évaluation préliminaire des qualités psychométriques d'un système de codification du soutien conjugal pour le trouble de stress post-traumatique.

Lack of social support (SS) is one of the most important factors influencing the development and maintenance of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and people living in couples seek the support of their spouse. To our knowledge, no study on PTSD has used an observational measure of SS in addition of the usual self-report method of measurement. The purpose of this study is to adapt the Social Support Interaction Global Coding System (SCIS) and to explore its psychometric properties using 20 support interactions videotaped with couples among whom a spouse has a PTSD diagnosis. Results suggest that the new SCIS (PTSD) shows satisfactory interrater reliability, good internal consistency and good convergent validity with self-reported measures of perceived support and marital adjustment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Characterization of a major slow oscillation in the mesenteric circulation of conscious rats

1. Little is known about spontaneous slow rhythms in regional circulations. The present study was aimed at characterizing low-frequency (LF; 78-269 mHz) oscillations in the mesenteric and hindquarter circulations of conscious rats. 2. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and indices (pulsed Doppler technique) of mesenteric (n = 25) and hindquarter (n = 23) blood flows were recorded in conscious, freely moving rats during 1 h periods. Fast Fourier transform analysis was applied to beat-to-beat data after resampling at 10 Hz of consecutive 205 s time series. 3. A major oscillation centred at 164 +/- 4 mHz was present in the mesenteric, but not in hindquarter, circulation. Consequently, LF power accounted for approximately 43% of the overall variability of mesenteric blood flow. Cross-spectral analysis performed between MAP and mesenteric blood flow indicated that fractional changes in flow were approximately two-fold of those in MAP, in pressure, at the peak frequency. 4. Acute blockade of the autonomic, renin-angiotensin and vasopressin systems combined with noradrenaline infusion (n = 7) reduced the frequency of the mesenteric blood flow oscillation (115 +/- 6 mHz) but did not change its contribution to overall flow variability (approximately 48%). A clear oscillation was still present after acute inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) synthesis with NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (n = 8), but was virtually absent in chronically guanethidine-sympathectomized rats (n = 12). 5. In conclusion, the mesenteric blood flow of conscious rats exhibits a major slow oscillation that originates in the mesenteric vasculature and is not secondary to the activity of the major pressor systems or to the cyclic release of NO. Because of the strong attenuation of the oscillation in sympathectomized rats, we suggest that adrenergic vasoconstrictor tone plays a permissive role in its genesis.     

Heterologous expression of an engineered truncated form of human Lewis fucosyltransferase (Fuc-TIII) by the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris

A stable GS115 Pichia pastoris recombinant strain was constructed to secrete a truncated form of the human alpha(1,3/4) fucosyltransferase (amino acids 45-361). Enzyme production resulted from a secretory pathway based on the pre-pro- alpha mating factor signal sequence of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae . Following its transit through the Golgi apparatus, the enzyme accumulated in the periplasmic space before its release in the culture broth (about 30 mg/l). Cell-enclosed enzyme ( approximately 0.16%) proved to be fairly stable for many freezing and thawing cycles and could be used several times as an immobilized catalyst. Soluble enzyme (>99.8%) representing the main protein of the culture broth (10%) has been characterized by Western-blotting, substrate specificities and kinetic parameters. The two forms (cell-enclosed and soluble) of recombinant enzyme may be used for in vitro synthesis of Lewisadeterminants.     

Lien entre la qualité des relations familiales et sociales à l'adolescence et à l'age adulte.

Fifty-seven families with adolescent children participated in a study of a) the quality of family and friendship relationships in adolescence, and b) the quality of family, friendship, and romantic relationships of adolescents 7 years later. Observation measures and self-report questionnaires were used to examine the variables. Regression analyses showed that mothers' marital satisfaction, conjugal conflict, and quality of mother-daughter relationship in adolescence predicted daughters' satisfaction with romantic relationships in adulthood. However, only the parental variables during adolescence predicted the quality of friendship relationships in adulthood. This study highlighted the contribution that quality of family relationships in adolescence makes to the quality of interpersonal relationships in adulthood. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Experimental and numerical simulations of turbulent ventilation in aircraft cabins

Airflow in a generic airplane cabin has been investigated numerically by means of Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes computations and experimentally by particle image velocimetry (PIV). High and low Reynolds number as well as two layer turbulence models were tested for their ability to describe turbulent velocity fields. Special attention was given to the flow of the incoming air jet along the luggage compartment. Comparison with PIV measurements reveals that for reliable prediction of isothermal cabin flow, low Reynolds number turbulence models have to be used.     

