Enhancement of Ag cluster mobility on Ag surfaces by chloridation.

To understand the role of chlorine in the stability and the observed fragmentation of Ag dendritic nanostructures, we have studied computationally two model systems using density functional theory. The first one relates to diffusion of Ag(n) and Ag(n)Cl(m) (n = 1-4) clusters on an Ag(111) surface, and the second demonstrates interaction strength of (Ag(55))(2) dimers with and without chloridation. Based on our calculated energy barriers, Ag(n)Cl(m) clusters are more mobile than Ag(n) clusters for n = 1-4.

Fluorescence emission of Ca-atom from photodissociated Ca2 in Ar doped helium droplets. II. Theoretical.

The stability of the ground or excited state calcium atom in an argon-doped helium droplet has been investigated using an extension of the helium density functional method to treat clusters. This work was motivated by the experimental study presented in a companion paper, hereafter called Paper I [A. Masson, M.

Fluorescence emission of Ca-atom from photodissociated Ca2 in Ar-doped helium droplets. I. Experimental.

The Ca(2) → Ca(4s4p(1)P) + Ca(4s(2)(1)S) photodissociation was investigated in a He droplet isolation experiment where the droplets are doped by Ar atoms. Fluorescence spectra associated with the Ca(4s4p(1)P → 4s(2)(1)S) emission were recorded as a function of the average number of Ar atoms per droplet. Three contributions were observed depending on whether the emitting Ca atoms are free, bound to helium atoms or bound to argon atoms.

Adsorption of small molecules on silver clusters.

We report investigations of adsorption of N(2) and O(2) molecules on silver cluster cations. We have first revisited structures of small silver clusters based on first-principles calculations within the framework of density functional theory with hybrid functional. The 2D to 3D transition for the neutral clusters occurs from n = 6 to 7 and for cations, in agreement with experiments, from n = 4 to 5.

Cutaneous and mucosal aphthosis during temsirolimus therapy for advanced renal cell carcinoma: review of cutaneous and mucosal side effects of mTOR inhibitors.

Temsirolimus, an inhibitor of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), is a new targeted therapy used in advanced renal cell carcinoma and mantle cell lymphoma and is currently tested in several other human tumors. It induces several cutaneous and mucosal side effects, including painful, dose-limiting stomatitis. We report the unusual case of a 77-year-old man who developed severe mucosal, scrotal and perianal cutaneous aphthous-like ulcerations, 6 weeks after introduction of temsirolimus therapy for advanced-stage renal cell carcinoma.

[Parapneumonic pleural effusion incidence in a French region before and during the antipneumococcal vaccine era].

Background And Aims: The aim of the study was to compare the incidence of parapneumonic pleural effusion in the Limousin region of France, based on the comparison of pre- and postvaccination periods.

Methods: Subjects, 0-18-years-old, were retrospectively identified by searching in computerized databases of coded discharge diagnosis for patients with a diagnosis of pleural effusion and/or empyema and/or pulmonary infection in all the pediatric departments in Limousin hospitals. Medical records were reviewed by one of the authors and those with parapneumonic effusion and confirmed or suspected pneumococcal infection were included in the study.

[Bacterial osteomyelitis and arthritis in Icelandic children 1996-2005].

Objective: The main objective was to determine the incidence and causative pathogens of osteomyelitis and septic arthritis in Icelandic children, as well as presenting symptoms and diagnosis.

Methods: A nationwide retrospective review was done of all children <18 year old, 1996-2005. Subjects were divided into three equal age groups, 0-5, 6-11 and 12-17 years old.

[Recurrent neutrophilic panniculitis in a patient with chronic myelogenous leukaemia treated with imatinib mesilate and dasatinib].

Background: Tyrosine kinase inhibitors are now established as valuable therapy in chronic myelogenous leukaemia (CML). They induce several types of cutaneous side effect, the most common being non-specific maculopapular rash and periocular oedema. Rare cases of panniculitis have been described in patients with CML treated with imatinib mesilate and dasatinib.

A subunit vaccine based on biodegradable microspheres carrying rHsp65 protein and KLK protects BALB/c mice against tuberculosis infection.

Of the hundreds of new tuberculosis (TB) vaccine candidates, some have therapeutic value in addition to their prophylactic properties. This is the case for the DNA vaccine encoding heat-shock protein 65 (DNAhsp65) from Mycobacterium leprae. However, there are concerns about the use of DNA vaccines in certain populations such as newborns and pregnant women.

Dynamics of highly excited barium atoms deposited on large argon clusters. I. General trends.

Ba(Ar)(approximately 750) clusters were generated by associating the supersonic expansion and the pick-up techniques. A femtosecond pump (266.3 nm)-probe (792 or 399.

Neonatal BCG immunization followed by DNAhsp65 boosters: highly immunogenic but not protective against tuberculosis - a paradoxical effect of the vector?

