Left recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy associated with silicosis.

Left recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy usually results from invasion or compression of the nerve caused by diseases localized within the aortopulmonary window. This study reports the case of a 76-yr-old male with vocal cord paralysis due to lymph node involvement by silicosis. This rare entity was identified by video-mediastinoscopy, which revealed a granulomatous and fibrosed recurrent lymph node encasing the nerve. The nerve was dissected and released from scar tissues. Progressive clinical improvement was observed followed by total and durable recovery of the voice after 15 weeks follow-up.

American Cancer Society guideline for the early detection of prostate cancer: update 2010.

In 2009, the American Cancer Society (ACS) Prostate Cancer Advisory Committee began the process of a complete update of recommendations for early prostate cancer detection. A series of systematic evidence reviews was conducted focusing on evidence related to the early detection of prostate cancer, test performance, harms of therapy for localized prostate cancer, and shared and informed decision making in prostate cancer screening. The results of the systematic reviews were evaluated by the ACS Prostate Cancer Advisory Committee, and deliberations about the evidence occurred at committee meetings and during conference calls. On the basis of the evidence and a consensus process, the Prostate Cancer Advisory Committee developed the guideline, and a writing committee drafted a guideline document that was circulated to the entire committee for review and revision. The document was then circulated to peer reviewers for feedback, and finally to the ACS Mission Outcomes Committee and the ACS Board of Directors for approval. The ACS recommends that asymptomatic men who have at least a 10-year life expectancy have an opportunity to make an informed decision with their health care provider about screening for prostate cancer after they receive information about the uncertainties, risks, and potential benefits associated with prostate cancer screening. Prostate cancer screening should not occur without an informed decision-making process. Men at average risk should receive this information beginning at age 50 years. Men in higher risk groups should receive this information before age 50 years. Men should either receive this information directly from their health care providers or be referred to reliable and culturally appropriate sources. Patient decision aids are helpful in preparing men to make a decision whether to be tested.

Self-organizing propagation patterns from dynamic self-assembly in monolayers

Propagation of localized orientational waves, as imaged by Brewster angle microscopy, is induced by low intensity linearly polarized light inside axisymmetric smectic-C confined domains in a photosensitive molecular thin film at the air/water interface (Langmuir monolayer). Results from numerical simulations of a model that couples photoreorientational effects and long-range elastic forces are presented. Differences are stressed between our scenario and the paradigmatic wave phenomena in excitable chemical media.

Enhanced pulse propagation in non-linear arrays of oscillators

The propagation of a pulse in a nonlinear array of oscillators is influenced by the nature of the array and by its coupling to a thermal environment. For example, in some arrays a pulse can be speeded up while in others a pulse can be slowed down by raising the temperature. We begin by showing that an energy pulse (one dimension) or energy front (two dimensions) travels more rapidly and remains more localized over greater distances in an isolated array (microcanonical) of hard springs than in a harmonic array or in a soft-springed array. Increasing the pulse amplitude causes it to speed up in a hard chain, leaves the pulse speed unchanged in a harmonic system, and slows down the pulse in a soft chain. Connection of each site to a thermal environment (canonical) affects these results very differently in each type of array. In a hard chain the dissipative forces slow down the pulse while raising the temperature speeds it up. In a soft chain the opposite occurs: the dissipative forces actually speed up the pulse, while raising the temperature slows it down. In a harmonic chain neither dissipation nor temperature changes affect the pulse speed. These and other results are explained on the basis of the frequency vs energy relations in the various arrays

Dynamics of a paramagnetic colloidal particle driven on a magnetic-bubble lattice

We present a theoretical study of the recently observed dynamical regimes of paramagnetic colloidal particles externally driven above a regular lattice of magnetic bubbles [P. Tierno, T. H. Johansen, and T. M. Fischer, Phys. Rev. Lett. 99, 038303 (2007)]. An external precessing magnetic field alters the potential generated by the surface of the film in such a way to either drive the particle circularly around one bubble, ballistically through the array, or in triangular orbits on the interstitial regions between the bubbles. In the ballistic regime, we observe different trajectories performed by the particles phase locked with the external driving. Superdiffusive motion, which was experimentally found bridging the localized and delocalized dynamics, emerge only by introducing a certain degree of randomness into the bubbles size distribution.

