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We report measurements of dynamo action in a new experimental setup, named Fury, based on the use of an anisotropic electrical conductivity. It consists in a copper rotor rotating inside a copper stator, electrically connected with a thin layer of liquid metal, galinstan. Grooves have been cut in the copper so that, everywhere, electrical conductivity can be considered to be that of copper along two directions while it is zero along the third one. The configuration is efficient and dynamo action can be powered by hand. We have also used a motor with better control, enabling us to drive the rotor at specified velocity or torque functions of time. The structure of the axisymmetric magnetic field produced is found to be close to the numerical modelling using FreeFem++. The experimental dynamo behaves very nearly as expected for a kinematic dynamo, so that the threshold dynamo velocity cannot be exceeded, or only briefly. More mechanical power in the rotor rotation leads to an increase in the magnetic field intensity, the magnetic energy being proportional to the extra mechanical power beyond threshold. In the transient following a step increase of torque, magnetic and angular velocity oscillations have been observed and explained., 19 pages, 9 figures. Data and data processing files can be found at https://mycore.core-cloud.net/index.php/s/ZuJ0zNp6JzLhVar

Liver microphysiological systems (MPSs) are promising models for predicting hepatic drug effects. Yet, after a decade since their introduction, MPSs are not routinely used in drug development due to lack of criteria for ensuring reproducibility of results. We characterized the feasibility of a liver MPS to yield reproducible outcomes of experiments assaying drug toxicity, metabolism, and intracellular accumulation. The ability of the liver MPS to reproduce hepatotoxic effects was assessed using trovafloxacin, which increased lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and reduced cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) activity. These observations were made in two test sites and with different batches of Kupffer cells. Upon culturing equivalent hepatocytes in the MPS, spheroids, and sandwich cultures, differences between culture formats were detected in CYP3A4 activity and albumin production. Cells in all culture formats exhibited different sensitivities to hepatotoxicant exposure. Hepatocytes in the MPS were more functionally stable than those of other culture platforms, as CYP3A4 activity and albumin secretion remained prominent for greater than 18 days in culture, whereas functional decline occurred earlier in spheroids (12 days) and sandwich cultures (7 days). The MPS was also demonstrated to be suitable for metabolism studies, where CYP3A4 activity, troglitazone metabolites, diclofenac clearance, and intracellular accumulation of chloroquine were quantified. To ensure reproducibility between studies with the MPS, the combined use of LDH and CYP3A4 assays were implemented as quality control metrics. Overall results indicated that the liver MPS can be used reproducibly in general drug evaluation applications. Study outcomes led to general considerations and recommendations for using liver MPSs. Study Highlights WHAT IS THE CURRENT KNOWLEDGE ON THE TOPIC? Microphysiological systems (MPSs) have been designed to recreate organ‐ or tissue‐specific characteristics of extracellular microenvironments that enhance the physiological relevance of cells in culture. Liver MPSs enable long‐lasting and stable culture of hepatic cells by culturing them in three‐dimensions and exposing them to fluid flow. WHAT QUESTION DID THIS STUDY ADDRESS? What is the functional performance relative to other cell culture platforms and the reproducibility of a liver MPS for assessing drug development and evaluation questions, such as toxicity, metabolism, and pharmacokinetics? WHAT DOES THIS STUDY ADD TO OUR KNOWLEDGE? The liver MPS systematically detected the toxicity of trovafloxacin. When compared with spheroids and sandwich cultures, this system had a more stable function and different sensitivity to troglitazone, tamoxifen, and digoxin. Quantifying phase II metabolism of troglitazone and intracellular accumulation of chloroquine demonstrated the potential use of the liver MPS for studying drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics. Quality control criteria for assessing chip function were key for reliably using the liver MPS. HOW MIGHT THIS CHANGE CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY OR TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE? Due to its functional robustness and physiological relevance (3D culture, cells expose to fluid flow and co‐culture of different cell types), the liver MPS can, in a reproducible manner: (i) detect inflammatory‐induced drug toxicity, as demonstrated with trovafloxacin, (ii) detect the toxicity of other drugs, such as troglitazone, tamoxifen, and digoxin, with different effects than those detected in spheroids and sandwich cultures, (iii) enable studies of hepatic function that rely on prolonged cellular activity, and (iv) detect phase II metabolites and drug accumulation to potentially support the interpretation of clinical data. The integration of MPSs in drug development will be facilitated by careful evaluation of performance and reproducibility as performed in this study.

Resume Nous decrivons une technique de tracheotomie percutanee en laryngosuspension sous controle endoscopique. Cette technique est realisable par tout ORL et s’adresse a n’importe quel patient necessitant une tracheotomie. Elle est realisable dans le cadre des chirurgies programmees ou d’urgence. Il s’agit d’une technique developpee a l’aide de materiel de laryngosuspension et d’endoscopie ORL, ainsi que d’un kit de tracheotomie percutanee. Cette technique presente l’avantage d’un controle optimal de la ventilation et de l’hemostase du patient tout au long de la procedure. Le controle du geste operatoire par une vision endoscopique de qualite et l’acces facile aux voies aeriennes en laryngosuspension permettent de realiser la tracheotomie avec un maximum de securite.

The purpose of this work is to identify mitochondrial optic nerve (ON) lipid alterations associated with sonication-induced traumatic optic neuropathy (TON). Briefly, a mouse model of indirect TON was generated using sound energy concentrated focally at the entrance of the optic canal using a laboratory sonifier (Branson Digital Sonifier 450, Danbury, CT, USA) with a microtip probe. We performed an analysis of a previously generated dataset from high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). We analyzed lipids from isolated mitochondria from the ON at 1 day, 7 days, and 14 days post-sonication compared to non-sonicated controls. Lipid abundance alterations in post-sonicated ON mitochondria were evaluated with 1-way ANOVA (FDR-adjusted significant p-value < 0.01), debiased sparse partial correlation (DSPC) network modeling, and partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). We find temporal alterations in triglyceride metabolism are observed in ON mitochondria of mice following sonication-induced optic neuropathy with notable depletions of TG(18:1/18:2/18:2), TG(18:1/18:1/18:1), and TG(16:0/16:0/18:1). Depletion of mitochondrial triglycerides may mediate ON damage in indirect traumatic optic neuropathy through loss energy substrates for neuronal metabolism.

