Predictors of rapid cognitive decline among demented subjects aged 75 or more: ('Sujet Agé Fragile--Evaluation et Suivi' Cohort-SAFES).

Objective: To identify factors predictive of rapid cognitive decline (RCD) among elderly subjects aged 75 or over suffering from dementia.

Methods: The analysis concerned 250 patients drawn from the 'Sujet Agé Fragile--Evaluation et Suivi' (SAFES) cohort, presenting a dementia syndrome at inclusion and followed-up for at least 1 year. RCD was defined as the loss of at least 3 points on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) in the follow-up period of 12 months.

Increased impulsive behavior and risk proneness following lentivirus-mediated dopamine transporter over-expression in rats' nucleus accumbens.

Multiple theories have been proposed for sensation seeking and vulnerability to impulse-control disorders [Zuckerman M, Kuhlman DM (2000) Personality and risk-taking: Common biosocial factors. J Pers 68:999-1029], and many of these rely on a dopamine system deficit. Available animal models reproduce only some behavioral symptoms and seem devoid of construct validity.

Emergence and potential of high-throughput and integrative approaches in pathology.

In recent years a major revolution has occurred in the analysis and understanding of pathogenesis and host-pathogens/parasite interactions. This revolution has been achieved through the emergence of the high-throughput integrative approaches used in the "omics" fields-such as genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, interactomics, and metabolomics. The novelty of these approaches has resulted from the development of high-throughput apparatus, assisted by the increasing power and software of computers that allow for high-speed, multifactorial simultaneous analysis of numerous samples.

Wave turbulence on the surface of a ferrofluid in a magnetic field.

We report the observation of wave turbulence on the surface of a ferrofluid mechanically forced and submitted to a static normal magnetic field. We show that magnetic surface waves arise only above a critical field. The power spectrum of their amplitudes displays a frequency-power law leading to the observation of a magnetic wave turbulence regime which is experimentally shown to involve a 4-wave interaction process.

Synthesis and structure-activity studies of novel homomorpholine oxazolidinone antibacterial agents.

A novel series of oxazolidinones were synthesized in which the morpholine C-ring of linezolid was replaced with homomorpholine. In addition to investigating the effect of a homomorpholine C-ring on antibacterial activity, the effect of des-, mono-, di-, and tri-fluoro substitution on the phenyl B-ring was investigated as well. Various C-5 functional groups were also examined, including acetamides and triazoles and carboxamides.

Vestibular rehabilitation therapy.

Dizziness and balance disorders are frequent complaints in the general population. Vestibular rehabilitation exercises have been shown to be efficient in controlled studies, provided that a precise, individual diagnosis has previously been made. Depending on the pathology, a subject with a peripheral vestibular pathology can benefit from manoeuvres aiming at dislodging or repositioning otoliths, from non-specific muscles strengthening techniques, from techniques for vestibular-ocular or vestibular-cervical stabilisation of gaze, or from physical exercises aimed at strengthening proprioceptive afferents, inhibiting a sensory predominance, or improving spatial orientation and navigation.

Potentially inappropriate use of psychotropic medications in hospitalized elderly patients in France: cross-sectional analysis of the prospective, multicentre SAFEs cohort.

Background: In France, there is evidence to suggest that 50% of elderly individuals are prescribed psychotropic medications. However, it is known that use of these agents increases the risk of falls, fractures and delirium in older people.

Objective: To study the consumption of 'potentially inappropriate medication' (PIM) among patients aged>or=75 years, paying particular attention to psychotropic drugs and the factors influencing the use of 'potentially inappropriate psychotropics' (PIPs).

Evaluation of a stair-climbing power wheelchair in 25 people with tetraplegia.

Objective: To compare the performance of a power wheelchair with stair-climbing capability (TopChair) and a conventional power wheelchair (Storm3).

Design: A single-center, open-label study.

Setting: A physical medicine and rehabilitation hospital.

[Bilateral oedipism: a case report].

