Search

Gold nanorods (GNRs) are attracting a lot of attention due to their extraordinary optical properties, and potential use for medical applications. The issue of the attachment of double stranded oligonucleotides onto GNR surfaces is crucial for the development of quantitative DNA/RNA delivery carried by GNRs. This work presents a fluorescence-based characterisation method for assessing the attachment of dsDNA to GNR surfaces.

International audience; Among acoustic waves sensors, the thickness shear mode resonator presents high sensitivity for the measurement of liquid viscoelastic properties, enabling the monitoring of the shear moduli, G′ G″, by using a suitable physical model. The development of an instrumental system for detecting the tau protein involved in Alzheimer's disease is proposed which will aid in understanding the mechanisms of this disease. The tau protein is present in complex products such as blood and cerebrospinal fluid. The experimental results show that the acoustic wave system allows to differentiate between tau protein solutions with different states of polymerisation.

Nous analysons l'influence de chaines hexyles en positions terminales d'un sexithiophene (DHS) sur l'orientation et la structure du film depose par evaporation sur une couche mince de PTFE oriente par friction. Alors qu'a basse temperature du substrat, les chaines alkyles desorganisent le film, a temperature ambiante au contraire, elles ameliorent l'orientation et l'organisation epitaxiale du film par rapport au PTFE

The present study was designed to provide data on the effects on bone of 5 months of daily exercise in nonhuman primates. The subjects were five male rhesus monkeys with mature skeletons with a body mass of 8-10 kg. The exercise schedule selected to provide endurance training was a daily continuous 1-h climbing task. An iliac crest bone biopsy was performed prior to and at the end of the physical training. The histomorphometric bone study was based upon bone mass and bone cell activity measurements made on nondecalcified bone slides, using trichromic and fluorescent labelling techniques. Results showed a decrease in bone formation, resulting in reduced bone mass at the end of the 5 months. This effect is suggested to be related to the unphysiological climbing regimen imposed on these animals which are naturally used to short periods of rapid exercise. From these investigations it was concluded that even if it is well tolerated, long-term physical endurance training can induce bone loss in primates. Further investigations are needed to determine with accuracy the relationships between bone physiology and physical exercise, and particularly with regard to its type, intensity and duration.

In 216 patients with brain metastases two schedules of brain irradiation were compared in a randomized trial: one course of 18 Gy/3 fractions/3 days versus the same fractionation followed by a second course of radiotherapy with a one-month time interval. The second course was identical to the first one or delivered 25 Gy/10 fractions/14 days. No difference in overall survival, nor in the neurologic response or in the incidence of complications was demonstrated. Two clinical factors appeared to be prognostic of the overall survival: the presence of multiple brain metastases and the presence of extracerebral metastases.

We present the first efficiency measurement of a superheated superconducting granule (SSG) detector irradiated with minimum ionizing particles (mips). The SSG device is a solenoid readout coil filled with tin granules (22 μm average diameter) embedded (16% volume filling factor) in a good thermal conductor varnish cooled down to T = 490 mK. It is shown that a 2 mm thick detector is close to 100% efficient (1σ over the electronic noise) to mips. The probability of a mip to hit at least one granule, sensitive to an energy deposition of 16 keV or more over the detector length, is approximately 100%. Only 10% of the granules in the detector were sensitive to mips because of the finite granule size distribution and the phase transition smearing observed with this sample.

