Sedimentary structure discrimination with hyperspectral imaging in sediment cores.

Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is a non-destructive, high-resolution imaging technique that is currently under significant development for analyzing geological areas with remote devices or natural samples in a laboratory. In both cases, the hyperspectral image provides several sedimentary structures that must be separated to temporally and spatially describe the sample. Sediment sequences are composed of successive deposits (strata, homogenite, flood) that are visible depending on sample properties.

High-resolution prediction of organic matter concentration with hyperspectral imaging on a sediment core.

In the case of environmental samples, the use of a chemometrics-based prediction model is highly challenging because of the difficulty in experimentally creating a well-ranged reference sample set. In this study, we present a methodology using short wave infrared hyperspectral imaging to create a partial least squares regression model on a cored sediment sample. It was applied to a sediment core of the well-known Lake Bourget (Western Alps, France) to develop and validate a model for downcore high resolution LOI550 measurements used as a proxy of the organic matter.

DNA from lake sediments reveals long-term ecosystem changes after a biological invasion.

What are the long-term consequences of invasive species? After invasion, how long do ecosystems require to reach a new equilibrium? Answering these questions requires long-term, high-resolution data that are vanishingly rare. We combined the analysis of environmental DNA extracted from a lake sediment core, coprophilous fungi, and sedimentological analyses to reconstruct 600 years of ecosystem dynamics on a sub-Antarctic island and to identify the impact of invasive rabbits. Plant communities remained stable from AD 1400 until the 1940s, when the DNA of invasive rabbits was detected in sediments.

Therapeutic vaccination with TNF-Kinoid in TNF antagonist-resistant rheumatoid arthritis: a phase II randomized, controlled clinical trial.

Objectives: Active immunization, or vaccination, with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-Kinoid (TNF-K) is a novel approach to induce polyclonal anti-TNF antibodies in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. This study was performed to transfer the proof of concept obtained in mice model of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) into human. We designed a pilot study to demonstrate the feasibility of therapeutic vaccination in RA.

Long-term relationships among pesticide applications, mobility, and soil erosion in a vineyard watershed.

Agricultural pesticide use has increased worldwide during the last several decades, but the long-term fate, storage, and transfer dynamics of pesticides in a changing environment are poorly understood. Many pesticides have been progressively banned, but in numerous cases, these molecules are stable and may persist in soils, sediments, and ice. Many studies have addressed the question of their possible remobilization as a result of global change.

Investigation of organic matter entrapped in synthetic carbonates--a multimethod approach.

Organic matter (OM) entrapped in calcite is regularly used for environmental studies; however, insertion mechanisms and types of interaction remain poorly understood. The present study used a new methodology to investigate interactions between OM and the calcite matrix during crystallization processes with humic acid (HA) entrapment. A multimethod approach confirmed that HA is both adsorbed onto the calcite surface and incorporated into the calcite lattice during crystallization.

Down-regulation of interferon signature in systemic lupus erythematosus patients by active immunization with interferon α-kinoid.

Objective: We developed interferon-α-kinoid (IFN-K), a drug composed of inactivated IFNα coupled to a carrier protein, keyhole limpet hemocyanin. In human IFNα-transgenic mice, IFN-K induces polyclonal antibodies that neutralize all 13 subtypes of human IFNα. We also previously demonstrated that IFN-K slows disease progression in a mouse model of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Infrared spectroscopy tracing of sediment sources in a small rural watershed (French Alps).

The present article describes a first attempt to use infrared spectroscopy to trace the origin of suspended river sediments. Fifty samples of the main potential sediment sources within a small catchment area (990 ha) in the French Alps were collected and compared with samples of suspended sediment from the river, collected on various dates during 2006 and 2007 using sediment traps. Two major categories of sediment source were identified: topsoils and river channel sediments.

Correction of inner filter effect in mirror coating cells for trace level fluorescence measurements.

The sensitivity of the spectrofluorometric technique can be improved by a factor of about 3.6 using a mirror coating cell. In the case of a large working range, the nonlinear relationship due to the absorbance of solutions between concentration of the analyte of interest and fluorescence intensity (called inner filter effect) must be corrected.

Reduction of chloroform formation potential of humic acid by sonolysis and ultraviolet irradiation.

This study is concerned with the changes of chloroform formation potential during the reaction of humic acid (HA) and sodium hypochlorite caused by different oxidative pretreatments: ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, ultrasonic (US) irradiation or combined UV-US irradiations. The UV and US decomposition of a reagent HA in water was investigated. The characterization of the oxidized HA sample by UV absorptiometry, synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy and size exclusion chromatography points a synergetic effect of the combined process.

Use of a Plackett-Burman design with multivariate calibration for the analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in micellar media by synchronous fluorescence.

