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To evaluate the intraindividual reproducibility of functional lung imaging using non-contrast enhanced multi breath-hold 3D-UTE MRI. Ten healthy volunteers underwent non-contrast enhanced 3D-UTE MRI at three time points for same-day and different-day measurements employing a stack-of-spirals trajectory at 3 T. At each time point, inspiratory and expiratory breathing states were acquired for tidal and deep breathing, each within a single breath-hold. For functional image analysis, fractional ventilation (FV) was calculated pixelwise after image registration from the MR signal change. To decouple FV from breathing depth, the individual lung volume was used for volume adjustment (rFV). Reproducibility evaluation was performed in eight lung segments. Statistical analyses included two way mixed intraclass correlation (ICC), sign-test, Friedman-test and modified Bland-Altman analyses. FV from tidal breathing showed an ICC of 0.81, a bias of 1.3% and an interval of confidence (CI) ranging from −67.1 to 69.6%. FV from deep breathing was higher reproducible with an ICC of 0.92 (bias, −0.2%; CI, −34.2 to 33.7%). Following volume adjustment, reproducibility of rFV for tidal breathing improved (ICC, 0,86; bias, 2.0%; CI, −34.3 to 38.3%), whereas it did not bear significant benefits for deep breathing (ICC, 0.89; bias, 2.8%; CI, −24.9 to 30.5%). Reproducibility was independent from the examination day. Non-contrast-enhanced multi breath-hold 3D-UTE MRI allows for highly reproducible ventilation imaging. • Stack-of-spirals 3D-UTE MRI provides high reproducible ventilation measurements. • The reproducibility is independent from examination day. • The reproducibility in tidal breathing benefits from lung volume adjustment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2D/3D registration of patient vasculature from preinterventional computed tomography angiography (CTA) to interventional X-ray angiography is of interest to improve guidance in percutaneous coronary interventions. In this paper we present a novel feature based 2D/3D registration framework, that is based on probabilistic point correspondences, and show its usefulness on aligning 3D coronary artery centerlines derived from CTA images with their 2D projection derived from interventional X-ray angiography. The registration framework is an extension of the Gaussian mixture model (GMM) based point-set registration to the 2D/3D setting, with a modified distance metric. We also propose a way to incorporate orientation in the registration, and show its added value for artery registration on patient datasets as well as in simulation experiments. The oriented GMM registration achieved a median accuracy of 1.06 mm, with a convergence rate of 81% for nonrigid vessel centerline registration on 12 patient datasets, using a statistical shape model. The method thereby outperformed the iterative closest point algorithm, the GMM registration without orientation, and two recently published methods on 2D/3D coronary artery registration. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: Violence is inherent to human beings, it is even essential for the creation of a link with the other one, in the process of the psychological birth of the subject. The family is the place of prohibition of incest and murder where the child can learn how to manage his destructive impulses, but it is sometimes the place of his overflowing. At this point, it is about the destruction of the subject and the psychopathology of the link. Domestic violence prevails when the law of the strongest, exercised by one of the members of the family, replaces the common law of the exchange which is the basic foundation of the family as well as of the society. Child witness to marital violence attends with helplessness and thus with passivity, marital alarming scenes. It affects his psychic construction because these acting-outs meet his own destructive fantasies. Consequently, the anguishes are inescapable, but they differ according to the psychological maturity of the child, that is to say according to whether the scenes occur before, during, or after the oedipian stage. The future of the anguish will join or not to a trauma, in front of a situation that cannot be assimilated. “Identification with the aggressor” appears as the most frequent mechanism of defense, and will have long-term effects sometimes as generational repetitions, as we will show it in a clinical illustration revealing all the devastating impact of marital violence. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Purpose: The application and large-scale evaluation of minimum cost path approaches for coronary centerline extraction from computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) data and the development and evaluation of a novel method to reduce the user-interaction time. Methods: A semiautomatic method based on a minimum cost path approach is evaluated for two different cost functions. The first cost function is based on a frequently used vesselness measure and intensity information, and the second is a recently proposed cost function based on region statistics. User interaction is minimized to one or two mouse clicks distally in the coronary artery. The starting point for the minimum cost path search is automatically determined using a newly developed method that finds a point in the center of the aorta in one of the axial slices. This step ensures that all computationally expensive parts of the algorithm can be precomputed. Results: The performance of the aorta localization procedure was demonstrated by a success rate of 100% in 75 images. The success rate and accuracy of centerline extraction was quantitatively evaluated on 48 coronary arteries in 12 images by comparing extracted centerlines with a manually annotated reference standard. The method was able to extract 88% and 47% of the vessel centerlines correctly using the vesselness/intensity and region statistics cost function, respectively. For only the proximal part of the vessels these values were 97% and 86%, respectively. Accuracy of centerline extraction, defined as the average distance from correctly automatically extracted parts of the centerline to the reference standard, was 0.64 mm for the vesselness/intensity and 0.51 mm for the region statistics cost function. The interobserver variability was 99% for the success rate measure and 0.42 mm for the accuracy measure. Qualitative evaluation using the best performing cost function resulted in successful centerline extraction for 233 out of the 252 coronaries (92%) in 63 additional CTCA images. Conclusions: The presented results, in combination with minimal user interaction and low computation time, show that minimum cost path approaches can effectively be applied as a preprocessing step for subsequent analysis in clinical practice and biomedical research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of autoantibodies in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has not been completely defined. From more than a hundred autoantibodies described in SLE, relatively few have been associated with clinical manifestations. The glycan-binding proteins of the galectin family can modulate the immune system. Anti-galectin autoantibodies thus could have functional and/ or pathogenic implications in inflammatory processes and autoimmunity. We previously reported function-blocking autoantibodies against galectin-8 (Gal-8) in SLE. Here we tested these autoantibodies against a series of other human galectins and demonstrated their specificity for Gal-8, being detectable in 23% of 78 SLE patients. Remarkably, they associated with lymphopenia (50% of 18 anti-Gal-8-positive versus 18% of 60 anti-Gal-8-negative cases, Fisher's Exact test two-tailed: P < 0.012). Lymphopenia is a common clinical manifestation in SLE, yet of unknown mechanism. In addition, six of eight patients with both lymphopenia andmalar rash had anti-Gal-8 in their sera. Occurrence of these autoantibodies was not confined to SLE as we also found them in sera of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (16%) and septicemia (20%). This study thus establishes occurrence of specific anti-Gal-8 autoantibodies in autoimmune rheumatic diseases and in acute inflammation, with an apparent association to a clinical subset in SLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The paper is based on clinical research on people living together, whether married or not, and expecting their first baby. The approach is to investigate the manner in which the couple of young parents are in need of their own parents establishing them as both parents and grand-parents, to assert their own parental status both working to achieve a psychological balance and a place in everyday reality. The analysis of the discursive data collected during the semi-directing talks reveals this process with work for these men and women. We present here some significant extracts of the whole of the results. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Novel low loss 3×3-way and 5×5-way phase combiners for power amplifier load balancing in wireless network cells are presented. Based on an air-filled coaxial multiring structure, the designs combine very low insertion loss with compact physical profile. The concept is studied for the PCS (personal communication service) transmit band in the range 1.91–1.99 GHz by simulation. Measurements validate the predicted very low insertion loss for the three-way combiner of 0.05 dB, while return loss and port isolation are both better than 25 dB. Simulations exhibit, with 0.15 dB insertion loss, a similar performance for the five-way device. Return loss and port isolation are better than 23 dB in this case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Under pressure from the transformations of the forms of family, from the evolutions of law, and from the advances of the biological and medical sciences, the institutional points of reference of the fatherhood have been changed. Before, the father was designated by the bonds of marriage and endowed with paternal power. The suppression of paterfamilias in the law and the decline of marriage changed these foundations. From then on, the fathers are the object of suspicions. Furthermore, society has organised a real legal eviction of the fathers in the framework of divorces. Now, becoming the father requires a subjective work, which depends on a political time related to legal and institutional set-ups. The default of this system, during the contemporary period could have made this work difficult for each divorced father. Our clinical examples show the echo with singular sufferings of the fathers and their legal exclusion. But they also show the singular conscious and unconscious factors, which do not necessarily come from divorce. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Following tissue damage, host wound healing ensues. This process requires an elaborate interplay between numerous cell types which orchestrate a series of regulated and overlapping events. These events include the initiation of an antigen-specific host immune response, blood vessel formation, as well as the production of critical extracellular matrix molecules, cytokines and growth factors which mediate tissue repair and wound closure. Connective tissue fibroblasts are considered essential for successful wound healing; however, their origin remains a mystery. A unique cell population, known as fibrocytes, has been identified and characterized. One of the unique features of these blood-borne cells is their ability to home to sites of tissue damage. This article reviews the identification and characterization of fibrocytes, summarizes the potential role of fibrocytes in the numerous steps of the wound-healing process and highlights the potential role of fibrocytes in fibrotic disease pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Active immunization of boars against GnRH inhibits the endocrine testicular function and thus the occurrence of boar taint at slaughter. Some studies indicate that at least a part of the boar-specific growth potential is still retained. To clarify possible mechanisms, key hormones which are involved in growth regulation were measured in four control boars (C), five immunized boars (I) and three barrows (B). Immunization started at an age of 10 weeks and was repeated twice. Growth hormone (GH), IGF-I, LH, estradiol and glucocorticoids were measured radioimmunologically in blood plasma (daily samples or windows) which had been obtained via permanent catheters. GH was in a similar order both for C and I (4.19 and 3.88 ng/ml; n.s.) but low in B (2.88 ng/ml). LH was minimal in I (130 pg/ml), highest in B (550 pg/ml), and intermediate in C (220 pg/ml). IGF-I was significantly higher in C compared to both, I and B (239 vs. 123 ng/ml; P≤0.001). Estradiol was decreased in I compared to C (24.11 vs. 90.21 pg/ml, P≤0.001) but glucocorticoids did not differ between C (17.53 ng/ml) and I (17.51 ng/ml). It is concluded that ‘immunological castration’ allows the postnatal imprinting of a male-specific level of GH secretion but no concomitant rise of IGF-I due to the lack of estrogens which couple GH and IGF-I. The remaining anabolic potential thus is due to a late onset of testicular inhibition in some immunization trials. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A total of ten boars were immunized with a vaccine against GnRH and the parameters for testicular function and N-retention compared with eight intact boars and eight barrows. The immunization of boars occurred at 10, 16 and 23 weeks of age. In six pigs from each group the nitrogen retention was determined at 20/21 weeks. Blood for testosterone determination was collected daily and fat biopsies for androstenone measurement every 2nd week from week 17 to 26 in all boars. After slaughter, testes size, backfat thickness and skatole concentrations in fat were determined. The immunized boars revealed significant lower (P≤0.001) testes weights (100.5 vs. 882.6 g), plasma testosterone concentrations (0.11 vs. 2.77 ng/ml) and fat androstenone concentrations (0.06 vs. 1.31 μg/g, week 26) compared to controls. Skatole concentrations also differed significantly between immunized boars and controls (14.4 vs. 109.2 ng/g fat). The immunized boars had a significantly poorer feed conversion rate (3.82 vs. 3.01 kg/kg) and nitrogen retention (22.97 vs. 31.24 g/day) compared to boars. Barrows did not differ significantly from the immunized boars. It is concluded that an early and repeated immunization against GnRH is highly effective for a complete androstenone suppression and a considerable reduction of skatole but it also abolishes the boar-specific anabolic potential. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article titled "Theme 07 - Pre-Clinical Therapeutic Strategies" was written by a large group of authors and published in the journal Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis & Frontotemporal Degeneration. The article discusses various pre-clinical therapeutic strategies for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal degeneration (FTD). The authors present a comprehensive review of the current research in this field, including potential therapeutic targets and approaches. This article would be useful for library patrons conducting research on ALS and FTD and provides a diverse range of perspectives on the topic. [Extracted from the article]

