Corruption Kills: Estimating the Global Impact of Corruption on Children Deaths

BACKGROUND: Information on the global risk factors of children mortality is crucial to guide global efforts to improve survival. Corruption has been previously shown to significantly impact on child mortality. However no recent quantification of its current impact is available. METHODS: The impact of corruption was assessed through crude Pearson's correlation, univariate and multivariate linear models coupling national under-five mortality rates in 2008 to the national "perceived level of corruption" (CPI) and a large set of adjustment variables measured during the same period. FINDINGS: The final multivariable model (adjusted R(2)= 0.89) included the following significant variables: percentage of people with improved sanitation (p.value<0.001), logarithm of total health expenditure (p.value = 0.006), Corruption Perception Index (p.value<0.001), presence of an arid climate on the national territory (p = 0.006), and the dependency ratio (p.value<0.001). A decrease in CPI of one point (i.e. a more important perceived corruption) was associated with an increase in the log of national under-five mortality rate of 0.0644. According to this result, it could be roughly hypothesized that more than 140000 annual children deaths could be indirectly attributed to corruption. INTERPRETATIONS: Global response to children mortality must involve a necessary increase in funds available to develop water and sanitation access and purchase new methods for prevention, management, and treatment of major diseases drawing the global pattern of children deaths. However without paying regard to the anti-corruption mechanisms needed to ensure their proper use, it will also provide further opportunity for corruption. Policies and interventions supported by governments and donors must integrate initiatives that recognise how they are inter-related

Prognostic Value of CXCR2 in Breast Cancer

International audienceThe tumor microenvironment appears essential in cancer progression and chemokines are mediators of the communication between cancer cells and stromal cells. We have previously shown that the ligands of the chemokine receptor CXCR2 were expressed at higher levels in triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC). Our hypothesis was that CXCR2 expression could also be altered in breast cancer. Here, we have analyzed the potential role of CXCR2 in breast cancer in a retrospective cohort of 105 breast cancer patients. Expression of CXCR2, CD11b (a marker of granulocytes) and CD66b (a marker of neutrophils) was analyzed by immunohistochemistry on tumor samples. We demonstrated that CXCR2 stained mainly stromal cells and in particular neutrophils. CXCR2, CD11b and CD66b expression were correlated with high grade breast cancers. Moreover, TNBC displayed a higher expression of CXCR2, CD11b and CD66b than hormone receptor positive or Her2 positive tumors. High levels of CXCR2 and CD11b, but not CD66b, were associated with a higher infiltration of T lymphocytes and B lymphocytes. We also observed a correlation between CXCR2 and AP-1 activity. In univariate analyses, CXCR2, but not CD11b or CD66b, was associated with a lower risk of relapse; CXCR2 remained significant in multivariate analysis. Our data suggest that CXCR2 is a stromal marker of TNBC. However, higher levels of CXCR2 predicted a lower risk of relapse

Programme 13-Novembre, un an après

National audienc

La répartition des compétences entre juridictions administratives et judiciaires à l'égard des litiges touchant les personnels des services publics

La question de la juridiction compétente à l'égard des litiges relatifs aux personnels des services publics a donné lieu, depuis près d'un demi-siècle, à une jurisprudence fort complexe. La règle posée par le législateur dans l'article L 511-1 al. 7 du Code du travail, selon laquelle ces personnels, lorsqu'ils sont employés dans les conditions du droit privé, relèvent de la compétence des conseils des prud'hommes, explique la complexité du problème. Il résulte simplement de l'article précité que les conseils des prud'hommes statuent sur les litiges individuels opposant les personnels des services publics à leurs employeurs, lorsqu'ils sont employés dans les conditions du droit privé ; mais, encore faut-il déterminer au préalable si l'on est en présence d'une relation de droit privé ou de droit public. L'étude se donne d'abord pour objet de mettre en évidence ce type de disparités, de bien cerner leurs implications pratiques et de proposer des pistes de solutions en vue d'une simplification du droit applicable. Elle se propose également d'essayer de mesurer quel est, en pratique, le degré de connaissance réelle des règles juridiques applicables, tant par les personnels que par les gestionnaires des services et, de manière plus générale, de déterminer quelles sont les difficultés concrètes, liées à la compétence juridictionnelle, qui se posent à l'intérieur des services. L'objectif est d'apporter un éclairage sur la question de la détermination du juge compétent sur un double plan : celui de l'état du droit positif et celui de l'application effective de ce droit

La répartition des compétences entre juridictions administratives et judiciaires à l'égard des litiges touchant les personnels des services publics

