Use of morphological characteristics to define functional groups of predatory fishes in the Celtic Sea.

An ecomorphological method was developed, with a focus on predation functions, to define functional groups in the Celtic Sea fish community. Eleven functional traits, measured for 930 individuals from 33 species, led to 11 functional groups. Membership of functional groups was linked to body size and taxonomy. For seven species, there were ontogenetic changes in group membership. When diet composition, expressed as the proportions of different prey types recorded in stomachs, was compared among functional groups, morphology-based predictions accounted for 28-56% of the interindividual variance in prey type. This was larger than the 12-24% of variance that could be explained solely on the basis of body size.

Fishing destabilizes the biomass flow in the marine size spectrum.

Fishing impacts on marine food webs are predicted by simulations of a size spectrum community model. In this model, predation is determined by predator and prey size and abundance, and drives predator growth and prey mortality. Fishing amplifies temporal oscillations in the biomass flow. Oscillations appear at lower fishing intensity and have wider amplitude when fishing is selective (removes a narrow size range) and/or when large fish are targeted, than when fishing is more balanced (catching a larger size range) or when small fish are targeted. A novel index of size diversity is developed, and is shown to be sensitive to both fishing intensity and selectivity. To avoid unstable food web dynamics with potential harmful consequences for fisheries, limiting both fishing intensity and selectivity might be an appropriate exploitation strategy.

A marine bacterial adhesion microplate test using the DAPI fluorescent dye: a new method to screen antifouling agents.

AIMS: To develop a method to screen antifouling agents against marine bacterial adhesion as a sensitive, rapid and quantitative microplate fluorescent test. METHODS AND RESULTS: Our experimental method is based on a natural biofilm formed by mono-incubation of the marine bacterium Pseudoalteromonas sp. D41 in sterile natural sea water in a 96-well polystyrene microplate. The 4'6-diamidino-2-phenylindole dye was used to quantify adhered bacteria in each well. The total measured fluorescence in the wells was correlated with the amount of bacteria showing a detection limit of one bacterium per 5 microm(2) and quantifying 2 x 10(7) to 2 x 10(8) bacteria adhered per cm(2). The antifouling properties of three commercial surface-active agents and chlorine were tested by this method in the prevention of adhesion and also in the detachment of already adhered bacteria. The marine bacterial adhesion inhibition rate depending on the agent concentration showed a sigmoid shaped dose-response curve. CONCLUSIONS: This test is well adapted for a rapid and quantitative first screening of antifouling agents directly in seawater in the early steps of marine biofilm formation. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: In contrast to the usual screenings of antifouling products which detect a bactericidal activity, this test is more appropriate to screen antifouling agents for bacterial adhesion removal or bacterial adhesion inhibition activities. This screening test focuses on the antifouling properties of the products, especially the initial steps of marine biofilm formation.

Sequence analysis of two cosmids from Schizosaccharomyces pombe chromosome III.

We report the complete sequence of two cosmids, SPCC895 (38457 bp insert, EMBL Accession No. AL035247) and SPCC1322 (42068 bp insert, EMBL Accession No. AL035259), localized on chromosome III of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe genome. Fourteen Coding DNA sequences (CDSs) were identified in SPCC895 and 17 in SPCC1322. Two known genes were found in each cosmid: map2 and gms1 on SPCC895, encoding the mating type P-factor precursor and an UDP-galactose transporter, respectively, and bub1 and ade6 in SPCC1322, encoding a protein kinase and a phosphoribosylaminoimidazole carboxylase, respectively. The fission yeast K RNA gene has been localized to SPCC895. Three ribosomal proteins have been predicted among these two cosmids. Nine CDSs similar to known proteins were found on SPCC895, and seven on SPCC1322. They include putative genes for an uridylate kinase, a proteasome catalytic component, an ion transporter, a checkpoint protein, a translation initiation protein, a SNARE complex protein, a protein involved in cytoskeletal organization, a spindle pole body-associating protein, pre-mRNA splicing factor RNA helicase, a 3'-5' exonuclease for RNA 3' ss-tail, an UTP-glucose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase, a leukotriene A(4) hydrolase, a member of the RanBP7-importin beta-Cse1p superfamily, a Ca(++)-calmodulin-dependent serine/threonine protein kinase and a prohibitin antiproliferative protein. One CDS is predicted to be an integral membrane protein. One CDS from SPCC895 is similar to a CDS of unknown function from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and three from SPCC1322 are similar to CDSs of unknown function from Candida albicans, S. cerevisiae and Sz. pombe, respectively. Finally, one CDS of SPCC895 and three of SPCC1322 correspond to orphan genes.

