The sizes of the exchangeable pools of selenium in elderly women and their relation to institutionalization

Exchangeable pools of Se after an intravenous injection of 74Se-enriched isotope as sodium selenite were measured in two groups (n 9) of elderly women (free-living aged 64-82 years and institutionalized aged 68-82 years), and a comparison group (n 9) of young women aged 31-40 years to evaluate the effect of age and institutionalization on Se reserves. Dietary Se intake was not different among the three groups. Plasma Se and glutathione peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.9) levels were significantly lower in the institutionalized elderly women (P < 0.05). In each of the three groups, two pools were determined from our model. The size of the first pool and the sum of the two pools were lower in the group of institutionalized elderly women than in the other two groups. The significant correlation between plasma Se level and total Se pool size (r 0.66, P < 0.01) indicated that this last variable could serve as a new marker of Se status. Finally, these data suggest that the Se status of elderly women is more related to lifestyle, in terms of institutionalization or not, than to age per s

Développement et caractérisation mécanique de membranes silicone architecturées

International audienceDes applications médicales nécessitent l'élaboration de membranes à anisotropie de comportement mécanique. La présente étude vise à proposer une solution à partir d'un seul matériau constitutif. Le principe repose sur la création de membranes architecturées en créant localement au niveau du Volume Elémentaire Représentatif des hétérogénéités de réticulation aux motifs contrôlés. Un matériau silicone est choisi pour la réalisation de ces membranes, à la fois pour sa facilité à le modifier chimiquement et ses propriétés élastomériques intrinsèques. Le degré de réticulation du silicone est maitrisé localement par irradiation UV d'un photo-inhibiteur avant vulcanisation : les zones irradiées réagissent moins en hydrosilylation, générant une phase plus élastique. Cette manipulation permet la création de membranes aux propriétés architecturées de par le contrôle local du degré de réticulation du réseau polymère

0012: Cardiac effects of a treatment with prolyl-hydroxylase inhibitors (PHI), used to improve exercise performance, in sedentary and trained rats

Stabilization of the Hypoxia Inducible Factor (HIF) using prolyl-hydroxylase inhibitors (PHI) leads to an EPO synthesis which is suspected to be used as a doping practice. Such a treatment is suspected to improve endurance performance by increasing oxygen transport. However the effects of a PHI treatment on heart morphology and function has never been investigated. Therefore the aim of this study was to evaluate whether potential effects of PHI on cardiac function could contribute to explain its beneficial effect on aerobic performance.We tested the effects of a 1 week treatment with a PHI (DMOG, 150mg.kg–1, I.P.) or a placebo (NaCl) on both sedentary (Sed) and trained rats (Ex; trained during 5 weeks before treatment started; 40min at 25m.min–1 per day; 5days/week). Our first result was that PHI increased running performance (+12%, p<0,05) in both Sed and Ex groups. This increased performance was associated with a major increase in total hemoglobin in PHI-treated animals (+13% p<0,05). However, regarding cardiac function and cardiac remodeling no beneficial effect of PHI was observed. Indeed, in hearts of sedentary as well as exercised rats no significal change in any morphological parameters (LVEDs, LVEDd, AWTd, PWTd and RWT) was found. Moreover, no change in systolic function likely to explain enhanced exercise performance was observed in PHI-treated hearts, when evaluated by intraventricular pressure probe (Millar®). Finally it is interesting to note that in sedentary rat hearts an impairment of diastolic function characterized by an altered E/A and dp/dtmin ratios was found when they were challenged with isoproterenol (0,5mg.kg-1). These last results obtained in sedentary hearts could suggest that a more prolonged treatment with such PHI could have deleterious consequences on heart health and point out the danger of such a doping strategy; however, this point remains to be more precisely investigated

In vivo expression and functional characterization of the zinc transporter ZnT8 in glucose-induced insulin secretion.