La question de la juridiction compétente à l'égard des litiges relatifs aux personnels des services publics a donné lieu, depuis près d'un demi-siècle, à une jurisprudence fort complexe. La règle posée par le législateur dans l'article L 511-1 al. 7 du Code du travail, selon laquelle ces personnels, lorsqu'ils sont employés dans les conditions du droit privé, relèvent de la compétence des conseils des prud'hommes, explique la complexité du problème. Il résulte simplement de l'article précité que les conseils des prud'hommes statuent sur les litiges individuels opposant les personnels des services publics à leurs employeurs, lorsqu'ils sont employés dans les conditions du droit privé ; mais, encore faut-il déterminer au préalable si l'on est en présence d'une relation de droit privé ou de droit public. L'étude se donne d'abord pour objet de mettre en évidence ce type de disparités, de bien cerner leurs implications pratiques et de proposer des pistes de solutions en vue d'une simplification du droit applicable. Elle se propose également d'essayer de mesurer quel est, en pratique, le degré de connaissance réelle des règles juridiques applicables, tant par les personnels que par les gestionnaires des services et, de manière plus générale, de déterminer quelles sont les difficultés concrètes, liées à la compétence juridictionnelle, qui se posent à l'intérieur des services. L'objectif est d'apporter un éclairage sur la question de la détermination du juge compétent sur un double plan : celui de l'état du droit positif et celui de l'application effective de ce droit

Avoidance Behavior Generalizes to Eye Processing in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

International audienceBackground: Avoidance describes any action designed to prevent an uncomfortable situation or emotion from occurring. Although it is a common reaction to trauma, avoidance becomes problematic when it is the primary coping strategy, and plays a major role in the development and maintenance of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Avoidance in PTSD may generalize to non-harmful environmental cues that are perceived to be unsafe.Objective: We tested whether avoidance extends to social cues (i.e., emotional gazes) that are unrelated to trauma.Method: A total of 159 participants (103 who had been exposed to the 2015 Paris terrorist attacks and 56 who had not) performed a gaze-cueing task featuring sad, happy and neutral faces. Attention to the eye area was recorded using an eyetracker. Of the exposed participants, 52 had been diagnosed with PTSD (PTSD+) and 51 had not developed PTSD (PTSD-). As a result of the preprocessing stages, 52 PTSD+ (29 women), 50 PTSD- (20 women) and 53 nonexposed (31 women) participants were included in the final analyses.Results: PTSD+ participants looked at sad eyes for significantly less time than PTSD- and nonexposed individuals. This effect was negatively correlated with the intensity of avoidance symptoms. No difference was found for neutral and happy faces.Conclusions: These findings suggest that maladaptive avoidance in PTSD extends to social processing, in terms of eye contact and others’ emotions that are unrelated to trauma. New therapeutic directions could include targeting sociocognitive deficits. Our findings open up new and indirect avenues for overcoming maladaptive avoidance behaviors by remediating eye processing

Avoidance Behavior Generalizes to Eye Processing in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

International audienceBackground: Avoidance describes any action designed to prevent an uncomfortable situation or emotion from occurring. Although it is a common reaction to trauma, avoidance becomes problematic when it is the primary coping strategy, and plays a major role in the development and maintenance of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Avoidance in PTSD may generalize to non-harmful environmental cues that are perceived to be unsafe.Objective: We tested whether avoidance extends to social cues (i.e., emotional gazes) that are unrelated to trauma.Method: A total of 159 participants (103 who had been exposed to the 2015 Paris terrorist attacks and 56 who had not) performed a gaze-cueing task featuring sad, happy and neutral faces. Attention to the eye area was recorded using an eyetracker. Of the exposed participants, 52 had been diagnosed with PTSD (PTSD+) and 51 had not developed PTSD (PTSD-). As a result of the preprocessing stages, 52 PTSD+ (29 women), 50 PTSD- (20 women) and 53 nonexposed (31 women) participants were included in the final analyses.Results: PTSD+ participants looked at sad eyes for significantly less time than PTSD- and nonexposed individuals. This effect was negatively correlated with the intensity of avoidance symptoms. No difference was found for neutral and happy faces.Conclusions: These findings suggest that maladaptive avoidance in PTSD extends to social processing, in terms of eye contact and others’ emotions that are unrelated to trauma. New therapeutic directions could include targeting sociocognitive deficits. Our findings open up new and indirect avenues for overcoming maladaptive avoidance behaviors by remediating eye processing

Avoidance behaviour generalizes to eye processing in posttraumatic stress disorder

