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The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) pandemic has become a major public health issue worldwide. Developing and evaluating rapid and easy‐to‐perform diagnostic tests is a high priority. The current study was designed to assess the diagnostic performance of an antigen‐based rapid detection test (COVID‐VIRO®) in a real‐life setting. Two nasopharyngeal specimens of symptomatic or asymptomatic adult patients hospitalized in the Infectious Diseases Department or voluntarily accessing the COVID‐19 Screening Department of the Regional Hospital of Orléans, France, were concurrently collected. The diagnostic specificity and sensitivity of COVID VIRO® results were compared to those of real‐time reverse‐transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR) results. A subset of patients underwent an additional oropharyngeal and/or saliva swab for rapid testing. A total of 121 patients confirmed to be infected and 127 patients having no evidence of recent or ongoing infection were enrolled for a total of 248 nasopharyngeal swab specimens. Overall, the COVID‐VIRO® sensitivity was 96.7% (CI, 93.5%–99.9%). In asymptomatic patients, symptomatic patients having symptoms for more than 4 days and those with an RT‐qPCR cycle threshold value ≥ 32, the sensitivities were 100%, 95.8%, and 91.9%, respectively. The concordance between RT‐qPCR and COVID VIRO® rapid test results was 100% for the 127 patients with no SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. The COVID‐VIRO® test had 100% specificity and sensitivity greater than 95%, which are better than the recommendations set forth by the WHO (specificity ≥ 97%–100%, sensitivity ≥ 80%). These rapid tests may be particularly useful for large‐scale screening in emergency departments, low‐resource settings, and airports.

Undoped and Tb-doped ZnO thin polycrystalline films grown on Al2O3 substrate by magnetron sputtering approach were investigated using external infrared reflection in the spectral range from 50 to 5000 cm−1. The modelling of the IR reflection spectra was performed for absorbing film on semi-infinite substrate. For undoped ZnO film, the single oscillator model was used. Theoretical calculations were found to be in good agreement with the experimental results. The free carrier concentration, mobility and specific conductivity of electrons in ZnO films on Al2O3 substrates with E → ⊥ c → orientation were determined. It was found that sheet resistance of the films investigated was much higher than that obtained from IR reflection spectra, which was ascribed to the presence of high resistive spaces between ZnO columns. In this case, IR reflection method is suitable for analysing the electrical parameters of textured materials when planar conductivity gives the incorrect results. Apparent effect of Tb doping on ZnO conductivity was not observed in the films investigated.

International audience; (Tb, Eu)–co-doped ZnO films with about 3 at.% total doping rate were grown by magnetron sputtering on Si substrate. Post annealing treatments were performed at 973–1373 K in continuous nitrogen flow to investigate the transformation of microstructural and optical characteristics by means of X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, photoluminescence and electroluminescence. For annealing temperatures lower than 1073 K, segregation of Eu and Tb was observed mainly at the film/substrate junction. For temperatures higher than 1173 K, additional phases appeared, namely, Zn2SiO4 and rare earth silicates. For the highest temperature investigated (1373 K), only silica and rare earth silicates remained in the film due to Zn evaporation. PL measurements indicated a very intense Eu emission associated with the presence of rare earth silicate inclusions. Energy transfer from Tb towards Eu was evidenced in this secondary phase. At last, based on these preliminary works, a (Tb, Eu)–co-doped ZnO/Si electroluminescent structure was produced and showed very promising results paving the way for very thin ZnO based light emitting diodes.

International audience; (Tb,Eu)-doped ZnO-annealed films at 1100 °C showed intense photoluminescense (PL) emission from Eu and Tb ions. The high-temperature annealing led to a chemical segregation and a secondary Zn-free phase formation that is suspected to be responsible for the high PL intensity. Large faceted inclusions of rare-earth (RE) silicates of a size of few hundred nanometers were observed. Owing to various advanced electron microscopy techniques, a detailed microstructural study of these nanometric inclusions combining atomic Z contrast imaging (STEM) and precession electron diffraction tomography (PEDT) data was carried out and resulted in the determination of a hexagonal P63/m-type (Tb,Eu)9.43(SiO4)6O2−δ structure related to an oxy-apatite structure. Chemical analyses from spectroscopic data (energy-dispersive X-ray mapping and electron energy loss spectroscopy) at the atomic scale showed that both RE elements sitting on two independent (4f) and (6h) atomic sites have three-fold oxidation states, while refinements of their occupancy sites from PEDT data have evidenced preferential deficiency for the first one. The deduced RE–O distances and their corresponding bond valences are listed and discussed with the efficient energy transfer from Tb3+ toward Eu3+.

Summary Restoration of geological structures is commonly used to assess past basin geometry from present-day structures. In geomechanical restoration, numerical methods to date consider the rock properties as fully elastic and the faults as frictionless contact surfaces. However, salt bodies have been proven to behave as Stokes viscous fluids in geomechanics, and faults appear in rocks reaching a plastic limit inside a shear zone. In order to take these behaviours into account, we introduce a new geomechanical restoration scheme based on Stokes equations. Such a strategy seems reasonable for three main reasons. First, rocks have been found to be mainly ductile in large deformations under long time periods (1e5 to 1e9 years). Second, these equations allow the modelling of other rheologies and boundary conditions closer to natural ones. Third, the reversibility of the Stokes equations can be used to compute the reverse motion of a geological domain. Our restoration scheme is implemented in a software called FAIStokes. The classic forward modelling part of this software is validated through relevant benchmarks. First tests, including van Keken (1997) &s benchmark, on the more innovative backward modelling part, show the great potential of the proposed scheme for restoration using only mechanical (i.e. no geometrical) conditions.

IntroductionThe SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has become a major public health issue worldwide. Developing and evaluating rapid and easy-to-perform diagnostic tests is an absolute priority. The current study was designed to assess diagnostic performances of an antigen-based rapid detection test (COVID-VIRO®) in a real-life setting.MethodsTwo nasopharyngeal specimens of symptomatic or asymptomatic adult patients hospitalized in the Infectious Diseases Department or voluntarily accessing the COVID-19 Screening Department of the Regional Hospital of Orléans, France, were concurrently collected. COVID VIRO® diagnostic specificity and sensitivity were assessed in comparison to real-time reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) results. A subset of patients underwent an additional oropharyngeal and/or a saliva swab for rapid testing.Results121 patients already having a confirmed infection and 127 patients having no evidence of recent or ongoing infection were enrolled, for a total of 248 couple of nasopharyngeal swab specimens. Overall COVID-VIRO® sensitivity was 96.7% (IC: 93.5%-99.9%). In asymptomatic patients, symptomatic patients having symptoms for more than 4 days and those having a RT-qPCR Cycle threshold value ≥32, sensitivity was of 100%, 95.8% and 91.9% respectively. The concordance between RT-qPCR and COVID VIRO® rapid test was 100% for the 127 patients with no SARS-CoV-2 infection.ConclusionCOVID-VIRO® test had 100% specificity and above 95% sensitivity, better than WHO recommendations (specificity ≥97-100%, sensitivity ≥80%). These rapid tests are particularly interesting for large-scale screening in Emergency Department, low resource settings and airports.

