[Prognostic and predictive factors of oesophageal carcinoma].

Oesophageal carcinoma is a frequent disease, which incidence is high and stable (6,000 new cases per year in France). Its epidemiology has changed over the last three decades, adenocarcinoma becoming the most frequent histologic subtype. It is an aggressive disease with an early lymphatic spread.

[Demography of radiation oncology residents in France in 2008: current situation and perspectives for the next three years].

Purpose: Although a recent increase in number of young radiation oncologists in training has been observed during the past decade, the general demographic evolution of radiation oncologists covers partially future needs.

Material And Method: During the seven past national annual courses, which were organised and supported by the Société française des jeunes radiothérapeutes oncologues (SFJRO), the Société française de radiothérapie oncologique (SFRO), the Collège national des enseignants de cancérologie (CNEC) and the Institut national du cancer (Inca), different types of surveys were realized in order to analyse demography, quality of training and motivations of French residents in radiation oncology. The latest results were collected during the last national course, which took place in March 2008.

Findings from quality assurance activities in the Integrated Atmospheric Deposition Network.

A series of experiments were conducted among the laboratories participating in the Integrated Atmospheric Deposition Network (IADN) monitoring program to evaluate comparability of the reported persistent organic pollutant concentrations. This quality assurance activity is essential because a variety of methods are currently used for sample collection, extraction, and analysis by the IADN laboratories. The experiments included analyses of a common reference standard (CRS), analyses of split samples, and analyses of samples collected with co-located samplers at the Point Petre IADN measurement station.

The PPARgamma agonist rosiglitazone enhances rat brown adipose tissue lipogenesis from glucose without altering glucose uptake.

We investigated the mechanisms whereby peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma) agonism affects glucose and lipid metabolism in brown adipose tissue (BAT) by studying the impact of PPARgamma activation on BAT glucose uptake and metabolism, lipogenesis, and mRNA levels plus activities of enzymes involved in triacylglycerol (TAG) synthesis. Interscapular BAT of rats treated or not with rosiglitazone (15 mg*kg(-1).day(-1), 7 days) was evaluated in vivo for glucose uptake and lipogenesis and in vitro for glucose metabolism, gene expression, and activities of glycerolphosphate acyltransferase (GPAT), phosphatidate phosphatase-1 (PAP or lipin-1), and diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT).

Depot-specific effects of the PPARgamma agonist rosiglitazone on adipose tissue glucose uptake and metabolism.

We investigated mechanisms whereby peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) agonism redistributes lipid from visceral (VF) toward subcutaneous fat (SF) by studying the impact of PPARgamma activation on VF and SF glucose uptake and metabolism, lipogenesis, and enzymes involved in triacylglycerol (TAG) synthesis. VF (retroperitoneal) and SF (inguinal) of rats treated or not for 7 days with rosiglitazone (15 mg/kg/day) were evaluated in vivo for glucose uptake and lipogenesis and in vitro for glucose metabolism, gene expression, and activities of glycerolphosphate acyltransferase (GPAT), phosphatidate phosphatase-1 (or lipin-1), and diacylglycerol acyltransferase. Rosiglitazone increased SF glucose uptake, GLUT4 mRNA, and insulin-stimulated glucose oxidation, conversion to lactate, glycogen, and the glycerol and fatty acid components of TAG.

Quaterthiophenes with terminal indeno[1,2-b]thiophene units as p-type organic semiconductors.

Quaterthiophenes 4T, Oct-4T, and Tol-4T based on a central 2,2'-bithiophene core alpha,omega-terminated with 4,4-unsubstituted and 4,4-disubstituted n-octyl or p-tolyl indeno[1,2-b]thiophene have been synthesized by Stille or Miyaura-Suzuki couplings. Compound 4T was also synthesized by an alternative route involving a soluble precursor bearing solubilizing trimethylsilyl groups which have been eliminated in the last step. The electronic properties of the compounds have been analyzed by cyclic voltammetry, UV-vis absorption and fluorescence emission spectroscopy.

Tissue-specific postprandial clearance is the major determinant of PPARgamma-induced triglyceride lowering in the rat.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma) agonism potently reduces circulating triglycerides (TG) in rodents and more modestly so in humans. This study aimed to quantify in vivo the relative contribution of hepatic VLDL-TG secretion and tissue-specific TG clearance to such action. Rats were fed an obesogenic diet, treated with the PPARgamma full agonist COOH (30 mg.

Pesticides in the atmosphere across Canadian agricultural regions.

The Canadian Atmospheric Network for Currently Used Pesticides (CANCUP) was the first comprehensive, nationwide air surveillance study of pesticides in Canada. This paper presentsthe atmospheric occurrence and distribution of pesticides including organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), organophosphate pesticides (OPPs), acid herbicides (AHs), and neutral herbicides (NHs) during the spring to summer of 2004 and 2005 across agricultural regions in Canada. Atmospheric concentrations of pesticides varied within years and time periods, and regional characteristics were observed including the following: (i) highest air concentrations of several herbicides (e.

First detection of Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV) in France, a dicistrovirus affecting honeybees (Apis mellifera).

Bee samples were collected in French apiaries that displayed severe losses and mortality during the winter (from November 2007 to March 2008). They were screened for the presence of Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV) by using RT-PCR. Five out of 35 surveyed apiaries, located in two different geographical areas, were found positive.