Ex-Vivo Ultransonographic Control Of Resection Margin During Partial Nephrectomy

Introduction & Objectives: Surgery remains the treatment of choice for localized renal cell neoplasia. While radical nephrectomy was long considered as gold standard, partial nephrectomy (PN) has widened its indications over the past twodecades and has shown oncological results equivalent to radical nephrectomy for small tumors. Moreover, it is considered superior to radical nephrectomy in terms of non-cancer related mortality. The role of negative surgical margin has been widely debated. Intraoperative frozen section analysis has been shown to be unreliable, expensive, time-consuming and not well correlated to final pathology. The goal of the present study was to assess the correlation of intraoperative exvivo ultrasonographic (US) evaluation of resection margin to definitive pathology in patients undergoing PN.Materials & Methods: An observational study was carried out in ours 2 institutions from February 2008 to October 2010. Patients undergoing PN for T1-T2 renal tumors were included. Ex vivo US evaluation was performed. Considering availability of US engine, not all consecutive eligible patients were included. PN was undertaken either by open surgery or laparoscopic access in a standardized technique. The "minimal healthy tissue margin" technique was applied. Once resected, the specimen was kept in a saline solution and US determination of tumor margins was performed. Sequential images were captured in order to evaluate the whole capsule.Results: Twenty-two patients (9 women, age 63±11 years[46-78]) were included in the present analysis. Open or laparoscopic PN was performed in 19 and 3 patients, respectively. Intraoperative ex-vivo US showed negative surgical margin in all cases except one, needing a complementary renal parenchyma resection. US duration ranged from 1 to 4 minutes, with a median time of 1 minute. Definitive histological analysis confirmed the presence of 3 angiomyolipoma, 15 clear cell carcinoma (11 pT1a,3 pT1b,1 pT2), 3 chromophobe carcinoma (1 pT1a,1 pT1b,1 pT2) and 1 pT1a type II papillary tumor. Mean tumor size was 3,4±2.1 cm [0,6-7,2]. Final pathology revealed R0 margins in all cases.Conclusions: Intraoperative ex-vivo US evaluation of resection margin in patients undergoing PN is feasible, time-efficient, well correlated to definitive pathological examination, and should be evaluated in further prospective trials.

Magnetic structure of Li2CuO2: From ab initio calculations to macroscopic simulations

The magnetic structure of the edge-sharing cuprate compound Li2CuO2 has been investigated with highly correlated ab initio electronic structure calculations. The first- and second-neighbor in-chain magnetic interactions are calculated to be 142 and -22 K, respectively. The ratio between the two parameters is smaller than suggested previously in the literature. The interchain interactions are antiferromagnetic in nature and of the order of a few K only. Monte Carlo simulations using the ab initio parameters to define the spin model Hamiltonian result in a Nel temperature in good agreement with experiment. Spin population analysis situates the magnetic moment on the copper and oxygen ions between the completely localized picture derived from experiment and the more delocalized picture based on local-density calculations.

Dynamics of turing patterns under spatiotemporal forcing

We study, both theoretically and experimentally, the dynamical response of Turing patterns to a spatiotemporal forcing in the form of a traveling-wave modulation of a control parameter. We show that from strictly spatial resonance, it is possible to induce new, generic dynamical behaviors, including temporally modulated traveling waves and localized traveling solitonlike solutions. The latter make contact with the soliton solutions of Coullet [Phys. Rev. Lett. 56, 724 (1986)] and generalize them. The stability diagram for the different propagating modes in the Lengyel-Epstein model is determined numerically. Direct observations of the predicted solutions in experiments carried out with light modulations in the photosensitive chlorine dioxide-iodine-malonic acid reaction are also reported.

Self-organizing propagation patterns from dynamic self-assembly in monolayers

Propagation of localized orientational waves, as imaged by Brewster angle microscopy, is induced by low intensity linearly polarized light inside axisymmetric smectic-C confined domains in a photosensitive molecular thin film at the air/water interface (Langmuir monolayer). Results from numerical simulations of a model that couples photoreorientational effects and long-range elastic forces are presented. Differences are stressed between our scenario and the paradigmatic wave phenomena in excitable chemical media.

Comparative localization of glioma-reactive monoclonal antibodies in vivo in an athymic mouse human glioma xenograft model.