Introduction: Oedipism (or self-enucleation) is a rare form of self-mutilation and most often described in acutely psychotic patients, less frequently among drug addicts or the mentally deficient.

Case Report: We report a case of a 46-year-old man, who, 3 years after having enucleated his left eye during an acute bout of delirium symptomatic of schizophrenia, mutilated his right eye in the same way. We detail the emergency medical and surgical management indicated in these circumstances.

The role of gamma-synuclein in cocaine-induced behaviour in rats.

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of gamma-synuclein in the rewarding effects of chronic cocaine administration and its putative interaction with the dopamine transporter (DAT). For this purpose, regulatable lentiviruses driving overexpression of the rat gamma-synuclein or DAT have been prepared, as well as lentiviruses expressing siRNAs, aimed at silencing either DAT or gamma-synuclein mRNA expression. Overexpression of DAT in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) induced a 35% decrease in locomotor activity, which could be abolished when the same animal was fed doxycycline.

Role of accumbens BDNF and TrkB in cocaine-induced psychomotor sensitization, conditioned-place preference, and reinstatement in rats.

Background: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is involved in the survival and function of midbrain DA neurons. BDNF action is mediated by the TrkB receptor-tyrosine kinase, and both BDNF and TrkB transcripts are widely expressed in the rat mesolimbic pathway, including the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and the ventral tegmentum area (VTA).

Objective: BDNF was previously shown to be involved in cocaine reward and relapse, as assessed in rat models.

Gold(I)-catalyzed cycloisomerization of 1,7- and 1,8-enynes: application to the synthesis of a new allocolchicinoid.

Gold(I)-catalyzed cycloisomerization of 1,7- and 1,8-enyne propargylic acetates afforded cyclopropyl derivatives containing seven- and eight-membered rings, respectively. This reaction was used for the synthesis of a new allocolchicinoid having a cyclopropane ring fused to the B seven-membered ring at the C6-C7 positions.

In vivo persistent pigment darkening method: proposal of a new standard product for UVA protection factor determination.

The European Commission (EC) has recommended assessing the level of ultraviolet A (UVA) protection afforded by sunscreen products using the in vivo persistent pigment darkening (PPD) method or other methods giving equivalent results. In this context, the reproducibility of the in vivo PPD method is of importance. To check the validity of the UVA protection factor (UVAPF) tests, the Japanese Cosmetic Industry Association (JCIA) recommends using a standard product (JCIA standard) with an expected UVAPF 3.

Alpha-synuclein in the nucleus accumbens induces changes in cocaine behaviour in rats.

The mesolimbic dopaminergic system is widely recognized to be critical to the neurobiology of cocaine reward and addiction. The neuronal protein, alpha-synuclein, is an important regulator in dopaminergic transmission. It interacts with the dopamine transporter, and regulates dopaminergic content, neurotransmission and synaptic strength of dopaminergic neurons.

Antibacterial oxazolidinones possessing a novel C-5 side chain. (5R)-trans-3-[3-Fluoro-4- (1-oxotetrahydrothiopyran-4-yl)phenyl]-2- oxooxazolidine-5-carboxylic acid amide (PF-00422602), a new lead compound.

Oxazolidinones possessing a C-5 carboxamide functionality (reverse amides) represent a new series of compounds that block bacterial protein synthesis. These reverse amides also exhibited less potency against monoamine oxidase (MAO) enzymes and thus possess less potential for the side effects associated with MAO inhibition. The title compound (14) showed reduced in vivo myelotoxicity compared to linezolid in a 14-day safety study in rats, potent in vivo efficacy in murine systemic infection models, and excellent pharmacokinetic properties.

IGF-1 exacerbates the neurotoxicity of the mitochondrial inhibitor 3NP in rats.

Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) has broad-range neuroprotective effects and is a therapeutic candidate for Huntington's disease (HD). IGF-1 protects striatal neurons from the toxicity of mutated huntingtin in vitro and improves neuronal survival in vivo in a phenotypic model of HD involving excitotoxic cell death. Because HD is a multifactorial disease, it is important to evaluate the neuroprotective role of IGF-1 in other pathological situations involved in HD progression.