Resume L’interet de la chirurgie partielle du larynx par voie endoscopique est de realiser une exerese tumorale de qualite tout en limitant les sequelles fonctionnelles permettant ainsi l’amelioration des suites postoperatoires. Dans ce type de chirurgie, l’epiglotte est souvent partiellement sectionnee avec une zone d’exerese laissee en cicatrisation dirigee, sans temps de reconstruction. La technique chirurgicale presentee s’interesse au temps de reconstruction endoscopique en cas de section partielle de l’epiglotte. La suture du bord sectionne de l’epiglotte a la base de langue permet de recreer une neo-epiglotte avec un plan valleculaire, se rapprochant ainsi de l’anatomie preoperatoire afin d’ameliorer les capacites de deglutition dans les suites operatoires.

Vaccine trials against Ebola virus have been conceived and organized, in August 2014, after the epidemic started in three countries of West Africa. If the preparedness had been missing, the planners tried to anticipate the resistance to vaccination, in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. This article offers a retrospective view on the resistances to vaccination throughout its history, from smallpox inoculation to anti-polio vaccine. Resistances have been linked to the political contexts and the rejection of an oppressive power, either local or foreign, as well as mistakes and scientific uncertainties. The analysis of the historical factors of resistance leads to reverse the question: what convinces people to accept a vaccine trial, despite the obscurities of the immunization processes inside the body? The article hypothesizes that Guineans and West Africans face a dilemma similar to their counterparts in the past, whether or not to rally to an experimental immunization, the results of which are still pending. They may appropriate the Western beliefs about the efficacy of vaccines to their own ways of circumventing misfortune. Further field studies will be required to assess the role of the vaccinal trials and the response to the epidemic in the "convalescence" of these societies, being aware that the trials will not allow a complete assessment of the vaccines, because of the end of the epidemic.

New strategies allowing the transfer of molecules, especially peptides, through the blood-brain barriers are a major pharmacological challenge for the treatment of brain diseases. The present study aims at evaluating in vivo the cerebral bioavailability of carrier systems, based on small and functionalizable 2,5-diketopiperazine (DKP) motifs. We studied 2 different cyclo(Lys-Lys) DKP scaffolds alone and a cyclo(Lys-Gly) DKP carrier bearing as peptide model, the tau protein hexapeptide VQIVYK sequence. The different carrier systems were synthesized and radiolabeled using one of the free domains. The stability, biodistribution, and ability to cross blood-brain barrier were investigated in vivo in mice for 99mTc-DKP scaffolds, 99mTc-HVQIVYK peptide alone, and 99mTc-DKP-VQIVYK. 125I-labelled bovine serum albumin was used as negative control for brain uptake. Both radiolabeled DKPs scaffolds and 99mTc-DKP-VQIVYK showed a high stability, while peptide 99mTc-HVQIVYK alone was quickly degraded in vivo. The presence of 99mTc-DKPs scaffolds and 99mTc-DKP-VQIVYK was observed in the ventricular and subarachnoid spaces and to a lower extent in the brain parenchyma up to 45 minutes post-injection in mice. This work highlights the potentiality of DKP scaffolds as vectors to transport peptides into the brain by limiting proteolysis and favoring cerebral bioavailability.

Equinatoxin II (EqtII), a eukaryotic pore-forming toxin, lyses cell membranes through a mechanism involving the insertion of its N-terminal α-helix into the membrane. EqtII pore formation is dependent on sphingomyelin (SM), although cholesterol (Chol) and membrane microdomains have also been suggested to enhance its activity. We have investigated the mechanism of EqtII binding and insertion by using neutron reflection to determine the structures of EqtII–membrane assemblies in situ. EqtII has several different modes of binding to membranes depending on the lipid composition. In pure dimyristoyl-phosphatidylcholine (DMPC) membranes, EqtII interacts weakly and reversibly with the lipid head groups in an orientation approximately parallel to the membrane surface. The presence of sphingomyelin (SM) gives rise to a more upright orientation of EqtII, but Chol is required for insertion into the core of the membrane. Cooling the EqtII–lipid assembly below the lipid phase transition temperature leads to deep water penetration and a significant reduction in the extension of the protein outside the membrane, indicating that phase-separation plays a role in EqtII pore-formation. An inactive double-cysteine mutant of EqtII in which the α-helix is covalently tethered to the rest of the protein, interacts only reversibly with all the membranes. Releasing the α-helix in situ by reduction of the disulphide bridge, however, causes the mutant protein to penetrate in DMPC–SM–Chol membranes in a manner identical to that of the wild-type protein. Our results help clarify the early steps in pore formation by EqtII and highlight the valuable information on protein–membrane interactions available from neutron reflection measurements.

Resume Objectif L’orchidectomie totale est le traitement de reference du cancer du testicule. De plus en plus de lesions testiculaires sont decouvertes (bilan d’infertilite ou fortuite), mais elles ne sont pas toutes malignes. Le but de ce travail est de preciser les indications d’une orchidectomie partielle ou d’une simple surveillance afin d’eviter une orchidectomie totale. Methode Une revue de la litterature a ete realisee sur la base de recherche PubMed portant sur les tumeurs testiculaires, les orchidectomies totales et la chirurgie partielle du testicule. Resultats Les nodules supracentimetriques seront operes : orchidectomie totale ou orchidectomie partielle avec analyse extemporanee (selon aspect echographique). Les nodules infracentimetriques sont traites au cas par cas (surveillance echographique ou exerese avec extemporane). Conclusion La chirurgie partielle du testicule est une option valide chez des patients selectionnes par une cooperation entre urologue, radiologue et anatomopathologiste.

