Analyse statique de valeurs par interprétation abstraite de programmes fonctionnels manipulant des types algébriques récursifs

National audienceAfin de prévenir les erreurs de programmation, des analyseurs statiques ont été développés pour de nombreux langages ; cependant, aucun analyseur mature ne cible l'analyse de valeurs pour un langage fonctionnel à la ML. Des outils de vérification pour ces langages existent, tels les systèmes de types classiques ou les méthodes déductives, mais le raisonnement automatique sur des programmes numériques a jusqu'alors été peu exploré. Cet article décrit un analyseur statique de valeurs par interprétation abstraite pour un langage fonctionnel typé du premier ordre, approche sûre et automatique pour garantir l'absence d'erreurs à l'exécution. En se basant sur des domaines abstraits relationnels et en réalisant des résumés des champs récursifs des types algébriques, cette approche permet d'analyser des fonctions récursives manipulant des types algébriques récursifs et d'inférer dans un domaine abstrait leur relation entrée-sortie. Une implémentation est en cours sur la plateforme d'analyse multilangage MOPSA et analyse avec succès de courts programmes de quelques lignes. Ce travail ouvre ainsi la voie vers une analyse de valeurs précise et relationnelle basée sur l'interprétation abstraite pour les langages fonctionnels d'ordre supérieur à la ML

SARS-CoV-2 and Guillain-Barré syndrome: AIDP variant with a favourable outcome.

The spectrum of COVID-19, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection (SARS-CoV-2), includes different neurologic manifestations of the central and peripheral nervous system. From March through April 2020, in two university hospitals located in western Switzerland, we examined three patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) following SARS-CoV-2. These cases were characterized by a primary demyelinating electrophysiological pattern (Acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy or AIDP) and a less severe disease course compared to recently published case series. Clinical improvement was observed in all patients at week five. One patient was discharged from hospital after full recovery with persistence of minor neurological signs (areflexia). Two of the three patients remained hospitalized: one was able to walk and the other could stand up with assistance. We report three cases of typical GBS (AIDP) occurring after SARS-CoV-2 infection and presenting with a favourable clinical course. Given the interval between COVID-19-related symptoms and neurological manifestations (mean of 15 days) we postulate a secondary immune-mediated mechanism rather than direct viral damage

Do cultivar, geographical location and crop season influence phenolic profile of walnut leaves?

Walnut leaves from nine different cultivars (Arco, Franquette, Hartley, Lara, Marbot, Mayette, Meylannaise, Parisienne and Rego) were studied for their phenolic compounds. Samples were harvested along three consecutive years, at two different geographical locations, in order to evaluate if significant differences in the phenolics composition can be related with genetic, climatic or geographical factors. Nine compounds (3-caffeoylquinic, 3-p-coumaroylquinic and 4-p-coumaroylquinic acids, quercetin 3- galactoside, quercetin 3-arabinoside, quercetin 3-xyloside, quercetin 3-rhamnoside, a quercetin 3-pentoside derivative and a kaempferol 3-pentoside derivative) were quantified using an HPLC-DAD methodology. The qualitative profiles were identical for all samples, but differences were observed in terms of individual compounds’ contents. Multivariate statistical analysis was carried out, showing that significant differences exist among production years, which can be related to climatic reasons.Direcção Regional de Agricultura da Beira Litoral (DRABL)Instituto Politécnico de Bragança (ESA

An optimized immunohistochemistry technique improves NMO-IgG detection: study comparison with cell-based assays

Cell-based assays (CBA) have increased the sensitivity of the neuromyelitis optica (NMO)-IgG/aquaporin-4-antibody detection compared to classical tissue-based indirect assays. We describe the sensitivity of an optimized immunohistochemistry (IHC-o) to detect NMO-IgG/aquaporin-4-antibody in comparison with that of two CBA: an in-house (CBA-ih) and a commercial (CBA-c) assay (Euroimmun, Germany). Coded serum from 103 patients with definite NMO and 122 inflammatory controls were studied by IHC-o, CBA-ih, and CBA-c. IHC-o used the same protocol described to detect antibodies against cell surface antigens. CBA-ih used live cells transfected with the aquaporin-4-M23-isoform. The sensitivity of the IHC-o was 74.8% (95% confidence interval [CI] 65-83) and was similar to that of the CBA-ih 75.7% (95% CI 66-84) and the CBA-c 73.8% (95% CI 64-82). The specificity of the three assays was 100% (95% CI 97-100). Interassay concordance was high, 100 of 103 samples were coincident in all techniques. The optimized immunohistochemistry proves to be as sensitive and specific as the cell-based assays. This assay extends the available tools for NMO-IgG/aquaporin-4-antibody detection

