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The effluents generated by the tannery industry have a high content of chromium and other toxic elements, representing a potential threat to ecosystems. An eco-friendly alternative to treat these effluents is the use of microorganisms, such as fungi, with the capacity to biosorb heavy metals. The present work aims to determine the effect of the molasses concentration, pH variation, and time on the removal of total chromium using the filamentous fungus Trichoderma spp. An experimental design was adopted using pH (4 and 6), concentrations of molasses (0.5 and 1%), and time (8 and 12 days) as independent variables. The Trichoderma inoculum was constant in all the treatments. The different treatments were evaluated after 0, 8, and 12 days by taking 50 mL of sample from each bioreactor. The chromium concentration was subsequently determined in each sample. The results show that treatment 3 (1% molasses and pH 4) showed higher chromium removal after both 8 and 12 days. The concentrations of total chromium decreased from 665 mg/mL to values of 568 mg/mL by day 8 and 486 mg/mL by day 12. These values are, however, still above the maximum threshold imposed by Peruvian law regarding the discharge of non-domestic effluents into the sewage system. The results show that Trichoderma spp. can increasingly remove chromium from the effluent with longer incubation periods. However, future studies are necessary to determine the mechanisms of chromium biosorption by the fungus and the influence of other physicochemical parameters.

Despite recent progress in the field of genetics, sporadic late-onset ( 40 years) cerebellar ataxia (SLOCA) etiology remains frequently elusive, while the optimal diagnostic workup still needs to be determined. We aimed to comprehensively describe the causes of SLOCA and to discuss the relevance of the investigations.We included 205 consecutive patients with SLOCA seen in our referral center. Patients were prospectively investigated using exhaustive clinical assessment, biochemical, genetic, electrophysiological, and imaging explorations.We established a diagnosis in 135 (66%) patients and reported 26 different causes for SLOCA, the most frequent being multiple system atrophy cerebellar type (MSA-C) (41%). Fifty-one patients (25%) had various causes of SLOCA including immune-mediated diseases such as multiple sclerosis or anti-GAD antibody-mediated ataxia; and other causes, such as alcoholic cerebellar degeneration, superficial siderosis, or Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. We also identified 11 genetic causes in 20 patients, including SPG7 (n = 4), RFC1-associated CANVAS (n = 3), SLC20A2 (n = 3), very-late-onset Friedreich's ataxia (n = 2), FXTAS (n = 2), SCA3 (n = 1), SCA17 (n = 1), DRPLA (n = 1), MYORG (n = 1), MELAS (n = 1), and a mitochondriopathy (n = 1) that were less severe than MSA-C (p 0.001). Remaining patients (34%) had idiopathic late-onset cerebellar ataxia which was less severe than MSA-C (p 0.01).Our prospective study provides an exhaustive picture of the etiology of SLOCA and clues regarding yield of investigations and diagnostic workup. Based on our observations, we established a diagnostic algorithm for SLOCA.

In cold spray, particles undergo large plastic deformation upon impact in a rapid dynamic regime (up to 109 s-1) at solid state. The simulation of this impact is key to understanding the cold spray process. In this study, an approach based on laser shock and micro-compression testing was developed to characterize the mechanical behavior of powders and fit parameters of the Johnson-Cook material behavior model. In situ micro-compression particle testing was performed in a SEM equipped with a microindentation stage. From subsequent FEM simulations of the test, static coefficients of the Johnson-Cook model were identified. A laser shock powder launcher (LASHPOL) was also developed to accelerate single particles and measure their corresponding velocity using high-speed imaging. In addition, image analysis of the particles before and after impact, together with FEM simulation, were used to determine strain rate hardening coefficients for the Johnson-Cook model.

