Prenatal Ultrasound Screening: False Positive Soft Markers May Alter Maternal Representations and Mother-Infant Interaction

International audienceBackground : In up to 5% of pregnancies, ultrasounds screenin detects a " soft marker" (SM) that places the foetus at risk for a severe abnormality. In most cases, prenatal diagnostic work-up rules out a severe defect. We aimed to study the effects of false positive SM on maternal emotional status, maternal representations of the infant, and mother-infant interaction. Methology and Principal Findings : Utilizing an extreme-case prospective case control design, we selected frome a group of 244 women undergroing ultrasound, 19 pregnant women whose foetus had a positive SM screening and reassuring diagnostic work up, and 19 controls without SM matched for age and education. In the third trimester of pregnancy, within one week after delivery, and 2 months postpartum, we assessed anxiety, depression and maternal representations; Mother-infant interactions were videotaped during feeding within one week after delivery and again at 2 months postpartum and coded blindly using Coding Interactive behavior (CIB) scales. Anxiety and depression scores were significantly higher at alla ssessment points in the SM group. Maternal representations were also observd in the SM groyp. These dyads showed greater dysregulation, lower maternal sensitivity, higher maternal intrusive behaviour and higher infant avoidance. Multivariate analysis showed that maternal representation and depression at third trimester predicted mother-infant interaction.Conclusion : False positive ultrasound screenings for SM are not benign and negatively affect the developping maternal-infant attachment. Medical efforts should be directed to minimize as much as possible such false diagnoses, and to the psychological adverse consequences

Interventional Strategies to Delay Aging-Related Dysfunctions of the Musculoskeletal System

Aging affects bones, cartilage, muscles, and other connective tissue in the musculoskeletal system, leading to numerous age-related pathologies including osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and sarcopenia. Understanding healthy aging may therefore open new therapeutic targets, thereby leading to the development of novel approaches to prevent several age-related orthopaedic diseases. It is well recognized that aging-related stem cell depletion and dysfunction leads to reduced regenerative capacity in various musculoskeletal tissues. However, more recent evidence suggests that dysregulated autophagy and cellular senescence might be fundamental mechanisms associated with aging-related musculoskeletal decline. The mammalian/mechanical target of Rapamycin (mTOR) is known to be an essential negative regulator of autophagy, and its inhibition has been demonstrated to promote longevity in numerous species. Besides, several reports demonstrate that selective elimination of senescent cells and their cognate Senescence-Associated Secretory Phenotype (SASP) can mitigate musculoskeletal tissue decline. Therefore, senolytic drugs/agents that can specifically target senescent cells, may offer a novel therapeutic strategy to treat a litany of age-related orthopaedic conditions. This chapter focuses on osteoarthritis and osteoporosis, very common debilitating orthopaedic conditions, and reviews current concepts highlighting new therapeutic strategies, including the mTOR inhibitors, senolytic agents, and mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based therapies

Labral Reconstruction with Iliotibial Band Autograft and Semitendinosus Allograft Improves Hip Joint Contact Area and Contact Pressure: An In-Vitro Analysis

Objectives: Labral reconstruction using iliotibial band (ITB) autograft and semitendinosus (Semi-T) allograft have recently been described in cases of labral deficiency. The current study seeks to understand the biomechanical effects of an intact labrum, segmental labral resection, and labral reconstruction on joint contact area, contact pressure, and peak force. Methods: Ten fresh-frozen human cadaver hips were analyzed utilizing thin-film piezoresistive load sensors to measure contact area, contact pressure, and peak force 1) with the native intact labrum, 2) after segmental labral resection and 3) after graft labral reconstruction with either ITB autograft or Semi-T allograft. Each specimen was examined at 20° extension and 60° flexion. Statistical analysis was conducted through one-way ANOVA with post-hoc Games-Howell tests. Results: For the ITB group, labral resection significantly decreased contact area (20°: 73.2%±5.38, P=0.0010; 60°: 78.5%±6.93, P=0.0063) and increased contact pressures (20°: 106.7%±4.15, P=0.0387; 60°: 103.9%±1.15, P=0.0428). ITB reconstruction improved contact area (20°: 87.2%±12.3, P=0.0130; 60°: 90.5%±8.81, P=0.0079) and contact pressures (20°: 98.5%±5.71, P=0.0476; 60°: 96.6%±1.13, P=0.0056) from the resected state. Contact pressure at 60° flexion was significantly lower compared to the native labrum (P = 0.0420). For the Semi-T group, labral resection significantly decreased contact area (20°: 68.1±12.57, P=0.0002; 60°: 67.5%±6.70, P=0.0002) and increased contact pressures (20°: 105.3%±3.73, P=0.0304; 60°: 106.8%±4.04, P=0.0231). Semi-T reconstruction improved contact area (20°: 87.9%±7.95, P=0.0087; 60°: 92.9%±13.2, P=0.0014) and contact pressures (20°: 97.1%±3.18, P=0.0017; 60°: 97.4%±4.39, P=0.0027) from the resected state. Comparative analysis demonstrated no statistically significant differences between either graft reconstruction in relation to contact area, contact pressure, or peak forces. (Figure 1). Conclusion: Segmental anterosuperior labral resection results in significantly decreased contact area and increased contact pressures, while labral reconstruction partially restores time-zero acetabular contact areas and pressures as compared to the resected state. Although labral reconstruction improved the measured biomechanical properties as compared to the resected state, some of these properties remained significantly different compared to the native intact labrum

Doha agreement meeting on terminology and definitions in groin pain in athletes.

