Analysis and correction of the magnetic field effects in the Hybrid Photo-Detectors of the RICH2 Ring Imaging Cherenkov detector of LHCb

The Ring Imaging Cherenkov detectors of the LHCb experiment at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN are equipped with Hybrid Photo-Detectors. These vacuum photo-detectors are affected by the stray magnetic field of the LHCb magnet, which degrades their imaging properties. This effect increases the error on the Cherenkov angle measurement and would reduce the particle identification capabilities of LHCb. A system has been developed for the RICH2 Ring Imaging Cherenkov detector to perform a detailed characterisation of the magnetic distortion effects. It is described, along with the methods implemented to correct for these effects, restoring the optimal resolution.Comment: 16 pages, 11 figure

Evidence of cytotoxic activity against mammalian red blood cell of Na+ channel neurotoxin (AE1) from sea anemone (actinia equina)

The diversification of anthozoan toxins played an important role in the ability to colonize various ecological niches. In this study we evaluated the hemolytic activity of HPLC separated fraction of tentacle extracts of sea anemone Actinia equina. Toxic components from acid tissue tentacle extracts were investigated by size exclusion and reverse phase HPLC to characterize cytolytic molecules. A novel low molecular weight active fraction was sequenced by MALDI TOF analysis and a protein correspondent to 5.4 kDa Sodium channel neurotoxin (Ae1) from A. equina was identified. Synthetic Ae1 was assayed and it showed an hemolytic activity against mammalian erythrocytes in a dose dependent manner. Cytolytic activity in addition to neuro-inhibitory function could be a further property of Ae1 toxin repertoire

Cold applications for recovery in adolescent athletes: a systematic review and meta analysis

Recovery and regeneration modalities have been developed empirically over the years to help and support training programmes aimed at maximizing athletic performance. Professional athletes undergo numerous training sessions, characterized by differing modalities of varying volumes and intensities, with the aim of physiological adaptation leading to improved performance. Scientific support to athletes focuses on improving the chances of a training programme producing the largest adaptive response. In competition it is mainly targeted at maximizing the chances of optimal performance and recovery when high performance levels are required repeatedly in quick succession (e.g. heats/finals). In recent years, a lot of emphasis has been put on recovery modalities. In particular, emphasis has been placed on the need to reduce the delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS) typically evident following training and competitive activities inducing a certain degree of muscle damage. One of the most used recovery modalities consists of cold-water immersion and/or ice/cold applications to muscles affected by DOMS. While the scientific literature has provided a rationale for such modalities to reduce pain in athletes and recreationally active adults, it is doubtful if this rationale is appropriate to aid training with adolescent athletes. In particular, since these methods have been suggested to potentially impair the muscle remodeling process leading to muscle hypertrophy. While this debate is still active in the literature, many coaches adopt such practices in youth populations, simply transferring what they see in elite sportspeople directly; without questioning the rationale, safety or effectiveness as well as the potential for such activity to reduce the adaptive potential of skeletal muscle remodeling in adolescent athletes. The aim of this review was to assess the current knowledge base on the use of ice/cold applications for recovery purposes in adolescent athletes in order to provide useful guidelines for sports scientists, medical practitioners, physiotherapists and coaches working with such populations as well as developing research questions for further research activities in this area. Based on the current evidence, it seems clear that evidence for acute benefits of such interventions are scarce and more work is needed to ascertain the physiological implications on a pre or peri-pubertal population

Genetic diversity of Amblyomma variegatum (Acari:Ixodidae), the main vector of Ehrlichia ruminantium in Indian Ocean Islands

