Hippocampal sclerosis affects fMR-adaptation of lyrics and melodies in songs

Songs constitute a natural combination of lyrics and melodies, but it is unclear whether and how these two song components are integrated during the emergence of a memory trace. Network theories of memory suggest a prominent role of the hippocampus, together with unimodal sensory areas, in the build-up of conjunctive representations. The present study tested the modulatory influence of the hippocampus on neural adaptation to songs in lateral temporal areas. Patients with unilateral hippocampal sclerosis and healthy matched controls were presented with blocks of short songs in which lyrics and/or melodies were varied or repeated in a crossed factorial design. Neural adaptation effects were taken as correlates of incidental emergent memory traces. We hypothesized that hippocampal lesions, particularly in the left hemisphere, would weaken adaptation effects, especially the integration of lyrics and melodies. Results revealed that lateral temporal lobe regions showed weaker adaptation to repeated lyrics as well as a reduced interaction of the adaptation effects for lyrics and melodies in patients with left hippocampal sclerosis. This suggests a deficient build-up of a sensory memory trace for lyrics and a reduced integration of lyrics with melodies, compared to healthy controls. Patients with right hippocampal sclerosis showed a similar profile of results although the effects did not reach significance in this population. We highlight the finding that the integrated representation of lyrics and melodies typically shown in healthy participants is likely tied to the integrity of the left medial temporal lobe. This novel finding provides the first neuroimaging evidence for the role of the hippocampus during repetitive exposure to lyrics and melodies and their integration into a song

Patients with schizophrenia and their finances: how they spend their money

Introduction: Although most patients with schizophrenia rely on state financial support, little is known about their expenses and how they use the money at their discretion. However, the ability to budget is a predictive factor in rehabilitation. An assessment of financial management skills could make it possible to develop more appropriate psycho-social assistance. Method: Fifty-seven outpatients with schizophrenia treated in the public sector in Geneva, Switzerland took part in the study. Psychosocial, diagnostic, neurocognitive and symptomatological measures were collected. Data were gathered on patients' incomes and quality of life. A prospective analysis of their expenses during a 1-month period was also performed. Results: Median income was 4,125 Swiss francs per month (i.e., 3,372 US dollars). After paying fixed expenses (which were handled with or without the assistance of a representative payee), a mean of 400 Swiss francs remained at their disposal to use as they wished. Seventy-two percent of this money was devoted to the use of psychoactive substances (e.g., cigarettes, alcohol, cannabis) or various drinks in coffee houses, and 28% on leisure activities (trips, sports and other recreational activities). Eighty-four percent of patients would have liked to have more money for leisure activities. The study was well-accepted and led to modification of the treatment plan in 84% of cases. Conclusion: Most of the discretionary money patients received was used for buying substances with addictive properties; this may hinder the practice of activities favouring recovery. Thus, it appears essential to guide patients in the management of their budget

Guide pratique pour le développement d’une offre RFID et automates prêt/retour en bibliothèque

Ce guide propose de façon très pratique le déroulement d’un processus d’automatisation d’une bibliothèque de la présentation du système RFID à la mise en place d’automates de prêt/retour en passant par les boîtes de retour extérieures

Impact of the neutrophil response to granulocyte colony-stimulating factor on the risk of hemorrhage when used in combination with tissue plasminogen activator during the acute phase of experimental stroke

BACKGROUND: Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is a pharmacologic agent inducing neutrophil mobilization and a new candidate for neuroprotection and neuroregeneration in stroke. Its effects when used in combination with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) were explored during the acute phase of ischemic stroke. METHODS: We used a middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model of cerebral ischemia, associated with treatment with tPA, in male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF; 60 μg/kg) was injected just before tPA. Neutrophil response in peripheral blood and in the infarct area was quantified in parallel to the infarct volume. Protease matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9) release from circulating neutrophils was analyzed by immunochemistry and zymography. Vascular reactivity and hemorrhagic volume in the infarct area was also assessed. RESULTS: Twenty four hours after ischemia and tPA, G-CSF administration induced a significant increase of neutrophils in peripheral blood (P <0.05). At 72 hours post-ischemia, G-CSF was significantly associated with an increased risk of hemorrhage in the infarct area (2.5 times more likely; P <0.05) and significant cerebral endothelium-dependent dysfunction. Ex vivo, an increased MMP-9 release from neutrophils after tPA administration correlated to the increased hemorrhagic risk (P <0.05). In parallel, G-CSF administration was associated with a decreased neutrophil infiltration in the infarct area (-50%; P <0.05), with a concomitant significant neuroprotective effect (infarct volume: -40%; P <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate that G-CSF potentiates the risk of hemorrhage in experimental stroke when used in combination with tPA by inducing neutrophilia. This effect is concomitant to an increased MMP-9 release from peripheral neutrophils induced by the tPA treatment. These results highlight the potential hemorrhagic risk of associating G-CSF to thrombolysis during the acute phase of stroke

