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Several unautomated anti-HEV diagnostic tests are presently available.We have evaluated the performance of the new automated VIDAS® ANTI-HEV IgM and IgG assays.We assessed the reproducibility and cross-reactivity of both VIDAS assays and the analytical sensitivity and linearity of the VIDAS IgG assay. We also tested the VIDAS and comparator assays Wantai IgG and IgM on immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients. Data were analysed according to the infectious profile, with samples from viremic phase (HEV RNA/IgM positive) and post-viremic phase (HEV RNA negative, IgM positive) infections, and uninfected patients (HEV RNA/IgM negative).Within-run reproducibility was10% and between-run reproducibility was12% for both assays. We found no cross-reactivity, except for the VIDAS IgG assay in some patients with HBV (1/10) or malaria (3/23) infections and for the VIDAS IgM assay in some HIV-infected patients (1/10). The VIDAS IgG assay was linear over 0.10-10.0 U/mL. Analytical sensitivity of the IgG assay was 0.71 IU/ml (probit analysis). The clinical sensitivity of the VIDAS IgM assay was 97.65% for viremic samples (83/85) and 59.15% (42/71) for post-viremic samples from immunocompetent patients. It was 78.95% (45/57) for acute phase samples and 77.78% (28/36) for post-viremic samples from immunocompromised patients. Specificity was excellent (99%) in both populations.The analytical and clinical performance of the new VIDAS® ANTI-HEV assays was excellent. These rapid, automated assays for detecting HEV antibodies will strengthen the arsenal for diagnosing HEV infections.

• Effects of two algal polysaccharides, laminarin and carrageenans, on defence responses and signalling in tobacco plants is presented. A possible role as defence elicitors is important in the context of the use of algal extracts as plant protectants. • The effect of the extracts was assessed after infiltration of tobacco leaves, and compared to the effect of a known elicitor of Phytophthora parasitica var. nicotianae(Ppn). • Of the two algal polysaccharides, only carrageenans efficiently induced signalling and defence gene expression in tobacco leaves, as observed with Ppn elicitor. λ-carrageenan, with its high sulphate content, proved the most active. Defence genes encoding sesquiterpene cylase, chitinase and proteinase inhibitor were induced locally, and the signalling pathways mediated by ethylene, jasmonic acid and salicylic acid, were triggered. Some effects lasted for at least a week. • λ-Carrageenan can elicit an array of plant defence responses, possibly through an effect of its high sulphate content. This helps clarify the mechanism of plant protection by algal extracts.

International audience

The objective of the present study was to establish the impact of monosex-female redclaw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) culture in gravel-lined ponds, by using a stochastic approach to analyze production dynamics for the 40–60 g, 61–90 g and > 90 g commercial-size intervals. After growing female redclaw crayfish 17 weeks in 2500 m2 gravel-lined ponds stocked at 6 females m− 2, mean final weight was 80.53 ± 0.70 g, survival was 76.2 ± 1.7% and FCR was 0.82 ± 0.10. Overall, yields averaged 0.26 t ha− 1, 2.12 t ha− 1 and 0.99 t ha− 1, respectively, for the 40–60 g, 61–90 g and > 90 g size intervals. This resulted in a mean total biomass of 3.39 t ha− 1 and a commercial biomass of 3.3 t ha− 1. Values of the coefficient of variation of total commercial biomass indicated a maximum certainty in production after 10 weeks, when percentages of recruitment of the 40–60 g and 61–90 g size intervals were similar. The contribution of the > 90 g size interval was negligible, and the total composition of the commercial population was more homogeneous. The sensitivity analysis showed consistency of the simulation model. After 10 weeks, variability of the commercial biomass is particularly influenced by the rate at which mean individual weight (wt.) changes from its initial value to its final value (k). In contrast, after 17 weeks the variability of k was not relevant in determining the variance of commercial biomass, because the influence of k progressively diminishes as the final weight of crayfish is approached. Results from the Monte Carlo simulation indicated that, when increasing sample size from one pond to 100 ponds, variability in production forecasts was reduced 89.8%. The present study demonstrates the feasibility of monosex-female redclaw crayfish culture in gravel-lined ponds. It also shows that the stochastic approach used to analyze production dynamics for the 40–60 g, 61–90 g and > 90 g commercial-size intervals is an important tool to evaluate the impact of size classes on total production and commercial yields. According to our results, we recommend an initial stocking density of 6 organisms m− 2 for commercial monosex grow-out of females in gravel-lined ponds.

This work investigated the structural, biochemical, and molecular characteristics of grape skin cell wall during ripening, related to susceptibility to Botrytis cinerea. The comparative study between the two main grape cultivars in Champagne region, Pinot noir and Chardonnay, quantified: (1) the maturity and physical profile of grape skin, (2) the morphological characteristics, (3) soluble pectic polysaccharides located in grape skin cell walls, and (4) the gene expression of the two main degrading enzymes (VvPME1 and VvPG1) and PME activity. During the maturation period, the grape skins of the two cultivars appear different in their structure and composition. Chardonnay is characterized by higher relative humidity (RH) and level of VvPG1 expression, lower disease incidence and penetrometry values, and thicker cell walls than Pinot noir skins. Thus, the cell wall composition is sufficiently different between grape varieties from the same area to allow their discrimination and could be used to better manage the harvest date.

