Omega-3 fatty acids prevent inflammation and metabolic disorder through inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome activation.

Omega-3 fatty acids (ω-3 FAs) have potential anti-inflammatory activity in a variety of inflammatory human diseases, but the mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here we show that stimulation of macrophages with ω-3 FAs, including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and other family members, abolished NLRP3 inflammasome activation and inhibited subsequent caspase-1 activation and IL-1β secretion. In addition, G protein-coupled receptor 120 (GPR120) and GPR40 and their downstream scaffold protein β-arrestin-2 were shown to be involved in inflammasome inhibition induced by ω-3 FAs. Importantly, ω-3 FAs also prevented NLRP3 inflammasome-dependent inflammation and metabolic disorder in a high-fat-diet-induced type 2 diabetes model. Our results reveal a mechanism through which ω-3 FAs repress inflammation and prevent inflammation-driven diseases and suggest the potential clinical use of ω-3 FAs in gout, autoinflammatory syndromes, or other NLRP3 inflammasome-driven inflammatory diseases.

Male sexuality-related concerns: what use of the internet?

Purpose: Although young males encounter sexually-related concerns, they are mostly absent from specialized services. Our objective is to assess whether the internet is used by boys to find answers to these types of problems and questions. Methods: In the context of a qualitative study assessing young males' barriers to access sexual and reproductive health facilities, we conducted two focus groups gathering 12 boys aged 17-20. Discussions were triggered through the presentation of four vignettes corresponding to questions posted by 17-20 year old boys and girls on an information website for adolescents (www.ciao.ch), concerning various sexual dysfunction situations. In order to avoid having to talk about their own experience, participants were asked what they would do in those cases. Results: In general, the internet was mentioned quite thoroughly as a means of searching for information through research engines and a place to address professionals for advice.Within the hierarchy of consultation possibilities, the internet was given the first place as a way to deal with these types of problems presenting many advantages: (1) the internet enables to maintain intimacy; (2) it is anonymous (use of a pseudo); (3) it avoids having to confront someone face-to-face with personal problems which can be embarrassing and challenging for one's pride; (4) it is free; and (5) it is accessible at all times. In other words, participants value the internet as a positive tool to avoid many barriers which prevent offline consultations to take place. Most participants consider the internet at least as a first step in trying to solve a problem; for instance, by better defining the seriousness of a problem and judging if it is worth consulting a doctor. However, despite the positive qualities of the internet, they do put forward the importance of having specialists answering questions, trustworthiness, and being followed-up by the same person. Participants suggested that a strategy to break down barriers for boys to consult in face-to-face settings is to have a consultation on the internet as a first step which could then guide the person to an in-person consultation if necessary. Conclusions: The internet as a means of obtaining information or consulting received high marks overall. Although the internet cannot replace an in-person consultation, the screen and the keyboard have the advantage of not involving a face-to-face encounter and raise the possibility of discussing sexual problems anonymously and in private. The internet tools together with other new technologies should continue to develop in a secure manner as a space providing prevention messages and to become an easy access door to sexual and reproductive health services for young men, which can then guide youths to appropriate resource persons. Sources of support: This study was supported by the Maurice Chalumeau Foundation, Switzerland.

Jasmonate controls polypeptide patterning in undamaged tissue in wounded Arabidopsis leaves.

Wounding initiates a strong and largely jasmonate-dependent remodelling of the transcriptome in the leaf blades of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). How much control do jasmonates exert on wound-induced protein repatterning in leaves? Replicated shotgun proteomic analyses of 2.5-mm-wide leaf strips adjacent to wounds revealed 106 differentially regulated proteins. Many of these gene products have not emerged as being wound regulated in transcriptomic studies. From experiments using the jasmonic acid (JA)-deficient allene oxide synthase mutant we estimated that approximately 95% of wound-stimulated changes in protein levels were deregulated in the absence of JA. The levels of two tonoplast proteins already implicated in defense response regulation, TWO-PORE CHANNEL1 and the calcium-V-ATPase ACA4 increased on wounding, but their transcripts were not wound inducible. The data suggest new roles for jasmonate in controlling the levels of calcium-regulated pumps and transporters, proteins involved in targeted proteolysis, a putative bacterial virulence factor target, a light-dependent catalyst, and a key redox-controlled enzyme in glutathione synthesis. Extending the latter observation we found that wounding increased the proportion of oxidized glutathione in leaves, but only in plants able to synthesize JA. The oxidizing conditions generated through JA signaling near wounds help to define the cellular environment in which proteome remodelling occurs.