The main advantage of endoscopic laser surgery for laryngeal cancer is to allow tumour resection, while limiting functional sequelae, thereby improving the postoperative course. In this type of surgery, the epiglottis is often partially resected, leaving a raw zone without any reconstruction. The surgical technique described here involves endoscopic reconstruction of the epiglottis after partial resection. The sectioned edge of the epiglottis is sutured to the base of the tongue to create a neoepiglottis and to reconstruct the vallecula, thus resembling preoperative anatomy, allowing improvement of postoperative swallowing.

Resume Objectif Evaluer la faisabilite de la prostatectomie totale robot-assistee (PTRA) des cancers de prostate a haut risque (HR). Le critere principal etait le taux de marges chirurgicales positives (MCP) qui etait analyse selon que le haut risque etait attendu ou non. Patients et methode Il s’agissait d’une etude retrospective de patients operes d’une PTRA entre 2006 et 2013. En preoperatoire, les patients etaient repartis selon la classification de D’Amico. Les patients qui presentaient un cancer classe pT3a ou pT3b ou un score de Gleason ≥ 8 ou un envahissement ganglionnaire etaient definis comme des patients a HR postoperatoire. Le taux de MCP etait compare selon le risque de D’Amico et selon le HR decouvert en postoperatoire. Resultats Sur la periode d’etude, 485 patients etaient operes. A la prise en charge, 10 % des cancers etaient classes D’Amico 3 (49/485). En postoperatoire, 27,6 % (134/485) etaient classes cancers a HR. Une difference significative etait retrouvee entre le taux de MCP des cancers HR/D’Amico 3 et HR/non D’Amico 3, respectivement de 22,9 % et 34,3 % ( p Conclusion La PTRA peut etre realisee pour des CaP a HR. Le taux de MCP autour de 30 % est comparable aux donnees de la litterature pour la chirurgie ouverte. La connaissance du HR en preoperatoire permet une dissection globale adaptee et une diminution des MCP. Une amelioration de la detection et de la selection des CaP a HR en preoperatoire est necessaire pour definir les cancers les plus favorables a une prise en charge chirurgicale. Niveau de preuve Niveau 5.

This paper revisits the problem of tidal conversion at a ridge in a uniformly stratified fluid of limited depth using measurements of complex-valued added mass. When the height of a sub-marine ridge is non-negligible with respect to the depth of the water, the tidal conversion can be enhanced in the supercritical regime or reduced in the subcritical regime with respect to the large depth situation. Tidal conversion can even be null for some specific cases. Here, we study experimentally the influence of finite depth on the added mass coefficients for three different ridge shapes. We first show that, at low forcing frequency, the tidal conversion is weakly enhanced by shallow depth for a semi-circular ridge. In addition, added mass coefficients measured for a vertical ridge show strong similarities with the ones obtained for the semi-circular ridge. Nevertheless, the enhancement of the tidal conversion at low forcing frequency for the vertical ridge has not been observed, in contrast with its supercritical shape. Finally, we provide the experimental evidence of a lack of tidal conversion due to the specific shape of a ridge for certain depth and frequency tuning.

Objectifs Les tumeurs kystiques sont une entite specifique, qui semblent souvent moins agressives que les tumeurs solides. Neanmoins, peu d’etudes ont evalue specifiquement les resultats oncologiques. L’objectif de notre etude etait de comparer les resultats oncologiques de la nephrectomie partielle pour tumeurs kystiques a ceux des tumeurs solides. Methodes Les nephrectomies partielles de 8 centres europeens ont ete analysees retrospectivement. Les tumeurs etaient separees en tumeurs solides ou kystiques selon l’imagerie preoperatoire. Les caracteristiques preoperatoires des patients et des tumeurs (taille tumorale, Renal score) etaient collectees. Les donnees anatomopathologiques (TNM, grade de Furhman, presence de marges) etaient elles aussi collectees. L’analyse des resultats oncologiques portait sur la survie specifique et la survie sans recidive. Les courbes de survie etaient comparees selon la methode de Kaplan–Meier. Les caracteristiques des patients et les resultats anatomopathologiques ont egalement ete compares par des analyses de variance (Anova) et des tests du Chi2. Resultats Sept cent soixante-trois patients ont ete inclus dans l’analyse. Parmi eux, 502 presentaient une tumeur solide et 262 une tumeur kystique. Les caracteristiques des patients etaient similaires exceptees pour le score asa (p Tableau 1 ). Les resultats anatomopathologiques etaient similaires entre les deux groupes. La duree moyenne de suivi etait de 30 mois. A 5 ans, la survie sans recidive etait superieure dans le groupe tumeur kystiques (94,9 vs. 84,7 % ; p = 0,04) ( Fig. 1 ). En revanche, il n’y avait pas de difference sur la survie specifique (99,4 vs. 98,6 % ; p = 0,32). Conclusion Dans cette etude, les resultats oncologiques des tumeurs kystiques montraient une meilleure survie sans recidive que pour les solides. Ces resultats confirment les recentes publications suggerant que les tumeurs kystiques ont probablement un caractere moins agressif que les tumeurs solides. Ces resultats doivent permettre de suggerer la possibilite de la surveillance active chez des patients selectionnes porteur d’une tumeur kystique.

We have employed neutron Brillouin spectroscopy to study coherent collective density fluctuations in the biological macromolecular components of living Escherichia coli cells. To highlight the contribution of the macromolecular material alone, a suitably prepared mixture of light and heavy water was exploited to cancel the scattering length of intracellular water. The present results indicate that the cellular biomaterial sustains THz coherent density fluctuations, characterised by a propagating mode travelling at about 3600 m/s and by a localised mode at energies between 4 and 7 meV. A comparison with both hydration water and simpler biomolecules, such as proteins or DNA, brings further support to the idea that the dynamical coupling between biomolecular structures and biological water provides the delicate dynamical adaptation needed to achieve a full biological functionality. Finally, the behaviour of the damping factors of the observed collective modes strengthens the dynamical similarity of biological systems with glass-forming materials.