Modulation of cognitive performance and mood by aromas of peppermint and ylang-ylang

This study provides further evidence for the impact of the aromas of plant essential oils on aspects of cognition and mood in healthy participants. One hundred and forty-four volunteers were randomly assigned to conditions of ylang-ylang aroma, peppermint aroma, or no aroma control. Cognitive performance was assessed using the Cognitive Drug Research computerized assessment battery, with mood scales completed before and after cognitive testing. The analysis of the data revealed significant differences between conditions on a number of the factors underpinning the tests that constitute the battery. Peppermint was found to enhance memory whereas ylang-ylang impaired it, and lengthened processing speed. In terms of subjective mood peppermint increased alertness and ylang-ylang decreased it, but significantly increased calmness. These results provide support for the contention that the aromas of essential oils can produce significant and idiosyncratic effects on both subjective and objective assessments of aspects of human behavior. They are discussed with reference to possible pharmacological and psychological modes of influence

Encephalopathies Associated With Severe COVID-19 Present Neurovascular Unit Alterations Without Evidence for Strong Neuroinflammation.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has been associated with a large variety of neurologic disorders. However, the mechanisms underlying these neurologic complications remain elusive. In this study, we aimed at determining whether neurologic symptoms were caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) direct infection or by either systemic or local proinflammatory mediators. In this cross-sectional study, we checked for SARS-CoV-2 RNA by quantitative reverse transcription PCR, SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies, and 49 cytokines/chemokines/growth factors (by Luminex) in the CSF +/- sera of a cohort of 22 COVID-19 patients with neurologic presentation and 55 neurologic control patients (inflammatory neurologic disorder [IND], noninflammatory neurologic disorder, and MS). We detected anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin G in patients with severe COVID-19 with signs of intrathecal synthesis for some of them. Of the 4 categories of tested patients, the CSF of IND exhibited the highest level of cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors. By contrast, patients with COVID-19 did not present overall upregulation of inflammatory mediators in the CSF. However, patients with severe COVID-19 (intensive care unit patients) exhibited higher concentrations of CCL2, CXCL8, and vascular endothelium growth factor A (VEGF-A) in the CSF than patients with a milder form of COVID-19. In addition, we could show that intrathecal CXCL8 synthesis was linked to an elevated albumin ratio and correlated with the increase of peripheral inflammation (serum hepatocyte growth factor [HGF] and CXCL10). Our results do not indicate active replication of SARS-CoV-2 in the CSF or signs of massive inflammation in the CSF compartment but highlight a specific impairment of the neurovascular unit linked to intrathecal production of CXCL8

Distinct activation mechanisms of NF-κB regulator inhibitor of NF-κB Kinase (IKK) by isoforms of the Cell Death Regulator Cellular FLICE-like Inhibitory Protein (cFLIP)*

The vFLIP protein from Kaposis sarcoma-associated herpesvirus activates the NF-kB pathway by forming a stable complex with a central region (amino acids 150-272) of the IKKgamma subunit, thereby activating IKK. Cellular FLIP forms are also known to activate the NF-kB pathway via IKK activation. Here we demonstrate that cFLIPL, cFLIPS, and their proteolytic product p22-FLIP, all require the C-terminal region of NEMO/IKKgamma (amino acids 272-419) and its ubiquitin binding function for activation of the IKK kinase (or kinase complex), but none form a stable complex with IKKgamma. Our results further reveal that cFLIPL requires the linear ubiquitination complex LUBAC and the kinase TAK1 for activation of the IKK kinase. Similarly, cFLIPS and p22-FLIP also require TAK1 but do not require LUBAC. In contrast, these isoforms are both components of complexes that incorporate FADD and RIP1 which appear essential for kinase activation. This conservation of IKK activation among the cFLIP family using different mechanisms suggests that the mechanism plays a critical role in their function

