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Objectives Lean body mass (LBM) is an important prognostic factor in patients with cancer. Although the L3–computed tomography (CT) scan is considered a reference method for assessment, a convenient and easily available method for longitudinal follow-up is required. Although bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is widely used, its accuracy is questioned; plasma creatinine-to-cystatin C (CC) ratio could be an attractive alternative. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of the CC ratio and BIA to detect myopenia in patients with cancer compared with the use of the CT scan as a standard. Methods Patients with any kind of cancer had body composition evaluation by CT scan, BIA, and CC. Statistical analysis included correlation test, Bland–Altman, and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Results Forty-four patients (14 women) were included. Of the participants, 59% had myopenia on CT scan. Both BIA LBM and CC ratio were well correlated with CT scan LBM (r = 0.763 and 0.648, respectively) but concordance analysis revealed a 3-kg constant bias toward BIA compared with CT scan. In terms of ability to detect myopenia, areas under the curve (AUC) for BIA were 0.675 and 0.388 for men and women, respectively. For CC ratio, AUCs were 0.813 and 0.673. Conclusion This study demonstrated that LBM assessed by the CC ratio or BIA is well correlated with that determined by L3-CT scan. The ability of the CC ratio to detect myopenia was better than that of BIA. Findings from the present study demonstrated that CC ratio can be conveniently used in patients with cancer as a reliable biomarker of muscularity.

Resume Introduction et but de l’etude L’immunotherapie a revolutionne la prise en charge des patients atteints de cancer en ciblant le systeme immunitaire de l’hote pour qu’il s’attaque aux cellules cancereuses. L’intestin a un role majeur dans la modulation de la reponse immunitaire. Si le role du microbiote intestinal sur l’immunotherapie est bien documente [1] , la masse enterocytaire active pourrait egalement en etre un facteur influencant son efficacite. La citrulline (cit) circulante est synthetisee et secretee par l’enterocyte et metabolisee par le rein. Ainsi, sa concentration plasmatique, ne depend que de la masse enterocytaire active et de la fonction renale. Le but de cette etude est de montrer que la citrulline plasmatique, pourrait etre un facteur pronostique de la reponse a l’immunotherapie. Materiel et methodes Dans cette etude monocentrique prospective nous avons inclus tous les patients se presentant en hopital de jour de cancerologie pour une evaluation avant l’initiation d’un traitement par immunotherapie pour un carcinome bronchique non a petite cellule. Afin de nous affranchir de l’effet de la fonction renale sur les concentrations circulantes en citrulline nous avons choisi d’etudier le rapport citrulline/creatinine (creat). La reponse a 3 mois a ete evaluee selon les criteres d’imagerie I-RECIST. Une analyse par GLM a ete effectuee sur la survie a 3 mois. L’analyse de la survie sans progression a ete realisee en stratifiant la population a partir de la valeur de cit/creat la plus predictive de la reponse a 3 mois (courbe ROC). Nous avons fait une analyse des courbes de Kaplan–Meier avec test du logrank et une analyse des risques proportionnels de Cox univariee. Resultats et analyse statistique Soixante-dix patients ont ete inclus dans l’etude (56 % d’hommes, âge median 63 ans). Quatre-vingt-trois pour cent des patients avaient une pathologie metastatique. Sept patients ont arrete leur traitement avant 3 mois du fait d’une mauvaise tolerance et ont ete exclus. Le rapport cit/creat etait un facteur predictif de la reponse au traitement a 3 mois (HR = 0,02 [0,0004–0,52]). L’analyse de courbe ROC estime que le seuil discriminant la reponse a 3 mois est de 0,35. L’analyse de Kaplan–Meier montre que la duree moyenne jusqu’a progression est de 122 jours chez les patients ayant une cit/creat ≥ 0,35 alors qu’elle n’est que de 63 jours chez les patients ayant une cit/creat Conclusion La masse enterocytaire active, evaluee par le rapport cit/creat est un facteur predictif de la reponse a 3 mois et de la survie sans progression lors d’un traitement par immunotherapie. L’etude de la fonction intestinale nous parait donc complementaire a celle du microbiote pour la comprehension des facteurs influant la reponse a l’immunotherapie.

