Le partenariat de recherche. Éléments de définition et ancrage dans quelques études de cas

Cet article présente une recension des écrits sur la question du partenariat de recherche. Les auteures définissent d'abord cette pratique relativement récente, puis la documentent sous l'angle des conditions de réussite, des obstacles ainsi que des défis qu'elle pose. Des analyses d'expériences de partenariat entre groupes de femmes et chercheuses universitaires viennent corroborer ou nuancer, selon le cas, les propos recensés dans les écrits théoriques.An overview of literature on research partnership is presented in this article. This recent practice is first defined and its success or failure conditions are documented, as well as the new challenges partners are faced with. Some experiences of partnership between women's groups and academic researchers are analyzed with the purpose of corroborating or contrasting the literature review

Factores de protección y de riesgo para la salud mental de las mujeres después de un aborto espontáneo

Objetivo: examinar factores de protección y de riesgo personales y contextuales asociados a la salud mental de la mujer después de un aborto espontáneo. Método: se llevó a cabo un estudio transversal en el que 231 mujeres que habían sufrido un aborto espontáneo en los últimos 4 años respondieron a un cuestionario online de autoinforme para evaluar su salud mental (síntomas de depresión, ansiedad, duelo perinatal) y para recopilar características personales y contextuales. Resultados: las mujeres que habían sufrido un aborto espontáneo en los últimos 6 meses obtuvieron una puntuación más alta en lo que respecta a síntomas de depresión que las que lo habían sufrido entre 7 y 12 meses atrás, mientras que el nivel de ansiedad y el duelo perinatal no variaron según el tiempo transcurrido desde la pérdida. Además, la baja condición socioeconómica, el estado de inmigración y la falta de hijos se asociaron con una peor salud mental después de un aborto espontáneo. En cambio, la calidad de la relación conyugal y la satisfacción con la atención de la salud se asociaron positivamente con la salud mental de las mujeres. Conclusión: las mujeres en situaciones vulnerables, como las inmigrantes, las de baja condición socioeconómica o las mujeres sin hijos son especialmente vulnerables a problemas de salud mental después de un aborto espontáneo. Sin embargo, más allá de esos factores personales y contextuales, la calidad de la relación conyugal y la satisfacción con el cuidado de la salud podrían ser importantes factores de protección.Objetivo: examinar os fatores pessoais e contextuais de proteção e de risco associados à saúde mental das mulheres após aborto espontâneo. Método: foi realizado um estudo transversal, no qual 231 mulheres que sofreram aborto espontâneo nos últimos quatro anos responderam a um questionário on-line, cujo intuito era avaliar a saúde mental (sintomas de depressão, ansiedade, luto perinatal) e coletar informações pessoais, além de características contextuais. Resultados: mulheres que sofreram aborto espontâneo nos últimos seis meses apresentaram escores mais altos para sintomas depressivos do que mulheres que sofreram aborto espontâneo entre sete e 12 meses atrás, ao passo que o nível de ansiedade e o luto perinatal não variaram de acordo com o tempo transcorrido desde a perda. Além disso, baixo nível socioeconômico, status de imigrante e ausência de filhos foram associados a pior saúde mental após aborto espontâneo. Por outro lado, a qualidade do relacionamento conjugal e a satisfação com a assistência à saúde foram associadas positivamente à saúde mental das mulheres. Conclusão: mulheres em situação de vulnerabilidade, como as imigrantes, com baixo nível socioeconômico ou sem filhos estão particularmente vulneráveis a problemas de saúde mental após um aborto espontâneo. No entanto, além desses fatores pessoais e contextuais, a qualidade do relacionamento conjugal e a satisfação com a assistência à saúde podem ser importantes fatores de proteção.Objective: to examine personal and contextual protective and risk factors associated with women’s mental health after a spontaneous abortion. Method: a cross-sectional study was carried out where 231 women who had experienced spontaneous abortions in the past 4 years answered a self-reporting online questionnaire to assess their mental health (symptoms of depression, anxiety, perinatal grief) and to collect personal as well as contextual characteristics. Results: women who had experienced spontaneous abortions within the past 6 months had higher scores for depressive symptoms than those who had experienced spontaneous abortions between 7 and 12 months ago, while anxiety level and perinatal grief did not vary according to the time since the loss. Moreover, low socioeconomic status, immigrant status, and childlessness were associated with worse mental health after a spontaneous abortion. In contrast, the quality of the conjugal relationship and the level of satisfaction with health care were positively associated with women’s mental health. Conclusion: women in vulnerable situations, such as immigrants, women with a low socioeconomic status, or childless women are particularly vulnerable to mental health problems after a spontaneous abortion. However, beyond those personal and contextual factors, the quality of the conjugal relationship and the level of satisfaction with health care could be important protective factors

Brazilian Version of the Protocole Montréal d’Évaluation de la Communication (Protocole MEC): normative and reliability data

