The Combinatorial Creature: Cortical Phenotypes within and across Lifetimes

© 2018 The neocortex is one of the most distinctive structures of the mammalian brain, yet also one of the most varied in terms of both size and organization. Multiple processes have contributed to this variability, including evolutionary mechanisms (i.e., alterations in gene sequence) that alter the size, organization, and connections of neocortex, and activity dependent mechanisms that can also modify these same features. Thus, changes to the neocortex can occur over different time-scales, including within a single generation. This combination of genetic and activity dependent mechanisms that create a given cortical phenotype allows the mammalian neocortex to rapidly and flexibly adjust to different body and environmental contexts, and in humans permits culture to impact brain construction

Le Noma : un drame négligé

Le Noma est une affection grave, touchant essentiellement les enfants des pays en voie de développement. Les facteurs favorisants de cette pathologie, inhérents à ces pays, sont nombreux et vont conduire à une situation clinique de délabrement facial rapide qu’il conviendra de stopper rapidement pour en minimiser les séquelles. Le traitement de ces dernières sera essentiellement chirurgical et fera appel à des techniques variables en fonction du cas clinique

Oro-dental phenotype in patients with RUNX2 duplication

International audienceRunt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) is well-known for its role in bone development and tooth mor-phogenesis. Most RUNX2 mutations described in the literature result in loss-of-function mutations of RUNX2 responsible for cleidocranial dysplasia, an autosomal dominant disorder. We describe here the oro-dental phenotype of four patients of a unique family with a 285 kb duplication including the entire sequence of RUNX2, likely responsible for three functional copies of the gene, leading to an increased RUNX2 dosage. Several dental anomalies of number (hypodontia or oligodontia), morphology (microdontia, radiculomegaly, taurodontism or dens invaginatus) and tooth position (rotation) were found in these patients

The MEOPAeDent trial protocol—an observational study of the Equimolar Mixture of Oxygen and Nitrous Oxide (EMONO) effects in paediatric dentistry

Abstract Background Many studies were conducted to assess the benefit/risk ratio of EMONO (Equimolar Mixture of Oxygen and Nitrous Oxide) in France before it was authorized for use outside the hospital setting in 2009. The main objective of this project is to evaluate the effects sought and felt by children when EMONO is used in paediatric dentistry. The secondary objectives are to (i) evaluate the appreciation of EMONO by the children, (ii) characterize children who experience both analgesia and anxiolysis, (iii) evaluate children’s appetite for EMONO and characterize children with a high appetite and (iv) evaluate the impact of the difference in practice among the French dental service university hospitals on anxiety. The maintenance of a framework for the safe use of this drug, whose place in dental care is fundamental, is essential. Twelve of the 16 French dental service university hospitals agreed to participate in this study. Methods MEOPAeDent is an observational, descriptive, transversal study that aims to evaluate the effects sought and felt by children when EMONO is used in paediatric dentistry. Subjects requiring dental care under EMONO are recruited by 12 French dental service university hospitals. Patients aged from 3 to 15 years are recruited for the study when they visit a dental service of a French university hospital requiring dental care under EMONO. The investigator collects the necessary data from the child’s medical records, from his own observations and from questions posed to the child and his/her parents. A survey is completed at the first and final sessions of dental care under EMONO. Discussion This study will provide an evaluation of the effects of EMONO on the French paediatric population in need of dental care as well as evaluate the appetite for the use of this substance. The results will first be used to provide additional data that is essential to monitor the use of a product with an authorization to use it outside of hospitals from 2009 in France, confirm its safety for use and justify its framework of application. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03453411 registered 2 March 2018

Nitrous Oxide: What Do We Know about Its Use Disorder Potential? Results of the French Monitoring Centre for Addiction Network Survey and Literature Review

International audienceBackground: Nitrous oxide (N2O) is used worldwide for analgesia and anesthesia. It is also used for recreational purposes by some people. N2O can have major side effects (myeloneuropathy, delusions, emphysema) when used to excess. In France, N2O is available as an equimolar mixture of oxygen and nitrous oxide (EMONO). Its substance use disorder potential is monitored by the French Monitoring Centre for Addiction (CEIP-A) network. Our objective is to provide an overview of the substance use disorder potential of N2O in general, and of EMONO in particular. Methods: This paper is based on a systematic review of the literature for case reports involving N2O use disorder and on CEIP-A network cases involving EMONO use disorder. We characterized use disorder in accordance with DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition) criteria. Furthermore, we considered data relating to medical history, age, gender, and N2O consumption habits. Results: We identified 59 cases of N2O use disorder in the literature and 17 cases of EMONO use disorder from the CEIP-A network. More than 90% of the cases used N2O in larger quantities and for longer than intended. Conversely, more negative as opposed to positive cases have been documented regarding tolerance and failed attempts to reduce usage. Conclusions: A specific profile of substance use disorder starts to emerge from all the cases studied here. Furthermore, we identified another way N2O use disorder can appear: through exposure for medical purposes