Decoding decisions in healthy subjects and auditory discrimination in comatose patients through single-trial topographic EEG analyses

Neuroimaging studies analyzing neurophysiological signals are typically based on comparing averages of peri-stimulus epochs across experimental conditions. This approach can however be problematic in the case of high-level cognitive tasks, where response variability across trials is expected to be high and in cases where subjects cannot be considered part of a group. The main goal of this thesis has been to address this issue by developing a novel approach for analyzing electroencephalography (EEG) responses at the single-trial level. This approach takes advantage of the spatial distribution of the electric field on the scalp (topography) and exploits repetitions across trials for quantifying the degree of discrimination between experimental conditions through a classification scheme. In the first part of this thesis, I developed and validated this new method (Tzovara et al., 2012a,b). Its general applicability was demonstrated with three separate datasets, two in the visual modality and one in the auditory. This development allowed then to target two new lines of research, one in basic and one in clinical neuroscience, which represent the second and third part of this thesis respectively. For the second part of this thesis (Tzovara et al., 2012c), I employed the developed method for assessing the timing of exploratory decision-making. Using single-trial topographic EEG activity during presentation of a choice's payoff, I could predict the subjects' subsequent decisions. This prediction was due to a topographic difference which appeared on average at ~516ms after the presentation of payoff and was subject-specific. These results exploit for the first time the temporal correlates of individual subjects' decisions and additionally show that the underlying neural generators start differentiating their responses already ~880ms before the button press. Finally, in the third part of this project, I focused on a clinical study with the goal of assessing the degree of intact neural functions in comatose patients. Auditory EEG responses were assessed through a classical mismatch negativity paradigm, during the very early phase of coma, which is currently under-investigated. By taking advantage of the decoding method developed in the first part of the thesis, I could quantify the degree of auditory discrimination at the single patient level (Tzovara et al., in press). Our results showed for the first time that even patients who do not survive the coma can discriminate sounds at the neural level, during the first hours after coma onset. Importantly, an improvement in auditory discrimination during the first 48hours of coma was predictive of awakening and survival, with 100% positive predictive value. - L'analyse des signaux électrophysiologiques en neuroimagerie se base typiquement sur la comparaison des réponses neurophysiologiques à différentes conditions expérimentales qui sont moyennées après plusieurs répétitions d'une tâche. Pourtant, cette approche peut être problématique dans le cas des fonctions cognitives de haut niveau, où la variabilité des réponses entre les essais peut être très élevéeou dans le cas où des sujets individuels ne peuvent pas être considérés comme partie d'un groupe. Le but principal de cette thèse est d'investiguer cette problématique en développant une nouvelle approche pour l'analyse des réponses d'électroencephalographie (EEG) au niveau de chaque essai. Cette approche se base sur la modélisation de la distribution du champ électrique sur le crâne (topographie) et profite des répétitions parmi les essais afin de quantifier, à l'aide d'un schéma de classification, le degré de discrimination entre des conditions expérimentales. Dans la première partie de cette thèse, j'ai développé et validé cette nouvelle méthode (Tzovara et al., 2012a,b). Son applicabilité générale a été démontrée avec trois ensembles de données, deux dans le domaine visuel et un dans l'auditif. Ce développement a permis de cibler deux nouvelles lignes de recherche, la première dans le domaine des neurosciences cognitives et l'autre dans le domaine des neurosciences cliniques, représentant respectivement la deuxième et troisième partie de ce projet. En particulier, pour la partie cognitive, j'ai appliqué cette méthode pour évaluer l'information temporelle de la prise des décisions (Tzovara et al., 2012c). En se basant sur l'activité topographique de l'EEG au niveau de chaque essai pendant la présentation de la récompense liée à un choix, on a pu prédire les décisions suivantes des sujets (en termes d'exploration/exploitation). Cette prédiction s'appuie sur une différence topographique qui apparaît en moyenne ~516ms après la présentation de la récompense. Ces résultats exploitent pour la première fois, les corrélés temporels des décisions au niveau de chaque sujet séparément et montrent que les générateurs neuronaux de ces décisions commencent à différentier leurs réponses déjà depuis ~880ms avant que les sujets appuient sur le bouton. Finalement, pour la dernière partie de ce projet, je me suis focalisée sur une étude Clinique afin d'évaluer le degré des fonctions neuronales intactes chez les patients comateux. Des réponses EEG auditives ont été examinées avec un paradigme classique de mismatch negativity, pendant la phase précoce du coma qui est actuellement sous-investiguée. En utilisant la méthode de décodage développée dans la première partie de la thèse, j'ai pu quantifier le degré de discrimination auditive au niveau de chaque patient (Tzovara et al., in press). Nos résultats montrent pour la première fois que même des patients comateux qui ne vont pas survivre peuvent discriminer des sons au niveau neuronal, lors de la phase aigue du coma. De plus, une amélioration dans la discrimination auditive pendant les premières 48heures du coma a été observée seulement chez des patients qui se sont réveillés par la suite (100% de valeur prédictive pour un réveil).