PURPOSE: This study compared rural to non-rural dentists with respect to opioid prescribing practices, perceptions about prescription drug abuse among patients, and training relevant to pain management and addictions. METHODS: A web-based, cross-sectional questionnaire was administered to practicing dentist members of the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network (PBRN; N=822) and linked with Network Enrollment Questionnaire data regarding practitioner demographics and practice characteristics. Pain management prescribing practices and perceptions regarding relevance and scope of addiction and drug diversion among patients were assessed. Rural practice was defined as a practice whose ZIP Code has more than 50% of its population in either a nonmetropolitan county and/or a rural Census tract. FINDINGS: Rural dentists were significantly more likely than their non-rural counterparts to recommend non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents/acetaminophen in combination with prescribing an opioid [F (1,820) = 4.59, P = .03]. Compared to non-rural dentists, rural dentists were more likely to report that opioid abuse/diversion was a problem in their practices [χ(2) [1, n=807] = 6.85, P < .001], were more likely to have suspected a patient of abuse or diversion [χ(2) [1, n=807] = 10.12, P = .001], and were more likely to have refrained from prescribing due to suspicions of abuse or diversion [χ(2) [1, n=807] = 12.49, P < .001]. CONCLUSION: Rural dentists may be disproportionately impacted by patients’ opioid abuse and represent a viable target for educational outreach that encourages screening, identification, and referral of patients in need of drug abuse treatment.

Background and purpose (aims) Measurement error of intraoral quantitative sensory testing (QST) has been assessed using traditional methods for reliability, such as intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). Most studies reporting QST reliability focused on assessingone source of measurement error at a time, e.g., inter- or intra-examiner (test–retest) reliabilities and employed two examiners to test inter-examiner reliability. The present study used a complex design with multiple examiners with the aim of assessing the reliability of intraoral QST taking account of multiple sources of error simultaneously. Methods Four examiners of varied experience assessed 12 healthy participants in two visits separated by 48 h. Seven QST procedures to determine sensory thresholds were used: cold detection (CDT), warmth detection (WDT), cold pain (CPT), heat pain (HPT), mechanical detection (MDT), mechanical pain (MPT) and pressure pain (PPT). Mixed linear models were used to estimate variance components for reliability assessment; dependability coefficients were used to simulate alternative test scenarios. Results Most intraoral QST variability arose from differences between participants (8.8–30.5%), differences between visits within participant (4.6–52.8%), and error (13.3–28.3%). For QST procedures other than CDT and MDT, increasing the number of visits with a single examiner performing the procedures would lead to improved dependability (dependability coefficient ranges: single visit, four examiners = 0.12–0.54; four visits, single examiner = 0.27–0.68). A wide range of reliabilities for QST procedures, as measured by ICCs, was noted for inter- (0.39–0.80) and intra-examiner (0.10–0.62) variation. Conclusion Reliability of sensory testing can be better assessed by measuring multiple sources of error simultaneously instead of focusing on one source at a time. In experimental settings, large numbers of participants are needed to obtain accurate estimates of treatment effects based on QST measurements. This is different from clinical use, where variation between persons (the person main effect) is not a concern because clinical measurements are done on a single person. Implications Future studies assessing sensorytestingreliabilityinboth clinicaland experimental settings would benefit from routinely measuring multiple sources of error. The methods and results of this study can be used by clinical researchers to improve assessment of measurement error related to intraoral sensorytesting. This should lead to improved resource allocation when designing studies that use intraoral quantitative sensory testing in clinical and experimental settings. © 2017 Scandinavian Association for the Study of Pain. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The use of probiotics for farm animals has increased considerably over the last 15 years. Probiotics are defined as live microorganisms which can confer a health benefit for the host when administered in appropriate and regular quantities. Once ingested, the probiotic microorganisms can modulate the balance and activities of the gastrointestinal microbiota, whose role is fundamental to gut homeostasis. It has been demonstrated that numerous factors, such as dietary and management constraints, can strongly affect the structure and activities of the gut microbial communities, leading to impaired health and performance in livestock animals. In this review, the most important benefits of yeast and bacterial probiotics upon the gastrointestinal microbial ecosystem in ruminants and monogastric animals (equines, pigs, poultry, fish) reported in the recent scientific literature are described, as well as their implications in terms of animal nutrition and health. Additional knowledge on the possible mechanisms of action is also provided.

Members of the TGF-beta/BMP family of growth factors induce odontoblast differentiation and reparative dentin synthesis, and their use has been proposed to stimulate pulp healing during dental therapeutics in human. However, factors that modulate TGF-beta and/or BMP signalling during odontoblast differentiation and physiology remain largely unknown. To identify them, we compared expression profiles of TGF-beta/BMP-related genes in pulp fibroblast- and odontoblast-like cells cultured from human dental pulp explants using cDNA gene arrays. We evidenced that the gene encoding ecotropic viral integration site-1 (EVI1), a transcription factor that inhibits TGF-beta/BMP signalling, was under-expressed in odontoblast-like cells. This result was verified by real-time PCR and, at the protein level, by immunohistochemistry. In vivo, real-time PCR analysis revealed that EVI1 was expressed in the dental pulp, at a level similar to brain, but lower than in lung, kidney or trachea. The protein was localized in dental pulp samples in pulp core and subodontoblast cells. Staining intensity progressively decreased from the radicular to the coronal pulp where EVI1 staining was almost undetectable in odontoblasts. Our data suggest that fine regulation of the EVI1 level in the human dental pulp might be important in the TGF-beta/BMP-induced modulation of dental pulp cell kinetics and/or odontoblast differentiation.