Introduction La rehabilitation respiratoire (RR) des patients atteints de mucoviscidose, greffes ou non, a debute au CHU de Nantes en 2008. La periode 2008–2014 correspond a une phase pilote que nous avons decide d’analyser dans le cadre d’une reflexion sur l’optimisation de cette activite. Methodes Cette etude de cohorte, retrospective, expose les caracteristiques des patients ayant participe au programme de RR, les modalites organisationnelles de celui-ci, les effets ressentis sur leur dyspnee, leur fatigue, et le benefice du programme. Les impacts sur le statut nutritionnel, la pratique d’une activite physique et la qualite de vie sont evalues. Les remarques et suggestions des patients sur le programme sont recueillies. Resultats Trente-quatre patients ont eu la prescription d’un programme de RR. Trente-trois patients, greffes thoraciques ou non, ont pu y participer. Neuf etaient transplantes avant RR ; 9 ont, soit ete inscrits, soit ete transplantes, soit sont decedes apres RR ; 15 patients sont vivants, non transplantes. Soixante-sept pour cent ont realise la totalite du programme prescrit. Quarante-sept pour cent expriment une amelioration franche de leur fatigue et 36 % de leur dyspnee ; 68,5 % s’accordent a dire que le programme leur a ete benefique. L’indice de masse maigre ne s’ameliore pas. La poursuite d’activite physique est observee avec une tendance a l’amelioration de l’indice d’activites sportives. Il n’est pas mis en evidence d’amelioration de la qualite de vie. Les patients font part d’un besoin de coaching et d’encadrement specifique a court et moyen terme, pour adapter leur programme de RR a leur environnement et aux contraintes inherentes a la mucoviscidose. Conclusion Le retour positif des patients et les resultats de cette etude confortent l’interet de poursuivre et renforcer la prise en charge et le suivi en RR de ces patients.

A system to physically exercise rhesus monkeys is described, based on their natural capacity to climb. It is composed of an enclosure where a motor-driven rope is continually going down. The two stage training to this task is easily performed. The total work of each run, evaluated with the weight of the animal and the distance climbed, may be very stable. It was used to provide five sedentary monkeys with daily physical training for five months.

The introduction of genetic modifications in specific genes by homologous recombination provides a powerful tool for elucidation of structure-function relationships of proteins of biological interest. Presently, there are several alternative methods of homologous recombination that permit the introduction of small genetic modifications in specific loci. Two of the most widely used methods are the tag-and-exchange, based on the use of positive-negative selection markers, and the Cre-loxP system, based on the use of a site-specific recombinase. The efficiency of detection of targeting events at different loci using the two systems was compared. Additionally, we analysed how the distance between two gene markers placed within the region of homology of a targeting vector affects the rate at which both markers are introduced into the locus during the homologous recombination event. Our results indicate that the method based on the use of positive-negative selection markers was less efficient than the Cre-loxP based system, irrespective of locus or type of positive-negative selection. It was also determined that as the distance between the selectable marker and the genetic modification being introduced increases, there is a progressive reduction in the efficiency of detecting events with the desired genetic modification.

A retrospective analysis of histological lesions adjacent to 67 invasive vulvar squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) was undertaken to analyse their nature, as well as their relationship to SCC. Patient age, clinical presentation and histological type of carcinoma, ISSVD classification of its adjacent lesions, disease-free and overall survival were reviewed. Severe undifferentiated vulvar intra-epithelial neoplasia (VIN3) was found in 19.4% of cases and vulvar lichen sclerosus (VLS) in 76.1% of cases. All VLS, except 2 cases, were associated with squamous cell hyperplasia (SCH), and a concomitant differentiated VIN was found in 76.6% of cases. Undifferentiated VIN3 was never associated with VLS. VLS was significantly associated with a keratinizing, well-differentiated SCC (98% of cases), while undifferentiated VIN3, was linked preferentially to 2 other types of SCC: in 77% of cases, a moderately-differentiated SCC with the same histological features as the so-called basaloid carcinoma and, in 23% of cases, a well-differentiated SCC with a variable extent of koilocytic atypia, similar to the so-called warty carcinoma. Carcinoma of the fourchette was more often associated with undifferentiated VIN3. Disease-free and overall survival were significantly better for carcinoma associated with undifferentiated VIN3 (p0.01 and p0.05, respectively). These findings suggest invasive vulvar SCC occurs on 2 distinct types of vulvar lesions: differentiated VIN and/or SCH associated with VLS and undifferentiated VIN3. Furthermore, the histological type of the carcinoma seems to differ according to adjacent lesions.

Various gene systems are involved in events occurring during transformation of a normal cell into a cancer cell. By order of intervention, genes responsible for an increased individual susceptibility to cancer can be distinguished from actual cancer genes, followed by genes involved at other levels of carcinogenesis. 15 to 20% of patients with breast cancer have a first-degree relative affected by the same cancer, although an inherited predisposition to cancer is only established in 4 to 10% of cases. The genetic heterogeneity of familial forms of breast cancer make it difficult to identify susceptibility genes. At the present time, 3 regions of the genome have been implicated in the predisposition to breast cancer in women: the BRCA1 gene, the BRCA2 gene and the TP53 gene. All predisposition genes are able to transmit susceptibility due to a mutation or inherited microdeletion.