Basic calcium phosphate crystals induce monocyte/macrophage IL-1(beta) secretion through the NLRP3 inflammasome in vitro.

Basic calcium phosphate (BCP) crystals are associated with severe osteoarthritis and acute periarticular inflammation. Three main forms of BCP crystals have been identified from pathological tissues: octacalcium phosphate, carbonate-substituted apatite, and hydroxyapatite. We investigated the proinflammatory effects of these BCP crystals in vitro with special regard to the involvement of the NLRP3-inflammasome in THP-1 cells, primary human monocytes and macrophages, and mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM). THP-1 cells stimulated with BCP crystals produced IL-1β in a dose-dependent manner. Similarly, primary human cells and BMDM from wild-type mice also produced high concentrations of IL-1β after crystal stimulation. THP-1 cells transfected with short hairpin RNA against the components of the NLRP3 inflammasome and mouse BMDM from mice deficient for NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein, or caspase-1 did not produce IL-1β after BCP crystal stimulation. BCP crystals induced macrophage apoptosis/necrosis as demonstrated by MTT and flow cytometric analysis. Collectively, these results demonstrate that BCP crystals induce IL-1β secretion through activating the NLRP3 inflammasome. Furthermore, we speculate that IL-1 blockade could be a novel strategy to inhibit BCP-induced inflammation in human disease.

Use of non-invasive ambulatory blood pressure monitoring to screen for high-risk hypertensive patients.

Blood pressures measured casually by a doctor often differ considerably from those recorded during everyday activities away from the medical environment. In the present study, we compared office and ambulatory recorded pressures in 475 consecutive untreated patients diagnosed hypertensive by physicians. Blood pressure monitored non-invasively during the day was, on average 15/7 mmHg lower than the corresponding office pressures. The difference between office and ambulatory recorded pressure tended to be greatest in those patients with the highest office blood pressure levels, although the relationship between the two types of measurement was too weak (r = 0.50 and 0.38 for systolic and diastolic pressure, respectively) to have any predictive value in the individual patient. Office blood pressures were at least 10 mmHg higher than ambulatory pressures in 62% of patients for systolic and 42% for diastolic pressure. Blood pressure levels recorded during ambulatory monitoring were higher than in the doctor's office for 18% of patients for systolic and 22% for diastolic pressure. Among patients with systolic pressures of between 161 and 180 mmHg or diastolic pressures between 96 and 105 mmHg when facing a doctor, 27 and 37% respectively, showed markedly lower systolic (less than 140 mmHg) or diastolic (less than 90 mmHg) ambulatory recorded pressures. These data therefore indicate that ambulatory blood pressure monitoring may help to identify those truly hypertensive patients who are most likely to benefit from antihypertensive therapy.