International audienceInsulin-secreting pancreatic beta cells are exceptionally rich in zinc. In these cells, zinc is required for zinc-insulin crystallization within secretory vesicles. Secreted zinc has also been proposed to be a paracrine and autocrine modulator of glucagon and insulin secretion in pancreatic alpha and beta cells, respectively. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying zinc accumulation in insulin-containing vesicles. We previously identified a pancreas-specific zinc transporter, ZnT-8, which colocalized with insulin in cultured beta cells. In this paper we studied its localization in human pancreatic islet cells, and its effect on cellular zinc content and insulin secretion. In human pancreatic islet cells, ZnT-8 was exclusively expressed in insulin-producing beta cells, and colocalized with insulin in these cells. ZnT-8 overexpression stimulated zinc accumulation and increased total intracellular zinc in insulin-secreting INS-1E cells. Furthermore, ZnT-8-overexpressing cells display enhanced glucose-stimulated insulin secretion compared with control cells, only for a high glucose challenge, i.e. >10 mM glucose. Altogether, these data strongly suggest that the zinc transporter ZnT-8 is a key protein for both zinc accumulation and regulation of insulin secretion in pancreatic beta cells

Remarkable catalytic activity of polymeric membranes containing gel-trapped palladium nanoparticles for hydrogenation reactions

Polymeric flat-sheet membranes and hollow fibers were prepared via UV photo-initiated polymerization of acrylic acid at the surface of commercial polyether sulfones (PES) membranes. These polymeric materials permitted to immobilize efficiently palladium nanoparticles (PdNP), which exhibited a mean diameter in the range of 4−6 nm. These materials were synthesized by chemical reduction of Pd(II) precursors in the presence of the corresponding support. We successfully applied the as-prepared catalytic materials in hydrogenation reactions under continuous flow conditions. Flat sheet membranes were more active than hollow fibers due to the flow configuration and defavorable operating conditions. Actually, various functional groups (i.e. CC, CC and NO2) were reduced in flow-through configuration, under mild conditions (between 1.4 and 2.2 bar H2 at 60 °C, using 3.2 mol% of Pd loading), archiving high conversions in short reaction times (12−24 s)

The Warburg Effect Is Genetically Determined in Inherited Pheochromocytomas

The Warburg effect describes how cancer cells down-regulate their aerobic respiration and preferentially use glycolysis to generate energy. To evaluate the link between hypoxia and Warburg effect, we studied mitochondrial electron transport, angiogenesis and glycolysis in pheochromocytomas induced by germ-line mutations in VHL, RET, NF1 and SDH genes. SDH and VHL gene mutations have been shown to lead to the activation of hypoxic response, even in normoxic conditions, a process now referred to as pseudohypoxia. We observed a decrease in electron transport protein expression and activity, associated with increased angiogenesis in SDH- and VHL-related, pseudohypoxic tumors, while stimulation of glycolysis was solely observed in VHL tumors. Moreover, microarray analyses revealed that expression of genes involved in these metabolic pathways is an efficient tool for classification of pheochromocytomas in accordance with the predisposition gene mutated. Our data suggest an unexpected association between pseudohypoxia and loss of p53, which leads to a distinct Warburg effect in VHL-related pheochromocytomas

Nose-only inhalations of high-dose alumina nanoparticles/hydrogen chloride gas mixtures induce strong pulmonary pro-inflammatory response: a pilot study

