First insights into human mobility in Neolithic Belgium using strontium isotopic analysis and proteomics: A case study of Grotte de La Faucille (Sclayn, province of Namur).

Objectives: So far, no Sr/ Sr mobility studies have been done for Neolithic remains from Belgium and information on the Sr isotopic variability in the region is scarce. This study aims to explore mobility in a Final Neolithic population from the funerary cave 'Grotte de La Faucille', contribute to the understanding of the isotopic composition of bioavailable Sr in Belgium, assess evidence for male mobility using proteomic analysis, and explore possible places of origin for nonlocal individuals.

Materials And Methods: The Sr/ Sr isotope ratio of dental enamel from six adults and six juveniles was determined.

Monitoring surface functionalization of dendrigraft poly-L-lysines via click chemistry by capillary electrophoresis and Taylor dispersion analysis.

Click chemistry by copper-mediated azide/alkyne cycloaddition reaction is known as a very efficient synthetic pathway for chemical coupling and for surface functionalization. The attractiveness of this reaction is due to the selectivity of the reaction of azides and alkynes. Nevertheless, the control of the kinetics of the reaction and the characterization of the reaction products requires the use of adequate analytical techniques.

[Bone scintigraphy in evaluation of bone vascularisation at wrist and hand].

Diphosphonate bone scintigraphy is used since the 1970s for studying bone pathology; it is increasingly common because of increased physical activity of the population. The disphosphonate uptake in bone requires the preservation of bone vascularity and reflects osteoblastic activity; it allows studying the viability of bone. Using data from the literature and our experience, we tried to take stock of its main uses in routine emphasizing the study of vascular and describe its use in fractures of the scaphoid and in the study of vascularised bone transfers.

An expeditious multigram-scale synthesis of lysine dendrigraft (DGL) polymers by aqueous N-carboxyanhydride polycondensation.

The synthesis and characterisation of new arborescent architectures of poly(L-lysine), called lysine dendrigraft (DGL) polymers, are described. DGL polymers were prepared through a multiple-generation scheme (up to generation 5) in a weakly acidic aqueous medium by polycondensing N(epsilon)-trifluoroacetyl-L-lysine-N-carboxyanhydride (Lys(Tfa)-NCA) onto the previous generation G(n-1) of DGL, which was used as a macroinitiator. The first generation employed spontaneous NCA polycondensation in water without a macroinitiator; this afforded low-molecular-weight, linear poly(L-lysine) G1 with a polymerisation degree of 8 and a polydispersity index of 1.

Poly(L-proline) II helix propensities in poly(L-lysine) dendrigraft generations from vibrational Raman optical activity.

Vibrational Raman optical activity (ROA), measured as small circularly polarized components in Raman scattering from chiral molecules, was applied to study the backbone conformations of the first five generations of poly(L-lysine) dendrigrafts (DGLs) in water. Generation 1 was found to support predominantly the poly(L-proline) II (PPII) conformation, the amount of which steadily decreased with increasing generation, with a concomitant increase in other backbone conformations. This behavior may be due to increasing crowding of the lysine side chains, together with suppression of backbone hydration, with increasing branching.

Interaction and transport of poly(L-lysine) dendrigrafts through liposomal and cellular membranes: the role of generation and surface functionalization.

Two generations of poly(l-lysine) dendrigrafts (DGLs) were studied with regard to their ability to interact with and translocate through liposomal and cellular membranes. Partial guanidinylation of the surface amino groups of the starting dendrigrafts afforded the guanidinylated derivatives whose membrane translocation properties were also assessed. Mixed liposomes, consisting of dihexadecyl phosphate, phosphatidylcholine, and cholesterol, were employed as model membranes, while A549 human lung carcinoma cells were used for cellular uptake studies.

Determination of dendrigraft poly-L-lysine diffusion coefficients by taylor dispersion analysis.