Vaccine trials against Ebola virus have been conceived and organized, in August 2014, after the epidemic started in three countries of West Africa. If the preparedness had been missing, the planners tried to anticipate the resistance to vaccination, in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. This article offers a retrospective view on the resistances to vaccination throughout its history, from smallpox inoculation to anti-polio vaccine. Resistances have been linked to the political contexts and the rejection of an oppressive power, either local or foreign, as well as mistakes and scientific uncertainties. The analysis of the historical factors of resistance leads to reverse the question: what convinces people to accept a vaccine trial, despite the obscurities of the immunization processes inside the body? The article hypothesizes that Guineans and West Africans face a dilemma similar to their counterparts in the past, whether or not to rally to an experimental immunization, the results of which are still pending. They may appropriate the Western beliefs about the efficacy of vaccines to their own ways of circumventing misfortune. Further field studies will be required to assess the role of the vaccinal trials and the response to the epidemic in the "convalescence" of these societies, being aware that the trials will not allow a complete assessment of the vaccines, because of the end of the epidemic.

Crystal diffraction data of heart fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP) in complex with oleic acid were measured at room temperature with high-resolution X-ray and neutron protein crystallography (0.98 and 1.90 Å resolution, respectively). These data provided very detailed information about the cluster of water molecules and the bound oleic acid in the H-FABP large internal cavity. The jointly refined X-ray/neutron structure of H-FABP was complemented by a transferred multipolar electron-density distribution using the parameters of the ELMAMII library. The resulting electron density allowed a precise determination of the electrostatic potential in the fatty acid (FA) binding pocket. Bader's quantum theory of atoms in molecules was then used to study interactions involving the internal water molecules, the FA and the protein. This approach showed H···H contacts of the FA with highly conserved hydrophobic residues known to play a role in the stabilization of long-chain FAs in the binding cavity. The determination of water hydrogen (deuterium) positions allowed the analysis of the orientation and electrostatic properties of the water molecules in the very ordered cluster. As a result, a significant alignment of the permanent dipoles of the water molecules with the protein electrostatic field was observed. This can be related to the dielectric properties of hydration layers around proteins, where the shielding of electrostatic interactions depends directly on the rotational degrees of freedom of the water molecules in the interface., Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Instituto de Física de Líquidos y Sistemas Biológicos

The structure of dense poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) brushes and oligo(ethylene glycol) (OEG) monolayers has been probed using neutron reflectometry and ellipsometry. The PNIPAM brush is swollen below the Lower Critical Solution Temperature (LCST) of 32 ∘C and is collapsed at 37 ∘C. Neutron reflectivity shows that below the LCST, the brush is described by a two-layer model: an inner dense layer and a hydrated outer layer. Above the LCST the collapsed brush forms a homogenous layer. With a fully deuterated myoglobin protein to increase the neutron scattering length density contrast, the reflectivity data show no detectable primary adsorption on the grafted OEG surface. A bound on the ternary adsorption onto PNIPAM chains forming dense brushes below and above the LCST is obtained.

The traditional farmers play an important role in plant genetic resources conservation. Collecting the germplasm maintained by these farmers is a very important action to avoid genetic variability losses. The goals of this work were to collect sweet potato from farms in the north of Rio de Janeiro state; to gather information regarding to the farmers profile, and to characterize the sweet potato landraces collected using morphological descriptors. Fifty three farms were visited in six collection expedition and 46 accessions were collected. During the visits the farmers were interviewed using a query with ten items. Six root traits and eight descriptors for vegetative parts were used for morphological characterization. The data were analyzed based on Cole-Rodgers distance and clustering was done with UPGMA method. Familiar agriculture with subsistence objective was observed and sweet potato was cultivated by 72% of the farmers at least for more than a decade, supporting the observation that this vegetable is traditionally cultivated in small areas in the specific region. The morphological characterization was efficient to detect genetic variability among accessions, revealing that traditional farmers from Campos dos Goytacazes and São João da Barra are responsible for sweet potato genotypes conservation with expressive genetic diversity in their properties. There was no relationship between genetic distance and collecting areas.Os agricultores tradicionais têm um papel fundamental na conservação dos recursos genéticos vegetais e a coleta de germoplasma mantido por esses produtores é muito importante para evitar a perda da variabilidade genética. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram coletar germoplasma de batata-doce em propriedades rurais situadas no norte do estado do Rio de Janeiro; levantar informações quanto ao perfil dos produtores rurais visitados durante as coletas, e caracterizar morfologicamente as variedades locais de batata-doce coletadas. Em seis viagens de coleta foram visitadas 53 propriedades rurais, e coletados 46 acessos. Em todas as visitas foi possível entrevistar o produtor por meio de questionário contendo dez itens. Para a caracterização, foram usados seis caracteres de raiz e oito da parte aérea. A análise dos dados foi efetuada com o uso da distância de Cole-Rodgers e o agrupamento foi gerado com o método UPGMA. Foi constatado predomínio da agricultura familiar, voltada para subsistência, sendo que 72% dos agricultores cultivavam a batata-doce há mais de uma década, o que evidencia a tradição de cultivo desta hortaliça em pequenas áreas na região. A caracterização morfológica foi eficiente para detectar a variabilidade genética entre os acessos, demonstrando que os agricultores tradicionais dos municípios de Campos dos Goytacazes e São João da Barra detêm genótipos de batata-doce com expressiva diversidade genética em suas propriedades. Não foi detectada correlação entre a distância genética e os locais de coleta.

