Follicular growth in vitro: detection of growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) and bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15) during in vitro culture of ovine cortical slices.

Primordial follicles from different mammal species can survive and enter the growth phase in vitro but do not develop beyond the primary stage. The hypothesis was that, in sheep, in vitro follicular growth is arrested because of a lack of secretion of GDF9 and/or BMP15. Cortical slices of 0.

Backpack use in children.

Purpose: This article describes backpack use and incidence of back pain in children.

Methods: A convenience sample of 345 children, grades five through eight, served as subjects. A written questionnaire was developed to gather information on demographics, leisure activity level, bag type, locker use, students' perceptions of bag weight and comfort, and students' reports of history of back pain.

Specific hypermethylation of LINE-1 elements during abnormal overgrowth and differentiation of human placenta.

In human post-natal somatic cells, low global levels of DNA methylation have been associated with the hypomethylation of several repetitive elements, a feature that has been proposed to be a surrogate epigenetic marker. These data, mainly derived from the analysis of cancer cells, suggest a potential association between loss of cell-growth control and altered differentiation with hypomethylation of repetitive sequences. Partial hydatidiform moles (PHMs) can be used as an alternative model for investigating this association in a non-tumorigenic context.

[DNA sperm methylation in assisted reproductive techniques].

In the last few years, many tests were developed to study the fertilizing properties of the spermatozoa. However none of them was useful to obtain a prognostic factor. Indeed, the integrity of the spermatic DNA is also necessary to a successful fertilization for obtaining a pregnancy.

Analysis by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) of the relationship between gonosomic aneuploidy and the results of assisted reproduction in men with severe oligozoospermia.

The aim of this study was to analyse the frequency of sex-chromosomal aneuploidy in human spermatozoa of severe oligozoospermic men undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), to evaluate the impact of these chromosomal anomalies on the results of the ICSI. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with direct label fluorescence DNA probes specific for chromosome X, Y and 18 was performed on decondensed spermatozoa from fresh ejaculates of 12 patients with severe oligozoospermia undergoing ICSI. A total of 500 spermatozoa were analysed per donor.

Geographic variations in probability of pregnancy in four cities of France.

Background: Several studies have described geographic variations in human fecundability, but this phenomenon has almost exclusively been studied at an international level rather than within a given country. Our aim was to describe geographic variations in fecundability, the monthly probability of pregnancy, between four cities of France.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in four French maternity units from Toulouse, Rennes, Lyons and Paris, among partners of pregnant women.

Structure of an amphiphilic lattice gas, and its relationship to microclustering of methanol in water.

We present a lattice gas model to show that a system of amphiphilic molecules in solution forms clusters without phase separating. This is designed to be the simplest possible model that captures the essence of the so-called microclustering observed both experimentally and by molecular-dynamics computer simulation of methanol in water. The Hamiltonian contains no adjustable parameters, yet exhibits surprisingly complex behavior as a function of temperature and concentration.

[Oxidatif-stress and COPD. Role of infection. Prevention].

For the next decade, COPD will become the third cause of mortality in the world. COPD is mainly due to cigarette smoking and presents different levels of severity according to people, probably linked to environmental and genetic factors, which are not well documented. Recent publications pointed out bacterial bronchial colonization and exacerbations of infectious origin as worsening factors through a pro-inflammatory effect and oxidative stress.

The effect of tiotropium on hyperinflation and exercise capacity in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by airflow limitation, which results in the progressive development of dyspnea and exercise limitation.

Objective And Methods: To compare the effect of tiotropium with placebo on forced vital capacity (FVC) in patients with moderate-to-severe COPD and lung hyperinflation, using exercise endurance, dyspnea and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) as secondary endpoints. One hundred patients were randomized to receive either tiotropium 18 mug once daily or placebo for 12 weeks.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) vaccine trials: a novel assay for differential diagnosis of HIV infections in the face of vaccine-generated antibodies.

All current human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) vaccine candidates contain multiple viral components and elicit antibodies that react positively in licensed HIV diagnostic tests, which contain similar viral products. Thus, vaccine trial participants could be falsely diagnosed as infected with HIV. Additionally, uninfected, seropositive vaccinees may encounter long-term social and economic harms.

Assessment of newcastle disease vaccination of houbara bustard breeders (Chlamydotis undulata undulata).

The houbara bustard (Chlamydotis undulata undulata) is endangered in North Africa. Through a captive-breeding program established in Morocco by The Emirates Center for Wildlife Propagation, wild populations are being supplemented by the releasing of captive-reared birds. Newcastle disease, which is caused by Newcastle disease virus (NDV; Avian paramyxovirus type 1), can infect houbara bustards and is a significant threat through contact with backyard poultry and possibly wild birds.

Interferometric coupling of the Keck telescopes with single-mode fibers.

Here we report successful interferometric coupling of two large telescopes with single-mode fibers. Interference fringes were obtained in the 2- to 2.3-micrometer wavelength range on the star 107 Herculis by using the two Keck 10-meter telescopes, each feeding their common interferometric focus with 300 meters of single-mode fibers.

Sacral neuromodulation in lower urinary tract dysfunction.

