Very low levels of HDL cholesterol and atherosclerosis, a variable relationship – a review of LCAT deficiency

Julia Savel,1,2 Marianne Lafitte,1 Yann Pucheu,1,3 Vincent Pradeau,1 Antoine Tabarin,2,3 Thierry Couffinhal1,3,41Centre d'Exploration, de Prévention et de Traitement de l'Athérosclérose, Hôpital Cardiologique, 2Service d'endocrinologie, CHU Bordeaux, Université Bordeaux Segalen, Bordeaux, France; 3Université de Bordeaux Adaptation cardiovasculaire à l'ischémie, 4INSERM, Adaptation cardiovasculaire à l'ischémie, U1034, Pessac, FranceAbstract: A number of epidemiological and clinical studies have demonstrated that plasma high-density lipoprotein (HDL) level is a strong inverse predictor of cardiovascular events. HDL is believed to retard the formation of atherosclerotic lesions by removing excess cholesterol from cells and preventing endothelial dysfunction. Lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) plays a central role in the formation and maturation of HDL, and in the intravascular stage of reverse cholesterol transport: a major mechanism by which HDL modulates the development and progression of atherosclerosis. A defect in LCAT function would be expected to enhance atherosclerosis, by interfering with the reverse cholesterol transport step. As such, one would expect to find more atherosclerosis and cardiovascular events in LCAT-deficient patients. But this relationship is not always evident. In this review, we describe contradictory reports in the literature about cardiovascular risks in this patient population. We discuss the paradoxical finding of severe HDL deficiency and an absence of subclinical atherosclerosis in LCAT-deficient patients, which has been used to reject the hypothesis that HDL level is important in the protection against atherosclerosis. Furthermore, to illustrate this paradoxical finding, we present a case study of one patient, referred for evaluation of global cardiovascular risk in the presence of a low HDL cholesterol level, who was diagnosed with LCAT gene mutations.Keywords: atherosclerosis, LCAT function, cardiovascular risk, high-density lipoprotei

Strat\ue9gies d\u2019acquisition des mati\ue8res colorantes dans l\u2019Arc liguro-proven\ue7al au cours des VIe et Ve mill\ue9naires cal. BCE

Anthropologica et Pr\ue6historica, 125/2014, 2015, 1 \u2013 15Strat\ue9gies d\u2019acquisition des mati\ue8res colorantesdans l\u2019Arc liguro-proven\ue7al au coursdes VIe et Ve mill\ue9naires cal. BCEJean-Victor Pradeau, Didier Bi n d e r, Chryst\ue8le V\ue9rati,Jean-Marc Lardeaux, St\ue9phan duBernet, Yannick Lefrais,Ludovic BeLL ot-Gu rL e t, Paolo Piccardo, & Martine reGertAbstractIn the N.W.-Mediterranean area, exchange networks and social relationships gain an increasing complexity in the course of the Neolithic: varied goods diffuse in considerable quantities and distances. In particular, obsidian, Bedoulian and Oligocene flints, jadeite and eclogite are known to have been exchanged over long distances as shown by research that began thirty years ago.Surprisingly, the place of colouring materials (\u201cochre\u201d, bauxite, cinnabar), naturally abundant in the Mediterranean Franco-Italian area, has received scant attention despite their technical and symbolic value; very few is thus known on the ways of their procurement and on their geographic and geological origin.With this purpose, the study of colouring materials from both archaeological sites and putative sources was un-dertaken in the Liguro-Proven\ue7al arch. Geological surveys were carried out in order to establish a reference collection of colouring materials. Their geological nature has been determined by a combination of complementary imaging, elementary and structural techniques (petrography, SEM-EDS, X-ray diffraction).By this way, a wide range of raw materials was determined: Permian sandstones, Middle Cretaceous bauxites, To-arcian or Hauterivian oolithic ironstone, Cretaceous oxidized marcasite and ferruginous rocks derived from weathered glauconitic limestones (in the same diagenesis conditions as Roussillon ochre).In addition, two archaeological series, from Early and Middle Neolithic, were investigated by same methods: those of Pendimoun (Castellar, France), a rock-shelter site occupied by Impressa and Cardial groups (Early Neolithic: 5750-5200 cal. BCE) and those of the open-air site of Giribaldi (Nice, France) that belongs to Pre-Chassey and formative stages of Chassey culture (Middle Neolithic: 4700-4050 cal. BCE).The results compared to the frame of reference highlight two contrasting economic systems: one based on the procurement of local resources (Pendimoun) and the second one that shows a more complex acquisition network (Gi-ribaldi).At Pendimoun which represents the colonization stages of the Early Neolithic, the colouring materials imported are varied and heterogeneous, but widespread in the rock-shelter itself or in the close environment (less than 5 km): oxi-dized marcasites, oolithic ironstone, goethitic calcareous rocks derived from glauconite. The sources are thus local and these results have to be considered in the context of an occupation assigned to specific functions (agriculture, pottery, sheep pen), as previously shown by other data.At Giribaldi, colouring materials assemblage consists of close geological materials (ferruginous rocks derived from glauconite) but also of two types of exogenous rocks: yellow Permian sandstones and orange kaolinitic bauxites, respec-tively 60-70 and 70-90 km away. This Middle Neolithic settlement is known to be well inserted in complex exchange networks including western Provence (Bedoulian and Oligocene flint), French and Italian Alps (quartz, jadeite, eclogite), Liguria (jadeite, eclogite) and Lipari island (obsidian). The presence of these three types of rocks all along the occupation shows the permanence of exploitation of these colouring materials, which gives evidence of procurement regularity, the stability of exchange networks and the durability of relationships and technical practices