Spatio-temporal expression patterns of aurora kinases a, B, and C and cytoplasmic polyadenylation-element-binding protein in bovine oocytes during meiotic maturation.

International audienceMaturation of immature bovine oocytes requires cytoplasmic polyadenylation and synthesis of a number of proteins involved in meiotic progression and metaphase-II arrest. Aurora serine-threonine kinases--localized in centrosomes, chromosomes, and midbody--regulate chromosome segregation and cytokinesis in somatic cells. In frog and mouse oocytes, Aurora A regulates polyadenylation-dependent translation of several mRNAs such as MOS and CCNB1, presumably by phosphorylating CPEB, and Aurora B phosphorylates histone H3 during meiosis. We analyzed the expression of three Aurora kinase genes--AURKA, AURKB, and AURKC--in bovine oocytes during meiosis by reverse transcription followed by quantitative real-time PCR and immunodetection. Aurora A was the most abundant form in oocytes, both at mRNA and protein levels. AURKA protein progressively accumulated in the oocyte cytoplasm during antral follicle growth and in vitro maturation. AURKB associated with metaphase chromosomes. AURKB, AURKC, and Thr-phosphorylated AURKA were detected at a contractile ring/midbody during the first polar body extrusion. CPEB, localized in oocyte cytoplasm, was hyperphosphorylated during prophase/metaphase-I transition. Most CPEB degraded in metaphase-II oocytes and remnants remained localized in a contractile ring. Roscovitine, U0126, and metformin inhibited meiotic divisions; they all induced a decrease of CCNB1 and phospho-MAPK3/1 levels and prevented CPEB degradation. However, only metformin depleted AURKA. The Aurora kinase inhibitor VX680 at 100 nmol/L did not inhibit meiosis but led to multinuclear oocytes due to the failure of the polar body extrusion. Thus, in bovine oocyte meiosis, massive destruction of CPEB accompanies metaphase-I/II transition, and Aurora kinases participate in regulating segregation of the chromosomes, maintenance of metaphase-II, and formation of the first polar body

Le rôle de la vision dans la perception et la production de la parole : étude des voyelles orales du français québécois produites et perçues par des adultes voyants et aveugles

La vue des articulateurs que sont notamment la mâchoire et les lèvres, sans indice acoustique, permet de reconnaître bon nombre de phonèmes et dénote l'importance de la vision dans la perception de la parole. Plusieurs travaux ont par ailleurs mis en exergue le lien étroit unissant perception et production de la parole. La cécité constitue un paradigme de recherche privilégié pour étudier le rôle de la vision dans ces mécanismes de la parole. Nous avons donc choisi d'étudier la perception auditive et les caractéristiques acoustiques des\ud productions des 11 voyelles orales du français québécois [i y u e ø o ε œ ɔ a α] en position tenue isolée de 6 adultes présentant une cécité totale et congénitale et de 6 adultes non-voyants. Une étude exploratoire du mouvement anticipatoire de constriction des lèvres lors de la production de séquences [iCny] a également été menée auprès de 2 sujets par groupe. Nos objectifs ont consisté à décrire acoustiquement la perception des traits d'aperture, de lieu d'articulation et d'arrondissement des voyelles par les participants, à présenter l'organisation articulatori-acoustique et acoustico-auditive des voyelles qu'ils ont produites et à détailler le décours temporel de leur coarticulation labiale anticipante. Notre méthodologie a impliqué des tests d'identification et de discrimination de voyelles synthétisées, des enregistrements acoustiques de productions de voyelles en position tenue isolée dans 2 conditions (en présence de bruit blanc de façon à réduire la rétroaction auditive, et en condition normale, sans bruit perturbateur) et des enregistrements audio-visuels de données géométriques des lèvres. Nous n'avons pas pu observer de différences majeures entre les deux groupes de sujets. Par contre, des tendances ont pu être observées lors de la description de leur perception; pour certains contrastes d'aperture, les sujets aveugles ont présenté des frontières catégorielles de moindre valeur, des pentes Probit généralement inférieures et des pics de discrimination supérieurs. Beaucoup de variabilité inter-individuelle a été observée dans les productions des sujets, mais peu de différences inter-groupes ont été observées. De façon générale, l'AVS des sujets aveugles était inférieur à celui des voyants et ce, dans les deux conditions de bruit. Les données géométriques des lèvres des deux groupes de sujets concordent bien avec les principes établis du Modèle d'expansion du mouvement relatif à la planification motrice de la constriction labiale; les sujets aveugles présentent cependant des pentes légèrement plus faibles que celles des sujets voyants. Des recherches doivent être poursuivies auprès des populations enfant et adulte, voyante et aveugle, afin de mettre en lumière de façon plus précise le rôle de la vision dans les mécanismes de production et de perception de la parole. ______________________________________________________________________________ MOTS-CLÉS DE L’AUTEUR : Vision, Cécité, Perception de la parole, Production de la parole, Acoustique, Articulatoire, Voyelles, Coarticulation

