Comment on "measurements of energetic proton transport through magnetized plasma from intense laser interactions with solids".
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Letter↗
Biomedical subjects
S Gaillard
Publications and source records attributed to S Gaillard.
[Chronic intramedullary abscess (Streptococcus sanguis). A case report and review of the literature].
OBJECTIVE: Chronic intramedullary spinal cord abscesses are very rare. We present here a new case of this pathology, revealed by a progressive spinal cord compression. This case is particular because of the long follow up before surgery (two years). CASE REPORT: This 69-year-old patient presented a gradually progressive paraparesis and sensory loss associated with leg pain. The past medical history was dominated by a epidermoid cancer of the tongue. MRI showed an intramedullary mass at T10. On the T1-weighted sequences, the lesion was isointense with the spinal cord, Gadolinium infusion showed homogeneous enhancement of the lesion. T2-weighted sequences showed decreased signal within the lesion and an increased signal peripherally (edema). Corticosteroid infusions relieved the symptoms so the patient declined surgery. Two episodes of regressive paraplegia were treated by the same infusions. The patient accepted surgery after a third episode. RESULTS: The intervention was performed two years after the first signs and revealed a hard white mass attached to the spinal cord. Pathologic examination showed infectious inflammation. Bacteriological cultures found a Streptococcus sanguis. Two years later the patient could walk; a minimal deficit persists. CONCLUSION: First, the diagnosis was evoked but not retained because of the long course. The corticosteroid infusions gave relief and did not increase the deficit. The MRI findings remained unchanged. Intramedullary spinal cord abscesses are very rare. This pathology must be recognized because without treatment morbidity is high with a potentially fatal outcome.
Abscess↗
Quantifying the combined effects of the heating time, the temperature and the recovery medium pH on the regrowth lag time of Bacillus cereus spores after a heat treatment.
The purpose of this study was to quantify the lag time of re-growth of heated spores of Bacillus cereus as a function of the conditions of the heat treatment: temperature, duration and pH of the recovery medium. For a given heating temperature, curves plotting lag times versus time of heating show more or less complex patterns. However, under a heating time corresponding to a decrease of 2 decimal logarithms of the surviving populations of spores, a linear relationship between the lag time of growth and the time of the previous heat treatment can be observed. The slope of this linear relationship followed itself a Bigelow type linear relationship, the slope of which yielded a zeta-value very close to the observed conventional z-value. It was then concluded that the slope of the regrowth lag time versus the heating time followed a linear relationship with the sterilisation value reached in the course of the previous heat treatment. A sharp effect of the pH of the medium which could be described by a simple "secondary" model was observed. As expected, the observed intercept of the linear relationship between lag time and heating time (lag without previous heating) was dependent on only the pH of the medium and not on the heating temperature.
Adaptation, Physiological↗
Validation of an overall model describing the effect of three environmental factors on the apparent D-value of Bacillus cereus spores.
Several factorial models extending the famous Bigelow model to describe the influence of the heating and recovery pH and a(w) conditions on bacterial heat resistance have been developed. These models can be associated in an overall multifactorial model describing the influences of heating and recovery conditions on D values. For Bacillus cereus strain ADQP 407 the model parameters characterising the environmental factor influences (pH, Temperature, a(w)) were evaluated. Determination of bacterial heat resistance in cream chocolate have been realised to validate these parameter values and to evaluate the level of the influence of food texture or different compounds not taken account of in the model.
Bacillus cereus↗
[The cellular and molecular basis of axonal growth].
INTRODUCTION: During embryonic and post-natal development, numerous axonal connections are formed establishing a functional nervous system. Knowledge of the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms controlling this phenomenon is improving. STATE OF THE ART: In this review, we present the general principles of axon guidance together with the major families of guidance signals. This includes the tyrosine kinase receptors Eph and their ligands Ephrins, the netrins, the semaphorins, the slits and other major components of the extracellular matrix. These types of guidance signals share common functional properties leading to actin cytoskeleton remodelling. The direct or indirect interactions between the receptors of these guidance cues and actin modulators is the final step of the signalling cascade constituting the fundamental mechanism defining the orientation and extension of the axonal growth cone. These factors are involved in the formation of many, if not all, axonal projections for which they act as repulsive (inhibitory) or attractive (promoting) signals. PERSPECTIVES: the knowledge of these mechanisms is particularly interesting since the inhibition of axonal outgrowth is considered to be one of the major obstacles to nerve regeneration in the central nervous system. Indeed, most of the guidance signals expressed during brain development are up-regulated in lesion sites where they contribute to the lack of nerve re-growth. Here, we present the nature of the mechanical barrier, the so called glial scar, and we describe the major inhibitory molecules preventing axonal extension. CONCLUSION: the comprehension of the molecular mechanisms involved in axon growth and guidance represents a major advance towards the definition of novel therapeutic strategies improving nerve regeneration. The path to the clinical application of these molecular factors remains long. Nevertheless, the next decade will undoubtedly provide challenging data that will modify the current therapeutic approaches.