International audience; The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is one of the most utilized joints of the human body, not even resting during sleep (for instance people suffering of bruxism). The TMJ disc, a fibrocartilage, allows smooth joint movement and serves as a stress/force distributor between the temporal bone and the condyle. Being a crucial part of the joint, its biomechanical behaviour has to be studied, however tests on complete discs are rare. Among mechanical characterisation procedures, spherical compression does not require specific sample preparation hence discs can keep their integrity (Lee et al. 2016). Furthermore, different disc regions can be tested, and the compression tool radius can be adapted to the disc’s biconcavity. Experimentally the spherical compression tool displacement d is measured, which generally is different from the penetration depth δ. Therefore, the disadvantage of such a test lies in obtaining stress-strain curves since the contact radius a related to the penetration depth δ is required to evaluate the representative stress and strain σ* and ε*. Actually, the Hertz model based on contact of a sphere with a linear elastic half-space is used as a first approximation (Tappert et al. 2017).

By using ZnO thin films doped with Ce, Tb or Eu, deposited via radiofrequency magnetron sputtering, we have developed monochromatic (blue, green and red, respectively) light emitting devices (LEDs). The rare earth ions introduced with doping rates lower than 2% exhibit narrow and intense emission peaks due to electronic transitions in relaxation processes induced after electrical excitation. This study proves zinc oxide to be a good host for these elements, its high conductivity and optical transparency in the visible range being as well exploited as top transparent electrode. After structural characterization of the different doped layers, a device structure with intense electroluminescence is presented, modeled, and electrically and optically characterized. The different emission spectra obtained are compared in a chromatic diagram, providing a reference for future works with similar devices. The results hereby presented demonstrate three operating monochromatic LEDs, as well as a combination of the three species into another one, with a simply-designed structure compatible with current Si technology and demonstrating an integrated red-green-blue emission.

International audience; Ce-doped SiO x N y and SiAlON matrices are promising materials for blue LED applications. The uniqueness of this approach stems from the fact that SiO x N y , as a host, combines specific properties of individual SiO x and SiN y matrices like solubility, efficient emission, 5 eV gap, with a broad excitation range from 400 nm to 500 nm of Ce 3+ ions due to the 4f-5d transitions. Furthermore, the co-doping with aluminum enhances the Ce 3+ emission. In this work, we fabricated electroluminescent devices using SiO x N y :Ce 3+ and SiAlON:Ce 3+ as active layers and investigated the resulting emission under optical and electrical excitations as a function of nitrogen, cerium and aluminum concentrations. I-V measurements were conducted to determine the SiO x N y :Ce 3+ layer electrical parameters. Charge transport through the devices obeys the Poole-Frenkel conduction mechanism. It was demonstrated that by optimizing the SiO x N y :Ce 3+ growth parameters, an improvement of electroluminescence yield can be achieved with a maximum intensity obtained for devices with cerium content of 4 at.%. Rare earth (RE) doped silicon based materials have been extensively investigated in the past few years. Various hosts were doped with Er 3+ ions that emit at 1.5 μm corresponding to the maximum transparency of silica used in telecommunications. 1 For the Ce 3+ ion, up to date, only a few studies have been reported on its electrolu-minescence (EL). 2 Among the silicon-based matrices, silica (SiO 2) and silicon nitride (Si 3 N 4) have been explored; however, each of them present certain advantages and drawbacks. In the case of silica matrices , achievement of strong RE 3+ ions emission is limited by a low excitation cross section, 3 a low RE solubility as well as RE clusters formation. 4,5 However, the main drawback limiting SiO 2 : RE 3+ light emitting applications comes from the large bandgap of the matrix (∼9 eV) resulting in low electrical conductivity. On the other hand, Si 3 N 4 with a smaller energy bandgap (4 eV) and reduced tendency of the RE to form clusters, seems to be more suitable for RE doping. 6-8 However, despite these advantages, the emission efficiency from RE 3+ ions in a nitride matrix is much lower than in silica matrix. 9 To capitalize on the RE doping advantages offered by both oxide and nitride silicon matrices, a Ce-doped SiO x N y matrix has been explored by Ramirez et al. 10 It was reported that the maximum EL peak from Ce 3+ ion shifted from 400 nm to 476 nm as function of the nitrogen concentration (i.e. the nephelauxetic effect). 10,11 Koao et al. showed that aluminum co-doping Ce-doped SiO 2 glasses lead to an enhancement of photoluminescence emission. 12 In this work, Ce-doped Si(Al)O x N y layers with a typical thickness of 50 nm were grown by sputter de-position. Photoluminescence (PL) from the SiO x N y :Ce 3+ layers and EL from this active layer were examined for device performance as a function of growth parameters and material composition. Experimental Active layer preparation.-The devices were fabricated in a few step processes. First, the Ce-doped SiO x N y active layer was grown by magnetron reactive sputtering with 8 sccm for Ar and 2 sccm for N 2 on 2-inch diameter (001) p-type silicon wafers. During the growth, the chamber base pressure was fixed at 3 mTorr and the substrate temperature was at room temperature (RT). Additional information on the growth process can be found in the following Reference 11. z Samples were deposited from CeO 2 , Al and Si targets with density of power varied from 0 to 2.1 W.cm −2 , 0.3 to 0.75 W.cm −2 and fixed at 4.5 W/cm 2 , respectively. As-deposited films were then thermally annealed in the 600°C to 1200°C temperature range for 1 h, in nitrogen atmosphere at ambient pressure. Device fabrication.-Figure 1 illustrates the typical fabricated device structure with the indicated specific layers thicknesses. The individual indium tin oxide (ITO) top electrical contacts were deposited on the SiO x N y :Ce 3+ layer by electron beam evaporation using a shadow mask having a set of circular holes with a diameter of 200 μm. In 2 O 3 /SnO 2 (90%/10%) pellets with a diameter of 1 mm or 2 mm were used as sputtering targets. An oxygen flux was maintained in the sputtering chamber during deposition cycle to prevent the formation of oxygen defects in the transparent conducting layer, which would potentially cause EL from ITO layer. The ITO layer thickness was 200 nm. The SiO x N y :Ce 3+ /ITO structure was heated up at a ramp rate of 15°C/min from RT to 600°C and annealed for 1 h in a nitrogen atmosphere at ambient pressure. The bottom metal contact, a 200-nm-thick Al layer, was deposited at RT on the back of the silicon substrate. Figure 1. Schematic layout of fabricated Al/p-Si/SiO x N y :Ce 3+ /ITO device.

