Structure of the {001} talc surface as seen by atomic force microscopy: Comparison with X-ray and electron diffraction results

In this study the surface structure of a centimetre sized crystal of talc from the Trimouns deposit (Ariège, France) was imaged by atomic force microscopy. The direct image shows detailed characteristics of clay tetrahedral surfaces. The unit-cell dimensions obtained 30 using atomic force microscopy (aor = 5.47±0.28 and bor = 9.48±0.28 Å) are found to be slightly higher, with an increased uncertainty, than those obtained using X-ray diffraction (aor = 5.288±0.007 and bor = 9.159±0.010 Å) and selected-area electron diffraction (aor = 5.32±0.03 and bor = 9.22±0.05 Å). Talc has a quasi-ideal surface, clean of strong 34 structural distortion as compared to most of other clay minerals and unlikely surface 35 relaxation. The observation on the obtained image of apparent cell dimension enlargement is 36 then more likely attributed to instrumental artefacts, also responsible for scattered values of unit-cell parameters rather than related to any surface structural features

Effect of the consumption of a fermented dairy product containing Bifidobacterium lactis DN-173 010 on constipation in childhood: a multicentre randomised controlled trial (NTRTC: 1571)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Constipation is a frustrating symptom affecting 3% of children worldwide. Randomised controlled trials show that both polyethylene glycol and lactulose are effective in increasing defecation frequency in children with constipation. However, in 30–50%, these children reported abdominal pain, bloating, flatulence, diarrhoea, nausea and bad taste of the medication. Two recent studies have shown that the fermented dairy product containing <it>Bifidobacterium lactis </it>strain DN-173 010 is effective in increasing stool frequency in constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome patients with a defecation frequency < 3/week and in constipated women with a defecation frequency < 3/week. Goal of this study is to determine whether this fermented dairy product is effective in the treatment of constipated children with a defecation frequency < 3/week.</p> <p>Methods/design</p> <p>It is a two nation (The Netherlands and Poland) double-blind, placebo-controlled randomised multicentre trial in which 160 constipated children (age 3–16 years) with a defecation frequency <3/week will be randomly allocated to consume a fermented dairy product containing <it>Bifidobacterium lactis </it>DN-173 010 or a control product, twice a day, for 3 weeks. During the study all children are instructed to try to defecate on the toilet for 5–10 minutes after each meal (3 times a day) and daily complete a standardized bowel diary. Primary endpoint is stool frequency. Secondary endpoints are stool consistency, faecal incontinence frequency, pain during defecation, digestive symptoms (abdominal pain, flatulence), adverse effects (nausea, diarrhoea, bad taste) and intake of rescue medication (Bisacodyl). Rate of success and rate of responders are also evaluated, with success defined as ≥ 3 bowel movements per week and ≤1 faecal incontinence episode over the last 2 weeks of product consumption and responder defined as a subject reporting a stool frequency ≥ 3 on the last week of product consumption. To demonstrate that the success percentage in the intervention group will be 35% and the success percentage in the control group (acidified milk without ferments, toilet training, bowel diary) will be 15%, with alpha 0.05 and power 80%, a total sample size of 160 patients was calculated.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study is aimed to show that the fermented dairy product containing <it>Bifidobacterium lactis </it>strain DN-173 010 is effective in increasing stool frequency after 3 weeks of product consumption in children with functional constipation and a defecation frequency < 3/week.</p

The state of the Martian climate

60°N was +2.0°C, relative to the 1981–2010 average value (Fig. 5.1). This marks a new high for the record. The average annual surface air temperature (SAT) anomaly for 2016 for land stations north of starting in 1900, and is a significant increase over the previous highest value of +1.2°C, which was observed in 2007, 2011, and 2015. Average global annual temperatures also showed record values in 2015 and 2016. Currently, the Arctic is warming at more than twice the rate of lower latitudes

Etude de la poursuite oculaire dans la schizophrénie

Afin de vérifier si les altérations de la poursuite oculaire pourraient être des marqueurs de la vulnérabilité génétique de la schizophrénie, nous avons inclus des patients, des apparentés sains du premier degré et des témoins appariés. Ils ont été testés avec les paradigmes de saccades, d'antisaccades et de poursuite lente. Nous avons observé des altérations chez les patients, mais aucune chez les apparentés, ce qui ne nous permet pas de conclure que les troubles de la poursuite oculaire seraient des marqueurs de vulnérabilité génétique de cette pathologie.Lors de la poursuite lente d'un stimulus multifréquentiel, il intervient trois systèmes : poursuite lente, saccadique et prédictif (influence les deux autres). La comparaison de patients schizophrènes et de sujets sains ne nous a permis de mettre en évidence de différence entre ces deux groupes. Par conséquent, aucun des systèmes de poursuite oculaire ne semble altéré chez les patients par rapport aux sujets témoins.CAEN-BU Médecine pharmacie (141182102) / SudocSudocFranceF

Dans l'herbe d'un pré / Maxime Boudet, Marie-Claire Godefroy, réal.

Collection : RadiovisionRésumé : Promenade à la découverte du labyrinthe de l'araignée, des galeries souterraines du bousier, des papillons sondant les fleurs, du campagnol et encore de l'araignée pisaura. (source : Réseau Canopé)Durée : 00:11:04Thème : Faun

Dans les rochers à marée basse / Maxime Boudet, Marie-Claire Godefroy, réal. ; François Debreuille, comp.

Collection : RadiovisionRésumé : Influence des mouvements de l'eau (vagues, courants et marées) sur la répartition des êtres vivant dans la zone intertidale. Les différentes espèces vivant dans cette zone. (source : Réseau Canopé)Durée : 00:14:31Thème : Faun

Du mastodonte à l'éléphant / Marie-Claire Gaudefroy, Maxime Boudet, réal.

Collection : RadiovisionRésumé : En compagnie du paléontologue Pascal Tassy, ce dossier permet de suivre les fouilles, les recherches et les travaux minutieux effectués sur le site d'en Péjouan, dans le Gers, où a été découvert un important gisement d'ossements d'un ancêtre de l'éléphant : le gomphotherium. (source : Réseau Canopé)Durée : 00:21:45Thème : Archéologi

Evolution of intron/exon structure of DEAD helicase family genes in Arabidopsis, Caenorhabdtitis, and Drosophila

58 ref.International audienc

Evolution of Intron/Exon Structure of DEAD Helicase Family Genes in Arabidopsis, Caenorhabditis, and Drosophila

The DEAD box RNA helicase (RH) proteins are homologs involved in diverse cellular functions in all of the organisms from prokaryotes to eukaryotes. Nevertheless, there is a lack of conservation in the splicing pattern in the 53 Arabidopsis thaliana (AtRHs), the 32 Caenorhabditis elegans (CeRHs) and the 29 Drosophila melanogaster (DmRHs) genes. Of the 153 different observed intron positions, 4 are conserved between AtRHs, CeRHs, and DmRHs, and one position is also found in RHs from yeast and human. Of the 27 different AtRH structures with introns, 20 have at least one predicted ancient intron in the regions coding for the catalytic domain. In all of the organisms examined, we found at least one gene with most of its intron predicted to be ancient. In A. thaliana, the large diversity in RH structures suggests that duplications of the ancestral RH were followed by a high number of intron deletions and additions. The very high bias toward phase 0 introns is in favor of intron addition, preferentially in phase 0. Results from this comparative study of the same gene family in a plant and in two animals are discussed in terms of the general mechanisms of gene family evolution