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) are dramatically active in a minority of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. We studied here the relationship between patients's metabolism and outcome under ICI. Methods: Metastatic NSCLC patients underwent a nutritional assessment prior to initiating immunotherapy. Resting energy expenditure (REE) was measured (mREE) using ambulatory indirect calorimetry and compared with the theoretical value (tREE) provided by the Harris and Benedict formula. The primary endpoint was 6-month progression-free survival (PFS). Secondary endpoints included objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) based on investigator review per RECIST v1.1. and overall survival (OS). The association of patient's metabolism with 6-month PFS was first explored in a single-center training cohort to estimate the effect size. The relationship between patient's metabolism and 6-month PFS was then tested in an independent non interventional observational prospective cohort (ELY) of 100 patients recruited in two tertiary university centers. Findings: In the entire cohort, the ORR was 14% for the hypermetabolic group (n = 10/74) vs 38% for the normometabolic group (n = 26/68), respectively (estimated difference 25%, 95CI 9–40%, p = 0.001). The DCR was 28% for the hypermetabolic group (n = 21/74) vs 53% for the normometabolic group (n = 36/68), respectively (estimated difference 25%, 95CI 7–42%, p = 0.005). In the validation cohort (100 patients, 2 centers), normometabolic patients (defined as mREE/tREE < 110%) had increased 6-month PFS (57% versus 22%; odds ratio: 4.76; IC95 [1.87 – 12.89]; p

Introduction et but de l’etude Des alterations de la composition corporelle sont frequemment associes au cancer. En particulier, la myopenie, quand elle est presente, induit une diminution de la qualite de vie, de l’efficacite et de la tolerance aux traitements et de la survie globale. Pour autant, les methodes de reference d’evaluation de la composition corporelle ne peuvent pas etre facilement et systematiquement implantees dans le parcours de soin du patient. La validation d’un biomarqueur de composition corporelle est donc un enjeu majeur de la qualite de soin proposee au patient. La creatinine et la cystatine C sont deux marqueurs de la fonction renale. Tandis que la creatinine n’est produite que par les cellules musculaires, la cystatine C est produite par l’ensemble des cellules nucleees. Notre equipe [1] ainsi que d’autres ont montre que le rapport de la creatinine et de la cystatine C (souvent nomme index de sarcopenie ou SI) dependait de la masse musculaire. Le but de cette etude est de rechercher si le SI peut etre un facteur pronostique independant de la survie globale chez les patients atteints de cancer. Materiel et methodes Des patients atteints d’un cancer histologiquement documente adresses a l’hopital de jour de cancerologie pour une evaluation pre-therapeutique ont ete inclus dans cette etude. La surface (SM) et l’attenuation moyenne (AM) musculaires ont ete mesurees au niveau de la 3e vertebre lombaire par scanner ainsi que la force de prehension (FP) par Hand-Grip Test. Les correlations entre le SI et la SM, l’AM et la FP ont ete testees. La population a ete stratifiee selon la valeur de SI la plus discriminante pour la survie a 3 mois (analyse de courbes ROC). L’analyse de survie a ete realisee par regression de Cox uni et multivariee. Resultats et analyse statistique Au total, 450 patients ont ete inclus dans l’analyse (âge moyen 63,9 ans, 58 % d’hommes). Les cancers les plus frequents etaient bronchopulmonaires (26 %), digestifs (16 %), gynecologiques (13 %) et les sarcomes (11 %). La maladie etait localement avancee ou metastatique chez 78 % des patients. Le SI etait correle avec la SM (r = 0,432, p Tableau 1 montre les resultats de l’analyse multivariee incluant ces facteurs. Conclusion Le SI est un marqueur de masse mais egalement de qualite et de fonction musculaire. Il est un marqueur independant de survie globale dans cette etude incluant un grand nombre de patients atteints de tous types de cancer. Le SI pourrait donc s’imposer comme une alternative aux methodes de reference d’evaluation de la composition corporelle du fait de sa valeur predictive, sa simplicite d’utilisation, son innocuite et sa disponibilite.

Introduction et but de l’etude Les alterations de la composition corporelle ont un impact majeur sur le devenir des patients en cancerologie. Il etait donc legitime que l’evaluation de la composition corporelle integre les recommandations concernant le diagnostic de la denutrition telles qu’elles ont ete revues par la HAS en novembre 2019. Le but de cette etude est d’evaluer quel impact peut avoir la modification des recommandations concernant le diagnostic de la denutrition sur la prevalence de cette derniere dans le service d’oncologie medicale de notre etablissement. Materiel et methodes Tous les patients de moins de 70 ans et ayant eu un scanner abdominal dans les 6 semaines precedant l’inclusion, admis pour une evaluation pre-therapeutique en vue de l’initiation d’un traitement medicamenteux d’un cancer de tout type et a tout stade ont ete inclus. La composition corporelle a ete evaluee par mesure de la surface musculaire au niveau de la troisieme vertebre lombaire puis calcul de l’index de masse squelettique (IMS). La force de prehension a ete mesuree par hand-grip test. Pour ces 2 parametres, les seuils retenus sont ceux preconises par la HAS. Enfin, nous avons considere le cancer constituait le critere etiologique pour l’ensemble de nos patients. Resultats et analyse statistique Parmi les 168 patients inclus dans l’etude, 53 (31 %) etaient denutris selon les criteres de l’ANAES 2003. En tenant compte des recommandations HAS 2019, 120 (71 %) patients etaient denutris. En fait, cette large augmentation de la prevalence de la denutrition est principalement liee a l’inclusion des criteres d’alteration de la composition corporelle : 52 patients non diagnostiques denutris par les criteres de 2003 presentaient une alteration de la composition corporelle mise en evidence par le scanner en L3. Vingt-six patients n’avaient pas ete diagnostiques denutris selon les criteres de 2003 mais presentaient une alteration de leur hand-grip test. Et parmi ceux-la 13 ne presentaient pas d’alteration de la composition corporelle au scanner. Conclusion Chez nos patients de moins de 70 ans atteints de cancer, la prevalence de la denutrition est passee de 31 % a 71 % avec le changement des recommandations concernant son diagnostic. Cette augmentation est principalement liee a la prise en compte de l’alteration de la composition corporelle. Neanmoins, la population de patients atteints de cancer etant tres sujette a la myopenie, il est possible que la progression de la prevalence de la denutrition soit moindre chez des patients atteints d’autres pathologies. De plus, il est egalement probable qu’elle depende des methodes d’evaluation a disposition des equipes medicales.

