I023 Modulation de la dysfonction endothelium dependente par la maladie artérielle liée aux pathologies associées chez l’hémodialysé

ObjectifsLa fonction endothéliale (vasodilatation flux dépendante, FMD) est réduite chez l’hémodialysé. Nous avons étudié le rôle des atteintes artérielles reflétant les pathologies cardiovasculaires associées, dans l’altération de la FMD en fonction de la contrainte de cisaillement mesurée localement.MéthodologieChez 35 patients avec insuffisance rénale dialysés (ESRD), 16 avec un antécédent de maladie cardio-vasculaire (CV+), 19 indemnes (CV-) et chez 22 contrôles appariés, nous avons évalué la géométrie de l’artère humérale (diamètre : D et épaisseur : IMT, Wall Track System) et ses changements (FMD) en réponse aux modifications du taux de cisaillement et de la contrainte de cisaillement (SS), calculée avec mesure de viscosité sanguine (viscosimètre Brookfield), pendant une hyperhémie induite par chauffage de la main dans un bain thermostaté (paliers de 35 à 44°C). Les comparaisons multiples ont été faites par ANOVA et analyses post Hoc par test de Bonferonni.RésultatsESRD CV+ étaient plus agés avec pressions systolique et pulsée, D, IMT et module élastique plus élevés alors que SS étaient significativement réduit en baseline versus les deux autres groupes. Avec chauffage, les ESRD CV- et contrôles avaient une augmentation similaire de la pente D vs SS pour les températures faibles mais la pente devenait significativement plus faible pour ESRD à 44°. Les ESRD CV+ ont présenté une altération de la relation D vs SS pour toute la gamme de température. La réponse à la TNT était réduite pour ESRD CV+ versus les deux autres groupes.ConclusionLes altérations artérielles des ESRD avec pathologies cardio-vasculaires associées sont structurales, mais également fonctionnelles. Par contre en absence de maladie vasculaire les ESRD ont un comportement non différent des contrôles pour des stimulations non maximales mais ont une réduction de la réserve de dilatation altérée lors de stimulations soutenues et maximales

Oral health in relation to all-cause mortality: the IPC cohort study

We evaluated the association between oral health and mortality. The study population comprised 76,188 subjects aged 16–89 years at recruitment. The mean follow-up time was 3.4 ± 2.4 years. Subjects with a personal medical history of cancer or cardiovascular disease and death by casualty were excluded from the analysis. A full-mouth clinical examination was performed in order to assess dental plaque, dental calculus and gingival inflammation. The number of teeth and functional masticatory units 10 missing teeth and functional masticatory units 10 missing teeth (HR = 2.31, [95% CI: 1.40–3.82]) and functional masticatory units <5 (HR = 2.40 [95% CI 1.55–3.73]). Moreover, when ≥3 oral diseases were cumulated in the model, the risk increased for all-cause mortality (HR = 3.39, [95% CI: 2.51–5.42]), all-cancer mortality (HR = 3.59, [95% CI: 1.23–10.05]) and non-cardiovascular and non-cancer mortality (HR = 4.71, [95% CI: 1.74–12.7]). The present study indicates a postive linear association between oral health and mortality

Motor Outcomes After Neonatal Arterial Ischemic Stroke Related to Early MRI Data in a Prospective Study

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to correlate early imaging data with motor outcomes in a large, homogeneous, cohort of infants with neonatal (diagnosed before 29 days of life) arterial ischemic stroke (AIS).METHODS: From a prospective cohort of 100 children with neonatal AIS, we analyzed the MRI studies performed within the 28 first days of life for 80 infants evaluated at 2 years of age. The relationships between infarction location and corticospinal tract (CST) involvement and motor outcomes were studied RESULTS: Seventy-three infarctions involved the middle cerebral artery (MCA) territory. Of those, 50 were superficial infarctions, 5 deep infarctions, and 18 mixed infarctions. The CST was involved in 24 cases. Nineteen patients with MCA infarctions (26% [95% confidence interval: 16%–34%]) developed hemiplegia. Mixed infarctions (P &lt; .0001) and CST involvement (P &lt; .0001) were highly predictive of hemiplegia. In contrast, 88% of children with isolated superficial MCA infarctions did not exhibit impairment. CONCLUSIONS: Accurate prediction of motor outcomes can be obtained from early MRI scans after neonatal AIS. The absence of involvement of the CST resulted in normal motor development in 94% of cases. CST involvement resulted in congenital hemiplegia in 66% of cases

