[McArdle's disease revealed by acute low back pain]

INTRODUCTION

McArdle disease, or glycogen storage disease type V (GSD 5), is a rare metabolic myopathy linked to an autosomal recessive myophosphorylase deficiency.

CASE REPORT

We report the case of a 17-year-old male patient who was referred to the emergency department for the management of acute inflammatory low back pain, without traumatic context, associated with an increase of CK at 66,336 UI/L (N<192UI/L) and a CRP at 202mg/L. The immunological assessment was negative and the spinal MRI showed images in favor of necrotizing fasciitis affecting the erector spinae muscles, among others. Faced with the description of difficulties in practicing physical activities since childhood and a non-ischaemic forearm exercise test showing no elevation in lactacidemia, genetic tests were carried out, finding two heterozygous variants in the PYGM gene: c.1963G>A (p.Glu655Lys) class 5 and c.2178-1G>A class 4, confirming the diagnosis of McArdle disease.

DISCUSSION

GSD 5 is a disease characterized essentially by muscular fatigability during exercise. The case reported here is original in the clinical circumstances leading to the diagnosis, i.e., inaugural acute low back pain with rhabdomyolysis. This symptomatology had already been described before, but in a patient whose diagnosis was already known. Spinal MRI showed non-specific muscle inflammation and necrosis. Muscle biopsy only found necrosis but no pathological elements typical of the diagnosis. If the symptoms are suggestive, it may be preferable to directly perform a non-ischaemic forearm exercise test, in order to go directly to molecular genetic analysis. There is no specific curative treatment of GSD 5. However, some measures can be implemented to limit the symptoms, such as learning physical exercises, limiting intense efforts and adopting dietary recommendations.

Manipulating objects during learning shrinks the global scale of spatial representations in memory: a virtual reality study

Goal-directed approaches to perception usually consider that distance perception is shaped by the body and its potential for interaction. Although this phenomenon has been extensively investigated in the field of perception, little is known about the effect of motor interactions on memory, and how they shape the global representation of large-scale spaces. To investigate this question, we designed an immersive virtual reality environment in which participants had to learn the positions of several items. Half of the participants had to physically (but virtually) grab the items with their hand and drop them at specified locations (active condition). The other half of the participants were simply shown the items which appeared at the specified position without interacting with them (passive condition). Half of the items used during learning were images of manipulable objects, and the other half were non manipulable objects. Participants were subsequently asked to draw a map of the virtual environment from memory, and to position all the items in it. Results show that active participants recalled the global shape of the spatial layout less precisely, and made more absolute distance errors than passive participants. Moreover, global scaling compression bias was higher for active participants than for passive participants. Interestingly, manipulable items showed a greater compression bias compared to non-manipulable items, yet they had no effect on correlation scores and absolute non-directional distance errors. These results are discussed according to grounded approaches of spatial cognition, emphasizing motor simulation as a possible mechanism for position retrieval from memory.

High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry-Based Metabolomics for Increased Grape Juice Metabolite Coverage

The composition of the juice from grape berries is at the basis of the definition of technological ripeness before harvest, historically evaluated from global sugar and acid contents. If many studies have contributed to the identification of other primary and secondary metabolites in whole berries, deepening knowledge about the chemical composition of the sole flesh of grape berries (i.e., without considering skins and seeds) at harvest is of primary interest when studying the enological potential of widespread grape varieties producing high-added-value wines. Here, we used non-targeted DI-FT-ICR-MS and RP-UHPLC-Q-ToF-MS analyses to explore the extent of metabolite coverage of up to 290 grape juices from four Vitis vinifera grape varieties, namely Chardonnay, Pinot noir, Meunier, and Aligoté, sampled at harvest from 91 vineyards in Europe and Argentina, over three successive vintages. SPE pretreatment of samples led to the identification of more than 4500 detected C,H,O,N,S-containing elemental compositions, likely associated with tens of thousands of distinct metabolites. We further revealed that a major part of this chemical diversity appears to be common to the different juices, as exemplified by Pinot noir and Chardonnay samples. However, it was possible to build significant models for the discrimination of Chardonnay from Pinot noir grape juices, and of Chardonnay from Aligoté grape juices, regardless of the geographical origin or the vintage. Therefore, this metabolomic approach opens access to a remarkable holistic molecular description of the instantaneous composition of such a biological matrix, which is the result of complex interplays among environmental, biochemical, and vine growing practices.

Celiprolol to prevent arterial events in patients with vascular Ehlers-Danlos and neither symptomatic nor silent arterial event. A retrospective cohort study from the French national reference center

Background

Vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (vEDS) is a rare inherited connective tissue disorder, leading to mainly arterial complications, caused by COL3A1 pathogenic variations. Ong et al. (Lancet 2010) showed that the introduction of celiprolol significantly reduced arterial events in a predominantly symptomatic population on arterial level. We reported the benefit of full dose of Celiprolol in longitudinal study to prevent arterial events in Frank et al. (JACC 2019). To our knowledge, there is no data regarding the benefit of celiprolol in patients without any arterial event.