International audienceBackground: Avoidance describes any action designed to prevent an uncomfortable situation or emotion from occurring. Although it is a common reaction to trauma, avoidance becomes problematic when it is the primary coping strategy, and plays a major role in the development and maintenance of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Avoidance in PTSD may generalize to non-harmful environmental cues that are perceived to be unsafe. Objective: We tested whether avoidance extends to social cues (i.e. emotional gazes) that areunrelated to trauma.Method: A total of 159 participants (103 who had been exposed to the 2015 Paris terrorist attacks and 56 who had not) performed a gaze-cueing task featuring sad, happy and neutral faces. Attention to the eye area was recorded using an eyetracker. Of the exposed participants, 52 had been diagnosed with PTSD (PTSD+) and 51 had not developed PTSD (PTSD-). As a result of the preprocessing stages, 52 PTSD+ (29 women), 50 PTSD- (20 women) and 53 nonexposed (31 women) participants were included in the final analyses. Results: PTSD+ participants looked at sad eyes for significantly less time than PTSD- and nonexposed individuals. This effect was negatively correlated with the intensity of avoidance symptoms. No difference was found for neutral and happy faces. Conclusions: These findings suggest that maladaptive avoidance in PTSD extends to social processing, in terms of eye contact and others’ emotions that are unrelated to trauma. New therapeutic directions could include targeting sociocognitive deficits. Our findings open up new and indirect avenues for overcoming maladaptive avoidance behaviours by remediating eye processing

Peritraumatic physical symptoms and the clinical trajectory of PTSD after a terrorist attack: a network model approach

International audienceIntroduction: Following a mass casualty event, such as the Paris terrorist attacks of 13 November 2015, first responders need to identify individuals at risk of PTSD. Physical peritraumatic symptoms involving the autonomic nervous system may be useful in this task.Objective: We sought to determine the trajectory of physical response intensity in individuals exposed to the Paris terrorist attacks using repeated measures, and to examine its associations with PTSD. Using network modelling, we examined whether peritraumatic physical symptom associations differed by PTSD status.Methods: Physical reactions were assessed using the Subjective Physical Reactions Scale at three time points: peritraumatic by retrospective recall, then current at one year (8–18 months) and three years (30–42 months) after the attacks. Interaction networks between peritraumatic physical reactions were compared according to PTSD status.Results: On the one hand, the reported intensity of physical reactions was significantly higher in the PTSD group at all time points. On the other hand, using the dynamic approach, more robust positive interactions between peritraumatic physical reactions were found in the PTSD group one and three years after the attacks. Negative interactions were found in the no-PTSD group at one year. Peritraumatic physical numbness was found to be the most central network symptom in the PTSD group, whereas it was least central in the no-PTSD group.Discussion: Network analysis of the interaction between peritraumatic physical subjective responses, particularly physical numbness, may provide insight into the clinical course of PTSD. Our knowledge of the brain regions involved in dissociation supports the hypothesis that the periaqueductal grey may contribute to the process leading to physical numbing.Conclusions: Our findings highlight the role of peritraumatic somatic symptoms in the course of PTSD. Peritraumatic physical numbness appears to be a key marker of PTSD and its identification may help to improve early triage.HIGHLIGHTSPhysical numbness was found to be a central symptom in people developing PTSD in our study examining peritraumatic physical symptoms related to the 2015 Paris terrorist attacks

Avoidance Behavior Generalizes to Eye Processing in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

International audienceBackground: Avoidance describes any action designed to prevent an uncomfortable situation or emotion from occurring. Although it is a common reaction to trauma, avoidance becomes problematic when it is the primary coping strategy, and plays a major role in the development and maintenance of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Avoidance in PTSD may generalize to non-harmful environmental cues that are perceived to be unsafe.Objective: We tested whether avoidance extends to social cues (i.e., emotional gazes) that are unrelated to trauma.Method: A total of 159 participants (103 who had been exposed to the 2015 Paris terrorist attacks and 56 who had not) performed a gaze-cueing task featuring sad, happy and neutral faces. Attention to the eye area was recorded using an eyetracker. Of the exposed participants, 52 had been diagnosed with PTSD (PTSD+) and 51 had not developed PTSD (PTSD-). As a result of the preprocessing stages, 52 PTSD+ (29 women), 50 PTSD- (20 women) and 53 nonexposed (31 women) participants were included in the final analyses.Results: PTSD+ participants looked at sad eyes for significantly less time than PTSD- and nonexposed individuals. This effect was negatively correlated with the intensity of avoidance symptoms. No difference was found for neutral and happy faces.Conclusions: These findings suggest that maladaptive avoidance in PTSD extends to social processing, in terms of eye contact and others’ emotions that are unrelated to trauma. New therapeutic directions could include targeting sociocognitive deficits. Our findings open up new and indirect avenues for overcoming maladaptive avoidance behaviors by remediating eye processing