pratique clinique. Sujets/materiel et methodes : Dix-sept professionnels de la sante de differentes disciplines impliques aupres de la clientele ayant un TCC a differentes phases du continuum de soins en traumatologie ont ete formes a l’application du PRIFAM dans le cadre d’un cours e-learning. L’experience et les apprentissages des participants ont ete documentes a l’aide d’entrevues semidirigees realisees avant et apres la formation. Resultats : La formation suscite une evolution de la pensee reflexive des participants et favorise la mise en place d’un partenariat en interdisciplinarite. La formation a un impact positif sur la communication interprofessionnelle et avec les familles, et favorise le developpement d’un sentiment d’autoefficacite chez les professionnels. Conclusion : Les resultats tendent a montrer les benefices d’une approche reflexive centree sur la personne et les proches pour tous les acteurs concernes.

Hereditary spastic paraplegias (HSPs) are characterized by progressive lower limb spasticity and weakness. Mutations in the SPG3A gene, which encodes the large guanosine triphosphatase atlastin, are the second most common cause of autosomal dominant hereditary spastic paraplegia. In a large SPG3A screen of 70 hereditary spastic paraplegia subjects, a novel in-frame deletion, p.del436N, was identified. Characterization of this deletion showed that it affects neither the guanosine triphosphatase activity of atlastin nor interactions between atlastin and spastin. Interestingly, immunoblot analysis of lymphoblasts from affected patients demonstrated a significant reduction in atlastin protein levels, supporting a loss-of-function disease mechanism.

This study tested a method of using rapid analysis of electromyographic response patterns to electrical stimulation to enable real-time navigation during endotracheal intubation. An electromyographic response detection device was constructed and integrated into a standard endotracheal tube. The rebound rates of the response voltages were measured in the trachea and oesophagus after stimulation in an acute study performed in three freshly euthanized male Suffolk sheep. In a blind study, a physician attempted to identify the tissue type solely from the electrical response signals. In the acute study, the observed rebound rate was found to be significantly faster in tracheal tissue (2.21 × 10(-3) V s(-1)) than in oesophageal tissue (3.45 × 10(-2) V s(-1); p = 0.000 05). In the blind study, the physician correctly determined the oesophagus response rate seven out of eight times and the tracheal rate eight out of nine times. These results suggest that electromyographic responses can be used to accurately differentiate tracheal from oesophageal tissue during ETT insertion, thus offering a valuable new means of enhancing patient safety.

National audience; From the beginning of the 21th century, the issue of global food security has received increased scrutiny and a number of scenario studies concerned with the ability of the world agricultural system to feed the projected world population in 2030 and/or 2050 have been published. Among them, the FAO report (World Agriculture Towards 2030/250; Alexandratos and Bruinsma 2012) is the most well‐known projection exercise and very often held as a reference for baseline projections of world agricultural supply and demand. The most well‐known result of the Alexandratos and Bruinsma (2012)’s study, which is cited in nearly all studies dealing with world food security, is that world agricultural production has to increase by 60 % to satisfy global demand in 2050 (compared to production in 2005/2007). This 60 % increase in production would come mainly from an increase in crop yields (80 % of the production rise at the world level), some increase in cropping intensity (10 %) and limited land expansion (10 %). Because livestock production is less efficient than crop production in transforming solar energy into food calories, it is clear that reducing meat consumption, more precisely limiting meat consumption increases from current levels, would help solving the world quantitative food equation. Such a limitation could also have positive effects on both health and environment indicators. Nevertheless, livestock production and meat consumption deliver benefits that have to be taken into account. In that context, improving the energy and environmental footprint of livestock production and trade, including induced production and trade of crops for feed, is a priority for research, extension and actors (policy‐makers and livestock producers). In that perspective, the final section of the paper analyzes more specifically the question of land areas mobilized for feeding the world livestock. This question will be explored on the past (retrospective analysis) and for the next decades, at both the world and the regional level.