The lack of standardized instruments to evaluate communication disorders related to the right hemisphere was verified.A new evaluation tool was developed: Protocole Montréal d’Évaluation de la Communication – Protocole MEC, adapted to Brazilian Portuguese – Bateria Montreal de Avaliação da Comunicação – Bateria MAC (Montreal Evaluation of Communication Battery). The purpose was to present stratified normative data by age and educational level, and to verify the reliability parameters of the MEC Battery. 300 individuals, between the ages of 19 and 75 years, and levels of formal education between 2 and 35 years, participated in this study. They were divided equally into six normative groups, according to three age categories (young adults, intermediary age, and seniors) and two educational levels (low and high). Two procedures were used to check reliability: Cronbach alpha and reliability between evaluators. Results were established at the 10th percentile, and an alert point per task for each normative group. Cronbach’s alpha was, in general, between .70 and .90 and the average rate of agreement between evaluators varied from .62 to .94. Standards of age and education were established. The reliability of this instrument was verified. The psychometric legitimization of the MEC Battery will contribute to the diagnostic process for communicative disorders.Se verificó la falta de instrumentos estandarizados para evaluar los trastornos de comunicación relacionados con el hemisferio derecho. Se desarrolló una herramienta de evaluación nueva: el Protocole Montréal d’Évaluation de la Communication – ProtocoloMEC, adaptado al portugués brasileño – Bateria Montreal de Avaliação da Comunicação – Batería MAC (Batería de Evaluación de la Comunicación de Montreal). El objetivo fue presentar datos normativos estratificados por edad y nivel académico, y verificar los parámetros de fiabilidad de la batería MEC. 300 individuos, de edades entre los 19 y los 75 años y con 2 a 35 años de educación formal, participaron en este estudio. Se dividieron en seis grupos normativos, en función de tres categorías de edad (adultos jóvenes, edad mediana y mayores) y dos niveles educacionales (bajo y alto). Se emplearon dos procedimientos para confirmar la fiabilidad: alfa de Cronbach y fiabilidad inter-jueces. Se establecieron los resultados en el percentil 10 con un punto de alerta por tarea para cada grupo normativo. Los valores de alfa de Cronbach eran, en general, entre 0.70 y 0.90 y el grado de acuerdo entre los evaluadores variaba entre 0.62 y 0.94. Se establecieron normas de edad y educación. Se verificó la fiabilidad de este instrumento. La legitimación psicométrica de la Batería MEC contribuirá al proceso diagnóstico de los trastornos de comunicación

The Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis M114T PFN1 Mutation Deregulates Alternative Autophagy Pathways and Mitochondrial Homeostasis

International audienceMutations in profilin 1 (PFN1) have been identified in rare familial cases of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). PFN1 is involved in multiple pathways that could intervene in ALS pathology. However, the specific pathogenic role of PFN1 mutations in ALS is still not fully understood. We hypothesized that PFN1 could play a role in regulating autophagy pathways and that PFN1 mutations could disrupt this function. We used patient cells (lymphoblasts) or tissue (post-mortem) carrying PFN1 mutations (M114T and E117G), and designed experimental models expressing wild-type or mutant PFN1 (cell lines and novel PFN1 mice established by lentiviral transgenesis) to study the effects of PFN1 mutations on autophagic pathway markers. We observed no accumulation of PFN1 in the spinal cord of one E117G mutation carrier. Moreover, in patient lymphoblasts and transfected cell lines, the M114T mutant PFN1 protein was unstable and deregulated the RAB9-mediated alternative autophagy pathway involved in the clearance of damaged mitochondria. In vivo, motor neurons expressing M114T mutant PFN1 showed mitochondrial abnormalities. Our results demonstrate that the M114T PFN1 mutation is more deleterious than the E117G variant in patient cells and experimental models and suggest a role for the RAB9-dependent autophagic pathway in ALS

Expression of the human neurofilament heavy gene (NF-H) in transgenic mice

Mammalian neurofilaments (NFs), the intermediate filaments (IFs) of nerve cells, are composed of three different polypeptides, commonly referred to as the low (NF-L), middle (NF-M) and heavy (NF-H) subunits. As members of the IF family and major components of large myelinated fibers, NFs have been assigned a putative role in maintaining the structural integrity of the neurons and in determining axonal caliber.To study the expression and function of the human NF-H gene, a genomic clone encompassing the human NF-H gene was isolated (Cos4NF-H) from a chromosome 22 enriched library and transgenic mice were generated. Four transgenic lines with multiple copies of the intact human NF-H gene were obtained. Northern blot analysis revealed that the human transgene was expressed specifically in neurons at level of approximately two-fold the endogenous mouse level. In addition, the human NF-H gene was expressed at the correct stage during the mouse nervous system development. Furthermore, expression of the human NF-H gene appeared to be proportional to gene copy-number and independent of the position of integration into the mouse genome. This is the first example of such a pattern of transgene expression in nerve cells. These results suggest that the regulatory signals necessary to direct the correct expression of the human NF-H gene lie within the injected clone and are recognized between the two mammalians species. Once identified, the control elements may constitute a valuable tool to direct the expression of foreign genes specifically to neurons.The human NF-H transgenic mice appear normal at birth but progressively develop tremors and pathological features reminiscent of the ones observed in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). For instance, one sees selective enlargements of motor neuron perikarya, dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons and proximal axons in addition to distal axonal atrophy and muscle atrophy. Electron microscopy studies showed that the swellings consisted of intracytoplasmic accumulation of NFs. Axonal transport experiments were undertaken to determine if cytoskeletal elements were abnormally transported as has been suggested for a number of neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS. The proteins synthesized in motor/sensory neuron cell bodies were labeled and their subsequent transport to distal axonal segments was analyzed by SDS gels and fluorography. The results showed an impairment of axonal transport of NF proteins, actin and tubulin. There was also retention of some rapidly transported organelles. A possible mechanism to explain these results is that overexpression of the human NF-H gene led to neurofilamentous swelling formation that disrupted axonal flow and eventually resulted in motor neuron degeneration. The human NF-H transgenic mice are therefore a valuable model of human motor neuron disorders and can be used to test therapeutic strategies aimed at reducing the neurofilamentous swellings

70 years of serotonin

International audienceEditoria

Étude préliminaire portant sur trois fonctions de travail du domaine de la distribution des aliments : document de travail /

Bibliogr.: p. 15