The hard ticks Amblyomma variegatum is the main vector of Ehrlichia ruminantium which is the pathogen responsible for heartwater or cowdriosis, a disease of ruminants. This tick originates from sub-Saharan Africa and is now widely widespread. A. variegatum has been described in 1899 for the first time in Madagascar, but its introduction is probably older and very likely concomitant with livestock introduction from Africa. A. variegatum has also been described in the Comoros, Mayotte, La Reunion and Mauritius islands. The aim of this study was to investigate the genetic and demographic phenomena that have shaped the present distribution and structure of A. variegatum populations in the Indian Ocean area. A first phylogeographic approach has been carried out, by analysing two mitochondrial-DNA genes at an intra-specific level through the analysis of tick samples from Madagascar and from the other Indian Ocean Islands included in this study. These samples have been compared to samples from Africa, where this species is originated from, and samples from the French West Indies where A. variegatum was introduced around the 18th century. This study will help to elucidate A. variegatum introduction history in the different Indian Ocean Islands. A population genetics approach, using microsatellite markers, focused on Madagascar and some other islands (La Reunion, Comoros and Mayotte islands), has given an insight into the present population structure. This study has led to two main lineages identification: one covering all the species distribution and one restricted to East Africa and Indian Ocean area. These two lineages are in sympatry in Madagascar. The results seemed to be in keeping with the historical data concerning the introduction of the tick in the Indian Ocean area. In Madagascar, a high genetic diversity has been described whereas a lower genetic diversity is observed in the other islands. In Madagascar tick populations are clearly structured but in a heterogeneous way. This structure is probably shaped by the complex interaction of geographic, climatic and anthropic factors. (Texte intégral

Heart rate and lactate responses to taekwondo fight in elite women performers

The purpose of this study was to examine heart rate (HR) and blood lactate (LA) concentration before, during and after a competitive Tae kwon do (TKD) fight performed by elite women performers. Specifically, we were interested to see weather HR and LA responses to competitive fight were greater than to TKD or karate exercises published in scientific literature. Seven international-standard women TKD fighters participated in the study. HR was recorded continuously throughout the fight using Polar Vantage telemetric HR monitors. LA samples were taken before and 3 min after the fight and analysed using an Accusport portable lactate analyzer. At the beginning of the fight, HR significantly increased (p<0.01) from pre-fight values of 91.6±9.9 beats min-1 to 144.1±13.6 beats min-1. During the whole fight the HRmean was 186.6±2.5 beats min-1 and remained significantly elevated (p<0.01) at 3 min into recovery. HR values expressed as a percentage of HRmax averaged during the whole fight at 91.7±2.6% respectively. LA concentration significantly increased (p<0.01) 3 min after the fight and averaged 82% of LApeak values measured after the VO2max test. Results of the present study indicate that physiological demands of competitive TKD fight in women, measured by HR and LA responses, are considerably higher than the physiological demands of TKD or karate training exercises. The observed HR and LA responses suggest to us that conditioning for TKD should generally emphasise high-intensity anaerobic exercise

From Protecting the Heart to Improving Athletic Performance - the Benefits of Local and Remote Ischaemic Preconditioning

Remote Ischemic Preconditioning (RIPC) is a non-invasive cardioprotective intervention that involves brief cycles of limb ischemia and reperfusion. This is typically delivered by inflating and deflating a blood pressure cuff on one or more limb(s) for several cycles, each inflation-deflation being 3-5 min in duration. RIPC has shown potential for protecting the heart and other organs from injury due to lethal ischemia and reperfusion injury, in a variety of clinical settings. The mechanisms underlying RIPC are under intense investigation but are just beginning to be deciphered. Emerging evidence suggests that RIPC has the potential to improve exercise performance, via both local and remote mechanisms. This review discusses the clinical studies that have investigated the role of RIPC in cardioprotection as well as those studying its applicability in improving athletic performance, while examining the potential mechanisms involved