L’internet-santé a pris une importance croissante sur le Web au cours des dernières années. En effet, on recensait déjà en 2008 plus de 100 000 sites internet consacrés à la santé dans le monde (Donnely & al., 2008). Force est toutefois de constater qu’une proportion non négligeable de ces sites ne sont pas toujours dignes de confiance, ce qui invite à la vigilance des internautes. Dans le cadre de notre thèse de maîtrise en communication, nous nous sommes penchés sur l’évaluation subjective de la fiabilité de sites internet-santé par les usagers quotidiens de « l’internet-santé ». La question centrale à laquelle nous avons tenté de répondre est la suivante : « Comment les usagers de sites internet consacrés à la santé discriminent-ils, dans leur quotidien, les sites qu’ils considèrent comme étant fiables de ceux qui ne le sont pas ? ». Pour répondre à cette question, nous nous sommes intéressés au cas des étudiants universitaires milléniaux. La recherche a été effectuée sous forme d’entrevues individuelles semi-dirigées avec 19 étudiants de l’Université d’Ottawa. Tous les participants souffraient préalablement d’une condition médicale diagnostiquée, ce qui nous a permis d’entreprendre une discussion riche avec eux. À la lumière des témoignages, nous constatons que les jeunes usagers de l’internet-santé utilisent des stratégies de vérification de l’information, comme la comparaison des sources en ligne et l’appel à l’expertise d’un médecin, ainsi que des indicateurs de fiabilité qu’ils observent de façon subjective. Somme toute, nous pensons avoir contribué à l’étude des usages de l’internet-santé par les jeunes adultes, alors que cet outil génère beaucoup d’attention de la part des médias et du public.

BACKGROUND: Ultrasound-guided breast-conserving surgery (USS) results in a significant reduction in both margin involvement and excision volumes (COBALT trial). Objective. The aim of the present study was to determine whether USS also leads to improvements in cosmetic outcome and patient satisfaction when compared with standard palpation-guided surgery (PGS).METHODS: A total of 134 patients with T1–T2 invasive breast cancer were included in the COBALT trial (NTR2579) and randomized to either USS (65 patients) or PGS (69 patients). Cosmetic outcomes were assessed by a three-member panel using computerized software Breast Cancer Conservative Treatment cosmetic results (BCCT.- core) and by patient self-evaluation, including patient satisfaction. Time points for follow-up were 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. Overall cosmetic outcome and patient satisfaction were scored on a 4-point Likert scale (excellent, good, fair, or poor), and outcomes were analyzed using a multilevel, mixed effect, proportional odds model for ordinal responses.RESULTS: Ultrasound-guided breast-conserving surgery achieved better cosmetic outcomes, with 20 % excellence overall and only 6 % rated as poor, whereas 14 % of PGS outcomes were rated excellent and 13 % as poor. USS also had consistently lower odds for worse cosmetic outcomes (odds ratio 0.55, p = 0.067) than PGS. The chance of having a worse outcome was significantly increased by a larger lumpectomy volume (ptrend = 0.002); a volume [40 cc showed odds 2.78-fold higher for a worse outcome than a volume B40 cc. USS resulted in higher patient satisfaction compared with PGS.CONCLUSION: Ultrasound-guided breast-conserving surgery achieved better overall cosmetic outcomes and patient satisfaction than PGS. Lumpectomy volumes[40 cc resulted in significantly worse cosmetic outcomes.

International audience; Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the selective death of motor neurons. Causative mutations in the global RNA-processing proteins TDP-43 and FUS among others, as well as their aggregation in ALS patients, have identified defects in RNA metabolism as an important feature in this disease. Lethal congenital contracture syndrome 1 and lethal arthrogryposis with anterior horn cell disease are autosomal recessive fetal motor neuron diseases that are caused by mutations in another global RNA-processing protein, hGle1. In this study, we carried out the first screening of GLE1 in ALS patients (173 familial and 760 sporadic) and identified 2 deleterious mutations (1 splice site and 1 nonsense mutation) and 1 missense mutation. Functional analysis of the deleterious mutants revealed them to be unable to rescue motor neuron pathology in zebrafish morphants lacking Gle1. Furthermore, in HeLa cells, both mutations caused a depletion of hGle1 at the nuclear pore where it carries out an essential role in nuclear export of mRNA. These results suggest a haploinsufficiency mechanism and point to a causative role for GLE1 mutations in ALS patients. This further supports the involvement of global defects in RNA metabolism in ALS.

The National Airspace System (NAS) is an enterprise system-of-systems designed to provide safe and efficient air travel in the United States. While the system is effective at accomplishing these tasks, the initial design for the NAS predated much of the formal systems engineering processes known today. This produced a complex system architecture that is not well suited to meet the needs of future system use and impedes implementing new requirements into the current system. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is currently working on evolving the NAS into the Next Generation Air Traffic Control System (NextGen). With NextGen the FAA is applying classical systems engineering practices and can start to apply new practices from system-ofsystems engineering (SoSE). Since SoSE is a growing discipline most of the early research has focused on identifying an unambiguous definition for a system-of-systems and developing new system-of-systems. However, one of the key challenges with NextGen is not to develop a new system-of-systems but instead to improve upon the system performance by redesigning and simplifying the current NAS architecture. This paper expands on current system-of-system development research in order to explore how to simplify an existing system-of-systems architecture by replacing the capabilities of the current system. The NAS in its entirety is too large and too complex of a system to fully analyze in this paper, and so the scope will be limited to the surveillance capability of the NAS.