In situ hybridization assays for localization of the chronic bee paralysis virus in the honey bee (Apis mellifera) brain.

Chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV) is a common single-stranded RNA virus which may cause significant losses in honey bee colonies. As this virus seems to exhibit neurotropism, an in situ hybridization based method was developed to localize the genomic and antigenomic CBPV RNAs in infected honey bee brains. Double-stranded cDNA probes as well as genomic and antigenomic-specific single-stranded cDNA probes were prepared, using the polymerase chain reaction in presence of labelled d-UTP with non-radioactive digoxigenin.

Antimicrobial resistance in Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Dublin from dairy source calves in the central San Joaquin Valley, California (1998-2002).

The present study describes antimicrobial resistance patterns of Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Dublin (S. Dublin) in clinical submissions from calves and temporal and farm-type trends in antimicrobial resistance patterns of the isolates. A total of 300 isolates of S.

Effect of reducing dietary mineral content on growth performance, water intake, excreta dry matter content and blood parameters of broilers.

1. The objective of this study was to investigate whether it is possible to reduce phosphorus (P) excretion by feeding a lower level of dietary P than that currently recommended, without compromising welfare, and whether this is sensitive to the level of dietary calcium (Ca). 2.

Phase-diversity wave-front sensing with a distorted diffraction grating.

We describe a novel wave-front sensor comprising a distorted diffraction grating, simple optics, and a single camera. A noniterative phase-diversity algorithm is used for wave-front reconstruction. The sensor concept and practical implementation are described in detail, and performance is validated against different Zernike modes and a representative atmospheric phase map.

Simultaneous multiplane imaging with a distorted diffraction grating.

We describe a simple technique for simultaneously imaging multiple layers within an object field onto a single camera. The approach uses a binary diffraction grating in which the lines are distorted such that a different level of defocus is associated with each diffraction order. The design of the gratings is discussed, and their ability to image multiple object planes is validated experimentally.

Detection of Chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV) genome and its replicative RNA form in various hosts and possible ways of spread.

Detection of Chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV) is reported for the first time in two species of ants (Camponotus vagus and Formica rufa) and in Varroa destructor. A quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) method was used to detect and quantify CBPV in infected bees, ants and mites. A minus-strand-specific RT-PCR was used to assess viral replication.

Molecular characterisation and phylogenetic analysis of Chronic bee paralysis virus, a honey bee virus.

The complete sequences of the two major RNAs of Chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV) have been determined. RNA 1 (3674nt long) and RNA 2 (2305nt long) are positive single-stranded RNAs that are capped but not polyadenylated. The 3' ends of both RNAs are unreactive to polymerisation or ligation even in denaturing conditions, a feature already observed in alphanodavirus RNAs.

Atmospheric atrazine at Canadian IADN sites.

Atrazine is one of the most widely used herbicides in North America and has been primarily applied to corn production in the Great Lakes basin for over 30 years. During 1996-2002, atrazine concentrations in the atmospheric gas and particle phases were investigated at three Canadian Integrated Atmospheric Deposition Network (IADN) sites including two lakeside sites (Burnt Island and Point Petre) and a rural inland site (Egbert). Strong seasonality with peak concentrations occurring in late April-early July was observed.

Measurement of the wavelength dependence of beam divergence for photonic crystal fiber.

We report measurements of the wavelength dependence of beam divergence for single-mode photonic crystal fiber. These measurements confirm predictions of strongly wavelength-dependent beam divergence, consistent with the effective-index model for the photonic crystal cladding material.

Caenorhabditis elegans LET-767 is able to metabolize androgens and estrogens and likely shares common ancestor with human types 3 and 12 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases.

Mutations that inactivate LET-767 are shown to affect growth, reproduction, and development in Caenorhabditis elegans. Sequence analysis indicates that LET-767 shares the highest homology with human types 3 and 12 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases (17beta-HSD3 and 12). Using LET-767 transiently transfected into human embryonic kidney-293 cells, we have found that the enzyme catalyzes the transformation of both 4-androstenedione into testosterone and estrone into estradiol, similar to that of mouse 17beta-HSD12 but different from human and primate enzymes that catalyze the transformation of estrone into estradiol.

Improvement of RT-PCR detection of chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV) required by the description of genomic variability in French CBPV isolates.

A new RT-PCR test has been developed to diagnose Chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV) that is able to detect genetically variable viral isolates. In fact, up to 8.7% divergence between partial nucleotide sequences from viral isolates from French honey bees was highlighted in a preliminary variability study.

Spread of infectious chronic bee paralysis virus by honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) feces.

Knowledge of the spreading mechanism of honeybee pathogens within the hive is crucial to our understanding of bee disease dynamics. The aim of this study was to assess the presence of infectious chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV) in bee excreta and evaluate its possible role as an indirect route of infection. Samples of paralyzed bees were (i) produced by experimental inoculation with purified virus and (ii) collected from hives exhibiting chronic paralysis.

[Gemcitabine and digestive carcinomas].

Gemcitabine is a well-tolerated anti-tumour drug with broad-spectrum activity. It is now recommended for treatment in an increasing number of tumours. Locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer is the only digestive cancer for which it has yet been approved.