Purpose

The aim of this study was to assess the occurrence of arterial events during follow-up in vEDS patients without arterial event.

Methods

All patients – probands and relatives – with a pathogenic variation in COL3A1 diagnosed at the Referral Centre for Rare Vascular Diseases since 2001 and at least one arterial tree assessment were included. We then focused on vEDS patients without any arterial event. We retrospectively analyzed the duration of follow-up, the occurrence of arterial events during follow-up, and the introduction and dose of celiprolol, especially at the time of occurrence of an arterial event.

Results

Among the 230 patients included, 144 (63%) had at least one symptomatic arterial event, 44 (19%) had only silent arterial event and 67 (29%) had no arterial event at the first arterial tree assessment event. Patients with no arterial event were significantly younger at this visit compared with the two other groups with a median age of 23 vs. 38 and 39 years (silent and symptomatic) (p&lt;0.05). Patients with no arterial event were more frequently relatives (73%) than probands (27%) (p&lt;10–3). Celiprolol was introduced in 48 (72%) of the 67 patients with no arterial event after positive genetic diagnosis disclosure or during one of the outpatient visit. During follow-up, 22 patients had a first arterial event at a median age of 29 years: 16 (33%) were receiving celiprolol and 6 (32%) were not. But the median follow-up duration was 4 years for the 48 treated patients vs. 2 years for the 19 untreated patients (p=0.03).

Conclusions

Genetic testing of the relatives of probands with vEDS remains of utmost importance as one quarter presented with symptomatic arterial event and one fifth had silent arterial event at initial arterial tree assessment. For patients with no arterial event, those without celiprolol have a similar incidence of arterial events than those with celiprolol, however their follow-up duration was twice shorter suggesting a higher incidence rate or arterial event in the absence of celiprolol.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

Benefica chirurgia. A global surgery project focusing on hernia surgery

BACKGROUND

The aim of international health cooperation projects is to alleviate the deficiencies in the area of health in low resource settings. Hernia surgery is a procedure that is well suited to these missions, due to its low morbidity, the fact that it can be performed on an outpatient basis, and the improvement in quality of life that it provides.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the results of Benefica Chirurgia (BC), a Spanish non-profit humanitarian association in hernia pathology.

METHODS

Five one-week surgical campaigns were carried out in Ecuador between 2015 and 2019, involving anesthetists, general and pediatric surgeons. Surgical and medical equipment was provided and transported by BC. ASA I/II patients underwent surgery.

RESULTS

Surgery was performed on 240 patients with hernia pathology on 27 days. Sixty-three per cent of patients were male and the mean age was 48.2 years (range: 1-83). Hernia location was inguinal in 113 patients, umbilical in 101, and other in 26. The anesthetic technique used was spinal in 185 patients (77.1%), local plus intravenous sedation in 31 (12.9%), and general in 24 (10%). The surgical technique used was hernioplasty in 191 patients, herniorrhaphy in 31, incisional hernia repair in 15 and herniotomy in three. Surgery was performed on an outpatient basis in 98.4% of cases. Morbidity was 2%. Long-term postoperative evaluation is very complex.

CONCLUSION

These campaigns make a significant contribution to health in low resource settings and provide great personal satisfaction for those involved. Standards achieved in the immediate postoperative period were similar to those obtained at the surgeons' centers in Europe. However, it is difficult to establish the rates of recurrence and chronic pain.

In vivo spatiotemporal control of voltage-gated ion channels by using photoactivatable peptidic toxins

Photoactivatable drugs targeting ligand-gated ion channels open up new opportunities for light-guided therapeutic interventions. Photoactivable toxins targeting ion channels have the potential to control excitable cell activities with low invasiveness and high spatiotemporal precision. As proof-of-concept, we develop HwTxIV-Nvoc, a UV light-cleavable and photoactivatable peptide that targets voltage-gated sodium (NaV) channels and validate its activity in vitro in HEK293 cells, ex vivo in brain slices and in vivo on mice neuromuscular junctions. We find that HwTxIV-Nvoc enables precise spatiotemporal control of neuronal NaV channel function under all conditions tested. By creating multiple photoactivatable toxins, we demonstrate the broad applicability of this toxin-photoactivation technology.

[Fish odor syndrome: A socially disabling disorder]

INTRODUCTION

Fish odor syndrome (FOS) is a rare metabolic disorder that manifests as "rotten fish" body odor and is caused by the excretion of trimethylamine (TMA) in body fluids. This disease can have a negative impact on the social life of affected patients.

CASE REPORTS

We report the case of two female patients complaining about unpleasant body odor. The diagnosis of FOS was confirmed by the demonstration of trimethylaminuria by NMR spectroscopy and by molecular analysis of the FMO3 gene. A restrictive choline diet combined with digestive decontamination reduced odor symptoms and improved the social life of these 2 patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Fish odor syndrome is a rare and unrecognized disease that can affect the quality of life of affected persons. Following laboratory diagnosis, treatment is often effective.

