Facultative Hyperparasitism: Extreme Survival Behaviour of the Primary Solitary Ectoparasitoid, Dinarmus basalis

This study investigated the egg-laying behaviour of ectoparsitoid, Dinarmus basalis Rondani (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), females when faced with a prolonged deprivation of suitable hosts leading to extreme ‘oviposition pressure’. The egg-laying behaviour of virgin D. basalis females was tested with Callosobruchus maculatus (F.) (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) hosts previously parasitized by the conspecific females in which the developing larvae had reached the last larval instar (L5) or pupae. The hyperparasitism did not prevent the occurrence of superparasitism, but only one D. basalis egg from a hyperparasitized D. basalis L5 larvae reached the adult stage due to the solitary behaviour of the D. basalis larvae. Under these experimental conditions, 60.78% of the D. basalis adults emerging from larvae were miniaturized due to the depletion of host resources

Simplified open repair for anterior chest wall deformities. Analysis of results in 205 patients

SummaryIntroductionPectus deformities are the most frequently seen congenital thoracic wall anomalies. The cause of these conditions is thought to be abnormal elongation of the rib cartilages. We here report our clinical experience and the results of a sternochondroplasty procedure based on the subperichondrial resection of the elongated cartilages.HypothesisThis technique is a valuable surgical strategy to treat the wide variety of pectus deformities.Patients and methodsDuring the period from October 2001 through September 2009, 205 adult patients (171 men and 34 women) underwent pectus excavatum (181), carinatum (19) or arcuatum (5) repair. The patients’ pre and postoperative data were collected using a computerized database, and the results were assessed with a minimum 2-year follow-up.ResultsThe postoperative morbidity rate was minimal and the mortality was nil. The surgeon graded cosmetic results as excellent (72.5%), good (25%) or fair (2.5%), while patients reported better results. Patients with pectus excavatum were found to have much more patent foramen ovale (PFO) than the normal adult population, which occluded after the procedure in 61% of patients, and significant improvement was found in exercise cardiopulmonary function and exercise tolerance at the 1-year follow-up.DiscussionOur sternochondroplasty technique based on the subperichondrial resection of the elongated cartilages allows satisfactory repair of both pectus excavatum and sternal prominence. It is a safe procedure that might improve the effectiveness of surgical therapy in patients with pectus deformities.Level of evidenceLevel IV. Retrospective study

High voltage sulphate cathodes Li₂M(SO₄)₂ (M = Fe, Mn, Co):Atomic-scale studies of lithium diffusion, surfaces and voltage trends

International audienceThe search for high voltage cathodes for lithium-ion batteries has led to recent interest in the monoclinic Li 2 Fe(SO 4) 2 material which has a voltage of 3.83 V vs. lithium, the highest recorded for a fluorine-free iron-based compound. Here we investigate the defect, surface and lithium migration properties of the Li 2 M(SO 4) 2 (M ¼ Fe, Mn, Co) materials using combined atomistic modelling and density functional theory (DFT) techniques. All intrinsic defect types including Li/M antisite disorder are found to be of high energy, suggesting insignificant concentrations. Low activation energies are found for lithium migration along the a-axis channels giving rise to long-range 1D diffusion, which are supported by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. For the crystal morphology a significant surface area is exposed to these 1D diffusion channels, which would allow facile Li insertion and extraction. Using DFT simulations we reproduce the high voltage of the Li 2 Fe(SO 4) 2 material in accord with electrochemical data and also examine local structural distortions on lithium extraction

Development of a PbWO4 Detector for Single-Shot Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy at the GBAR Experiment

We have developed a PbWO4 (PWO) detector with a large dynamic range to measure the intensity of a positron beam and the absolute density of the ortho-positronium (o-Ps) cloud it creates. A simulation study shows that a setup based on such detectors may be used to determine the angular distribution of the emission and reflection of o-Ps to reduce part of the uncertainties of the measurement. These will allow to improve the precision in the measurement of the cross-section for the (anti)hydrogen formation by (anti)proton-positronium charge exchange and to optimize the yield of antihydrogen ion which is an essential parameter in the GBAR experiment

Universal phase transitions of B1 structured stoichiometric transition-metal carbides

The high-pressure phase transitions of B1-structured stoichiometric transition metal carbides (TMCs, TM=Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, and Ta) were systematically investigated using ab initio calculations. These carbides underwent universal phase transitions along two novel phase-transition routes, namely, B1\rightarrowdistorted TlI (TlI')\rightarrowTlI and/or B1\rightarrowdistorted TiB (TiB')\rightarrowTiB, when subjected to pressures. The two routes can coexist possibly because of the tiny enthalpy differences between the new phases under corresponding pressures. Four new phases result from atomic slips of the B1-structured parent phases under pressure. After completely releasing the pressure, taking TiC as a representative of TMCs, only its new TlI'-type phase is mechanically and dynamically stable, and may be recovered.Comment: [email protected]

Transcriptional regulation of the IGF signaling pathway by amino acids and insulin-like growth factors during myogenesis in Atlantic salmon