Resume Objectif Les mutations socioeconomiques en cours depuis trois dernieres decennies dans les pays industrialises sont a l’origine d’un processus de precarisation de l’emploi qui, couple aux difficultes socioeconomiques, renforce la desinsertion sociale et se repercute sur l’acces aux soins et la sante. L’objectif de l’experimentation PREMTES est d’evaluer un partenariat entre des services de sante au travail (SST) et des centres d’examens de sante (CES) de l’assurance maladie, visant a proposer aux travailleurs en situation de vulnerabilite sociale de passer le bilan de prevention des CES. Methode Les travailleurs vulnerables ont ete identifies lors de la visite de medecine du travail grâce a un questionnaire socio-administratif comportant le score EPICES (score individuel de precarite reposant sur 11 questions binaires oui/non), de sorte que le bilan de prevention des CES soit propose aux salaries identifies comme vulnerables. Leur etat de sante a ete compare a celui de travailleurs non vulnerables (selon EPICES), examines dans les memes CES entre 2007 et 2008 dans le cadre de leur activite de routine, par la regression logistique multivariee. Resultats L’experimentation a ete conduite entre 2008 et 2010, aupres de 32 SST et 20 CES situes dans dix regions francaises. Le questionnaire a ete administre par 192 medecins du travail, dans un echantillon aleatoire de 15 692 salaries. Parmi l’ensemble des travailleurs, 27,2 % (4272) ont ete identifies comme vulnerables. Le bilan de prevention leur a ete propose et pres du quart de ces travailleurs (23,2 %) se sont rendus dans les CES pour realiser le bilan de prevention. Compares aux travailleurs non vulnerables, les travailleurs de l’experimentation ont un etat de sante degrade pour la plupart des indicateurs : comportements a risque, non recours aux soins, sante percue et mesuree. A titre d’exemples, les OR atteignent 4,27 (3,66–50) pour le tabagisme eleve, 3,23 (2,58–4,04) pour le non suivi gynecologique, 2,82 (2,44–3,26) pour la perception negative de la sante, 2,21 (1,84–2,65) pour l’obesite et 3,38 (2,31–4,93) pour le diabete. Ces resultats sont similaires a ceux observes dans des populations de chomeurs. La vulnerabilite sociale selon EPICES est significativement plus frequente pour les categories sociales defavorisees, pour les emplois instables et a temps partiel non choisi, pour les salaries vus en visites medicales d’embauche, de reprise et spontanees, et en cas de non declaration du medecin traitant. Les proportions de travailleurs vulnerables sont egalement elevees dans des secteurs d‘activite et professions tels que bâtiment, entretien et nettoyage, hotellerie, restauration et commerce de detail, services aux particuliers (auxiliaire de vie, menage a domicile). Une enquete de satisfaction a montre une evaluation positive de l’experimentation par les travailleurs et les personnels des SST et CES. Conclusion Ces resultats justifient de proposer le maintien et l’extension du partenariat entre les SST et les CES. Le but est de faciliter l’acces a la prevention, au parcours coordonne de soins et a divers relais dans le champ de la promotion et de l’education pour la sante, et de contribuer au maintien dans l’emploi des travailleurs en situation de vulnerabilite.

A estimativa da variabilidade genética existente em um banco de germoplasma é importante não só para a conservação dos recursos genéticos, mas também para aplicações no melhoramento de plantas. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo estudar a divergência genética entre 78 acessos de uma coleção de germoplasma de tomateiro, com base em 74 marcadores RAPD e correlacionar esses resultados àqueles da caracterização morfoagronômica realizada para 27 descritores. Foi utilizado o agrupamento hierárquico UPGMA para analisar os dados, observando-se a formação de 13 grupos. Esses grupos foram correlacionados a cinco descritores (hábito de crescimento, tipo de folha, cor do fruto, número de lóculos e formato do fruto). Alguns grupos apresentaram peculiaridades, a exemplo do grupo IV, que reuniu acessos com frutos no formato de pêra; o grupo VII com acessos resistentes a murcha-bacteriana e o grupo IX, que englobou acessos com folhas do tipo batata. As análises por bootstrap revelaram poucos agrupamentos consistentes. Houve correlação positiva e altamente significativa entre as matrizes geradas pelos 27 descritores qualitativos e pelos marcadores RAPD (t = 14,02). A correlação de Mantel (r = 0,39) foi altamente significativa, porém de baixa magnitude. O baixo valor verificado para esta correlação sugere que ambas as etapas de caracterização (morfoagronômica e molecular) são importantes para um conhecimento mais amplo e melhor discriminação entre os acessos de tomate.The estimation of genetic variability in a germplasm bank is important not only for the conservation of the genetic resources, but also for applications in plant breeding. The genetic divergence among 78 tomato accessions was studied, based on 74 RAPD markers. Also, a correlation between the molecular profile and 27 morphological and agronomic data was performed. Cluster analysis (UPGMA), used to study the data, resulted in 13 groups that were correlated with five descriptors (growth habit, leaf type, fruit color, locule number, and fruit shape). Some groups had particularities, such as group IV that assembled accessions with pear shape fruits; group VII, that clustered accessions with bacterial wilt resistance, and group IX, that gathered accessions with potato leaf type. Bootstrap analysis revealed few consistent clusters. The results showed a positive and significant correlation between the matrixes generated out of qualitative and molecular data (t = 14.02). Mantel's correlation was highly significant, but with a low value (r = 0.39), which suggests that for a wise use of the germplasm bank accessions, both characterization, molecular and morphoagronomic, should be carried out.

αThalassemia/mental retardation X linked (ATRX) is a switch/sucrose nonfermenting-type ATPase localized at pericentromeric heterochromatin in mouse and human cells. Human ATRX mutations give rise to mental retardation syndromes characterized by developmental delay, facial dysmorphisms, cognitive deficits, and microcephaly and the loss of ATRX in the mouse brain leads to reduced cortical size. We find that ATRX is required for normal mitotic progression in human cultured cells and in neuroprogenitors. Using live cell imaging, we show that the transition from prometaphase to metaphase is prolonged in ATRX-depleted cells and is accompanied by defective sister chromatid cohesion and congression at the metaphase plate. We also demonstrate that loss of ATRX in the embryonic mouse brain induces mitotic defects in neuroprogenitors in vivo with evidence of abnormal chromosome congression and segregation. These findings reveal that ATRX contributes to chromosome dynamics during mitosis and provide a possible cellular explanation for reduced cortical size and abnormal brain development associated with ATRX deficiency.