This work focuses on the physicochemical characterization of dendrigraft poly-L-lysines (DGLs) obtained by polymerization of N-carboxyanhydride in buffered water (pH 6.5). Diffusion coefficients (D) and hydrodynamic radii (Rh) of five successive DGL generations were determined by Taylor dispersion analysis (TDA).

Synthesis of Nepsilon-protected-L-lysine and gamma-benzyl-L-glutamate N-carboxyanhydrides (NCA) by carbamoylation and nitrosation.

This paper reports on an original process to synthesize N-carboxyanhydrides, which consists of nitrosating N-carbamoylamino acids with a NO/O(2) gas mixture in acetonitrile. The synthesis of several N-carbamoylamino acids of L-lysine was described using potassium cyanate in water. The latter were then nitrosated to yield the corresponding NCA with more or less efficiency.

Dynamic co-evolution of peptides and chemical energetics, a gateway to the emergence of homochirality and the catalytic activity of peptides.

We propose a scenario for the dynamic co-evolution of peptides and energy on the primitive Earth. From a multi component system consisting of hydrogen cyanide, several carbonyl compounds, ammonia, alkyl amine, carbonic anhydride, borate and isocyanic acid, we show that the reversibility of this system leads to several intermediate nitriles, that irreversibly evolve to alpha-amino acids and N-carbamoyl amino acids via selective catalytic processes. On the primitive Earth these N-carbamoyl amino acids combined with energetic molecules (NOx) may have been the core of a molecular engine producing peptides permanently and assuring their recycling and evolution.

The versatility of the Amplatzer Septal Occluder for the management of multiple atrial septal defects in a patient with dextrocardia and situs inversus.

A 7-year-old male was referred for evaluation of a heart murmur heard on routine check-up. Transthoracic echocardiogram revealed the presence of a fenestrated atrial septal defect (ASD) in a dextrocardia with total situs inversus ( mirror image ). Two Amplatzer Septal Occluders (Cook Incorporated, Bloomington, Indiana) were used to successfully occlude the ASDs with no residual shunt.

N-carbamoyl amino acid solid-gas nitrosation by NO/NOx: A new route to oligopeptides via alpha-amino acid N-carboxyanhydride. Prebiotic implications.

Alpha-N-Carbamoyl amino acid (CAA), whose conditions of formation in a prebiotic hydrosphere have been described previously (Taillades et al. 1998), could have been an important intermediate in prebiotic peptide synthesis through reaction with atmospheric NOx. Nitrosation of solid CAA (glycine or valine derivative) by a 4/1 NO/O2 gaseous mixture (1 atm) yields N-carboxyanhydride (NCA) quantitatively in less than 1 h at room temperature.

Semi-automatic segmentation of gated blood pool emission tomographic images by watersheds:application to the determination of right and left ejection fractions.

Tomographic multi-gated blood pool scintigraphy (TMUGA) is a widely available method which permits simultaneous assessment of right and left ventricular ejection fractions. However, the widespread clinical use of this technique is impeded by the lack of segmentation methods dedicated to an automatic analysis of ventricular activities. In this study we evaluated how a watershed algorithm succeeds in providing semi-automatic segmentation of ventricular activities in order to measure right and left ejection fractions by TMUGA.

Dopaminergic influence on cardiovascular responses to exercise stress in hypertensive subjects.

Ten hypertensive subjects were studied at the Vargas Medical School in Caracas, Venezuela. They were submitted to submaximal treadmill exercises according to Bruce's protocol under treatment with dopaminergic drugs (metoclopramide, bromocriptine). Before and during submaximal exercises, metoclopramide caused a hypotensive effect accompanied by an increased heart rate, which was blocked by the administration of bromocriptine.

Severity of asthma is related to endotoxin in house dust.

