Psychometric properties of the french translation of the constructive thinking inventory in a sample of adolescents and young adults

The Constructive Thinking Inventory (CTI) measures cognitive coping strategies used in everyday problem solving. The main objective of this study was to assess the factorial structure, the internal consistency, the correspondence with the American normative values, and the discriminant validity of the French translation. A community sample of 777 students aged 12 to 26 years, recruited from schools, colleges and universities, answered the 108item selfreport CTI questionnaire during a class period. A sample of 60 male adolescent offenders aged 13 to 18 years, recruited from two institutions for juvenile offenders, answered the CTI during an individual interview. Results show that the French translation of the CTI follows an identical factorial structure as the Epstein's American version in both adolescents and young adults, and that its internal consistency is satisfactory. Differences in Constructive Thinking profiles according to gender and age and between Swiss and American samples, are discussed. Juvenile offenders differed from community youths on most of the scales, speaking for a good discriminant validity of the CTI. In conclusion, the French translation of the CTI appears to preserve the original version's psychometric properties. The present study provides normative values from a community sample of Swiss adolescents and young adults.

Systemic and pulmonary vascular dysfunction in children conceived by assisted reproductive technologies.

BACKGROUND: Assisted reproductive technology (ART) involves the manipulation of early embryos at a time when they may be particularly vulnerable to external disturbances. Environmental influences during the embryonic and fetal development influence the individual's susceptibility to cardiovascular disease, raising concerns about the potential consequences of ART on the long-term health of the offspring. METHODS AND RESULTS: We assessed systemic (flow-mediated dilation of the brachial artery, pulse-wave velocity, and carotid intima-media thickness) and pulmonary (pulmonary artery pressure at high altitude by Doppler echocardiography) vascular function in 65 healthy children born after ART and 57 control children. Flow-mediated dilation of the brachial artery was 25% smaller in ART than in control children (6.7±1.6% versus 8.6±1.7%; P<0.0001), whereas endothelium-independent vasodilation was similar in the 2 groups. Carotid-femoral pulse-wave velocity was significantly (P<0.001) faster and carotid intima-media thickness was significantly (P<0.0001) greater in children conceived by ART than in control children. The systolic pulmonary artery pressure at high altitude (3450 m) was 30% higher (P<0.001) in ART than in control children. Vascular function was normal in children conceived naturally during hormonal stimulation of ovulation and in siblings of ART children who were conceived naturally. CONCLUSIONS: Healthy children conceived by ART display generalized vascular dysfunction. This problem does not appear to be related to parental factors but to the ART procedure itself. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL: www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00837642.

Perspectives for Forensic Intelligence in anti-doping: Thinking outside of the box.

Today's approach to anti-doping is mostly centered on the judicial process, despite pursuing a further goal in the detection, reduction, solving and/or prevention of doping. Similarly to decision-making in the area of law enforcement feeding on Forensic Intelligence, anti-doping might significantly benefit from a more extensive gathering of knowledge. Forensic Intelligence might bring a broader logical dimension to the interpretation of data on doping activities for a more future-oriented and comprehensive approach instead of the traditional case-based and reactive process. Information coming from a variety of sources related to doping, whether directly or potentially, would feed an organized memory to provide real time intelligence on the size, seriousness and evolution of the phenomenon. Due to the complexity of doping, integrating analytical chemical results and longitudinal monitoring of biomarkers with physiological, epidemiological, sociological or circumstantial information might provide a logical framework enabling fit for purpose decision-making. Therefore, Anti-Doping Intelligence might prove efficient at providing a more proactive response to any potential or emerging doping phenomenon or to address existing problems with innovative actions or/and policies. This approach might prove useful to detect, neutralize, disrupt and/or prevent organized doping or the trafficking of doping agents, as well as helping to refine the targeting of athletes or teams. In addition, such an intelligence-led methodology would serve to address doping offenses in the absence of adverse analytical chemical evidence.

Systemic in vivo lentiviral delivery of miR-15a/16 reduces malignancy in the NZB de novo mouse model of chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Similar to human chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), the de novo New Zealand Black (NZB) mouse model has a genetically determined age-associated increase in malignant B-1 clones and decreased expression of microRNAs miR-15a and miR-16 in B-1 cells. In the present study, lentiviral vectors were employed in vivo to restore miR-15a/16, and both the short-term single injection and long-term multiple injection effects of this delivery were observed in NZB. Control lentivirus without the mir-15a/16 sequence was used for comparison. We found that in vivo lentiviral delivery of mir-15a/16 increased miR-15a/16 expression in cells that were transduced (detected by GFP expression) and in sera when compared with control lentivirus treatment. More importantly, mice treated with the miR-expressing lentivirus had decreased disease. The lentivirus had little systemic toxicity while preferentially targeting B-1 cells. Short-term effects on B-1 cells were direct effects, and only malignant B-1 cells transduced with miR-15a/16 lentivirus had decreased viability. In contrast, long-term studies suggested both direct and indirect effects resulting from miR-15a/16 lentivirus treatment. A decrease in B-1 cells was found in both the transduced and non-transduced populations. Our data support the potential use of systemic lentiviral delivery of miR-15a/16 to ameliorate disease manifestations of CLL.

