Content of carbohydrates and trace elements in a group of non-alcoholic drinks

BACKGROUND: In order to elaborate recommendations for the dietetic care of diabetic patients and other clinical disorders we have measured the concentration of carbohydrates and trace elements in a group of non alcoholic refreshments of current use in Spain. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty refreshments were classified into 10 groups. Glucose and phosphate were measured by hexokinase and reduction of phospho-molybdate methods respectively in an autoanalyzer Dax-72. Glucose and fructose were analyzed by cellulose thin-layer chromatography; glucose, fructose and sucrose by gas chromatographys. Sodium and potassium by emission spectrophotometry and calcium, magnesium, iron, copper and zinc by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. RESULTS: Light refreshments and soft drinks have no carbohydrates. Isotonic beverages, fruit juices, cool tea and non alcoholic beers had less than 10 g/dl. Tonic waters, Fanta, different coles, non alcoholic bitter and others had more than 10 g/dl. Sodium levels between 15-20 mEq/l were found in the isotonic beverages and 7-Up and levels of 7 mEq/l in the others. Potassium values between 15-40 mEq/l were found in the fruit juices, 3-4 mEq/l in Gatorade and less than 1 mEq/l in the others. CONCLUSIONS: Light refreshments and soft drinks contain low concentrations of carbohydrates and sodium. Fruit juices have high potassium concentration. Such information can be especially useful for dietetic care of diabetic patients.     

Use of a subcutaneous glucose sensor to detect decreases in glucose concentration prior to observation in blood

The development of a hypoglycemic alarm system using a subcutaneous glucose sensor implies that a decrease in blood glucose is rapidly followed by a decrease in the signal generated by the sensor. In a first set of experiments the linearity and the kinetics of the response of sensors implanted in the subcutaneous tissue of normal rats were investigated during a progressive increase in plasma glucose concentration: the sensitivities determined between 5 and 10 mM and between 10 and 15 mM were not significantly different, and a 5-10 min delay in the sensor's response was observed. In a second set of experiments, performed in diabetic rats, the kinetics of the decrease in subcutaneous glucose concentration following insulin administration was monitored during a decrease in plasma glucose level, from 15 to 3 mmol/L. During the 20 first min following insulin administration, the sensor monitored glucose concentration in subcutaneous tissue with no lag time. Subsequently, the decrease in the estimation of subcutaneous glucose concentration preceded that of plasma glucose. This phenomenon was not observed when the same sensors were investigated in vitro during a similar decrease in glucose concentration and may be due to a mechanism occurring in vivo, such as the effect of insulin on glucose transfer from the interstitial space to the cells surrounding the sensor. It reinforces the interest of the use of implantable glucose sensors as a part of a hypoglycemic alarm.     

Expression of a mannose/fucose membrane lectin on human dendritic cells

Dendritic cells (CD) are the most efficient antigen presenting cells for T lymphocytes. CD1a+ CD14- CD with high antigen-presenting capacities can now be obtained easily from adherent peripheral blood monocytes by culture in the presence of granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor and interleukin-4 (Sallusto et al., J. Exp. Med. 1994. 179: 1109). Human macrophages express a membrane lectin, or sugar-specific receptor, which specifically mediates the binding and endocytosis of mannose- and fucose-terminated glycoproteins and is involved in the phagocytosis of pathogens. A similar lectin activity was sought on cultured human DC using flow cytometry and confocal microscopy to detect binding and internalization of fluoresceinated neoglycoproteins [bovine serum albumin (BSA) substituted with sugar residues]. Several neoglycoproteins, especially alpha-L-fucosyl-, alpha-D-mannosyl-, N,N'-di-acetyl-beta-chitobiosyl- and beta-D-glucosyl-BSA, were endocytosed by cultured human CD1a+ DC as well as by CD1a- CD14- cells which were also obtained in the culture. Fuc-BSA and Man-BSA had the same number of binding sites (1.7 x 10(6)/cell) on CD1a+ DC, and bound with an affinity constant close to 10(7) 1/mol. Inhibition experiments indicated that these two neoglycoproteins bound to the same membrane lectin. CD1a+ and CD1a- cells were both labeled by an antiserum specific for the human macrophage mannose receptor. The membrane lectin specific for mannose and fucose that is evidenced in these experiments on cultured DC may be similar to the macrophage membrane lectin or may share functional and structural properties with it.     

Monitoring living tissues by electrical impedance spectroscopy

Solving the experimental difficulties associated with measurement of the electrical impedance of living tissues gives access to valuable tissue compartment parameters which are sensed within seconds using minimally invasive, simple metallic electrodes. Extracellular conductivity and cell membrane capacitance can be followed over time under conditions of metabolic toxicity, perfusion loss and thermal stress in liver, brain cortex, and muscle, respectively. Application of this technique in burns therapy allows an accurate estimation of the severity of thermal injury to skeletal muscle, supporting predictions on tissue survival.     