Périers-sur-le-Dan – Chemin du Hameau, rue du Londel

Lien Atlas (MCC) :http://atlas.patrimoines.culture.fr/atlas/trunk/index.php?ap_theme=DOM_2.01.02&ap_bbox=-0.353;49.247;-0.321;49.268 Suite au projet d’aménagement d’un lotissement en bordure méridionale du bourg de Périers-sur-le-Dan, un diagnostic archéologique a été mené sur 2,54 ha dans le but d’en évaluer le potentiel archéologique, dans un secteur particulièrement sensible aux occupations des périodes préhistorique, protohistorique et historique. Les principaux résultats concernent des a..

Périers-sur-le-Dan – Chemin du Hameau, rue du Londel

Suite au projet d’aménagement d’un lotissement en bordure méridionale du bourg de Périers-sur-le-Dan, un diagnostic archéologique a été mené sur 2,54 ha dans le but d’en évaluer le potentiel archéologique, dans un secteur particulièrement sensible aux occupations des périodes préhistorique, protohistorique et historique. Les principaux résultats concernent des aménagements d’époque moderne et contemporaine (parcellaire et chemins) identifiés pour la plupart sur le cadastre napoléonien de 1808..

Le Breuil-en-Auge – RD579a, l'Herbage

Lien Atlas (MCC) :http://atlas.patrimoines.culture.fr/atlas/trunk/index.php?ap_theme=DOM_2.01.02&ap_bbox=0.186;49.213;-0.258;49.241 L’emprise du diagnostic archéologique est située au Breuil-en-Auge, à peu près à mi-distance entre Lisieux (6 km) et les villes côtières de Deauville et Trouville-sur-Mer (15 km), dans le Pays d’Auge. L’emprise est positionnée au lieu-dit l’Herbage , à quelques centaines de mètres au nord du centre bourg. La parcelle, d’une superficie de 16 690 m2, fait l’objet d..

Electroactive biofilms: new means for electrochemistry

This work demonstrates that electrochemical reactions can be catalysed by the natural biofilms that form on electrode surfaces dipping into drinking water or compost. In drinking water, oxygen reduction was monitored with stainless steel ultra-microelectrodes under constant potential electrolysis at )0.30 V/SCE for 13 days. 16 independent experiments were conducted in drinking water, either pure or with the addition of acetate or dextrose. In most cases, the current increased and reached 1.5–9.5 times the initial current. The current increase was attributed to biofilm forming on the electrode in a similar way to that has been observed in seawater. Epifluorescence microscopy showed that the bacteria size and the biofilm morphology depended on the nutrients added, but no quantitative correlation between biofilm morphology and current was established. In compost, the oxidation process was investigated using a titanium based electrode under constant polarisation in the range 0.10–0.70 V/SCE. It was demonstrated that the indigenous micro-organisms were responsible for the current increase observed after a few days, up to 60 mA m)2. Adding 10 mM acetate to the compost amplified the current density to 145 mA m)2 at 0.50 V/SCE. The study suggests that many natural environments, other than marine sediments, waste waters and seawaters that have been predominantly investigated until now, may be able to produce electrochemically active biofilm