The regulation of skeletal muscle contractile function by Selenoprotein S.

These doctoral studies investigated the novel role of an endoplasmic reticulum-resident antioxidant selenoprotein; Selenoprotein S (SEPS1) in skeletal muscle metabolism, cellular stress and contraction. The research outcomes demonstrate that SEPS1 possesses a fast fibre type-specific effect within skeletal muscle, where reduction of SEPS1 impairs cellular stress regulation and muscle performance

L'identité occidentale et la représentation de la Chine au sein de la littérature sur les relations étrangères chinoises

Si la fin de la Guerre froide a contribué à réduire l'insécurité politique nucléaire, elle a par contre engendré une forte insécurité identitaire. Quand le rideau de fer s'est levé, c'est le miroir au travers duquel se regardait l'Occident qui s'est envolé. Pendant près de 40 ans, le clan communiste renvoyait une image à l'Occident, et ce dernier se constituait une identité à partir de celle-ci. La Chine peut-elle remplir le rôle longtemps dévolu à l'URSS? La plupart des textes traitant de la Chine sont orientés autour des thèmes du changement: changements économiques, politiques, et sociaux. L'examen approfondi des textes traitant de la Chine nous révèle que ces changements possèdent une direction ou à tout le moins sont évalués à partir d'un modèle: les sociétés occidentales. La compréhension de la Chine est souvent faite en termes de succès ou d'insuccès par rapport au point de référence, c'est-à-dire plus positivement quand elle s'approche de l'original et plus négativement quand elle s'en éloigne. L'objet de ce mémoire est de vérifier si l'on peut établir un lien entre la perception de la Chine et un éventuel processus de formation identitaire occidental. Pour ce faire, nous avons procédé à une analyse documentaire d'écrits d'auteurs occidentaux s'intéressant à la Chine

Moderate hypercapnia exerts beneficial effects on splanchnic energy metabolism during endotoxemia

Purpose: Low tidal volume ventilation and permissive hypercapnia are required in patients with sepsis complicated by ARDS. The effects of hypercapnia on tissue oxidative metabolism in this setting are unknown. We therefore determined the effects of moderate hypercapnia on markers of systemic and splanchnic oxidative metabolism in an animal model of endotoxemia. Methods: Anesthetized rats maintained at a PaCO2 of 30, 40 or 60mmHg were challenged with endotoxin. A control group (PaCO2 40mmHg) received isotonic saline. Hemodynamic variables, arterial lactate, pyruvate, and ketone bodies were measured at baseline and after 4h. Tissue adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and lactate were measured in the small intestine and the liver after 4h. Results: Endotoxin resulted in low cardiac output, increased lactate/pyruvate ratio and decreased ketone body ratio. These changes were not influenced by hypercapnia, but were more severe with hypocapnia. In the liver, ATP decreased and lactate increased independently from PaCO2 after endotoxin. In contrast, the drop of ATP and the rise in lactate triggered by endotoxin in the intestine were prevented by hypercapnia. Conclusions: During endotoxemia in rats, moderate hypercapnia prevents the deterioration of tissue energetics in the intestin

Seasonal changes in the mixed and barrier layers in the western Equatorial Atlantic

O clima está fortemente relacionado com a dinâmica da camada superficial do Atlântico tropical e com as trocas entre esta e a atmosfera, e a previsão do tempo melhorará à medida em que ganhemos um melhor entendimento dos processos que governam a distribuição relativa das propriedades termodinâmicas na coluna d'água. O presente trabalho focaliza o isolamento das águas quentes superficiais das águas frias profundas pela camada de barreira (CB) induzida pela salinidade no Atlântico Equatorial Oeste (3ºS-7ºN; 40º-52ºW), com base em 487 perfis de CTD (REVIZEE - 1995-2001). O principal processo que contribue para a formação sazonal da CB é a descarga fluvial de águas doces do rio Amazonas. Durante o final do inverno/primavera boreal (Mar-Mai; alta descarga), prevalecem camadas isotérmica (Z T) e de mistura (Z M) mais profundas e a formação de uma CB com 16m de espessura foi governada pelo estabelecimento de uma forte picnoclina induzida pela salinidade, no interior da camada isotérmica. Entretanto, durante o outono boreal (Out-Dez; baixa descarga), estratificações em densidade foram principalmente controladas pela distribuição de temperatura (Z M m Z T; ECB = Z M - Z T m 0). Embora não tenha registrado uma CB sobre a plataforma Amazônica, uma CB máxima (40m) foi formada próxima à quebra da plataforma a 45°W.Climate is closely related to the dynamics of the surface layer of the tropical Atlantic and the exchange between this latter and the atmosphere, and wearther forecasting will improve with increasing understanding of the processes that govern the relative distribution of thermodynamic properties of the water column. This paper focuses on the isolation of warm surface waters from the cold ones of the deep ocean by a salinity induced barrier layer (BL) in the western equatorial Atlantic (3ºS-7ºN; 40º-52ºW), based on 487 CTD profiles (REVIZEE - 1995-2001). The main process contributing to the seasonal BL formation is the discharge of low salinity waters from the Amazon river. During boreal late winter/spring (Mar-May; high river discharge), deeper isothermal (Z T) and mixed layers (Z M) prevail and the formation of a 16m-thick BL was clearly determined the formation of a salt-induced marked pycnocline within a deeper isothermal layer. However, during the boreal autumn (Oct-Dec; low river discharge), density stratification was mainly determined by temperature distribution (Z M m Z T; BLT = Z M - Z T m 0). There was no clear register of a BL on the Amazon shelf, but a maximum BL (40 m) formed near the shelf break at 45°W