“Coscoll”(Molopospermum peloponnesiacum (L.) Koch) whose stems are traditionally consumed raw in salads in Catalonia is associated in oral tradition with many virtues as digestive, purifying, exciting, antioxidant and hematocathartic activities. However, stem composition and biological activity had never been studied. Nutritive values of plant material were determined by official methods and constituents from essential oil of Molopospermum peloponnesiacum stems were characterized for the first time in this study. The main constituents were dillapiol (60.1%) and 3-carene (15.2%). Moreover, total polyphenol content using Folin-Ciocalteu method, and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity were determined. Molopospermum peloponnesiacum stem total polyphenol content was 101.0 ± 10.0 mg/100 g fresh weight (Gallic Acid Equivalent) and DPPH radical scavenging activity, relatively high, was close from spinach one. Thus, these first results reveal the potential beneficial properties of this plant, in relation with its traditional use in Catalonia.

The clinical spectrum of human disease caused by the roundworms Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati ranges from visceral and ocular larva migrans to covert toxocariasis. The parasite is not typically recovered in affected tissues, so detection of parasite-specific antibodies is usually necessary for establishing a diagnosis. The most reliable immunodiagnostic methods use the Toxocara excretory-secretory antigens (TES-Ag) in ELISA formats to detect Toxocara-specific antibodies. To eliminate the need for native parasite materials, we identified and purified immunodiagnostic antigens using 2D gel electrophoresis followed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Three predominant immunoreactive proteins were found in the TES; all three had been previously described in the literature: Tc-CTL-1, Tc-TES-26, and Tc-MUC-3. We generated Escherichia coli expressed recombinant proteins for evaluation in Luminex based immunoassays. We were unable to produce a functional assay with the Tc-MUC-3 recombinant protein. Tc-CTL-1 and Tc-TES-26 were successfully coupled and tested using defined serum batteries. The use of both proteins together generated better results than if the proteins were used individually. The sensitivity and specificity of the assay for detecting visceral larval migrans using Tc-CTL-1 plus Tc-TES-26 was 99% and 94%, respectively; the sensitivity for detecting ocular larval migrans was 64%. The combined performance of the new assay was superior to the currently available EIA and could potentially be employed to replace current assays that rely on native TES-Ag., Author Summary The roundworms Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati cause a broad spectrum of clinical disease in humans. Children are at particular risk of toxocariasis when they play in areas potentially contaminated with Toxocara eggs, such as playgrounds or sandboxes and ingest embryonated roundworm eggs. Currently, diagnosis for toxocariasis relies on clinical signs, history of exposure to puppies or kittens, laboratory findings (including eosinophilia), and the detection of antibodies to Toxocara antigens. The enzyme immunoassay using T. canis excretory secretory antigens from infective-stage larvae is the most useful diagnostic test for toxocaral visceral larva migrans (VLM) and ocular larva migrans (OLM) and is the preferred assay used by most laboratories in the U.S. and worldwide. Although the EIA has been robust and reliable, improvement should be made in the specificity of the assay and the availability of a consistent antigen source. The crude TES-Ag shows cross-reactivity with antibodies from other common helminth infections of humans which reduces the usefulness of native, unfractionated TES Ag-based serodiagnosis in regions where poly-parasitism is endemic. To improve the assay performance, target antigenic proteins from T. canis excretory secretory antigens were identified using 2D gel electrophoresis. Three antigenic proteins sequences were found, expressed, and developed into Luminex bead-based assays. The combined use of two recombinant antigens (Tc-CTL-1 and Tc-TES-26) represents an improvement over the existing immunodiagnostic methods that rely on native parasite materials. In the future, additional antigens could be added from other parasites that cause larval migrans to form a single method for detecting larval migrans syndromes.

