Visualization of Chronic Myocardial Infarction Using the Intravascular Contrast Agent MS-325 (Gadofosveset) in Patients

Aims. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of visualizing chronic myocardial infarction in patients using the intravascular CA MS-325 (gadofosveset, EPIX Pharmaceuticals, Mass, USA). Methods. Nine patients were enrolled in a clinical phase II multicenter trial for MRCA and perfusion imaging using MS-325. They had objective evidence of chronic myocardial infarction as visualized by previously performed late gadolinium (Gd) enhancement imaging (LGE) with a conventional extracellular Gd-DTPA CA (Magnevist, Bayer Healthcare, Germany, 0.2 mmol/kg/body weight) serving as reference standard. A prepulse-optimized LGE study was performed immediately and at several time points after injection of MS-325 (0.05 mmol/kg/body weight). The number and localization of segments demonstrating LGE with MS-325 as well as signal intensities were compared with the reference standard (Gd-DTPA). Results. Using MS-325, LGE could be detected at every time point in all 9 patients. The accuracy of LGE with MS-325 as compared to LGE with Gd-DTPA was highest 54 ± 4 minutes after contrast injection, resulting in a sensitivity of 84% with a specificity of 98%. Conclusion. The intravascular CA MS-325 has the potential to visualize chronic myocardial infarction. However, in comparison with Gd-DTPA, the transmural extent and the number of segments are smaller

Repression of Floral Meristem Fate Is Crucial in Shaping Tomato Inflorescence

Tomato is an important crop and hence there is a great interest in understanding the genetic basis of its flowering. Several genes have been identified by mutations and we constructed a set of novel double mutants to understand how these genes interact to shape the inflorescence. It was previously suggested that the branching of the tomato inflorescence depends on the gradual transition from inflorescence meristem (IM) to flower meristem (FM): the extension of this time window allows IM to branch, as seen in the compound inflorescence (s) and falsiflora (fa) mutants that are impaired in FM maturation. We report here that JOINTLESS (J), which encodes a MADS-box protein of the same clade than SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE (SVP) and AGAMOUS LIKE 24 (AGL24) in Arabidopsis, interferes with this timing and delays FM maturation, therefore promoting IM fate. This was inferred from the fact that j mutation suppresses the high branching inflorescence phenotype of s and fa mutants and was further supported by the expression pattern of J, which is expressed more strongly in IM than in FM. Most interestingly, FA - the orthologue of the Arabidopsis LEAFY (LFY) gene - shows the complementary expression pattern and is more active in FM than in IM. Loss of J function causes premature termination of flower formation in the inflorescence and its reversion to a vegetative program. This phenotype is enhanced in the absence of systemic florigenic protein, encoded by the SINGLE FLOWER TRUSS (SFT) gene, the tomato orthologue of FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT). These results suggest that the formation of an inflorescence in tomato requires the interaction of J and a target of SFT in the meristem, for repressing FA activity and FM fate in the IM

Co-ordinated regulation of flowering time, plant architecture and growth by FASCICULATE: the pepper orthologue of SELF PRUNING

Wild peppers (Capsicum spp.) are either annual or perennial in their native habitat and their shoot architecture is dictated by their sympodial growth habit. To study shoot architecture in pepper, sympodial development is described in wild type and in the classical recessive fasciculate (fa) mutation. The basic sympodial unit in wild-type pepper comprises two leaves and a single terminal flower. fasciculate plants are characterized by the formation of floral clusters separated by short internodes and miniature leaves and by early flowering. Developmental analysis of these clusters revealed shorter sympodial units and, often, precocious termination prior to sympodial leaf formation. fa was mapped to pepper chromosome 6, in a region corresponding to the tomato SELF-PRUNING (SP) locus, the homologue of TFL1 of Arabidopsis. Sequence comparison between wild-type and fa plants revealed a duplication of the second exon in the mutants' orthologue of SP, leading to the formation of a premature stop codon. Ectopic expression of FASCICULATE complemented the Arabidopsis tfl1 mutant plants and as expected, stimulated late flowering. In agreement with the major effect of FASCICULATE imposed on sympodial development, the gene transcripts were localized to the centre of sympodial shoots but could not be detected in the primary shoot. The wide range of pleiotropic effects on plant architecture mediated by a single ‘flowering’ gene, suggests that it is used to co-ordinate many developmental events, and thus may underlie some of the widespread variation in the Solanaceae shoot architecture

Identification and Characterization of RcMADS1, an AGL24 Ortholog from the Holoparasitic Plant Rafflesia cantleyi Solms-Laubach (Rafflesiaceae)

10.1371/journal.pone.0067243PLoS ONE86-POLN

Gadofosveset‐based biomarker of tissue albumin concentration: Technical validation in vitro and feasibility in vivo