International audience; The effect of thermal annealing on optical, electrical and structural properties of Tb and Eu co-doped ZnO films grown by magnetron sputtering on Si and Al2O3 substrates was investigated by X-ray diffraction, photoluminescence, micro-Raman and IR reflection methods. It is shown that incorporation of rare earth ions in ZnO is accompanied by the formation of intrinsic defects. The as-deposited and annealed at 600 °C films demonstrate Tb3+ emission and no Eu3+ one. Higher intensity of Tb3+ photoluminescence in the films on Al2O3 substrate as compared with that on Si is ascribed to higher content of Tb3+ emitting centers. The model of these centers including the substitutional Tb and interstitial oxygen is proposed. In the excitation spectra of Tb3+ emission, no features connected with light absorption in ZnO are observed. An annealing at 900 °C is found to result in the formation of crystalline terbium oxide and silicate phases. In the photoluminescence spectra, the decrease of Tb3+ emission and the appearance of two sets of Eu3+ related bands caused by energy transfer from Tb3+ to Eu3+ ions are found. This is ascribed to segregation of rare earth ions in the additional phases and the decrease of the distance between the ions.

International audience; The influence of rapid thermal annealing (RTA) on structural and optical properties of ZnO multilayer structures co-doped with Tb and Eu ions has been investigated by X-ray diffraction, Time-of-Fligth Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry, Specular Infrared reflection, micro-Raman and photoluminescence (PL) methods. It is shown that incorporation of rare earth (RE) ions in ZnO host is accompanied by the formation of intrinsic defects in oxygen and zinc sub-lattices of ZnO. The appearance of intense Raman mode at 275 cm−1 is ascribed mainly to Eu ion incorporation on Zn site in ZnO matrix. The PL of RE ions localized in ZnO and other crystal phases is revealed. The effect of energy transfer from Tb3+ to Eu3+ ions in ZnO is identified. It is shown that the RTA improves crystal structure of ZnO host, i.e. stimulates the increase of coherent domain sizes and strain relaxation, as well as promotes the redistribution of RE ions across the structure. The effect of RTA on RE ion PL depends strongly on the annealing temperature. It is found that RTA at 500 °C promotes Eu incorporation into ZnO and the enhancement of Eu3+ PL due to energy transfer from Tb3+ to Eu3+, while RTA at 800 °C stimulates segregation of RE ions and the decrease of their PL.

International audience; The effect of substrate material (Si, SiO2, Al2O3) on structural, optical and electrical properties of terbium doped ZnO films (Tb-ZnO) has been investigated by the X-ray diffraction, Raman scattering, atomic force microscopy, photoluminescence and infrared reflection methods. All films consist of micron size clusters of closely packed ZnO grains separated by deep trenches. The width of the trenches depends on the substrate material, being the largest in the Tb-ZnO/Al2O3 one. It is shown that the film on Al2O3 substrate contains the largest amount of extended and point defects. This film also demonstrates the highest intensity of Tb3+-related photoluminescence, while the film on Si substrate shows the lowest. On the contrary, the largest free carrier concentration evaluated from the infrared reflection spectra is found for Tb-ZnO/Si film and the lowest one is for the Tb-ZnO/Al2O3 film.

In (Tb, Eu) co-doped ZnO films grown on p-Si and Al2O3 substrates, the annealing at 900 °C was found to result in the diffusion and segregation of rare earth (RE) dopants to ZnO grain boundaries and film surface. The segregation of RE dopants to film/substrate interface was observed in the film on p-Si and explained by the drift of positively charged RE ions in the electric field of n-ZnO/p-Si junction. The annealing promoted also formation of additional crystal phases, namely Tb2O3, TbO2, TbxEuySiO7, Zn2SiO4 and ZnAl2O4. In the photoluminescence spectra, it caused the appearance of narrow and broader Eu3+ emission lines. The broader lines emerged only for the film on p-Si substrate and were ascribed to Eu3+ in TbxEuySiO7 inclusions formed at the ZnO/p-Si interface. The narrow lines were attributed to Eu3+ ions in Tb2O3 inclusions located at ZnO grain boundaries and film surface. The energy transfer from Tb3+ to Eu3+ was demonstrated in the annealed films only. A theoretical approach that allowed to describe the RE ion surrounding and to calculate the energy spectra of Tb3+ and Eu3+ in various site positions was developed. The crystal field parameters were also estimated.

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International audience; We describe herein how we practically proceeded to definitively identify the first C.auris strain isolated in France from a 58 year-old-Lebanese man who was hospitalized for liver transplantation because of severe cirrhosis, and how we implemented adequate means for controlling its widespreading.

Introduction Les tubages gastriques (TG) et expectorations (E) sont les prelevements de choix pour diagnostiquer rapidement les patients les plus contagieux atteints de tuberculose pulmonaire. La Haute Autorite de Sante (HAS, 2007) recommande la realisation de 3 prelevements sur 3 jours consecutifs (expectoration spontanee, induite ou contenu gastrique). L’objectif de cette etude est d’analyser quel prelevement est declare positif le premier (E1, E2, E3 ou TG1, TG2, TG3) avec presence de BAAR a l’examen direct afin de valider ou d’amender la strategie diagnostique actuelle. Materiels et methodes Cette etude retrospective a consiste a extraire l’ensemble des prelevements d’expectorations et tubages gastriques realises de janvier 2015 a decembre 2018. La decision de realiser soit une serie de tubages soit des expectorations soit une association des deux etait liees aux conditions du patient et aux habitudes des cliniciens. Les examens directs ont ete effectues sur chaque prelevement par coloration a l’auramine. Les prelevements etaient incubes en milieu liquide MGIT (Mycobacteria growth indicator tubes) dans le BACTEC MGIT durant 42 jours. Les patients pour lesquels une culture de mycobacterie atypique est retrouvee positive, furent exclus. Resultats Durant la periode d’etude, 1426 patients ont ete inclus pour lesquels 2631 expectorations et 1721 tubages gastriques ont ete effectues. Trente-huit patients ont eu un examen direct positif declare a partir de l’un des prelevements successifs realises. Parmi eux, 14 patients ont eu des tubages gastriques et expectorations de facon concomitante. Dix-sept patients ont eu uniquement des expectorations, et 7 patients, uniquement des tubages. Parmi ces patients, 31 ont eu une expectoration avec presence de BAAR. L’examen direct etait positif des E1 pour 24 patients (78 %), a partir de E2 pour 6 patients (19 %) et uniquement a E3 pour un patient (3 %). Pour ce dernier patient, les 3 expectorations (E1, E2, E3) et TG1 etaient tous positifs en culture. Concernant les tubages gastriques, 16 patients ont eu un examen direct avec presence de BAAR. Pour 13 d’entre eux (81 %), l’examen direct etait positif des TG1, Pour 3 patients (19 %), le premier tubage gastrique avec un examen direct positif etait TG2. Lorsque TG1 et TG2 etaient negatifs, TG3 etait toujours negatif. Les troisiemes tubages gastriques realises n’ont apporte aucune information supplementaire pour le diagnostic de tuberculose pulmonaire bacillifere. Conclusion La majorite des patients (97 %, 37/38) pour lesquels un prelevement d’expectoration ou de tubage gastrique est realise, est positif a l ‘examen direct au prelevement numero 1 ou numero 2. La limitation du nombre de tubages gastriques a 2 permettrait de reduire l’inconfort du patient, ainsi que les couts induits par des examens et des journees d’hospitalisation inutiles. Les caracteristiques cliniques et radiologiques de chaque patient doivent etre prises en consideration dans la strategie diagnostique.