Oxidative stress, mutant SOD1, and neurofilament pathology in transgenic mouse models of human motor neuron disease

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease that primarily affects motor neurons in the spinal cord and brain stem. About 10% of all ALS cases are familial (FALS), inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. One fifth of FALS patients carry mutations in the Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) gene, and several lines of transgenic mice have been engineered to express mutant forms of the SOD1 gene that are linked to FALS. Significantly, many of these transgenic lines of mice develop a motor neuron disease (MND) that resembles human FALS. Oxidative stress induced by human SOD1 mutations is believed to play an important role in the pathogenesis of FALS and the FALS-like MND seen in the mutant SOD1 transgenic mice. For example, two lines of these mice showed prominent degeneration of mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum in spinal cord neurons. Furthermore, recent studies have shown that neurofilament (NF)-rich spheroids. Lewy body-like NF inclusions, altered ubiquitin immunoreactivity, and Golgi fragmentation occur in the spinal cord motoneurons of these mutant SOD1 transgenic mice. Because these lesions recapitulate hallmark abnormalities of human ALS, mutant SOD1 transgenic mice provide a useful model for studies designed to elucidate the pathogenesis of ALS. Furthermore, transgenic mice that overexpress NF proteins also develop a clinical and pathologic phenotype similar to human MND, and polymorphisms in an NF gene have been linked to patients with ALS. Collectively, these observations implicate NF protein abnormalities in the pathogenesis of this disorder. Accordingly, this review summarizes recent insights into mechanisms of motor neuron degeneration in ALS that have emerged from studies of these new animal models of this neurodegenerative disease.     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of potent, selective, hexapeptide CCK-A agonist anorectic agents

Cholecystokinin (CCK) is a 33-amino acid peptide with multiple functions in both the central nervous system (via CCK-B receptors) and the periphery (via CCK-A receptors). CCK mediation of satiety via the A-receptor subtype suggest a role for CCK in the management of obesity. The carboxy terminal octapeptide (CCK-8) is fully active in this regard, but is lacking in receptor selectivity, metabolic stability, and oral bioavailability. Inversion of the chirality of Asp7 in conjunction with N-methylation of Phe8 produces compound 5 which exhibits high affinity and 2100-fold selectivity for CCK-A receptors. Compound 6 (Hpa(SO3H)-Nle-Gly-Trp-Nle-MeAsp-Phe-NH2), derived from moving the N-methyl group from Phe to Asp, decreased CCK-B affinity substantially without affecting CCK-A affinity, giving a compound with 6600-fold selectivity for CCK-A receptors. These compounds inhibit food intake with nanomolar potency following intraperitoneal administration in fasted rats. In addition to greater potency, compound 6 produces weight loss in rats when administered over nine consecutive days. Intranasal administration of 6 potently inhibits feeding in beagle dogs. Compound 6 produces potent anorectic activity via the CCK-A receptor system.     

Protective effect of neurofilament heavy gene overexpression in motor neuron disease induced by mutant superoxide dismutase

To investigate the role of neurofilaments in motor neuron disease caused by superoxide dismutase (SOD1) mutations, transgenic mice expressing a amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-linked SOD1 mutant (SOD1(G37R)) were mated with transgenic mice expressing human neurofilament heavy (NF-H) subunits. Unexpectedly, expression of human NF-H transgenes increased by up to 65%, the mean lifespan of SOD1(G37R) mice. Microscopic examination corroborated the protective effect of NF-H protein against SOD1 toxicity. Although massive neurodegeneration occurred in 1-yr-old mice expressing SOD1(G37R) alone, spinal root axons and motor neurons were remarkably spared in doubly SOD1(G37R);NF-H-transgenic littermates.