Shear Bond Strength of Self-Etching Adhesive Systems to Er:YAG Laser-Prepared Dentine with and without Pulpal Pressure Simulation

This is a copy of an article published in the Photomedicine and Laser Surgery © 2008 copyright Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.; Photomedicine and Laser Surgery is available online at: http://www.liebertonline.comInternational audienceObjective: This study was conducted to study the role of pulpal pressure on the shear bond strength of composite resin bonded to Er:YAG laser-prepared or bur-prepared dentine surfaces using a self-etching adhesive system. Materials and Methods: The occlusal surfaces of 80 human third molars were ground flat to expose the dentine. The dentine was prepared using either a carbide bur or an Er: YAG laser at 350 mJ/pulse and 10 Hz (fluence 44.5 J/cm(2)). Clearfil SE Bond was then applied with or without pressure. Rods of composite resin were bonded to dentine surfaces and shear bond tests were carried out. Results: When the Clearfil SE Bond was used without pressure, the difference between the shear bond strength values of bur-prepared and laser-prepared dentine surfaces was significant. When the Clearfil SE Bond was used with pressure, the difference of shear bond strength values was not significant between the two types of surface preparation. Conclusion: The absence of smear layer formation during the preparation of the dentine by the Er: YAG laser did not improve the adhesion values of self-etching adhesive systems

Use of intranasal mupirocin to prevent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection in intensive care units

INTRODUCTION: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) causes severe morbidity and mortality in intensive care units (ICUs) worldwide. The purpose of this study was to determine whether intranasal mupirocin prophylaxis is useful to prevent ICU-acquired infections with MRSA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a 4-year observational retrospective study in a 15-bed adult medical ICU. During the first 2-year period mupirocin ointment was included in the MRSA control programme; during the second, mupirocin was not used. The main endpoint was the number of endogenous ICU-acquired infections with MRSA. RESULTS: The number of endogenous acquired infections was significantly higher during the second period than during the first (11 versus 1; P = 0.02), although there was no significant difference in the total number of patients infected with MRSA between the two periods. We also observed that nasal MRSA decolonisation was significantly higher in the mupirocin period than in mupirocin-free period (P = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that intranasal mupirocin can prevent endogenous acquired MRSA infection in an ICU. Further double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled studies are needed to demonstrate its cost-effectiveness and its impact on resistance

Un traitement sémantique de la polysémie lexicale dans le domaine du dialogue homme-machine finalisé

Colloque avec actes et comité de lecture. nationale.National audiencel'objet de cet article est de proposer un traitement lexical des noms polysemiques qui admettent des copredications avec ou sans reprises pronominales. Ces copredications peuvent combiner des predicats vehiculant des restrictions selectionnelles differentes et incompatibles a premiere vue. Ces donnees semblent donc remettre en cause l'hypothese qu'une copredication, par le biais d'une coordination ou d'une reprise pronominale, ne modifie pas le type de l'element qui subit la copredication. Parmi un certain nombre de travaux existants dans ce domaine (Godard and Jayez 96) et (Pustejovsky 94,95) entre autre, (Asher et Pustejovsky 2000) proposent un traitement qui verifie l'hypothese d'un typage constant des arguments par leur predicat sans pour autant interdire ces phenomenes de copredication. Nous montrerons que ces travaux constituent une alternative a l'hypothese de (Godard and Jayez 96). De plus, dans la perspective de l'elaboration d'une interface de dialogue de commandes pour guider les taches accomplies par une application preexistante, nous montrerons que le traitement propose par (Asher and Pustejovsky 2000) fournit des representations semantiques adaptables a deux types possibles de modeles conceptuels

Halogen Bonding Controls Selectivity of FRET Substrate Probes for MMP-9

SummaryMatrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a large family of zinc-dependent endoproteases that catalyze cleavage of extracellular matrix and nonmatrix proteins. MMPs play a role in tissue remodeling, and their uncontrolled activity is associated with number of diseases, including tumor metastasis. Thus, there is a need to develop methods to monitor MMP activity, and number of probes has been previously described. The key problem many probes encounter is the issue of selectivity, since 23 human MMPs, despite playing different physiological roles, have structurally similar active sites. Here, we introduce the halogen bonding concept into the probe design and show that the probe containing iodine exhibits an unprecedented selectivity for MMP-9. We provide structure-based explanation for the selectivity, confirming that it is due to formation of the halogen bond that supports catalysis, and we highlight the value of exploring halogen bonding in the context of selective probe design

Enhanced susceptibility of T lymphocytes to oxidative stress in the absence of the cellular prion protein.: PrPC and oxidative stress in T lymphocytes

International audienceThe cellular prion glycoprotein (PrP(C)) is ubiquitously expressed but its physiologic functions remain enigmatic, particularly in the immune system. Here, we demonstrate in vitro and in vivo that PrP(C) is involved in T lymphocytes response to oxidative stress. By monitoring the intracellular level of reduced glutathione, we show that PrP(-/-) thymocytes display a higher susceptibility to H(2)O(2) exposure than PrP(+/+) cells. Furthermore, we find that in mice fed with a restricted diet, a regimen known to increase the intracellular level of ROS, PrP(-/-) thymocytes are more sensitive to oxidative stress. PrP(C) function appears to be specific for oxidative stress, since no significant differences are observed between PrP(-/-) and PrP(+/+) mice exposed to other kinds of stress. We also show a marked evolution of the redox status of T cells throughout differentiation in the thymus. Taken together, our results clearly ascribe to PrP(C) a protective function in thymocytes against oxidative stress