The nematode Panagrolaimus sp. was tested as live feed to replace Artemia nauplii during first larval stages of whiteleg shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. In Trial 1, shrimp larvae were fed one of four diets from Zoea 2 to Postlarva 1 (PL1): (A) Artemia nauplii, control treatment; (NC) nematodes enriched in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) provided by the dinoflagellate Crypthecodinium cohnii; (N) non-enriched nematodes; and (Algae) a mixture of microalgae supplemented in C. cohnii cells. In Trial 2, shrimp were fed (A), (NC) and a different treatment (NS) with nematodes enriched in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) provided by the commercial product S.presso®, until Postlarva 6 (PL6). Mysis 1 larvae fed nematodes of the three dietary treatments were 300 μm longer (3.2 ± 0.3 mm) than control larvae. At PL1, control shrimp were 300 μm longer (4.5 ± 0.3 mm) than those fed DHA-enriched or PUFAs-enriched nematodes. No differences were observed in length and survival at PL6 between control larvae and those fed DHA-enriched nematodes (5.1 ± 0.5 mm; 33.1%–44.4%). Shrimp fed microalgae showed a delay in development at PL1. This work is the first demonstration of Panagrolaimus sp. suitability as a complete substitute for Artemia in rearing shrimp from Zoea 2 to PL6.

Because of concerns that natural aquifers in the region of Todos Santos (Baja California Sur, Mexico) might be contaminated by organochlorine pesticides and heavy metals, a case-control study was conducted among consumers and non-consumers of well- and/or tap-water to determine risks to human health. This study was based on a genotoxic evaluation of buccal cells using the Comet assay technique. Levels of DNA damage in the consumers group were significantly higher than those of the control group. However, occupational exposure to genotoxicants showed to be the critical factor rather than water consumption. Taking into account the professions of well- and/or tap-water consumers, agricultural workers exposed directly (those who fumigated) or indirectly (those not involved in fumigating) to agrochemicals showed greater genetic damage than controls. This difference persisted even when age, and whether the person smoked or consumed alcoholic drinks were considered. These factors were not associated with the level of genetic damage observed. Chemical analyses of organochlorine pesticides and heavy metals were carried out to evaluate the water quality of wells, faucets, and surface water of canals consumed by the population and/or used for irrigation. High concentrations of α and β endosulfan were detected in water of surface canals. Although our inventory of agrochemicals employed in the region showed the use of products considered carcinogenic and/or mutagenic, they were not detected by the analytical techniques used. Heavy metals (arsenic, mercury, and lead) were detected in water of some wells used for irrigation and human consumption. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 58:619-627, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Because of concerns that natural aquifers in the region of Todos Santos (Baja California Sur, Mexico) might be contaminated by organochlorine pesticides and heavy metals, a case-control study was conducted among consumers and non-consumers of well- and/or tap-water to determine risks to human health. This study was based on a genotoxic evaluation of buccal cells using the Comet assay technique. Levels of DNA damage in the consumers group were significantly higher than those of the control group. However, occupational exposure to genotoxicants showed to be the critical factor rather than water consumption. Taking into account the professions of well- and/or tap-water consumers, agricultural workers exposed directly (those who fumigated) or indirectly (those not involved in fumigating) to agrochemicals showed greater genetic damage than controls. This difference persisted even when age, and whether the person smoked or consumed alcoholic drinks were considered. These factors were not associated with the level of genetic damage observed. Chemical analyses of organochlorine pesticides and heavy metals were carried out to evaluate the water quality of wells, faucets, and surface water of canals consumed by the population and/or used for irrigation. High concentrations of α and β endosulfan were detected in water of surface canals. Although our inventory of agrochemicals employed in the region showed the use of products considered carcinogenic and/or mutagenic, they were not detected by the analytical techniques used. Heavy metals (arsenic, mercury, and lead) were detected in water of some wells used for irrigation and human consumption. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 58:619-627, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Patients with CKD suffer from food aversion, anorexia, and malnutrition. Although olfaction has a significant role in determining food flavor, our understanding of olfactory impairment and of the olfaction-nutrition axis in patients with kidney disease is limited. We quantified odor identification, odor threshold, and subjective odor perception in a cohort (n=161) comprising 36 participants with CKD, 100 participants with ESRD, and 25 controls. We investigated olfaction-nutrition associations in these participants and examined a novel intervention to improve olfaction in ESRD. The mean odor identification score was lower in patients with CKD (75.6%±13.1%; P=0.02) and ESRD (66.8%±15.1%; P

Purpose: One of the important challenges in the field of medical imaging is finding real clinical images with which to validate new image processing algorithms. This is particularly true for tracked 3D ultrasoundimages of the brain. Methods: In 2010, pre- and postoperative magnetic resonance and intraoperative ultrasoundimages were acquired from braintumor patients involved in the authors’ imaging study at the Montreal Neurological Institute. Results: These data are available online at the Montreal Neurological Institute’s BrainImages of Tumors for Evaluation database, termed here the MNI BITE database. It contains ultrasound and magnetic resonanceimages from 14 patients. Each patient underwent a preoperative and a postoperative T1-weighted magnetic resonance scan with gadolinium enhancement, and multiple intraoperative B-mode images were acquired before and after resection. Corresponding features were manually selected in some image pairs for validation. All images are in MINC format, the file format used at the authors’ institute for image processing. The MINC tools are available for free download at packages.bic.mni.mcgill.ca. Conclusions: This is the first online database of its kind. These images can be used by image processing scientists as well as clinicians wishing to compare findings from magnetic resonance and ultrasound imaging.