Using invasive and noninvasive techniques, we studied bone changes in primates flown for 13 days on Cosmos-1887 and compared them with the data obtained from vivarium control animals and from the flown primates that were after flight exposed to a ground-based synchronous experiment in the biosatellite mockup. It was found that bone density in the diaphysis of the tibia decreased while its growth rate remained unchanged or diminished. Contact X-raying indicated a higher rate of endosteal resorption in the flown primates when compared with the controls. Histomorphometric measurements of iliac bioptates displayed signs of inhibited bone formation after flight. The above observations are discussed and compared with the results obtained in previous biosatellite flights and ground-based studies.

A system to physically exercise rhesus monkeys is described, based on their natural capacity to climb. It is composed of an enclosure where a motor-driven rope is continually going down. The two stage training to this task is easily performed. The total work of each run, evaluated with the weight of the animal and the distance climbed, may be very stable. It was used to provide five sedentary monkeys with daily physical training for five months.

Objectifs La surveillance des femmes porteuses d’une mutation BRCA1 ou BRCA2 comprend une mammographie et une echographie annuelles. Il s’agit de comparer l’apport de l’IRM par rapport au couple mammographie - echographie. Materiels et methodes Etude multicentrique chez 118 patientes âgees de 27 a 65 ans ayant eu une IRM en plus de la surveillance annuelle habituelle. Une biopsie a ete realisee quand un des tests etait juge suspect. Resultats Quatre cancers infiltrants et deux cancers intracanalaires ont ete diagnostiques. Tous les cancers ont ete vus en IRM. Tous etaient infra-centimetriques et N-. Trois cancers infiltrants ont ete diagnostiques par la mammographie, l’un d’entre eux etait classe ACR 3. Deux cancers infiltrants etaient visibles en echographie. Un cancer infiltrant n’etait visible qu’en IRM. Les deux carcinomes intracanalaires n’avaient pas de traduction mammographique ; l’un etait classe ACR3 en echographie. Dans un cas, la tumorectomie guidee par l’echographie a porte sur une cicatrice radiaire faisant decouvrir de facon fortuite le carcinome in situ. Parallelement, 10 cytologies ont ete realisees pour des lesions benignes. Conclusion Cette etude preliminaire montre que l’IRM peut etre utile dans la surveillance de ces patientes a haut risque.

A case of combined deficiency of sulphite-oxidase and xanthine-oxidase with a defect of the molybdenum cofactor, which is vital to the activity of sulphite-, xanthine- and aldehyde-oxidase, is reported here. Seven cases of combined deficiencies have been described with regard to both clinical and laboratory findings. The clinical, laboratory and anatomo-pathological features and, in particular, the central nervous system lesions of the present case correspond exactly to those in the case described Rosenblum in which an isolated deficiency in sulphite-oxidase was present. As the cerebral alterations in the present case are comparable to those described in Rosenblum's case, they probably result from the defect in sulphite-oxidase activity.

The exceptionally severe conditions of vibration and acceleration stresses sometimes encountered in aeronautics led the authors to develop a method to study the effects of such stresses on the spinal column. The experiment, conducted in a laboratory, specified the action of paravertebral muscle contraction on the transfer functions of intervertebral discs, and quantified the mechanical changes in the articular system resulting from the ablation of the nucleus pulposus. The validity of this method was tested through several types of examinations: radiological, histological, and physical. This latter test essentially included studies of the harmonic distortion of collected signals, of the coherence function relative to disc transfer functions, of signal amplitude and time average distribution histograms. The results of these examinations demonstrate the value of the method and the rationale of using a transfer function to study the response of the lumbar intervertebral disc to vibration.

The study reports an aluminium-intoxicated haemodialysis patient who had encephalopathy, osteomalacia and congestive cardiomyopathy prior to his death. Detailed light and electron microscope examination revealed the presence of aluminium deposits within lysosomes of cells from many organs, including the kidney, liver, brain and heart. The heavy aluminium deposits in myocardial lysosomes favor a possible role of the trace element in the patient's congestive cardiomyopathy.