A new, automated, four-colour interphase FISH approach for the simultaneous detection of specific aneuploidies of diagnostic and prognostic significance in high hyperdiploid ALL

In hyperdiploid acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), the simultaneous occurrence of specific aneuploidies confers a more favourable outcome than hyperdiploidy alone. Interphase (I) FISH complements conventional cytogenetics (CC) through its sensitivity and ability to detect chromosome aberrations in non-dividing cells. To overcome the limits of manual I-FISH, we developed an automated four-colour I-FISH approach and assessed its ability to detect concurrent aneuploidies in ALL. I-FISH was performed using centromeric probes for chromosomes 4, 6, 10 and 17. Parameters established for automatic nucleus selection and signal detection were evaluated (3 controls). Cut-off values were determined (10 controls, 1000 nuclei/case). Combinations of aneuploidies were considered relevant when each aneuploidy was individually significant. Results obtained in 10 ALL patients (1500 nuclei/patient) were compared with those by CC. Various combinations of aneuploidies were identified. All clones detected by CC were observed by I-FISH. I-FISH revealed numerous additional abnormal clones, ranging between 0.1% and 31.6%, based on the large number of nuclei evaluated. Four-colour automated I-FISH permits the identification of concurrent aneuploidies of prognostic significance in hyperdiploid ALL. Large numbers of cells can be analysed rapidly by this method. Owing to its high sensitivity, the method provides a powerful tool for the detection of small abnormal clones at diagnosis and during follow up. Compared to CC, it generates a more detailed cytogenetic picture, the biological and clinical significance of which merits further evaluation. Once optimised for a given set of probes, the system can be easily adapted for other probe combinations.

Fluid flow through the sedimentary cover in northern Switzerland recorded by calcite-celestite veins (Oftringen borehole, Olten)

Abundant veins filled by calcite, celestite and pyrite were found in the core of a 719 m deep borehole drilled in Oftringen near Olten, located in the north-western Molasse basin, close to the thrust of the Folded Jura. Host rocks are calcareous marl, argillaceous limestone and limestone of the Dogger and Malm. The delta O-18 values of vein calcite are lower than in host rock carbonate and, together with microthermometric data from fluid inclusions in vein calcite, indicate precipitation from a seawater-dominated fluid at average temperatures of 56-68A degrees C. Such temperatures were reached at the time of maximum burial of the sedimentary pile in the late Miocene. The depth profile of delta C-13 and Sr-87/Sr-86 values and Sr content of both whole-rock carbonate and vein calcite show marked trends towards negative delta C-13, high Sr-87/Sr-86, and low Sr content in the uppermost 50-150 m of the Jurassic profile (upper Oxfordian). The Sr-87/Sr-86 of vein minerals is generally higher than that of host rock carbonate, up to very high values corresponding to Burdigalian seawater (Upper Marine Molasse, Miocene), which represents the last marine incursion in the region. No evidence for internally derived radiogenic Sr (clay minerals) has been found and so an external source is required. S and O isotope composition of vein celestite and pyrite can be explained by bacterial reduction of Miocene seawater sulphate. The available data set suggests the vein mineralization precipitated from descending Burdigalian seawater and not from a fluid originating in the underlying Triassic evaporites.

Performance of blood pressure-to-height ratio at a single screening visit for the identification of hypertension in children.

BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of hypertension in children is difficult because of the multiple sex-, age-, and height-specific thresholds to define elevated blood pressure (BP). Blood pressure-to-height ratio (BPHR) has been proposed to facilitate the identification of elevated BP in children. OBJECTIVE: We assessed the performance of BPHR at a single screening visit to identify children with hypertension that is sustained elevated BP. METHOD: In a school-based study conducted in Switzerland, BP was measured at up to three visits in 5207 children. Children had hypertension if BP was elevated at the three visits. Sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value (NPV), and positive predictive value (PPV) for the identification of hypertension were assessed for different thresholds of BPHR. The ability of BPHR at a single screening visit to discriminate children with and without hypertension was evaluated with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses. RESULTS: The prevalence of systolic/diastolic hypertension was 2.2%. Systolic BPHR had a better performance to identify hypertension compared with diastolic BPHR (area under the ROC curve: 0.95 vs. 0.84). The highest performance was obtained with a systolic BPHR threshold set at 0.80 mmHg/cm (sensitivity: 98%; specificity: 85%; PPV: 12%; and NPV: 100%) and a diastolic BPHR threshold set at 0.45 mmHg/cm (sensitivity: 79%; specificity: 70%; PPV: 5%; and NPV: 99%). The PPV was higher among tall or overweight children. CONCLUSION: BPHR at a single screening visit had a high performance to identify hypertension in children, although the low prevalence of hypertension led to a low PPV.