CNC工具機PES加工應用專家系統之開發與研究

The papper of this study is tried to build-up a process-oriented expert system(PES) such that the operators can easily select a block within this system according to process requirement. In this system, the process control parameters are being categorized into three main index, speed, accuracy, and surface finish with totally 16 different blocks. Here, speed means having shortest process time. Accuracy means having smallest right angle error and radius reducing error. While, surface finish means having smallest oscillating magnitude and jerk along the process contour. Taguchi method is applied to find the influence of each control parameter. According to the importance of these parameters, the parameters setting in each block on the expert system are being determined. Two three-axis machine tools A and B with SYNTEC controllers and DELTA servo systems are being used for the experiment. From the experiment results, they are found that the PES is being successful established. At the testing machine tool A, the process time for the speed setting is 1.11 s. The right angle error for the accuracy setting is 4.5 um and radius reducing error is 2.5 um. The oscillating magnitude for the surface finish is 2.1 um and the jerk is 92.7 m/s3. At the testing machine tool B, the process time for the speed setting is 2.18 s. The right angle error for the accuracy setting is 5.8 um and radius reducing error is 1.1 um. The oscillating magnitude for the surface finish is 5.7 um and the jerk is 26.2 m/s3. They are all fulfilled with the requirements.PES(Process-oriented Expert System)加工應用專家系統目的在於建立最佳參數系統，將機台、控制器、進給系統...等與加工相關的參數最佳化，並依照當前加工需求選擇最適合的參數套用，讓人員無須進行參數測試和調校，就能得到良好的加工結果。 本論文所使用的系統規畫採用SYNTEC科技公司的10系列控制器搭配台達電(delta)的驅動器馬達與工具機測試機台，因此目前專家系統先針對控制器的部分建立，將控制器中的參數找出與快準穩有直接關聯，再依照田口實驗法規劃實驗，計算出各參數對快準穩的趨勢及貢獻度，再依照此貢獻度與趨勢製作成PES加工應用專家系統，最後以實際測試機台A、B進行系統驗證並調整。 從測試機台A結果能得知：快的比例為最高的參數其加工路徑時間為1.11秒，準的比例為最高的參數其直角誤差為2.5微米、圓半徑內縮量2.5微米，穩的比例為最高的參數其路徑振盪量為2.1微米、JERK值為92.7 m/s3。 從測試機台B結果能得知：快的比例為最高的參數其加工路徑時間為2.18秒，準的比例為最高的參數其直角誤差為5.8微米、圓半徑內縮量1.1微米，穩的比例為最高的參數其路徑振盪量為5.7微米、JERK值為26.2 m/s3。致謝 I 摘要 II Abstract III 目錄 IV 圖目錄 VI 表目錄 VIII 第一章 緒論 1 1.1 研究背景 1 1.2 文獻回顧 1 1.3 研究動機與目地 4 1.4 研究方法 4 1.5 論文架構 5 第二章 CNC控制器 7 2.1 SYNTEC控制器 7 2.2 控制器的加減速規劃 7 2.3 控制器的參數 9 第三章 田口法 15 3.1 決定品質特性 15 3.2 選擇實驗因子 15 3.3 定義因子的水準數 16 3.4 選擇直交表 17 3.5 變異數分析 19 第四章 實驗分析與結果 20 4.1 實驗設備 20 4.2 實驗路徑 24 4.3 實驗分析 25 4.4 PES加工應用專家系統 27 4.5 測試機台A的實驗結果 28 4.5.1. 快的趨勢與貢獻度 30 4.5.2. 準的趨勢與貢獻度 32 4.5.3. 穩的趨勢與貢獻度 33 4.5.4. 測試機台A的PES加工應用專家系統結果 35 4.6 測試機台B的實驗結果 39 4.6.1 快的趨勢與貢獻度 41 4.6.2 準的趨勢與貢獻度 42 4.6.3 穩的趨勢與貢獻度 44 4.6.4 測試機台B的PES加工應用專家系統結果 46 4.6.5 測試機台B實際加工 51 第五章 結論與未來展望 56 5.1 結論 56 5.2 未來展望 57 參考文獻 5

