Role of neuronal and inducible nitric oxide synthases in the guinea pig ileum myenteric plexus during in vitro ischemia and reperfusion

Background Intestinal ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury leads to abnormalities in motility, namely delay of transit, caused by damage to myenteric neurons. Alterations of the nitrergic transmission may occur in these conditions. This study investigated whether an in vitro I/R injury may affect nitric oxide (NO) production from the myenteric plexus of the guinea pig ileum and which NO synthase (NOS) isoform is involved. Methods The distribution of the neuronal (n) and inducible (i) NOS was determined by immunohistochemistry during 60 min of glucose/oxygen deprivation (in vitro ischemia) followed by 60 min of reperfusion. The protein and mRNA levels of nNOS and iNOS were investigated by Westernimmunoblotting and real time RT-PCR, respectively. NO levels were quantified as nitrite/nitrate. Key Results After in vitro I/R the proportion of nNOSexpressing neurons and protein levels remained unchanged. nNOS mRNA levels increased 60 min after inducing ischemia and in the following 5 min of reperfusion. iNOS-immunoreactive neurons, protein and mRNA levels were up-regulated during the whole I/R period. A significant increase of nitrite/nitrate levels was observed in the first 5 min after inducing I/R and was significantly reduced by Nx-propyl-L-arginine and 1400 W, selective inhibitors of nNOS and iNOS, respectively. Conclusions & Inferences Our data demonstrate that both iNOS and nNOS represent sources for NO overproduction in ileal myenteric plexus during I/R, although iNOS undergoes more consistent changes suggesting a more relevant role for this isoform in the alterations occurring in myenteric neurons following I/R

Equation of State of Water in the Megabar Range

We present some preliminary results on the equation of state (EOS) of water in a pressure regime of astrophysical interest. In the experiments, structured targets made of an aluminum step followed by a water layer are irradiated by the laser at an intensity up to 4·1014 W·cm−2 to generate a shock wave. Velocities are measured in the two materials using a VISAR interferometric diagnostic for water, and a streak camera to measure target self-emission for Al. EOS points for water are obtained with the impedance mismatch method using Al EOS as a reference. Water reflectivity was also measured

SINFONI - Integral Field Spectroscopy at 50 milli-arcsecond resolution with the ESO VLT

SINFONI is an adaptive optics assisted near-infrared integral field spectrometer for the ESO VLT. The Adaptive Optics Module (built by the ESO Adaptive Optics Group) is a 60-elements curvature-sensor based system, designed for operations with natural or sodium laser guide stars. The near-infrared integral field spectrometer SPIFFI (built by the Infrared Group of MPE) provides simultaneous spectroscopy of 32 x 32 spatial pixels, and a spectral resolving power of up to 3300. The adaptive optics module is in the phase of integration; the spectrometer is presently tested in the laboratory. We provide an overview of the project, with particular emphasis on the problems encountered in designing and building an adaptive optics assisted spectrometer.Comment: This paper was published in Proc. SPIE, 4841, pp. 1548-1561 (2003), and is made available as an electronic reprint with permission of SPIE. Copyright notice added to first page of articl

Randomized trial on adjuvant treatment with FOLFIRI followed by docetaxel and cisplatin versus 5-fluorouracil and folinic acid for radically resected gastric cancer

Some trial have demonstrated a benefit of adjuvant fluoropirimidine with or without platinum compounds compared with surgery alone. ITACA-S study was designed to evaluate whether a sequential treatment of FOLFIRI [irinotecan plus 5-fluorouracil/folinic acid (5-FU/LV)] followed by docetaxel plus cisplatin improves disease-free survival in comparison with 5-FU/LV in patients with radically resected gastric cancer. Patients with resectable adenocarcinoma of the stomach or gastroesophageal junction were randomly assigned to either FOLFIRI (irinotecan 180 mg/m(2) day 1, LV 100 mg/m(2) as 2 h infusion and 5-FU 400 mg/m(2) as bolus, days 1 and 2 followed by 600 mg/m(2)/day as 22 h continuous infusion, q14 for four cycles) followed by docetaxel 75 mg/m(2) day 1, cisplatin 75 mg/m(2) day 1, q21 for three cycles (sequential arm) or De Gramont regimen (5-FU/LV arm). From February 2005 to August 2009, 1106 patients were enrolled, and 1100 included in the analysis: 562 in the sequential arm and 538 in the 5-FU/LV arm. With a median follow-up of 57.4 months, 581 patients recurred or died (297 sequential arm and 284 5-FU/LV arm), and 483 died (243 and 240, respectively). No statistically significant difference was detected for both disease-free [hazard ratio (HR) 1.00; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.85-1.17; P = 0.974] and overall survival (OS) (HR 0.98; 95% CI: 0.82-1.18; P = 0.865). Five-year disease-free and OS rates were 44.6% and 44.6%, 51.0% and 50.6% in the sequential and 5-FU/LV arm, respectively. A more intensive regimen failed to show any benefit in disease-free and OS versus monotherapy

Pulsed laser deposition of YBa2Cu307-x superconducting thin films : correlation between preparation conditions and structural and electrical properties

International audienceYBa2Cu307-x thin films were obtained on MgO single crystals using pulsed laser deposition with a KrF excimer laser (248 nm) operated at 10 Hz with a laser fluence of 3 J/cm 2. Substrate temperature was monitored at 790°C with an halogen lamp and oxygen pressure was maintained at 0.3 mbar. Structural parameters were systematically investigated by X-ray diffraction. Electrical properties were characterized using a dc four probes method (25 to 300 K). In order to understand parameters which may lead to epitaxial thin films with high superconducting properties (i.e. transition temperature as high as 90 K, low transition width and critical current density of about 105 to 106 A/cm2), the role of cooling process was studied for purely c-axis oriented films using different cooling gases (oxygen or argon) and different cooling pressures. The effects of cooling process were checked by systematic study of cell parameters, rocking curves, critical temperature and transition width. Optimum cooling pressure led to thin films with a transition width of about 0.5 K and critical current density of about 106 A/cm 2 at 80 K

7. - Utilisation des réserves en eau d’un karst par pompage à gros débits

France karstic water resources are significant, but rather poorly used. The experimental pumping test carried-out at Le Baget, near St Girons (Ariège) in October 1991, has shown that to pump water at a higher rate than the natural flow discharge is feasible, but that the operating method should be adapted to the specific conditions of the aquifer. In the present case, the vertical position of the hydraulic drain as compared with the adjacent systems is the parameter to be taken into consideration.Les ressources en eau des formations karstiques sont très importantes, mais relativement peu utilisées en France. L'essai expérimental réalisé sur le site du Baget, près de St Girons (Ariège) en octobre 1991, montre qu'une mobilisation d'un volume d'eau important par une exploitation à un débit supérieur au débit d'étiage, est possible, mais que le mode opératoire doit être adapté aux conditions spécifiques de l'aquifère considéré. Dans le cas présent, la position relative du drain par rapport aux systèmes annexes est le paramètre important à définir au préalable.Bakalowicz M., Biscaldi R., Mangin A., Marchet P., Marsaud B., Ricard J. 7. - Utilisation des réserves en eau d’un karst par pompage à gros débits. In: L'avenir de l'eau. Quelques réponses des sciences hydrotechniques à une inquiétude mondiale. Vingt deuxièmes journées de l'hydraulique. Paris, 15-17 septembre 1992. Tome 3, 1992