The insulin-like growth factor signalling pathway is an important regulator of skeletal muscle growth. We examined the mRNA expression of components of the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signalling pathway as well as Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 (FGF2) during maturation of myotubes in primary cell cultures isolated from fast myotomal muscle of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). The transcriptional regulation of IGFs and IGFBP expression by amino acids and insulin-like growth factors was also investigated. Proliferation of cells was 15% d(-1) at days 2 and 3 of the culture, increasing to 66% d(-1) at day 6. Three clusters of elevated gene expression were observed during the maturation of the culture associated with mono-nucleic cells (IGFBP5.1 and 5.2, IGFBP-6, IGFBP-rP1, IGFBP-2.2 and IGF-II), the initial proliferation phase (IGF-I, IGFBP-4, FGF2 and IGF-IRb) and terminal differentiation and myotube production (IGF2R, IGF-IRa). In cells starved of amino acids and serum for 72 h, IGF-I mRNA decreased 10-fold which was reversed by amino acid replacement. Addition of IGF-I and amino acids to starved cells resulted in an 18-fold increase in IGF-I mRNA indicating synergistic effects and the activation of additional pathway(s) leading to IGF-I production via a positive feedback mechanism. IGF-II, IGFBP-5.1 and IGFBP-5.2 expression was unchanged in starved cells, but increased with amino acid replacement. Synergistic increases in expression of IGFBP5.2 and IGFBP-4, but not IGFBP5.1 were observed with addition of IGF-I, IGF-II or insulin and amino acids to the medium. IGF-I and IGF-II directly stimulated IGFBP-6 expression, but not when amino acids were present. These findings indicate that amino acids alone are sufficient to stimulate myogenesis in myoblasts and that IGF-I production is controlled by both endocrine and paracrine pathways. A model depicting the transcriptional regulation of the IGF pathway in Atlantic salmon muscle following feeding is proposed.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

LUNEX5 : A FEL PROJECT TOWARDS THE FIFTH GENERATION IN FRANCE

ISBN978-3-95450-117-5 - http://accelconf.web.cern.ch/AccelConf/FEL2011/papers/tupa09.pdfInternational audienc

Progress of the LUNEX5 Project

http://accelconf.web.cern.ch/AccelConf/FEL2013/papers/wepso05.pdfInternational audienceLUNEX5 (free electron Laser Using a New accelerator for the Exploitation of X-ray radiation of 5th generation) aims at investigating the production of short, intense, and coherent pulses in the soft X-ray region. A 400 MeV superconducting linear accelerator and a laser wakefield accelerator (LWFA), will feed a single Free Electron Laser line with High order Harmonic in Gas and Echo Enable Harmonic Generation seeding. After the Conceptual Design Report (CDR), R&D has been launched on specific magnetic elements (cryo-ready 3 m long in-vacuum undulator, a variable strong permanent magnet quadrupoles), on diagnostics (Smith-Purcell, electro-optics). In recent transport studies of a LWFA based on more realistic beam parameters (1 % energy spread, 1 μm beam size and 1 mrad divergence) than the ones assumed in the CDR, a longitudinal and transverse manipulation enables to provide theoretical amplification. A test experiment is under preparation. It is noted in this context that among the French scientific community's interest in experiments at operating FELs is increasing

Extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation for refractory cardiogenic shock after adult cardiac surgery:a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background - Postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock (PCCS) refractory to inotropic support and intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) occurs rarely but is almost universally fatal without mechanical circulatory support. In this systematic review and meta-analysis we looked at the evidence behind the use of veno-arterial extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation (VA ECMO) in refractory PCCS from a patient survival rate and determinants of outcome viewpoint. Methods - A systematic review was performed in January 2017 using PubMed (with no defined time period) using the keywords “postcardiotomy”, “cardiogenic shock”, “extracorporeal membrane oxygenation” and “cardiac surgery”. We excluded papers pertaining to ECMO following paediatric cardiac surgery, medical causes of cardiogenic shock, as well as case reports, review articles, expert opinions, and letters to the editor. Once the studies were collated, a meta-analysis was performed on the proportion of survivors in those papers that met the inclusion criteria. Meta-regression was performed for the most commonly reported adverse prognostic indicators (API). Results - We identified 24 studies and a cumulative pool of 1926 patients from 1992 to 2016. We tabulated the demographic data, including the strengths and weaknesses for each of the studies, outcomes of VA ECMO for refractory PCCS, complications, and APIs. All the studies were retrospective cohort studies. Meta-analysis of the moderately heterogeneous data (95% CI 0.29 to 0.34, p 70 years, 95% CI −0.057 to 0.001, P = 0.058), and long ECMO support (95% CI −0.068 to 0.166, P = 0.412). Postoperative renal failure, high EuroSCORE (>20%), diabetes mellitus, obesity, rising lactate whilst on ECMO, gastrointestinal complications had also been reported. Conclusion - Haemodynamic support with VA ECMO provides a survival benefit with reasonable intermediate and long-term outcomes. Many studies had reported advanced age, renal failure and prolonged VA ECMO support as the most likely APIs for VA ECMO in PCCS. EuroSCORE can be utilized to anticipate the need for prophylactic perioperative VA ECMO in the high-risk category. APIs can be used to aid decision-making regarding both the institution and weaning of ECMO for refractory PCCS