Entrevistant infants pre-escolars víctimes d’abús sexual i/o maltractament familiar : Eficàcia dels models d’entrevista forense

Entrevistant infants pre-escolars víctimes d’abús sexual i/o maltractament familiar: eficàcia dels models d’entrevista forense Entrevistar infants en edat preescolar que han viscut una situació traumàtica és una tasca complexa que dins l’avaluació psicològica forense necessita d’un protocol perfectament delimitat, clar i temporalitzat. Per això, s’han seleccionat 3 protocols d’entrevista: el Protocol de Menors (PM) de Bull i Birch, el model del National Institute for Children Development (NICHD) de Michel Lamb, a partir del qual es va desenvolupar l’EASI (Evaluación del Abuso Sexual Infantojuvenil) i l’Entrevista Cognitiva (EC) de Fisher i Geiselman. La hipòtesi de partida vol comprovar si els anteriors models permeten obtenir volums informatius diferents en infants preescolars. Conseqüentment, els objectius han estat determinar quin dels models d’entrevista permet obtenir un volum informatiu amb més precisions i menys errors, dissenyar un model d’entrevista propi i consensuar aquest model. En el treball s’afegeixen esquemes pràctics que facilitin l’obertura, desenvolupament i tancament de l’entrevista forense. La metodologia ha reproduït el binomi infant - esdeveniment traumàtic, mitjançant la visualització i l’explicació d’un fet emocionalment significatiu amb facilitat per identificar-se: l’accident en bicicleta d’un infant que cau, es fa mal, sagna i el seu pare el cura. A partir d’aquí, hem entrevistat 135 infants de P3, P4 i P5, mitjançant els 3 models d’entrevista referits, enfrontant-los a una demanda específica: recordar i narrar aquest esdeveniment. S’ha conclòs que el nivell de record correcte, quan s’utilitza un model d’entrevista adequat amb els infants en edat preescolar, oscil•la entre el 70-90%, fet que permet defensar la confiança en els records dels infants. Es constata que el percentatge d’emissions incorrectes dels infants en edat preescolar és mínim, al voltant d’un 5-6%. L’estudi remarca la necessitat d’establir perfectament les regles de l’entrevista i, per últim, en destaca la ineficàcia de les tècniques de memòria de l’entrevista cognitiva en els infants de P3 i P4. En els de P5 es comencen a veure beneficis gràcies a la tècnica de la reinstauració contextual (RC), estant les altres tècniques fora de la comprensió i utilització dels infants d’aquestes edats. Interviewing preschoolers victims of sexual abuse and/or domestic abuse: Effectiveness of forensic interviews models 135 preschool children were interviewed with 3 different interview models in order to remember a significant emotional event. Authors conclude that the correct recall of children ranging from 70-90% and the percentage of error messages is 5-6%. It is necessary to fully establish the rules of the interview. The present research highlights the effectiveness of the cognitive interview techniques in children from P3 and P4. Entrevistando niños preescolares víctimas de abuso sexual y/o maltrato familiar: eficacia de los modelos de entrevista forense Se han entrevistado 135 niños preescolares con 3 modelos de entrevista diferentes para recordar un hecho emocionalmente significativo. Se concluye que el recuerdo correcto de los niños oscila entre el 70-90% y el porcentaje de errores de mensajes es del 5-6%. El estudio remarca la necesidad de establecer perfectamente las reglas de la entrevista y se destaca la ineficacia de las técnicas de la entrevista cognitiva en los niños de P3 y P4.

Selective and powerful stress gene expression in Arabidopsis in response to malondialdehyde.

The provenance, half-life and biological activity of malondialdehyde (MDA) were investigated in Arabidopsis thaliana. We provide genetic confirmation of the hypothesis that MDA originates from fatty acids containing more than two methylene-linked double bonds, showing that tri-unsaturated fatty acids are the in vivo source of up to 75% of MDA. The abundance of the combined pool of free and reversibly bound MDA did not change dramatically in stress, although a significant increase in the free MDA pool under oxidative conditions was observed. The half-life of infiltrated MDA indicated rapid metabolic turnover/sequestration. Exposure of plants to low levels of MDA using a recently developed protocol powerfully upregulated many genes on a cDNA microarray with a bias towards those implicated in abiotic/environmental stress (e.g. ROF1 and XERO2). Remarkably, and in contrast to the activities of other reactive electrophile species (i.e. small vinyl ketones), none of the pathogenesis-related (PR) genes tested responded to MDA. The use of structural mimics of MDA isomers suggested that the propensity of the molecule to act as a cross-linking/modifying reagent might contribute to the activation of gene expression. Changes in the concentration/localisation of unbound MDA in vivo could strongly affect stress-related transcription.

