Mother-infant interactions and regional brain volumes in infancy: an MRI study

Background: It is generally agreed that the human brain is responsive to environmental influences, and that the male brain may be particularly sensitive to early adversity. However, this is largely based on retrospective studies of older children and adolescents exposed to extreme environments in childhood. Less is understood about how normative variations in parent-child interactions are associated with the development of the infant brain in typical settings. Method: To address this, we used magnetic resonance imaging to investigate the relationship between observational measures of mother-infant interactions and regional brain volumes in a community sample of 3-6 month old infants (N=39). In addition, we examined whether this relationship differed in male and female infants. Results: We found that lower maternal sensitivity was correlated with smaller subcortical grey matter volumes in the whole sample, and that this was similar in both sexes. However, male infants who showed greater levels of positive communication and engagement during early interactions had smaller cerebellar volumes. Conclusion These preliminary findings suggest that variations in mother-infant interaction dimensions are associated with differences in infant brain development. Although the study is cross-sectional and causation cannot be inferred, the findings reveal a dynamic interaction between brain and environment that may be important when considering interventions to optimize infant outcomes

Partenariat public-privé et reconquête urbaine aux États-Unis

Louise Bernier Lynne. Partenariat public-privé et reconquête urbaine aux États-Unis. In: Revue d'économie financière. Hors-série, 1995. Partenariat public-privé et développement territorial . pp. 145-149

"Reinventing government". Une réforme de l'État à la mode américaine

"Reinventing government". An American movement of governmental reform "Reinventing government" is the name given to a government reform movement emerging in the 1980s which is, now, active at all levels of American public sector. Face with fiscal stress and popular distrust of bureaucratic administration, it focuses on efficiency, customer satisfaction, decentralizing authority, privatization and entrepreneurial spirit. The paper provides an overview of the origins, goals, difficulties and limits of what is the most important reform movement since the "progressive movement" established the basics of modern American public administration at the beginning of the century.Reinventing government est le nom donné à un mouvement de réforme qui émerge dans les années 1980 et qui touche désormais l'ensemble du secteur public aux États-Unis. Face à la crise financière et au mécontentement populaire suscité par le fonctionnement bureaucratique des administrations, il met l'accent sur l'efficacité, la satisfaction des usagers, la décentralisation de l'autorité, la privatisation et l'esprit d'entreprise. Il s'agit ici de présenter les origines, les objectifs, les difficultés d'application et les limites de ce qui apparaît comme la plus importante réforme depuis le début du siècle, lorsque le "mouvement progressiste" a posé les bases d'une administration moderne."Reinventing government". Una reforma americana del Estado "Reinventing government" es el nombre de un movimento de reforma que nació en los años 1980 y que hoy concierne todo el sector publico en los Estados Unidos. Frente a la crisis financiera y al descontento popular ante el funcionamiento burocratico de las administraciones, este movimiento pone de relieve la eficacia, la satisfacción de los usuarios, la descentralización de la autoridad, la privatización y el espiritu empresarial. Se trata de presentar los origenes, los objectivos, las dificultades de aplicación y los limites de lo que parece ser la reforma mas importante desde el principio del siglo, cuando el "movimiento progresista" asentó las bases de la administración americana moderna.Bernier Lynne, McLemore Lelan. "Reinventing government". Une réforme de l'État à la mode américaine. In: Sciences de la société, n°43, 1998. Le service public en crise (2). Réponses – Comparaisons internationales. pp. 111-130

Physiological and genetic correlates of boldness: characterising the mechanisms of behavioural variation in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss

Bold, risk-taking animals have previously been putatively linked with a proactive stress coping style whereas it is suggested shyer, risk-averse animals exhibit a reactive coping style. The aim of this study was to investigate whether differences in the expression of bold-type behaviour were evident within and between two lines of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, selectively bred for a low (LR) or high (HR) endocrine response to stress, and to link boldness and stress responsiveness with the expression of related candidate genes. Boldness was determined in individual fish over two trials by measuring the latency to approach a novel object. Differences in plasma cortisol concentrations and the expression of eight novel candidate genes previously identified as being linked with divergent behaviours or stress were determined. Bold and shy individuals, approaching the object within 180 s or not approaching within 300 s respectively, were evident within each line, and this was linked with activity levels in the HR line. Post-stress plasma cortisol concentrations were significantly greater in the HR line compared with the LR line, and six of the eight tested genes were upregulated in the brains of LR fish compared with HR fish. However, no direct relationship between boldness and either stress responsiveness or gene expression was found, although clear differences in stress physiology and, for the first time, gene expression could be identified between the lines. This lack of correlation between physiological and molecular responses and behavioural variation within both lines highlights the complexity of the behavioural-physiological complex

Genome analysis of Desulfotomaculum kuznetsovii strain 17T reveals a physiological similarity with Pelotomaculum thermopropionicum SIT

Desulfotomaculum kuznetsovii is a moderately thermophilic member of the polyphyletic spore-forming genus Desulfotomaculum in the family Peptococcaceae. This species is of interest because it originates from deep subsurface thermal mineral water at a depth of about 3000 m. D. kuznetsovii is a rather versatile bacterium as it can grow with a large variety of organic substrates, including short-chain and long-chain fatty acids, which are degraded completely to carbon dioxide coupled to the reduction of sulfate. It can grow methylotrophically with methanol and sulfate and autotrophically with H2 + CO2 and sulfate. For growth it does not require any vitamins. Here, we describe the features of D. kuznetsovii together with the genome sequence and annotation. The chromosome has 3,601,386 bp organized in one contig. A total of 3567 candidate protein-encoding genes and 58 RNA genes were identified. Genes of the acetyl-CoA pathway possibly involved in heterotrophic growth with acetate and methanol, and in CO2 fixation during autotrophic growth are presented. Genomic comparison revealed that D. kuznetsovii shows a large similarity with Pelotomaculum thermopropionicum. Genes involved in propionate metabolism of these two strains show a strong similarity. However, main differences are found in genes involved in the electron acceptor metabolism

Complete genome sequence of the sulfate-reducing firmicute Desulfotomaculum ruminis type strain (DL(T)).

Desulfotomaculum ruminis Campbell and Postgate 1965 is a member of the large genus Desulfotomaculum which contains 30 species and is contained in the family Peptococcaceae. This species is of interest because it represents one of the few sulfate-reducing bacteria that have been isolated from the rumen. Here we describe the features of D. ruminis together with the complete genome sequence and annotation. The 3,969,014 bp long chromosome with a total of 3,901 protein-coding and 85 RNA genes is the second completed genome sequence of a type strain of the genus Desulfotomaculum to be published, and was sequenced as part of the DOE Joint Genome Institute Community Sequencing Program 2009