International audience; In order to mimic the first steps of lignification, pectin/synthetic lignin (dehydrogenation polymers (DHPs)) interactions were investigated using reconstructing approaches. In artificially lignified bacterial cellulose(BC)/pectin composites, DHP nodules display a more dispersed distribution than in BC mats. Occurrence of covalent linkages between pectin and DHP was investigated by solid state NMR. Non-covalent bonds seem to govern the associative behaviour and stability of the complexes. Studied by small angle neutron scattering, a compaction process of DHP/pectin clusters occurs during polymerization and phase separation of the two polymers was shown at the nanometer scale.

"Los hechos represivos acaecidos los días 26 y 27 de septiembre de 2014, en Iguala, Guerrero, República Mexicana, constituyen un delito de lesa humanidad y revelan el grado de ruptura y descomposición del Estado mexicano, institución hoy ligada de diversas maneras, a los carteles de la droga, fenómeno que se relaciona de igual manera, con la práctica política de la mayoría de los partidos políticos mexicanos. Estructuras todas ellas, que en su disputa por el poder, sacrificaron la libertad y la vida de 50 jóvenes inocentes (43 desaparecidos, cinco muertos y dos heridos graves), la mayoría de ellos pertenecientes a la Normal Rural de Ayotzinapa, del Estado de Guerrero, hecho abominable que se ejecutó, con el mayor cinismo, prepotencia e impunidad, sumando además, la utilización de la desgracia, para obtener beneficios en su inacabable lucha por el poder."

Background Objectives were to determine the likelihood that a clinician accepts an impression for a single-unit crown and document crown remake rates. Methods The authors developed a questionnaire that asked dentists about techniques used to fabricate single-unit crowns. The authors showed dentists photographs of 4 impressions and asked them to accept or reject each impression. The authors correlated answers with dentist and practice characteristics. Other questions pertained to laboratory use and crown remake rates. Results The response rate was 83% (1,777 of 2,132 eligible dentists). Of the 4 impressions evaluated, 3 received consistent responses, with 85% agreement. One impression was more equivocal; 52% accepted the impression. The likelihood of accepting an impression was associated significantly with the clinician's sex, race, ethnicity, and practice busyness. Clinicians produced 18 crowns per month on average, and 9% used in-office milling. Most dentists (59%) reported a remake rate of less than 2%, whereas 17% reported a remake rate greater than 4%. Lower remake rates were associated significantly with more experienced clinicians, optical impressions, and not using dual-arch trays. Conclusions Although dentists were largely consistent in their evaluation of impressions (> 85%), nonclinical factors were associated with whether an impression was accepted or rejected. Lower crown remake rates were associated with more experienced clinicians, optical impressions, and not using dual-arch trays. Practical Implications These results provide a snapshot of clinical care considerations among a diverse group of dentists. Clinicians can compare their own remake rates and impression evaluation techniques with those in this sample when developing best practice protocols.

RESUME Le syndrome de Churg et Strauss (SCS) est une affection caracterisee par une hypereosinophilie et une vascularite systemique compliquant un asthme preexistant. Vingt observations ont ete etudiees. L’asthme precedait le SCS de 8 ans en moyenne. L’eosinophilie sanguine, toujours superieure a 1 700/μL, depassait 5 000/μL dans 17 cas. Les manifestations cliniques etaient les suivantes : 20 alterations febriles de l’etat general, 13 neuropathies peripheriques, 15 lesions cutanees, 10 atteintes pericardiques ou myocardiques, 10 atteintes digestives, 9 atteintes myo-articulaires, 7 renales, toutes liees a la vascularite et 9 atteintes ORL. La radiographie thoracique montrait des anomalies pleuro-pulmonaires ou cardiaques dans 14 cas. Le diagnostic fut confirme histologiquement dans 15 cas. Aucune difference clinique, biologique ou evolutive entre le groupe des 15 malades a biopsie positive et celui des 5 malades a biopsie negative ne fut constatee. L’evolution, suivie pendant 8,4 ± 7,9 ans, se fit par poussees toujours annoncees par l’elevation de l’eosinophilie. Dix-huit malades furent traites avec succes par les corticoides et 9 recurent, en outre, du cyclophosphamide. La survie a 5 ans fut de 85 %. Cinq deces lies au SCS se sont produits, dont 2 faute d’un traitement adapte. Il faut insister sur l’urgence therapeutique du SCS dont le diagnostic, essentiellement clinique, peut se passer de confirmation anatomo-pathologique.