The effect of storage conditions (light, temperature, container types) and time on the quality of natural olive oils from different cultivars and Australian regions were studied. The oils’ changing quality was monitored through several physico-chemical methods (free fatty acids, peroxide value, UV-spectrometry (K232, K270 and ΔK), induction time, total polyphenol content, bitterness, pyropheophytin a and 1,2-diacyl-glycerol content) and sensory analysis over 24 months. Pyropheophytins a and 1,2-diacyl-glycerols criteria showed very good performance as indicators of overall olive oil quality and freshness as well as highlighting any problems during the storage of the product. Pyropheophytin a increment averaged 7 % per year and the 1,2-diacyl-glycerols decreased at an average of 23 % per year at normal storage conditions over time.

Bien que les cocci a Gram positifs soient impliques dans la moitie des causes de sepsis documentes, les chocs toxiques lies a ces bacteries sont rares. Par definition, le choc toxique, qu’il soit d’origine staphylococcique (CTstaph) ou streptococcique (CTstrep), implique la production, seule ou en association avec d’autres facteurs de virulence, d’exotoxines superantigeniques, qui induisent une production excessive de cytokines pro-inflammatoires. Le CTstaph est soit menstruel (colonisation d’un tampon absorbant ou d’un sterilet, production de TSST-1 (toxic shock syndrome toxin-1), hemocultures negatives, mortalite faible), soit non menstruel (le plus souvent postoperatoire, colonisation ou infection locale, production de TSST-1 ou d’enterotoxine, hemocultures positives dans 50 % des cas, mortalite dans 20–25 % des cas). Le CTstrep est le plus souvent associe a un tableau de fasciites necrosantes (hemocultures positives dans 60 % des cas, mortalite allant jusqu’a 80 % lorsqu’il existe une myosite associee). La prise en charge des defaillances d’organe est similaire a celle du choc septique. L’eradication mecanique de la source de production de toxine est indispensable (retrait du tampon ou du sterilet dans les CTstaph menstruels, reprise chirurgicale meme en l’absence de signes inflammatoires locaux dans les CTstaph non menstruels postoperatoires et chirurgie agressive dans les CTstrep avec fasciite necrosante). L’antibiotherapie doit etre bactericide (β-lactamine a fortes doses), et il est propose d’adjoindre des therapeutiques antitoxiniques comme la clindamycine (la grande majorite des souches de Staphylococcus aureus et Streptococcus pyogenes responsables de choc toxique en France est sensible a la clindamycine) ou les immunoglobulines polyvalentes, notamment en cas de choc refractaire.

Resume Introduction L’hamartome folliculo-sebace kystique (HFSK) est une tumeur benigne assez recemment decrite et encore meconnue, composee de structures folliculaires et sebacees au sein d’un stroma particulier. Nous avons effectue une etude anatomoclinique afin d’en preciser les caracteristiques cliniques et histologiques. Materiels et methodes L’ensemble des HFSK diagnostiques entre 1985 et fevrier 2011 dans notre laboratoire ont ete inclus. Les renseignements cliniques ont ete obtenus a partir des dossiers medicaux et des demandes d’analyse histologique. Resultats Nous avons identifie 25 cas, soit 0,01 % des cas dans notre laboratoire, chez 25 patients dont l’âge moyen etait de 51 ans. Le sex-ratio M/F etait de 1,3. La duree d’evolution avant excision etait de neuf ans en moyenne. La lesion etait decrite le plus souvent comme un nodule de couleur chair, parfois pedicule, siegeant dans 60 % des cas au visage. Le diagnostic d’HFSK n’avait jamais ete evoque par le clinicien. A l’examen histologique, tous les cas comprenaient une ou plusieurs structures kystiques folliculaires entourees d’une couronne de glandes sebacees au sein d’un stroma comportant des adipocytes. Certaines variantes pouvaient etre relevees, telles que la presence d’un stroma mucineux, d’une composante neuroide avec expression de la proteine S 100 ou de follicules pileux rudimentaires dans le derme adjacent. Un cas comportait un kyste proliferant. Un autre siegeait au cuir chevelu, en bordure d’une zone de radiodermite chronique. Ces deux dernieres variantes n’ont pas ete decrites a ce jour. Un seul cas de recidive a ete note, cinq ans apres la premiere excision. Discussion L’HFSK est une lesion benigne, sous-diagnostiquee, qui siege dans la majorite des cas au visage, surtout sur le nez. Elle est nodulaire ou pediculee et de croissance lente. Les diagnostics differentiels sont l’hamartome lipomateux et le trichofolliculome « sebace ». L’HFSK est assez aisement identifie grâce a son stroma fibreux et adipocytaire. Un de nos cas etait unique par son aspect de volumineux nodule pedicule et sa composante de kyste proliferant. Avant l’individualisation de cette entite, ces cas etaient interpretes comme des hamartomes lipomateux ou des trichofolliculomes « sebaces », mais avec un aspect histologique qui ne cadrait pas avec ces diagnostics.