Synthetic Analogues of Huwentoxin-IV Spider Peptide With Altered Human NaV1.7/NaV1.6 Selectivity Ratios

Huwentoxin-IV (HwTx-IV), a peptide discovered in the venom of the Chinese bird spider Cyriopagopus schmidti, has been reported to be a potent antinociceptive compound due to its action on the genetically-validated Na_V1.7 pain target. Using this peptide for antinociceptive applications in vivo suffers from one major drawback, namely its negative impact on the neuromuscular system. Although studied only recently, this effect appears to be due to an interaction between the peptide and the Na_V1.6 channel subtype located at the presynaptic level. The aim of this work was to investigate how HwTx-IV could be modified in order to alter the original human (h) Na_V1.7/Na_V1.6 selectivity ratio of 23. Nineteen HwTx-IV analogues were chemically synthesized and tested for their blocking effects on the Na⁺ currents flowing through these two channel subtypes stably expressed in cell lines. Dose-response curves for these analogues were generated, thanks to the use of an automated patch-clamp system. Several key amino acid positions were targeted owing to the information provided by earlier structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies. Among the analogues tested, the potency of HwTx-IV E⁴K was significantly improved for hNa_V1.6, leading to a decreased hNa_V1.7/hNa_V1.6 selectivity ratio (close to 1). Similar decreased selectivity ratios, but with increased potency for both subtypes, were observed for HwTx-IV analogues that combine a substitution at position 4 with a modification of amino acid 1 or 26 (HwTx-IV E¹G/E⁴G and HwTx-IV E⁴K/R²⁶Q). In contrast, increased selectivity ratios (>46) were obtained if the E⁴K mutation was combined to an additional double substitution (R²⁶A/Y³³W) or simply by further substituting the C-terminal amidation of the peptide by a carboxylated motif, linked to a marked loss of potency on hNa_V1.6 in this latter case. These results demonstrate that it is possible to significantly modulate the selectivity ratio for these two channel subtypes in order to improve the potency of a given analogue for hNa_V1.6 and/or hNa_V1.7 subtypes. In addition, selective analogues for hNa_V1.7, possessing better safety profiles, were produced to limit neuromuscular impairments.

Strong reorganization of multi-domain microbial networks associated with primary producers sedimentation from oxic to anoxic conditions in an hypersaline lake

Understanding the role of microbial interactions in the functioning of natural systems is often impaired by the levels of complexity they encompass. In this study, we used the relative simplicity of an hypersaline crater lake hosting only microbial organisms (Dziani Dzaha) to provide a detailed analysis of the microbial networks including the three domains of life. We identified two main ecological zones, one euphotic and oxic zone in surface, where two phytoplanktonic organisms produce a very high biomass, and one aphotic and anoxic deeper zone, where this biomass slowly sinks and undergoes anaerobic degradation. We highlighted strong differences in the structure of microbial communities from the two zones and between the microbial consortia associated with the two primary producers. Primary producers sedimentation was associated with a major reorganization of the microbial network at several levels: global properties, modules composition, nodes and links characteristics. We evidenced the potential dependency of Woesearchaeota to the primary producers' exudates in the surface zone, and their disappearance in the deeper anoxic zone, along with the restructuration of the networks in the anoxic zone toward the decomposition of the organic matter. Altogether, we provided an in-depth analysis of microbial association network and highlighted putative changes in microbial interactions supporting the functioning of the two ecological zones in this unique ecosystem.

A standardised hERG phenotyping pipeline to evaluate KCNH2 genetic variant pathogenicity

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Mutations in KCNH2 cause long or short QT syndromes (LQTS or SQTS) predisposing to life-threatening arrhythmias. Over 1000 hERG variants have been described by clinicians, but most remain to be characterised. The objective is to standardise and accelerate the phenotyping process to contribute to clinician diagnosis and patient counselling. In silico evaluation was also included to characterise the structural impact of the variants.

METHODS

We selected 11 variants from known LQTS patients and two variants for which diagnosis was problematic. Using the Gibson assembly strategy, we efficiently introduced mutations in hERG cDNA despite GC-rich sequences. A pH-sensitive fluorescent tag was fused to hERG for efficient evaluation of channel trafficking. An optimised 35-s patch-clamp protocol was developed to evaluate hERG channel activity in transfected cells. R software was used to speed up analyses.

RESULTS

In the present work, we observed a good correlation between cell surface expression, assessed by the pH-sensitive tag, and current densities. Also, we showed that the new biophysical protocol allows a significant gain of time in recording ion channel properties and provides extensive information on WT and variant channel biophysical parameters, that can all be recapitulated in a single parameter defined herein as the repolarisation power. The impacts of the variants on channel structure were also reported where structural information was available. These three readouts (trafficking, repolarisation power and structural impact) define three pathogenicity indexes that may help clinical diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Fast-track characterisation of KCNH2 genetic variants shows its relevance to discriminate mutants that affect hERG channel activity from variants with undetectable effects. It also helped the diagnosis of two new variants. This information is meant to fill a patient database, as a basis for personalised medicine. The next steps will be to further accelerate the process using an automated patch-clamp system.