Discipline Clinique. Introduction et but de l’etude Une sarcopenie est presente avant traitement chez environ 40 % des patients atteints de cancer et represente un risque accru de morbi-mortalite [1] . En pratique, elle est evaluee par le scanner en L3 ou l’impedancemetrie (BIA). Le rapport creatinine/cystatine C a ete recemment propose pour evaluer la masse musculaire, la creatinine refletant la masse musculaire et la fonction renale et la cystatine C plasmatique la seule fonction de filtration glomerulaire. Mais ce dernier parametre n’a pas ete etudie chez le patient atteint de cancer. Le but de cette etude est de comparer l’utilisation de ces trois methodes dans l’evaluation de la composition corporelle chez le patient atteint de cancer. Materiel et methodes Entre octobre 2017 et avril 2018, tous les patients ayant eu un scanner abdominal au maximum 1,5 mois avant leur evaluation pre-therapeutique en hopital de jour de cancerologie ont ete inclus dans l’etude. Une mesure de la composition corporelle par BIA (Bodystat Quadscan 4000®) et le dosage de la creatinine (Roche, Cobas 8000®) et de la cystatine C (Siemens, BNII®) plasmatiques ont ete realises a cette occasion. Les analyses statistiques (correlation de Pearson, Bland-Altman, Passing-Bablok et courbes ROC) ont ete faites avec RStudio (v. 1,1,442). Resultats et analyse statistique Nous avons inclus 44 patients (14 femmes) d’âge median 65 ans (36 a 93 ans), tous cancers confondus (17 localisations dont poumon : 27 %, prostate : 15 %). Les correlations entre les differentes methodes sont bonnes ( Tableau 1 ). La BIA tend a surestimer la masse maigre (MM) d’environ 3 kg (test de Bland-Altman). Sur la base des criteres de sarcopenie au scanner [2] (seuil : 19,1 kg/m2 (H), 15,76 kg/m2 (F)), la sensibilite de la BIA pour diagnostiquer une MM faible est de 75 % et la specificite de 67 % chez l’homme et de 38 % et 100 % respectivement chez la femme. Selon les memes criteres, le seuil de rapport creatinine/cystatine C pour une masse maigre faible est de 95,01 μmol/g chez l’homme et de 65,3 μmol/g chez la femme avec une sensibilite et une specificite respectivement 96 % et de 50 % chez l’homme et de 38 % et 100 % chez la femme. Conclusion La correlation entre la MM determinee par le scanner en L3 et par la BIA ainsi qu’avec le rapport creatinine/cystatine C est bonne. En revanche, la concordance entre le scanner et la BIA est mediocre. La BIA et le rapport creatinine/cystatine C peuvent aider au diagnostic de masse maigre faible, en particulier chez les hommes. Ce rapport est un marqueur peu couteux et facile a mesurer qui pourrait entrer dans l’evaluation de l’etat nutritionnel du patient atteint de cancer.

Resume L’avenir du systeme de sante francais se caracterise par des elements de contexte qui lui sont propres, et d’autres qu’il partage avec la majorite des pays de l’Organisation de cooperation et de developpement economiques (OCDE): les depenses de sante, meme contenues, progressent toujours plus vite que la richesse nationale, la « fracture generationnelle » compromet notre conception de la solidarite, l’equilibre entre regime obligatoire d’Assurance maladie et couverture complementaire est remis en question, la relation soignant/soigne se recompose, les technologies de l’information frappent a la porte du management, la triple exigence de qualite, de performance et d’efficience economique se fait pregnante… Or, la transition epidemiologique pose abruptement la question de la fiabilite de la prise en charge des affections chroniques et de la perennite de notre systeme du remboursement a 100% des Affections de longue duree (ALD). Issu du compromis historique de la Liberation - en un temps ou l’essentiel des depenses etait constitue d’indemnites journalieres -, cet acquis social est regulierement questionne, encore recemment a propos de l’hypertension arterielle. Le debat sur le « Bouclier sanitaire », reste en jachere depuis quelques annees, reviendra dans l’actualite politique, mais par le biais de l’economie et, sans doute, avant meme le terme du quinquennat entame l’an dernier. Ce sujet interpelle tous les acteurs, mais tout d’abord les professionnels et les patients. Parce que les deux tiers du cout final de la maladie sont absorbes par la facture de complications mal prevenues, les auteurs soutiennent la theorie selon laquelle le diabete est le terrain privilegie d’innovation societale par la re-definition d’un parcours de soins incitatif et responsabilisant.

