The effects of juvenile stress on anxiety, cognitive bias and decision making in adulthood:a rat model

Stress experienced in childhood is associated with an increased risk of developing psychiatric disorders in adulthood. These disorders are particularly characterized by disturbances to emotional and cognitive processes, which are not currently fully modeled in animals. Assays of cognitive bias have recently been used with animals to give an indication of their emotional/cognitive state. We used a cognitive bias test, alongside a traditional measure of anxiety (elevated plus maze), to investigate the effects of juvenile stress (JS) on adulthood behaviour using a rodent model. During the cognitive bias test, animals were trained to discriminate between two reward bowls based on a stimulus (rough/smooth sandpaper) encountered before they reached the bowls. One stimulus (e.g. rough) was associated with a lower value reward than the other (e.g. smooth). Once rats were trained, their cognitive bias was explored through the presentation of an ambiguous stimulus (intermediate grade sandpaper): a rat was classed as optimistic if it chose the bowl ordinarily associated with the high value reward. JS animals were lighter than controls, exhibited increased anxiety-like behaviour in the elevated plus maze and were more optimistic in the cognitive bias test. This increased optimism may represent an optimal foraging strategy for these underweight animals. JS animals were also faster than controls to make a decision when presented with an ambiguous stimulus, suggesting altered decision making. These results demonstrate that stress in the juvenile phase can increase anxiety-like behaviour and alter cognitive bias and decision making in adulthood in a rat model

Expression of multidrug resistance proteins P-glycoprotein, multidrug resistance protein 1, breast cancer resistance protein and lung resistance related protein in locally advanced bladder cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy: biological and clinical implications.

PURPOSE: Resistance to chemotherapy is a major obstacle to overcome in the conservative treatment of patients with locally advanced bladder cancer (LABC). We investigated the predictive value of the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) and prognosis of the expression of multidrug resistance (MDR) related proteins, P-glycoprotein (P-gp), multidrug resistance protein 1 (MRP1), breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) and lung resistance related protein/major vault protein (LRP/MVP) in LABC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using immunohistochemistry we studied the expression of MDR proteins in tumors from 83 patients with LABC treated with NACT using a bladder sparing approach. Expression was related to the response to NACT, bladder preservation and prognosis. RESULTS: P-gp, MRP1, BCRP and LRP/MVP were expressed at high levels in 53%, 59%, 28% and 70% of cases, respectively. P-gp expression correlated with shorter progression-free survival (p = 0.04) but not with overall survival. Surprisingly MRP1 expression correlated with a higher response (p = 0.005) and a higher probability of bladder preservation following NACT (p = 0.001). BCRP did not show any prognostic impact. High LRP/MVP expression was significantly associated with a worse response to NACT and a decreased probability of bladder preservation (p = 0.035). CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that MRP1 and LRP/MVP may be useful in combination with other clinicopathological prognostic factors for selecting patients with LABC to be candidates for bladder preservation after NACT. A large prospective study is warranted to confirm the prognostic value of these MDR proteins

Health inequalities in European cities: perceptions and beliefs among local policymakers

Objective: To describe the knowledge and beliefs of public policymakers on social inequalities in health and policies to reduce them in cities from different parts of Europe during 2010 and 2011. Design: Phenomenological qualitative study. Setting: 13 European cities. Participants: 19 elected politicians and officers with a directive status from 13 European cities. Main outcome: Policymaker's knowledge and beliefs. Results: Three emerging discourses were identified among the interviewees, depending on the city of the interviewee. Health inequalities were perceived by most policymakers as differences in life-expectancy between population with economic, social and geographical differences. Reducing health inequalities was a priority for the majority of cities which use surveys as sources of information to analyse these. Bureaucracy, funding and population beliefs were the main barriers. Conclusions: The majority of the interviewed policymakers gave an account of interventions focusing on the immediate determinants and aimed at modifying lifestyles and behaviours in the more disadvantaged classes. More funding should be put towards academic research on effective universal policies, evaluation of their impact and training policymakers and officers on health inequalities in city governments

Nemadex AB : bilan des réseaux d'expérimentation en France

National audienceThe NemadexAB rootstock, created by Alain Bouquet at INRA Montpellier and registered in 2011, is able to delay the contaminations of the vines by GFLV thanks to the presence of Muscadinia rotundifolia in his parenthood. But it remains difficult to grow, with a poor conferred vigor to scion and a susceptibility to both chlorosis and drought. For those reasons, NemadexAB is considered as a qualitative and ‘niche’ rootstock, to be used as Riparia or 101-14. This article reviews its characteristics on both ability to delay GFLV contaminations and agronomical requirements from the current experimental trials. It also issues prospective work for an integrated way of reducing fanleaf decline.Le porte-greffe NemadexAB, obtenu par Alain Bouquet à l’INRA de Montpellier est inscrit au catalogue depuis 2011, présente des aptitudes à retarder les contaminations par la virose du court-noué du fait de son parent Muscadinia rotundifolia. Mais c’est un porte-greffe exigent, présentant une faible vigueur conférée et une sensibilité à la chlorose et à la sécheresse. Pour ces raisons, le Nemadex AB est un porte-greffe qualitatif que l’on peut qualifier « de niche », s’utilisant dans les mêmes conditions que le Riparia ou le 101-14. Cet article fait la synthèse des expérimentations en cours concernant le retard à la contamination et de comportement agronomique, et dresse les conditions à respecter pour son utilisation ainsi que les perspectives de recherche qui se dessinent en vue d’obtenir un itinéraire intégré de lutte contre le court-noué

Nemadex AB : bilan des réseaux d'expérimentation en France

Le porte-greffe NemadexAB, obtenu par Alain Bouquet à l’INRA de Montpellier est inscrit au catalogue depuis 2011, présente des aptitudes à retarder les contaminations par la virose du court-noué du fait de son parent Muscadinia rotundifolia. Mais c’est un porte-greffe exigent, présentant une faible vigueur conférée et une sensibilité à la chlorose et à la sécheresse. Pour ces raisons, le Nemadex AB est un porte-greffe qualitatif que l’on peut qualifier " de niche ", s’utilisant dans les mêmes conditions que le Riparia ou le 101-14. Cet article fait la synthèse des expérimentations en cours concernant le retard à la contamination et de comportement agronomique, et dresse les conditions à respecter pour son utilisation ainsi que les perspectives de recherche qui se dessinent en vue d’obtenir un itinéraire intégré de lutte contre le court-noué. | The NemadexAB rootstock, created by Alain Bouquet at INRA Montpellier and registered in 2011, is able to delay the contaminations of the vines by GFLV thanks to the presence of Muscadinia rotundifolia in his parenthood. But it remains difficult to grow, with a poor conferred vigor to scion and a susceptibility to both chlorosis and drought. For those reasons, NemadexAB is considered as a qualitative and ‘niche’ rootstock, to be used as Riparia or 101-14. This article reviews its characteristics on both ability to delay GFLV contaminations and agronomical requirements from the current experimental trials. It also issues prospective work for an integrated way of reducing fanleaf decline