Fluorescent- and tagged-protoxin II peptides: potent markers of the Nav 1.7 channel pain target

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Protoxin II (ProTx II) is a high affinity gating modifier that is thought to selectively block the Na_v 1.7 voltage-dependent Na⁺ channel, a major therapeutic target for the control of pain. We aimed at producing ProTx II analogues entitled with novel functionalities for cell distribution studies and biochemical characterization of its Na_v channel targets.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

We took advantage of the high affinity properties of the peptide, combined to its slow off rate, to design a number of new tagged analogues useful for imaging and biochemistry purposes. We used high-throughput automated patch-clamp to identify the analogues best matching the native properties of ProTx II and validated them on various Na_v -expressing cells in pull-down and cell distribution studies.

KEY RESULTS

Two of the produced ProTx II analogues, Biot-ProTx II and ATTO488-ProTx II, best emulate the pharmacological properties of unlabelled ProTx II, whereas other analogues remain high affinity blockers of Na_v 1.7. The biotinylated version of ProTx II efficiently works for the pull-down of several Na_v isoforms tested in a concentration-dependent manner, whereas the fluorescent ATTO488-ProTx II specifically labels the Na_v 1.7 channel over other Na_v isoforms tested in various experimental conditions.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

The properties of these ProTx II analogues as tools for Na_v channel purification and cell distribution studies pave the way for a better understanding of ProTx II channel receptors in pain and their pathophysiological implications in sensory neuronal processing. The new fluorescent ProTx II should also be useful in the design of new drug screening strategies.

Computer modeling of whole-cell voltage-clamp analyses to delineate guidelines for good practice of manual and automated patch-clamp

The patch-clamp technique and more recently the high throughput patch-clamp technique have contributed to major advances in the characterization of ion channels. However, the whole-cell voltage-clamp technique presents certain limits that need to be considered for robust data generation. One major caveat is that increasing current amplitude profoundly impacts the accuracy of the biophysical analyses of macroscopic ion currents under study. Using mathematical kinetic models of a cardiac voltage-gated sodium channel and a cardiac voltage-gated potassium channel, we demonstrated how large current amplitude and series resistance artefacts induce an undetected alteration in the actual membrane potential and affect the characterization of voltage-dependent activation and inactivation processes. We also computed how dose-response curves are hindered by high current amplitudes. This is of high interest since stable cell lines frequently demonstrating high current amplitudes are used for safety pharmacology using the high throughput patch-clamp technique. It is therefore critical to set experimental limits for current amplitude recordings to prevent inaccuracy in the characterization of channel properties or drug activity, such limits being different from one channel type to another. Based on the predictions generated by the kinetic models, we draw simple guidelines for good practice of whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings.

APPLICATION OF CALCULATED MSM FACTORS USING TRIPOLI4® SEQUENCE ON BORON LINED PROPORTIONAL COUNTER ROD WORTH MEASUREMENT

The topic addressed deals with the determination of adjoint parameters for instrumentation relevance. This is a crucial subject for comprehension of subcritical levels in the frame of safety analysis. Indeed, such states require interpretation and raw data cannot be processed as such. To do so, the transcription of core reactivity through instrumentation located in the reactor periphery is considered with the use of MSM factors [1],[2]. We implement this method inside a TRIPOLI4® [3] sequence in order to establish predictive mapping of MSM factors and figure out optimal position for instrumentation location at the beginning of reactor operations.

Firstly, MSM factors are introduced, along with the designer point of view for geometry construction based on ROOT package [4]. At this point, the methodology of TRIPOLI4® calculation is explained in detail, including the sequencing associated to and how the Green Functions are performed within TRIPOLI4®.

In this second part and within the verification framework, the previous method is extended to a “fictitious core” developed in TechnicAtome for Monte Carlo [5] calculation and for different core pattern loadings. After the completion of these numerical validations gained on a High Performing Cluster, the method is then expanded to critical mock up [6] and challenged to recent experimental results for validation. The comparisons end up with a good agreement between predictive calculation and experimental values of reactivity worth.

Finally the document ends with a mid-term projection for outlooks and improvements, for ensuring an enhancement of the safety approach. Several items are discussed especially, fine tuning for the spatial meshing (regarding instrumentation size) and the impact on TRIPOLI4® Monte Carlo code with the development of new features. Then, the authors focus on sensitivity effect concerning delayed neutron spectrum and kinetics parameters. As a conclusion, this paper proposes to validate the method exposed in the near future, using experimental data coming from many years of critical mock up operations.