Introduction et but de l’etude Environ 30 % des 3,5 millions de nouveaux cas de cancer recenses en Europe en 2012 concernaient les personnes âgees de plus de 75 ans. Or, le cancer et le vieillissement sont deux situations s’accompagnant frequemment d’une denutrition, facteur de mauvais pronostic. Les modifications du metabolisme energetique liees au vieillissement pourraient majorer le risque de denutrition liee au cancer. Une etude menee au sein du service de cancerologie de notre hopital a montre une augmentation de la depense energetique de repos chez environ 50 % des patients atteints de cancer [1] . Les donnees concernant la reponse a l’agression chez la personne âgee sont rares, voire inexistantes dans le cas du cancer. L’objectif principal de notre travail etait d’etudier l’influence de l’âge sur la depense energetique de repos du patient atteint de cancer et les objectifs secondaires de mettre en evidence des determinants hormonaux et inflammatoires influencant cette depense energetique. Materiel et methodes Nous avons conduit une etude transversale cas/temoins dans deux groupes de patients âges respectivement de moins et de plus de 75 ans, tous atteints d’un cancer broncho-pulmonaire. Les patients ont ete soumis a une determination de la depense energetique de repos par calorimetrie indirecte et de la composition corporelle par extrapolation a partir du scanner en L3. Un bilan biologique hormonal (TSH, insuline, IGF1), inflammatoire (CRP, orosomucoide, TNFα, IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10), nutritionnel (albumine, transthyretine) et metabolique (glucose, lactate, acides amines plasmatiques) a egalement ete realise. Analyse statistique : verification de la normalite (Shapiro-Wilk) et tests parametriques (Student, Pearson) ou non (Mann-Whitney, Spearman) ; seuil de significativite : p Resultats Entre janvier et juin 2016, nous avons pu inclure 20 patients âges de moins de 75 ans et sept patients âges de plus de 75 ans. La depense energetique de repos tendait a etre plus faible dans le groupe des patients les plus âges (1370 ± 424 kcal/j contre 1589 ± 328 kcal/j respectivement ; p = 0,16) mais cette difference disparaissait apres correction par la masse maigre (37,9 ± 10,1 kcal/j/kg contre 38,2 ± 6,1 kcal/j/kg ; p = 0,921). En ce qui concerne les objectifs secondaires, nous n’avons pas mis en evidence de correlation entre les parametres etudies et la depense energetique de repos en dehors d’une correlation negative entre la depense energetique de repos rapportee a la masse maigre et la concentration plasmatique en tryptophane (r = –0,509 ; p Conclusion Avec les reserves imposees par le manque de puissance statistique de notre etude, il semble que la variation de depense energetique de repos accompagnant le vieillissement chez le patient atteint d’un cancer bronchopulmonaire soit liee a celle de la composition corporelle associee au vieillissement. La relation negative existant entre tryptophane plasmatique et depense energetique de repos pourrait etre liee au role de la depletion en tryptophane dans la tolerance immunitaire au cancer.

In an effort to prevent the transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) through blood transfusion all blood donors in Yaounde Cameroon are systematically screened. Of the 3535 donors screened between February-September 1987 only 10 (0.28%) were positive for HIV infection. Serologic tests were also performed on other population groups with the following rates of HIV seropositivity: 483 blood transfusion recipients (the majority with sickle cell disease) 0.4%; 30 patients with Kaposis sarcoma no cases; 13 patients with lymphomas and other blood malignancies no cases; 600 pregnant women 1.5%; and 9 infants born to HIV-positive mothers 66%. These rates are in dramatic contrast with the high HIV seroprevalence rates in neighboring countries such as Zaire Central African Republic and the Congo among the general population and blood donors. More research is needed to assess the relative influence of social cultural genetic and environmental factors and sexual behavior on the variations in prevalence of HIV infection in African countries. A puzzling finding in this research is the higher rate of seropositivity among pregnant women in Cameroon (1.5%) than blood donors (0.28%). Overall it appears that Cameroon is a pre-epidemic area for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and that preventive measures can stop or at least slow the spread of infection.

A fully integrated very wide-band (WB) digital receiver subsystem has been developed to support the Navy Advanced Multifunction RF Concept test-bed program. Input RF signals in the 6-18-GHz band are processed to provide digital outputs for narrow-band and digital beam outputs for WB applications having instantaneous bandwidths of 22 and 230 MHz, respectively. This paper describes the design and performance of the digital receiver subsystem.

