Elevation of serum soluble E-selectin and VCAM-1 in severe asthma.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the significance of circulating adhesion molecules associated with leucocyte-endothelial cell interactions in asthma, serum levels of soluble E (sE)-selectin, soluble P (sP)-selectin, soluble L (sL)-selectin, and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) were measured in mild, moderate and severe asthma. METHOD: Serum levels of sE-selectin, sP-selectin, sL-selectin, and sVCAM-1 were measured in 32 women with asthma and 30 healthy donors using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Twenty patients were suffering from severe asthma, and 12 from mild/moderate asthma. RESULTS: Serum sE-selectin and sVCAM-1 levels from patients with asthma were significantly higher than those observed in healthy donors (p < 0.01). The levels of sP-selectin were the same as those of controls. The level of sE-selectin exhibited an important increase in the severe asthmatic patients compared with mild/moderate asthma (p < 0.01). The sVCAM-1 level was increased in severe asthma when compared with healthy controls. There was no correlation between the levels of soluble selectins and the age of the patients. A significant correlation was found between sE-selectin and sVCAM-1 levels. CONCLUSION: These data indicate that circulating soluble forms of the selectins may have different kinetics during the clinical course of asthma, suggesting that they may reflect different inflammatory pathways in severe asthma. Both sVCAM-1 and sE-selectin may be useful immunological markers for monitoring disease activity in asthma

Pulmonary Embolism Revealing Idiopathic Membranous Glomerulonephritis

We describe a case of a 55-year-old man who presented with pulmonary embolism and who was found to have nephrotic syndrome due to idiopathic membranous nephropathy. There are no other signs of nephrotic syndrome such as edema

Analyse paléoécologique des formations récifales du golfe de Skoura (bordure méridionale du sillon Sud rifain; SE de Fés; Maroc) implications paléogéographiques: communications Atlantique - Méditerranée au Miocène Terminal

The reef levels of the gulf of skoura belong to the reef formation of the Upper Miocene of the South-Rifan straits. A detailed analysis of the vertical distribution of various forms of colonies has led to the establishment of precise coral morphologies zonation. This palaeoecological approach leads us to distinguish between two environments in the Skoura gulf, probably corresponding to two reef episodes. The palaeogeographical implications (relationships between the Atlantic ocean and the Mediterranean sea) will be pointed out

Analytical 1D-calculation of a 1-turn Coil Parameters for the Magneto-Forming Technology

In this paper, we will present an analytical modelling of a one-turn coil dedicated to magnetic-pulse technologies. The goal is to be able to determine the main useful parameters of an inductor by calculating the magnetic vector potential “A” diffusion. The concerned parameters are electromagnetic (electromagnetic fields, magnetic flux and electric current densities), electrical (resistance and inductance, maximum field coefficient) and electromechanical (Lorentz force density and maximum force coefficient). The results obtained will then be compared to numerical computations performed onto some test cases. In order to get an approximate but robust analytical solution, it is proposed to assume an axial symmetry and to solve the problem in the harmonic working condition before studying the transient state

Electrodynamics of Magnetic Pulse Welding Machines: Global and Local Electrical Analogues

In this paper, a theoretical, experimental and numerical study of MPW machines is carried out. While it is known that such machines are very complex by nature because of the coupling between different parts, we used simple electrical analogues to describe its dynamics. A RLC circuit modeling the whole machine is depicted and experimental results are shown. A further study including numerical simulations allows to compute the current distribution and estimate the magnetic field within the coil but also the magnetic pressure generated in the process, all using a 2D model and reasonable assumptions. A late theoretical study opens the way for innovative experimental measurements regarding the kinetics of the deformations of metallic tubes, but also their mechanical behavior before the welding process, making use of their capacitive properties

Norepinephrine: more of a neurohormone than a vasopressor

Septic shock causes unpredictable cardiovascular responses through adrenoreceptor-mediated changes in cardiac function and vascular responsiveness. The use of norepinephrine should be regarded as neurohormonal augmentation therapy to defend decompensating haemodynamic function rather than as a rescue therapy to treat shock. Recent trials represent a perceptible change in clinical practice to preferentially use norepinephrine early in resuscitation to defend the mean arterial pressure and to use norepinephrine as a neurohormone rather than as a vasopressor

Budd-Chiari syndrome in a 25-year-old woman with Behçet's disease: a case report and review of the literature

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>The risk that patients with Behçet's disease will develop thrombotic complications has been previously described. Although it is distributed worldwide, Behçet's disease is rare in the Americas and Europe. Even though the pathogenic mechanisms of vascular complications of Budd-Chiari syndrome in patients with Behçet's disease are unknown, severe vascular complications of Budd-Chiari syndrome associated with Behçet's disease seem to affect mainly young men.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We report a case of Budd-Chiari syndrome, a severe vascular complication that developed in a 25-year-old Afro-Brazilian woman with Behçet's disease.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Severe vascular complications of Budd-Chiari syndrome in patients with Behçet's disease are much more common in young adult male patients; we present a rare case of Budd-Chiari syndrome in a young Afro-Brazilian woman with Behçet's disease.</p

Boxing with Neutrino Oscillations

We develop a model-independent "box" parameterization of neutrino oscillations. Oscillation probabilities are linear in these new parameters, so measurements can straightforwardly determine the box parameters which can then be manipulated to yield magnitudes of mixing matrix elements. We examine the effects of unitarity On the box parameters and reduce the number of parameters to the minimum set. Using the box algebra, we show that CP-violation may be inferred from measurements of neutrino flavor mixing even when the oscillatory factor has averaged. The framework presented here will facilitate general analyses of neutrino oscillations among $n\ge 3$ flavors.Comment: 30 page