Rotational productivity is a function of the rotational crops and their interactions, as well as the management employed. Understanding the functioning of the overall production system, as well as its component parts, may contribute to improved management. Effects of nitrogen fertilizer rate (25, 50, 75, 100 kg N ha-1 as urea) and herbicide rate (66 or 100% of recommended) applied to wheat, and of the level of soil disturbance at seeding, on the productivity and N status of a 2-yr rotation of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and field pea (Pisum sativum L.) were assessed over two rotation cycles at two locations in southwestern Manitoba. Management factors typically acted independently to influence the cropping system. In both wheat and pea, high soil disturbance at seeding reduced or tended to reduce plant density in most site-years, resulting in reduced yields in about half of site-years. In 2 site-years where weed pressure was high, wheat yields for high disturbance treatments were less than 60% of low disturbance seeding, demonstrating the importance of adequate plant stands under sub-optimal growing conditions. The herbicide rate applied to wheat had few significant effects on wheat and pea. In most site-years, N fertilization had limited or negative effects on wheat yields due partly to relatively high soil NO3-N levels. Soil NO3-N levels declined over the years of the study, suggesting that N contributions from peas did not exceed crop N removal and/or N losses from the wheat-pea rotation. The N rate applied to wheat typically did not affect pea yields. Key words: Wheat, pea, rotation, herbicide, nitrogen, soil disturbance

Cinq ans apres le lancement du programme vaccinal par le ministre de la sante francais en 1994, les autorites sanitaires restent insatisfaites de la couverture vaccinale contre l’hepatite B chez les jeunes. S’agit-il d’une reaction particuliere au vaccin contre l’hepatite B, en raison des circonstances de lancement du programme et du remous suscite par la controverse sur le lien avec la sclerose en plaques, ou abordons-nous une ere nouvelle de defiance globale envers l’entreprise vaccinale? Et plus generalement, est-ce la fin de l’exception francaise ou du regime de faveur dont jouissait en general dans la population l’institution vaccinale? Retrospective sur l’histoire de la vaccination au pays de Louis Pasteur.

Background:There are many studies concerning thyroid function in obesity, and some of them describe higher TSH levels in obese subjects. Few studies evaluated long-term changes in thyroid function caused by weight loss after bariatric surgery. Our aims were to evaluate the prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism (SH) in a morbidly obese population and to analyze the effect of weight loss induced by Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP) on TSH and thyroid hormone (TH) levels. Methods: TSH, free thyroxine (fT4) and total triiodothyronine (T3) levels were analyzed before and 12 months after RYGBP in patients with grade III or grade II obesity with co-morbidities. Subjects taking TH and/or with positive antithyroid antibodies and/or with overt hypothyroidism were excluded. Results: 72 subjects (62F/10M), with mean age 39.6±9.8 years and mean BMI 53.0±10.4 kg/m2 were studied. The prevalence of SH before RYGBP was 25% (n=18). There was a significant post-surgical decrease in BMI in the whole population, as well as in SH patients. In the SH group and normal TSH group, there was a decrease in TSH and T3, but not in fT4. TSH was not correlated with initial BMI or percent change in BMI. TSH concentrations reached normal values in all SH patients after RYGBP. Conclusion: Our data confirm that severe obesity is associated with increased TSH. The decrease in TSH was independent of BMI, but occurred in all SH patients. A putative effect of weight reduction on the improvement of SH in all patients may be an additional benefit of bariatric surgery.

To evaluate the feasibility of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) in high risk prostate cancer (HR). The rate of positive surgical margins (PSM) was compared between anticipated HR cancer according to D'Amico risk classification and discovered postoperative HR cancer.A retrospective study was conducted between 2006 and 2013 on patients who underwent RARP. Before surgery, patients were divided according to the D'Amico risk classification. After surgery, HR was defined as pT3a or pT3b, or Gleason score≥8 or positive lymph nodes. The rate of PSM was compared according to the D'Amico risk classification and postoperative HR.During the study, 485 patients were reviewed. Before surgery, 10 % of cancers were classified as D'Amico 3 (49/485). After surgery, 27.6 % (134/485) were classified as HR. There was a significant difference between the rate of PSM in HR/D'Amico 3 and HR/non D'Amico 3 cancer, respectively 22.9 % and 34.3 % (P0.001).The RARP is feasible in HR with an average of 30 % of PSM as in open surgery. However, the accurate assessment of preoperative HR will allow a more adapted dissection and a decrease of rate of PSM. So it is necessary to improve the detection of HR and so to select the most suitable cancer for surgery.Level 5.

Microfabricated cantilever sensors were used to measure the surface stress induced by protein adsorption onto a gold surface. Two proteins, immoglobulin G (IgG) and albumin (BSA), were studied. The change of surface stress upon adsorption of IgG was found to be compressive, whereas that of BSA was tensile. This difference is elucidated in terms of protein deformation and packing. Most stress change occurs not on adsorption but over very long time scales, up to 12 h, as protein conformational changes occur. The ability to monitor slow protein changes (e.g., from protein denaturing) is a particular strength of the technique.

A total of 588 blood specimens collected in an emergency unit were screened for benzodiazepines (BZDs) using enzyme-multiplied immunoassay and gas chromatography. Two-hundred eighty-five samples were positive for BZDs, and 303 samples that were negative by EMIT included 20 samples with BZDs detectable by gas-liquid chromatography. A total of 15 BZDs were identified, and the most frequently occurring were nordiazepam, bromazepam, diazepam, and alprazolam. Individual BZDs were found in 74% of cases, but some samples contained two, three, or even four BZDs. There is a risk of missing intoxication by BZDs with low therapeutic range and/or low cross-reactivity (alprazolam, bromazepam, flunitrazepam). There is a risk of misinterpreting a positive result for some BZDs with high therapeutic range and/or high cross-reactivity (nordiazepam), which may reflect a pharmacologically ineffective concentration. A semiquantitative analysis is inappropriate even when the identity of BZD is known. Immunoassays are the only methods presently available for use in emergencies, but physicians must be clearly informed of their limitations and interpret results with caution.

