Impaired bidirectional NMDA receptor dependent synaptic plasticity in the dentate gyrus of adult female Fmr1 heterozygous knockout mice.

Fragile-X syndrome (FXS) is caused by the transcriptional repression of the Fmr1 gene resulting in loss of the Fragile-X mental retardation protein (FMRP). This leads to cognitive impairment in both male and female patients, however few studies have focused on the impact of FXS in females. Significant cognitive impairment has been reported in approximately 35% of women who exhibit a heterozygous Fmr1 gene mutation, however to date there is a paucity of information regarding the mechanistic underpinnings of these deficits.

In a tertiary maternity hospital, when should a paediatrician be present in the delivery room?

Objective: 10% of newborns require positive pressure ventilation (PPV) at birth. There are few data on prenatal or early postnatal factors that are predictive of the need for a paediatrician in the delivery room. The study analysed prenatal obstetric and early postnatal factors associated with the requirement for paediatrician assistance in this setting.

On the mechanical characterization and modeling of polymer gel brain substitute under dynamic rotational loading.

The use of highly sensitive soft materials has become increasingly apparent in the last few years in numerous industrial fields, due to their viscous and damping nature. Unfortunately these materials remain difficult to characterize using conventional techniques, mainly because of the very low internal forces supported by these materials especially under high strain-rates of deformation. The aim of this work is to investigate the dynamic response of a polymer gel brain analog material under specific rotational-impact experiments.

Mild Lung Restriction in Breast Cancer Patients After Hypofractionated and Conventional Radiation Therapy: A 3-Year Follow-Up.

Purpose: To assess the effect of radiation therapy on lung function over the course of 3 years.

Methods And Materials: Evolution of restrictive and obstructive lung function parameters was investigated in 108 breast cancer participants in a randomized, controlled trial comparing conventional radiation therapy (CR) and hypofractionated tomotherapy (TT) (age at inclusion ranging 32-81 years). Spirometry, plethysmography, and hemoglobin-corrected diffusing capacity were assessed at baseline and after 3 months and 1, 2, and 3 years.

Endocrine response to realimentation in young northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris): Indications for development of fasting adaptation.

Most organisms undergo changes in their environment, both predictably and unpredictably, which require them to alter priorities in nutrient allocation with regards to food availability. Species that more predictably encounter extended periods of limited food resources or intake while mitigating the negative effects of starvation are considered to be fasting adapted. Northern elephant seals (NES) are one such species and routinely undergo extended periods of fasting for breeding, molting, as well as a post-weaning fast at 6-8weeks of age.

How plants connect pollination and herbivory networks and their contribution to community stability.

Pollination and herbivory networks have mainly been studied separately, highlighting their distinct structural characteristics and the related processes and dynamics. However, most plants interact with both pollinators and herbivores, and there is evidence that both types of interaction affect each other. Here we investigated the way plants connect these mutualistic and antagonistic networks together, and the consequences for community stability.

Changes in Gene Expression and Estrogen Receptor Cistrome in Mouse Liver Upon Acute E2 Treatment.

Transcriptional regulation by the estrogen receptor-α (ER) has been investigated mainly in breast cancer cell lines, but estrogens such as 17β-estradiol (E2) exert numerous extrareproductive effects, particularly in the liver, where E2 exhibits both protective metabolic and deleterious thrombotic actions. To analyze the direct and early transcriptional effects of estrogens in the liver, we determined the E2-sensitive transcriptome and ER cistrome in mice after acute administration of E2 or placebo. These analyses revealed the early induction of genes involved in lipid metabolism, which fits with the crucial role of ER in the prevention of liver steatosis.

Carpal height and postoperative strength after proximal row carpectomy or four-corner arthrodesis: Clinical, anatomical and biomechanical study.

Proximal row carpectomy (PRC) and four-corner arthrodesis (4CA) are the two most commonly performed surgical procedures to treat wrist arthritis. Postoperative strength is one of the criteria for choosing between the two techniques. Some authors believe that strength is correlated with residual carpal height.

Medial collateral ligament healing after posttraumatic radial head arthroplasty: A retrospective study of 33 cases with a mean follow-up of 73 months.

Comminuted radial head fractures are usually associated with destabilizing lesions of the elbow. The radial head prosthesis (RHP) is a therapeutic alternative when fracture fixation is impossible, as it restores one of the elbow's secondary stabilizers. The aim of this study was to assess healing of the medial collateral ligament (MCL) after implantation of a RHP.

Role of ERαMISS in the Effect of Estradiol on Cancellous and Cortical Femoral Bone in Growing Female Mice.