L'homme et l'animal dans le bassin du lac Tchad

L'expérience du Cameroun montre que les acquis des campagnes d'éradication des glossines s'avèrent difficiles à préserver. Les mouvements incessants du bétail favorisent en effet la ré-infestation des pâturages assainis. Pour sauvegarder la qualité de l'environnement pastoral, les éleveurs se doivent aujourd'hui d'intervenir avec leurs propres moyens. Une expérience est conduite en ce sens avec les éleveurs peuls de la région sud de Garoua. Un éclairage méthodologique est apporté afin d'expliquer l'adhésion des acteurs au programme de lutte contre les glossines. La conception des actions repose sur l'étude des pratiques des éleveurs et sur l'analyse du système d'information auquel ils ont accès. A la lumière de ces éléments de réflexion, la collaboration entre les différents acteurs s'articule et conduit à la diffusion de l'innovation ainsi qu'à l'organisation d'une filère d'approvisionnement en produits insecticides et pulvérisateurs manuels. (Résumé d'auteur

Apparition d'encéphalomyélite aviaire au Sénégal

Des cas d'encéphalomyélite aviaire ont été mis en évidence sur des poussins, poulettes futures pondeuses, en novembre 1997. C'était la première fois que cette maladie était diagnostiquée au Sénégal. Les lésions classiques de cette virose révélées lors du diagnostic histologique ont confirmé sa présence. La vaccination contre l'encéphalomyélite n'était pas obligatoire et certains couvoirs ne vaccinaient pas leurs reproducteurs. L'existence de cette pathologie semble imposer dorénavant une vaccination de tous les reproducteurs du Sénégal. Parallèlement, se pose aussi le problème de la vaccination des poulettes, futures pondeuses. En effet, le syndrome de chute de ponte sévit à l'heure actuelle sur le territoire et le laboratoire doit, en premier lieu, effectuer un diagnostic différentiel avec la maladie de Newcastle et la bronchite infectieuse avant de proposer des recommandations précises. La technique Elisa doit être utilisée pour cela. (Résumé d'auteur

Identification d'une nouvelle salmonelle multirésistante dans une viande de poulet de chair au Sénégal

L'analyse microbiologique d'une carcasse de poulet de chair au Sénégal a permis de mettre en évidence un nouveau sérotype de salmonelle. Celui-ci présente la particularité de posséder deux gènes de résistance aux antibiotiques ; il n'est sensible qu'aux quinolones de dernière génération. L'existence de ce nouveau sérotype est inquiétante parce qu'il a été retrouvé dans des prélèvements humains, associé à de l'hyperthermie et de la diarrhée profuse. L'apparition d'une telle salmonelle peut éventuellement s'expliquer par l'utilisation anarchique des antibiotiques dans l'élevage des volailles. (Résumé d'auteur

Anthracycline-Induced Cardiotoxicity: Cardiac Monitoring by Continuous Wave-Doppler Ultrasound Cardiac Output Monitoring and Correlation to Echocardiography

Background: Anthracyclines are agents with a well-known cardiotoxicity. The study sought to evaluate the hemodynamic response to an anthracycline using real-time continuous-wave (CW)-Doppler ultrasound cardiac output monitoring (USCOM) and echocardiography in combination with serum biomarkers. Methods: 50 patients (26 male, 24 female, median age 59 years) suffering from various types of cancer received an anthracycline-based regimen. Patients' responses were measured at different time points (T0 prior to infusion, T1 6 h post infusion, T2 after 1 day, T3 after 7 days, and T4 after 3 months) with CW-Doppler ultrasound (T0-T4) and echocardiography (T1, T4) for hemodynamic parameters such as stroke volume (SV; SVUSCOM ml) and ejection fraction (EF; EFechocardiography%) and with NT-pro-BNP and hs-Troponin T (T0-T4). Results: During the 3-month observation period, the relative decrease in the EF determined by echocardiography was -2.1% (Delta T0-T4, T0 71 +/- 7.8%, T4 69.5 +/- 7%, p = 0.04), whereas the decrease in SV observed using CW-Doppler was -6.5% (Delta T0-T4, T0 54 +/- 19.2 ml, T4 50.5 +/- 20.6 ml, p = 0.14). The kinetics for serum biomarkers were inversely correlated. Conclusions: Combining real-time CW-Doppler USCOM and serum biomarkers is feasible for monitoring the immediate and chronic hemodynamic changes during an anthracycline-based regimen; the results obtained were comparable to those from echocardiography