Reversible, controllable optical nanocontraction and dilatation in a chalcogenide glass film was induced by polarized light, and a direct correlation of this optomechanical effect with the reversible optical-induced optical anisotropy (dichroism) also exhibited by the chalcogenide glass was observed. A microscopic model of the photoinduced, reversible structural phenomenon responsible for the optomechanical behavior is presented. The ability to induce an anisotropic optomechanical effect could form the basis of a number of applications, including polarized light-dependent optical nanoactuators, optomechanical diaphragm micropumps, and even motors driven by polarized light.

A new directionally sensitive velocity measurement system based upon a single oscillating hot-wire probe has been developed. The vibration of the hot-wire was effected by a piezoelectric oscillator that could be driven at different amplitudes and frequencies. The sign of the local flow velocity was determined by the phase shift between the motion and the output from the hot-wire. The system was used to measure mean and fluctuating velocities profiles of the separated flow behind a backward facing step.

This study evaluated the population biology of Ctenosciaena gracilicirrhus (Perciformes: Sciaenidae) in a shallow non-estuarine coastal area of southeastern Brazil. Monthly samples were taken from October 2003 through October 2004, in two distinct areas at depths from 1 to 4 m. C. gracilicirrhus was generally among the most abundant fish species during the period. Its density was significantly higher in a single sampling month, May 2004, in the South area, which may be explained by its migratory behavior together with its preference for deeper areas. Such behavior may lead to bias in community estimates that use few or only seasonal samples. C. gracilicirrhus individuals ranged from 4.0 to 10.2 cm long, with a main mode from 7.5 to 9.0 cm and a significant decrease in mean size from June onward. The estimation of body growth parameters was compromised by this population feature. Similarly, the prey spectrum was difficult to determine because of the deteriorated condition of the stomach contents, although crustaceans were clearly the most important items ingested. Amphipoda was the only subgroup that could be identified more precisely, mainly by the construction of their tubes. Este estudo levantou dados sobre a biologia populacional de Ctenosciaena gracilicirrhus (Perciformes: Sciaenidae) em uma região costeira rasa, não-estuarina, do sudeste do Brasil. Amostras mensais foram realizadas de outubro de 2003 a outubro de 2004, em duas áreas distintas e similares, com variação batimétrica de 1-4 m. A espécie esteve, em geral, entre os peixes mais abundantes. No entanto, sua densidade foi significativamente maior em um único mês e área, maio de 2004 na área sul. O fato pode ser explicado pelo seu comportamento migratório e uma preferência por regiões mais profundas. Esse comportamento pode levar a vieses em estudos de comunidade ictíica que usam poucas amostras, ou apenas amostras sazonais. Indivíduos de C. gracilicirrhus de 4,0 a 10,2 cm de comprimento total foram amostrados, apresentando uma moda principal de 7,5-9,0 cm e uma redução significativa do tamanho de junho de 2004 em diante. As estimativas de parâmetros de crescimento foram comprometidas pelas características peculiares da população no local. De forma semelhante, a identificação das presas foi comprometida devido ao elevado nível de deterioração do conteúdo estomacal. Foi possível concluir, entretanto, que os crustáceos foram nitidamente os itens mais importantes ingeridos. Amphipoda mostrou ser o único subgrupo identificável, principalmente devido à construção de tubos.

Ten patients with orthotopic liver transplants were investigated during routine therapeutic monitoring to study the relationship between the concentrations of cyclosporin and its metabolites in blood, bile and urine, and whether this information can provide early signs of severe hepatic disorders post-transplantation. Cyclosporin (Sandimmun®) was administered by continuous infusion at a constant rate of 5 mg/kg/day, modified to keep the blood cyclosporin concentration within the target range (400 to 500 μg/L). The concentrations of cyclosporin and combined cyclosporin-metabolites in blood, bile and urine were assayed daily during the 3 post-transplantation weeks that the patients spent in intensive care.All patients developed cholestatis and cytolysis during the first week. The severity of these liver transplant disorders increased in 5 patients and decreased in the other 5 in the second week. The pharmacokinetics of cyclosporin differed in the 2 groups: in patients without severe hepatic disorders, the blood metabolites/cyclosporin ratio (M/C) stabilised at 1.2 ± 0.4 in week 2 and at 0.8 ± 0.2 in week 3, bile cyclosporin/blood cyclosporin (bile C/blood C) fluctuated around 13.5 (13.5 ± 9.5 in week 2 and 13.5 ± 9.0 in week 3) and the bile metabolite/blood metabolite (bile M/blood M) ratio was very high and variable (131 ± 86 in week 2 and 159 ± 116 in week 3). Metabolites significantly accumulated in the blood of patients with severe hepatic disorders (M/C = 2.8 ± 0.6 in week 2 and 3.5 ± 1.0 in week 3); bile C/blood C (2.6 ± 2.1 in week 2 and 3.4 ± 1.1 in week 3) and bile M/blood M (11.9 ± 7.8 in week 2 and 12.5 ± 7.9 in week 3) significantly decreased and showed less interindividual variability.Blood cyclosporin is usually monitored to help optimise the dosage. However, if this was extended to include the monitoring of metabolites in the blood, and cyclosporin and metabolites in the bile, it could provide an early indication of severe hepatic disorders in patients with transplanted livers.