Tolerancing and characterization of curved image sensor systems

Curved image sensors, not having to correct the field curvature, are considered a relevant solution for improving the vast majority of optical systems. They offer the possibility of designing compact aberration-free optical systems. In this work, we explain the advantage of the curved sensor system using the aberration theory. A complete procedure was developed to produce functional curved sensors and functional prototypes were carried out. This paper focuses on the tolerancing process of curved sensors and its inclusion in optical design. A compact objective prototype designed and produced demonstrates the advantage of curvature and the impact of tolerancing.

Functional Impact of BeKm-1, a High-Affinity hERG Blocker, on Cardiomyocytes Derived from Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

I_Kr current, a major component of cardiac repolarization, is mediated by human Ether-à-go-go-Related Gene (hERG, K_v11.1) potassium channels. The blockage of these channels by pharmacological compounds is associated to drug-induced long QT syndrome (LQTS), which is a life-threatening disorder characterized by ventricular arrhythmias and defects in cardiac repolarization that can be illustrated using cardiomyocytes derived from human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPS-CMs). This study was meant to assess the modification in hiPS-CMs excitability and contractile properties by BeKm-1, a natural scorpion venom peptide that selectively interacts with the extracellular face of hERG, by opposition to reference compounds that act onto the intracellular face. Using an automated patch-clamp system, we compared the affinity of BeKm-1 for hERG channels with some reference compounds. We fully assessed its effects on the electrophysiological, calcium handling, and beating properties of hiPS-CMs. By delaying cardiomyocyte repolarization, the peptide induces early afterdepolarizations and reduces spontaneous action potentials, calcium transients, and contraction frequencies, therefore recapitulating several of the critical phenotype features associated with arrhythmic risk in drug-induced LQTS. BeKm-1 exemplifies an interesting reference compound in the integrated hiPS-CMs cell model for all drugs that may block the hERG channel from the outer face. Being a peptide that is easily modifiable, it will serve as an ideal molecular platform for the design of new hERG modulators displaying additional functionalities.

Chemical Synthesis, Proper Folding, Nav Channel Selectivity Profile and Analgesic Properties of the Spider Peptide Phlotoxin 1

Phlotoxin-1 (PhlTx1) is a peptide previously identified in tarantula venom (Phlogius species) that belongs to the inhibitory cysteine-knot (ICK) toxin family. Like many ICK-based spider toxins, the synthesis of PhlTx1 appears particularly challenging, mostly for obtaining appropriate folding and concomitant suitable disulfide bridge formation. Herein, we describe a procedure for the chemical synthesis and the directed sequential disulfide bridge formation of PhlTx1 that allows for a straightforward production of this challenging peptide. We also performed extensive functional testing of PhlTx1 on 31 ion channel types and identified the voltage-gated sodium (Na_v) channel Na_v1.7 as the main target of this toxin. Moreover, we compared PhlTx1 activity to 10 other spider toxin activities on an automated patch-clamp system with Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells expressing human Na_v1.7. Performing these analyses in reproducible conditions allowed for classification according to the potency of the best natural Na_v1.7 peptide blockers. Finally, subsequent in vivo testing revealed that intrathecal injection of PhlTx1 reduces the response of mice to formalin in both the acute pain and inflammation phase without signs of neurotoxicity. PhlTx1 is thus an interesting toxin to investigate Na_v1.7 involvement in cellular excitability and pain.

Aptamer Efficacies for In Vitro and In Vivo Modulation of αC-Conotoxin PrXA Pharmacology

The medical staff is often powerless to treat patients affected by drug abuse or misuse and poisoning. In the case of envenomation, the treatment of choice remains horse sera administration that poses a wealth of other medical conditions and threats. Previously, we have demonstrated that DNA-based aptamers represent powerful neutralizing tools for lethal animal toxins of venomous origin. Herein, we further pursued our investigations in order to understand whether all toxin-interacting aptamers possessed equivalent potencies to neutralize αC-conotoxin PrXA in vitro and in vivo. We confirmed the high lethality in mice produced by αC-conotoxin PrXA regardless of the mode of injection and further characterized myoclonus produced by the toxin. We used high-throughput patch-clamp technology to assess the effect of αC-conotoxin PrXA on ACh-mediated responses in TE671 cells, responses that are carried by muscle-type nicotinic receptors. We show that 2 out of 4 aptamers reduce the affinity of the toxin for its receptor, most likely by interfering with the pharmacophore. In vivo, more complex responses on myoclonus and mice lethality are observed depending on the type of aptamer and mode of administration (concomitant or differed). Concomitant administration always works better than differed administration indicating the stability of the complex in vivo. The most remarkable conclusion is that an aptamer that has no or a limited efficacy in vitro may nevertheless be functional in vivo probably owing to an impact on the biodistribution or pharmacokinetics of the toxin in vivo. Overall, the results highlight that a blind selection of aptamers against toxins leads to efficient neutralizing compounds in vivo regardless of the mode of action. This opens the door to the use of aptamer mixtures as substitutes to horse sera for the neutralization of life-threatening animal venoms, an important WHO concern in tropical areas.