Radioiodinated murine monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) 81C6, Me 1-14, C12, D12, and E9, made against or reactive with human gliomas but not normal brain, and Mab UJ13A, a pan-neuroectodermal Mab reactive with normal human glial and neural cells, were evaluated in paired label studies in the D-54 MG subcutaneous human glioma xenograft model system in nude mice. Following intravenous injection in the tail vein of mice bearing 200-400 mm3 tumors, specific localization of Mabs to tumor over time (6 h-9 days) was evaluated by tissue counting; each Mab demonstrated a unique localization profile. The comparison of localization indices (LI), determined as a ratio of tissue level of Mab to control immunoglobulin with simultaneous correction for blood levels of each, showed Mabs 81C6 and Me 1-14 to steadily accumulate in glioma xenografts, maintaining LI from 5-20 at 7-9 days after Mab injection. Mab UJ13A peaked at day 1, maintaining this level through day 2, and declining thereafter. Mabs D12 and C12 peaked at days 3 and 4, respectively, and E9 maintained an LI of greater than 3 from days 3-9. Percent injected dose localized/g of tumor varied from a peak high of 16% (81C6) to a low of 5% (Me 1-14 and UJ13A). Immunoperoxidase histochemistry, performed with each Mab on a battery of primary human brain neoplasms, revealed that Mabs 81C6 and E9, which demonstrated the highest levels of percent injected dose localized/g of tumor over time, reacted with antigens expressed in the extracellular matrix. This finding suggests that extracellular matrix localization of antigen represents a biologically significant factor affecting localization and/or binding in the xenograft model used. The demonstration of significant localization, varied kinetics and patterns of localization of this localizing Mab panel warrants their continued investigation as potential imaging and therapeutic agents for human trials.

MyD88 and TLR9 dependent immune responses mediate resistance to Leishmania guyanensis infections, irrespective of Leishmania RNA virus burden.

Infections with Leishmania parasites of the Leishmania Viannia subgenus give rise to both localized cutaneous (CL), and metastatic leishmaniasis. Metastasizing disease forms including disseminated (DCL) and mutocutaneous (MCL) leishmaniasis result from parasitic dissemination and lesion formation at sites distal to infection and have increased inflammatory responses. The presence of Leishmania RNA virus (LRV) in L. guyanensis parasites contributes to the exacerbation of disease and impacts inflammatory responses via activation of TLR3 by the viral dsRNA. In this study we investigated other innate immune response adaptor protein modulators and demonstrated that both MyD88 and TLR9 played a crucial role in the development of Th1-dependent healing responses against L. guyanensis parasites regardless of their LRV status. The absence of MyD88- or TLR9-dependent signaling pathways resulted in increased Th2 associated cytokines (IL-4 and IL-13), which was correlated with low transcript levels of IL-12p40. The reliance of IL-12 was further confirmed in IL12AB-/- mice, which were completely susceptible to infection. Protection to L. guyanensis infection driven by MyD88- and TLR9-dependent immune responses arises independently to those induced due to high LRV burden within the parasites.

Myeloid-related proteins 8 and 14 contribute to monosodium urate monohydrate crystal-induced inflammation in gout.

OBJECTIVE: Monosodium urate monohydrate (MSU) crystal-induced interleukin-1β (IL-1β) secretion is a critical factor in the pathogenesis of gout. However, without costimulation by a proIL-1β-inducing factor, MSU crystals alone are insufficient to induce IL-1β secretion. The responsible costimulatory factors that act as a priming endogenous signal in vivo are not yet known. We undertook this study to analyze the costimulatory properties of myeloid-related protein 8 (MRP-8) and MRP-14 (endogenous Toll-like receptor 4 [TLR-4] agonists) in MSU crystal-induced IL-1β secretion and their relevance in gout. METHODS: MRP-8/MRP-14 was measured in paired serum and synovial fluid samples by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and localized in synovial tissue from gout patients by immunohistochemistry. Serum levels were correlated with disease activity, and MSU crystal-induced release of MRPs from human phagocytes was measured. Costimulatory effects of MRP-8 and MRP-14 on MSU crystal-induced IL-1β secretion from phagocytes were analyzed in vitro by ELISA, Western blotting, and polymerase chain reaction. The impact of MRP was tested in vivo in a murine MSU crystal-induced peritonitis model. RESULTS: MRP-8/MRP-14 levels were elevated in the synovium, tophi, and serum of patients with gout and correlated with disease activity. MRP-8/MRP-14 was released by MSU crystal-activated phagocytes and increased MSU crystal-induced IL-1β secretion in a TLR-4-dependent manner. Targeted deletion of MRP-14 in mice led to a moderately reduced response of MSU crystal-induced inflammation in vivo. CONCLUSION: MRP-8 and MRP-14, which are highly expressed in gout, are enhancers of MSU crystal-induced IL-1β secretion in vitro and in vivo. These endogenous TLR-4 ligands released by activated phagocytes contribute to the maintenance of inflammation in gout.

Drug targeting strategies for photodynamic therapy.

