576 research outputs found

    Effect of the crystal chemistry of swelling clay minerals on their cationic exchange and dissolution properties. Implications in a context of remediation of acid mining environment

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    Les smectites sont présentent dans de nombreux environnements de surface et sub-surface au sein desquels elles jouent un rôle prépondérant dans la mobilité des cations majeurs et traces de part leurs capacités d’adsorption. En contexte de réhabilitation de sites miniers exploités par lixiviation acide, ces smectites jouent un rôle dans la remontée du pH des eaux ainsi que dans l’immobilisation des éléments solubilisés. La nature des argiles présentent dans les sables non consolidés d’un aquifère exploité a donc été étudié. La présence de smectites du type beidellite (charge tétraédrique) a été mise en évidence. Cependant, il existe peu d’études sur les propriétés de la beidellite, la majorité portant sur la montmorillonite (charge octaédrique). Un modèle d’échange pour 5 cations majeurs des eaux naturelles (Na, K, Ca, Mg, H) et un élément trace (226Ra) a donc été réalisé sur une beidellite de référence. Les vitesses de dissolution et les mécanismes à l’interface solide/solution en milieu acide ont ensuite été étudiés, validant l’application du modèle d’échange à bas pH. Des effets dus à l’organisation des particules en suspension (texture/agrégation) ont aussi été mis en évidence sur les propriétés d’échange et de dissolution. Lors de ces travaux, l’accent a été mis sur l’impact de la cristallochimie sur la réactivité des smectites par comparaison entre les propriétés de la beidellite et de la montmorillonite. Les résultats indiquent que la cristallochimie des smectites a un impact significatif sur leur comportement, ce paramètre pourrait ainsi être utilisé afin d’alimenter les modèles de transport réactif prenant en compte les propriétés des smectites.Swelling clay minerals, in particular smectites, are present in many surface and subsurface environments in which they have a major impact on the mobility of major cations and trace elements due to their adsorption capacity. In context of remediation of mining environments operated by acid leaching, these smectites can act as pH buffer and play a role in the immobilization of soluble elements. The type of clay minerals present in the poorly consolidated sands of an aquifer leached by acid solutions was studied. The presence of beidellite type smectites (di-octahedral, tetrahedral charge) was evidenced. However, few studies exist on the ion exchange properties or the dissolution of beidellite, as most of them deal with montmorillonite properties (di-octahedral, octahedral charge). Then, an ion-exchange model involving 5 major cations of natural waters (Na, K, Ca, Mg, H) and one trace element (226Ra) was proposed for a reference beidellite. Dissolution rates and interfacial mechanisms in acidic solutions were investigated in order to check for the validity the ion-exchange model at low pH. Moreover, effects due to the texture/aggregation of particles in suspension were evidenced on the ion-exchange and dissolution properties. This study was focused on the impact of the crystal chemistry on reactive property of the smectites, by comparison of the properties of beidellite with those of montmorillonitic minerals. Results indicate that smectites crystal chemistry has a significant impact on their properties, and such parameter could be considered in reactive transport models when they take into account cation exchange and dissolution properties of smectites

    An unusual right atrial mass: Case report and review of the literature

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    An 80-year-old woman presented with dyspnoea. Laboratory test results and ECG were normal but echocardiography revealed a right atrial round mobile mass measuring about 20 mm. CT scan and cardiac MRI showed a mass appending on the right atrial free wall above the tricuspid annulus, enhanced by contrast, without any thoracic or abdominal extension, and confirmed the diagnosis of a tumour.After surgical treatment, the pathological examination revealed a cardiac papillary fibroelastoma. This small primary cardiac benign neoplasm usually occurs on cardiac valves, but can also appear, as described here, in a non-valvular localization. The diagnosis is, up to now, usually made by echocardiography, but CT and MR imaging could lead to a better description and analysis of this under-estimated tumour.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

    Discontinuous Galerkin modeling of the Columbia River's coupled estuary-plume dynamics