Animals↗
Assessment of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose dual-head gamma camera in asbestos lung diseases.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18FDG) imaging via coincidence detection emission tomography (CDET) in identifying malignant lesions in subjects exposed to asbestos. A total of 30 patients exposed to asbestos underwent 18FDG-CDET between January 2000 and June 2003. A CDET scan of the thorax and abdomen was performed 60 min after injection of 18FDG in fasting patients, and results were obtained in slices in three axes. The CDET results were compared to those from computed tomography (CT), and pleural or surgical biopsy in patients with positive 18FDG-CDET results. All primary malignant mesotheliomas accumulated 18FDG (n=6), and, in two patients, CDET findings were superior to those of CT, allowing early detection. In two cases, lung carcinomas with malignant pleural effusion were also detected. There were five false positive CDET results: three unilateral pleural thickening, one rounded atelectasis, and one benign lung nodule. All patients with pleural plaques showed no significant 18FDG uptake. Malignant diseases were detected by 18FDG-CDET imaging with a sensitivity of 89% and specificity of 71%. Coincidence detection emission tomography can identify malignant mesothelioma in selected subjects exposed to asbestos. Coincidence detection emission tomography appears to be a useful noninvasive method for the follow-up of subjects with exposure risk of asbestosis.
Adult↗
Sequence protein alignment with composition new evolutions (SPACne): a program for the identification of polypeptides using amino acid composition. A user friendly modification of SPAC.
SPAC (sequence protein alignment with composition) is a software that retrieve from protein or nucleic acid databases, the sequences corresponding to a protein or peptide whose only amino acid composition and molecular weight are known. By accurately matching a DNA or a protein sequence to candidate protein or peptide fragment, this software may be used as a fast and cheap method for protein characterization. This paper describes a modification of the SPAC software, SPAC new evolutions (SPACne), which enables a more efficient and user friendly method of protein identification using amino acids composition. SPACne is available online at the web site: http://bioweb.pasteur.fr/seqanal/interfaces/spacne.html.
Algorithms↗
Identification and fine mapping of Pi33, the rice resistance gene corresponding to the Magnaporthe grisea avirulence gene ACE1.
Rice blast disease is a major constraint for rice breeding. Nevertheless, the genetic basis of resistance remains poorly understood for most rice varieties, and new resistance genes remain to be identified. We identified the resistance gene corresponding to the cloned avirulence gene ACE1 using pairs of isogenic strains of Magnaporthe grisea differing only by their ACE1 allele. This resistance gene was mapped on the short arm of rice chromosome 8 using progenies from the crosses IR64 (resistant) x Azucena (susceptible) and Azucena x Bala (resistant). The isogenic strains also permitted the detection of this resistance gene in several rice varieties, including the differential isogenic line C101LAC. Allelism tests permitted us to distinguish this gene from two other resistance genes [ Pi11 and Pi-29(t)] that are present on the short arm of chromosome 8. Segregation analysis in F(2) populations was in agreement with the existence of a single dominant gene, designated as Pi33. Finally, Pi33 was finely mapped between two molecular markers of the rice genetic map that are separated by a distance of 1.6 cM. Detection of Pi33 in different semi-dwarf indica varieties indicated that this gene could originate from either one or a few varieties.
Chromosome Mapping↗
On calculating sterility in thermal preservation methods: application of the Weibull frequency distribution model.
A simple and parsimonious model which originated from the Weibull frequency distribution was proposed to describe nonlinear survival curves of spores. This model was suitable for downward concavity curves (Bacillus cereus and Bacillus pumilus), as well as for upward concavity curves (Clostridium botulinum). It was shown that traditional F values calculated from this new model were no longer additive, to such an extent that a heat treatment should be better characterized by the obtained decimal reduction of spores. A modified Bigelow method was then proposed to assess this decade reduction or to optimize the heat treatment for a target reduction ratio.
Bacillus↗
[Worsening of heart failure during hospital course in myocardial infarction is a factor of poor prognosis. Apropos of a prospective cohort study of 2,507 patients hospitalized with myocardial infarction: the PRIMA study].