The aim of this report is to present IBIS (Interactive Brain Imaging System) NeuroNav, a new prototype neuronavigation system that has been developed in our research laboratory over the past decade that uses tracked intraoperative ultrasound to address surgical navigation issues related to brain shift. The unique feature of the system is its ability, when needed, to improve the initial patient-to-preoperative image alignment based on the intraoperative ultrasound data. Parts of IBIS Neuronav source code are now publicly available on-line.Four aspects of the system are characterized in this paper: the ultrasound probe calibration, the temporal calibration, the patient-to-image registration and the MRI-ultrasound registration. In order to characterize its real clinical precision and accuracy, the system was tested in a series of adult brain tumor cases.Three metrics were computed to evaluate the precision and accuracy of the ultrasound calibration. 1) Reproducibility: 1.77 mm and 1.65 mm for the bottom corners of the ultrasound image, 2) point reconstruction precision 0.62-0.90 mm: and 3) point reconstruction accuracy: 0.49-0.74 mm. The temporal calibration error was estimated to be 0.82 ms. The mean fiducial registration error (FRE) of the homologous-point-based patient-to-MRI registration for our clinical data is 4.9 ± 1.1 mm. After the skin landmark-based registration, the mean misalignment between the ultrasound and MR images in the tumor region is 6.1 ± 3.4 mm.The components and functionality of a new prototype system are described and its precision and accuracy evaluated. It was found to have an accuracy similar to other comparable systems in the literature.

Aims High adenosine plasma levels and high expression of adenosine A2A receptors are observed in patients with unexplained syncope and a positive head-up tilt test (HUT). This study aimed to evaluate the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) (c.1364 T>C) which is the most commonly found polymorphism in the A2A receptor gene, in patients with unexplained syncope undergoing HUT. Methods and results One hundred and five patients with unexplained syncope who underwent HUT were included. Fifty-two had a positive test. Receptor genotype determinations were performed in patients and in 121 healthy subjects. Genotype (TT, CC, TC) was determined from DNA leucocytes. The distribution of the polymorphism showed significant ( P < 0.0001) difference when the results of HUT were analysed. Fifty-two per cent of patients with a positive HUT had a CC genotype and 34.6% a TC genotype, whereas 13.2% of the patients with a negative HUT had a CC genotype and 71.7% a TC genotype. Patients with a CC genotype had a higher incidence of spontaneous syncopal episodes. Conclusion In patients with unexplained syncope, a significant association between high incidence of syncopal episodes, positive HUT, and the presence of the CC variant in the adenosine A2A receptor gene was elicited.

Sulfated laminarin (PS3) has been shown previously to be an elicitor of plant defense reactions in tobacco and Arabidopsis and to induce protection against tobacco mosaic virus. Here, we have demonstrated the efficiency of PS3 in protecting a susceptible grapevine cultivar (Vitis vinifera cv. Marselan) against downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola) under glasshouse conditions. This induced resistance was associated with potentiated H2O2 production at the infection sites, upregulation of defense-related genes, callose and phenol depositions, and hypersensitive response-like cell death. Interestingly, similar responses were observed following P. viticola inoculation in a tolerant grapevine hybrid cultivar (Solaris). A pharmacological approach led us to conclude that both callose synthesis and jasmonic acid pathway contribute to PS3-induced resistance.

The nucleoside adenosine acts on the nervous and cardiovascular systems via the A2Areceptor (A2AR). In response to oxygen level in tissues, adenosine plasma concentration is regulated in particular via its synthesis by CD73 and via its degradation by adenosine deaminase (ADA). The cell-surface endopeptidase CD26 controls the concentration of vasoactive and antioxidant peptides and hence regulates the oxygen supply to tissues and oxidative stress response. Although overexpression of adenosine, CD73, ADA, A2AR, and CD26 in response to hypoxia is well documented, the effects of hyperoxic and hyperbaric conditions on these elements deserve further consideration. Rats and a murine Chem-3 cell line that expresses A2AR were exposed to 0.21 bar O2, 0.79 bar N2(terrestrial conditions; normoxia); 1 bar O2(hyperoxia); 2 bar O2(hyperbaric hyperoxia); 0.21 bar O2, 1.79 bar N2(hyperbaria). Adenosine plasma concentration, CD73, ADA, A2AR expression, and CD26 activity were addressed in vivo, and cAMP production was addressed in cellulo. For in vivo conditions, 1) hyperoxia decreased adenosine plasma level and T cell surface CD26 activity, whereas it increased CD73 expression and ADA level; 2) hyperbaric hyperoxia tended to amplify the trend; and 3) hyperbaria alone lacked significant influence on these parameters. In the brain and in cellulo, 1) hyperoxia decreased A2AR expression; 2) hyperbaric hyperoxia amplified the trend; and 3) hyperbaria alone exhibited the strongest effect. We found a similar pattern regarding both A2AR mRNA synthesis in the brain and cAMP production in Chem-3 cells. Thus a high oxygen level tended to downregulate the adenosinergic pathway and CD26 activity. Hyperbaria alone affected only A2AR expression and cAMP production. We discuss how such mechanisms triggered by hyperoxygenation can limit, through vasoconstriction, the oxygen supply to tissues and the production of reactive oxygen species.