We have reported previously the cloning and partial characterization of a chick A1 adenosine receptor expressed in the heart. We report herein the cloning of a chick A3 adenosine receptor and a comprehensive characterization of both the A1 and A3 receptors expressed in human embryonic kidney 293 cells. [125I]N6-(p-aminobenzyl)adenosine bound to both receptors with similar affinities and was used in competition studies. Although the selectivities of both agonists and antagonists were less than in other species, two antagonists, 3-ethyl-5-benzyl-2-methyl-6-phenyl-4-phenylethynal-(+/-)-dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarboxylate and 3,6-dichloro-2'-(isopropyloxy)-4'-methylflavone), were at least partially selective for A3 receptors while one antagonist [C8-(N-methylisopropyl)amine-N6-(5'endohydroxy)endonorboman-2-yl-9-methyladenine] was selective for A1 receptors. While both receptors coupled to the inhibition of adenylyl cyclase, we were unable to detect coupling of either receptor to phospholipase C or D.

There are a number of biases that may influence articles in the scientific literature in spite of publishing policies and the peer-review processes used by most journals. One of these biases is caused by the influence of organizations with an economic interest in the results of the research. Publication of results influenced in this way can be contrary to the goals of public health practice. The purpose of this paper is to present an example of an article that was published in the AIHA Journal after prior publication in another journal, and in which the data may have been manipulated and misrepresented in order to benefit the organization conducting the research. Although isocyanates were known to cause respiratory sensitization, and cartridge respirators were not certified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health for use with isocyanates because of their poor warning properties, DuPont and other manufacturers of polyurethane spray paints recommended the use of cartridge respirators on...

The humoral immune response of 34 macaques experimentally infected with SIVmac-251 was studied using a combination of an epitope library and synthetic peptides. The course of the immune response was checked for up to 9 months postinfection with a panel of clones expressing SIV fragments. A systematic study was performed with synthetic peptides covering the whole transmembrane (TM) and external (SU) envelope proteins. Seven major immunodominant epitopes were characterized. Four are localized in the SU protein: one in the V1 region (111-130), one in the Cys loop of the V3 region (311-330) and two in the C-terminal end (501-520 and 511-530). Three are localized in the TM protein: one in the extracellular domain (601-619), one in the anchor domain (731-750) and one in the intracytoplasmic domain (861-881). Among these epitopes, only one, 601-619, was found to be reactive with all sera and can be defined as the principal immunodominant epitope.

Des applications informatiques ont ete mises en place, ou sont en cours d'installation au Service francais de la Protection des Vegetaux. Elles concernent: (1) l'amelioration du suivi phytosanitaire des filieres a risque. Les informations collectees et analysees proviennent des controles effectues sur les produits importes et des controles effectues dans le cadre de la Surveillance du Territoire; (2) la diffusion des informations urgentes entre postes de controle par l'utilisation d'outils de communication; (3) l'aide aux controleurs par la diffusion d'une information plus accessible et la mise a jour periodique (reglementation, informations techniques…); (4) la realisation de syntheses regionales ou nationales des principaux problemes phytosanitaires a partir des diagnostics et des analyses effectues par le reseau des Laboratoires du Service de la Protection des Vegetaux.

Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) is a disorder characterised by hypereosinophilia and systemic vasculitis complicating a preexisting asthma. Twenty cases have been studied. Mean duration of asthma before CSS was 8 years, the peripheral-blood eosinophilia, always1,700/microL, went above 5,000/microL in 17 cases. The clinical manifestations were the following: 20 impairements of general state with fever, 13 peripheral neuropathies, 15 cutaneous injuries, 10 pericardial or myocardial attacks, 10 digestive impairements, 9 muscular and articular diseases, 7 renal diseases--all of them linked with the vasculitis--and 9 upper respiratory tract involvements. Pleuropulmonary or cardiac anomalies have been discovered at the chest X-ray in 14 cases. The diagnosis has been histologicaly confirmed in 15 cases. No clinical or biological or evolutive distinction was noticed between the 15 positive biopsy patients and the 5 negative ones. During 8.4 (+/- 7.9 years) the evolution was caracterised by relapses which have always been announced by increasing eosinophilia. Eighteen patients have been successfully treated with corticoids alone or associated with cyclophosphamid in 9. Survival at 5 years was 85%. Five deaths occured because of CSS (2 because of an unadapted treatment). We have to focus the need for an emergency treatment of CSS. The diagnosis can be done by clinical investigation only, before any anatomopathologic results.

La turbulencia hidromagnética presente en arcos coronales activos especialmente antes de ráfagas, es simulada por un campo eléctrico estocástico que sigue una ley de potencias, con el fin de estudiar numéricamente la aceleración estocástica de una distribución Maxwelliana de partículas. Se supone que estas partículas están atrapadas en el intenso campo magnético de un arco. Se muestra que se crea una cola supratermal en la distribución inicial de velocidades y que la distribución angular de las partículas se vuelve anisotrópica.

We report three personal cases of hydrocarbide aspiration pneumonia. High-viscosity non-volatile hydrocarbides (paraffin oil, for instance) cause often pseudotumoral exogenous fat-aspiration lung disease. Low-viscosity volatile hydrocarbides (petroleum, gasoline, white spirit, for instance) cause acute pseudo-infectious lung disease with dyspnea and fever which usually resolves within a few weeks but which may also be life-threatening. Purely symptomatic treatment has greatly progressed with advances in intensive ventilatory assistance. Gastric emptying with emetic agents or lavage procedures is dangerous and must be avoided except for exceptional cases. When required, the airways must be protected with tracheal intubation. Volatile hydrocarbides should be stored in protected areas in containers with safety stoppers which children cannot open.

One of the characteristics of object-oriented software is the complex dependency that may exist between classes due to inheritance, association and aggregation relationships. Hence, where to start testing and how to define an integration strategy are issues that require further investigation. This paper presents an approach to define a test order by exploiting a model produced during design stages (e.g., using OMT, UML), namely the class diagram. Our goal is to minimize the number of stubs to be constructed in order to decrease the cost of testing. This is done by testing a class after the classes it depends on. The novelty of the test order lies in the fact that it takes account of: (i) dynamic (polymorphism) dependencies; (ii) abstract classes that cannot be instantiated, making some testing levels infeasible. The test order is represented by a graph showing which testing levels must be done in sequence and which ones may be done independently. It also provides information about the classes involved in each level and how they are involved (e.g., instantiation or not). The approach is implemented in a tool called TOONS (testing level generator for object-oriented software). It is applied to an industrial case study from the avionics domain.

A serious limitation in the use of the DNA-cleaving, antitumoral-antibiotic, bleomycin during chemotherapy is pulmonary toxicity. Lung injury induced by bleomycin is characterized by an increased deposition of interstitial extracellular matrix proteins in the alveolar wall that compromises respiratory function. Several drugs have been tested in animal models to prevent the pulmonary toxicity of bleomycin, but have not led to a useful clinical treatment because of their adverse effects on other tissues. We have shown that transgenic mice expressing Streptoalloteichus hindustanus (Sh) ble bleomycin resistance protein in pulmonary epithelial cells in the lungs are protected against bleomycin-induced toxicity in lungs. In the present study, we used intranasal administration by adenovirus-mediated gene transfer of the bleomycin resistance Sh ble gene to mouse lung for prevention of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. We constructed recombinant adenoviruses Ad.CMVble and Ad.RSVble harboring the bleomycin resistance Sh ble gene under the control of the cytomegalovirus early promoter and the Rous sarcoma virus early promoter, respectively. Transgene expression was detected in epithelia of conducting airways and alveolar septa by immunostaining with a rabbit polyclonal antibody directed against the bleomycin resistance protein and persisted for the duration of drug treatment; i.e., up to 17 d. No toxic effect was seen in adenovirus-treated mice. Pretreatment of mice with Ad.CMVble or Ad.RSVble completely prevented collagen deposition 42-133 d after bleomycin treatment, as measured by lung OH-proline content. Histologic studies indicated that there was little or no lung injury in the adenovirus/bleomycin-treated mice compared with the bleomycin-treated mice. These observations may lead to new approaches for the prevention of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