Background Cathepsin E (CTSE), an aspartic proteinase, is differentially expressed in the metaplasia–dysplasia–neoplasia sequence of gastric and colon cancer. We evaluated CTSE in Barrett’s esophagus (BE) and cancer because increased CTSE levels are linked to improved survival in several cancers, and other cathepsins are up-regulated in BE and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Methods A total of 273 pretreatment tissues from 199 patients were analyzed [31 normal squamous esophagus (NE), 29 BE intestinal metaplasia, 31 BE with dysplasia (BE/D), 108 EAC]. CTSE relative mRNA expression was measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction, and protein expression was measured by immunohistochemistry. CTSE serum levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results Median CTSE mRNA expression levels were ≥1,000-fold higher in BE/intestinal metaplasia and BE/D compared to NE. CTSE levels were significantly lower in EAC compared to BE/intestinal metaplasia and BE/D, but significantly higher than NE levels. A similar expression pattern was present in immunohistochemistry, with absent staining in NE, intense staining in intestinal metaplasia and dysplasia, and less intense EAC staining. CTSE serum analysis did not discriminate patient groups. In a uni- and multivariable Cox proportional hazards model, CTSE expression was not significantly associated with survival in patients with EAC, although CTSE expression above the 25th percentile was associated with a 41 % relative risk reduction for death (hazard ratio 0.59, 95 % confidence interval 0.27–1.26, p = 0.17). Conclusions CTSE mRNA expression is up-regulated more than any known gene in Barrett intestinal metaplasia and dysplasia tissues. Protein expression is similarly highly intense in intestinal metaplasia and dysplasia tissues. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1245/s10434-014-4155-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

International audience; “Coscoll”(Molopospermum peloponnesiacum (L.) Koch) whose stems are traditionally consumed raw insalads in Catalonia is associated in oral tradition with many virtues as digestive, purifying, exciting, antioxidantand hematocathartic activities. However, stem composition and biological activity had never been studied.Nutritive values of plant material were determined by official methods and constituents from essential oil ofMolopospermum peloponnesiacum stems were characterized for the first time in this study. The main constituentswere dillapiol (60.1%) and 3-carene (15.2%). Moreover, total polyphenol content using Folin-Ciocalteu method,and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity were determined. Molopospermumpeloponnesiacum stem total polyphenol content was 101.0 ± 10.0 mg/100 g fresh weight (Gallic Acid Equivalent)and DPPH radical scavenging activity, relatively high, was close from spinach one. Thus, these first results revealthe potential beneficial properties of this plant, in relation with its traditional use in Catalonia.

Background: Biomarkers are needed to improve current diagnosis and surveillance strategies for patients with Barrett's oesophagus (BO) and oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OAC). Macrophage inhibitory cytokine 1/growth differentiation factor 15 (MIC-1/GDF15) tissue and plasma levels have been shown to predict disease progression in other cancer types and was therefore evaluated in BO/OAC. Methods: One hundred thirty-eight patients were studied: 45 normal oesophagus (NE), 37 BO, 16 BO with low-grade dysplasia (LGD) and 40 OAC. Results: Median tissue expression of MIC-1/GDF15 mRNA was ⩾25-fold higher in BO and LGD compared to NE (P720 discriminated between the presence of either OAC or LGD vs NE with 94% sensitivity and 71% specificity (ROC AUC 0.86, 95% CI 0.73–0.96; P

Resume Ce travail propose d’etablir, apres trois ans d’activite, l’impact des trois etapes de la procedure de mise a disposition des dispositifs medicaux steriles (DMS) innovants instauree (expertise interne et externe - synthese menee en Comite des dispositifs medicaux steriles (CODIMS)) par rapport au type d’avis final rendu, ainsi que la satisfaction des praticiens demandeurs. Pour chaque dossier de DMS innovant, ont ete releves : la qualite des etudes cliniques publiees, de la note d’interet therapeutique hospitalier (NITH) redigee par le fournisseur, l’avis rendu par la Commission d’Evaluation des Produits et Prestations (CEPP), la nature des avis d’experts sollicites et l’avis final rendu par le CODIMS en reunion pleniere. Sur 19 dossiers expertises par le CODIMS, neuf ont recu un avis defavorable. Ces avis sont majoritairement correles a la faiblesse des etudes cliniques fournies, a une NITH de mauvaise qualite ou a l’absence d’avis favorable de la CEPP. Les avis rendus par le CODIMS sont concordants avec l’expertise externe pour deux tiers des dossiers. Le dossier d’expertise interne doit permettre de donner un avis tranche en cas de desaccord. Afin de faciliter les missions d’evaluation des COMEDIMS, l’evolution des exigences europeennes en matiere de qualite de dossier de marquage CE d’une part, ainsi que celle des formations des differents acteurs - hospitaliers et industriels - est attendue.