No evidence for a putative involvement of platelet-activating factor in systemic lupus erythematosus without active nephritis.

BACKGROUND: Platelet-activating factor (PAF) seems to be implicated in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with associated renal diseases. AIMS: In this study, we ensured the role of PAF in SLE patients without renal complications. METHODS: Blood PAF and acetylhydrolase activity, plasma soluble phospholipase A(2), and the presence of antibodies against PAF were investigated in 17 SLE patients without active nephritis and in 17 healthy controls. RESULTS: Blood PAF levels were not different (p=0.45) between SLE patients (6.7+/-2.8 pg/ml) and healthy subjects (9.6+/-3.1 pg/ml). Plasma acetylhydrolase activity (the PAF-degrading enzyme) was significantly (p=0.03) elevated in SLE patients (57.8+/-6.4 nmol/min/ml) as compared with controls (37.9+/-2.6 nmol/min/ml). Plasma soluble phospholipase A(2) (the key enzyme for PAF formation) was not different (p=0.6) between SLE patients (59.1+/-5.1 U/ml) and controls (54.7+/-2.4 U/ml). Antibodies against PAF were detected only in 3/17 SLE patients. Flow cytometry analysis did not highlight PAF receptors on circulating leukocytes of SLE patients. CONCLUSION: This clinical study highlights no evidence for a putative important role of PAF in SLE patients without active nephritis

Effects of Hand Configuration on the Grasping, Holding, and Placement of an Instrumented Object in Patients With Hemiparesis

Objective: Limitations with manual dexterity are an important problem for patients suffering from hemiparesis post stroke. Sensorimotor deficits, compensatory strategies and the use of alternative grasping configurations may influence the efficiency of prehensile motor behavior. The aim of the present study is to examine how different grasp configurations affect patient ability to regulate both grip forces and object orientation when lifting, holding and placing an object.Methods: Twelve stroke patients with mild to moderate hemiparesis were recruited. Each was required to lift, hold and replace an instrumented object. Four different grasp configurations were tested on both the hemiparetic and less affected arms. Load cells from each of the 6 faces of the instrumented object and an integrated inertial measurement unit were used to extract data regarding the timing of unloading/loading phases, regulation of grip forces, and object orientation throughout the task.Results: Grip forces were greatest when using a palmar-digital grasp and lowest when using a top grasp. The time delay between peak acceleration and maximum grip force was also greatest for palmar-digital grasp and lowest for the top grasp. Use of the hemiparetic arm was associated with increased duration of the unloading phase and greater difficulty with maintaining the vertical orientation of the object at the transitions to object lifting and object placement. The occurrence of touch and push errors at the onset of grasp varied according to both grasp configuration and use of the hemiparetic arm.Conclusion: Stroke patients exhibit impairments in the scale and temporal precision of grip force adjustments and reduced ability to maintain object orientation with various grasp configurations using the hemiparetic arm. Nonetheless, the timing and magnitude of grip force adjustments may be facilitated using a top grasp configuration. Conversely, whole hand prehension strategies compound difficulties with grip force scaling and inhibit the synchrony of grasp onset and object release

Educación Tangible. Nuevas formas de interacción para el aprendizaje

El presente proyecto tuvo como objetivo el desarrollo de un dispositivo de interacción tangible llamado CETA (Ceibal Tangible). Esta herramienta permite a los usuarios interactuar con tablets (distribuidas por CEIBAL) por medio de la manipulación de objetos reales (fichas de plástico). Basándose en este esquema de interacción se desarrolló una aplicación. orientada a la estimulación cognitiva de las habilidades matemáticas (llamada BrUNO). Con el objetivo de poner a prueba CETA y su aplicabilidad, se desarrolló un programa de intervención en la escuela orientado a estimular las habilidades matemáticas (cardinalidad a través de tareas de composición numérica). De la misma participaron 65 escolares de 1er año de escuela. Se tomaron medidas del desempeño en matemática de los alumnos antes y después del programa. Los resultados sugieren que existió un incremento mayor en la mejora en matemáticas de los niños que jugaron a CETA en comparación con aquellos que interactuaron directamente con la pantalla (touch-screen) y quienes no realizaron ninguna actividad adicional a las previstas en el programa de estudios de ese nivel. El dispositivo desarrollado se encuentra disponible en la página web del proyecto (www.ceta.edu.uy) para ser descargado, implementado y modificado por la comunidad de educadores y desarrolladores nacionales e internacionalesAGENCIA NACIONAL DE INVESTIGACIÓN E INNOVACIÓN (ANII)- CENTRO DE ESTUDIOS FUNDACIÓN CEIBAL. FONDO SECTORIAL EDUCACIÓN DIGITA

Routine molecular profiling of cancer: results of a one-year nationwide program of the French Cooperative Thoracic Intergroup (IFCT) for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.

