Elongational behaviour of electrostatically stabilised and concentrated CNF and CNC hydrogels: Experiments and modelling.

TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibril (CNF) hydrogels or cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) hydrogels can now be obtained at high concentrations (>10 wt%) and used to fabricate biobased materials and structures. Thus, it is required to control and model their rheology in process-induced multiaxial flow conditions using 3D tensorial models. For that purpose, it is necessary to investigate their elongational rheology. Thus, concentrated TEMPO-oxidized CNF and CNC hydrogels were subjected to monotonic and cyclic lubricated compression tests. These tests revealed for the first time that the complex compression rheology of these two electrostatically stabilised hydrogels combines viscoelasticity and viscoplasticity. The effect of their nanofibre content and aspect ratio on their compression response was clearly emphasised and discussed. The ability of a non-linear elasto-viscoplastic model to reproduce the experiments was assessed. Even if some discrepancies were observed at low or high strain rates, the model was consistent with the experiments.

Rheology of concentrated and highly concentrated enzymatic cellulose nanofibril hydrogels during lubricated compression.

Processing cellulose nanofibril (CNF) hydrogels with a high concentration is a solution to reduce logistics costs and drying energy and to produce CNF-based materials with good dimensional stability. However, the rheology of concentrated and highly concentrated CNF hydrogels is poorly understood due to the difficulties to characterise them using standard shear rheometers. In this study, enzymatic CNF hydrogels in the concentrated and highly concentrated regimes (3-13.6 wt%) were subjected to lubricated compression at various strain rates. At low strains, compression curves exhibited a linear regime. At higher strains and low strain rates, a heterogeneous and marked hardening of stress levels was observed and accompanied with a two-phase flow with significant fluid segregation and network consolidation. At high strain rates, a homogeneous and incompressible one-phase plateau-like regime progressively established. In this regime, a yield stress was measured and compared with literature data, showing a good agreement with them.

Manufacturing of starch-based materials using ultrasonic compression moulding (UCM): toward a structural application.

An experimental study of the ultrasonic compression moulding (UCM) to manufacture biobased composites made of semicrystalline starch powders and softwood fibres is described. The main objective was to assess the potential of using this fast and economical processing technique to elaborate a 100% biobased composite which might substitute more usual polymer materials for structural applications. The starch powder was chosen as raw material for the matrix while the reinforcement was made of softwood fibres. Tablets made of starch only and composite beams were processed under different conditions and characterised by several techniques. Three types of starch powders and two types of fibres were used as raw materials. A morphological and crystalline analysis was carried out by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The native semicrystalline structure of starch granules was not totally preserved so as to obtain a homogeneous material. Diametral compression tests on tablets were performed to improve the processing route and obtain the materials with the best properties. Bending tests were used on composite beams to quantify the mechanical properties and study the effects of the processing parameters. The optimum processing parameters were defined and allowed obtaining a matrix for which the flexural strength reached 21 MPa. Mechanical properties were improved when fibres were added into the matrix: three-points bending tests showed a Young's modulus of 6 GPa, a flexural strength of 75 MPa and a flexural strain at break of 6% for a bulk density of 1.25. Considering these results, UCM appears to be a promising process to design a 100% biobased composite with mechanical properties comparable to those of classical discontinuous fibre composites.