SCID-Hu mouse as a model for human lung HIV-1 infection

HIV induces a multi-organ infection with a dual tropism for both lymphocytes and monocytes/macrophages. The lung is a target both for HIV infection and HIV-related opportunistic infections. The SCID mouse has provided the opportunity to develop a small animal model for HIV infection. However, HIV-1 infection of the human fetal thymus and liver (SCID Liv/Thy) implanted in these mice occurred only after direct intraimplant injection of HIV-1 and the resultant HIV-1 infection was restricted to the human thymus. Here we report that human foetal lung can develop in SCID Liv/Thy mice resulting in the development of normal human alveolar and bronchiolar lung compartments which can be productively infected with cell-free HIV-1 virus, leading to a systemic and bifocal infection. This SCID-Hu model should be useful for studying AIDS physiopathology, human viruses with lung tropism and for helping to define gene therapy protocols in lung human cells in vivo.     

Les déterminants individuels, interpersonnels et organisationnels de la détresse psychologique en milieu de travail.

Studied determinants of psychological stress in the workplace to test a 2-step model involving 3 organizational stressors (i.e., quantitative work overload, role conflict, and role ambiguity) and 3 types of resources (i.e., individual, interpersonal, and organizational). 636 full-time employees (mean age 37.5 yrs) of 4 organizations completed questionnaires assessing sociodemographic factors, organizational stressors, resources (i.e., locus of control, Type A (coronary prone) behavior, social support from supervisors and colleagues, and decisional latitude), and psychological stress. Interactions among these factors were determined via multiple regression analyses. Several French-language instruments were used, including the Questionnaire on Internal–External Locus of Control in the Workplace (N. Pettersen, 1984) and the Psychiatric Symptom Index (F. W. Ilfeld, 1976). (English abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of rilmenidine on rats made insulin resistant and hypertensive by a high fructose diet

This study was aimed to determine the effects of rilmenidine, an hypertensive drug, in an animal model of hypertension associated with insulin resistance, i.e. rats fed on a high fructose diet. Wistar rats were fed during four weeks either on a standard diet (S) or on a high fructose diet (F, 34.5% de fructose). In half of the F groups, rilmenidine (1 mg/kg/day) was added to the drinking water during the two last weeks of the diet (FR). Arterial blood pressure as well as insulin efficiency were determined at the end of the four weeks. Body weight gain was higher in F than in S rats (66 +/- 8 g versus 45 +/- 8 g; p < 0.05), this was prevented by rilmenidine treatment (32 +/- 2 g). Arterial systolic blood pressure was increased in F rats (162 +/- 2 vs 155 +/- 2 mmHg; p < 0.05), rilmenidine brought this value back to normal (149 +/- 3 mmHg). During the euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp, glucose utilization was lower (10 +/- 1 vs 14 +/- 1.5 mg/min/kg; p < 0.05) and hepatic glucose production higher (1 +/- 0.01 vs 0 mg/min/kg; p < 0.01) in F than in S rats. These changes in insulin action were totally abolished by rilmenidine. These data demonstrate that rilmenidine can ameliorate the deleterious effects of a high fructose diet, i.e. weight gain, hypertension and resistance to the effects of insulin Rilmenidine could represent a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of hypertension associated with metabolic disorders such as syndrom X and obesity.     

Transmission Fiber Chromatic Dispersion Dependence on Temperature: Implications on 40 Gb/s Performance

In this letter, we will evaluate the performance degradation of a 40 km high‐speed (40 Gb/s) optical system, induced by optical fiber variations of the chromatic dispersion induced by temperature changes. The chromatic dispersion temperature sensitivity will be estimated based on the signal quality parameters.     

The geometric nature of plasticity laws

This paper concerns the plasticity constitutive laws in small strain. In the thermodynamic approach developed here, the key concept is that of internal variables. The differential nature of plasticity law has been pointed out for a long time. If we unite the invariance condition of these laws in a state variable transformation, this involves, ultimately, that the natural mathematic frame of plasticity theory is Differential Geometry. The system state is defined as a point of a differentiable manifold. The state variable are the local coordinates of this point in a chart. The internal stresses are the components of a covariant vector of the cotangent bundle to internal state manifold and the elastic domain is a convex part of cotangent vector space. The plastic yield criteria such as von Mises condition define a Riemannian structure over the manifold. The metric element is identified with the internal dissipation element. Constitutive laws link the covariant derivatives of the thermodynamic stress with the state variable. Hardening modulus splits up in two parts, kinematic hardening and metric hardening. This last is defined by Christoffel connection coefficients. Applied to von Mises isotropic yield condition, the metric hardening is identified with isotropic hardening. The Baltov-Sawczuk model is also analysed. The use of appropriate polar coordinates simplifies significantly the computations. Generalization to a significant category of non-differentiable yield criteria, such as Tresca condition, is considered by introducting a metric tensor family. The adaptation of Drucker's postulate to the proposed model requires the introduction of parallel transport of the internal stress covector. Generally, this transport is different over distinctive paths joining two points. This fact expresses internal state manifold curvature. The Riemann-Christoffel tensor is computed for von Mises, Baltov-Sawczuk and Tresca models.