Synthesis by native chemical ligation and characterization of the scorpion toxin AmmTx3

The scorpion toxin AmmTx3 is a specific blocker of K_v4 channels. It was shown to have interesting potential for neurological disorders. In this study, we report the first chemical synthesis of AmmTx3 by using the native chemical ligation strategy and validate its biological activity. We determined its 3D structure by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and pointed out that AmmTx3 possesses the well-known CSαβ structural motif, which is found in a large number of scorpion toxins. Overall, this study establishes an easy synthetic access to biologically active AmmTx3 toxin.

Young microbes for adult obesity

Gut microbes are active participants of host metabolism. At birth, child physiology is committed towards healthiness or sickness depending, in part, on maternal condition (i.e. lean vs obesity) and delivery. Finally, changes from breastfeeding to solid food also account to define gut microbiota ecology in adulthood. Nowadays, alterations of gut microbiota, named dysbiosis, are acquired risk factors for multiple diseases, especially type 2 diabetes and obesity. Despite important evidence linking nutrition to dysbiosis to energetic dysmetabolism, molecular mechanisms for causality are still missing. That the status of gut microbiota of mother and child is crucial for future diseases is witnessed by adulthood overweight and obesity observed in children with dysbiosis. In this short review we highlight the importance of early life events related to the microbiota and their impact on future adult disease risk. Therefore, our effort to treat or prevent metabolic diseases should be addressed towards early or previous life steps, when microbial decisions are going to affect our metabolic fate.

Dent and Flint maize diversity panels reveal important genetic potential for increasing biomass production

Genetic and phenotypic analysis of two complementary maize panels revealed an important variation for biomass yield. Flowering and biomass QTL were discovered by association mapping in both panels. The high whole plant biomass productivity of maize makes it a potential source of energy in animal feeding and biofuel production. The variability and the genetic determinism of traits related to biomass are poorly known. We analyzed two highly diverse panels of Dent and Flint lines representing complementary heterotic groups for Northern Europe. They were genotyped with the 50 k SNP-array and phenotyped as hybrids (crossed to a tester of the complementary pool) in a western European field trial network for traits related to flowering time, plant height, and biomass. The molecular information revealed to be a powerful tool for discovering different levels of structure and relatedness in both panels. This study revealed important variation and potential genetic progress for biomass production, even at constant precocity. Association mapping was run by combining genotypes and phenotypes in a mixed model with a random polygenic effect. This permitted the detection of significant associations, confirming height and flowering time quantitative trait loci (QTL) found in literature. Biomass yield QTL were detected in both panels but were unstable across the environments. Alternative kinship estimator only based on markers unlinked to the tested SNP increased the number of significant associations by around 40% with a satisfying control of the false positive rate. This study gave insights into the variability and the genetic architectures of biomass-related traits in Flint and Dent lines and suggests important potential of these two pools for breeding high biomass yielding hybrid varieties.

Diversity and linkage disequilibrium features in a composite public/private dent maize panel: consequences for association genetics as evaluated from a case study using flowering time

Recent progress in genotyping and resequencing techniques have opened new opportunities for deciphering quantitative trait variation by looking for associations between traits of interest and polymorphisms in panels of diverse inbred lines. Association mapping raises specific issues related to the choice of appropriate (i) panels and marker-densities and (ii) statistical methods to capture associations. In this study, we used a panel of 314 maize inbred lines from the dent pool, composed of inbred material from public institutes (113 inbred lines) and a private company (201 inbred lines). We showed that local LD was higher and genetic diversity lower in the material of private origin than in the public material. We compared the results obtained by different software for identifying population structure and computing relatedness among lines, and ran association tests for earliness related traits. Our results confirmed the importance of the mite polymorphism of Vgt1 on flowering time, but also showed that its effect can be captured by zmRap2.7 polymorphisms located 70 kb apart. We also highlighted associations with polymorphisms within genes putatively involved in lignin biosynthesis pathway, which deserve further investigations.

Novel measures of linkage disequilibrium that correct the bias due to population structure and relatedness

Among the several linkage disequilibrium measures known to capture different features of the non-independence between alleles at different loci, the most commonly used for diallelic loci is the r(2) measure. In the present study, we tackled the problem of the bias of r(2) estimate, which results from the sample structure and/or the relatedness between genotyped individuals. We derived two novel linkage disequilibrium measures for diallelic loci that are both extensions of the usual r(2) measure. The first one, r(S)(2), uses the population structure matrix, which consists of information about the origins of each individual and the admixture proportions of each individual genome. The second one, r(V)(2), includes the kinship matrix into the calculation. These two corrections can be applied together in order to correct for both biases and are defined either on phased or unphased genotypes.We proved that these novel measures are linked to the power of association tests under the mixed linear model including structure and kinship corrections. We validated them on simulated data and applied them to real data sets collected on Vitis vinifera plants. Our results clearly showed the usefulness of the two corrected r(2) measures, which actually captured 'true' linkage disequilibrium unlike the usual r(2) measure.