Functional diversity decreases with temperature in high elevation ant fauna

1. Severe environmental conditions filter community species compositions, forming clines of functional diversity along environmental gradients. Here, the changes in functional diversity in ant assemblages with severe environmental conditions in the Swiss Alps were investigated. 2. Eight sites were sampled along an elevation gradient (1800-2550 m). The variation in functional diversity was analysed along an elevation gradient considering four traits: social structure (monogynous vs. polygynous), worker size, pupal development, and nest structure. 3. Ant species richness and functional diversity decreased with decreasing temperature. Species found in colder habitats tended to live in subterranean nests rather than in mounds and exhibit a polymorphism in queen number, either within or across populations. The phylogenetic diversity did not decrease at colder temperature: Formicinae and Myrmicinae occupied the full range of elevations investigated. 4. An insulation experiment indicated that mounds are more thermally insulated against the cold compared with soil. The absence of a mound-building ant from high elevations probably results from a reduction in the amount of vegetal materials provided by coniferous trees. 5. More severe abiotic conditions at higher elevations act as a filter on ant assemblages, directly through physiological tolerances to the abiotic conditions and indirectly as the vegetation necessary for nest building shifts with elevation.</list-item

Ammonium-induced impairment of axonal growth is prevented through glial creatine.

Hyperammonemia in neonates and infants affects brain development and causes mental retardation. We report that ammonium impaired cholinergic axonal growth and altered localization and phosphorylation of intermediate neurofilament protein in rat reaggregated brain cell primary cultures. This effect was restricted to the phase of early maturation but did not occur after synaptogenesis. Exposure to NH4Cl decreased intracellular creatine, phosphocreatine, and ADP. We demonstrate that creatine cotreatment protected axons from ammonium toxic effects, although this did not restore high-energy phosphates. The protection by creatine was glial cell-dependent. Our findings suggest that the means to efficiently sustain CNS creatine concentration in hyperammonemic neonates and infants should be assessed to prevent impairment of axonogenesis and irreversible brain damage.

High prevalence of unsuspected abdominal aortic aneurysms in patients hospitalised for surgical coronary revascularisation.

OBJECTIVES: Prevalence of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) is not exactly known among patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) who are considered for surgical revascularisation. We evaluated the value of screening AAA among coronary patients admitted in our cardiovascular surgery unit. METHODS: Over a 24-month period, an abdominal echography was proposed to male patients aged 60 or more while hospitalised for surgical coronary revascularisation. Patients with previous investigation of the aorta were excluded. The aorta was considered aneurysmal when the anterior-posterior diameter was of 30 mm or more. RESULTS: Three hundred and ninety-five consecutive patients all accepted a proposed abdominal echographic screening for AAA. Forty unsuspected AAA were detected (10.1%). The mean diameter was 38.9 +/- 1.3 mm. Four AAA were larger than 50 mm and considered for surgery after the CABG procedure. Surveillance was proposed to the other 36, especially the 10 patients with an AAA larger than 40 mm. Patients with AAA were significantly older than those without AAA (71.3 +/- 0.8 vs. 69.4 +/- 0.3 years, P<0.05). Smoking history (P<0.05) and hypertension (P<0.05) were also associated more frequently with AAA. More than 16% of the patients being smokers and suffering hypertension presented with unsuspected AAA. CONCLUSIONS: In-hospital screening of AAA is very efficient among patients with coronary artery disease. Therefore, patients with CAD may be considered for routine AAA screening.