BACKGROUND: Worsening of heart failure in patients with myocardial infarction is seldom studied, elderly patients often are not included, and multivariate analysis is uncommon. AIMS: The prospective PRIMA study (Prise en charge de l'Infarctus du Myocarde Aigu; management of acute myocardial infarction) sought to determine the incidence of heart failure worsening, its risk factors, and its prognostic importance in patients with myocardial infarction, regardless of age and hospital facilities, in the "real world" in a region in France, using multivariate analysis. METHODS: Data were prospectively collected in all patients with myocardial infarction admitted in all hospitals in three departments in the Rhône-Alpes region in France between September 1, 1993 and January 31, 1995. RESULTS: Among 2,507 patients, 33% were in Killip classes II-IV at admission. Four hundred and sixteen patients (17%) had worsening of Killip class during the first five days. In-hospital mortality (overall: 14%) increased dramatically with Killip class at admission (9% in class I; 62% in class IV) and with worsening of Killip class during the first five days (36% vs 8% if no worsening). In multivariate analysis, older age, diabetes mellitus and anterior Q-wave myocardial infarction were significant predictors of Killip class at admission and of its worsening. The significant predictors of in-hospital mortality were older age, Killip class III at admission and worsening of Killip class during the first five days. CONCLUSION: This large, unselected cohort revealed that among patients with myocardial infarction, heart failure and its worsening are frequent, especially in the elderly, and dramatically worsen the in-hospital mortality.
Aged↗
Trace gas detection with antimonide-based quantum-well diode lasers.
Widely tunable GaInAsSb/AlGaAsSb quantum well (QW) lasers have been grown by molecular beam epitaxy on GaSb substrates. Their emission wavelength, from 2.0 to 2.5 microm, make them suitable for the detection of many gas species in the wavelength range which corresponds to an atmospheric transmission window. Using these devices an experimental setup for open path gas detection has been developed.
Antimony↗
Safety and pharmacokinetics of p792, a new blood-pool agent: results of clinical testing in nonpatient volunteers.
RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the safety and pharmacokinetics of P792, a new macromolecular blood-pool agent for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), in nonpatient volunteers. METHODS: This was a single blind, placebo-controlled, ascending-dose study in 32 healthy male volunteers, randomized to receive a single intravenous dose of P792 (0.0065, 0.013, 0.026, and 0.039 mmol/kg). The safety controls consisted of complete pre- and postdose physical examinations, measurement of vital signs, clinical laboratory investigations, and monitoring of adverse events (up to 22 days after injection). For pharmacokinetic analysis, the determination of P792 was performed using the ICP-MS technique for blood and urine samples up to 22 days. RESULTS: No serious adverse events occurred during the study. There were no clinically significant changes in vital signs, or clinical laboratory findings. P792 blood half-life, distribution volume, and renal clearance are consistent with the definition of a rapid clearance blood-pool agent (RCBPA) as defined previously. CONCLUSION: P792 appeared to be a safe and well-tolerated RCBPA in nonpatient subjects. Phase II studies will be conducted to evaluate the efficacy of the blood-pool agent for vascular, perfusion, and permeability imaging in MRI.
Analysis of Variance↗
MRI findings in a case of a superficial siderosis associated with an ependymoma.
We present the imaging findings of superficial siderosis of the central nervous system associated with an ependymoma of the posterior fossa in a patient who presented with progressive bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and cerebellar ataxia. The ependymoma was a homogeneous well-defined mass of the fourth ventricle without hydrocephalus. Secondary siderosis due to chronic bleeding from the ependymoma appeared as linear hypointensity delineating the surface of the cortex, thin and subtle on spin-echo T2-weighted images, thick and obvious on gradient-echo T2-weighted images.
Adult↗
Striatin, a calmodulin-dependent scaffolding protein, directly binds caveolin-1.
Caveolins are scaffolding proteins able to collect on caveolae a large number of signalling proteins bearing a caveolin-binding motif. The proteins of the striatin family, striatin, SG2NA, and zinedin, are composed of several conserved, collinearly aligned, protein-protein association domains, among which a putative caveolin-binding domain [Castets et al. (2000) J. Biol. Chem. 275, 19970-19977]. They are associated in part with membranes. These proteins are mainly expressed within neurons and thought to act both as scaffolds and as Ca(2+)-dependent signalling proteins [Bartoli et al. (1999) J. Neurobiol. 40, 234-243]. Here, we show that (1) rat brain striatin, SG2NA and zinedin co-immunoprecipitate with caveolin-1; (2) all are pulled down by glutathione-S-transferase (GST)-caveolin-1; (3) a fragment of recombinant striatin containing the putative caveolin-binding domain binds GST-caveolin-1. Hence, it is likely that the proteins of the striatin family are addressed to membrane microdomains by their binding to caveolin, in accordance with their putative role in membrane trafficking [Baillat et al. (2001) Mol. Biol. Cell 12, 663-673].
