Comparison of airway remodeling in asthma and COPD]

peer reviewedAsthma and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) are two pulmonary obstructive diseases. It is well recognized that inflammation plays a key role in the pathogenesis of these two diseases. However, inflammation per se does not entirely account for the progressive loss in pulmonary function. It is admitted that the functional changes partly relate to airway structural alteration called remodeling. In this review we summarize the most frequent tissue abnormalities found in patients with asthma and COPD and report on the relationship between structural alterations and clinical features of the disease

Spasmolytics indication in renal colic: a literature review

peer reviewedLes différents spasmolytiques sont souvent prescrits par les médecins généralistes ou dans les services d’urgence dès que le diagnostic de colique néphrétique est posé. Une pratique cependant contestée. Cet article a pour but de faire une revue de la littérature de l’efficacité des spasmolytiques dans la colique néphrétique, et d’opposer celle-ci à la pratique quotidienne, ainsi que de faire le point sur les effets secondaires. Conclusion : la revue de l’EBM sur le sujet ne permet pas de prouver l’efficacité des spasmolytiques, et montre qu’il est préférable d’utiliser le diclofenac en monothérapie et de traiter les patients non contrôlés par tramadol et antalgiques. Il faudra adjoindre du tamsulosine pour les calculs du bas uretère

Physical performances and kinetics of evaporation of the CIP 10-M personal sampler's rotating cup containing aqueous or viscous collection fluid

International audienceThe CIP 10-M personal sampler measures worker exposure to airborne particles by collecting particles in a rotating metal cup containing a few milliliters of a collection fluid. This device is mainly used to sample microorganisms or microbial components to measure bioaerosol concentrations in various occupational environments. Aqueous liquids are generally used, but their rapid evaporation limits the duration of sampling; alternative collection fluids could alleviate this problem. Indeed, the particle-collection efficiency of the rotating cup has not been extensively studied, and the only data available relate to a discontinued model. This study aimed to measure the collection efficiency of the current rotating cup model containing an aqueous (water) or viscous (ViaTrap mineral oil) collection fluid. The kinetics of evaporation confirmed that ViaTrap does not evaporate, making 8-h sampling campaigns in constant volumes feasible. Particles with a wide range of aerodynamic diameters (between around 0.1 and 10 µm) were produced using various test rigs and mono- or polydisperse test aerosols. Both new and older cup models performed similarly, with a collection efficiency of >80% for larger particles (aerodynamic diameters >2.8 µm), progressively decreasing to around 50% for aerodynamic diameters of 2.1 µm; with aerodynamic diameters of <1 µm, the collection efficiency was generally <10%. In physical terms, collection efficiency was unaffected by the type (aqueous or viscous) or volume (between 0 and 3 mL) of collection fluid used. Bias maps indicated that the inhalable fraction may be underestimated in occupational settings, particularly with aerosols mainly composed of particles with aerodynamic diameters of less than around 3 µm

Cardiac paraganglioma : diagnostic work up and review of the literature.

Paraganglioma of the heart are potentially invasive, highly vascularized tumors for which complete resection may be curative. Derived from the cardiac wall in most instances, resectability can be assessed after integration of the data provided by MRI in T2 sequence, and coronarography. A fully documented case of a large cardiac pheochromocytoma of the left atrium and AV groove is reported and the pertinent literature on the subject is here presented

MEIOB Targets Single-Strand DNA and Is Necessary for Meiotic Recombination

<div><p>Meiotic recombination is a mandatory process for sexual reproduction. We identified a protein specifically implicated in meiotic homologous recombination that we named: meiosis specific with OB domain (MEIOB). This protein is conserved among metazoan species and contains single-strand DNA binding sites similar to those of RPA1. Our studies <i>in vitro</i> revealed that both recombinant and endogenous MEIOB can be retained on single-strand DNA. Those <i>in vivo</i> demonstrated the specific expression of <i>Meiob</i> in early meiotic germ cells and the co-localization of MEIOB protein with RPA on chromosome axes. MEIOB localization in <i>Dmc1</i>^−/− spermatocytes indicated that it accumulates on resected DNA. Homologous <i>Meiob</i> deletion in mice caused infertility in both sexes, due to a meiotic arrest at a zygotene/pachytene-like stage. DNA double strand break repair and homologous chromosome synapsis were impaired in <i>Meiob</i>^−/− meiocytes. Interestingly MEIOB appeared to be dispensable for the initial loading of recombinases but was required to maintain a proper number of RAD51 and DMC1 foci beyond the zygotene stage. In light of these findings, we propose that RPA and this new single-strand DNA binding protein MEIOB, are essential to ensure the proper stabilization of recombinases which is required for successful homology search and meiotic recombination.</p></div

γH2AX is persistent in <i>Meiob</i>^−/− spermatocytes.