Objectifs Il est conseille de faire l’exerese des lesions renales kystiques suspectes (classees Bosniak 3 et 4). Il s’agit de lesions fragiles qui peuvent se rompre pendant le temps de dissection ou d’exerese. L’impact de cette rupture peroperatoire reste flou. L’objectif de cette etude etait d’analyser l’incidence des ruptures de kystes peroperatoire et leur impact sur les resultats oncologiques. Methodes Entre 2008 et 2015, les patients ayant eu une nephrectomie partielle pour lesion kystique suspecte dans huit centres universitaires europeens ont ete analyses retrospectivement. La notion de rupture de kyste etait systematiquement recherchee. L’analyse des resultats oncologiques portait sur la survie globale, la survie specifique et la survie sans recidive. Une analyse selon la voie d’abord (ouverte et robot assistee) et selon l’existence d’une rupture de kyste a ete realisee. Les courbes de survie sans recidive ont ete comparees par la methode de Kaplan-Meier. Une analyse multivariee par regression logistique a ete faite pour rechercher les facteurs predictifs de rupture de kystes. Resultats Un total de 268 patients ont ete inclus. Soixante-quinze pour cent des kystes etaient malins : 84,5 % des Bosniak 4, 68 % des Bosniak 3 et 62,5 % des Bosniak 2F. Avec un suivi moyen de 32 mois, le taux de recidive locale etait de 2 %, l’evolution metastatique etait de 2 %, aucun deces specifique n’a ete rapporte. Le taux de deces toute cause etait de 4,9 %. L’evenement « rupture de kyste » etait de 18,7 % ( n = 50), 77,5 % etant survenue sur des tumeurs malignes. Avec un recul de 38 mois aucune recidive n’est apparue dans le sous-groupe kystes rompus. L’analyse sur la survie sans recidive n’a pas retrouve de difference entre la presence d’une rupture ou non ( p = 0,23) ainsi que selon la voie d’abord utilisee ( p = 0,91). Aucun facteur predictif n’a ete retrouve concernant l’evenement rupture de kyste. Conclusion La rupture de kyste est un evenement relativement frequent quelle que soit la voie d’abord mais elle ne semble pas impacter le pronostic oncologique a moyen terme.

Brain ageing affects numerous cerebral metabolic pathways such as cerebral glucose consumption or protein synthesis rate. The pharmacological effect of a mixed D 1 -D 2 dopaminergic agonist, piribedil, on this last metabolism is reported. Cerebral Protein Synthesis Rate (CPSR) was measured by the [ 35 S]L-methionine autoradiographic procedure in 38 main brain regions of 11 and 26-month-old Wistar rats after a 2-month treatment per os at 9 and 30 mg/kg/day with piribedil. Mean decrease of CPSR was -21% during the 15-month ageing we followed, with important local variations. Mean CPSR increased with the two treatments, +25% in mature and +35% in aged rats. Treatments restored CPSR of aged rats to the exact mature subjects levels in quite all the brain regions. No dose-effect or asymetrical modification was statistically revealed for the two treatments. Metabolic increases involved particularly central brain gray structures, especially some DA-targeted brain nuclei concerned with behaviour and learning. This effect argued for a general metabotrophic effect of D 1 -D 2 dopamine stimulation of the brain. The original pattern of local ageing of brain protein synthesis in rat was also incidentally reported. This was the first direct report of a wide and effective metabolic activation of CPSR in the brain during ageing by a curative dopaminergic agonist treatment.

The pharmacokinetics of propofol, administered as a constant rate 3 mg/kg/h intravenous 24-hour infusion for maintenance of sedation in patients undergoing mechanical ventilation after orthotopic liver transplantation, were studied during infusion and 24 hours after its termination. The concentrations obtained at steady-state (1.3 ± 0.5 mg/L) were slightly higher than those commonly reported upon recovery (1.1 mg/L). At the end of infusion, blood concentrations of propofol declined rapidly according to a triexponential function. The distribution half-life in the central compartment (t½α: 2.4 ± 2.2 minutes) was equal to the value observed after bolus administration. The distribution half-life in the deep peripheral compartment (t½β: 76.2 ± 42.1 minutes) and the elimination half-life (t½γ: 1102 ± 470 minutes) were longer than values obtained after bolus or short infusion, but were about the same as those determined after prolonged infusion. The volume of distribution calculated during the terminal phase (Vz: 3074 ± 1828L) was very large, showing extensive distribution in peripheral tissues. Total clearance (129 ± 78 L/h) remained unchanged compared with the data in the literature. The pharmacokinetics of propofol in patients who underwent a liver transplantation 48 hours previously were the same as parameters calculated at the end of a prolonged infusion in patients without liver disease. It is the duration of infusion that increases the volume of distribution and prolongs the elimination half-life of this agent and not some hypothetical dysfunction in the newly transplanted liver.

We have collected two new detailed records of what could be the second oldest well documented reversal, the "van Zijl" Jurassic (~180 Ma) reversal recorded in the thick basalt sequences of the Karoo large igneous province in Lesotho and South Africa. Sections yielded 10 and 8 independent transitional paleomagnetic directions respectively over two continuous 130 m and 160 m sequences. The corresponding VGP reversing paths share a number of consistent features and are integrated with a third record at Bushmen's Pass from Prevot et al. (2003) to yield a single reversal path with: 1-a large directional jump with no transitional poles between 45°S and 45°N in the first, main phase of the reversal, 2-a large elongated loop (multiple hairpin) to the SE with poles going down to ~20° latitudes in the second phase of the reversal, and 3-a rebound before finally settling in normal polarity. We have measured relative paleo-intensities on a set of carefully selected samples. Intensity was low prior to the directional changes and recovery to the following normal polarity was progressive. Transitional intensity is 80 to 90% lower than full polarity values. There is no significant increase in intensity at the time of transitional directional clusters. Our results are consistent with a weak non-dipolar reversing field, with faster and larger directional secular variation as the equator is crossed by VGPs. They tend to vindicate the notion of a short duration of the directional reversal, though one cannot draw global conclusions from a record limited to essentially a single location.