Patterns of medication errors involving pediatric population reported to the French Medication Error Guichet

Background: Medication error is a global threat to patient safety, particularly in pediatrics. Yet, this issue remains understudied in this population, in both hospital and community settings. Objectives: To characterize medication errors involving pediatrics reported to the French Medication Error Guichet, and compare them with medication errors in adults, in each of the hospital and community settings. Methods: This was a retrospective secondary data analysis of medication errors reported throughout 2013-2017. Descriptive and multivariate analyses were performed to compare actual and potential medication error reports between pediatrics (aged 18 and <60 years). Two subanalyses of actual medication errors with adverse drug reaction (ADR), and serious ADR were conducted. Results: We analyzed 4,718 medication error reports. In pediatrics, both in hospital (n=791) and community (n=1,541) settings, antibacterials for systemic use (n=121, 15.7%; n=157, 10.4%, respectively) and wrong dose error type (n=391, 49.6%; n=549, 35.7%, respectively) were frequently reported in medication errors. These characteristics were also significantly more likely to be associated with reported errors in pediatrics compared with adults. In the hospital setting, analgesics (adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=1.59; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03:2.45), and blood substitutes and perfusion solutions (aOR=3.74; 95%CI 2.24:6.25) were more likely to be associated with reported medication errors in pediatrics; the latter drug class (aOR=3.02; 95%CI 1.59:5.72) along with wrong technique (aOR=2.28; 95%CI 1.01:5.19) and wrong route (aOR=2.74; 95%CI 1.22:6.15) error types related more to reported medication errors with serious ADR in pediatrics. In the community setting, the most frequently reported pediatric medication errors involved vaccines (n=389, 25.7%). Psycholeptics (aOR=2.42; 95%CI 1.36:4.31) were more likely to be associated with reported medication errors with serious ADR in pediatrics. Wrong technique error type (aOR=2.71; 95%CI 1.47:5.00) related more to reported medication errors with ADR in pediatrics. Conclusions: We identified pediatric-specific medication error patterns in the hospital and community settings. Our findings inform focused error prevention measures, and pave the way for interventional research targeting the needs of this population

Ethnobotanical remarks on Central and Southern Italy

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The present paper is a brief survey on the ethnobotanical works published by the Authors since 1981, concerning the research carried out in some southern and central Italian regions. Before Roman domination these territories were first inhabited by local people, while the southern areas were colonized by the Greeks. These different cultural contributions left certain traces, both in the toponyms and in the vernacular names of the plants and, more generally, in the culture as a whole.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Field data were collected through open interviews, mainly of farmers, shepherds and elderly people, born or living in these areas for a long time. Voucher specimens of collected plants are preserved in the respective herbaria of the Authors and in the herbarium of "Roma Tre" University. Important contributions have been made by several students native to the areas under consideration. A comparative analysis with local specific ethnobotanical literature was carried out.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The paper reports several examples concerning human and veterinary popular medicine and in addition some anti-parasitic, nutraceutic, dye and miscellaneous uses are also described. Moreover vernacular names and toponyms are cited. Eight regions of central and southern Italy (particularly Latium, Abruzzo, Marche and Basilicata) were investigated and the data obtained are presented in 32 papers. Most of the species of ethnobotanical interest have been listed in Latium (368 species), Marche (274) and Abruzzo (203). The paper also highlights particularly interesting aspects or uses not previously described in the specific ethnobotanical literature.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Phyto-therapy in central and southern Italy is nowadays practised by a few elderly people who resort to medicinal plants only for mild complaints (on the contrary food uses are still commonly practised). Nowadays therapeutic uses, unlike in the past, are less closely or not at all linked to ritual aspects. Several plants deserve to be taken into consideration not only from the anthropological or cultural point of view, but also for further phyto-chemical investigation. Our studies, as well as those of other authors, try to provide an original picture of the local ethno-biodiversity.</p