<p>(<b>A</b>) <i>Meiob</i>^+/+ and <i>Meiob</i>^−/− spermatocyte chromosome spreads at various meiosis prophase I stages, stained for γH2AX, a marker of DNA DSBs, and SYCP3. (<b>B</b>) Histological sections of <i>Meiob</i>^+/+ and ^−/− adult testis stained for γH2AX. Scale bar, 40 µm. (<b>C</b>) γH2AX and SYCP1 are detected in <i>Meiob</i>^+/+ and <i>Meiob</i>^−/− spermatocyte chromosome spreads at pachytene and pachytene-like stages, respectively.</p

<i>Meiob</i> is necessary for the maintenance of RAD51/DMC1 recombinase foci during meiotic prophase I.

<p>(<b>A</b>) SYCP3 and RAD51 or DMC1 were detected in chromosome spreads of leptotene, early zygotene, late zygotene, and pachytene/pachytene-like spermatocytes from <i>Meiob</i>^+/+ or ^−/− mice using antibodies that recognized specifically RAD51 or DMC1. RAD51 and DMC1 foci appeared at leptotene stage and disappeared prematurely during the zygotene stage in <i>Meiob</i>^−/− spermatocytes. (<b>B</b>) Quantification of RAD51 and DMC1 foci in <i>Meiob^+/+</i> spermatocytes at leptotene (Lepto; n = 10 and 14), early-zygotene (E-Zygo; n = 17 and 15), mid-zygotene (M-Zygo; n = 16 and 18), late-zygotene (L-Zygo; n = 12 and 18) and early-pachytene (E-Pachy; n = 7 and 13) stages and in and <i>Meiob^−/−</i> spermatocytes at leptotene (n = 15 and 16), early-zygotene (n = 17 and 21), mid-zygotene (n = 23 and 32) and pachytene-like (Pachy-Like; n = 48 and 43) stages. Median numbers of foci are marked by horizontal lines; ***p<0.0001 (unpaired Student's t-test).</p

MEIOB is localized on the chromosomal axes.

<p>(<b>A</b>) MEIOB protein production in mouse adult testicular cells. MEIOB (green) and β-ACTIN (red) expression were analyzed by western blot using anti-MEIOB and anti-β-ACTIN antibodies in indicated cellular extracts. Testis cells were sorted by FACS after Hoechst 33342 staining (See <a href="http://www.plosgenetics.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pgen.1003784#s4" target="_blank">Materials and Methods</a> section and <a href="http://www.plosgenetics.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pgen.1003784#pgen.1003784.s003" target="_blank">Figure S3</a>). Early 4n: leptotene, zygotene, pachytene; Late 4n: late pachytene, diplotene; 2n: spermatocytes II; Tagged-MEIOB: HEK-293 cells transfected with <i>tagged-MEIOB</i> cDNA. (<b>B</b>) Representative chromosome spreads stained for SYCP3 (synaptonemal axial element) and MEIOB protein from <i>Meiob^+/+</i> and <i>Meiob^−/−</i> spermatocytes. SYCP3 staining was used to visualize the chromosome axes. MEIOB was specifically observed in wild type meiocyte spreads. (<b>C</b>) Quantification of MEIOB foci in <i>Meiob^+/+</i> spermatocytes from adult testes. Leptotene: n = 11; zygotene: n = 11; early pachytene: n = 16; late pachytene: n = 23; diplotene: n = 40; total mice analyzed: n = 3. Median numbers of foci are marked by horizontal lines. (<b>D</b>) MEIOB, SYCP3 and γH2AX were detected in representative chromosome spreads of pachytene wild type spermatocytes. γH2AX stained sex body composed of X and Y chromosomes synapsed by pseudo-autosomal region. MEIOB foci are localized on sex chromosomes.</p

MEIOB is located at the DNA double strand breaks.

<p>(<b>A</b>) SYCP3, MEIOB and RPA2, RAD51 or DMC1 were detected in chromosome spreads of zygotene wild type spermatocytes. RPA2 and MEIOB were mostly colocalized at these stages. White squares indicate magnified regions. (<b>B</b>) MEIOB staining in <i>Spo11^−/−</i> spermatocytes that were defective in DSB formation. Hardly any foci were observed on the chromosome axes in <i>Spo11^−/−</i> spermatocytes. (<b>C</b>) MEIOB staining in <i>Dmc1^−/−</i> spermatocytes that were arrested due to absence of strand invasion. MEIOB foci in <i>Dmc1^−/−</i> appeared brighter in comparison to <i>Dmc1^+/+</i>.</p