Intra-arterial injection of lipid nanocapsules loaded with rhenium-188 for the radiotherapy of hepatocellular carcinomas in rats

International audienc

The Zemst borehole, first record of the EECO in the North Sea Basin and implications for Belgian Ypresian - Lutetian stratigraphy

Integration of new data in sedimentology, micropalaeontology and organic carbon isotopeanalysis of upper Ypresian strata in central Belgium (Zemst hole) enables differentiationof a series of biotic events and carbon isotope trends, which are believed to be associated with the 1.5-million-year-long period of global warming, known as the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum (EECO). The relatively low values in δ13Corg(-26.5‰ to -27.1‰) in the interval from the Panisel Sand to the Merelbeke Clay Members (upper NP12-lower NP13) are shown to be coinciding with a fairly high frequency in Apectodinium (>3%, up to 14%) and a Discoaster-bloom (16%-50%, essentially D. kuepperi). This is quite analogous, although less prominent, to what has been observed during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM: Apectodinium abundance of 75% at middle and high latitudes and Discoaster blooms in tropical areas). The abrupt positive shift of up to 1‰ in δ13Corg values at the base of the overlying Pittem Clay Member (mid-NP13, mid-chron C22r), which is coincident with the virtual disappearances of Apectodinium (<0.1%) and Discoaster (<0.5%) seems to mark the end of the EECO in the southern North Sea Basin. The Zemst data allow the identification of the NP12/NP13 boundary, virtually coinciding with chron C23n/C22r boundary, at the depositional break between the Panisel Sand Member and the overlying Kwatrecht Member. The new data also allow to substantially refine the calcareous nannofossil stratigraphy during Biochron NP15 (mid-Lutetian) at middle latitudes. This is corroborated by additional data from Belgium, which furthermore reveal that the primary criterion for identifying the base of the Lutetian (LO of Blackites inflatus), as adopted in the Gorrondatxe GSSP (Spain), cannot be applied in the North Sea Basin s.s. (excluding the Paris Basin) and that there is an urgent need for defining appropriate substitutes for this boundary at these latitudes

Administration of 188Re-loaded nanocapsules into the hepatic artery involves neoangiogenesis alterations in a rat hepatocellular carcinoma model

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An enhanced model for digital reference services

Digital Reference Service (DRS) play a vital role in the Digital Library (DL) research. DRS is a very valuable service provided by DL. Unfortunately, the reference service movement towards digital environment begins late, and this shift was not model based. So, a journey towards a digital environment without following a proper model raises some issues. A few researchers presented a general process model (GPM) in the late 1990s, but this process model could not overcome the problems of DRS. This paper proposes an enhanced model for DRS that use the storage and re-use mechanism with other vital components like DRS search engine and ready reference for solving the issues in DRS. Initially, storage and re-use mechanism are designed and finally, DRS search engine is designed to search appropriate answers in the knowledge base. We improved the GPM by incorporating the new components. The simulation results clearly states that the proposed model increased the service efficiency by reducing the response time from days to seconds for repeated questions and decreased the workload of librarian

QTL detection by multi-parent linkage mapping in oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.)

A quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis designed for a multi-parent population was carried out and tested in oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.), which is a diploid cross-fertilising perennial species. A new extension of the MCQTL package was especially designed for crosses between heterozygous parents. The algorithm, which is now available for any allogamous species, was used to perform and compare two types of QTL search for small size families, within-family analysis and across-family analysis, using data from a 2 × 2 complete factorial mating experiment involving four parents from three selected gene pools. A consensus genetic map of the factorial design was produced using 251 microsatellite loci, the locus of the Sh major gene controlling fruit shell presence, and an AFLP marker of that gene. A set of 76 QTLs involved in 24 quantitative phenotypic traits was identified. A comparison of the QTL detection results showed that the across-family analysis proved to be efficient due to the interconnected families, but the family size issue is just partially solved. The identification of QTL markers for small progeny numbers and for marker-assisted selection strategies is discussed

The impact of surgical delay on resectability of colorectal cancer: An international prospective cohort study