Adequate dosage of sublingual buprenorphine is now recommended for substitution treatment of severe opioid dependance. We report two cases of acute discomfort, probably linked to withdrawal syndrome, after an IV injection of high doses of buprenorphine in opiate dependant patients. Data on the pharmacokinetics and neurobiochemical aspects of buprenorphine are compared with those of other opiates. A major issue of this work is a guideline for inducing substitution treatment with this "unique" partial agonist/antagonist of endorphinic receptors.

Sutton's disease is characterized by giant necrotizing ulcers around minor salivary glands and is of unknown cause. We report a case, review the medical literature, and discuss the treatment of this affliction.

Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF beta 1) is a cytokine involved in liver fibrogenesis. Previous semiquantitative studies of patients with chronic viral hepatitis showed that liver TGF beta 1 messenger RNA (mRNA) was increased, compared with normal controls and with patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection who responded favorably to interferon alfa (IFN alpha) treatment. To evaluate its potential prognostic significance, we measured liver TGF beta 1 mRNA, using a new competitive reverse gene amplification assay, in a total of 35 patients with chronic HCV. This technique was reproducible and sensitive; we could measure as few as 5,000 molecules of TGF beta 1 mRNA per microgram of total liver RNA. In patients with chronic HCV, the mean level of TGF beta 1 mRNA was 200-fold higher than in controls. However, no correlation could be found between TGF beta 1 mRNA and either the biological (serum amino-terminal peptide of type III procollagen) and histological (Knodell scores) indices of liver fibrosis or a favorable response to IFN alpha therapy. In 9 patients, second liver specimens were obtained after treatment; in most cases, TGF beta 1 mRNA levels and hepatic histological findings varied in parallel. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that TGF beta 1 plays a role in stimulating liver fibrogenesis during chronic HCV, despite the lack of prognostic value of TGF beta 1 mRNA levels measured before treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Introduction L’influence des probiotiques sur la reponse de l’axe HPA au stress est tres peu documentee. Il a ete montre qu’un traitement probiotique supprime l’hypercorticosteronemie induite par un stress neonatal chez le rat [1]. Toutefois, l’effet d’un traitement probiotique sur la reponse immediate de l’axe HPA en reponse a un stress aigu n’a pas ete evalue. Ainsi, l’objectif de cette etude etait d’evaluer l’effet d’un traitement par Lactobacillus farciminis (L.f) sur les modifications de la reponse de l’axe HPA induites par un stress aigu par determination (i) des taux plasmatiques de corticosterone (CS) et de l’hormone corticotrope (ACTH) (ii) de l’activation neuronale et de l’expression du facteur de liberation de corticotrophine (CRF) au niveau du noyau paraventriculaire de l’hypothalamus (PVN). Materiels et Methodes Dans une premiere serie d’experimentations, 14 groupes de 5 rats femelles Wistar recevant par voie orale L.f (1011 UFC/jour) pendant 15 jours (groupes 1-7) ou du NaCl 0,9 % (groupes 8-14) ont ete utilises, afin d’etablir une mesure cinetique des taux plasmatiques de CS et d’ACTH. Tous les animaux ont ete soumis a un stress de contrainte excepte ceux des groupes 1 et 8 (stress fictif, conditions basales). Apres 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 et 120 minutes de stress, un prelevement sanguin au niveau de l’aorte abdominale a ete realize pour la mesure des taux de CS et ACTH a l’aide d’un kit de dosage Linconplex. Dans une deuxieme serie, 4 groupes de 4 rats femelles Wistar traites par voie orale par L.f (1011 UFC/ jour) pendant 15 jours (groupes 1-2) ou du NaCl 0,9 % (groupes 3-4) ont ete soumis a une session de stress (groupes 1-3) ou de stress fictif (groupes 2-4). A la fin de la session de stress le cerveau a ete preleve et un co-marquage par immunofluorescence de la proteine c-Fos (marqueur d’activite neuronale) et du CRF a ete realise sur des coupes de la region PVN. Resultats Une augmentation (P Conclusion Cette etude montre qu’un traitement de 15 jours par L farciminis reduit la corticosteronemie en conditions basales et normalise l’activation neuroendocrine en reponse a un stress aigu chez le rat.