Juvenile Pacific whiteleg shrimp reared in either outdoor concrete tanks or indoor plastic tanks were exposed to a repeated stress induced by daily handling for 4 weeks. Metabolic responses (glucose, lactate, total protein, cholesterol, triglyceride, total lipid, hemocyanin, and carotenoid content) and immune responses (total hemocyte count, superoxide anion production, and superoxide dismutase activity) were compared with unstressed shrimp. Metabolic responses of stressed shrimp were different in concrete tanks than in plastic tanks. Stressed shrimp from concrete tanks had significantly lower concentrations of total proteins, triglycerides, and total lipids in hemolymph and a significantly lower concentration of carbohydrates in muscle. Stressed shrimp from plastic tanks showed higher concentrations of glucose in hemolymph and higher concentrations of total lipids, but lower concentrations of carbohydrates in the hepatopancreas. Immune responses did not present any significant differences between stressed and unstressed shrimp raised in either experimental system, suggesting that repeated stress does not depress immune response capacity, with the exception of lower levels of total protein in hemolymph. Lower amounts of disturbance occurring in outdoor unstressed shrimp, as well as natural food availability for outdoors tanks could partially explain differences in metabolic responses.

Kinetic study of adenosine concentrations and the expression of adenosine deaminase in mononuclear cells during hemodialysis. Background We previously showed that high intralymphocytic adenosine (Ado) concentrations are found in hemodialyzed patients due to the reduced activity of mononuclear cell adenosine deaminase (MCADA). These abnormalities contribute to the immune defect observed in HD patients. The kinetics of these abnormalities and the causes of the low MCADA activity, however, have not been investigated. Here, we addressed this question. Since interferon gamma (IFNγ) partially modulates MCADA, we also evaluated the effect of IFNγ on MCADA activity in vitro. Methods and Results The study included 12 patients (eight men and four women) who were observed from the first to the 36th hemodialysis (HD) session, and eight healthy subjects (controls). MCADA activity and Ado concentrations were normal before the first HD session. Ado concentrations progressively increased from the first (10.5 ± 3.1 pmol/10 7 cells) to the fourth session (26.7 ± 3 pmol/10 7 cells), before stabilizing at a high level. MCADA activity increased transiently until the second session (2.2 ± 0.5 IU/10 7 cells before HD vs. 2.8 ± 0.6 IU/10 7 cells), and then decreased and stabilized at a low level (1.0 ± 0.5 IU/10 7 cells). The amount of MCADA mRNA transiently increased until the third session (mRNA MCADA/mRNA β-actin: 0.6 ± 0.2 vs. 0.8 ± 0.2), and then decreased to 0.3 ± 0.1 at the 36th session. MCADA activity underwent a dose-dependent increase after IFNγ stimulation. Conclusion HD affects the transcription of the gene encoding MCADA after just three HD sessions, leading to decreased MCADA activity and increased plasma concentration of Ado.

Elicitors are molecules known to trigger plant defence responses against pathogens. In a search for new sources of eliciting compounds from marine algae, an extract was prepared from green algae, Ulva spp., and its elicitor activity was established on the model legume, Medicago truncatula . When infiltrated into plant tissues or sprayed onto the leaves, this extract induced the expression of the defencerelated marker gene PR10 without provoking necrosis. Spraying a solution at 500 m g mL - - 1 was sufficient to obtain maximum induction of PR10 after 2 d. Using a cDNA array enriched in genes potentially involved in plant defence, the expression of 152 genes was monitored after one or two consecutive treatments. A broad range of defence-related transcripts was found to be up-regulated, notably genes involved in the biosynthesis of phytoalexins, pathogenesisrelated proteins and cell wall proteins. In contrast, the expression of primary metabolism-related genes did not change significantly. Consistent with its effect on defence gene expression, it was found that prior treatment of M. truncatula with the Ulva extract protected the plants against subsequent infection by the pathogenic fungus Colletotrichum trifolii .