AIM: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has provided a unique opportunity to explore the impact of surgical delays on cancer resectability. This study aimed to compare resectability for colorectal cancer patients undergoing delayed versus non-delayed surgery. METHODS: This was an international prospective cohort study of consecutive colorectal cancer patients with a decision for curative surgery (January-April 2020). Surgical delay was defined as an operation taking place more than 4 weeks after treatment decision, in a patient who did not receive neoadjuvant therapy. A subgroup analysis explored the effects of delay in elective patients only. The impact of longer delays was explored in a sensitivity analysis. The primary outcome was complete resection, defined as curative resection with an R0 margin. RESULTS: Overall, 5453 patients from 304 hospitals in 47 countries were included, of whom 6.6% (358/5453) did not receive their planned operation. Of the 4304 operated patients without neoadjuvant therapy, 40.5% (1744/4304) were delayed beyond 4 weeks. Delayed patients were more likely to be older, men, more comorbid, have higher body mass index and have rectal cancer and early stage disease. Delayed patients had higher unadjusted rates of complete resection (93.7% vs. 91.9%, P = 0.032) and lower rates of emergency surgery (4.5% vs. 22.5%, P < 0.001). After adjustment, delay was not associated with a lower rate of complete resection (OR 1.18, 95% CI 0.90-1.55, P = 0.224), which was consistent in elective patients only (OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.69-1.27, P = 0.672). Longer delays were not associated with poorer outcomes. CONCLUSION: One in 15 colorectal cancer patients did not receive their planned operation during the first wave of COVID-19. Surgical delay did not appear to compromise resectability, raising the hypothesis that any reduction in long-term survival attributable to delays is likely to be due to micro-metastatic disease

Free-radical depolymerization with metallic catalysts of an exopolysaccharide produced by a bacterium isolated from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent polychaete annelid

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Quarante ans de recherches avec Vasile Chirica : Mitoc-Malu Galben

Reconnue comme gisement préhistorique depuis la fin du XIXème siècle, la station paléolithique de Mitoc–Malu Galben a attendu jusqu’en 1978 pour que son potentiel archéologique commence à être pleinement exploité. Vasile Chirica y entame à cette date des fouilles de grande ampleur, révélant une stratigraphie loessique complexe au sein de laquelle se succèdent occupations aurignaciennes et gravettiennes. Dès lors, les travaux de Vasile Chirica sur ce gisement exceptionnel permettront d’ouvrir son étude à la communauté scientifique. En collaboration avec d’autres chercheurs, le site fera l’objet de fouilles par une équipe internationale à partir des années 1990. Au fil du temps, toutes ces recherches ont permis d’établir Mitoc–Malu Galben comme l’une des séquences de référence du Paléolithique supérieur et de la transition Aurignacien- Gravettien à l’est des Carpathes. Dernièrement, quatre campagnes de fouille ont été conduites de 2013 à 2016. À travers diverses approches interdisciplinaires menées sur le site et le matériel extrait, les données les plus récentes permettent encore à l’heure actuelle de fournir de nouveaux éléments pour mieux appréhender ces deux paléocultures. Ce texte se propose de revenir brièvement sur ces résultats

New insights into Moldova’s Early Gravettian. Recent results of the 2013-2016 fieldwork at Mitoc-Malu Galben, Romania

The Upper Palaeolithic record reflects several changes in human socioeconomic behaviours and material culture, among which the appearance and development of the Gravettian technocomplex remains heavily debated. While some argue for one center of origin, others argue for a synchronous appearance all over Europe. To contribute to a better understanding of the timing and environmental context of the appearance of the Gravettian, we need to focus on archaeological sites with a long sequence, high-resolution climatic context, and abundant archaeology. One of these sites is Mitoc-Malu Galben (Romania), with a semi-continuous loess-paleosol record from ~32 to 20 ka uncal BP. Embedded in this sequence are multiple Aurignacian and Gravettian archaeological horizons. Between 2013 and 2016 an international team re-excavated the site using high-resolution excavation and documentation methods. An interdisciplinary approach was applied to the analysis of the materials originating from two Aurignacian and two Gravettian archaeological horizons. Focusing on the Gravettian materials, we present here the results of these field campaigns, coupled to unpublished data provided by new investigations on materials of the previous excavations between 1978 and 1990. Contrasted to data associated with the last Aurignacian horizons from Mitoc-Malu Galben and the Gravettian of the nearby site Molodova V, this allows us to get new insights into the genesis of the Gravettian technocomplex in Eastern Europe

Competenze culturali per un Umanesimo Digitale. La via italiana verso Europa 2018. In: Patrimoni culturali nell’era digitale. Memorie, culture umanistiche e tecnologia. Cultural Heritage in the Digital Age. Memory, Humanities and Technologies. Settimo Convegno Annuale AIUCD 2018, Bari, 31 gennaio – 2 febbraio 2018. Book of Abstracts.

Il panel intende proporre un confronto tra i rappresentanti dei principali soggetti pubblici e privati nazionali impegnati nella ricerca, formazione, gestione, tutela, valorizzazione del digital cultural heritage e del patrimonio culturale tangibile e intangibile, sul tema dei saperi da integrare nella formazione del sistema di competenze umanistiche digitali già oggi indispensabile per gestire, tutelare e valorizzare il cultural heritage nell'evo digitale contemporaneo, garantendo nel contempo la conservazione e la sopravvivenza nel futuro del nuovo patrimonio culturale digitale