International audienceBackground: The molecular profiling of patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) for known oncogenic drivers is recommended during routine care. Nationally, however, the feasibility and effects on outcomes of this policy are unknown. We aimed to assess the characteristics, molecular profiles, and clinical outcomes of patients who were screened during a 1-year period by a nationwide programme funded by the French National Cancer Institute. Methods This study included patients with advanced NSCLC, who were routinely screened for EGFR mutations, ALK rearrangements, as well as HER2 (ERBB2), KRAS, BRAF, and PIK3CA mutations by 28 certified regional genetics centres in France. Patients were assessed consecutively during a 1-year period from April, 2012, to April, 2013. We measured the frequency of molecular alterations in the six routinely screened genes, the turnaround time in obtaining molecular results, and patients' clinical outcomes. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01700582. Findings 18 679 molecular analyses of 17 664 patients with NSCLC were done (of patients with known data, median age was 64·5 years [range 18–98], 65% were men, 81% were smokers or former smokers, and 76% had adenocarcinoma). The median interval between the initiation of analysis and provision of the written report was 11 days (IQR 7–16). A genetic alteration was recorded in about 50% of the analyses; EGFR mutations were reported in 1947 (11%) of 17 706 analyses for which data were available, HER2 mutations in 98 (1%) of 11 723, KRAS mutations in 4894 (29%) of 17 001, BRAF mutations in 262 (2%) of 13 906, and PIK3CA mutations in 252 (2%) of 10 678; ALK rearrangements were reported in 388 (5%) of 8134 analyses. The median duration of follow-up at the time of analysis was 24·9 months (95% CI 24·8–25·0). The presence of a genetic alteration affected first-line treatment for 4176 (51%) of 8147 patients and was associated with a significant improvement in the proportion of patients achieving an overall response in first-line treatment (37% [95% CI 34·7–38·2] for presence of a genetic alteration vs 33% [29·5–35·6] for absence of a genetic alteration; p=0·03) and in second-line treatment (17% [15·0–18·8] vs 9% [6·7–11·9]; p<0·0001). Presence of a genetic alteration was also associated with improved first-line progression-free survival (10·0 months [95% CI 9·2–10·7] vs 7·1 months [6·1–7·9]; p<0·0001) and overall survival (16·5 months [15·0–18·3] vs 11·8 months [10·1–13·5]; p<0·0001) compared with absence of a genetic alteration. Interpretation Routine nationwide molecular profiling of patients with advanced NSCLC is feasible. The frequency of genetic alterations, acceptable turnaround times in obtaining analysis results, and the clinical advantage provided by detection of a genetic alteration suggest that this policy provides a clinical benefit

Trouble d'anxiété généralisée chez les adolescents (recherches épidémiologique et clinique)

TOULOUSE2-BUC Mirail (315552102) / SudocSudocFranceF

Place des statines dans le risque cardiovasculaire et le risque osseux

Les statines, mise à part leur action hypocholestérolémiante, semblent avoir des effets sur divers constituants participant à la formation et fragilisation de la plaque d'athérome : les cellules endothéliales, les macrophages ou les monocytes, les CML, le cellules NK, les plaquettes, des facteurs impliqués dans la coagulation. Ce sont les effets pléiotropes qui seraient liés à la baisse du LDL-cholestérol et/ou à l'inhibition de l'isoprénylation de protéines régulatrices, Ras et Rho en particulier. Effectivement, en inhibant l'HMG-CoA réductase, les statines induisent une diminution de FPP et de GGPP. De plus, les essais cliniques évoquent une diminution de la mortalité cardiovasculaire et de la mortalité totale. Plus récemment, il a été démontré que les statines pourraient trouver une place dans le traitement de l'ostéoporose : en augmentant la synthèse de BMP-2, elles stimuleraient la formation osseuse. Le MVA empêche ce phénomène.ROUEN-BU Médecine-Pharmacie (765402102) / SudocSudocFranceF

Les complications artérielles de l'association pilule-tabac et rôle du pharmacien

LIMOGES-BU Médecine pharmacie (870852108) / SudocLYON1-BU Santé (693882101) / SudocSudocFranceF

Insuffisance surénalienne post-corticothérapie dans la maladie de Horton (étude prospective de 66 patients)

LIMOGES-BU Médecine pharmacie (870852108) / SudocPARIS-BIUM (751062103) / SudocSudocFranceF

Residency and spatial distribution of bull sharks Carcharhinus leucas in and around Reunion Island marine protected area

International audienceA sudden increase in the rates of shark attacks on humans at Reunion Island has been blamed by some on the implementation of a marine protected area (MPA) along the island’s west coast, where attacks, primarily by bull sharks Carcharhinus leucas, were concentrated. We used passive acoustic telemetry to investigate the spatial distribution of bull sharks (N = 36) by quantifying their residency and their frequentation of the MPA and compared it to outside of the MPA. Over the study duration of 17 mo, 18 sharks were detected in the acoustic receiver array, most of which were detected more frequently outside the MPA (N = 148; mean ± SD = 41.5 ± 56.4 visits mo-1 and 17.6 ± 30.5 h mo-1) than inside the MPA (N = 218; 21.4 ± 28.1 visits mo-1 and 7.2 ± 15.2 h mo-1). However, we found individual variation in the sharks’ use of the MPA. Thirteen sharks spent more time outside the MPA than inside, while 5 sharks (all females) spent significantly more time inside the MPA. These results suggest that the spatial distribution of bull sharks is not primarily centered in the MPA along the west coast of Reunion Island, although we identified specific locations where bull shark encounter probabilities are relatively high during particular times of the year. Such higher-risk areas could be targeted as part of the risk management strategy for changes in human uses in order to reduce the risks of negative shark-human interactions observed during the past decade