The spatial restrictions of 5′HoxC genes expression are maintained in adult newt spinal cord

Urodele amphibians are the only adult vertebrates possessing the capacity to regenerate their limbs and tail after amputation. Epimorphic regeneration is characterized by the accumulation of undifferentiated and dividing mesenchymal cells originating from the tissues of the stump, which form a blastema. It has been proposed that the ability to regenerate precisely the amputated structures depends on a 'positional memory' of the cells at the level of amputation plane and that a continuum of positional value would be present in adult urodeles along the appendages able to regenerate. Hox genes are good candidates for playing a role in providing the capacity for regeneration and for carrying positional information. Here, we report the cloning of four AbdB-like genes (Hoxa9, Hoxc10, Hoxc12 and Hoxc13) in the newt Pleurodeles waltl (Pw). To analyse their expression pattern along the antero-posterior (AP) axis of adult urodele central nervous system (CNS), we used the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and showed that the 5'HoxC genes expression pattern conforms to the usual spatial colinearity rule. In addition, the expression level in tail regenerates of PwHoxc13, PwHoxc12, and PwHoxc10 was respectively 20, 7 and 2 fold higher than in adult tail. These last results suggest that 5'HoxC genes could specify positional memory in adult spinal cord (SC) and could be involved in axial patterning of the tail during regeneration.

A role for nitric oxide in sensory-induced neurogenesis in an adult insect brain

In the adult cricket, neurogenesis occurs in the mushroom bodies, the main integrative structures of the insect brain. Mushroom body neuroblast proliferation is modulated in response to environmental stimuli. However, the mechanisms underlying these effects remain unspecified. In the present study, we demonstrate that electrical stimulation of the antennal nerve mimics the effects of olfactory activation and increases mushroom body neurogenesis. The putative role of nitric oxide (NO) in this activity-regulated neurogenesis was then explored. In vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrate that NO synthase inhibition decreases, and NO donor application stimulates neuroblast proliferation. NADPH-d activity, anti-L-citrulline immunoreactivity, as well as in situ hybridization with a probe specific for Acheta NO synthase were used to localize NO-producing cells. Combining these three approaches we clearly establish that mushroom body interneurons synthesize NO. Furthermore, we demonstrate that experimental interventions known to upregulate neuroblast proliferation modulate NO production: rearing crickets in an enriched sensory environment induces an upregulation of Acheta NO synthase mRNA, and unilateral electrical stimulation of the antennal nerve results in increased L-citrulline immunoreactivity in the corresponding mushroom body. The present study demonstrates that neural activity modulates progenitor cell proliferation and regulates NO production in brain structures where neurogenesis occurs in the adult insect. Our results also demonstrate the stimulatory effect of NO on mushroom body neuroblast proliferation. Altogether, these data strongly suggest a key role for NO in environmentally induced neurogenesis.

[Hemothorax in a 78-year-old woman]

We report an atypical presentation of hemothorax. Tamponade and subacute dyspnea occurred secondary to a wound of the right atrium caused by a pacemaker electrode in 78-year-old woman on oral anticoagulants for complete arrhythmia due to atrial fibrillation. This case illustrate an unusual pathophysiological mechanism of hemothorax.

Implicit memory for words presented in short texts is preserved in Alzheimer's disease

BACKGROUND

The level of efficiency of implicit memory in Alzheimer's disease remains unclear as previous studies using stem completion tasks have led to contradictory results.

METHOD

The present study used target words embedded in significant short texts that subjects were required to read aloud (i.e. to enhance semantic processing). Texts were presented in two perceptual situations: 'simple' (blank spaces delimitating words) and complex' (spaces were filled by '8's). In the completion phase, patients had to write the first word that came to mind in order to complete a three-letter stem. The recognition phase explored explicit memory performance. The performance of 24 Alzheimer patients was compared to a matched sample of healthy controls.

RESULTS

Reading times differed between groups and were shorter for healthy controls. Recognition was dramatically lower in patients, thus confirming the alteration of explicit memory in this pathology. However, a significant priming effect (e.g. the tendency to complete the stem with the aid of a previously explored word) was present in both groups and did not differ between patients and healthy controls.

CONCLUSIONS

The absence of a correlation between priming and recognition scores suggests that this result cannot be explained by an explicit memory bias. Moreover, as the priming level was identical whatever the perceptual aspect of the text, we suggest that the priming effect is not only mediated by perceptual processes but also by lexical and conceptual processes, which to some extent are preserved during the light and moderate stages of this disease.