Background Aortic oesophageal Doppler (ODM) allows continuous non-invasive haemodynamic monitoring. We tested to confirm if residents and nurses were able to reposition oesophageal probe (OP), obtain aortic blood flow of good quality and so perform reliable static and dynamic haemodynamic assessments. Methods Prospective observational study assessing ODM measurements were obtained by six residents and three nurses after they have participated in training. Measured (aortic diameter) and calculated haemodynamic data [indexed stroke volume (SVI), cardiac index] were directly obtained from ODM, after residents and nurses repositioned the OP. In a second group of patients, we tested the ability of residents and nurses to detect rapid haemodynamic changes after a passive leg raising. SVI comparison was the primary end point. Statistical analysis was performed using the method of Bland and Altman. Results Sixty-six haemodynamic measurements were performed on 42 patients. Mean bias for SVI between the skilled physician and residents, and between the skilled physician and nurses were −0.9 ± 5.2 ml/m2 (P = 0.15), with a percentage error of 31%, and 0.9 ± 5.1 ml/m2 (P = 0.14), with a percentage error of 33%, respectively. There was an excellent correlation for SVI between the physician and residents (r = 0.9; P

International audience; To evaluate the physicochemical compatibility of rapidly solidified ribbons with transformer insulating fluids, isothermal heating process was carried out in order to prove the sustainability of these materials. Fe-based amorphous ribbons were immersed in mineral and vegetable transformer oils for a period of 580 hours at 110 and 140°C. Chemical analyses of oils after experimentation have shown absence of amorphous alloys' components such as Fe, Si and B. In addition, a stability of magnetic properties is witnessed via the measurements of iron losses. Moreover, X-ray diffraction patterns of ribbons after aging experiments reveal a fully amorphous structure. Calculated lifetimes from accelerated aging test show a good stability of amorphous ribbons in field conditions.

Aβ is a major component of the senile plaques characteristic of Alzheimer disease (AD) and sulfated GAGs such as chondroitin sulfates (CS) have been found in all types of amyloidosis. In this paper, a biochromatographic approach was developed to measure for the first time changes in enthalpy, heat capacity change and copper effect for the binding of Aβ to CS in a wide temperature range. For this, CS was immobilized on a chromatographic support. It was established that this novel CS column was stable during an extended period of time. The thermodynamic data showed that Aβ–CS binding, for low temperature (

Resume Introduction Le granulome elastolytique annulaire a cellules geantes est une dermatose granulomateuse rare. Elle est caracterisee histologiquement par la phagocytose des fibres elastiques par des cellules multinucleees. Nous rapportons l’evolution favorable d’un cas apres PUVAtherapie et traitement par antipaludeens de synthese. Observation Un homme de 67 ans, ancien viticulteur, avait des lesions annulaires a bordures surelevees des epaules et du tronc, tres prurigineuses, evoluant depuis plusieurs mois. L’examen histologique d’une biopsie de la bordure erythemateuse etait caracteristique d’un granulome elastolytique annulaire a cellules geantes. Differents traitements topiques s’etaient averes inefficaces et une corticotherapie generale avait attenue le prurit mais sans effet sur les lesions cutanees. Une PUVAtherapie entrainait une regression des lesions du tronc, mais l’eruption s’etendait sur les bras et se couvrait de microkystes epidermiques. La PUVAtherapie etait arretee et un traitement par antipaludeens de synthese (hydroxychloroquine 400 mg/j) etait entrepris, suivi d’une regression complete des lesions. Discussion Le granulome annulaire elastolytique a cellules geantes a ete isole en 1979 par Hanke et al. a propos de cinq cas feminins. Il s’agit d’une dermatose rare dont une trentaine de cas ont ete rapportes dans la litterature anglo-saxonne. L’aspect clinique est assez evocateur, avec des lesions erythemato-papuleuses isolees ou groupees en anneaux a bordures surelevees et a centre plus clair d’evolution atrophique. Les lesions predominent souvent sur les zones photoexposees. L’aspect histologique est caracteristique, avec une image de granulome elastophagique a cellules geantes qui donne son nom a cette affection. Cet aspect permet de le differencier d’autres maladies granulomateuses. L’etiologie est inconnue et le traitement empirique. L’evolution spontanee vers la guerison est possible et aucun traitement n’a obtenu des resultats constants. Dans notre cas, la PUVAtherapie a obtenu un resultat partiel et les antipaludeens de synthese une regression complete des lesions residuelles.

Resume Introduction Le psoriasis blaschko-lineaire est une entite rare n’ayant fait l’objet que des publications de cas isoles. Cette forme de psoriasis pose des problemes de diagnostic differentiel avec les autres dermatoses inflammatoires blaschko-lineaires. Nous rapportons un cas original, dont le caractere lineaire a ete revele a la suite d’un traitement par infliximab. Observation Un homme de 29 ans avait un psoriasis chronique evoluant depuis 17 ans et resistant a differents traitements systemiques. Le traitement par infliximab a la dose de 5 mg/kg, institue a j1, j15 puis tous les deux mois, permettait a partir de la quatrieme perfusion la disparition de la quasitotalite des lesions cutanees. Il persistait uniquement des lesions psoriasiques erythemato-squameuses, non pustuleuses, a disposition blaschko-lineaire, strictement unilaterales sur le bras gauche et le membre inferieur gauche. Ces lesions persistaient apres dix cures d’infliximab, alors qu’aucune autre lesion ne reapparaissait. Discussion Cette observation est originale par la revelation de lesions blaschko-lineaires lors du traitement par infliximab, alors que les plaques diffuses de psoriasis avaient totalement disparu. Cela suggere qu’il existait, chez ce malade, deux populations cellulaires ayant une reponse therapeutique differente de la biotherapie.

Resume Introduction Les lymphomes T de l’hypoderme sont rares et leur diagnostic est souvent difficile. Nous rapportons deux observations de lymphome T sous-cutane, simulant une panniculite, traites initialement par une corticotherapie generale. Observations Cas n o 1. Une femme de 75 ans avait un placard erythemateux et plusieurs nodules des membres inferieurs evoluant depuis quatre mois, sans alteration de l’etat general. L’examen histologique d’un nodule associe aux immunomarquages etait evocateur d’un lymphome T sous-cutane de phenotype CD4− CD8+ CD56−. L’evolution etait favorable sous corticotherapie, puis radiotherapie. Cas n o 2. Une femme de 53 ans avait des plaques infiltrees d’evolution fluctuante depuis une dizaine d’annees. Une panniculite lupique avait ete evoquee mais non confirmee. A l’occasion d’une nouvelle poussee de panniculite, l’examen histologique trouvait un infiltrat lymphoide de l’hypoderme. Les immunomarquages et le genotypage des lymphocytes permettaient de diagnostiquer un lymphome T sous-cutane de phenotype CD4− CD8+ CD56−. Le genotypage des lymphocytes cutanes montrait une monoclonalite T (de type alpha beta). L’evolution etait favorable avec une corticotherapie generale maintenue quelques mois. Par la suite, des nodules reapparaissaient ponctuellement. Une abstention therapeutique etait decidee. Discussion On distingue actuellement deux types de lymphomes touchant preferentiellement l’hypoderme ; leur pronostic et leurs implications therapeutiques divergent. Dans ces deux observations, il s’agissait d’un lymphome T sous-cutane CD8+, d’evolution indolente. Cette faible evolutivite peut poser le probleme du diagnostic differentiel avec une panniculite lupique. Dans ce type de lymphome de faible malignite, le traitement de premiere intention pourrait etre limite a une corticotherapie generale.