Ferritin has been shown as being the principal iron storage in the majority of living organisms. In marine species, ferritin is also involved in high-level accumulation of (210)Po. As part of our work on the investigation of these radionuclides' concentration in natural environment, ferritin was searched at the gene and protein level. Ferritin was purified from the visceral mass of the oyster Crassostrea gigas by ion-exchange chromatography and HPLC. SDS-PAGE revealed one band of 20 kDa. An Expressed Sequence Tag (EST) library was screened and led to the identification of two complementary DNA (cDNA) involved in ferritin subunit expression. The complete coding sequences and the untranslated regions (UTRs) of the two genes were obtained and a 5' Rapid Amplification of cDNA Ends (RACE) was used to obtain the two iron-responsive elements (IREs) with the predicted stem-loop structures usually present in the 5'-UTR of ferritin mRNA. Sequence alignment in amino acid of the two new cDNA showed an identity with Pinctada fucata (85.4-88.3%), Lymnaea stagnalis (79.3-82.2%) and Helix pomatia (79.1-79.1%). The residues responsible for the ferroxidase center, conserved in all vertebrate H-ferritins, are present in the two oyster ferritin subunits. Oyster ferritins do not present the special characteristics of other invertebrate ferritins like insect ferritins but have some functional similarities with the vertebrate H chains ferritin.

To determine the biological reproducibility and estimate relevant covariates for candidate circulating biomarkers of angiogenesis, we conducted 3 sub-studies with ≤ 15 subjects each. In study 1, 6 healthy subjects provided 13 blood samples across 14–24 days. In study 2, 15 advanced solid tumor patients provided single blood samples before, and approximately 8 and 40 days after sorafenib treatment. In study 3, 4 healthy subjects provided blood samples on 3 occasions over 14 days, processed simultaneously in 2 different laboratories at a single institution. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGFA), soluble VEGF receptor-2 (sVEGFR2), and angiopoietin-2 (Ang2) concentrations in plasma and serum were determined by standard immunoassays. Ang2 and sVEGFR2 demonstrated low variance within and high variance across individuals reflected by the high intraclass correlation coefficient (for Ang2: 0.86 for plasma, 0.89 for serum; for sVEGFR2: 0.91 for plasma, 0.87 for serum). Repeated measures linear modeling from 15 patients demonstrated increased Ang2 (P ≤ 0.05) and decreased sVEGFR2 (P ≤ 0.05) after exposure to sorafenib. VEGFA had high intraindividual variance, and study 3 demonstrated the laboratory to have significant effects on plasma measurements (P ≤ 0.05). The biological reproducibility of sVEGFR2 and Ang2 support further use of these markers in studies of vasculature-targeted therapeutics.

Recombination events are known to occur in non-segmented RNA viruses like polioviruses or alphaviruses. Analysis of the subgenomic sequences of dengue virus type 1 (DENV-1) structural genes has recently allowed the identification of possible recombination breakpoints. Because DENV is a major human pathogen, this discovery might have important implications for virus pathogenicity, vaccine safety and efficiency, or diagnosis and, therefore, requires clear confirmation. We report the complete sequence determination of one Asian and two African strains of DENV-1 isolated from human patients. Rigorous sequence analysis provided strong evidence for the occurrence of intragenomic recombination events between DENV-1 strains belonging to different lineages. Singapore S275/90 strain appears to be the evolutionary product of a recombination event between viruses belonging to two distinct lineages: one lineage includes an African strain isolated in Abidjan (Ivory Coast) and the other includes isolates from Djibouti and Cambodia. The ‘Recombination Detection Program’, bootscanning and analysis of diversity plots provided congruent results concerning the existence of a two-switch recombination event and the localization of recombination breakpoints. Thus, the 5′ and 3′ genomic ends of the Singapore S275/90 strain were inherited from a Djibouti/Cambodia lineage ancestor and an internal fragment located in the envelope/NS1 region originated from an Abidjan lineage ancestor.

Severe forms of dengue fever, dengue haemorrhagic fever, and dengue shock syndrome, were not prominent in the Americas until the epidemic of Cuba in 1981. Since that time, they have spread to other countries in Central and South America, correlating with the spread of dengue type 2 viruses related to Southeast Asian strains. We report here the complete genomic sequence of a dengue type 2 virus isolated during the epidemic in La Martinique in 1998. This constitutes the first complete genetic characterization of a dengue virus strain from French West Indies, and also the first molecular identification in this region of a dengue 2 strain phylogenetically related to the emerging American type 2 dengue viruses.

