Croissance et qualité de l'huître ceuse Crassostrea gigas dans le bassin de Thau (Hérault) : Résultats d'une étude réalisée en 1990-1991

During years 1990-1991, a study was carried ouI in order to precise the relationship between sorne physiological features and the biochemical characteristics of dry flesh and hemolymf of oyster Crassostrea gigas, cultivated in the mediterranean lagoon of Thau. Growth rates and biochemical analysis for proteins, lipids and carbohydrates were estimated. The results of this study are given. They include many other data from a study on trophic relationships developed between 1985-1989.En 1990-1991, dans le cadre d'un travail plus particulièrement consacré à une étude précisant le rapport ent. re le comportement physiologique de l'huître Crassostrea gigas et l'évolution biochimique de la chair et de l'hémolymphe, par l'analyse des protides, lipides et glucides, un suivi de la croissance et de la qualité de cette espèce élevée dans l'étang de Thau a pu être effectué. Le présent rapport expose les résultats des observations réalisées lors de cette étude. Ils sont complétés par les résultats obtenus à partir de nombreuses données relevées de 1985 à 1989, lors d'une étude de la capacité trophique de cette lagun

La "malaïgue" de l'été 1990 dans l’étang de Thau

In summer 1990, Thau, a Mediterranean lagoon was affected by a dystrophic crisis. An aerial survey was performed to observe polluted areas. The analysis of the main environmental water conditions have shown that suspended organic matter plays an important part in the development of this dystrophic crisis.Durant l'été 1990, l'étang de Thau a été affecté par une nouvelle crise dystrophique, localement désignée sous le terme de "malaïgue". Un suivi régulier a été réalisé par des survols aériens permettant d'observer l'extension du phénomène. Parallèlement, l'analysé des principales conditions du milieu a permis de souligner l'importance du rôle joué par la présence, en forte concentration, de matière organique dont l'origine est variée. Cet épisode de "malaïgue" se rapproche des crises dystrophiques qui surviennent de plus en plus fréquemment depuis une dizaine d'années et qui prennent naissance .à partir de foyers de bordure

Matière en suspension et sédimentation dans la lagune de Thau

Thau is a mediterranean lagoon with a large productive stock of molluscs (oysters, mussels) cultivated on suspended tines and colonised by epibionta (ascidia and others invertebrates, algae, etc ... ). This study was developed as part of the PNOC-OXYTHAU.programme. Its aim was to analyze the effects of oyster farrning on water-mass surrounding structures loaded with suspended molluscs and proximal watermass separating these structures. This study concems particulate suspended matter and deposits of particulate organic matter on the bottom after sedimnentation. Biochemical measurements were carried out for nitrogen, carbon,  proteins, lipids and carbohydrates. ln order to estimate sedimentaton, bottom sediment traps were usedDans un système de production conchylicole intensive tel que la lagune de Thau, les processus de transfert de matière, et notamment de matière organique en suspension, sont notablement influencés par la présence des organismes filtreurs élevés (huîtres, moules) ou associés (ascidies et autres épibiontes). Dans le cadre du programme PNOC-OXYTHAU, l'influence de l'importante biomasse supportée par les structures conchylicoles que sont les "tables", sur le proche milieu, représenté par la masse d'eau des couloirs séparant les tables a été étudiée, en particulier, par l'analyse de la matière en suspension. Cette dernière a été mesurée dans la masse d'eau ainsi que sur le fond après sédimentation. Par ailleurs, il a été procédé à une analyse de sa teneur en azote et carbone ainsi qu'à une estimation des protides, lipides, glucides  particulaires présents dans la masse d'eau .. Des mesures de sédimentation ont été réalisées à l'aide de pièges à sédiment posés sur le fond

Isozyme hybrids within the protruding third loop domain of the barley α-amylase (β/α)8-barrel implication for BASI sensitivity and substrate affinity

AbstractBarley α-amylase isozymes AMY1 and AMY2 contain three structural domains: a catalytic (β/α)8-barrel (domain A) with a protruding loop (domain B; residues 89–152) that binds Ca2+, and a small C-terminal domain. Different parts of domain B secure isozyme specific properties as identified for three AMY1–AMY2 hybrids, obtained by homeologous recombination in yeast, with crossing-over at residues 112, 116, and 144. The AMY1 regions Val90-Thr112 and Ala145-Leu161 thus confer high affinities for the substrates p-nitrophenyl α-d-maltoheptaoside and amylose, respectively. Leu117-Phe144, and to a lesser degree Ala145-Leu161, are critical for the stability at low pH characteristic of AMY1 and for the sensitivity to barley α-amylase/subtilisin inhibitor specific to AMY2

Management of residents in difficulty in a Swiss general internal medicine outpatient clinic: Change is necessary!