Systemic antibodies can inhibit mouse mammary tumor virus-driven superantigen response in mucosa-associated lymphoid tissues.

Many mucosal pathogens invade the host by initially infecting the organized mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (o-MALT) such as Peyer's patches or nasal cavity-associated lymphoid tissue (NALT) before spreading systemically. There is no clear demonstration that serum antibodies can prevent infections in o-MALT. We have tested this possibility by using the mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) as a model system. In peripheral lymph nodes or in Peyer's patches or NALT, MMTV initially infects B lymphocytes, which as a consequence express a superantigen (SAg) activity. The SAg molecule induces the local activation of a subset of T cells within 6 days after MMTV infection. We report that similar levels of anti-SAg antibody (immunoglobulin G) in serum were potent inhibitors of the SAg-induced T-cell response both in peripheral lymph nodes and in Peyer's patches or NALT. This result clearly demonstrates that systemic antibodies can gain access to Peyer's patches or NALT.

Vascularite rhumatoïde et autres complications systémiques: aspects diagnostique et thérapeutique [Diagnosis and treatment of rheumatoid vasculitis and other systemic complications of rheumatoid arthritis]

Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic disease that can potentially affect any organ. If the articular manifestations are central to the disease; skin, ophthalmic, neurological, cardiac, pulmonary as well as renal manifestations are well recognized, the latter particularly in the context of a secondary amyloidosis. Although incidence of extraarticular manifestations appears to decrease, likely a result from our more aggressive and early management of rheumatoid arthritis, their consequences remain severe in terms of morbidity and mortality, and their treatments complicated. The new biological therapies seem to be a promising alternative to current therapies, such as cyclophosphamide and high dose prednisone, even if evidences are still limited.

Systemic mastocytosis with associated myeloproliferative disease and precursor B lymphoblastic leukaemia with t(13;13)(q12;q22) involving FLT3.

Systemic mastocytoses represent neoplastic proliferations of mast cells. In about 20% of cases systemic mastocytoses are accompanied by clonal haematopoietic non-mast cell-lineage disorders, most commonly myeloid neoplasms. A case of systemic mastocytosis carrying the characteristic mutation at codon 816 (D816V) in the KIT gene of mast cells, with two concurrent accompanying clonal haematopoietic non-mast cell-lineage disorders, chronic myeloproliferative disease, unclassifiable and precursor B lymphoblastic leukaemia is documented. Both accompanying clonal haematopoietic non-mast cell-lineage disorders carried the wild-type KIT gene, but had a novel t(13;13)(q12;q22) involving the FLT3 locus at 13q12. The chronic myeloproliferative disease, unclassifiable and the precursor B lymphoblastic leukaemia were cured by syngenous stem cell transplantation, but the systemic mastocytosis persisted for more than 10 years. The additional impact of molecular techniques on the correct diagnosis in haematological malignancies is highlighted, and evidence is provided that, apart from internal tandem duplications and mutations, FLT3 can be activated by translocations.

Pulmonary and systemic vascular dysfunction in young offspring of mothers with preeclampsia.

BACKGROUND: Adverse events in utero may predispose to cardiovascular disease in adulthood. The underlying mechanisms are unknown. During preeclampsia, vasculotoxic factors are released into the maternal circulation by the diseased placenta. We speculated that these factors pass the placental barrier and leave a defect in the circulation of the offspring that predisposes to a pathological response later in life. The hypoxia associated with high-altitude exposure is expected to facilitate the detection of this problem. METHODS AND RESULTS: We assessed pulmonary artery pressure (by Doppler echocardiography) and flow-mediated dilation of the brachial artery in 48 offspring of women with preeclampsia and 90 offspring of women with normal pregnancies born and permanently living at the same high-altitude location (3600 m). Pulmonary artery pressure was roughly 30% higher (mean+/-SD, 32.1+/-5.6 versus 25.3+/-4.7 mm Hg; P<0.001) and flow-mediated dilation was 30% smaller (6.3+/-1.2% versus 8.3+/-1.4%; P<0.0001) in offspring of mothers with preeclampsia than in control subjects. A strong inverse relationship existed between flow-mediated dilation and pulmonary artery pressure (r=-0.61, P<0.001). The vascular dysfunction was related to preeclampsia itself because siblings of offspring of mothers with preeclampsia who were born after a normal pregnancy had normal vascular function. Augmented oxidative stress may represent an underlying mechanism because thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances plasma concentration was increased in offspring of mothers with preeclampsia. CONCLUSIONS: Preeclampsia leaves a persistent defect in the systemic and the pulmonary circulation of the offspring. This defect predisposes to exaggerated hypoxic pulmonary hypertension already during childhood and may contribute to premature cardiovascular disease in the systemic circulation later in life.