Comparisons of circadian rhythmicity, behavior, and metabolism between surface- and cave-dwelling sala- manders allow evolutionary trends in these processes to be elucidated. The proteid Proteus anguinus, an obligate cave- dweller, showed no apparent daily rhythm of activity or resting metabolic rate. In contrast, the salamandrid Euproctus asper, a surface-dweller / facultative cave-dweller, had a circadian resting metabolic rate and activity cycle. These circa - dian rhythms had an endogenous component. The lives of both studied salamanders were characterized by long periods of inactivity punctuated by bouts of foraging or exploratory/predatory behavior. Proteus anguinus had reduced resting metabolic and spontaneous activity rates (considerably lower than those of most surface-dwelling amphibians), and therefore appears to be a good example of a vertebrate as a low-energy system. The low metabolic and activity rates of P. anguinus are interpreted as adaptations to a subterranean environment, where a poor and discontinuous food supply and (or) intermittent hypoxia may be present for long periods. Resume : L'analyse comparee des rythmes circadiens, du comportement et de la consommation d'oxygene chez des amphibiens cavernicoles et epiges permet d'elucider certains des problemes evolutifs lies a ces mecanismes. Le pro- teide cavernicole Proteus anguinus ne possede pas de rythme journalier d'activite locomotrice ou de metabolisme de repos. Au contraire, ces deux variables comportent une importante composante circadienne (d'origine endogene) chez le salamandride epige / cavernicole facultatif Euproctus asper. Les deux urodeles etudies ont de longues phases d'inactivite ponctuees de courtes periodes d'exploration du territoire liees a un comportement de predation. Proteus anguinus pos- sede un metabolisme de repos et une activite spontanee reduits par rapport a la majorite des amphibiens epiges et cons- titue donc un excellent exemple de vertebre envisage comme un systeme a faible energie. Ces faibles valeurs de metabolisme et d'activite sont interpretees comme etant des adaptations au milieu souterrain ou les organismes subis- sent parfois des phases de jeune et (ou) d'hypoxie longues et severes.

Artificial radionuclides are released into the aquatic environment. Some of them are incorporated into aquatic organisms. An attempt has been made to elucidate the accumulation of radionuclides within the intracellular constituents of these organisms. On chronically radiolabelled animals (labelled sea water), the subcellular localisation of 241 Am in the digestive gland cells of periwinkles and of oysters was determined. Similar experiments were performed on the hepatopancreas of the lobster (labelled food) with 241 Am, 238 Pu and 95 Tc m , and in pyloric caeca of sea-stars with 241 Am, 252 Cf and 92 Tc m . The distribution of 137 Cs was studied in cytosolic fractions of muscle and liver of eels and in the oyster. Distribution of radioelements appeared to correlate with the metabolic pathways of the species studied and with the chemical nature of the radionuclide. The results provide data in radioprotection research and may explain the biokinetics which were observed for whole organisms.

The subcellular distribution and binding of 241Am and 137Cs in the visceral mass of the oyster Crassostrea gigas were investigated following exposure to sea water contaminated with these radionuclides. 241 Am was predominantly sequestered by the lysosomal system. Approximately, 10% of 241Am was associated with soluble macromolecules. 241Am was bound to lipofuscin, ferritin and to unidentified ligands of 60 to 15 kdaltons mol. wt. No evidence was found for binding of 241Am to metallothionein synthesized de novo. In contrast, only small amounts of 137Cs were present in lysosomes and 137Cs was not associated with soluble cellular proteins. These results indicate that they enter complete separate metabolic pathways.

L'evaluation du pouvoir dispersant d'une huile pour moteurs a essence est incluse dans les specifications internationales telles que les specifications du Comite des Constructeurs du Marche Commun (CCMC) et les specifications de l'American Petroleum Institute (API). Cette evaluation est effectuee a partir d'essais longs, severes et couteux sur moteurs au banc. Il s'agit des essais sur moteurs Mercedes M102E (niveaux CCMC G4 et G5) et Ford Pinto 2,3l (niveaux API SG et SH). Le cout de ces essais necessite l'utilisation, au laboratoire, de tests de preselection des lubrifiants qui soient fiables. Le test le plus employe, pour l'evaluation du pouvoir dispersant d'une huile pour moteur, est l'essai a la tache . Il est effectue en presence de polluants provenant d'une huile de moteur Diesel enrichie en matieres charbonneuses (tableaux 1 et 4, fig. 2). Cependant, certaines technologies d'additifs, qui donnent de bons resultats dans cet essai, donnent de mauvais resultats sur essais moteurs et inversement (tableau 2). Dans la Sequence VE, d'une duree de 288 h, l'huile est soumise a differents cycles de temperature (tableau 3). Si l'on suit, par l'essai a la tache, l'evolution du pouvoir dispersant de cette huile, en fonction du temps d'essai, on decrit les courbes representees figure 1. Les methodes OXYDISP et POTDISP que nous proposons dans cet article, permettent d'obtenir les memes evolutions et le meme classement des produits que lors de l'essai moteur. Ces methodes sont basees sur l'association de deux sequences successives. La premiere sequence consiste en un vieillissement prealable du lubrifiant par oxydation artificielle a haute temperature (160 ou 180°C) (tableau 5). La seconde sequence correspond a l'evaluation du pouvoir dispersant du lubrifiant, en cours et en fin d'oxydation, par realisation d'essais a la tache. L'huile oxydee subit alors un traitement particulier, par pollution artificielle, a 200°C, a l'aide de boues provenant d'une huile ayant ete prealablement vieillie sur moteur Ford Pinto 2,3 l et d'eau (tableaux 4 et 6, fig. 3). On trace alors la courbe Merite dispersant residuel(MDR) en fonction du temps d'oxydation (fig. 5 et 12). Cette courbe a la meme allure que celle decrite dans la sequence VE (fig. 1). Le trace des courbes MDR en fonction de la cotation moteur moyenne en boues VE (Average Engine Sludge Deposit (AES)) permet de discriminer clairement les huiles bonnes ou mauvaises en Sequence VE. A partir de 96 h d'oxydation, dans l'essai OXYDISP (fig. 9) et de 48 h dans l'essai POTDISP (fig. 14), nous sommes en presence de deux familles de produits : les produits qui conservent leur MDR et qui obtiennent un merite bouesegal ou superieur a 9, dans la Sequence VE et les produits qui perdent leur MDR et qui ont tous des merites inferieurs a 9 dans la meme sequence. Les methodes OXYDISP et POTDISP permettent egalement de differencier des huiles de niveaux API differents (niveaux SE, SF et SG) (fig. 16 et 17).