Somatic profile in lung cancers is associated to reproductive factors in never-smokers women: Results from the IFCT-1002 BioCAST study.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer in women is on the rise, with a higher proportion occurring in lifelong never-smokers. Lung cancer in never-smokers (LCINS) exhibits a high frequency of driver oncogene alterations. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether exposure to reproductive factors in women with LCINS may modulate the molecular pattern. METHODS: All newly diagnosed LCINSs were included in a prospective, observational study (IFCT-1002 BioCAST). Each patient responded to a questionnaire including reproductive factors. Biomarker test results were also collected. RESULTS: Two hundred and sixty women were included in this analysis, and 166 alterations were characterized. EGFR mutation frequency proved greater among patients with late menarche (74% in age>14 vs. 40% and 41% for 12-14 and ≤12 years, respectively; P=0.020) and tended to decrease with increasingly late age at menopause. In multivariate analysis, EGFR mutation frequency increased by 23% per increment of 1 year of age at menarche (P=0.048), and by 9% for each year at age at first birth (P=0.035). ALK alteration frequency was greater in women with high parity (50% in≥5 vs. 12% and 7% for 1-4 and nulliparity, respectively; P=0.021). CONCLUSION: In a cohort of women LCINSs, female hormonal factors appear to impact molecular pattern.

Morbidity of total thyroidectomy for substernal goiter: A series of 70 patients.

Total thyroidectomy for substernal goiter occasionally requires a sternotomy associated with a cervical incision. We sought to analyze the postoperative complications of thyroidectomy for substernal goiters in our center and more precisely the complications related to the sternotomy. All patients who underwent total thyroidectomy for substernal goiter in our center between 2007 and 2016 were reviewed retrospectively. Patients with combined cervical incision and sternotomy (ST group, n=16) were compared to those with cervical incision alone (CT group, n=54), with regard to postoperative complications. Risk factors for the occurrence of postoperative complications were investigated in this population. A total of 24 patients (34.2%) had one or more postoperative complications. The incidence of transient hypoparathyroidism and recurrent laryngeal nerve injury were higher in the ST group (P=0.001 and P=0.052, respectively). The median duration of hospitalization was longer in the ST group (P<0.001). Eighteen patients (25.8%) had a malignant tumor on final pathology. In univariate analysis, the following risk factors for transient postoperative hypoparathyroidism were identified: sternotomy, preoperative symptomatic character and thyroid height (P=0.001, P=0.009 and P=0.013, respectively). In multivariable analysis, only sternotomy was an independent risk factor for postoperative transient hypoparathyroidism (OR=4.48 [1.1; 18], P=0.035). Sternotomy is associated with added morbidity that is not negligible. This surgical approach should be reserved for substernal goiters that descend into the posterior mediastinum, below the level of the aortic arch, when there is suspicion of carcinoma with loco-regional invasion, or when the thyroid tissue is located mainly intrathoracically (conical shaped thyroid, asymptomatic goiter, ectopic thyroid).

Efficacy of afoxolaner plus milbemycin oxime chewable tablets (NexGard Spectra®, Merial) against adult Ancylostoma ceylanicum hookworm, in dogs.

A fixed-combination chewable tablet incorporating afoxolaner plus milbemycin oxime (NexGard Spectra®, Merial) was tested in purpose-bred Beagle dogs for efficacy against adult Ancylostoma ceylanicum hookworms. Sixteen dogs were inoculated each by oral administration of approximately 500 infective larvae of A. ceylanicum. Seventeen days after inoculation, the dogs were weighed and allocated randomly to be treated with afoxolaner plus milbemycin oxime chewable tablets or to remain untreated. Commercial chewable tablets of different strength were combined to deliver doses as close as possible to the minimum effective dose of 2.5mg afoxolaner plus 0.5mg milbemycin oxime per kg body weight. Parasites were recovered and counted for determination of efficacy seven days after treatment. All eight dogs that had been left untreated were harboring adult A. ceylanicum (geometric mean, 317.8; range, 210-428) while only one and nine A. ceylanicum were recovered from two of the eight dogs treated with afoxolaner plus milbemycin oxime chewable tablets (geometric mean, 0.5; p<0.0001). Thus, 99.9% efficacy against induced infection of A. ceylanicum was obtained by the use of oral NexGard Spectra® at the minimum effective dose. Treatment with afoxolaner plus milbemycin oxime chewable tablets was well accepted and safe.

Micro-mechanics of electrostatically stabilized suspensions of cellulose nanofibrils under steady state shear flow.