In sensitized subjects, exposure to the mite allergen appears to be only one of several factors leading to asthma. We hypothesized that in association with allergen exposure, endotoxin, a proinflammatory agent present in house dust (HD), influences the severity of asthma. Using a cross-sectional study design, we investigated a group of 69 consecutive dust mite (HDM)-sensitized subjects defined as having rhinitis (n = 20) or asthma (n = 49); the latter were evaluated functionally and clinically by three different scores and by their need for daily medication.

Mechanism of action of maternal serum on the interleukin2 receptor expression.

Neoplastic Jurkat cells were submitted to a PHA stimulation test after a preincubation in maternal or nulliparous serum (10% dilution). The Il2R expression was significantly downregulated among maternal serum treated cells. Retroplacental serum was significantly more inhibitive than peripheral maternal serum (P less than 0.

Modulation of B cell stimulation by maternal serum.

Anti-IgM stimulation of B cells is decreased in the presence of maternal serum as compared to control media. This inhibiting influence of maternal serum is observed during the priming of the B cells. The progression of B cells into cellular proliferation was not influenced by maternal serum.

pH monitoring for 24 hours of gastroesophageal reflux and gastric function after intrathoracic gastroplasty after esophagectomy.

Gastroesophageal reflux is the main complaint after intrathoracic gastroplasty for carcinoma of the esophagus. Eighteen patients who underwent intrathoracic gastroplasty were studied by 24 hour pH monitoring. Two groups of patients were separately evaluated according to the surgical procedure performed--group 1, nine patients with tubulized stomach and gastroesophageal anastomosis at the apex of the thorax, and group 2, nine patients without tubulized stomach and with low gastroesophageal anastomosis.

The interleukin-2 receptor on cord blood and nulliparous mononuclear cells is downregulated by maternal and cord blood serum.

The concentration of interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R) on maternal, cord blood and unrelated nulliparous mononuclear cells has been studied after a previous phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) stimulation. Furthermore, the inhibitive action of maternal and cord blood serum on the IL-2R expression of stimulated nulliparous and cord blood lymphocytes has been shown. A downregulation of the [3H]-thymidine uptake by these PHA treated cells previously incubated in maternal and cord blood serum has been observed.

Modulation of class II histocompatibility antigen expression by maternal serum.

Human maternal serum has been shown to down-regulate the expression of MHC class II antigen in three distinct circumstances. Cord blood mononuclear cells, incubated in the mother's own serum, showed significant modulation of class II antigen expression. This was also the case for unrelated donor lymphocytes, incubated in pooled maternal serum.

Modulation of the interleukin 2 receptor by maternal and cord blood serum.

In this report, the potential inhibitive action, of maternal serum (retroplacental and peripheral), and cord blood serum on the expression of the Il2r has been studied. Calf and male serum were used as a control. In order to have an optimal Il2r expression, a previous PHA cellular stimulation was performed.

Estimation of hepatic volume by SPECT during liver regeneration: an experimental study in an animal model.

To calculate hepatic volume in the dog by single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT), we determined the limits of the organ by choosing an isocontour on each section. This choice entailed prior calculation of an overestimated pseudovolume. The accuracy of the measurement in the animal then approached that of measurements in vitro.

Functional modifications of the CD4+ and the CD8+ subset due to maternal serum.

Numerous experiments have been performed to try to explain the successful gestation of the semiallogeneic mammalian fetus in the immuno-competent mother. A popular hypothesis is that localized intra uterine suppression mediates the immune response and contributes directly to the survival of the fetus. Suppressive factors synthesized at the fetomaternal interface may be transported by the bloodstream and be found in the retroplacental and peripheral blood circulation.

Single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) for monitoring regeneration of the human liver after partial hepatectomy for secondary tumours.

In 18 patients, the liver volume during regeneration after partial hepatectomy for secondary tumours was estimated by single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT). Hepatic weight index (HWI) was subsequently calculated to follow evolution of the regeneration as a function of postoperative complications over a 30-day period. In patients with postoperative complications the HWI curves initially rose progressively and either reached a plateau or declined thereafter.