Les peptides d'elastine (kE) augmentent l'expression des MMP3 et MMP1 dans les fibroblastes gingivaux humains cultives en 2D sur plastique alors qu'ils n'ont aucune influence sur la production d'uPA, des MMPs2, 13, 14 et des TIMPs1 et 2. L'effet de kE sur la production de MMP3 depend du recepteur membranaire S-Gal tandis qu'il est inhibe par le lactose et reproduit par des peptides contenant la sequence VGVAPG capable de se fixer sur S-Gal. Afin d'evaluer l'implication des peptides d'elastine dans la collagenolyse, des cultures cellulaires en 3D ou lattis de collagene attache sont utilises : kE ou le plasminogene (Plgn) seuls n'induisent pas de facon significative une collagenolyse des lattis de collagene. Toutefois, kE, en presence de Plgn, augmente de facon synergique la degradation du collagene et l'activation des MMPs. Au sein des lattis en presence de peptides d'elastine, la collagenolyse serait dependante d'une sur-expression de la cascade proteolytique MMP3/MMP1 par les fibroblastes gingivaux humains, associee a une sous-expression des TIMP1 et de TIMP2. (Med Buccale Chir Buccale 2009 ; 15 : 75-85).

Our group demonstrated recently that arginase I inhibition reduces endothelial dysfunction and blood pressure rising in spontaneously hypertensive rats [C. Demougeot, A. Prigent-Tessier, C. Marie, A. Berthelot, J. Hypertens. 23 (2005) 971; C. Demougeot, A. Prigent-Tessier, T. Bagnost, C. Andre, Y. Guillaume, M. Bouhaddi, C. Marie, A. Berthelot, Life Sci. 80 (2007) 1128]. This discovery opens interesting perspectives in the development of new drugs against hypertension. As well, in a previous paper [T. Bagnost, Y.C. Guillaume, M. Thomassin, J.F. Robert, A. Berthelot, A. Xicluna, C. Andre, J. Chromatogr. B: Analyt. Technol. Biomed. Life Sci. 856 (2007) 113], a novel biochromatographic column was developed in our laboratory for studying the binding of N(omega)-hydroxy-nor-l-arginine (nor-NOHA), an arginase inhibitor, with this enzyme. In this manuscript, using this novel biochromatographic concept, the effect of magnesium chloride on the nor-NOHA/arginase binding was analyzed for the first time. This study demonstrated that the salt ions interacted with arginase and played a great role in the nor-NOHA/arginase association. For a salt concentration (x) in the medium less than 3mM, the nor-NOHA/arginase binding decreased with x due to a decrease of the charge-charge interactions between nor-NOHA and its arginase binding site. Above 3mM of salt in the medium, the affinity of nor-NOHA to arginase increased slightly with x because the net number of ions (n) (Mg(2+) or Cl(-)) released or bound upon complex formation is low. As well, it was clearly demonstrated, that above 3 mM the n value depend on the salt concentration in the bulk solvent and was approximately nil for x=12 mM. This dependence was due to a gradual and conformational change of the arginase enzyme which around 12 mM adopted a less flexible structure; its binding site was thus less accessible to nor-NOHA and nor-NOHA-arginase association decreased slightly.

Thoracic aortic mural thrombus is a rare entity and potential source of serious systemic emboli. The progress of computed tomography (CT) angiography and the current use of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) after any embolic event have considerably increased the frequency of diagnostic and there is a growing interest about the etiopathogenesis, which is still widely misunderstood. Therapeutic management remains controversial. We present a case of floating thrombus in the thoracic aorta detected by contrast-enhanced CT scan. This thrombus was responsible for two close major embolic events and was therefore managed surgically. Finally, outcome was favorable.

In this work, the interaction of memantine with human serum albumin (HSA) immobilized on porous silica particles was studied using a biochromatographic approach. The determination of the enthalpy change at different pH values suggested that the protonated group in the memantine–HSA complex exhibits a heat protonation with a magnitude around 65 kJ mol−1. This value agrees with the protonation of a guanidinium group, and confirmed that an arginine group may become protonated in the memantine–HSA complex formation. The thermodynamic data showed that memantine–HSA binding, for low temperature (

Recommendation G.729.1 is a new ITU-T standard which was approved in May 2006. This recommendation describes a hierarchical speech and audio coding algorithm built on top of a narrowband core codec. One challenge in the codec design is the generation of a wideband signal with a very limited additional bit rate (less than 2 kb/s). In this paper, we describe the respective codec layer, which extends the transmitted acoustic bandwidth from the narrowband frequency range (50 Hz-4 kHz) to the wideband frequency range (50 Hz-7 kHz). The underlying algorithm uses a fairly coarse parametric description of the temporal and spectral energy envelopes of the high frequency band (4-7 kHz). This parameter set is quantized with a bit rate of 1.65 kb/s. At the decoder side, the high-frequency components are regenerated by appropriately shaping a synthetically generated ldquoexcitation signal.rdquo Apart from the algorithmic description and a discussion, we state a complexity evaluation as well as some listening test results.

A biochromatographic approach is developed to measure for the first time changes in enthalpy, heat capacity change and protonation for the binding of nor-NOHA to arginase in a wide temperature range. For this, the arginase enzyme was immobilized on a chromatographic support. It was established that this novel arginase column was stable during an extended period of time. The affinity of nor-NOHA to arginase is high and changes slightly with the pH, because the number of protons linked to binding is low. The determination of the enthalpy change at different pH values suggested that the protonated group in the nor-NOHA-arginase complex exhibits a heat protonation of approximately -33 kJ/mol. This value agrees with the protonation of an imidazole group. Our result confirmed that active-site residue Hist 141 is protonated as imidazolium cation. Hist 141 can function as a general acid to protonate the leaving amino group of L-ornithine during catalysis. The thermodynamic data showed that nor-NOHA-arginase binding, for low temperature (15 degrees C), is enthalpically unfavourable and being dominated by a positive entropy change. This result suggests that dehydration at the binding interface and charge-charge interactions contribute to the nor-NOHA-arginase complex formation. The temperature dependence of the free energy of binding is weak because of the enthalpy-entropy compensation caused by a large heat capacity change, DeltaC(p)=-2.43 kJ/mol/K, of arginase. Above 15 degrees C, the thermodynamic data DeltaH and DeltaS became negative due to van der Waals interactions and hydrogen bonding which are engaged at the complex interface confirming strong enzyme-inhibitor hydrogen bond networks. As well, by the use of these thermodynamic data and known correlations it was clearly demonstrated that the binding of nor-NOHA to arginase produces slight conformational changes in the vicinity of the active site. Our work indicated that our biochromatographic approach could soon become very attractive for studying other enzyme-ligand binding.