In this study, we characterized and modeled the rheology of TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibril (NFC) aqueous suspensions with electrostatically stabilized and unflocculated nanofibrous structures. These colloidal suspensions of slender and wavy nanofibers exhibited a yield stress and a shear thinning behavior at low and high shear rates, respectively. Both the shear yield stress and the consistency of these suspensions were power-law functions of the NFC volume fraction. We developed an original multiscale model for the prediction of the rheology of these suspensions. At the nanoscale, the suspensions were described as concentrated systems where NFCs interacted with the Newtonian suspending fluid through Brownian motion and long range fluid-NFC hydrodynamic interactions, as well as with each other through short range hydrodynamic and repulsive colloidal interaction forces. These forces were estimated using both the experimental results and 3D networks of NFCs that were numerically generated to mimic the nanostructures of NFC suspensions under shear flow. They were in good agreement with theoretical and measured forces for model colloidal systems. The model showed the primary role played by short range hydrodynamic and colloidal interactions on the rheology of NFC suspensions. At low shear rates, the origin of the yield stress of NFC suspensions was attributed to the combined contribution of repulsive colloidal interactions and the topology of the entangled NFC networks in the suspensions. At high shear rates, both concurrent colloidal and short (in some cases long) range hydrodynamic interactions could be at the origin of the shear thinning behavior of NFC suspensions.

Pulmonary manifestations revealing Rosai-Dorfman disease.

Rosai-Dorfman disease is a rare non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis, mainly involving cervical nodes. We present the case of a patient with a pulmonary form of Rosai-Dorfman disease without peripheral or intra-thoracic lymph nodes, characterized by the presence of pulmonary nodules and cysts associated with bilateral pleural effusions.

The Pluto system: Initial results from its exploration by New Horizons.

The Pluto system was recently explored by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft, making closest approach on 14 July 2015. Pluto's surface displays diverse landforms, terrain ages, albedos, colors, and composition gradients. Evidence is found for a water-ice crust, geologically young surface units, surface ice convection, wind streaks, volatile transport, and glacial flow. Pluto's atmosphere is highly extended, with trace hydrocarbons, a global haze layer, and a surface pressure near 10 microbars. Pluto's diverse surface geology and long-term activity raise fundamental questions about how small planets remain active many billions of years after formation. Pluto's large moon Charon displays tectonics and evidence for a heterogeneous crustal composition; its north pole displays puzzling dark terrain. Small satellites Hydra and Nix have higher albedos than expected.

[Long-term outcome of neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy followed by surgery for esophageal cancer: a single institution retrospective study of 102 patients]. / Résultats à long terme de la chimioradiothérapie néoadjuvante des cancers de l'œsophage: étude rétrospective monocentrique sur 102 patients.

PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES: To report survival and morbidity of a large homogeneous cohort of patients with a locally advanced esophageal or cardia carcinoma and put in evidence predictive factors of locoregional control and survival. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Hundred and two patients were treated at the university hospital of Tours between 1990 and 2010 and received neo-adjuvant chemoradiation therapy with external irradiation (40Gy-44Gy) and two courses of chemotherapy (5-fluoro-uracile and cisplatine). Esophagectomy associated with lymph node dissection was performed about ten weeks after the end of chemoradiation therapy. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 22.4 months [6-185 months]. The overall survival rates at 2 and 5years were 53% and 27%, respectively. The median overall survival was estimated at 27months. The overall 2-year survival between patients "responders" and patients "non-responders" was 67% vs 26%, respectively (P<0.0001). In case of histological response, there was a benefit in terms of overall survival (P<0.0001), locoregional control (P<0.0036) and disease-free survival (P<0.001). Overall survival at 2years was 64% for ypN0 group vs 32% for ypN1 group (P<0.0001). The median survival was estimated at 37months against 15months in the absence of lymph node involvement (P<0.0001). CONCLUSION: Our results in terms of survival, tolerance and morbidity and mortality were comparable to those in the literature. Complete histological response of lymph node was associated with an improvement of local control, disease-free survival and overall survival.