[Efficacy of percutaneous laser disc decompression for radiculalgia due to lumbar disc hernia (149 patients)].

Objective: To assess the efficacy of percutaneous laser disc decompression for patients with radicular pain due to lumbar disc hernia and to identify factors that may predict outcome.

Methods: The study included all patients treated with percutaneous laser disc decompression from May 2003 through May 2005 at Reims University Hospital and the Courlancy Clinic of Reims. Each patient had previous undergone at least six weeks of conventional medical treatment.

Ehrlichia ruminantium: genomic and evolutionary features.

Ehrlichia ruminantium is the causative agent of heartwater, an important tick-borne disease of livestock in Africa and the Caribbean that threatens the American mainland. The genome sequences of three strains of E. ruminantium have recently been published, revealing the presence of specific features related to genomic plasticity.

Differential strain-specific diagnosis of the heartwater agent: Ehrlichia ruminantium.

Ehrlichia ruminantium is the causative agent of heartwater, a major tick-borne disease of livestock in Africa introduced in the Caribbean and threatening to emerge and spread in the American mainland. Complete genome sequencing was done for two isolates of E. ruminantium of differing phenotype, isolates Gardel (Erga) from Guadeloupe Island and Welgevonden (Erwe) originating from South Africa and maintained in Guadeloupe.

Synthesis and SAR of novel conformationally-restricted oxazolidinones possessing gram-positive and fastidious gram-negative antibacterial activity. Part 1: Substituted pyrazoles.

A novel series of conformationally-restricted oxazolidinones was synthesized which possess a fused pyrazole ring substituted with various alkyl, aryl and heteroaryl substituents. A number of analogs exhibited potent activity against both gram-positive and fastidious gram-negative organisms.

Synthesis and SAR of novel conformationally restricted oxazolidinones possessing gram-positive and fastidious gram-negative antibacterial activity. Part 2: Amino substitutions on heterocyclic D-ring system.

A novel series of conformationally restricted oxazolidinones was synthesized, in which the heterocyclic D ring was substituted with various amino groups. Several analogs exhibited potent activity against both gram-positive and fastidious gram-negative organisms. Certain amino-substituted analogs also exhibited improved aqueous solubility compared to the corresponding un-substituted heterocyclic D-ring analogs.

Synthesis of the tricyclic core of colchicine via a dienyne tandem ring-closing metathesis reaction.

The synthesis of the tricyclic framework of colchicine has been achieved using a tandem ring-closing metathesis reaction of dienynes as the key step. In this process, both seven-membered rings B and C were formed in one step. Oxidation of tertiary allylic alcohol derived from the tandem metathesis product furnished an intermediate in the total synthesis of colchicine.

Synthesis of allocolchicines using sequential ring-closing enyne metathesis-Diels-Alder reactions.

New allocolchinoids having functionality in the C ring at position C10 or C11 have been synthesized using the enyne ring-closing metathesis (RCM) reaction for construction of the seven-membered ring and a Diels-Alder-aromatization sequence for the elaboration of the aromatic ring C. [reaction: see text].

Comparative genomics of three strains of Ehrlichia ruminantium: a review.

The tick-borne Rickettsiale Ehrlichia ruminantium (E. ruminantium) is the causative agent of heartwater in Africa and the Caribbean. Heartwater, responsible for major losses on livestock in Africa represents also a threat for the American mainland.

Repseek, a tool to retrieve approximate repeats from large DNA sequences.

Unlabelled: Chromosomes or other long DNA sequences contain many highly similar repeated sub-sequences. While there are efficient methods for detecting strict repeats or detecting already characterized repeats, there is no software available for detecting approximate repeats in large DNA sequences allowing for weighted substitutions and indels in a coherent statistical framework. Here, we present an implementation of a two-steps method (seed detection followed by their extension) that detects those approximate repeats.