BACKGROUND: Heterogeneous taxonomy of groin injuries in athletes adds confusion to this complicated area. AIM: The 'Doha agreement meeting on terminology and definitions in groin pain in athletes' was convened to attempt to resolve this problem. Our aim was to agree on a standard terminology, along with accompanying definitions. METHODS: A one-day agreement meeting was held on 4 November 2014. Twenty-four international experts from 14 different countries participated. Systematic reviews were performed to give an up-to-date synthesis of the current evidence on major topics concerning groin pain in athletes. All members participated in a Delphi questionnaire prior to the meeting. RESULTS: Unanimous agreement was reached on the following terminology. The classification system has three major subheadings of groin pain in athletes: 1. Defined clinical entities for groin pain: Adductor-related, iliopsoas-related, inguinal-related and pubic-related groin pain. 2. Hip-related groin pain. 3. Other causes of groin pain in athletes. The definitions are included in this paper. CONCLUSIONS: The Doha agreement meeting on terminology and definitions in groin pain in athletes reached a consensus on a clinically based taxonomy using three major categories. These definitions and terminology are based on history and physical examination to categorise athletes, making it simple and suitable for both clinical practice and research

Analysing Spatio-Temporal Clustering of Meningococcal Meningitis Outbreaks in Niger Reveals Opportunities for Improved Disease Control

Meningococcal meningitis (MM) is an infection of the meninges caused by a bacterium, Neisseria meningitidis, transmitted through respiratory and throat secretions. It can cause brain damage and results in death in 5–15% of cases. Large epidemics of MM occur almost every year in sub-Saharan Africa during the hot, dry season. Understanding how epidemics emerge and spread in time and space would help public health authorities to develop more efficient strategies for the prevention and the control of meningitis. We studied the spatio-temporal distribution of MM cases in Niger from 2002 to 2009 at the scale of the health centre catchment areas (HCCAs). We found that spatial clusters of cases most frequently occurred within nine districts out of 42, which can assist public health authorities to better adjust allocation of resources such as antibiotics or rapid diagnostic tests. We also showed that the epidemics break out in different HCCAs from year to year and did not follow a systematic geographical direction. Finally, this analysis showed that surveillance at a finer spatial scale (health centre catchment area rather than district) would be more efficient for public health response: outbreaks would be detected earlier and reactive vaccination would be better targeted

The fingerprint of the summer 2018 drought in Europe on ground-based atmospheric CO2 measurements

During the summer of 2018, a widespread drought developed over Northern and Central Europe. The increase in temperature and the reduction of soil moisture have influenced carbon dioxide (CO2) exchange between the atmosphere and terrestrial ecosystems in various ways, such as a reduction of photosynthesis, changes in ecosystem respiration, or allowing more frequent fires. In this study, we characterize the resulting perturbation of the atmospheric CO2 seasonal cycles. 2018 has a good coverage of European regions affected by drought, allowing the investigation of how ecosystem flux anomalies impacted spatial CO2 gradients between stations. This density of stations is unprecedented compared to previous drought events in 2003 and 2015, particularly thanks to the deployment of the Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS) network of atmospheric greenhouse gas monitoring stations in recent years. Seasonal CO2 cycles from 48 European stations were available for 2017 and 2018.The UK sites were funded by the UK Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (formerly the Department of Energy and Climate Change) through contracts TRN1028/06/2015 and TRN1537/06/2018. The stations at the ClimaDat Network in Spain have received funding from the ‘la Caixa’ Foundation, under agreement 2010-002624

Enabling planetary science across light-years. Ariel Definition Study Report

Ariel, the Atmospheric Remote-sensing Infrared Exoplanet Large-survey, was adopted as the fourth medium-class mission in ESA's Cosmic Vision programme to be launched in 2029. During its 4-year mission, Ariel will study what exoplanets are made of, how they formed and how they evolve, by surveying a diverse sample of about 1000 extrasolar planets, simultaneously in visible and infrared wavelengths. It is the first mission dedicated to measuring the chemical composition and thermal structures of hundreds of transiting exoplanets, enabling planetary science far beyond the boundaries of the Solar System. The payload consists of an off-axis Cassegrain telescope (primary mirror 1100 mm x 730 mm ellipse) and two separate instruments (FGS and AIRS) covering simultaneously 0.5-7.8 micron spectral range. The satellite is best placed into an L2 orbit to maximise the thermal stability and the field of regard. The payload module is passively cooled via a series of V-Groove radiators; the detectors for the AIRS are the only items that require active cooling via an active Ne JT cooler. The Ariel payload is developed by a consortium of more than 50 institutes from 16 ESA countries, which include the UK, France, Italy, Belgium, Poland, Spain, Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Hungary, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Estonia, and a NASA contribution

Nurses' perceptions of aids and obstacles to the provision of optimal end of life care in ICU

Contains fulltext : 172380.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access