This work describes the use of a multilevel Plackett-Burman design (PB) for the creation of a calibration set for partial least square regression (PLS). The PB calibration set was compared to a collinear analogue by testing these two PLS models for the analysis of six polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). These compounds were analyzed in micellar media by synchronous fluorescence after determination of the experimental conditions (choice of surfactant, analytical conditions such as deltalambda, step, and scan range).

Growth and immunogenicity of influenza viruses cultivated in Vero or MDCK cells and in embryonated chicken eggs.

Vero cells, MDCK cells and embryonated chicken eggs (eggs) were used to evaluate influenza virus growth characteristics and immunogenicity induced by inactivated influenza B vaccines. Both cell lines produced comparable quantities of total viral and haemagglutinin (HA) proteins. Sequence analysis indicated genetic identity of the HA of Vero- and MDCK-grown virus counterparts with maintenance of antigenic characteristics of viruses derived from humans.

Selection of receptor-binding variants of human influenza A and B viruses in baby hamster kidney cells.

Cultivation of human influenza viruses in the allantoic cavity of embryonated chicken eggs leads to a selection of receptor-binding variants with amino acid substitutions on the globular head of the hemagglutinin (HA) molecule. Such selection can be avoided by growing the human viruses in Madin Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells. In the present study, we tested whether baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells select receptor-binding mutants of human influenza viruses.

Immunogenicity and protective efficacy in mice of influenza B virus vaccines grown in mammalian cells or embryonated chicken eggs.

The immunogenicity and protective efficacy of formalin-inactivated influenza B/Memphis/1/93 virus vaccines propagated exclusively in Vero cells, MDCK cells, or embryonated chicken eggs (hereafter referred to as eggs) were investigated. Mammalian cell-grown viruses differ from the egg-grown variant at amino acid position 198 (Pro/Thr) in the hemagglutinin gene. The level of neuraminidase activity was highest in egg-grown virus, while MDCK and Vero cell-derived viruses possessed 70 and 90% less activity, respectively.

A varicella vaccine stable at 5 degrees C.

Varicella-Zoster virus (VZV), which causes Chicken Pox and Zoster, belongs to the Herpes viridae family [1, 2]. The virus is strongly cell dependent and its in vitro stability is very low. Following Takahashi's work, we have developed and prepared a vaccine with the OKA strain virus in the Japanese stabilizer.

Good immunogenicity of GBM strain inactivated hepatitis A vaccine in healthy male adults.

A formalin-inactivated aluminium hydroxide adsorbed hepatitis A vaccine was evaluated in a dose-response study on 195 healthy male adults (age range: 18-31 years) in two French hospitals (Lyon, Rouen). Four doses (20, 40, 80, 160 RIA antigen units) were administered intramuscularly (i.m.

Industrial-scale production of inactivated poliovirus vaccine prepared by culture of Vero cells on microcarrier.

In 1980, the authors reported preliminary results of large-scale production of inactivated poliovirus vaccine in which virus was produced in Vero cell culture on a microcarrier. For this first stage of development, 150-liter tanks were used. The virus is now produced in 1,000-liter tanks.

Thousand litre scale microcarrier culture of Vero cells for killed polio virus vaccine. Promising results.

Through the progress of scientific knowledge the Vero cell line was considered to be a suitable alternative cell substrate for the industrial production of Polio Virus. Using microcarrier culture, more than 10(12) cells could be obtained weekly for virus inoculation. The virus yield is around 60 D units/ml for type I; 20 D units/ml for type II, and 50 D units/ml for type III.

The large-scale cultivation of VERO cells in micro-carrier culture for virus vaccine production. Preliminary results for killed poliovirus vaccine.

As the increasing shortage of monkeys is a reality, the application of an alternative cell substrate for large-scale production of Killed Poliomyelitis Vaccine (KPV) was studied. Through progress of scientific knowledge the non-tumorigenic VERO cell line was considered to be a suitable alternative cell substrate for this purpose. The Master-Cell-Bank and Working-Cell-Banks prepared by us are giving a practically inexhaustible cell source.

Comparison of sensitivity of VERO cell line versus primary monkey kidney cells in the detection of residual live polio virus during and after inactivation.

Substitution of Primary Monkey Kidney (PMK) Cells by Monkey Cell Lines (MCL) for detection of residual live virus in poliovaccine control has been considered for various reasons. The sensitivity of VERO Cells versus PMK cells has been investigated. This study was done with poliovirus during and just after formalin inactivation.

Direct enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for quantification of poliomyelitis virus D-antigen.

The proposed micro-ELISA assay by means of the double antibody method involves three steps: adsorption of type specific antiserum on micro-wells; simultaneous incubation of antigen and Horse Radish Peroxydase (HRPO) conjugated antiserum; substrate incubation followed by photometric measurement of absorbance at 403 nm. Preliminary results seem generally in good agreement with those obtained by other tests such as gel diffusion and indirect ELISA.