Imaging benign inflammatory syndromes

AbstractBenign mastitis is a rare disease and its management is difficult. The diagnostic challenge is to distinguish it from carcinomatous mastitis. We make a distinction between acute mastitis secondary to an infection, to inflammation around a benign structure or to superficial thrombophlebitis, and chronic, principally plasma cell and idiopathic granulomatous mastitis. Imaging is often non-specific but we need to know and look for certain ultrasound, mammogram or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signs to give a pointer as early as possible towards a benign aetiology. A biopsy should be undertaken systematically where there is the slightest diagnostic doubt, to avoid failing to recognise a carcinomatous mastitis

Three distinct glycosylation pathways are involved in the decoration of Lactococcus lactis cell wall glycopolymers

Extra-cytoplasmic sugar decoration of glycopolymer components of the bacterial cell wall contributes to their structural diversity. Typically, the molecular mechanism that underpins such a decoration process involves a three-component glycosylation system (TGS) represented by an undecaprenyl-phosphate (Und-P) sugar-activating glycosyltransferase (Und-P GT), a flippase, and a polytopic glycosyltransferase (PolM GT) dedicated to attaching sugar residues to a specific glycopolymer. Here, using bioinformatic analyses, CRISPR-assisted recombineering, structural analysis of cell wall-associated polysaccharides (CWPS) through Maldi-Tof MS and methylation analysis, we report on three such systems in the bacterium Lactococcus lactis. On the basis of sequence similarities, we first identified three gene pairs, csdAB, csdCD, and csdEF, each encoding an Und-P GT and a PolM GT, as potential TGS component candidates. Our experimental results show that csdAB and csdCD are involved in Glc side chain addition on the CWPS components rhamnan and polysaccharide pellicle (PSP), respectively, whereas csdEF plays a role in galactosylation of lipoteichoic acid (LTA). We also identified a potential flippase encoded in the L. lactis genome (llnz_02975, cflA) and confirmed that it participates in the glycosylation of the three cell wall glycopolymers rhamnan, PSP, and LTA, thus indicating that its function is shared by the three TGSs. Finally, we observed that glucosylation of both rhamnan and PSP can increase resistance to bacteriophage predation and that LTA galactosylation alters L. lactis resistance to bacteriocin

A model-strengthened imaging biomarker for survival prediction in EGFR-mutated non-small-cell lung carcinoma patients treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors

International audienceNon-small-cell lung carcinoma is a frequent type of lung cancer with a bad prognosis. Depending on the stage, genomics, several therapeutical approaches are used. Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors (TKI) may be successful for a time in the treatment of EGFR-mutated non-small cells lung carcinoma. Our objective is here to propose a survival assessment as their efficacy in the long run is challenging to evaluate. The study includes 17 patients diagnosed as of EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer and exposed to an EGFR-targeting TKI with 3 computed tomography (CT) scans of the primitive tumor (one before the TKI introduction and two after). An imaging biomarker based on the texture heterogeneity evolution between the first and the third exams is derived and computed from a mathematical model and patient data. Defining the overall survival as the time between the introduction of the TKI treatment and the patient death, we obtain a statistically significant correlation between the overall survival and our imaging marker (p = 0:009). Using the ROC curve, the patients are separated into two populations and the comparison of the survival curves is statistically significant (p = 0:025). The baseline exam seems to have a significant role in the prediction of response to TKI treatment. More precisely, our imaging biomarker defined using only the CT scan before the TKI introduction allows to determine a first classification of the population which is improved over time using the imaging marker as soon as more CT scans are available. This exploratory study leads us to think that it is possible to obtain a survival assessment using only few CT scans of the primary tumor

The requirements of a specialist breast centre

Abstract This article is an update of the requirements of a specialist breast centre, produced by EUSOMA and endorsed by ECCO as part of Essential Requirements for Quality Cancer Care (ERQCC) programme, and ESMO. To meet aspirations for comprehensive cancer control, healthcare organisations must consider the requirements in this article, paying particular attention to multidisciplinarity and patient-centred pathways from diagnosis, to treatment, to survivorship.Peer reviewe

De la synthèse de nanoparticules de CuO par voie organométallique à l'assemblage de matériaux énergétiques Al/CuO