Sequence analysis of two cosmids from the right arm of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe chromosome II.

We report the complete sequence of two cosmids, SPBC19C7 (34815 bp insert, Accession No. AL023859) and SPBC15D4 (33203 bp insert, Accession No. AL031349), localized on chromosome II of the S. pombe genome. Twelve open reading frames (ORFs) were identified in SPBC19C7 and 16 in SPBC5D4. Two known genes were found on each cosmid: cyr1 and uve1 on SPBC19C7, encoding adenylate cyclase and a UV-endonuclease, respectively, and gpt and pho2 on SPBC15D4, encoding an N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate transferase and a4-nitrophenylphosphatase, respectively. Five ORFs similar to known proteins were found on SPBC19C7, and six on SPBC15D4. They include putative genes for a ubiquitin protein ligase, a prolyl-tRNA synthetase, a tRNA splicing endonuclease, a voltage-gated chloride channel, a mannosyl transferase, a kinesin-like protein, a histone transcriptional regulator, an N-acetyltransferase, a cystathionine gamma-synthase and a TFIID subunit. Two ORF products of SPBC15D4 do not have clear homologues: one encodes a putative transcriptional regulator with a binuclear zinc domain and the other a protein with six transmembrane domains. Two ORFs from SPBC15D4 are similar to unknown ORFs, one from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the other from Caenorhabditis elegans. Finally, two ORFs of SPBC19C7 and six of SPBC15D4 correspond to orphan genes. The frequent occurrence of introns and the short and degenerated intron-exon boundaries consensus sequences significantly complicated ORF predictions. Two potential ORF-free regions spanning several kb were predicted, and a clustering of ORFs transcribed in the same orientation was observed.

Autoregressive models for estimating phylogenetic and environmental effects: accounting for within-species variations.

Comparative methods are used to investigate the attributes of present species or higher taxa. Difficulties arise from the phylogenetic heritage: taxa are not independent and neglecting phylogenetic inertia can lead to inaccurate results. Within-species variations in life-history traits are also not negligible, but most comparative methods are not designed to take them into account. Taxa are generally described by a single value for each trait. We have developed a new model which permits the incorporation of both the phylogenetic relationships among populations and within-species variations. This is an extension of classical autoregressive models. This family of models was used to study the effect of fishing on six demographic traits measured on 77 populations of teleost fishes.

[Evaluation of the role of cytology in the diagnosis of cancer of the lung. Comparison between cytology and pathological anatomy in 330 cases of proximal cancers]. / Evaluation du rôle de la cytologie dans le diagnostic des cancers du poumon. Comparaison entre la cytologie et l'anatomie pathologique sur 330 cas de cancers proximaux.

This retrospective study was performed to evaluate the interest of cytology in the diagnosis of pulmonary carcinomas. Bronchial samples were collected from 330 patients known to display a macroscopic lesion which was detected by bronchoscopy. Cytological analysis of the bronchial brushings and washings, removed at the first fibroscopy, allowed the diagnosis of malignancy in 92% of the cases analyzed whereas the biopsy confirmed the malignancy in 77% of the cases. In conclusion cytological studies gave information on malignity and classification in 90% of the cases. However histological classification only could guarantee the choice of the best treatment regimen.

Detection and characterization of a ring chromosome in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

NotI and SfiI genomic restriction maps were used to detect and characterize a ring chromosome II in a Schizosaccharomyces pombe strain with a meiotic defect on chromosome II. The ring chromosome was formed by an intrachromosomal fusion near, or at, the very ends of chromosome II.

Plasma itraconazole concentrations in neutropenic patients after repeated high-dose treatment.

Two different treatments with repeated oral high doses of itraconazole were tested for 10 days in 20 neutropenic patients, 10 receiving 400 mg per day and 10 receiving 600 mg per day. In each group 5 patients were treated for acute leukaemia and 5 patients were recipients of autologous bone-marrow transplantation (ABMT). Itraconazole plasma concentrations were assayed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Statistical analysis disclosed a significant interaction between the dispensed dose and the patient types. The difference between the two doses of itraconazole was greater in the ABMT than in the leukaemia patients. After 10 days at 600 mg per day all the ABMT patients had an itraconazole plasma concentration higher than 250 micrograms/l. Therefore, 600 mg per day seems more efficient to obtain a therapeutic level of itraconazole in ABMT patients but this needs to be confirmed for all the neutropenic patients.

A simple deterministic model for bancroftian filariasis transmission dynamics.

A differential equation model for bancroftian filariasis transmission dynamics is developed. Fluctuations of the mosquito vector population are related to environmental variables such as climate and vector control operations. Prevalence in the mosquito population and mean worm burden in the human population are considered. The behaviour of the model is compared with epidemiologic and entomological data from Pondicherry (South India). The model enables one to make predictions on the effect of future control operations.