Two cases of hypercalcemic infantile renal tumor without macroscopic bone metastases are reported. Optical and ultrastructural characteristics as well as biological and clinical data are sufficiently different from those of other infantile renal tumors to justify the individualization of an original tumor entity. The hypercalcemia is not clearly understood but may be related, in one case, with a high N terminal PTH serum level. Ultrastructural elements (secretory granules) and polypeptide hormone products (glucagon) are discussed in relation with APUD cells characteristics.

The authors report 2 cases presenting with juvenile fibromatosis of the fingers. The disease was remarkable for its relapses and the presence of intracytoplasmic eosinophilic inclusions. The cause of this original anatomo-clinical entity is discussed. No argument was found in favor of a viral origin.

Heavy ions were detected with nuclear emulsions plates fixed on the skulls of 20 rats which were exposed to cosmic rays at an altitude of 32,000 metres. Eight cases are described of correlations between ions tracks and brain lesions. The passage of heavy ions seems to cause functional rather than destructive alterations in the cells. The metabolic disturbances give a dark aspect to the neurons. The lesions generally appear in wide areas around the track and this fact suggests a physiopathological phenomenon of amplification. An evaluation of this biological hazard during flights of long duration at high altitude will be possible when the mechanism of action of heavy ions on nervous tissue is better known, and particularly if experiments carried out in accelerators confirm the small number of results obtained in flight.

A case of Krabbe's leucodystrophy is reported after photon and delayed ultrastructural microscopic study. Cerebroside overload within the cerebral globoid cells was shown as well as in the interstitial histiocytic infiltration of the peripheral nerves. Reviewed with the published literature, the characteristics of the inclusions observed seem to be unspecific and, from a morphological standpoint, Krabbe's disease may be related to the gangliosidoses.

A histomorphometric and histodynamic study of bone tissue was conducted in rats exposed to 2 G centrifugation for a period of 18 d. Shortening of the femurs was observed, associated with alterations of the growth cartilage in centrifuged animals. The morphometric analysis demonstrates a reduction in bone volume without increase in the activity of osteoclasts. The fluorescent fixation during the dynamic study shows a reduced appositional rate. This result seems to reflect the numerous factors which contribute to the experimental centrifugation test: the osteoporosis is cortisone induced; it is a response to the aggression and probably conceals the remodeling due to higher stress loads.

The similarity of major physiological functions between man and monkey make non-human primates a suitable model, especially for experiments in weightlessness. Bone tissue of rhesus monkeys can easily be analysed by histological techniques in order to appreciate the effects of hypogravity upon the skeletal system. A technique for iliac crest biopsy has been developed in a laboratory. It is to be used on rhesus monkeys used in various experimental situations, and especially after exposure to the space environment.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether repeated exposure to high sustained +Gz (HS + Gz) stress induced persistent changes in the functional state of the cardiovascular system. Three groups of rabbits--centrifuged, restrained, and control--were studied. After being placed in the restraining system of the centrifuge, the animals were submitted three times in a row to 8-9 +Gz sustained for 40 s. This exposure was repeated three times a week for 3-6 weeks. Restrained animals were not exposed to HS + Gz. Control animals were not restrained. The two types of stress (centrifuge + restraint; restraint alone) determined the appearance of two types of arterial hypertension. Systolic arterial pressure (AP) and left ventricular pressure (LVP) significantly increased in restrained animals. The function of the cardiovascular system was more perturbed in centrifuged rabbits since the significant changes affected not only systolic AP and LVP but alos systemic diastolic AP and the maximum rate of rise of LVP. The myocardium of rabbits repeatedly subjected to HS + Gz exposures, except for those that suffered a fracture of the lumbar spine, was significantly glycogen-depleted.

In our hyperlipidemia test, the total lipids curve, a plateau without a postprandial peak, allows an easy diagnosis of the chyliferous blockage. The malformation of chyliferous vessels produces the congenital forms: exsudative enteropathy, chyloperitoneum, spontaneous chylothorax, chylous cyst of the mediastinum, reflux of chyle in the pulmonary lymphatics, lymphoedema with chyle reflux in the lymphatics of the leg and chyluria. The acquired forms comprise the post-infectious sclerosis of the intestinal lymphatics and the neoplastic invasions of the mesenteric lymph nodes. The optical density curve brings some informations for a better understanding of lipid's absorption.