Abstract Studying tick feeding and digestion, we discovered in a cDNA library from partially fed Amblyomma americanum ticks the first known arthropod homologue of a human cytokine, the pro-inflammatory Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF). The tick origin of the MIF cDNA clone was confirmed by sequencing a genomic fragment that contained the full-length tick MIF gene with two introns. Antiserum to a tick MIF-specific peptide as well as antiserum to complete tick MIF revealed the expression of tick MIF in the salivary gland and midgut tissues of A. americanum ticks. In an in vitro functional assay, recombinant tick MIF inhibited the migration of human macrophages to the same extent that recombinant human MIF did. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(MIF) is a broad-spectrum proinflammatory cytokine implicated in human rheumatoid arthritis. The synthesis of MIF by synovial cells is stimulated by glucocorticoids, and previous studies suggest that MIF antagonizes the anti-inflammatory effects of glucocorticoids. This has not been established in a model of arthritis. We wished to test the hypothesis that MIF can act to reverse the anti-inflammatory effects of glucocorticoids in murine antigen-induced arthritis (AIA). Cutaneous DTH reactions and AIA were induced by intradermal injection and intra-articular injection, respectively, of methylated bovine serum albumin in presensitized mice. Animals were treated with anti-MIF MoAbs, recombinant MIF, and/or dexamethasone (DEX). Skin thickness of DTH reactions was measured with callipers and arthritis severity was measured by blinded quantitative histological assessment of synovial cellularity. Cutaneous DTH to the disease-initiating antigen was significantly inhibited by anti-MIF MoAb treatment (P < 0·001). AIA was also significantly inhibited by anti-MIF MoAb (P < 0·02). DEX treatment induced a dose-dependent inhibition of AIA, which was significant at 0·2 mg/kg (P < 0·05). MIF treatment reversed the effect of therapeutic DEX on AIA (P < 0·001). DEX also significantly inhibited DTH reactions (P < 0·05) but rMIF had no effect on this effect of DEX. DTH and AIA are MIF-dependent models of inflammation and arthritis. The reversal of glucocorticoid suppression of AIA by MIF supports the concept that MIF is a counter-regulator of glucocorticoid control of synovial inflammation. Although DTH was observed to be MIF-dependent and glucocorticoid-sensitive, rMIF had no reversing effect on the suppression of DTH by glucocorticoids. This suggests that inflammatory processes in specific tissues may respond differently to MIF in the presence of glucocorticoids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Les nouvelles associations béta-lactamines — inhibiteurs de β-lactamases, ceftolozane/tazobactam (CT) et ceftazidime/avibactam (CZA), sont disponibles en France depuis 2016. Prescrites initialement en alternatives aux carbapénèmes, la COMAI de l’établissement a recommandé de limiter leur utilisation (1) aux infections documentées à germe multirésistant, (2) en l’absence d’autre alternative, (3) seulement après avis favorable d’un correspondant antibiotique (CATB) de l’établissement et (4) avec dispensation soumise à une validation pharmaceutique. L’objectif de cette étude est de décrire l’utilisation de ces nouvelles associations d’antibiotiques à partir des données de pratique courante. Matériels et méthodes Étude rétrospective de tous les épisodes infectieux (EI) ayant conduit à une prescription de CT ( n = 21) ou de CZA ( n = 42) de novembre 2016 à décembre 2017. Les données cliniques et microbiologiques ont été collectées et analysées. Les données de consommation ont été extraites à partir du logiciel de dispensation contrôlée de la PUI. Résultats Parmi les 63 EI, 29 sont d’origine pulmonaire, 10 des infections du site opératoire, 9 des bactériémies, 6 des infections urinaires et 11 des infections d’autres sites. P . aeruginosa a été isolé dans 37/63 EI. Au total, 187 doses définies journalières (DDJ) de CT et 316 DDJ de CZA ont été consommées. Dans 18/21 cas, CT a été initié par un CATB pour un EI documenté. Une alternative thérapeutique existait dans 50 % des cas (9/18), dont les carbapénèmes (5/9 cas (56 %)). Parmi les initiations probabilistes, 2 ont concerné des EI à P . aeruginosa MDR résistants au CT (CMI > 4 mg/L) sans avis du CATB, 1 un EI à bactérie sensible aux β-lactamines sur avis du CATB. Un cas d’émergence de résistance sous CT a été décrit ( P . aeruginosa CMI passée de 1,5 à 24 mg/L). La durée médiane de traitement était de 11 jours [1–18] ; un patient a été traité pour une infection ostéoarticulaire à P . aeruginosa sensible au CT traitée 54 jours et d’évolution favorable. Dans 37/42 cas, CZA a été initié par un CATB, majoritairement pour un EI documenté ( n = 35/37). Cinq traitements ont été initiés sans accord du CATB, dont 1 prescription probabiliste dont l’issue a été défavorable ( S . maltophilia CZA-R). Il n’a pas été mis en évidence d’émergence de