Bacterial strain characterization using mathematical modelling of growth.

Growth parameters are obtained from the logistic and Monod's models fitted to the growth of bacterial populations. They allow the comparison between growth curves of different bacterial strains: growth appears to be a relevant character to characterize bacterial strains and even simple mutants from a single strain.

[Acute fibrinopenia in obstetrics]. / Fibrinopénie aiguë en obstétrique.

A review of 10 cases of severe obstetrical haemorrhage is presented. The etiology is not always clear. The most significant biological sign is the early, acute and marked drop of fibrinogen levels, below 1 g in 20 p. cent of the cases and 0.5 g in 50 p. cent. An early and rapid treatment is essential and based on correcting the fibrinopenia; fibrinogen, in fractioned form, at a mean dose of 3 g, reduces the duration of the syndrome and minimize the risks of complications. In the acute phase, heparin therapy must be avoided because it might aggravate the haemorrhage.

[Benign metastatic ameloblastoma. A case report and review of the literature]. / Améloblastome bénin métastatique. Présentation d'un cas et revue de la littérature.

A 78 year old woman with a history of maxillary ameloblastoma from age of 38 years was found on routine examination to have a pulmonary image of the balloon release type. The lesion was atypical with respect to its clinical tolerance and slow progression. Pathology of several nodules removed by surgical lung biopsy confirmed the benign nature and identity of the maxillary and pulmonary lesions. The diagnosis was therefore pulmonary metastases from a benign ameloblastoma. The age of the patient and slow course of the lesion, combined with the absence of any functional disorder, was the basis for the decision not to operate on the pulmonary lesion. The concept of benign metastatic ameloblastoma is analyzed and findings compared with data in the literature.

[Pulmonary metastasis of an ameloblastoma]. / Métastases pulmonaires d'un améloblastome.

We report the observation of a 78 year old patient who had a plexiform ameloblastoma since the age of 38. A systematic pulmonary radiographic examination revealed multiple dense nodules like "cannon ball secondaries". However the histology of these pulmonary nodules, obtained by open lung biopsy, was identical with the primary tumour and showed no evidence of malignancy. The dispersion to the lungs was probably explained by inhalation of tumour cells, itself favoured by 8 surgical curettages. The progress of these pulmonary lesions was as slow as the primary tumour. No therapeutic trial was attempted on the grounds of age, perfect clinical tolerance and the absence of any known therapeutic protocol which would be active.

Bronchial carcinoid with fibrillary inclusions related to cytokeratins: an immunohistochemical and ultrastructural study with subsequent investigation of 12 foregut APUDomas.

A bronchial P cell carcinoid, which was negative for all hormones immunocyto chemically tested, showed a globular intracytoplasmic inclusion in almost every cell. The inclusions were not clearly distinguishable using the haematoxylin- eosin- safran procedure; they were best demonstrated with the Masson trichrome stain and the Grimelius technique and were easily detected in 1 micron thick Epon sections as target-like structures. On electron microscopy, they were found to be composed of filamentous aggregates entrapping a few endosecretory granules, which showed degenerative changes. The filaments, 8-10 nm in diameter, lacked any periodicity; they were randomly dispersed in the central area and arranged in broken concentric swirls at the periphery of the inclusions. The globules lacked the tinctorial properties of amyloid, but showed a strong immunostaining for keratin-like proteins. A systematic investigation of 12 APUDomas of bronchial or duodenopancreatic origin, using both light and electron microscopy, identified a few filamentous bodies in one case, a somatostatin cell tumour of ampulla of Vater. In both cases, the structures appeared similar to those previously reported in growth hormone cell pituitary adenomas as well as in a few bronchial or gut carcinoids. Whatever their nature, morphological data suggest that they are related to abnormalities in the secretory function, involving the Golgi apparatus, the endosecretory granules and the microtubular microfilamentous system.

[Localized pulmonary pseudo-tumoral form of Wegener's disease and fulminating evolution. Apropos of a case]. / Maladie de Wegener à forme pulmonaire pseudo-tumorale localisée et d'évolution fulminante. A propos d'une observation.

A case of Wegener's granulomatosis starting as a localized pseudo-tumoral lung lesion and following a fulminating course is reported. The histological diagnosis required thoracotomy. New pulmonary lesions developed post-operatively, together with severe renal failure which was responsible for the patient's death 5 weeks after the thoracotomy. The authors describe the lesions characteristic of the disease and their pathogenesis and discuss the relationship between Wegener's syndrome and other granulomatous angiitis.