In human pathologies, therapeutic treatments are often limited by the lack of selectivity of drugs and their elevated effective concentrations. Targeting these agents to a defined tissue could enhance their selectivity and then diminish their side effects when compared to drugs that accumulate in the entire body. Targeting could also improve treatment efficiency by allowing a localized high concentration of the agents. Based on the different behaviors and patterns of expression between diseased and normal cells, strategies for targeting can be explored. For example, receptors, proteases or trans-membrane carriers could be different or differently expressed. Many therapeutic procedures rely on this fact, including photodynamic therapy (PDT). PDT is already used in the treatment of some cancers, of inflammatory diseases and others diseases such as age-related macular degeneration or acne. PDT relies on the activation of a photosensitizer (PS) by visible light which results in the production of cytotoxic reactive oxygen species. In PDT, the general distribution of PS to the whole body leads to generalized photosensitization and poor acceptance of treatments by patients. One way to avoid these effects is to improve the targeting of PSs to diseased tissues using modification of PS with peptides or proteins that will target specific receptors or enzymes. PSs could also be functionalized with non-proteic ligands such as organometalics to achieve targeted and/or combined therapies. Alternatively, PSs could be encapsulated in nanoparticles bearing targeting agents which will decrease concentration of free circulating PS and improve photodynamic efficiency. These different approaches will be discussed in the present review with an emphasis on the use of peptides and proteins.

Genomic Study of RNA Polymerase II and III SNAP(c)-Bound Promoters Reveals a Gene Transcribed by Both Enzymes and a Broad Use of Common Activators.

SNAP(c) is one of a few basal transcription factors used by both RNA polymerase (pol) II and pol III. To define the set of active SNAP(c)-dependent promoters in human cells, we have localized genome-wide four SNAP(c) subunits, GTF2B (TFIIB), BRF2, pol II, and pol III. Among some seventy loci occupied by SNAP(c) and other factors, including pol II snRNA genes, pol III genes with type 3 promoters, and a few un-annotated loci, most are primarily occupied by either pol II and GTF2B, or pol III and BRF2. A notable exception is the RPPH1 gene, which is occupied by significant amounts of both polymerases. We show that the large majority of SNAP(c)-dependent promoters recruit POU2F1 and/or ZNF143 on their enhancer region, and a subset also recruits GABP, a factor newly implicated in SNAP(c)-dependent transcription. These activators associate with pol II and III promoters in G1 slightly before the polymerase, and ZNF143 is required for efficient transcription initiation complex assembly. The results characterize a set of genes with unique properties and establish that polymerase specificity is not absolute in vivo.

Detection, analysis and monitoring of slope movements by high-resolution digital elevation models