The induced hyperlipemia test, which is easly to administer, yields very interesting information for the study of lipidic metabolism in arteriosclerosis patients. Its use, in both the pre- and post-operative phases, has brought out the valuable effect of ligature of the intestinal lymphatics in treating arteritis. It may also enable us to determine whether there is a hereditary factor or family predisposition to arteriosclerosis. Furthermore, the test makes it possible to confirm diagnosis of obstruction of the lymphatics of the gut in exsudative enteropathy and in various dysfunctious of the chyliferous vessels (sclerosis, rupture, tumoral invasion) without to resort to the use of radioactive substances.

The prognosis is neonatal hernias of the dome of the diaphragm remains extremely gloomy. Associated malformations, prematurity or dysmaturity, cannot explain it. The surgeon is now faced with conditions diagnosed in the labour room, which he previously never saw (and which therefore did not figure in his statistics). Those forms in which the lung gas exchange area is reduced are above all those in which there is a syndrome of persistence of foetal circulation. The association of drugs from the alphalytic group (tolazoline) and curarising agents (pancuronium) is often effective without having completely resolved the problem.

The two cases reported here show intestinal obstruction may occur by coagulation of lymph around the loops. They permit us to better understand the physiopathology of blockage of the lymph vessels whether congenital as in the first case or traumatic as in the second case. Traumatic rupture of the cisterns chyli is exceptional. The histological lesions observed on clamped biopsies show clearly the pathology of protein-losing enteropathy.

The need to acquire a better knowledge of the main biological problems induced by microgravity implies—in addition to human experimentation—the use of animal models, and primates seem to be particularly well adapted to this type of research. The major areas of investigation to be considered are the phospho-calcium metabolism and the metabolism of supporting tissues, the hydroelectrolytic metabolism, the cardiovascular function, awakeness, sleep-awakeness cycles, the physiology of equilibrium and the pathophysiology of space sickness. Considering this program, the Centre d'Etudes et de Recherches de Medecine Aerospatiale, under the sponsorship of the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales, developed both a program of research on restrained primates for the French-U.S. space cooperation (Spacelab program) and for the French-Soviet space cooperation (Bio-cosmos program), and simulation of the effects of microgravity by head-down bedrest. Its major characteristics are discussed in the study.

Three cases of hypercalcemic infantile renal tumors were studied to identify the proteins related to their cytoplasmic 8- to 10-nm filament clusters. Immunofluorescence microscopy, using antibodies against vimentin, cytokeratin, and actin, led to the characterization of vimentin-positive filament clusters. We discuss the possibility of a mesenchymal origin for these tumors.

Irradiations of rat's brain with heavy ionized particles (12/6C, 291 Mev/nucleon, 100 to 300 ions/mm2) have been carried out at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory. Exposures were made with slowed ions which stopped within the brain as well as with more energetic particles which passed through. Histological examination of irradiated encephalons by optical microscopy showed zones of glial reaction and an increased number of darkly staining cells. By electron microscopy, intercellular edema, various alterations of nervous cells and macrophagy were observed, especially with stopped ions.

This paper describes a computer mail system that solves integratetly some distributed software functions in a heterogeneous network. It offers services to deliver messages between network's users (that can be people, devices, tasks or files), services to autentiphy users codes and locate facilities and services for data securing and holding distributed information coherency. The implementation is distributed in the sense that there can be many “Message Proces Center” (M.P.C.) in one or in several computers of the network, each of them controlling part of the users mailbox and allowing deliveries in the same M.P.C. or in a diferent one. The first part of this paper describes the generalized computer mail system. The second part describes the algorithm to mantain a multiple-copied file distributed on several computers in the network environment.

Hypercalcemic infantile renal tumors without bone metastases should be considered to be a heterogeneous tumoral entity. Histological and ultrastructural features, different from those of nephroblastoma, should not be exclusively linked with malignant rhabdoid tumors of the kidney. This is reported by the present case, which appears to be a cellular variant of mesoblastic nephroma and was successfully serially transplanted to nude mice. The causes of hypercalcemia in infantile renal tumors are probably related either to NH2-terminal parathormone or to prostaglandin E2 production by the tumoral cells.