Pesticides and heavy metals were analyzed in sentinel Crassostrea gigas oysters placed in six aquaculture sites close to a contaminated agricultural region. Each site was sampled twice. Tests revealed the presence of organochlorine (OC) pesticides in the oysters at concentrations varying from 31.8 to 72.5 μg/kg for gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane (γ-HCH); from 1.2 to 3.1 μg/kg for dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (4,4-DDE); from 1.6 to 2.3 μg/kg for endosulfan I; and from 1.4 to 41.2 μg/kg for endosulfan II, as well as heavy metals in concentrations that exceeded Mexican tolerance levels (405.5 to 987.8 μg/g for zinc; 4.2 to 7.3 μg/g for cadmium; and 7.2 to 9.9 μg/g for lead). Significant levels of DNA damage in oyster hemocytes were also detected. There was a significant, positive correlation between genotoxic damage and concentration of nickel or the presence of endosulfan II. Cellular viability evaluated by cytotoxic analyses was found to be high at 80%. Marked inhibition in activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE ) and induction of glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity was noted. Data demonstrated a significant relation between AChE activity inhibition and presence of endosulfan II, γ-HCH, copper, lead, and 4,4-DDE, as well as between AChE and GST activity at different sites.

Background/Aims: In hepatitis C virus-1b, it has been suggested that an amino acid stretch (aa 2209–2248) of the carboxy terminal half of the non-structural 5A (NS5A) region participates in the response to interferon treatment. We tested the hypothesis that absence of mutations in the NS5A (aa 2209–2248) sequence is required for interferon resistance. We also investigated the importance of different HCV-1b isolates in interferon response in France. Methods: We determined the NS5A sequences of 70 patients with chronic hepatitis C before IFN therapy and then compared them with HCV-J prototype sequence. The isolates were determined by NS5B sequencing, the “gold standard” method for genotyping and subtyping. Pre-therapeutic viral load was also measured. Results: No sustained virological response was observed in the patients without amino acid substitutions in the NS5A (aa 2209–2248) sequence, and in the patients with HCV-J isolates. Viral load was significantly higher in the patients with no amino acid substitutions in the NS5A (aa 2209–2248) sequence. Conclusions: In HCV-1b infected patients, an HCV-J strain with no amino acid substitution in the NS5A (aa 2209–2248) region indicates a poor prognosis for response to IFN therapy. The low interferon response rate in HCV-1b infection in Europe is probably not due to a difference between isolates.

International audience; PURPOSE: We describe and validate a novel hybrid nonlinear vessel registration algorithm for intra-operative updating of preoperative magnetic resonance (MR) images using Doppler ultrasound (US) images acquired on the dura for the correction of brain-shift and registration inaccuracies. We also introduce an US vessel appearance simulator that generates vessel images similar in appearance to that acquired with US from MR angiography data. METHODS: Our registration uses the minimum amount of preprocessing to extract vessels from the raw volumetric images. This prevents the removal of important registration information and minimizes the introduction of artifacts that may affect robustness, while reducing the amount of extraneous information in the image to be processed, thus improving the convergence speed of the algorithm. We then completed 3 rounds of validation for our vessel registration method for robustness and accuracy using (i) a large number of synthetic trials generated with our US vessel simulator, (ii) US images acquired from a real physical phantom made from polyvinyl alcohol cryogel, and (iii) real clinical data gathered intra-operatively from 3 patients. RESULTS: Resulting target registration errors (TRE) of less than 2.5 mm are achieved in more than 90 % of the synthetic trials when the initial TREs are less than 20 mm. TREs of less than 2 mm were achieved when the technique was applied to the physical phantom, and TREs of less than 3 mm were achieved on clinical data. CONCLUSIONS: These test trials show that the proposed algorithm is not only accurate but also highly robust to noise and missing vessel segments when working with US images acquired in a wide range of real-world conditions.

One of the important challenges in the field of medical imaging is finding real clinical images with which to validate new image processing algorithms. This is particularly true for tracked 3D ultrasound images of the brain.In 2010, pre- and postoperative magnetic resonance and intraoperative ultrasound images were acquired from brain tumor patients involved in the authors' imaging study at the Montreal Neurological Institute.These data are available online at the Montreal Neurological Institute's Brain Images of Tumors for Evaluation database, termed here the MNI BITE database. It contains ultrasound and magnetic resonance images from 14 patients. Each patient underwent a preoperative and a postoperative T1-weighted magnetic resonance scan with gadolinium enhancement, and multiple intraoperative B-mode images were acquired before and after resection. Corresponding features were manually selected in some image pairs for validation. All images are in MINC format, the file format used at the authors' institute for image processing. The MINC tools are available for free download at packages.bic.mni.mcgill.ca.This is the first online database of its kind. These images can be used by image processing scientists as well as clinicians wishing to compare findings from magnetic resonance and ultrasound imaging.

The goal of this study was to find a registration technique to improve the alignment of ultrasound images taken before and after brain tumor resection. Validation was performed on 16 tumor cases in 2 ways: (1) manually selected tags on pre- and postresection ultrasounds were used to compute the mean Euclidean distance between corresponding points in the 2 volumes before and after registration; and (2) the surgeon was asked to rank and rate the quality of the alignment before and after registration. The mean distance was 2.7 mm after a rigid registration and 1.7 mm after a nonlinear registration. Of 16 cases, the surgeon determined that initially only 2 were satisfactorily aligned; after the rigid registration, 5 were satisfactory, and after the nonlinear registration, 13 were satisfactory. According to both the distance and the ranking metrics, the nonlinear registration approach significantly improved the alignment of the ultrasound images.