Resume Introduction Nous avons, par une enquete, evalue la prevalence et les pratiques de prise en charge des plaies chroniques dans 14 etablissements de soins de suite et de readaptation (SSR) et soins de longue duree (SLD) du Haut-Rhin et apprecie l’interet des medecins et du personnel infirmier quant a la creation d’une « Equipe Mobile Plaies et Cicatrisation » (EMPC). Methodes Notre enquete, anonyme et de type transversal, s’appuyait sur les resultats de deux questionnaires, l’un concernant le malade, l’autre le personnel medical et infirmier. Resultats Quatre-vingt-seize malades sur les 1 163 hospitalises au moment de notre enquete repondaient aux criteres d’inclusion. La prevalence globale des plaies etait de 8,3 p. 100, celle des escarres 6,4 p. 100 et celle des ulceres de jambe 1,6 p. 100. Aucun cas de plaie sur pied diabetique n’a ete recense. La population etudiee se caracterisait par un sex-ratio H/F de 0,37, une moyenne d’âge de 86 ans pour les femmes et 76 ans pour les hommes. La duree d’evolution moyenne des escarres etait de 6 mois et de 14 mois pour les ulceres de jambe avec une recidive dans 36 p. 100 des cas d’escarres et 52,6 p. 100 des cas d’ulceres de jambe. L’etiologie des ulceres n’etait pas definie dans pres de la moitie des cas. Des prelevements bacteriologiques avaient ete effectues dans sept cas. Le nettoyage des plaies se faisait le plus souvent avec du savon et du serum physiologique. Une detersion mecanique avait ete pratiquee dans quatre cas. Les hydrocolloides etaient les pansements les plus prescrits dans la prise en charge des escarres, alors que les interfaces etaient les plus utilisees pour les ulceres de jambe. Aucune prescription d’antibiotique topique n’a ete relevee. Une echelle d’evaluation de la douleur n’avait ete utilisee que dans 18 cas, et une anesthesie de surface dans un cas, avant la detersion d’un ulcere de jambe. Une echelle d’evaluation du risque d’escarre avait ete remplie pour 27 des 75 malades atteints d’escarres et deux tiers d’entre eux etaient alites sur des matelas de type preventif. Douze des 19 malades atteints d’ulceres de jambe portaient des bandes de compression quotidiennement. La majorite des medecins jugeait bonnes ses connaissances dans le domaine des plaies chroniques, contrairement aux infirmiers qui dans 72 p. 100 des cas les estimaient moyennes voire insuffisantes. Tout le personnel infirmier et 11 des 13 medecins etaient interesses par la venue d’une equipe specialisee pour les cas difficiles. Discussion Les principales pratiques en adequation avec les recommandations etaient l’emploi de pansements modernes, bien que leur renouvellement semble trop frequent, l’utilisation anecdotique de solutions antiseptiques, l’abandon des antibiotiques topiques, la realisation d’un bilan nutritionnel. Deux tiers des malades atteints d’ulcere de jambe portaient des bandes de compression. En revanche, l’application d’anesthesiant de surface, la detersion manuelle, l’utilisation de grilles d’evaluation de la douleur et du risque d’escarre, la realisation du bilan etiologique des ulceres de jambes restent a optimiser. Conclusion Cette enquete, menee prealablement a la creation d’une « Equipe Mobile Plaies et Cicatrisations » basee aux Hopitaux Civils de Colmar, a pu mettre en evidence la forte motivation des medecins et du personnel infirmier pour beneficier d’une formation specifique ainsi que de conseils pratiques pour la prise en charge des plaies chroniques. Elle a permis de mieux cibler les besoins educatifs des etablissements de SSR et SLD dans le domaine de la prise en charge des plaies chroniques.

The influence of the mobile phase composition and column temperature on the chromatographic separation of five buckminsterfullerenes (C60, C70, C76, C78, C84) on a stationary phase based on silica gel with chemically bonded humic acid (Bonded humic acid column (BHAC)) was studied. The retention behavior of the fullerenes was measured under isocratic conditions with different mobile phase compositions, ranging from 0.05-0.70 (v/v) of toluene in cyclohexane. The column temperature was analysed in the range 35-75 degrees C. The retention factors of the five fullerenes do not depend linearly on the toluene fraction but follow a quadratic relationship. The best chromatographic conditions for baseline separation of the five fullerenes were selected. The retention of the fullerenes on the HA stationary phase was strongly affected by temperature. Positive values of thermodynamic parameters (changes of enthalpy and entropy) were due to the abnormal solubility behaviour of fullerenes in toluene in the temperature range 35-75 degrees C. The information obtained in this work makes this BHAC very simple to prepare and low cost, useful for fullerene research applications.

In this paper, the synthesis of a cyclic hexapeptide molecule was presented and evaluated for the enantiomer separation of a series of dansyl amino and arylalkanoic acids using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). It was clearly vizualized that this chiral selector allowed the separation of a great number of enantiomer pairs. The influences of the size and the hydrogen bonding donor (HBD) parameter of the organic modifier (OM) (THF (HBD = 0.00), propan-2-ol (HBD = 0.33), methanol (HBD = 0.43)) added in the mobile phase were also investigated on both the enantiomer-chiral selector association and enantioseparation.

Otitis externa in dogs and cats is always caused by a combination of yeasts and bacteria, among which the most important are Malassezia pachydermatis, Staphylococcus intermedius and Pseudomonas species. These organisms often develop resistance to classical antimicrobial agents. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial activities of an ethyl acetate leaf extract of Harungana madagascariensis against the organisms cited, to carry out the phytochemical investigation of this extract and to determine its bioactive chemical class using dilution techniques, the bioautography method and the standard phytochemical method described by Harborne (1973). Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of saponins, tannins, flavonoids, alkaloids and anthracenic derivatives. The bioassay showed that the antimicrobial properties may be attributed to astilbin, a flavanone derivative identified on the basis of its spectroscopic data. The results suggest that the extract could be used in an antimicrobial preparation effective against the whole range of organisms incriminated in otitis externa in dogs and cats, with a minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 250 μg/ml.