Vesico-urethral dysfunction is a major problem in daily medical practice due to its psychological disturbances, its social costs and its high impact on quality of life. Recently, sacral neuromodulation, namely the electrical stimulation of the sacral nerves, appears to have become an alternative for radical bladder surgery particularly in cases of idiopathic bladder overactivity. The mechanism of action is only partially understood but it seems to involve a modulation in the spinal cord due to stimulation of inhibitory interneurons.

Early variations of circulating interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 levels during thoracic radiotherapy are predictive for radiation pneumonitis.

Purpose: To investigate variations of circulating serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha), and interleukin-10 (IL-10) during three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT) in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer and correlate these variations with the occurrence of radiation pneumonitis.

Patients And Methods: Ninety-six patients receiving 3D-CRT for stage I to III disease were evaluated prospectively. Circulating cytokine levels were determined before, every 2 weeks during, and at the end of treatment.

Genetic heterogeneity of hepatitis E virus in Darfur, Sudan, and neighboring Chad.

The within-outbreak diversity of hepatitis E virus (HEV) was studied during the outbreak of hepatitis E that occurred in Sudan in 2004. Specimens were collected from internally displaced persons living in a Sudanese refugee camp and two camps implanted in Chad. A comparison of the sequences in the ORF2 region of 23 Sudanese isolates and five HEV samples from the two Chadian camps displayed a high similarity (>99.

[Disseminated actinomycosis].

Introduction: We report the case of a patient suffering from disseminated actinomycosis.

Case Report: A fifty-two year old man, who was both a heavy smoker and an alcoholic, was admitted to hospital with confusion associated with a pseudo-tumoral right upper lobe pneumonia. Brain computed tomography was normal on the day of admission but when repeated fifteen days later four lesions were seen with appearances suspicious of metastatic malignant disease.

Follicular viability and histological assessment after cryopreservation of whole sheep ovaries with vascular pedicle by vitrification.

Objective: To evaluate a cryopreservation technique by vitrification of whole ovaries with their vascular pedicle in sheep, by using two cryoprotectant solutions.

Design: Animal study.

Setting: Fertility clinic in a university teaching hospital.

The poxviral scrapin MV-LAP requires a myxoma viral infection context to efficiently downregulate MHC-I molecules.

Downregulation of MHC class I molecules is a strategy developed by some viruses to escape cellular immune responses. Myxoma virus (MV), a poxvirus causing rabbit myxomatosis, encodes MV-LAP that is known to increase MHC-I endocytosis and degradation through a C(4)HC(3) motif critical for an E3 ubiquitin ligase activity. Here, we performed a functional mapping of MV-LAP and showed that not only the C(4)HC(3) motif is necessary for a marked downregulation of MHC-I but also a conserved region in the C-terminal part of the protein.

[Management of cerebellopontine angle meningiomas and the posterior part of the temporal bone. Report on 44 cases].

Objectives: To review and study the management of CPA meningiomas through the experience of an otoneurosurgical team.

Material And Methods: Fourty-two patients (44 meningiomas) were considered. Seventy-seven per cent of tumors (34 cases) were operated on; 6 tumors (14.

Upregulation of the BRCA1 gene in human germ cells and in preimplantation embryos.

The quantification of BRCA1 messenger RNA molecules by a quantitative competitive one-step reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction method indicates that BRCA1 is upregulated both in human male and female germ cells and in preimplantation embryos. Because BRCA1 is involved in several pathways that participate in preserving intact chromosome and genome integrity, these data suggest that BRCA1 dysfunction might alter human embryogenesis or fertility.

[Testicular tissue cryoconservation for prepubertal boy: indications and feasibility].

Childhood cancers below 15 years old represent almost 2000 new cases each year; their evolution is often favourable since about 75% of children will recover from their cancer. However, the gonad, in particular the testis, is very sensitive to radiotherapy and alkylant agents. Cryopreservation of semen can be proposed to young adults before starting the treatment; the 14-17 years period can be considered as a critical phase, because some boys have not achieved puberty.

Paternity analysis using microsatellite markers to identify pollen donors in an olive grove.

Olive (Olea europaea L.) is a wind-pollinated, allogamous species that is generally not considered to be self-compatible. In addition, cross-incompatibilities exist between cultivars that can result in low fruit set if compatible pollinisers are not planted nearby.

Characterization of fluoride fibers for the Optical Hawaiian Array for Nanoradian Astronomy project.

We report on the interferometric characterization of a pair of 300 m long single-mode non-polarization-maintaining fibers designed for the Optical Hawaiian Array for Nanoradian Astronomy ('OHANA) project whose goal is to realize a kilometric near-infrared astronomical array by connecting the large telescopes of the Mauna Kea observatory with single-mode fibers. The fluoride glass fibers are operated in the astronomical K band (2.0-2.

Normal gestations and live births after orthotopic autograft of vitrified-warmed hemi-ovaries into ewes.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term outcome of autotransplantation of vitrified warmed hemi-ovaries into ewes.

Methods: Six hemi-ovaries from six ewes aged 6 to 12 months were vitrified. After dissection of the medulla, the hemi-ovarian cortex was stored at -196 degrees C in liquid nitrogen.