Among grapevine trunk diseases, esca proper and apoplexy commonly represent a threat for viticulture worldwide. To retrieve further information about the mechanisms activated in apoplectic and esca proper-affected plants, a two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) based analysis was conducted on green stems from 26-year-old standing vines. Symptomatic and asymptomatic stems from both apoplectic (A) and esca proper-affected (E) plants compared to control (without visual symptom since 10 years) stems were studied. Thirty-three differentially expressed proteins were identified by nanoLC-MS/MS and included into three groups conceptually defined as proteins involved in (i) metabolism and energy, (ii) stress tolerance, and (iii) defense response. For nine of them, expression of the relative mRNA's was also monitored by qRT-PCR. Proteome variations were specifically related to apoplexy and esca proper but were more similar in asymptomatic stems than in the symptomatic ones. Remarkable quantitative differences were noted for several proteins in symptomatic stems according to the expressed form, A and E. Results further indicate that similar responses are likely activated in asymptomatic stems but a various quantitative expression is triggered upon onset of apoplexy or esca proper symptoms while both kind of plants are infected by the same pathogenic fungi.

Esca is a destructive disease in grapevines (Vitis vinifera L.) caused by at least three fungi and characterised by two different external symptoms, the apoplectic and leaf stripe form. This latter form can be discerned as soon as symptoms become visible, but the preceding discrete signs during incubation are poorly or not understood. To further understand the development of the leaf stripe form, the period preceding and following the appearance of symptoms was investigated by studying physiological and molecular markers associated with photosynthetic mechanisms and stress response. No perturbation of any targeted metabolism was observed in asymptomatic leaves of asymptomatic canes from vines showing the leaf stripe form of esca. Conversely, drastic alterations of photosynthesis functions were registered in presymptomatic leaves, as revealed by the decrease of gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence, and the repression of photosynthesis-related genes. These alterations were amplified during symptom development. Expression of defence-related genes was affected and detected early in presymptomatic leaves and amplified during symptom expression. Our results suggest that grapevines may react precociously by reducing photosynthesis and triggering defence mechanisms in response to the leaf stripe form of esca.

We present a new technique for registering magnetic resonance (MR) and ultrasound images in the context of neurosurgery. It involves generating a pseudo-ultrasound (pseudo-US) from a segmented MR image and uses cross-correlation as the cost function to register the pseudo-US to the real ultrasound data. The algorithm's performance is compared with that of a state-of-the-art technique that uses a median-filtered MR image to register to a Gaussian-blurred ultrasound using a normalized mutual information (NMI) objective function.The two methods were tested on data from 15 patients with brain tumor, including low-and high-grade gliomas, in both first operations and reoperations. Two metrics were used to evaluate registration accuracy: (1) the mean distance between corresponding points, identified on both MR and ultrasound images by two experts, and (2) ratings based on visual comparison by one neurosurgeon.The mean residual distance of the pseudo-US technique, 2.97 mm, is significantly more accurate (p = .0011) than that of the NMI approach, 4.86 mm. The visual assessment shows that only 4 of the 15 cases had a satisfactory initial alignment based on homologous skin-point registration. There is a significant correlation between the quantitative distance measures and the qualitative ratings (rho = 0.785).The results show that the pseudo-US rigid registration technique robustly improves the MRI-ultrasound alignment when compared with the initial alignment, even when applied to highly distorted brains and a large range of tumor sizes and appearances.

We propose a new, adaptive local measure based on gradient orientation similarity for the purposes of multimodal image registration. We embed this metric into a hierarchical registration framework, where we show that registration robustness and accuracy can be improved by adapting both the similarity metric and the pixel selection strategy to the Gaussian blurring scale and to the modalities being registered. A computationally efficient estimation of gradient orientations is proposed based on patch-wise rigidity. We have applied our method to both rigid and non-rigid multimodal registration tasks with different modalities. Our approach outperforms mutual information (MI) and previously proposed local approximations of MI for multimodal (e.g. CT/MRI) brain image registration tasks. Furthermore, it shows significant improvements in terms of mTRE over standard methods in the highly challenging clinical context of registering pre-operative brain MRI to intra-operative US images.

International audience; The present study analyzes the involvement of the endogenous opioid system in the antinociceptive effects produced in mammals after alpha- or beta- scorpion toxin injections. The analgesic effects on mice of the alpha-anatoxin Amm VIII, a weak modulator of Na(v)1.2 channel, and the depressant insect-selective beta-toxin LqqIT2 were evaluated by intraperitoneal route. The two toxins increased hot plate and tail flick latencies in a dose-dependent manner. We also compared the effects of the toxins with those obtained after acetic acid administration or cold-water tail immersion, which both induce pain relief through the activation of diffuse noxious inhibitory controls (DNIC) and the release of endogenous opioids. The increased latencies obtained with the toxins, acetic acid, or cold-water tail immersion were partly reversed by the co-administration of the opioid receptor antagonist naloxone. Finally, AmmVIII, LqqIT2, or acetic acid, induced increased c-fos mRNA expression in spinal cord. This increase disappeared when the toxins were co-injected with acetic acid. In conclusion, we show for the first time that an alpha-anatoxin exhibits a potent analgesic activity and confirm that depressant beta-toxins are able to reduce nociception. We hypothesize that pain relief induced by these scorpion toxins may implicate the activation of an endogenous opioid system and may be partly the result of a counter irritation phenomenon, which could be due to the activation of DNIC.