Purpose There is currently no adequate method of mapping physiologic and pathophysiologic tissue albumin concentrations in human subjects. The objective of this study was to devise and evaluate a biomarker of regional albumin concentration using gadofosveset‐enhanced MRI. Theory and Methods A binding and relaxation model was devised and evaluated in vitro in solutions of albumin at 3.0 Tesla (T) and 4.7T. The method was evaluated in the heart in seven volunteers at 3.0T. Results MRI‐derived estimates of albumin concentration were in good agreement with true values over the range 0.1–1.0 mM (Pearson correlation coefficients of 0.85 and 0.88 for 3.0T and 4.7T, respectively). The mean calculated albumin concentration in the myocardium for the volunteers was 0.02 mM (range, 0.01–0.03 mM). Conclusion Accurate estimates of albumin concentration in vitro suggest this may be a viable noninvasive alternative to existing techniques. In the myocardium the MRI‐derived estimates of albumin concentration indicate the practical feasibility of the technique but were below expected values. Gadofosveset‐enhanced MR relaxometry has potential in providing biomarkers of regional albumin concentration; further evaluation is required before it can be used reliably in vivo. Magn Reson Med 73:244–253, 2015

A Factor Linking Floral Organ Identity and Growth Revealed by Characterization of the Tomato Mutant unfinished flower development (ufd)

Floral organogenesis requires coordinated interactions between genes specifying floral organ identity and those regulating growth and size of developing floral organs. With the aim to isolate regulatory genes linking both developmental processes (i.e., floral organ identity and growth) in the tomato model species, a novel mutant altered in the formation of floral organs was further characterized. Under normal growth conditions, floral organ primordia of mutant plants were correctly initiated, however, they were unable to complete their development impeding the formation of mature and fertile flowers. Thus, the growth of floral buds was blocked at an early stage of development; therefore, we named this mutant as unfinished flower development (ufd). Genetic analysis performed in a segregating population of 543 plants showed that the abnormal phenotype was controlled by a single recessive mutation. Global gene expression analysis confirmed that several MADS-box genes regulating floral identity as well as other genes participating in cell division and different hormonal pathways were affected in their expression patterns in ufd mutant plants. Moreover, ufd mutant inflorescences showed higher hormone contents, particularly ethylene precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) and strigol compared to wild type. Such results indicate that UFD may have a key function as positive regulator of the development of floral primordia once they have been initiated in the four floral whorls. This function should be performed by affecting the expression of floral organ identity and growth genes, together with hormonal signaling pathways.This research was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and the EU European Regional Development Fund (Grants BIO2009-11484 and AGL2015-64991-C3-R-1). We also thank Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario (CeiA3) for providing financial support. AO is a recipient of a PhD fellowship from the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovation of Spain (BIO2009-11484).Poyatos-Pertinez, S.; Quinet, M.; Ortiz-Atienza, A.; Yuste-Lisbona, FJ.; Pons Puig, C.; Gimenez, E.; Angosto, T.... (2016). A Factor Linking Floral Organ Identity and Growth Revealed by Characterization of the Tomato Mutant unfinished flower development (ufd). Frontiers in Plant Science. 7(1648):1-15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2016.01648S1157164

Contribution à l'élaboration d'un modèle paramétrique pour l'aide à la correction et à la rédaction (thèse...)

La thèse montre l'intérêt d'une modélisation systématique des caractéristiques formelles, syntaxiques et sémantiques des mots pour améliorer les outils d'aide à la correction et à la rédaction. Le modèle proposé est fondé sur le principe de paramétrisation des données propres à chaque plan de l'analyse (lexical, syntaxique ou sémantique) et sur la mise en relation de ces différents plans. Le premier chapitre, rappelant la richesse et la complexité du matériau lexical, permet de mieux percevoir les difficultés de traitement, en particulier sémantique, de l'énoncé écrit. Le second présente les réponses apportées par divers courants de la sémantique lexicale à la question de la módélisation du sens, ainsi que leur mise en oeuvre dans les ouvrages et logiciels d'aide à la correction ou à la rédaction actuels. Le modèle paramétrique est détaillé dans le troisième chapitre et son expérimentation fait l'objet du dernier chapitre.NICE-BU Lettres Arts Sci.Hum. (060882104) / SudocSudocFranceF

ETABLISSEMENT D'UNE PROCEDURE D'IMPLANTATION D'AUTOMATES A FORMULE LEUCOCYTAIRE EN PEDIATRIE (DES BIOL. MED.)

PARIS6-Bibl. St Antoine CHU (751122104) / SudocPARIS-BIUM (751062103) / SudocSudocFranceF

Revisiting the involvement of SELF-PRUNING in the sympodial growth of tomato.

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