Objective Solid composite propellants combustion, in aerospace and defense fields, can lead to complex aerosols emission containing high concentrations of alumina nanoparticles (Al2O3 NPs) and hydrogen chloride gas (HClg). Exposure to these mixtures by inhalation is thus possible but literature data toward their pulmonary toxicity are missing. To specify hazards resulting from these combustion aerosols, a pilot study was implemented. Materials and methods Male Wistar rats were nose-only exposed to Al2O3 NPs (primary size 13 nm, 10 g/L suspension leading to 20.0–22.1 mg/m3 aerosol) and/or to HClg aerosols (5 ppm target concentration) following two exposure scenarios (single exposures (SE) or repeated exposures (RE)). Bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALF) content and lungs histopathology were analyzed 24 h after exposures. Results Repeated co-exposures increased total proteins and LDH concentrations in BALF indicating alveolar–capillary barrier permeabilization and cytolysis. Early pulmonary inflammation was induced after RE to Al2O3 NPs ± HClg resulting in PMN, TNF-α, IL-1β, and GRO/KC increases in BALF. Both exposure scenarios resulted in pulmonary histopathological lesions (vascular congestions, bronchial pre-exfoliations, vascular and interalveolar septum edemas). Lung oxidative damages were observed in situ following SE. Conclusion Observed biological effects are dependent on both aerosol content and exposure scenario. Results showed an important pro-inflammatory effect of Al2O3 NPs/HClg mixtures on the lungs of rat 24 h after exposure. This pilot study raises concerns toward potential long-term pulmonary toxicity of combustion aerosols and highlights the importance for further studies to be led in order to define dose limitations and exposure thresholds for risk management at the work place

Estimating Chikungunya prevalence in La Réunion Island outbreak by serosurveys: Two methods for two critical times of the epidemic

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) caused a major two-wave seventeen-month-long outbreak in La Réunion Island in 2005–2006. The aim of this study was to refine clinical estimates provided by a regional surveillance-system using a two-stage serological assessment as gold standard.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Two serosurveys were implemented: first, a rapid survey using stored sera of pregnant women, in order to assess the attack rate at the epidemic upsurge (s1, February 2006; n = 888); second, a population-based survey among a random sample of the community, to assess the herd immunity in the post-epidemic era (s2, October 2006; n = 2442). Sera were screened for anti-CHIKV specific antibodies (IgM and IgG in s1, IgG only in s2) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Seroprevalence rates were compared to clinical estimates of attack rates.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In s1, 18.2% of the pregnant women were tested positive for CHIKV specific antibodies (13.8% for both IgM and IgG, 4.3% for IgM, 0.1% for IgG only) which provided a congruent estimate with the 16.5% attack rate calculated from the surveillance-system. In s2, the seroprevalence in community was estimated to 38.2% (95% CI, 35.9 to 40.6%). Extrapolations of seroprevalence rates led to estimate, at 143,000 and at 300,000 (95% CI, 283,000 to 320,000), the number of people infected in s1 and in s2, respectively. In comparison, the surveillance-system estimated at 130,000 and 266,000 the number of people infected for the same periods.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>A rapid serosurvey in pregnant women can be helpful to assess the attack rate when large seroprevalence studies cannot be done. On the other hand, a population-based serosurvey is useful to refine the estimate when clinical diagnosis underestimates it. Our findings give valuable insights to assess the herd immunity along the course of epidemics.</p

Evaluation of the Human IgG Antibody Response to Aedes albopictus Saliva as a New Specific Biomarker of Exposure to Vector Bites

Aedes-borne viruses like dengue and chikungunya are a major problem in Reunion Island. Assessing exposure to Aedes bites is crucial to estimating the risk of pathogen transmission. Currently, the exposure of populations to Aedes albopictus bites is mainly evaluated by entomological methods which are indirect and difficult to apply on a large scale. Recent findings suggest that evaluation of human antibody responses against arthropod salivary proteins could be useful in assessing exposure to mosquito bites. The results indicate that 88% of the studied population produce IgG to Ae. albopictus saliva antigens in Reunion Island and show that this biomarker can detect different levels of individual exposure. In addition, little cross-reactivity is observed with Aedes aegypti saliva, suggesting that this could be a specific marker for exposure to Aedes albopictus bites. Taken together, these results suggest that antibody responses to saliva could constitute a powerful immuno-epidemiological tool for evaluating exposure to Aedes albopictus and therefore the risk of arbovirus infection

Neuropilin-2 mediates VEGF-C–induced lymphatic sprouting together with VEGFR3

If neuropilin-2 and the growth factor VEGF-C don’t come together, lymphatic vessels don’t branch apart