National audienceAmong the energetic materials, nanothermites are known for their high reactivity and their use in pyrotechnic applications. In this context, the Al/CuO composite is a promising material for integration into micro-devices, due to its high enthalpy of oxidation-reduction reaction. The increase of the contact surface between the two reactants of the thermite improves the properties. Control of the size, morphology and distribution of nanoparticles within the nanocomposite is therefore of fundamental importance. In the majority of cases, the nanothermites are obtained by physical mixing of non-dispersible commercial nanopowders. In this thesis we proposed to explore an organometallic way to synthesize CuO nanoparticles to assembly with Al commercial nanoparticles. For this purpose, CuO nanoparticles are synthesized by hydrolysis or controlled oxidation of an organometallic precursor (copper amidinate) in the presence of organic ligands (octylamine). Sizes, shapes and distributions vary depending on the experimental conditions of the syntheses. The surface states of the CuO nanoparticles were then analyzed by NMR and infrared spectroscopy characterization methods. The information acquired allowed us to identify the interactions between the ligands and the surface of the nanoparticles. In a second step, the CuO nanoparticles are mixed by ultrasons with nanopowders dispersed in an organic solvent. The thermal characterizations of these nanocomposites show the presence of non-characteristic exothermic and endothermic reactions of the usual Al + CuO thermite reaction. Thermal and structural analyzes of CuO nanoparticles revealed that the ligands oxidize at low temperature (~ 200 °C) and reduce the CuO to Cu2O then to metallic Cu, before the thermite reaction takes place. An optimized experimental protocol was finally implemented to preserve the structure of CuO while eliminating the ligands present in the stabilizing layer of the nanoparticles. These new assemblies generate a reaction energy equivalent to Al/CuO nanothermites obtained by mixing commercial powders. But these nanocomposites have lower initiation temperatures, which is interesting for some applications. The accumulated knowledge of surface states and the stabilization of nanoparticles in solution open the way to the integration of nanocomposites on microelectronic chips by “inkjet” technology.Parmi les matériaux énergétiques, les nanothermites sont connues pour leur forte réactivité et leur utilisation dans les applications pyrotechniques. Dans ce cadre, le composite Al/CuO est un matériau prometteur pour l’intégration dans des micro-dispositifs, en raison de sa forte enthalpie de réaction d’oxydo-réduction. L’augmentation de la surface de contact entre les deux réactifs de la thermite permet l’amélioration des propriétés. Le contrôle de la taille, de la morphologie et de la distribution des nanoparticules au sein du nanocomposite revêt donc une importance fondamentale. Dans la majorité des cas, les nanothermites sont obtenues par mélange physique de nanopoudres commerciales non dispersables. Dans cette thèse nous avons proposé d’explorer une voie organométallique pour synthétiser des nanoparticules de CuO permettant ensuite un assemblage avec des nanoparticules commerciales d’Al. A cet effet, des nanoparticules de CuO sont synthétisées par hydrolyse ou oxydation contrôlée d’un précurseur organométallique (amidinate de cuivre) en présence de ligands organiques (octylamine). Les tailles, les formes et les distributions varient en fonction des conditions expérimentales des synthèses. Les états de surface des nanoparticules de CuO ont été ensuite analysés par des méthodes de caractérisations de spectroscopies de RMN et infrarouge. Les informations acquises nous ont permis d’identifier les interactions entre les ligands et la surface des nanoparticules. Dans un deuxième temps, les nanoparticules de CuO sont mélangées avec des nanopoudres d’Al dispersées aux ultrasons dans un solvant organique. Les caractérisations thermiques de ces nanocomposites montrent la présence de réactions exothermiques et endothermiques non caractéristiques des réactions thermites usuelles Al+CuO. Les analyses thermiques et structurelles des nanoparticules de CuO ont révélé que les ligands s’oxydent à basse température (~200 °C) et réduisent le CuO en Cu2O puis en Cu métallique, avant que la réaction thermite ne s’opère. Un protocole expérimental optimisé a été enfin mis en place pour conserver la structure du CuO tout en éliminant les ligands présents dans la couche stabilisante des nanoparticules. Ces nouveaux assemblages génèrent une énergie de réaction équivalente à des nanothermites Al/CuO obtenues par mélange de poudres commerciales. Mais ces nanocomposites possèdent des températures d’initiation plus basses, ce qui est intéressant pour certaines applications. Les connaissances accumulées sur les états de surface et la stabilisation des nanoparticules en solution ouvrent la voie à l’intégration de nanocomposites sur puces microélectroniques par la technologie « jet d’encre »

Évolution du dispositif de surveillance sanitaire des zones de production de coquillages (brève)

International audienc