Approche multifactorielle et typologique du concept de fragilité chez les patients hypertendus non contrôlés. Enquête Eclat

Objective The aim of the Eclat survey was to evaluate the frequency of frailty in uncontrolled hypertensives and to individualize different frailty profiles. Patients and methods This was an observational, prospective, longitudinal survey conducted in the cohort of uncontrolled hypertensive patients aged 55 years or more. Morbid events having occurred between two visits at a 6-month interval were reported. Patients with at least one event were considered to be frail. Predictive factors of at least one event were identified (logistic regression). The analysis was completed by a typological analysis (principal components analysis and clustering). Results At least one event occurred in 211 (9%) of 2306 patients (males 55%, 67 ± 9 years old, blood pressure [BP] = 160 ± 11/93 ± 8 mmHg, diabetes 23%): cardiovascular (1.7%), gerontological (5.5%), onset of diabetes (1.3%), worsening of renal impact (2%). Three frailty profiles were identified: patients at low risk (n = 1507, event rate = 6%), with neither cardiovascular risk factors nor target organ damage; patients at moderate risk (n = 335, event rate = 12%) with numerous risk factors but no target organ damage and patients at high risk (n = 243, event rate = 23%), the older ones, in bad general condition, with target organ damage, sensorial deficits and cognitive disorders. In a population of uncontrolled hypertensives aged 55 years or more, 9% could be considered as frailty. Conclusion Therapeutic measures might be adapted according to the frailty profile of the patient. With respect to treatment management, healthcare behaviour could differ depending on these frailty profiles

Combined QCM-D/GE as a tool to characterize stimuli-responsive swelling of and protein adsorption on polymer brushes grafted onto 3D-nanostructures

A combined setup of quartz crystal microbalance and generalized ellipsometry can be used to comprehensively investigate complex functional coatings comprising stimuli-responsive polymer brushes and 3D nanostructures in a dynamic, noninvasive in situ measurement. While the quartz crystal microbalance detects the overall change in areal mass, for instance, during a swelling or adsorption process, the generalized ellipsometry data can be evaluated in terms of a layered model to distinguish between processes occurring within the intercolumnar space or on top of the anisotropic nanocolumns. Silicon films with anisotropic nanocolumnar morphology were prepared by the glancing angle deposition technique and further functionalized by grafting of poly-(acrylic acid) or poly-(N-isopropylacrylamide) chains. Investigations of the thermoresponsive swelling of the poly-(N-isopropylacrylamide) brush on the Si nanocolumns proved the successful preparation of a stimuli-responsive coating. Furthermore, the potential of these novel coatings in the field of biotechnology was explored by investigation of the adsorption of the model protein bovine serum albumin. Adsorption, retention, and desorption triggered by a change in the pH value is observed using poly-(acrylic acid) functionalized nanostructures, although generalized ellipsometry data revealed that this process occurs only on top of the nanostructures. Poly-(N-isopropylacrylamide) is found to render the nanostructures non-fouling properties. Includes supplemental materials

Carcass characteristics and beef quality of young grass-fed Angus x Salers bovines

To characterize carcass and meat attributes, such as beef eating quality in specific farming conditions, 31 young grass-fed crossbred Angus x Salers cattle in two farming systems (a mono-cattle system versus a mixed system with beef cattle and sheep) were used in this study. Three muscle cuts (striploin—m. longissimus dorsi et thoracis; bolar blade—m. triceps brachii caput longum; internal flank plate—m. obliquus internus abdominis) were used for consumer eating quality testing and striploin was used for panelist eating quality assessment, and objective measurements [Warner–Bratzler shear force (WBSF) and fatty acid (FA) and antioxidant contents]. Results indicated that the farming system had no impact on carcass characteristics or meat quality, but it tended to affect FA content, which is likely explained by between-system differences in animal maturity (assessed by ossification score). Animal gender had significant effects on three eating quality traits evaluated by untrained consumers, with higher flavor liking, overall liking, and overall meat eating quality (MQ4) scores in females than in males. Additionally, FA contents were correlated with sensory quality traits to varying extents: consumer-scored tenderness, flavor, and overall liking were mainly positively correlated with ω-3 and ω-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) contents, and panelist-evaluated tenderness and abnormal flavor were more positively correlated with total lipids, saturated fatty acid (SFA), and monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) contents. Overall, this study showed that specific grass-fed crossbred Angus x Salers cattle can produce lean meat rich in ω-3 PUFAs with a low ω-6/ω-3 ratio and with “better than average” beef eating quality