résistance sous CZA. La médiane de traitement était de 7 jours [1–39] ; un patient a été traité 39 jours pour une ostéite orbitaire, d’évolution favorable. Conclusion Malgré des règles de prescription définies, 8/63 EI n’ont pas bénéficié d’un avis de CATB et 5/63 EI n’étaient pas documentés. Les prescriptions hors règles et l’émergence de résistances ont conduit à mettre en place une validation par un référent ATB unique pour ces associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction With increasing use of digital scanning with restorative procedures in the dental office, it becomes necessary that educational institutions adopt instructional methodology for introducing this technology together with conventional impression techniques. Objective To compare the time differences between instructing dental students on digital scanning ( DS) ( LAVA C.O.S. digital impression system) and a conventional impression technique ( CI) (polyvinyl siloxane), and to compare students' attitudes and beliefs towards both techniques. Materials and methods Volunteer sophomore dental students ( n = 25) with no prior experience in clinical impressions were recruited and IRB consent obtained. Participants responded to a pre-and post-exposure questionnaire. Participants were instructed on the use of both DS and CI for a single tooth full coverage crown restoration using a consecutive sequence of video lecture, investigator-led demonstration and independent impression exercise. The time necessary for each step (minutes) was recorded. Statistical significance was calculated using dependent t-tests (time measurements) and 2-sample Mann-Whitney (questionnaire responses). Results The time spent teaching students was greater for DS than CI for video lecture (15.95 and 10.07 min, P = 0.0000), demonstration time (9.06 and 4.70 min, P = 0.0000) and impression time (18.17 and 8.59 min, P = 0.0000). Prior to the instruction and practice, students considered themselves more familiar with CI (3.96) than DS (1.96) ( P = 0.0000). After the instruction and practice, participants reported CI technique proved significantly easier than expected (pre-instruction: 3.52 and post-instruction: 4.08, P = 0.002). However, overall participants' perception of ease of use for DS was not influenced by this instruction and practice experience (pre-instruction: 3.84 and post-instruction: 3.56, P = 0.106). Despite the results, 96% of participants expressed an expectation that DS will become their predominant impression technique during their careers. Conclusions Dental students with no clinical experience have high expectations for digital scanning, and despite their initial difficulty, expect it to become their primary impression technique during their professional futures. The instructional time necessary for introducing DS into the curriculum is significantly greater than CI in both classroom (lecture) and clinical simulation settings (investigator-led demonstration). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Résumé Les recommandations françaises ne préconisent pas la supplémentation systématique en vitamine D chez les enfants de 5 à 10 ans du fait de l’absence de données sur leur statut en cette vitamine. Méthode Notre objectif était d’évaluer la prévalence de ce déficit chez ces enfants. Il s’est agi d’une étude épidémiologique, monocentrique, prospective incluant 316 enfants âgés de 0 à 15 ans. Le critère d’évaluation était la concentration sérique en vitamine D. Résultats Trois cent seize enfants, répartis en 4 classes d’âge, ont été inclus : 0–18 mois ( n = 113) ; 18 mois–5 ans ( n = 103) ; 5–10 ans ( n = 62) ; 10–15 ans ( n = 38). La médiane des concentrations de vitamine D diminuait avec l’âge ( p < 0,001) : 90,2 nmol/L dans le groupe 0–18 mois ; 56,7 nmol/L dans le groupe 18 mois–5 ans ; 49,05 nmol/L dans le groupe 5–10 ans et 42,45 nmol/L dans le groupe 10–15 ans. Ceci correspond à une augmentation de la prévalence du déficit en vitamine D chez les enfants de 5 à 10 ans (51,6 % versus 8,8 % dans le groupe 0–18 mois [ p < 0,001]). Pour les enfants de ce groupe, la prévalence du déficit était supérieure dans le groupe non supplémenté (75 %) par rapport au groupe supplémenté (13 %) ( p < 0,001). Conclusion La prévalence du déficit en vitamine D est importante chez les enfants âgés de 5 à 10 ans et il existe un lien entre supplémentation et statut en vitamine D. Elle apporte un argument en faveur d’une supplémentation systématique des enfants de 5 à 10 ans dans notre région et d’une reconsidération des recommandations françaises. Summary French guidelines do not recommend systematic supplementation of vitamin D in children aged 5–10 years old owing to the lack of data on vitamin D status in this age group. Our objective was to assess the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in these children. Methodology Single-center, prospective, epidemiological study including 358 children aged 0–15 years. The endpoint was the concentration of vitamin D. Results In all, 316 children were divided into four groups according to age: 0–18 months ( n = 113); 18 months to 5 years ( n = 103); 5–10 years ( n = 62); and 10–15 years ( n = 38). The median concentration of vitamin D decreased with age ( P < 0.001): 90.2 nmol/L in the group aged 0–18 months; 56.7 nmol/L in the group aged 18 months to 5 years; 49.05 nmol/L in the group aged 5–10 years; and 42.45 nmol/L in the group aged 10–15 years. This corresponds to an increase in the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in children aged 5–10 years (51.6% vs. 8.8% in the group aged 0–18 months, P < 0.001). For children aged 5–10 years, the prevalence of deficiency was greater in the non-supplementation group (75%) compared with the supplementation group (13%; P < 0.001). Conclusion This study demonstrates the high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in children aged 5–10 years and the relationship between supplementation and vitamin D status. It provides an argument in favor of supplementation in children aged 5–10 years in this region and a reconsideration of the French recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Preoperative or postoperative radiotherapy reduces the risk of local recurrence in patients with operable rectal cancer. However, improvements in surgery and histopathological assessment mean that the role of radiotherapy needs to be reassessed. We compared short-course preoperative radiotherapy versus initial surgery with selective postoperative chemoradiotherapy.Methods: We undertook a randomised trial in 80 centres in four countries. 1350 patients with operable adenocarcinoma of the rectum were randomly assigned, by a minimisation procedure, to short-course preoperative radiotherapy (25 Gy in five fractions; n=674) or to initial surgery with selective postoperative chemoradiotherapy (45 Gy in 25 fractions with concurrent 5-fluorouracil) restricted to patients with involvement of the circumferential resection margin (n=676). The primary outcome measure was local recurrence. Analysis was by intention to treat. This study is registered, number ISRCTN 28785842.Findings: At the time of analysis, which included all participants, 330 patients had died (157 preoperative radiotherapy group vs 173 selective postoperative chemoradiotherapy), and median follow-up of surviving patients was 4 years. 99 patients had developed local recurrence (27 preoperative radiotherapy vs 72 selective postoperative chemoradiotherapy). We noted a reduction of 61% in the relative risk of local recurrence for patients receiving preoperative radiotherapy (hazard ratio [HR] 0.39, 95% CI 0.27-0.58, p<0.0001), and an absolute difference at 3 years of 6.2% (95% CI 5.3-7.1) (4.4% preoperative radiotherapy vs 10.6% selective postoperative chemoradiotherapy). We recorded a relative improvement in disease-free survival of 24% for patients receiving preoperative radiotherapy (HR 0.76, 95% CI 0.62-0.94, p=0.013), and an absolute difference at 3 years of 6.0% (95% CI 5.3-6.8) (77.5%vs 71.5%). Overall survival did not differ between the groups (HR 0.91, 95% CI 0.73-1.13, p=0.40).Interpretation: Taken with results from other randomised trials, our findings provide convincing and consistent evidence that short-course preoperative radiotherapy is an effective treatment for patients with operable rectal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammation plays a significant role in the pathophysiology of renal ischemia-reperfusion injury. Local inflammation is modulated by the brain via the vagus nerve and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors such that electrical or pharmacologic stimulation of this cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway results in suppression of proinflammatory cytokine production. We examined the effects of cholinergic stimulation using agonists, nicotine or GTS-21, given before or after bilateral renal ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats. Pretreatment of rats with either agonist significantly attenuated renal dysfunction and tubular necrosis induced by renal ischemia. Similarly, tumor necrosis factor-alpha protein expression and leukocyte infiltration of the kidney were markedly reduced following treatment with cholinergic agonists. We found functional nicotinic acetylcholine receptors were present on rat proximal tubule epithelial cells. Cholinergic stimulation significantly decreased tubular necrosis in vagotomized rats after injury, implying an intact vagus nerve is not required for this renoprotective effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammation plays a significant role in the pathophysiology of renal ischemia-reperfusion injury. Local inflammation is modulated by the brain via the vagus nerve and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors such that electrical or pharmacologic stimulation of this cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway results in suppression of proinflammatory cytokine production. We examined the effects of cholinergic stimulation using agonists, nicotine or GTS-21, given before or after bilateral renal ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats. Pretreatment of rats with either agonist significantly attenuated renal dysfunction and tubular