Evaluation of arterial blood gas parameters as prognostic markers in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Background: Forced vital capacity (FVC) remains difficult to determine for some patients suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) due to the rapid progression of the disease. Arterial blood gas (ABG) parameters could represent a valuable alternative. The aim of this study was therefore to evaluate the correlation between ABG parameters and FVC, along with the prognostic ability of ABG parameters, in a large cohort of ALS patients.

Lower-limb hypopallesthesia: A risk factor for falls in cognitively intact non-diabetic older adults.

Peripheral neuropathies (PN) in older adults often involve altered vibrational perception, i.e. hypopallesthesia.

A Service Delivery Model for Children with DCD Based on Principles of Best Practice.

Aims: In this perspective article, we propose the Apollo model as an example of an innovative interdisciplinary, community-based service delivery model for children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) characterized by the use of graduated levels of intensity and evidence-based interventions that focus on function and participation.

Methods: We describe the context that led to the creation of the Apollo model, describe the approach to service delivery and the services offered.

Results: The Apollo model has 5 components: first contact, service delivery coordination, community-, group-, and individual-interventions.

Molecular genetics and functional anomalies in a series of 248 Brugada cases with 11 mutations in the TRPM4 channel.

Brugada syndrome (BrS) is a condition defined by ST-segment alteration in right precordial leads and a risk of sudden death. Because BrS is often associated with right bundle branch block and the TRPM4 gene is involved in conduction blocks, we screened TRPM4 for anomalies in BrS cases. The DNA of 248 BrS cases with no SCN5A mutations were screened for TRPM4 mutations.

Effect of okadaic acid on cultured clam heart cells: involvement of MAPkinase pathways.

Okadaic acid (OA) is one of the main diarrhetic shellfish poisoning toxins and a potent inhibitor of protein phosphatases 1 and 2A. The downstream signal transduction pathways following the protein phosphatase inhibition are still unknown and the results of most of the previous studies are often conflicting. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of OA on heart clam cells and to analyse its possible mechanisms of action by investigating the signal transduction pathways involved in OA cytotoxicity.

Na v1.4 and Na v1.5 are modulated differently during muscle immobilization and contractile phenotype conversion.

Muscle immobilization leads to modification in its fast/slow contractile phenotype. Since the properties of voltage-gated sodium channels (Na(v)) are different between "fast" and "slow" muscles, we studied the effects of immobilization on the contractile properties and the Na(v) of rat peroneus longus (PL). The distal tendon of PL was cut and fixed to the adjacent bone at neutral muscle length.

Effects of chronic sepsis on contractile properties of fast twitch muscle in an experimental model of critical illness neuromyopathy in the rat.

Objective: Critical illness polyneuromyopathy has been extensively studied in various animal models regarding electrophysiological aspects or molecular mechanisms involved in its physiopathology; however, little data are available on its main clinical feature, that is, muscular weakness. We have studied the effects of chronic sepsis in rats with special consideration to contractile and neuromuscular blockade properties in relation with the level of messenger RNA (mRNA) coding for ryanodine and acetylcholine receptors.

Design: This was an experimental animal study.

Effects of chronic sepsis on rat motor units: experimental study of critical illness polyneuromyopathy.

Critical illness polyneuromyopathy (CIP) leads to major muscle weakness correlated with peripheral nerve and/or muscle alterations. Because sepsis seems to be the main factor, we used an experimental model of chronic sepsis in rats to study the localization of the first alterations on isolated motor units of soleus muscle. Seven days of chronic sepsis leads to a decrease in muscle force and an increase in muscle fatigability.

Effects of immobilizing a single muscle on the morphology and the activation of its muscle fibers.

A single muscle of Wistar female rats, either soleus or peroneus longus, was immobilized by fixing its cut distal tendon to the bone during 8 weeks. We observed a transitory weight loss in both muscles; the mean fiber cross-sectional area (CSA) showed a reduction at day 30, followed by an increase at day 60. The time course of the activation of the immobilized muscle was evaluated by recording the chronic electromyographic (EMG) activity during short periods (1 min every other day) of treadmill locomotion.

[Cost of treatment and follow up of breast cancer: a retrospective assessment in a comprehensive cancer centre].

Context: Breast cancer is one of the major causes of premature death for women. Its cost management is important for both the national health insurance and the individual health care providers.

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the global medical cost of breast cancer from diagnosis to follow up in one French medical centre: centre René-Huguenin, Saint-Cloud (92).