Simulador de rendimiento Stress Tester

Desarrollo de una aplicación para la empresa CCSAgresso, con el objetivo de evaluar el rendimiento en una máquina, mediante los datos aportados por pruebas de simulación. Cada prueba de simulación está contenida en un fichero de texto, cuya lectura y almacenamiento en la base de datos son la base de la aplicación. Los objetivos son poder introducir, actualizar, gestionar y mostrar esos valores de la base de datos con una aplicación sencilla, intuitiva y que realice todas las operaciones que necesita el usuario.

The AP-1 transcription factor c-Jun prevents stress-imposed maladaptive remodeling of the heart.

Systemic hypertension increases cardiac workload and subsequently induces signaling networks in heart that underlie myocyte growth (hypertrophic response) through expansion of sarcomeres with the aim to increase contractility. However, conditions of increased workload can induce both adaptive and maladaptive growth of heart muscle. Previous studies implicate two members of the AP-1 transcription factor family, junD and fra-1, in regulation of heart growth during hypertrophic response. In this study, we investigate the function of the AP-1 transcription factors, c-jun and c-fos, in heart growth. Using pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy in mice and targeted deletion of Jun or Fos in cardiomyocytes, we show that c-jun is required for adaptive cardiac hypertrophy, while c-fos is dispensable in this context. c-jun promotes expression of sarcomere proteins and suppresses expression of extracellular matrix proteins. Capacity of cardiac muscle to contract depends on organization of principal thick and thin filaments, myosin and actin, within the sarcomere. In line with decreased expression of sarcomere-associated proteins, Jun-deficient cardiomyocytes present disarrangement of filaments in sarcomeres and actin cytoskeleton disorganization. Moreover, Jun-deficient hearts subjected to pressure overload display pronounced fibrosis and increased myocyte apoptosis finally resulting in dilated cardiomyopathy. In conclusion, c-jun but not c-fos is required to induce a transcriptional program aimed at adapting heart growth upon increased workload.

Mesophyll conductance to CO2 and leaf morphological characteristics under drought stress during Quercus ilex L resprouting

• Quercus ilex L., the dominant species in Mediterranean forests and one with a great capacity for resprouting after disturbances, is threatened by the expected increase in fire frequency and drought associated with climate change. • The aim of this study was to determine the contribution of photosynthesis limitants, especially mesophyll conductance (gmes ) during this species’ resprouting and under summer drought. • Resprouts showed 5.3-fold increased gmes and 3.8-fold increased stomatal conductance (gs) atmidday with respect to leaves of undisturbed individuals. With increased drought, structural changes (decreased density and increased thickness) in resprouts contributed to the observed higher photosynthesis and increased gmes. However, gmes only partially depended on leaf structure, and was also under physiological control. Resprouts also showed lower non-stomatal limitations (around 50% higher carboxylation velocity (Vc,max) and capacity for ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate regeneration (Jmax)). A significant contribution of gmes to leaf carbon isotope discrimination values was observed. • gmes exhibits a dominant role in photosynthesis limitation in Q. ilex and is regulated by factors other than morphology. During resprouting after disturbances, greater capacity to withstand drought, as evidenced by higher gmes , gs and lower non-stomatal limitants, enables increased photosynthesis and rapid growth.