Combined QCM-D/GE as a tool to characterize stimuli-responsive swelling of and protein adsorption on polymer brushes grafted onto 3D-nanostructures

A combined setup of quartz crystal microbalance and generalized ellipsometry can be used to comprehensively investigate complex functional coatings comprising stimuli-responsive polymer brushes and 3D nanostructures in a dynamic, noninvasive in situ measurement. While the quartz crystal microbalance detects the overall change in areal mass, for instance, during a swelling or adsorption process, the generalized ellipsometry data can be evaluated in terms of a layered model to distinguish between processes occurring within the intercolumnar space or on top of the anisotropic nanocolumns. Silicon films with anisotropic nanocolumnar morphology were prepared by the glancing angle deposition technique and further functionalized by grafting of poly-(acrylic acid) or poly-(N-isopropylacrylamide) chains. Investigations of the thermoresponsive swelling of the poly-(N-isopropylacrylamide) brush on the Si nanocolumns proved the successful preparation of a stimuli-responsive coating. Furthermore, the potential of these novel coatings in the field of biotechnology was explored by investigation of the adsorption of the model protein bovine serum albumin. Adsorption, retention, and desorption triggered by a change in the pH value is observed using poly-(acrylic acid) functionalized nanostructures, although generalized ellipsometry data revealed that this process occurs only on top of the nanostructures. Poly-(N-isopropylacrylamide) is found to render the nanostructures non-fouling properties. Includes supplemental materials

Physical mechanisms and parameters for models of microstructure evolution under irradiation in Fe alloys – Part I: Pure Fe

This paper is the first of three that overview the main mechanisms that drive the microstructure evolution in Fe alloys under irradiation. It focuses on pure α-Fe and compiles the parameters that describe quantitatively the mobility and stability of point-defects and especially their clusters, including possible reactions and criteria to decide when they should react. These parameters are the result of several years of calculations and application in microstructure evolution models. They are mainly collected from the literature and the parameter choice tries to reconcile different sets of values that, while being in general qualitatively similar, are often quantitatively not coincident. A few calculation results are presented here for the first time to support specific approximations concerning defect properties or features. Since calculations cannot cover all possible defect configurations, the definition of these parameters often requires educated guesses to fill knowledge gaps. These guesses are here listed and discussed whenever relevant. This is therefore a “hands-on” paper that: (i) collects in a single report most microstructure evolution parameters that are found in the literature for irradiated α-Fe, including a discussion of the most important mechanisms at play based on current knowledge; (ii) selects a ready-to-use set that can be employed in microstructure evolution models, such as those based on object kinetic Monte Carlo (OKMC) methods. This work also identifies parameters that are needed, but not known, hopefully prompting corresponding calculations in the future.This work has received funding from the Euratom research and training programme 2014-2018 under grant agreement No. 755039 (M4F project). This research also contributes to the Joint Programme on Nuclear Materials of the European Energy Research Alliance (EERA-JPNM)

After personalism: rethinking power transfers in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan

What happens to elites when the personalistic leader they supported for so long suddenly dies? This article tackles comparatively transitions out of first presidencies in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, presenting an analytical framework that seeks to explain why these transitions unfolded in relatively smooth fashion. The overall stability defining power transfer processes instigated by the non-violent death of personalistic rulers in both contexts is explained here through the intersection of three key factors: the regimes’ resort to succession practices consolidated in the Soviet era, the emergence of temporary forms of collective decision-making in both transitional contexts, and the implementation of de-personalisation strategies pursuing the obliteration of specific pockets of cadres but stopping short of wider regime re-organisation. The findings of this article contribute to broader debates on the politics of de-personalisation, while putting forward a comprehensive framework to analyse transitions out of personalism in and beyond post-Soviet Eurasia