Out of the Cave and into the Light: Perspectives and Challenges of Radiocarbon Dating an Open-Air Aurignacian Site (Régismont-le-Haut, Mediterranean France)

International audienceThis article presents the methods and results regarding the radiocarbon (AMS) dating of the site of Régismont-le-Haut. This site is one of the very few well-preserved Aurignacian open-air sites in southern France. It is also one of the only Aurignacian sites in France and Europe, more generally, to have conserved evident features, including many in situ fire-related structures. We selected charcoal and bone from all the major occupation sectors excavated so far, as well as from others which were important for understanding site formation. Considering difficulties faced when comparing the lithic industry of a site located in a poorly documented area with those belonging to the Aquitaine basin, where the "classical" definition of the Aurignacian was outlined, dating was conducted to accurately place the site within this technocomplex's internal chronology. In total, 19 charcoals (identified to Pinus sp. or gymnosperm) and 3 bones were submitted for AMS radiocarbon dating, each to one of three laboratories. We implemented a strict charcoal screening protocol for radiometric dating that required genus-identified individual charcoals that were well-associated with the fire-related structures. Despite this careful selection , most of the charcoals and all of the bones contained insufficient carbon for dating. Of the 19 charcoal dates attempted, 5 produced dates, from two loci. All fall in the span between the Middle Aurignacian and the Recent Aurignacian (between around 32,500 and 28,000 uncalibrated 14 C BP). An older subset of the dates (32.5-32 ka BP, ca. 37.5-35.5 ka cal BP) appears to be the most reliable. These results represent the first AMS dates ever performed on an Aurignacian open-air site in the Mediterranean area. The dates are compared to other recently dated southwestern France sites to establish which ones might be useful for future detailed archaeological comparisons. They are also instructive from a methodological point of view, in order to better appreciate the resolution of radiocarbon in this context. The focus of this article is on presenting the dating work, especially the protocol used in the selection of samples, the laboratory methods used for obtaining the dates and the challenges faced at this site. Among these, the divergence of dates between loci contrasted with geomorphological and archaeological evidence, with the latter two strongly pointing to one living floor, and either a single occupation or a few very close in time. This forced a reassessment of the chronological dating evidence. This article serves to show the importance of multi-prong approaches to archaeological dating, comparing and contrasting both contextual evidence and actual dates

Proceedings of the Frontiers of Retrovirology Conference 2016

The emergence of pandemic retroviral infection in small ruminant