Abus sexuel, psychopathologie et réponses psycho-endocriniennes au stress

Résumé : Des événements traumatiques précoces peuvent favoriser le développement ultérieur de psychopathologies telles que les troubles anxieux ou dépressifs. Dans quelle mesure ces événements influencent-ils la réaction d'un sujet à un stress aigu ? Objectif : comparer la prévalence de troubles psychiatriques et déterminer la différence de réaction au stress à l'âge adulte de femmes ayant ou non subi un traumatisme de type abus sexuel dans leur enfance. Participants : 46 femmes âgées de 22 à 48 ans recrutées entre juin 2004 et juillet 2006 réparties en 2 groupes (groupe contrôle de 16 sujets, groupe traumatisé de 30 sujets). L'étude se déroule dans l'Unité de recherche du SUPEA, rue du Bugnon 25A, 1005 Lausanne. Mesures : hormone adrenocorticotropiqué (ACTI-I), cortisol plasmatique et salivaire, fréquence cardiaque au cours du TSST (test psychosocial de stress standardisé), réponses aux questionnaires standardisés VAS (visual analog scale) et MDBF (Mehrdimensionale Befindlichkeitsfragebogen), MINI (mini international neuropsychiatric interview), ETI (early trauma inventory). Les différences de cóncentration d'ACTH et de cortisol, du rythme cardiaque, et des réponses aux questionnaires VAS et MDBF entre des groupes contrôle et abus ont été analysés (ANOVA, ANalysis Of VAriance). Lorsque les résultats montraient une grande hétérogénéité, nous .avons également appliqué les tests de Mann-Whitney et de Kruskal-Wallis: Résultats principaux : les personnes abusées dans leur enfance souffrent à l'âge adulte plus fréquemment de troubles psychiatriques selon les critères du MINI DSM-IV. Ces personnes réagissent fortement au stress, mais seules leurs réponses subjectives montrent des différences significatives par rapport à un groupe de contrôle.

Photophobia as the presenting visual symptom of chiasmal compression.

Five patients with a chief visual complaint of photophobia were subsequently found to have compressive lesions of the optic chiasm. Visual acuity and visual field deficits were often subtle. Magnetic resonance imaging scanning revealed large suprasellar masses, including three pituitary adenomas, a craniopharyngioma, and a clivus chordoma. Photophobia resolved in all patients following treatment of the tumors. A compressive lesion of the optic chiasm should be considered in patients who experience persistent photophobia unexplained by ocular abnormalities.

Teleost fish larvae adapt to dietary arachidonic acid supply through modulation of the expression of lipid metabolism and stress response genes

Dietary fatty acid supply can affect stress response in fish during early development. Although knowledge on the mechanisms involved in fatty acid regulation of stress tolerance is scarce, it has often been hypothesised that eicosanoid profiles can influence cortisol production. Genomic cortisol actions are mediated by cytosolic receptors which may respond to cellular fatty acid signalling. An experiment was designed to test the effects of feeding gilthead sea-bream larvae with four microdiets, containing graded arachidonic acid (ARA) levels (0·4, 0·8, 1·5 and 3·0 %), on the expression of genes involved in stress response (steroidogenic acute regulatory protein, glucocorticoid receptor and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase), lipid and, particularly, eicosanoid metabolism (hormone-sensitive lipase, PPARα, phospholipase A2, cyclo-oxygenase-2 and 5-lipoxygenase), as determined by real-time quantitative PCR. Fish fatty acid phenotypes reflected dietary fatty acid profiles. Growth performance, survival after acute stress and similar whole-body basal cortisol levels suggested that sea-bream larvae could tolerate a wide range of dietary ARA levels. Transcription of all genes analysed was significantly reduced at dietary ARA levels above 0·4 %. Nonetheless, despite practical suppression of phospholipase A2 transcription, higher leukotriene B4 levels were detected in larvae fed 3·0 % ARA, whereas a similar trend was observed regarding PGE2 production. The present study demonstrates that adaptation to a wide range of dietary ARA levels in gilthead sea-bream larvae involves the modulation of the expression of genes related to eicosanoid synthesis, lipid metabolism and stress response. The roles of ARA, other polyunsaturates and eicosanoids as signals in this process are discussed.

Statistics on Smoking Cessation Services in Northern Ireland: 08/09: Pre Release Access List

2008/09 Pre-Release Access List

Pre Release Access List (MS Word 30KB)

Pre Release Access List

Pre release Access list Bulletin 5 Drug Prevalence Survey (MS Word 31KB)

Pre Release Access list for Bulletin 5 Drug Prevalence Survey 2006/07

Hepatitis C virus proteins promote mitochondrial bioenergetic dysfunction and nitro-oxidative stress: insights into pathogenesis

HCV-infection induces a state of oxidative stress more pronounced than in many other inflammatory diseases. Here we propose a temporal sequence of events in the HCV-infected cell whereby the primary alteration consists in release of Ca2+ from the ER followed by uptake into mitochondria. This triggers successive mitochondrial dysfunctions leading to generation of ROS and to a progressive metabolic adaptive response. Pathogenetic implications of the model and new opportunities for therapeutic intervention are discussed.