Sixteen patients with Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS), a disorder characterized by hypereosinophilia and systemic vasculities which complicate preexisting asthma, were analyzed. The mean duration of asthma before CSS was 8 years; peripheral blood eosinophilia was always greater than 1,900/microliters and exceeded 5,000/microliters in 14 cases. The clinical manifestations were the following: 16 in generally poor condition with fever; 12 peripheral neuropathies; 11 cutaneous lesions; 9 pericardial or myocardial involvement; 9 digestive disorders; 9 muscular or articular diseases; 5 renal involvement, all associated with the vasculitis; 7 upper respiratory tract disorders. Chest radiographs showed pleuropulmonary or cardiac anomalies in 11 patients. The diagnosis was confirmed histologically in 11 cases, however, no clinical, biological or evolutive differences were observed between these patients and those with negative biopsies (5). Follow-up for 6.35 +/- 5.55 years was characterized by relapses always preceded by increased eosinophilia. Fourteen patients were successfully treated with corticosteroids, associated with cyclophosphamide in 7 of them. Five-year survival was 87%. Four deaths occurred, all CSS-associated, two because of a poorly adapted therapeutic regimen. The need for rapid and effective treatment must be stressed. The diagnosis can be made based on clinical manifestations alone before histological confirmation can be obtained.

We determined the relative value of the free erythrocyte protoporphyrin (FEP) assay compared to those of total iron-binding capacity (TIBC) and serum ferritin in the diagnosis of iron deficiency in a population of elderly anemic subjects. One hundred and three patients, 65 to 98 years old (mean +/- SD: 81.5 +/- 8.8), with hemoglobin levels of less than 110 milligrams (mean +/- SD: 97 +/- 12, range 53-109) were included in the study. In the patients with iron-deficiency anemia due solely to chronic bleeding, mean values for the three parameters were highly different from those in patients without chronic bleeding. In the patients with anemia due to an association of chronic bleeding and chronic inflammation, the mean FEP value was very significantly different (p less than 0.001) from that in the patients with chronic inflammation but without bleeding, whereas this was not the case for TIBC or serum ferritin. The sensitivity of FEP in the diagnosis of iron deficiency due to chronic bleeding in this population of anemic subjects was 60% (specificity 90%), compared to 13% (specificity 96%) for TIBC and 20% (specificity 100%) for serum ferritin. The FEP assay thus emerges as being highly suitable for the diagnosis of iron-deficiency anemia in the elderly subject, particularly when bone marrow is not examined.

The pre-incubation of human colorectal carcinoma cells SW 1116 with 25 to 100 uM purified gangliosides resulted in 35-60% inhibition of specific (125I)-plasmin binding to the cell surface. After 5 to 6 days in culture, tumor cells were pre-incubated at 4 degrees for 1 to 4 h followed by post-incubation with (125I)-plasmin by techniques previously described. At 25 uM the capacity for inhibition of plasmin binding was GT1b greater than GQ1b greater than or equal to GD1a greater than GM1 less than or equal to GgOse 4Cer. Thus a terminal sialyl moiety appears to be necessary (p less than 0.05) although exogenous N-acetyl neuraminic acid was ineffective (p greater than 0.05), indicating a role for the lipid portion of the ganglioside. Other (glyco)lipids such as sphingosine, fucolipid H-1 and sulfatide were without significant effect. The inhibition could not be reversed by the presence of 10 mM Ca+2, EDTA, pre-treatment of the cell with carboxypeptidase or pretreatment of plasmin with neuraminidases. The inhibition was however reversed by post-incubation in control medium without exogenous ganglioside. Cell counts determined prior to, and after ganglioside incubation showed that the effect was not due to cell death or detachment from the culture surface. The dissociation constant for (125I)-plasmin binding was 5.6 x 10(-8) M (700,000 sites/cell), but in the presence of trisialoganglioside (GT1b), Scatchard plots suggested diversification of binding sites with 280,000 sites/cell at Kd 2.6 x 10(-8) M and 820,000 sites/cell at Kd 2.1 x 10(-7) M. Another interpretation of the Scatchard plot in the presence of ganglioside was that the glycolipid imposed negative cooperativity on plasmin binding to the cell surface. These results suggest that certain gangliosides can affect tumor cell invasiveness by altering protease binding to the cell surface.