Summary Detection, analysis and monitoring of slope movements by high-resolution digital elevation modelsSlope movements, such as rockfalls, rockslides, shallow landslides or debris flows, are frequent in many mountainous areas. These natural hazards endanger the inhabitants and infrastructures making it necessary to assess the hazard and risk caused by these phenomena. This PhD thesis explores various approaches using digital elevation models (DEMs) - and particularly high-resolution DEMs created by aerial or terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) - that contribute to the assessment of slope movement hazard at regional and local scales.The regional detection of areas prone to rockfalls and large rockslides uses different morphologic criteria or geometric instability factors derived from DEMs, i.e. the steepness of the slope, the presence of discontinuities, which enable a sliding mechanism, and the denudation potential. The combination of these factors leads to a map of susceptibility to rockfall initiation that is in good agreement with field studies as shown with the example of the Little Mill Campground area (Utah, USA). Another case study in the Illgraben catchment in the Swiss Alps highlighted the link between areas with a high denudation potential and actual rockfall areas.Techniques for a detailed analysis and characterization of slope movements based on high-resolution DEMs have been developed for specific, localized sites, i.e. ancient slide scars, present active instabilities or potential slope instabilities. The analysis of the site's characteristics mainly focuses on rock slopes and includes structural analyses (orientation of discontinuities); estimation of spacing, persistence and roughness of discontinuities; failure mechanisms based on the structural setting; and volume calculations. For the volume estimation a new 3D approach was tested to reconstruct the topography before a landslide or to construct the basal failure surface of an active or potential instability. The rockslides at Åknes, Tafjord and Rundefjellet in western Norway were principally used as study sites to develop and test the different techniques.The monitoring of slope instabilities investigated in this PhD thesis is essentially based on multitemporal (or sequential) high-resolution DEMs, in particular sequential point clouds acquired by TLS. The changes in the topography due to slope movements can be detected and quantified by sequential TLS datasets, notably by shortest distance comparisons revealing the 3D slope movements over the entire region of interest. A detailed analysis of rock slope movements is based on the affine transformation between an initial and a final state of the rock mass and its decomposition into translational and rotational movements. Monitoring using TLS was very successful on the fast-moving Eiger rockslide in the Swiss Alps, but also on the active rockslides of Åknes and Nordnesfjellet (northern Norway). One of the main achievements on the Eiger and Aknes rockslides is to combine the site's morphology and structural setting with the measured slope movements to produce coherent instability models. Both case studies also highlighted a strong control of the structures in the rock mass on the sliding directions. TLS was also used to monitor slope movements in soils, such as landslides in sensitive clays in Québec (Canada), shallow landslides on river banks (Sorge River, Switzerland) and a debris flow channel (Illgraben).The PhD thesis underlines the broad uses of high-resolution DEMs and especially of TLS in the detection, analysis and monitoring of slope movements. Future studies should explore in more depth the different techniques and approaches developed and used in this PhD, improve them and better integrate the findings in current hazard assessment practices and in slope stability models.Résumé Détection, analyse et surveillance de mouvements de versant à l'aide de modèles numériques de terrain de haute résolutionDes mouvements de versant, tels que des chutes de blocs, glissements de terrain ou laves torrentielles, sont fréquents dans des régions montagneuses et mettent en danger les habitants et les infrastructures ce qui rend nécessaire d'évaluer le danger et le risque causé par ces phénomènes naturels. Ce travail de thèse explore diverses approches qui utilisent des modèles numériques de terrain (MNT) et surtout des MNT de haute résolution créés par scanner laser terrestre (SLT) ou aérien - et qui contribuent à l'évaluation du danger de mouvements de versant à l'échelle régionale et locale.La détection régionale de zones propices aux chutes de blocs ou aux éboulements utilise plusieurs critères morphologiques dérivés d'un MNT, tels que la pente, la présence de discontinuités qui permettent un mécanisme de glissement ou le potentiel de dénudation. La combinaison de ces facteurs d'instabilité mène vers une carte de susceptibilité aux chutes de blocs qui est en accord avec des travaux de terrain comme démontré avec l'exemple du Little Mill Campground (Utah, États-Unis). Un autre cas d'étude - l'Illgraben dans les Alpes valaisannes - a mis en évidence le lien entre les zones à fort potentiel de dénudation et les sources effectives de chutes de blocs et d'éboulements.Des techniques pour l'analyse et la caractérisation détaillée de mouvements de versant basées sur des MNT de haute résolution ont été développées pour des sites spécifiques et localisés, comme par exemple des cicatrices d'anciens éboulements et des instabilités actives ou potentielles. Cette analyse se focalise principalement sur des pentes rocheuses et comprend l'analyse structurale (orientation des discontinuités); l'estimation de l'espacement, la persistance et la rugosité des discontinuités; l'établissement des mécanismes de rupture; et le calcul de volumes. Pour cela une nouvelle approche a été testée en rétablissant la topographie antérieure au glissement ou en construisant la surface de rupture d'instabilités actuelles ou potentielles. Les glissements rocheux d'Åknes, Tafjord et Rundefjellet en Norvège ont été surtout utilisés comme cas d'étude pour développer et tester les diverses approches. La surveillance d'instabilités de versant effectuée dans cette thèse de doctorat est essentiellement basée sur des MNT de haute résolution multi-temporels (ou séquentiels), en particulier des nuages de points séquentiels acquis par SLT. Les changements topographiques dus aux mouvements de versant peuvent être détectés et quantifiés sur l'ensemble d'un glissement, notamment par comparaisons des distances les plus courtes entre deux nuages de points. L'analyse détaillée des mouvements est basée sur la transformation affine entre la position initiale et finale d'un bloc et sa décomposition en mouvements translationnels et rotationnels. La surveillance par SLT a démontré son potentiel avec l'effondrement d'un pan de l'Eiger dans les Alpes suisses, mais aussi aux glissements rocheux d'Aknes et Nordnesfjellet en Norvège. Une des principales avancées à l'Eiger et à Aknes est la création de modèles d'instabilité cohérents en combinant la morphologie et l'agencement structural des sites avec les mesures de déplacements. Ces deux cas d'étude ont aussi démontré le fort contrôle des structures existantes dans le massif rocheux sur les directions de glissement. Le SLT a également été utilisé pour surveiller des glissements dans des terrains meubles comme dans les argiles sensibles au Québec (Canada), sur les berges de la rivière Sorge en Suisse et dans le chenal à laves torrentielles de l'Illgraben.Cette thèse de doctorat souligne le vaste champ d'applications des MNT de haute résolution et particulièrement du SLT dans la détection, l'analyse et la surveillance des mouvements de versant. Des études futures devraient explorer plus en profondeur les différentes techniques et approches développées, les améliorer et mieux les intégrer dans des pratiques actuelles d'analyse de danger et surtout dans la modélisation de stabilité des versants.