Study of cases of anterograde amnesia in a disease of mental disintegration

Pierre Janet, in his famous paper (1892) on anterograde amnesia, is concerned with the theme of the disintegration of the human personality. He shows that the weakened personality may lose the power to assimilate memories of current events. After a severe shock, there may supervene not only a retrograde amnesia (a blotting out from memory from some period before the accident), but also a continued or anterograde amnesia, that is to say, an inability to remember events occurring after the accident. Janet details the circumstances of a very interesting case of amnesia resulting from an attack of hysteria, brought on by the shock of bad news. The patient, 'Mrs. D.', had wholly lost all memory of events that occurred during the month and a half before her attack, and since that time she had only been able to remember for a few moments what was going on around her. Janet shows that memories which appear not to be formed are in fact formed; that they exist somewhere in the patient's mind with the full vividness of ordinary recollections, and that they may spontaneously crop up in dreams, or may be called out by hypnotic suggestion, or by other methods.

Introducing psychology as an academic discipline in France: Théodule Ribot and the Collège de France (1888-1901)

This paper describes the context in which the teaching of psychology as an autonomous discipline was introduced in France, and reproduces the first psychology lecture given in France by Théodule Ribot on 9 April 1888 at The Collège de France. In France, this recognition was delayed because of the negative influence of spiritualist philosophy. It took both the acknowledged status of a man (Ribot) and a minister's decision for this new type of teaching to be accepted in France. After describing the events that took place at the Collège de France and at the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences, we reproduce in full Ribot's inaugural lecture at the Collège, an important document for the history of French psychology. We conclude by describing the circumstances in which this teaching came to its end in 1901.

Is the picture bizarreness effect a generation effect?

Bizarre stimuli usually facilitate recall compared to common stimuli. This investigation explored the so-called bizarreness effect in free recall by using 80 simple line drawings of common objects (common vs bizarre). 64 subjects participated with 16 subjects in each group. Half of the subjects received learning instructions and the other half rated the bizarreness of each drawing. Moreover, drawings were presented either alone or with the name of the object under mixed-list encoding conditions. After the free recall task, subjects had to make metamemory judgments about how many items of each format they had seen and recalled. The key result was that a superiority of bizarre pictures over common ones was found in all conditions although performance was better when the pictures were presented alone than with their corresponding label. Subsequent metamemory judgments, however, showed that subjects underestimated the number of bizarre items actually recalled.

Two Nkx-3-related genes are expressed in the adult and regenerating central nervous system of the urodele Pleurodeles waltl

We report the isolation and characterization of two NK-3-related genes (PwNkx-3.2 and PwNkx-3.3) and their expression patterns during embryonic development, in the adult CNS, and during tail regeneration in the urodele Pleurodeles waltl. PwNkx-3.2 is the ortholog of the mouse and Xenopus genes, Bapx 1 and Xbap, but PwNkx-3.3 has no known homologue in any other vertebrate. We demonstrate that PwNkx-3.2 and PwNkx-3.3 exhibit graded axial expression patterns in adult spinal cord. During tail regeneration, the two genes are expressed in the wound epidermis, the regenerating muscle masses, the regenerating neural tube, the spinal ganglia, and the cartilage rod. The spatial distribution of transcripts in the CNS suggests that these genes could participate in maintaining the position information along the anteroposterior axis and may explain the ability of the adult CNS to regenerate. During tail regeneration, both genes could be implicated in the reformation of the axial skeleton.

Cross-modality priming for individual words in memory for coherent texts

This study explores implicit memory within the domain of text processing. Three experiments were designed to study cross-modality priming in a word-stem completion test following presentation of target words in the context of a coherent text. Four main results emerged. First, we found a significant priming effect for words previously studied in a text, this priming is higher with low-frequency words than with high-frequency words. Second, subjects demonstrated more repetition priming when study and test modalities matched than when they were different. Third, the magnitude of the priming effect in the visual condition varied with the perceptual processing of the text read. Fourth, priming effects did not depend on subjects' remembering of the words of text read as measured by a yes/no recognition test since no modality effect was found in this latter memory test. These results challenge Levy's (1993) view and are discussed in the framework of the transfer-appropriate processing view proposed by Roediger, Weldon and Challis (1989).

L'annee psychologique: history of the founding of a 100-year-old

The authors present the history of the founding of the French journal L'Annee Psychologique. The names of Theodule Ribot (1839-1916), Henry Beaunis (1830-1921), and Alfred Binet (1857-1911) are closely associated with the journal. Ribot's election to the chair of Experimental and Comparative Psychology at the College de France in 1888 marked the official emancipation of psychology in France. Because there was no laboratory associated with the chair, Beaunis, a physiological psychologist from Nancy, proposed to Ribot the creation of the first French laboratory of experimental psychology (1889). Under Beaunis's direction, this laboratory was established at the Sorbonne in Paris but was in fact dependent on another educational institution, L'Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes. In 1893 the laboratory's research was first published in a yearly journal named Travaux du Laboratoire de Psychologie Physiologique (2 volumes: 1893-1894). Binet, who joined the laboratory in 1891, was not satisfied by the form of this publication. With Beaunis's agreement, he then created L'Annee Psychologique in 1894 to develop the reputation of the laboratory's research. The authors present the evolution and vicissitudes of the journal from 1895 to 1912, with a glance up to the present.