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    The Columbia River (CR) estuary is characterized by high river discharge and strong tides that generate high velocity flows and sharp density gradients. Its dynamics strongly affects the coastal ocean circulation. Tidal straining in turn modulates the stratification in the estuary. Simulating the hydrodynamics of the CR estuary and plume therefore requires a multi-scale model as both shelf and estuarine circulations are coupled. Such a model has to keep numerical dissipation as low as possible in order to correctly represent the plume propagation and the salinity intrusion in the estuary. Here, we show that the 3D baroclinic discontinuous Galerkin finite element model SLIM 3D is able to reproduce the main features of the CR estuary-to-ocean continuum. We introduce new vertical discretization and mode splitting that allow us to model a region characterized by complex bathymetry and sharp density and velocity gradients. Our model takes into account the major forcings, i.e. tides, surface wind stress and river discharge, on a single multi-scale grid. The simulation period covers the end of spring-early summer of 2006, a period of high river flow and strong changes in the wind regime. SLIM 3D is validated with in-situ data on the shelf and at multiple locations in the estuary and compared with an operational implementation of SELFE. The model skill in the estuary and on the shelf indicate that SLIM 3D is able to reproduce the key processes driving the river plume dynamics, such as the occurrence of bidirectional plumes or reversals of the inner shelf coastal currents.Accepted Author ManuscriptMathematical Physic

    Phosphorylation of p65(RelA) on Ser547 by ATM represses NF-κB-dependent transcription of specific genes after genotoxic stress.

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    peer reviewedThe NF-κB pathway is involved in immune and inflammation responses, proliferation, differentiation and cell death or survival. It is activated by many external stimuli including genotoxic stress. DNA double-strand breaks activate NF-κB in an ATM-dependent manner. In this manuscript, a direct interaction between p65(RelA) and the N-terminal extremity of ATM is reported. We also report that only one of the five potential ATM-(S/T)Q target sites present in p65, namely Ser547, is specifically phosphorylated by ATM in vitro. A comparative transcriptomic analysis performed in HEK-293 cells expressing either wild-type HA-p65 or a non-phosphorylatable mutant HA-p65S547A identified several differentially transcribed genes after an etoposide treatment (e.g. IL8, A20, SELE). The transcription of these genes is increased in cells expressing the mutant. Substitution of Ser547 to alanine does not affect p65 binding abilities on the κB site of the IL8 promoter but reduces p65 interaction with HDAC1. Cells expressing p65S547A have a higher level of histone H3 acetylated on Lys9 at the IL8 promoter, which is in agreement with the higher gene induction observed. These results indicate that ATM regulates a sub-set of NF-κB dependent genes after a genotoxic stress by direct phosphorylation of p65.Phosphorylation de la sous-unité p65 du facteur de transcription nucléaire kappaB par la kinase "Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated protein".PAI 6/1

    Melanoma antigen-D2 controls cell cycle progression and modulates the DNA damage response.

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    peer reviewedOverexpression of the ubiquitous type II melanoma antigen-D2 (MAGED2) in numerous types of cancer suggests that this protein contributes to carcinogenesis, a well-documented characteristic of other MAGE proteins. Modification of MAGED2 intracellular localization during cell cycle phases and following treatment with camptothecin (CPT) and phosphorylation by ATM/ATR following ionizing irradiation led us to investigate the molecular functions of MAGED2 in the cellular response to DNA damage. Cell cycle regulators, cell cycle progression, and bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation were compared between MAGED2-sufficient and -depleted U2OS cells following exposure to CPT. At 24 h post-CPT removal, MAGED2-depleted cells had lower levels of p21 and p27, and there was an increase in S phase BrdU-positive cells with a concurrent decrease in cells in G2. These cell cycle modifications were p21-independent, but ATR-, SKP2-, and CDC20-dependent. Importantly, while MAGED2 depletion reduced CHK2 phosphorylation after 8 h of CPT treatment, it enhanced and prolonged CHK1 phosphorylation after a 24 h recovery period, indicating sustained ATR activation. MAGED2 depletion had no impact on cell survival under our experimental conditions. In summary, our data indicate that MAGED2 reduced CPT-related replicative stress, suggesting a role for this protein in genomic stability

    Matrix metalloproteinase 12 silencing: A therapeutic approach to treat pathological lung tissue remodeling?

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    peer reviewedAmong the large matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) family, MMP-12, also referred to as macrophage elastase, plays a significant role in chronic pulmonary pathologies characterized by an intense tissue remodeling such as asthma and COPD. This review will summarize knowledge about MMP-12 structure, functions and mechanisms of activation and regulation, including potential MMP-12 modulation by microRNA. As MMP-12 is involved in many tissue remodeling diseases, efforts have been made to develop specific synthetic inhibitors. However, at this time, very few chemical inhibitors have proved to be efficient and specific to a particular MMP. The relevance of silencing MMP-12 by RNA interference is highlighted. The specificity of this approach using siRNA or shRNA and the strategies to deliver these molecules in the lung are discussed
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