The field of my talk shall limit itself to the social production of production technology. In my mind, the system of technology cannot be separated from its social matrix of production : we shall demonstrate this by explaining how the preconcieved images that designers have of the worker's labour and of Man's place in regards to matter clearly show through the main characteristics of automated production. We shall then attempt to explain these images through the social position of the designers of technology and by underlining the way production is characterized by the dissociation between operators who arc interchangeable and the command and control of the process of transformation that is kept aloof of the shopfloor. Through the concept of socio-technical steps it is possible Lo formalize the social preconditions of the production of technology. Thus, the links between computering and capitalism can also be inscribed in the same approach. The specificities of computering are here put forth through the issues of the nature of the communication and its memoprospective function. Which in turn leads us to consider the social nature of information.

Following uptake of technetium-95m and americium-241 by lobsters (Homarus gammarus) from food, the subcellular distribution and binding in the major organ of accumulation, the digestive gland, were analysed.95mTc was predominantly bound to soluble proteins; approximately 40% was bound to two proteins displaying the same elution characteristics as Cdthioneins as indicated by gel permeation and ion-exchange chromatography, indicating reduction and sequestration by metallothionein in vivo. The identity of a third anionic low molecular weight Tc-binding component was not established. No evidence was found for binding of Tc to haemocyanin, ferritin or transferrin. Particulate Tc [probably TcO(OH)2] was bound to plasma membranes and was also present in lysosomes, indicating reduction of pertechnetate and pinocytosis in the digestive gland. In contrast,241Am was mainly sequestered by the lysosomal/vacuolar system, indicative of uptake by pinocytosis. Approximately 2 to 3% of the Am was bound to ferritin and 20% was bound to unidentified ligands of 10 and 20 kdaltons mol. wt. There was no evidence for sequestration of Am by metallothionein. These studies prove that waste radionuclides discharged by the nuclear industry are metabolically active and enter the normal metal metabolism and detoxication pathways of a marine shellfish.

The low temperature properties of petroleum products are improved either by refinery processing or by adding wax crystallization modifiers. The crystallization of paraffins in waxy crudes and petroleum products is governed by three phenomena : nucleation, growth and agglomeration or gelling. Different wax crystal modifiers can have a specific effect on these various steps of crystallization. Research in this field discussed in this article has the dual aim first to describe these specific actions and then, to define more and more efficient structures of additives in applications having to do with wax crystallization :(a) Production, transportation and storage of waxy crudes (b) Diesel fuel behavior at low temperatures(c) Base stock dewaxing process(d) Low temperature operability of lubricating oils.

The computerisation of a machining line entails changes in work organisation. The main innovations are the use of work teams, collective responsability, and the multi-skilling of operatives. Yet these changes are not enough to ensure a satisfactory working of the line because of the way information technologies increase the complexity of the manufacturing process. To overcome the crisis of unskilled work, and to increase the optimum use of the integrated machining line, we propose a new organisation of Work between all departments of production and not just within machining.