Usefulness of heart rate to predict cardiac events in treated patients with high-risk systemic hypertension.

A high heart rate (HR) predicts future cardiovascular events. We explored the predictive value of HR in patients with high-risk hypertension and examined whether blood pressure reduction modifies this association. The participants were 15,193 patients with hypertension enrolled in the Valsartan Antihypertensive Long-term Use Evaluation (VALUE) trial and followed up for 5 years. The HR was assessed from electrocardiographic recordings obtained annually throughout the study period. The primary end point was the interval to cardiac events. After adjustment for confounders, the hazard ratio of the composite cardiac primary end point for a 10-beats/min of the baseline HR increment was 1.16 (95% confidence interval 1.12 to 1.20). Compared to the lowest HR quintile, the adjusted hazard ratio in the highest quintile was 1.73 (95% confidence interval 1.46 to 2.04). Compared to the pooled lower quintiles of baseline HR, the annual incidence of primary end point in the top baseline quintile was greater in each of the 5 study years (all p <0.05). The adjusted hazard ratio for the primary end point in the highest in-trial HR heart rate quintile versus the lowest quintile was 1.53 (95% confidence interval 1.26 to 1.85). The incidence of primary end points in the highest in-trial HR group compared to the pooled 4 lower quintiles was 53% greater in patients with well-controlled blood pressure (p <0.001) and 34% greater in those with uncontrolled blood pressure (p = 0.002). In conclusion, an increased HR is a long-term predictor of cardiovascular events in patients with high-risk hypertension. This effect was not modified by good blood pressure control. It is not yet known whether a therapeutic reduction of HR would improve cardiovascular prognosis.

Prospective study on procalcitonin and other systemic infection markers in patients with leukocytosis.

OBJECTIVE: To better assess the diagnosis of an infection in patients presenting at an emergency department with peripheral blood leukocytosis (>10 x 10(9) cells/l) on laboratory testing. METHODS: We prospectively evaluated serum procalcitonin concentration (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Patients were divided into two groups according to their final diagnosis: patients with infection and those without infection. PCT, CRP, and ESR were compared between these groups. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive values, negative predictive values, receiver operating characteristic curves, and areas under the curves were calculated for each biological measurement. RESULTS: Out of 173 patients, 99 (57%) had a final diagnosis of systemic infection. If a cutoff point of 0.5 ng/ml is considered, procalcitonin concentration had a sensitivity of 0.57, a specificity of 0.85, a negative predictive value of 0.59, and a positive predictive value of 0.84 for the diagnosis of a systemic infection. Adding CRP or ESR to PCT gave no more information (p=0.84). CONCLUSIONS: Only about half of the patients attending the emergency department with leukocytosis were suffering from an infection. Determination of the procalcitonin level may be useful for these patients, particularly in the case of a value higher than 0.5 ng/ml.

Hereditary hepatic and systemic amyloidosis caused by a new deletion/insertion mutation in the apolipoprotein AI gene.

We report a Spanish family with autosomal-dominant non-neuropathic hereditary amyloidosis with a unique hepatic presentation and death from liver failure, usually by the sixth decade. The disease is caused by a previously unreported deletion/insertion mutation in exon 4 of the apolipoprotein AI (apoAI) gene encoding loss of residues 60-71 of normal mature apoAI and insertion at that position of two new residues, ValThr. Affected individuals are heterozygous for this mutation and have both normal apoAI and variant molecules bearing one extra positive charge, as predicted from the DNA sequence. The amyloid fibrils are composed exclusively of NH2-terminal fragments of the variant, ending mainly at positions corresponding to residues 83 and 92 in the mature wild-type sequence. Amyloid fibrils derived from the other three known amyloidogenic apoAI variants are also composed of similar NH2-terminal fragments. All known amyloidogenic apoAI variants carry one extra positive charge in this region, suggesting that it may be responsible for their enhanced amyloidogenicity. In addition to causing a new phenotype, this is the first deletion mutation to be described in association with hereditary amyloidosis and it significantly extends the value of the apoAI model for investigation of molecular mechanisms of amyloid fibrillogenesis.

Reassessing the status of antiphospholipid syndrome in systemic lupus erythematosus.

The antiphospholipid syndrome was initially described in 1986. To reassess the validity of antiphospholipid antibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 95 patients with SLE were studied. Their antiphospholipid antibody profile was analysed and correlated with clinical findings such as thrombosis, abortions, or thrombocytopenia. A low prevalence of these antibodies was found (13 patients; 14%) with a high specificity for thrombosis (92%) and abortions (92%). The importance of anticardiolipin antibodies as a risk factor for thrombosis or abortions, or both, in patients with SLE is reaffirmed by this work.