Animals↗
Identification of living oligodendrocyte developmental stages by fractal analysis of cell morphology.
The Mandelbrot's fractal dimension (D), a measure of shape complexity, has been used to quantify the complex morphology of living cells. Previous studies on glial cells have shown that as cells increase in morphological complexity, their "D" value increases, suggesting that "D" could be used to estimate their stage of differentiation. In the present study the box-counting method was used to calculate the "D" values of rat cerebellar oligodendrocytes during their differentiation in primary culture. These values were correlated with the immunoreactivity of cells to antigenic markers commonly used for assessing their stages of differentiation: A2B5, O4 and anti-galactocerebroside (Gal-C). Our results show that changes of the fractal dimension during differentiation follow the well known pattern of markers expression by these cells. These results demonstrate that A2B5-, O4-, and Gal-C-expressing oligodendrocytes can be confidently estimated from their respective fractal dimension values. Based on this immunocytochemical calibration, the calculation of "D" allows an easy and fast determination of the developmental stage of living (unstained) oligodendrocytes before the study of their physiological characteristics. Using this method we precisely identified living oligodendrocyte progenitors and early pro-oligodendrocytes expressing voltage-activated sodium currents that is a common characteristic of these two immature developmental stages (Sontheimer et al. [1989b] Neuron 2:1135-1145).
Aging↗
Functional mapping of anti-factor IX inhibitors developed in patients with severe hemophilia B.
Development of inhibitory antibodies is a serious complication of treatment with repeated factor IX infusions in a minority of patients with hemophilia B. Such antibodies detected in 8 patients have been characterized. Typing studies revealed that patients' immune response toward factor IX is highly heterogeneous and involves immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies, preferentially IgG1 and IgG4. The preservation of the sequence and the 3-dimensional orientation of the amino acids constituting one epitope are highly important for the assembly of an antibody-antigen complex. To localize the epitopes on the factor IX molecule, an original approach was designed using a set of factor X chimeras carrying regions of factor IX. Results showed that some patients' antibodies were directed against both the domain containing the gamma-carboxy glutamic acid residues (Gla domain) and the protease domain of factor IX. In contrast, no binding was observed to the epidermal growth factor-like domains or to the activation peptide. Functional characterization showed that the purified IgG from patients' serum inhibited the factor VIIIa-dependent activation of factor X. Moreover, patients' IgG directed against the Gla domain inhibited the binding of factor IX to phospholipids as well as the binding of factor VIII light chain to factor IXa. These data demonstrate that inhibitors appearing in patients with severe hemophilia B display specificity against restricted functional domains of factor IX.
Antibody Specificity↗
[The management of neurosurgical patients operated in the seated position].
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Anesthesia↗
Worsening of heart failure during hospital course of an unselected cohort of 2507 patients with myocardial infarction is a factor of poor prognosis: the PRIMA study. Prise en charge de l'Infarctus du Myocarde Aigu.
Worsening of heart failure in patients with myocardial infarction is seldom studied, elderly patients often are not included, and multivariate analysis is uncommon. The prospective PRIMA study (Prise en charge de l'Infarctus du Myocarde Aigu; management of acute myocardial infarction) sought to determine the incidence of worsening heart failure, its risk factors, and its prognostic importance in patients with myocardial infarction, regardless of age and hospital facilities, in the 'real world' in a region in France, using multivariate analysis. Data were prospectively collected in all patients with myocardial infarction admitted in all hospitals in three departments in the Rhône--Alpes region in France between 1 September 1993 and 31 January 1995. Among the 2507 patients included, 33% were in Killip classes II--IV at admission. After exclusion of patients with admission Killip class IV, 416 patients (17% of the cohort, 24% of women and 14% of men) had worsening of Killip class during the first 5 days. In-hospital mortality (overall, 14%) increased dramatically with Killip class at admission (9% in class I, 62% in class IV) and with worsening of Killip class during the first 5 days (36.5 vs. 8.5% if no worsening). In multivariate analysis, older age, diabetes mellitus and anterior Q-wave myocardial infarction were significant predictors of Killip class at admission and of its worsening; Killip class >I at admission was a significant predictor of Killip-class worsening. The significant predictors of in-hospital mortality were older age, Killip class III at admission and worsening of Killip class during the first 5 days. This large, unselected cohort revealed that, among patients with myocardial infarction, heart failure and its worsening are frequent, especially in the elderly, and dramatically worsen the in-hospital mortality.
Aged↗