Estrogen receptor-α (ERα) acts primarily in the nucleus as a transcription factor involving two activation functions, AF1 and AF2, but it can also induce membrane-initiated steroid signaling (MISS) through the modulation of various kinase activities and/or secondary messenger levels. Previous work has demonstrated that nuclear ERα is required for the protective effect of the estrogen 17β-estradiol (E2), whereas the selective activation of ERαMISS is sufficient to confer protection in cortical but not cancellous bone. The aim of this study was to define whether ERαMISS is necessary for the beneficial actions of chronic E2 exposure on bone.

Functional homogenization of flower visitor communities with urbanization.

Land-use intensification and resulting habitat loss are put forward as the main causes of flower visitor decline. However, the impact of urbanization, the prime driver of land-use intensification in Europe, is poorly studied. In particular, our understanding of whether and how it affects the composition and functioning of flower visitor assemblages is scant, yet required to cope with increasing urbanization worldwide.

How plants connect pollination and herbivory networks and their contribution to community stability.

Pollination and herbivory networks have mainly been studied separately, highlighting their distinct structural characteristics and the related processes and dynamics. However, most plants interact with both pollinators and herbivores, and there is evidence that both types of interaction affect each other. Here we investigated the way plants connect these mutualistic and antagonistic networks together, and the consequences for community stability.

Effect of low frequency ultrasound on the surface properties of natural aluminosilicates.

Structural and surface properties of different natural aluminosilicates (layered, chain and framework structural types) exposed of 20 kHz ultrasound irradiation (0-120 min) in aqueous and 35 wt%. aqueous H2O2 dispersions were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), dynamic light scattering (DLS), nitrogen adsorption-desorption, thermal analysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) techniques. It was confirmed that sonication caused slight changes in the structure of investigated minerals whereas their textural properties were significantly affected.

[Anatomic study of the submental artery relationships for submental flap raising].

Introduction: Submental flap is useful for intra-oral reconstructions and reconstructions of the lower two thirds of the face. Dissection is delicate because of a difficult exposure under the lower rim of the mandible, numerous collateral arterial branches and the proximity of the marginal branch of the facial nerve. The aim of our work was to propose anatomical landmarks in order to facilitate the submental flap raising.

Effects of pre-natal alcohol exposure on hippocampal synaptic plasticity: Sex, age and methodological considerations.

The consumption of alcohol during gestation is detrimental to the developing central nervous system (CNS). The severity of structural and functional brain alterations associated with alcohol intake depends on many factors including the timing and duration of alcohol consumption. The hippocampal formation, a brain region implicated in learning and memory, is highly susceptible to the effects of developmental alcohol exposure.

[Tissue-specific membrane effects of estrogen receptor alpha].

Estrogen receptors (ER) are used as therapeutic targets, either for contraception or for the hormonal replacement therapy in menopausal women, but also in physiopathology for breast cancer treatment. It is therefore important to understand the tissue-specificity of the actions of ERα to optimize the benefits/risks ratio in each tissue. Besides the conventional nuclear ERα acting as a transcription factor, many studies have demonstrated that ERα is also able to mediate extra nuclear signaling, enabling rapid actions of estrogen.

Evolution of Compatibility Range in the Rice-Magnaporthe oryzae System: An Uneven Distribution of R Genes Between Rice Subspecies.

Efficient strategies for limiting the impact of pathogens on crops require a good understanding of the factors underlying the evolution of compatibility range for the pathogens and host plants, i.e., the set of host genotypes that a particular pathogen genotype can infect and the set of pathogen genotypes that can infect a particular host genotype.

Experimental determination of the elbow's center of rotation using the VICON™ optoelectronic motion capture system.

Purpose: Knowledge of elbow kinematics is essential to better understand this joint. There is currently no reliable dynamic method to accurately study the elbow joint in a non-invasive manner. The goal of this study was to implement an accurate protocol to study in vivo elbow kinematics using a VICON™ optoelectronic motion analysis system.

Phase I Study of 68Ga-HER2-Nanobody for PET/CT Assessment of HER2 Expression in Breast Carcinoma.

Unlabelled: Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status is one of the major tumor characteristics in breast cancer to guide therapy. Anti-HER2 treatment has clear survival advantages in HER2-positive breast carcinoma patients. Heterogeneity in HER2 expression between primary tumor and metastasis has repeatedly been described, resulting in the need to reassess HER2 status during the disease course.

The Benefits of Exercise on Structural and Functional Plasticity in the Rodent Hippocampus of Different Disease Models.

In this review, the benefits of physical exercise on structural and functional plasticity in the hippocampus are discussed. The evidence is clear that voluntary exercise in rats and mice can lead to increases in hippocampal neurogenesis and enhanced synaptic plasticity which ultimately result in improved performance in hippocampal-dependent tasks. Furthermore, in models of neurological disorders, including fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, traumatic brain injury, stroke, and neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Huntington's disease exercise can also elicit beneficial effects on hippocampal function.