THE ADULA NAPPE: STRATIGRAPHY, STRUCTURE AND KINEMATICS OF AN EXHUMED HIGH-PRESSURE NAPPE

This study analyses the stratigraphy, structure and kinematics of the northern part of the Adula nappe of the Central Alps. The Adula nappe is one of the highest basement nappes in the Lower Penninic nappe stack of the Lepontine Dome. This structural position makes possible the investigation of the transition between the Helvetic and North Penninic paleogeographic domains. The Adula nappe is principally composed of crystalline basement rocks. The investigation of the pre-Triassic basement shows that it contains several Palaeozoic detrital metasedimentary formations dated from the Cambrian to the Ordovician. These formations contain also some volcanic or intrusive magmatic rocks. Ordovician metagranites dated at ~450 Ma are also a common rock-type of the Adula basement. These formations underwent Alpine and Variscan deformation and metamorphism. Permian granites (Zervreila orthogneiss, dated at ~290 Ma) have intruded this pre-structured basement in a post-orogenic geodynamic context. Due to their age, the Zervreila orthogneiss are good markers for alpine deformation. The stratigraphy of the Mesozoic and Paleogene sedimentary cover of the Adula nappe is essential to unraveling its pre- orogenic history. The autochthonous cover is assigned to a North Penninic Triassic series that testifies for a transition between the Helvetic and Briançonnais Triassic domains. The Adula domain goes through an emersion during the Middle Jurassic, and is part of a topographic high during the first phase of the Alpine rift. The sediments of the late Middle Jurassic show a drowning phase associated with a tectonic activity and a breccia formation. In the neighbouring domains, coeval with the drowning phase in the Adula domain, a strong extensional crustal delamination and a scattered magmatic activity is associated with the main opening of the North Penninic domain. The Upper Jurassic of the Adula nappe is characterized by a carbonate formation comparable with those in the Helvetic or Subbriaçonnais domains. Flysch s.l. deposition starts probably at the end of the Cretaceous. These sediments are deposited on a large unconformity testifying for a Cretaceous sedimentary gap. The Adula nappe exhibits a very complex structure. This structure is formed by several deformation phases. Two ductile deformations are responsible for the nappe emplacement. The first deformation phase is associated with a folding compatible with a top-to-south movement at the top of the nappe. The second phase is dominant and pervasive throughout the whole nappe. It goes with a strong north vergent folding and the main nappe emplacement. These two phases cause the exhumation and emplacement of a coherent, although pre-structured, piece of continental crust. Two further deformation phases postdate the nappe emplacement. - Ce travail concerne l'étude géologique de la partie nord de la nappe de l'Adula dans les Alpes centrales. La nappe de l'Adula est l'une des nappes cristallines la plus élevée dans la pile des nappes du Pennique inférieur des Alpes lepontines. Cette position particulière permet d'étudier la transition entre les nappes des domaines helvétique et pennique inférieur. La nappe de l'Adula est principalement composée de socle cristallin : l'étude de l'histoire géologique du socle est donc l'un des thèmes de cette recherche. Ce socle contient plusieurs formations métasédimentaires paléozoïques du Cambrien à I'Ordovicien. Ces métasédiments sont issus de formations clastiques comprenant souvent des roches magmatiques volcaniques et intrusives. Ces métasédiments ont subi les cycles orogéniques varisque et alpin. La nappe de l'Adula contient plusieurs corps magmatiques granitiques métamorphisés. Les premiers métagranites sont Ordovicien et témoignent d'un environnement de marge active. Ces granites sont aussi polymétamorphiques. Les deuxièmes métagranites sont représentés par les orthogneiss de type Zervreila. Ce métagranite est d'âge permien (-290 Ma). Il est mis en place dans un contexte tectonique post-orogénique. Ce granite est un maqueur de la déformation alpine car il n'est pas affecté par les orogenèses précédentes, flippy Le contenu stratigraphique des roches mésozoïques et cénozoiques de la couverture sédimentaire de la nappe de l'Adula est'important pour en étudier son histoire pré-alpine. La couverture autochtone est composée d'une série d'âge triasique d'affinité nord-pennique, un faciès qui marque la transition entre les domaines helvétiques et briançonnais au Trias. Le domaine paléogéographique représenté dans la nappe de l'Adula connaît une émersion pendant le Jurassique moyen. Cette émersion marque le commencement du rift dans le domaine alpin. La sédimentation de la fin du Jurassique moyen est marquée par une transgression marine accompagnée par des mouvements tectoniques et la formation d'une brèche. Cette transgression est contemporaine des importants mouvements tectoniques et des manifestations magmatiques dans les unités voisines qui marquent la phase principale d'ouverture du bassin nord-pennique. Le Jurassique supérieur est caractérisé par l'instauration d'une sédimentation carbonatée comparable à celle du domaine helvétique ou subbriançonnais. Une sédimentation flyschoïde, probablement du Crétacé à Tertiaire, est déposée sur une importante discordance qui témoigne d'une lacune au Crétacé. La structure complexe de la nappe de l'Adula témoigne de nombreuses phases de déformation. Ces phases de déformation sont en partie issues de la mise en place de la nappe et de déformations plus tardives. La mise en place de la nappe produit deux phases de déformation ductile : la première produit un plissement compatible avec un cisaillement top-vers-le sud dans la partie supérieure de la nappe; la deuxième produit un intense plissement qui accompagne la mise en place de la nappe vers le nord. Ces deux phases de déformation témoignent d'un mécanisme d'exhumation par déformation ductile d'un bloc cohérent.