Heterogeneous flow kinematics of cellulose nanofibril suspensions under shear.

The rheology of NFC suspensions that exhibited different microstructures and colloidal stability, namely TEMPO and enzymatic NFC suspensions, was investigated at the macro and mesoscales using a transparent Couette rheometer combined with optical observations and ultrasonic speckle velocimetry (USV). Both NFC suspensions showed a complex rheology, which was typical of yield stress, non-linear and thixotropic fluids. Hysteresis loops and erratic evolutions of the macroscale shear stress were also observed, thereby suggesting important mesostructural changes and/or inhomogeneous flow conditions. The in situ optical observations revealed drastic mesostructural changes for the enzymatic NFC suspensions, whereas the TEMPO NFC suspensions did not exhibit mesoscale heterogeneities. However, for both suspensions, USV measurements showed that the flow was heterogeneous and exhibited complex situations with the coexistence of multiple flow bands, wall slippage and possibly multidimensional effects. Using USV measurements, we also showed that the fluidization of these suspensions could presumably be attributed to a progressive and spatially heterogeneous transition from a solid-like to a liquid-like behavior. As the shear rate was increased, the multiple coexisting shear bands progressively enlarged and nearly completely spanned over the rheometer gap, whereas the plug-like flow bands were eroded.

Chronic bronchiolitis in ankylosing spondylitis.

The pleuro-pulmonary signs of ankylosing spondylitis are generally asymptomatic, typically represented by biapical lung fibrosis. To our knowledge, the severe bronchiolitis which is sometimes observed in other spondyloarthropathies has not been described in ankylosing spondylitis. We report two cases of severe chronic bronchiolitis in ankylosing spondylitis patients. Their clinical and radiological presentation were similar, characterized by progressive deterioration of stage III-IV dyspnea, non-reversible obstructive ventilatory defect, and CT scan showing air trapping with mosaic attenuation and ground-glass opacity in expiration. Lung biopsies confirmed the diagnosis of severe follicular bronchiolitis in one patient and constrictive bronchiolitis is suspected in the other. Only the patient with follicular bronchiolitis responded positively to treatment with low doses of macrolides.

Spawning migration of American eel Anguilla rostrata from pristine (1843-1872) to contemporary (1963-1990) periods in the St Lawrence Estuary, Canada.

Daily American eel Anguilla rostrata catches and their dates of passage (starting, median and ending dates) were compared between pristine (1843-1872) and contemporary periods (1963-1990) to determine any changes and see whether these were related to environmental variations and water discharge regulation. Timing and duration of A. rostrata migration patterns differed significantly between the two periods. In the contemporary period, migrating A. rostrata were intercepted significantly earlier than in pristine times (18 days earlier on average), and ended at the same average period. Early A. rostrata migration was also significantly related to high spring flow and secondarily to high spring temperature, while migration ended later when high temperature or low water level occurred during the autumn period. A recent slight increase in the water temperature of the St Lawrence River could partially explain the earlier A. rostrata migration observed during the contemporary period. In return, the effect of high spring flow should have been more contrasted if the river discharge would have not been regulated. Recent A. rostrata production now being mainly restricted to the lower part of St Lawrence River mainstream, resulting shorter travelling distance to the estuary may explain why migrating progress was earlier during the contemporary period.

Quantitative PCR to diagnose Pneumocystis pneumonia in immunocompromised non-HIV patients.