CO

International audience; To develop a rapid and sensitive method to quantify viable Legionella spp. in cooling tower water samples. A rapid, culture-based method capable of quantifying as few as 600 Legionella microcolonies per litre within 2 days in industrial waters was developed. The method combines a short cultivation step of microcolonies on GVPC agar plate, specific detection of Legionella cells by a fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) approach, and a sensitive enumeration using a solid-phase cytometer. Following optimization of the cultivation conditions, the qualitative and quantitative performance of the method was assessed and the method was applied to 262 nuclear power plant cooling water samples. The performance of this method was in accordance with the culture method (NF-T 90-431) for Legionella enumeration. The rapid detection of viable Legionella in water is a major concern to the effective monitoring of this pathogenic bacterium in the main water sources involved in the transmission of legionellosis infection (Legionnaires' disease). The new method proposed here appears to be a robust, efficient and innovative means for rapidly quantifying cultivable Legionella in cooling tower water samples within 48 h.

A chiral stationary phase derived from an L-RNA aptamer is evaluated for the enantiomer separation of a series of herbicide molecules (aryloxypropionic, aryloxyphenoxypropionic, and aminopropionic acid) by CEC after binding to biotin and grafting upon streptavidin-modified porous glass beads. We demonstrated that the aptamer capillary was stable in term of efficiency and retention during a long period. The influences of the mobile phase constitution and its flow-velocity on the enantioseparation were also investigated. The results suggest that the interactions of the enantiomer during CEC are solely based on chromatographic mechanisms and that the electrophoresis plays only a minor role. The separation efficiency and peak shape could be improved by Mg2+ divalent cation that stabilized the aptamer secondary structure and thus enhanced the mass transfer kinetics during the ligand-aptamer binding process. In addition, it was demonstrated that the determination of the enantiomerization barrier of flamprop was possible using this chiral stationary phase.

Resume Introduction Les dermatologues dispensent souvent des formations sur le melanome aux medecins generalistes, mais ces actions ne sont pas systematiques et sont rarement evaluees. Materiel et methodes Une campagne de sensibilisation des medecins generalistes et medecins du travail au depistage du melanome a ete realisee dans le departement du Haut-Rhin en 2004. Les 630 medecins generalistes et 120 medecins du travail du departement ont recu des courriers repetes, du materiel (affiches, plaquettes) pour leurs salles d’attente, et ont ete invites a des seances de formation medicale continue. Ces seances comportaient 10 photographies d’evaluation initiale, une information epidemiologique, une formation a la reconnaissance des sujets a risque puis au diagnostic des lesions pigmentees, enfin 10 photographies d’evaluation finale. Les 20 photographies d’evaluation etaient choisies au hasard a chaque seance parmi 40 photographies comportant 18 melanomes, 14 naevus, 4 carcinomes basocellulaires et 4 keratoses seborrheiques. Les medecins remettaient en fin de seance 2 questionnaires anonymes comportant leur jugement global sur la campagne (Q1) et leurs reponses aux 20 photographies d’evaluation (diagnostic et attitude proposes) (Q2). Ces questionnaires ont ete analyses. Les 40 photographies d’evaluation ont en outre ete testees aupres de 47 dermatologues. Resultats Trois cent cinquante medecins repartis en 278/630 medecins generalistes (44 p. 100) et 72/120 medecins du travail (60 p. 100) ont assiste a 18 seances de formation medicale continue. Les taux de reponse aux questionnaires Q1 et Q2 etaient de 88 p. 100 et 90 p. 100 respectivement. La quasi-totalite des medecins considerait l’action menee comme justifiee. Au terme de la formation, 96 % pensaient mieux identifier les sujets a risque de melanome, et 53 p. 100 (58 p. 100 des medecins generalistes et 39 p. 100 des medecins du travail, p = 0,03) pensaient avoir fortement ameliore leur diagnostic des lesions pigmentees. Le nombre median de bonnes reponses aux photographies d’evaluation augmentait de 6/10 a 7/10 entre les photographies d’evaluation initiale et les photographies d’evaluation finale (p Discussion Cette premiere etude montre que l’impact immediat des seances de formation medicale continue sur les medecins generalistes/medecins du travail est important en terme de sensibilisation, et modere mais significatif en terme d’amelioration du diagnostic des lesions pigmentees. L’impact a plus long terme et l’impact de la campagne sur les medecins ne participant pas aux seances de formation medicale continue restent inconnus. Cette etude apporte des arguments en faveur d’une implication des medecins generalistes et medecins du travail dans un depistage de masse du melanome en collaboration avec les dermatologues. La campagne 2004 dans le Haut-Rhin comportait egalement une information du public. Son critere d’evaluation principal sera l’evolution de l’incidence des melanomes epais mesuree grâce au registre des cancers.

Novel features of DNA structure, recognition and discrimination have been recently elucidated through the solution structural characterization of DNA aptamers that bind cofactors, amino acids and peptides with high affinity and specificity. Multidimensional nuclear magnetic resonance methodologies have been successfully applied to solve the solution structures. In this work, it was demonstrated that capillary electrophoresis was a powerful tool allowing the fundamental study of the binding mechanism between a DNA aptamer and three ligands, adenosine and adenylate compounds, i.e., adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP). In order to gain further insight into this binding, thermodynamic measurements under different values of parameters (such as salt nature and its concentration (x) in the run buffer) were carried out. The results showed that dehydration at the binding interface, van der Waals interactions, H-bonding and adjustment of the aptamer recognition surface were implied in the aptamer-ligand association. As well, it was demonstrated that the addition in the medium of the sodium monovalent cation Na(+) or the nickel divalent cation Ni(2+) decreased the complex formation. Separation efficiency and peak shape can also be improved by Mg(2+) divalent cation, which increased the mass transfer kinetics during the ligand-aptamer binding process. A significant separation for the worst separated pair of peaks on the electropherogram ((ADP, ATP) peak pair) was thus achieved.

The increase of pest rodents population in urban and rural areas is tackled by dissemination of baits poisoned with anticoagulant compounds. In order to modelize the cell membrane transport of these rodenticides, which have toxic effect on human keratynocytes and break the vitamin K cycle, a new general model based on the perturbation method was developed to describe the association process between these rodenticide and an immobilized artificial membrane (IAM). The thermodynamic functions of the rodenticide transfer from the bulk solvent to the IAM surface were also determined. The variation plots of the solute transfer data versus the salt concentration (x) in the bulk solvent allow to demonstrate that the rodenticides—IAM surface association mechanism was governed by both the hydrophobic effect and the van der Waals interactions/hydrogen bonds between the rodenticide polar groups with the polar headgroups of phospholipid monolayers (polar retention effect). This result was also corroborated by a comparison of the number of water molecules surrounded the rodenticide in the medium (obtained by computational chemistry) and the number of water molecule release at the IAM—rodenticide interface (obtained thanks to the Tanford's equation).