Validation française d'un questionnaire de stress post-traumatique destiné aux parents d'enfants présentant un risque périnatal élevé = French validation of the "Perinatal PTSD Questionnaire" assessing parent's posttraumatic stress reactions following the birth of a high risk infant.

(from the journal abstract) Objectives: The birth of a high risk infant--such as a very or extremely premature infant--can represent an important traumatic experience for parents. R. DeMier, M. Hynan et al's "Perinatal PTSD Questionnaire" aims at exploring, retrospectively, parent's posttraumatic stress reactions following the birth of a high risk infant. This paper describes the French validation of this questionnaire. Methods: Fifty-two families with a very or extremely premature infant and 25 families with a full term infant responded to the "Perinatal PTSD Questionnaire" and the "Impact of Event Scale" when children were 18 months old. Results: Parents of high risk infants can present posttraumatic stress reactions such as intrusion, avoidance or arousal symptoms. The French version of the "Perinatal PTSD Questionnaire" has satisfactory psychometric properties. Conclusions: As posttraumatic reactions are not directly related to objective descriptions of the stressful event, it may be essential to the liaison child psychiatrist to consider individual posttraumatic reactions in order to optimise preventive intervention with the parents. A questionnaire should not replace a clinical interview, however it may represent a useful screening tool. Also, this questionnaire should be useful for research purposes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2005 APA, all rights reserved)

Mutism and Amnesia following High-Voltage Electrical Injury: Psychogenic Symptomatology Triggered by Organic Dysfunction?

Background: Mutism and dense retrograde amnesia are found both in organic and dissociative contexts. Moreover, dissociative symptoms may be modulated by right prefrontal activity. A single case, M.R., developed left hemiparesis, mutism and retrograde amnesia after a high-voltage electric shock without evidence of lasting brain lesions. M.R. suddenly recovered from his mutism following a mild brain trauma 2 years later. Methods: M.R.'s neuropsychological pattern and anatomoclinical correlations were studied through (i) language and memory assessment to characterize his deficits, (ii) functional neuroimaging during a standard language paradigm, and (iii) assessment of frontal and left insular connectivity through diffusion tractography imaging and transcranial magnetic stimulation. A control evaluation was repeated after recovery. Findings: M.R. recovered from the left hemiparesis within 90 days of the accident, which indicated a transient right brain impairment. One year later, neurobehavioral, language and memory evaluations strongly suggested a dissociative component in the mutism and retrograde amnesia. Investigations (including MRI, fMRI, diffusion tensor imaging, EEG and r-TMS) were normal. Twenty-seven months after the electrical injury, M.R. had a very mild head injury which was followed by a rapid recovery of speech. However, the retrograde amnesia persisted. Discussion: This case indicates an interaction of both organic and dissociative mechanisms in order to explain the patient's symptoms. The study also illustrates dissociation in the time course of the two different dissociative symptoms in the same patient.