necrosis induced by renal ischemia. Similarly, tumor necrosis factor-α protein expression and leukocyte infiltration of the kidney were markedly reduced following treatment with cholinergic agonists. We found functional nicotinic acetylcholine receptors were present on rat proximal tubule epithelial cells. Cholinergic stimulation significantly decreased tubular necrosis in vagotomized rats after injury, implying an intact vagus nerve is not required for this renoprotective effect.Kidney International (2008) 74, 62–69; doi:10.1038/ki.2008.94; published online 9 April 2008 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neutrophils are required for the development of arthritis in rodents, and are the predominant cell in the synovial fluid of active rheumatoid arthritis. We hypothesized that neutrophil migration into the inflammed joint is genetically regulated. In addition, this genetic regulation would be accounted for by one of the arthritis loci that we have previously identified in an intercross between arthritis-susceptible DA and arthritis-resistant ACI rats studied for collagen-induced arthritis. We used the synovial-like air pouch model injected with carrageenan, and tested DA, ACI, and four congenic strains. ACI exudates had a significantly lower number of neutrophils compared with DA. Transfer of DA alleles at Cia7 into the ACI background, as in ACI.DA(Cia7) congenics, was enough to increase exudate neutrophil numbers to levels identical to DA, and this locus accounted for the difference between parental strains. None of the other congenic intervals explained the differences in exudate neutrophil counts. In conclusion, we have identified a novel function for Cia7, and determined that it regulates neutrophil migration into a synovial-like inflammatory site. Our data revealed no intrinsic defect in neutrophil responses to chemotactic agents, and suggest that Cia7 regulates an as yet unidentified factor central to neutrophil recruitment into inflammed tissues.Genes and Immunity (2007) 8, 147–153. doi:10.1038/sj.gene.6364371; published online 1 February 2007 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spike discharge activity of RA-type SI cortical neurons was recorded extracellularly in anesthetized monkeys and cats. Multiple applications (trials) of 10-50 Hz sinusoidal vertical skin displacement stimulation ("flutter") were delivered to the receptive field (RF). Analysis revealed large and systematic temporal trends not only in SI RA neuron responsivity (measured as spikes/s and as spikes/stimulus cycle), but also in entrainment, and in phase angle of the entrained responses. In contrast to SI RA neurons, the response of RA skin afferents to comparable conditions of skin flutter stimulation exhibited little or no dynamics. The occurrence and form of the SI RA neuron response dynamics that accompany skin flutter stimulation are shown to depend on factors such as stimulus frequency and the locus of the recording site in the global cortical response pattern. Comparison of recordings obtained in near-radial vs tangential microelectrode penetrations further reveals that the SI RA neuron response dynamics that occur during skin flutter stimulation are relatively consistent within, but heterogeneous across column-sized regions. The observed SI RA neuron response dynamics are suggested to account, in part, for the improved capacity to discriminate stimulus frequency after an exposure ("adaptation") to skin flutter stimulation (Goble and Hollins, J Acoust Soc Am 96: 771-780, 1994). Parallels with recent proposals about the contributions to visual perception of short-term primary sensory cortical neuron dynamics and synchrony in multineuron spike activity patterns are identified and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Les recommandations Francaises ne préconisent pas la supplémentation systématique en vitamine D chez les enfants de 5 à 10 ans du fait de l’absence de données sur leur statut en vitamine D. Notre objectif était d’évaluer la prévalence de ce déficit chez ces enfants. Etude épidémiologique, monocentrique, prospective incluant 360 enfants âgés de 0 à 15 ans. Le critère d’évaluation était la concentration en Vitamine D. 358 enfants ont été inclus: 0-5 ans (n=237) ; 5–10 ans (n=74) ; 10–15 ans (n=47). Le taux moyen de vitamine D diminue avec l’age (p<0.001) : 79.9 chez les 0-5 ans ; 51.6 chez les 5-10 ans et 43.1 chez les 10–15 ans. Ceci correspond à une augmentation de la prévalence du déficit en vitamine D chez les enfants de 5 à 10 ans (56,7% versus 22,4% pour les 0–5 ans (p<0,001)). Pour les enfants âgés de 5 à 10 ans, la prévalence du déficit est supérieure dans le groupe non supplémenté (78%) par rapport au groupe supplémenté (22%) (p<0,001). Cette étude démontre la prévalence importante du déficit en vitamine D chez les enfants âgés de 5 à 10 ans et le lien entre supplémentation et statut en vitamine D. Elle apporte un argument en faveur d’une supplémentation systématique des enfants de 5 à 10 ans dans notre région et d’une reconsidération des recommandations françaises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]