We present a new technique for registering ultrasound and magnetic resonance (MR) images in the context of neurosurgery. It involves generating a pseudo-ultrasound (pseudo-US) from a segmented MR image and uses cross-correlation as the cost function to register with ultrasound. The algorithm’s performance is compared to a state-of-the-art technique that uses a median filtered MR images to register with a Gaussian-blurred ultrasound using normalized mutual information (NMI). The two methods are tested on nine tumor cases, including both high- and low-grade gliomas. The pseudo-US method yielded significantly better alignment average than that obtained by NMI (p = 0.0009). If one case where NMI failed is excluded, the mean distance obtained by the pseudo-US approach (2.6 mm) is slightly lower than the one obtained by NMI (2.8mm), but not significantly so (p = 0.16). We conclude that the pseudo-US method is more robust for these cases.

We conducted a comparative study of task performance under both monoscopic and stereoscopic display conditions, in order to assess the role of stereoscopy in supporting an understanding of three-dimensional content, and ease of interaction with the data. As our application context is that of neurosurgical visualization, the experimental goal we chose was to define a straight, vessel-free path from the cortical surface to a targeted tumor. The scene consists of a volumetric representation of the brain vasculature and a simulated tumor, as well as a separately controlled pen-like virtual probe. Under both viewing conditions, participants were able to manipulate the volume and probe using a tangible user interface, thus obtaining hand-coupled motion cues. Results indicate that on average, participants were able to perform the task in the stereographic mode in only 75% of the time and with half the error as in the monoscopic condition.

The retrograde pressure-temperature-time (P-T-t) paths in eclogites of the French Massif Central constitute a record of evolutionary thermal structures (geotherms) of the internal Variscan zones during uplift. Crystallization of all eclogitic assemblages occurred in the same range of P, T conditions: 700°–750°C for a minimal pressure of 15 kbar. In contrast the retrograde P-T-t paths of eclogites in the western and eastern parts of the Massif Central are clearly different. The eclogitic assemblages are retromorphosed at low temperatures in the western Massif Central, under amphibolite facies conditions in the central domain (middle temperature), and under granulite facies conditions in the eastern Massif Central (high temperature). A simple analytical thermal model, well constrained by geological features, allows us to simulate the evolution of this temperature difference during uplift. This study shows that different initial conditions of burial (depth of burial), or differences in tectonic processes during uplift (number of units involved in nappe piling, occurrence of a delay before the emplacement of a last unit) can produce such contrasting P-T-t paths. These cannot be explained by variations in erosion rates. In the case of different histories during uplift the P-T-t paths can simply be related to an efficient screen effect of a third nappe.

Objective Adenosine (ADO) is an endogenous nucleoside, which has been involved in blood pressure failure during severe systemic inflammatory response syndrome (severe SIRS) after cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Adenosine acts via its receptor subtypes, namely A1, A2A, A2B, or A3. Because A2A receptors are implicated in vascular tone, their expression might contribute to severe SIRS. We compared adenosine plasma levels (APLs) and A2A ADO receptor expression (ie, B, K, and mRNA amount) in patients with or without postoperative SIRS. Patients This was a prospective comparative observational study. Forty-four patients who underwent cardiac surgery involving CPB. Ten healthy subjects served as controls. Measurements and Results Among the patients, 11 presented operative vasoplegia and postoperative SIRS (named complicated patients) and 33 were without vasoplegia or SIRS (named uncomplicated patients). Adenosine plasma levels, K, B, and mRNA amount (mean ± SD) were measured on peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Adenosine plasma levels, B, and K were significantly higher in complicated patients than in uncomplicated patients (APLs: 2.7 ± 1.0 vs 1.0 ± 0.5 μmol l−1, P < 0.05; B: 210 ± 43 vs 65 ± 26 fmol/mg, P < 0.05; K: 35 ± 10 vs 2 ± 1 nM, P < 0.05). In uncomplicated patients, APLs remain higher than in controls (1 ± 0.5 vs 0.6 ± 0.25 μmol/L; P < 0.05). Mean arterial pressure was inversely correlated to APLs (R = −0.58; P < 0.001) and B (R = −0.64; P < 0.001) leading to an increased requirement of vasoactive drugs during the postoperative period in vasoplegic patients. Conclusions High expression of A2A ADO receptor and high APLs may be a predictive factor of postoperative severe SIRS after CPB.