A new tuberculosis vaccine is urgently needed. Prime-boost strategies are considered very promising and the inclusion of BCG is highly desirable. In this investigation, we tested the protective efficacy of BCG delivered in the neonatal period followed by boosters in the adult phase with a DNA vaccine containing the hsp65 gene from Mycobacterium leprae (pVAXhsp65).

The geography of clinical cancer research: analysis of abstracts presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meetings.

Background: The American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting is the largest forum for presentation of clinical research in oncology. We quantified the contribution of countries and assessed correlates of their presence at such meetings.

Methods: After stratifying abstracts according to category of presentation (oral, poster, and 'publication only'), we took a random sample of 10% of the studies presented at years 2001-2003 and 2006-2008.

Tracheostoma humidifier: influence on secretion and voice of patients with total laryngectomy.

Background: total laryngectomy has several consequences such as loss of the laryngeal voice and alterations in the respiratory system.

Aim: to evaluate the influence of a tracheostoma humidifier (heat moisture exchanger - HME) on the control of lung secretion and esophageal and tracheoesophageal vocal quality in patients with total laryngectomy.

Method: nine male individuals, aged between 46 to 67 years, submitted to total laryngectomy.

Protective efficacy of different strategies employing Mycobacterium leprae heat-shock protein 65 against tuberculosis.

Background: Tuberculosis is a major threat to human health. The high disease burden remains unaffected and the appearance of extremely drug-resistant strains in different parts of the world argues in favor of the urgent need for a new effective vaccine. One of the promising candidates is heat-shock protein 65 when used as a genetic vaccine (DNAhsp65).

Protection against tuberculosis by a single intranasal administration of DNA-hsp65 vaccine complexed with cationic liposomes.

Background: The greatest challenges in vaccine development include optimization of DNA vaccines for use in humans, creation of effective single-dose vaccines, development of delivery systems that do not involve live viruses, and the identification of effective new adjuvants. Herein, we describe a novel, simple technique for efficiently vaccinating mice against tuberculosis (TB). Our technique consists of a single-dose, genetic vaccine formulation of DNA-hsp65 complexed with cationic liposomes and administered intranasally.

[Choledocho-duodenal fistula due to perforating duodenal ulcer disease. Report of 3 cases].

The authors report three (3) cases of choledoco-duodenal fistula due to perforating duodenal ulcer disease. All of them were male, aged from 35 to 55 years. The ulcer symptomatology summarised the clinical feature.

Hydrogen peroxide and ammonia on protonated ice clusters.

A temperature controlled source for protonated water clusters has been combined with high-resolution mass spectroscopy to study the stability pattern of ice clusters and compounds with ammonia and hydrogen peroxide depending on temperature. The stability pattern of pure protonated ice shows the two well known peaks at 21 and 28 molecules and also less pronounced structure up to n=55. Ammonia and hydrogen peroxide do not destroy this pattern but shift it by a number of water molecules.

Jagged2-expressing hematopoietic progenitors promote regulatory T cell expansion in the periphery through notch signaling.

Cellular interactions promoting the in vivo expansion of CD4(+)CD25(+)Foxp3(+) regulatory T (Treg) cells for maintenance of immune tolerance remain poorly defined. Here we report that mobilized Lin(-)Sca-1(+)c-kit(+) (LSK) hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs), unlike medullary hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), selectively drove the direct, immediate expansion of functional host-derived Treg cells, thereby preventing the progression to overt spontaneous autoimmune diabetes in nonobese diabetic mice. Treg cell expansion required cell-to-cell contact and Notch3 signaling, which was mediated selectively through the Notch ligand Jagged2 expressed by the multipotent HPC subset, as assessed by small interfering RNA (siRNA) silencing.

Coarsening and pearling instabilities in silver nanofractal aggregates.

We investigate the morphological changes of 3D supported fractal aggregates generated through the deposition of silver clusters on graphite. The fractal relaxation, activated after their formation by perturbing them either by thermal annealing or by using a surfactant, as oxide molecules, carried by silver clusters in a subsequent deposition, shows evidence of two distinct fragmentation patterns. The post coarsening, driven by thermal heating, gives a broad asymmetrical distribution of fragments in agreement with a random process, whereas the entire silver fractal pearling fragmentation is driven by chemical adjunction of the surfactant.

Dynamics of polymorphic nanostructures: from growth to collapse.

The deposition of preformed clusters on surfaces offers new possibilities to build complex artificial nanostructures, the shape of which depends on the cluster size. We describe routes for generating unusual polymorphic nanoislands, which constitute unique platforms for exploring instabilities. As coverage increases, the constraints accumulated in such nanostructures induce spectacular flattening collapse processes, which are not observed when the constraints are imposed by the substrate.

Rhabdomyolysis after bariatric surgery.

Background: Rhabdomyolysis is a potential threat after bariatric surgey. The severity ranges from asymptomatic elevations of serum muscle enzyme levels to life-threatening cases associated with muscle necrosis, compartment syndrome, acute renal failure and cardiac arrest.

Methods: We studied 98 consecutive obese patients who underwent primary uncomplicated bariatric surgery during a 1-year period.