Residents in difficulty are a major cause for concern in medical education, with a prevalence of 7–15%. They are often detected late in their training and cannot make use of remediation plans. Nowadays, most training hospitals in Switzerland do not have a specific program to identify and manage residents in difficulty. The aim of the study was to explore the challenges perceived by physicians regarding the process of identifying, diagnosing, and supporting residents in difficulty in a structured and programmatic way. We explored perceptions of physicians at different hierarchical levels (residents (R), Chief residents (CR), attending physicians (A), Chief Physician (CP)) in order to better understand these challenges

A medical student in private practice for a 1-month clerkship: a qualitative exploration of the challenges for primary care clinical teachers

Purpose: The predicted shortage of primary care physicians emphasizes the need to increase the family medicine workforce. Therefore, Swiss universities develop clerkships in primary care physicians' private practices. The objective of this research was to explore the challenges,the stakes, and the difficulties of clinical teachers who supervised final year medical students in their primary care private practice during a 1-month pilot clerkship in Geneva. Methods: Data were collected via a focus group using a semistructured interview guide. Participants were asked about their role as a supervisor and their difficulties and positive experiences. The text of the focus group was transcribed and analyzed qualitatively, with a deductive and inductive approach. Results: The results show the nature of pressures felt by clinical teachers. First, participants experienced the difficulty of having dual roles: the more familiar one of clinician, and the new challenging one of teacher. Second, they felt compelled to fill the gap between the academic context and the private practice context. Clinical teachers were surprised by the extent of the adaptive load, cognitive load, and even the emotional load involved when supervising a trainee in their clinical practice. The context of this rotation demonstrated its utility and its relevance,because it allowed the students to improve their knowledge about the outpatient setting and to develop their professional autonomy and their maturity by taking on more clinical responsibilities. Conclusion: These findings show that future training programs will have to address the needs of clinical teachers as well as bridge the gap between students' academic training and the skills needed for outpatient care. Professionalizing the role of clinical teachers should contribute to reaching these goals. Keywords: clinical teacher, clinical teachers' training, clerkship in private clinical practice,supervision, primary car

A family 11 xylanase from the pathogen Botrytis cinerea is inhibited by plant endoxylanase inhibitors XIP-I and TAXI-I

The phytopathogen fungus Botrytis cinerea produces various glycosidases which are secreted during plant infection. In this study, the XynBc1 cDNA that encodes a xylanase from family 11 glycoside hydrolase from B. cinerea was identified by homology-based analysis, cloned by reverse transcription RT-PCR, fully sequenced, and heterologously expressed in Pichia pastoris X-33. The purified recombinant protein obtained by chelating-affinity chromatography demonstrated high catalytic activity (180 ± 23 U/mg) and efficiently degraded low viscosity xylan [Km = 10±3 g L1, Vmax = 0.50 ± 0.04 lmol xylose min1, and kcat = 136 ± 11.5 s1 at pH 4.5 and 25 C]. XynBc1 was further tested for its ability to interact with wheat XIP and TAXI type xylanase inhibitors which have been implicated in plant defence. The xylanase activity of XynBc1 produced in P. pastoris was strongly inhibited by both XIP-I and TAXI-I in a competitive manner, with a Ki of 2.1 ± 0.1 and 6.0 ± 0.2 nM, respectively, whereas no inhibition was detected with TAXI-II. We also showed that XynBc1 mRNAs accumulated during early stages of plant tissue infection

Production of chemokines by perivascular adipose tissue: a role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis?

Obesity is associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Although it is known that white adipose tissue (WAT) produces numerous proinflammatory and proatherogenic cytokines and chemokines, it is unclear whether adipose-derived chemotactic signals affect the chronic inflammation in atherosclerosis