In response to the crisis of “simple work” and to meet the demands of the new systems of computerized manufacturing, the heads of companies have established, under different concret forms, the principles of work organization that are embodied in the notion of the “productic paradigm”*. This includes: - the “polyvalence” (or polyactivity) of operators with maintenance work at superficial level, - work in group, with a collective responsability for the volume an quality output, - continuous work, - involvement in certain areas of production and self management for the lower echelons of the workforce. A number of factors counteract the effects of the productic paradigm and hasten its exhaustion: - the persistence of the Taylorian tradition, notably in the division of functions within the company and in the role of the supersview staff, - more structuraly, the maintenance of the workforce in a sphere of “heteronomie” means that the sense of its work is imposed from the outside: this is a consequence of the separation between the workers and their work implements, and the thickness of the social texture, that is, of the non-immediatity of social ralations. If the productic paradigm is unable to achieve its objectives, others rules of functionning for the company can be envisaged increasing work efficiency. We thus suggest the entry by the main informational flows in the enterprise: - the flow of information between machins, - the flow of information between individuals, - the flow of information betweenn machines and individuals. After having distinguished flows of onformation from communication, we focus on the essential condition for communication both within and between the flows, namely an approach to the enterprise from belows, in terms of the reality of work, and on the basis of the concrete demands of the manufacturing implements. This is joped to favour the reconstitution of an sens of work.

International audience; In this paper, we report on the covalent attachment of humic acids on silicon wafers.Monolayers of 11-amino-undecylsiloxane were prepared on silicon wafers by substitution of 11-bromo-undecylsiloxane with an azido group followed by a subsequent reduction. These substrates were coupled with humic acids via a diazotization procedure. Characterization of the functionalized surfaces was performed by different methods: ATR-FTIR, ellipsometry, AFM, TOF-SIMS and amino groups surface density was monitored by UV spectroscopy. These different methods confirmed the immobilization of humic acids on the substrates, consisting in a very useful tool for environmental applications, in particular, for determination of complexation constants between immobilized humic acid moiety and radionuclides. These miniaturized solid state system could be used as a sensitive detector for trace elements in fluid solutions or lixiviation studies in the framework of radionuclide dissemination and modelling studies from radioactive storage.

This study was carried out in 2003 to detected serological evidence of West Nile virus infection in 190 Army horses kept nearby French troops stationed in Southeast France and in Africa (Chad, Côte d'Ivoire and Senegal). Both IgG and IgM antibodies were searched for using an ELISA assay. Specifiity of IgG antibodies was determined by western blot and plaque reduction seroneutraization. Finding showed that 79% of the Army horses (n=96) tested in Africa presented specific IgG antibodies. All horses that were seropositive for IgG were seronegative for IgM. None of the Army horses (n=94) tested in the Southeast France were seropositive for West Nile virus. This study indicates that West Nile virus has circulated in all three African countries but not recently. It also underscores the value of western blotting as a rapid, specific confirmation technique that could eliminate the need to use plaque reduction seroneutralization.

1 International Atomic Energy Agency, Marine Environment Laboratory, 4 Quai Antoine Ier, MC-98000 Principality of Monaco 2 Laboratoire Biologie et Environnement Marins, FRE 2727, Universite de la Rochelle, 22 avenue Michel Crepeau, F-17042 Cedex, France 3 IRD-Noumea Center, BPA5, 98848 Noumea Cedex, New Caledonia 4 Groupe SMAB, EA 2160, Laboratoire Germetrad, Universite de Nantes, Pole Mer et Littoral, 2 rue de la Houssiniere B.P. 92208, F-44322 Nantes Cedex 3, France

Venlafaxine (Effexor; Wyeth Lederle), a serotoninergic-like anti-depressant, and Topiramate (Epitomax; Jansen Cilag), a new anti-epileptic drug, share some evidence of clinical activity in the treatment of neuropathic pain. Several anti-cancer agents have neurosensory toxicity as limiting toxicity of their repeated administration. One of the most recent and the most widely used is oxaliplatin. No medication is presently known to be active against oxaliplatin permanent neurosensory toxicity. We observed that venlafaxine hydrochloride or low-dose topiramate could be active against the permanent neuropathy-related symptoms of oxaliplatin. Both agents allowed pain relief and a significant autonomy improvement. These preliminary results invite us to evaluate further venlafaxine hydrochloride and topiramate for the treatment of permanent anti-cancer chemotherapy-induced neuropathies.

Only six of the many alphavirus known to affect humans can cause articular manifestations. They are the Ross River and Barmah Forest viruses from the South Pacific, the Chikungunya, O'Nyong Nyong and Sindbis viruses from tropical Africa, and the Mayaro virus from South America. In most cases, articular manifestations involve arthralgia or transient arthritis and are usually minor. However in some cases especially involving Ross River virus acute polyarthritis may be the most prominent clinical feature and even develop before fever. Although these joint symptoms may be severe and persist for weeks or months in a subacute mode with slightly inflammatory episodes that can be relieved using analgesics, they never cause permanent damage. Differential diagnosis of alphavirsus-related polyarthritis is simple to diagnosis especially in epidemic outbreaks as is frequently the case for Ross River virus epidemics in Australia. Imported cases should be suspected in patients presenting acute or subacute polyarthritis after a recent stay of any length of time in a tropical country and can be confirmed by ordering serology from a specialized reference laboratory.

On October 6, a case of human West Nile virus (WNV) infection was notified