Validation transculturelle du « Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire’07 » à la population francophone d’Europe: le QTAC-FE

Introduction. Le questionnaire parental Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire’07 (DCDQ’07) est un instrument de mesure fiable et valide pour dépister le trouble de l’acquisition de la coordination (TAC) chez les enfants. La version pour la population francophone d’Europe du DCDQ’07, le Questionnaire du Trouble de l'Acquisition de la Coordination (QTAC-FE), produite suivant une procédure reconnue d’adaptation transculturelle, comporte des différences linguistiques et culturelles avec la version originale, raison pour laquelle il est importe d’étudier ses qualités métrologiques. But. Cette étude visait à évaluer la fidélité inter-langue, la cohérence interne et la validité de constuit du QTAC-FE. Méthode. Des parents d’enfants (âge moyen (écart-type) = 8,8 (2,8)) avec suivi en ergothérapie en raison de faibles habiletés de coordination motrice (n=8) et sans suivi et sans difficultés motrices connues (n=22) ont rempli le QTAC-FE et le DCDQ’07 dans un ordre aléatoire, avec un intervalle moyen de près de 40 jours. Résultats. La concordance des résultats pour les trois facteurs et le résultat total entre les deux versions est élevée (coefficients de corrélation intraclasse = 0,88 – 0,91). Toutefois, la moyenne des résultats obtenus avec le QTAC-FE est significativement supérieure à celle obtenue avec le DCDQ’07. Le QTAC-FE distingue les deux groupes d'enfants avec et sans suivi en ergothérapie et la cohérence interne de ses items est excellente (alpha de Cronbach = 0,94). Conclusion. Le QTAC-FE est une traduction fiable du DCDQ’07 pour un usage auprès d’une population francophone d’Europe

Low autocrine interferon beta production as a gene therapy approach for AIDS: Infusion of interferon beta-engineered lymphocytes in macaques chronically infected with SIVmac251

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate gene therapy for AIDS based on the transduction of circulating lymphocytes with a retroviral vector giving low levels of constitutive macaque interferon β production in macaques chronically infected with a pathogenic isolate of SIVmac251. RESULTS: Two groups of three animals infected for more than one year with a pathogenic primary isolate of SIVmac251 were included in this study. The macaques received three infusions of their own lymphocytes transduced ex vivo with the construct encoding macaque IFN-β (MaIFN-β or with a vector carrying a version of the MaIFN-β gene with a deletion preventing translation of the mRNA. Cellular or plasma viremia increased transiently following injection in most cases, regardless of the retroviral construct used. Transduced cells were detected only transiently after each infusion, among the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of all the animals, with copy numbers of 10 to 1000 per 10(6 )peripheral mononuclear cells. CONCLUSION: Long-term follow-up indicated that the transitory presence of such a small number of cells producing such small amounts of MaIFN-β did not prevent animals from the progressive decrease in CD4(+ )cell count typical of infection with simian immunodeficiency virus. These results reveal potential pitfalls for future developments of gene therapy strategies of HIV infection

The Gaia satellite: a tool for Emission Line Stars and Hot Stars

The Gaia satellite will be launched at the end of 2011. It will observe at least 1 billion stars, and among them several million emission line stars and hot stars. Gaia will provide parallaxes for each star and spectra for stars till V magnitude equal to 17. After a general description of Gaia, we present the codes and methods, which are currently developed by our team. They will provide automatically the astrophysical parameters and spectral classification for the hot and emission line stars in the Milky Way and other close Local Group galaxies such as the Magellanic Clouds.Comment: SF2A2008, session GAIA, invited tal

A new deep branch of eurasian mtDNA macrohaplogroup M reveals additional complexity regarding the settlement of Madagascar.

BACKGROUND: Current models propose that mitochondrial DNA macrohaplogroups M and N evolved from haplogroup L3 soon after modern humans left Africa. Increasingly, however, analysis of isolated populations is filling in the details of, and in some cases challenging, aspects of this general model. RESULTS: Here, we present the first comprehensive study of three such isolated populations from Madagascar: the Mikea hunter-gatherers, the neighbouring Vezo fishermen, and the Merina central highlanders (n = 266). Complete mitochondrial DNA genome sequences reveal several unresolved lineages, and a new, deep branch of the out-of-Africa founder clade M has been identified. This new haplogroup, M23, has a limited global distribution, and is restricted to Madagascar and a limited range of African and Southwest Asian groups. CONCLUSIONS: The geographic distribution, phylogenetic placement and molecular age of M23 suggest that the colonization of Madagascar was more complex than previously thought.RIGHTS : This article is licensed under the BioMed Central licence at http://www.biomedcentral.com/about/license which is similar to the 'Creative Commons Attribution Licence'. In brief you may : copy, distribute, and display the work; make derivative works; or make commercial use of the work - under the following conditions: the original author must be given credit; for any reuse or distribution, it must be made clear to others what the license terms of this work are