The utility of quantitative Pneumocystis jirovecii PCR in clinical routine for diagnosing Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) in immunocompromised non-HIV patients is unknown. We analysed bronchoalveolar lavage fluid with real-time quantitative P. jirovecii PCR in 71 cases with definitive PCP defined by positive immunofluorescence (IF) tests and in 171 randomly selected patients with acute lung disease. In those patients, possible PCP cases were identified by using a novel standardised PCP probability algorithm and chart review. PCR performance was compared with IF testing, clinical judgment and the PCP probability algorithm. Quantitative P. jirovecii PCR values >1,450 pathogens·mL(-1) had a positive predictive value of 98.0% (95% CI 89.6-100.0%) for diagnosing definitive PCP. PCR values of between 1 and 1,450 pathogens·mL(-1) were associated with both colonisation and infection; thus, a cut-off between the two conditions could not be identified and diagnosis of PCP in this setting relied on IF and clinical assessment. Clinical PCP could be ruled out in 99.3% of 153 patients with negative PCR results. Quantitative PCR is useful for diagnosing PCP and is complementary to IF. PCR values of >1,450 pathogens·mL(-1) allow reliable diagnosis, whereas negative PCR results virtually exclude PCP. Intermediate values require additional clinical assessment and IF testing. On the basis of our data and for economic and logistical limitations, we propose a clinical algorithm in which IF remains the preferred first test in most cases, followed by PCR in those patients with a negative IF and strong clinical suspicion for PCP.

Threshold dose for peanut: Risk characterization based upon diagnostic oral challenge of a series of 286 peanut-allergic individuals.

Clinical records of 286 consecutive patients reacting positively with objective symptoms to double-blind, placebo-controlled oral peanut challenges at University Hospital, Nancy, France were examined for individual No Observed Adverse Effect Levels (NOAELs) and Lowest Observed Adverse Effect Levels (LOAELs). After fitting to a log-normal probability distribution model, the ED(10) and ED(05) were 14.4 and 7.3mg (expressed as whole peanut), respectively, with 95% lower confidence intervals of 10.7 and 5.2mg, respectively. Compared to results from a previous study where the ED(10) was based upon individual peanut thresholds gleaned from 12 publications, a statistically significant difference was observed between the ED(50)'s, but not the ED(10)'s of the two probability distribution curves. The Nancy patient group contains more sensitive subjects than the group from the published literature thus contributing to the observed differences. Minimum eliciting dose-distributions for patients with histories of more severe reactions (grade 4 or 5; 40 subjects) did not differ significantly from those of patients with histories of less severe reactions (grades 1-3; 123 subjects). These data and this modeling approach could be used to establish population thresholds for peanut-allergic consumers and thereby provide a sound basis for allergen control measures in the food industry.

Ets-1 p27: a novel Ets-1 isoform with dominant-negative effects on the transcriptional properties and the subcellular localization of Ets-1 p51.

The transcription factor Ets-1 is implicated in various physiological processes and invasive pathologies. We identified a novel variant of ets-1, ets-1Delta(III-VI), resulting from the alternative splicing of exons III to VI. This variant encodes a 27 kDa isoform, named Ets-1 p27. Ets-1 p27 lacks the threonine-38 residue, the Pointed domain and the transactivation domain, all of which are required for the transactivation of Ets-1 target genes. Both inhibitory domains surrounding the DNA-binding domain are conserved, suggesting that Ets-1 p27, like the full-length Ets-1 p51 isoform, is autoinhibited for DNA binding. We showed that Ets-1 p27 binds DNA in the same way as Ets-1 p51 does and that it acts both at a transcriptional and a subcellular localization level, thereby constituting a dual-acting dominant negative of Ets-1 p51. Ets-1 p27 blocks Ets-1 p51-mediated transactivation of target genes and induces the translocation of Ets-1 p51 from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. Furthermore, Ets-1 p27 overexpression represses the tumor properties of MDA-MB-231 mammary carcinoma cells in correlation with the known implication of Ets-1 in various cellular mechanisms. Thus the dual-acting dominant-negative function of Ets-1 p27 gives to the Ets-1 p27/Ets-1 p51 ratio a determining effect on cell fate.