BACKGROUND: Adenosine may play a role in the triggering of neurocardiogenic syncope, but no information on adenosine receptors is available at the present time. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether adenosine A2A receptors expression is altered in patients with neurocardiogenic syncope. METHODS: Adenosine plasma levels (APLs), the expression of A2A receptors, were measured (mean +/- standard error of the mean) during tilt testing. Expression of receptors was assessed on mononuclear cells using a selective receptor ligand. RESULTS: At baseline, the APLs of 16 patients with a positive test were higher than those of 17 patients with a negative test and of those of a control group (2.10 +/- 0.30 vs. 0.40 +/- 0.05 and 0.41 +/- 0.06 muM, respectively; P

International audience; In grapevine, the penetration and sporulation of Plasmopara viticola occur via stomata, suggesting functional relationships between guard cells and the pathogen. This assumption was supported by our first observation that grapevine (Vitis vinifera cv. Marselan) cuttings infected by P. viticola wilted more rapidly than healthy ones when submitted to water starvation. • Here, complementary approaches measuring stomatal conductance and infrared thermographic and microscopic observations were used to investigate stomatal opening/closure in response to infection. • In infected leaves, stomata remained open in darkness and during water stress, leading to increased transpiration. This deregulation was restricted to the colonized area, was not systemic and occurred before the appearance of symptoms. Cytological observations indicated that stomatal lock-open was not related to mechanical forces resulting from the presence of the pathogen in the substomatal cavity. In contrast to healthy leaves, stomatal closure in excised infected leaves could not be induced by a water deficit or abscisic acid (ABA)treatment. However, ABA induced stomatal closure in epidermal peels from infected leaves, indicating that guard cells remained functional. • These data indicate that the oomycete deregulates guard cell functioning, causing significant water losses. This effect could be attributed to a nonsystemic compound, produced by the oomycete or by the infected plant, which inhibits stomatal closure or induces stomatal opening; or a reduction of the back-pressure exerted by surrounding epidermal cells. Both hypotheses are under investigation.

Background Intradialytic hypotension (IDH) is a common complication of hemodialysis sessions (HDSs). Adenosine may contribute to the drop in blood pressure during IDH events because it has hypotensive effects. As A2A adenosine receptor expression is essential for blood pressure control, we compared the expression of A2A receptors (Bmax, KD, and messenger ribonucleic acid [mRNA] levels) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from IDH and non-IDH patients and from controls. We also evaluated adenosine plasma levels (APLs). Methods We included 10 hemodialyzed patients with at least three IDH events per month. We also included 11 hemodialyzed patients with no history of IDH events and 10 healthy subjects as controls. Results IDH patients had higher Bmax values than non-IDH patients (mean before HDS, +86%; after HDS, +112%), whereas non-IDH patients had lower Bmax values than controls (mean −72%). KD values were not significantly different between patients and controls. The levels of mRNA increased significantly during HDS but without an increase in receptor expression on the cell membranes. APLs were higher in hemodialyzed patients than in controls. Conclusion We found that A2A receptors are more expressed in IDH patients than in non-IDH patients, whereas APL was high in all patients. Both high APL and a relative increase in A2A receptor expression may favor IDH events.

BACKGROUND: Haemodialysis (HD) sometimes accelerates left ventricular failure (LVF). As adenosine (ADO) is strongly implicated in cardiovascular functions, particularly via A(2A) receptor activation and as changes of peripheral A(2A) receptors mirror changes occurring in the cardiovascular system, we examined the influence of HD and LVF on both ADO plasma concentration and the expression of A(2A) receptors (i.e. Bmax, K(D) and mRNA amount) of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 61 chronic renal failure (CRF) patients: 41 without LVF (24 haemodialysed and 17 undialysed) and 20 with LVF (9 haemodialysed and 11 undialysed). Ten LVF patients without CRF and 10 healthy subjects were also examined. RESULTS: (i) Bmax values of CRF patients without LVF were significantly decreased in undialysed patients compared with haemodialysed patients, and compared with controls (69 +/- 25 vs 98 +/- 33 vs 180 +/- 60 fmol/mg of protein, P < 0.05). Bmax values of CRF patients with LVF were lower in undialysed patients than in haemodialysed patients (60 +/- 27 vs 101 +/- 27 fmol/mg of protein, P < 0.05). Bmax values of LVF patients without CRF were lower than in controls (51 +/- 19 vs 180 +/- 60 fmol/mg of protein). (ii) A(2A) mRNA expression was increased in haemodialysed patients compared with controls (20.2 +/- 0.75 vs 17.6 +/- 1.3, P < 0.05). (iii) ADO plasma levels were high in haemodialysed patients and further increased during the HD sessions. CONCLUSION: The number of A(2A) receptors was decreased by CRF with or without LVF. However, this decrease was less important in haemodialysed patients. The changes in peripheral A2A receptor expression suggest a significant inflammatory response to HD and heart or kidney failure. Whether these changes do reflect alterations in cardiomyocytes needs further investigation.

Three-dimensional (3-D) ultrasound (US) is an emerging new technology with numerous clinical applications. Ultrasound probe calibration is an obligatory step to build 3-D volumes from 2-D images acquired in a freehand US system. The role of calibration is to find the mathematical transformation that converts the 2-D coordinates of pixels in the US image into 3-D coordinates in the frame of reference of a position sensor attached to the US probe. This article is a comprehensive review of what has been published in the field of US probe calibration for 3-D US. The article covers the topics of tracking technologies, US image acquisition, phantom design, speed of sound issues, feature extraction, least-squares minimization, temporal calibration, calibration evaluation techniques and phantom comparisons. The calibration phantoms and methods have also been classified in tables to give a better overview of the existing methods.