Materialism, Financial Motives and Gambling: Examination of an Unexplored Relationship.

Gambling has an inherent structural monetary component, and financial motive is one of the main motivations for gambling. Despite this, and contrary to other addictive behaviours that involve money such as compulsive buying, gambling has never been studied from a materialism perspective. The objective of the present study was to explore the links between materialism and gambling disorder (GD) and whether this relationship is mediated by financial motives for gambling. We compared 65 pathological gamblers (PGs) seeking treatment to 65 matched non-problem gamblers. The data collection included socio-demographics, gambling characteristics, the Materialism Values Scale, the Gambling Motives Questionnaire-Financial, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. The statistical analysis included linear mixed models and Structural Equation Modelling. The level of materialism was significantly higher for the PGs, except for the Centrality dimension. Only one mediated effect was significant, and it concerned an indirect path from Happiness through financial motives. Moreover, Happiness explained most of the variance of the probability of becoming a PG. Contrary to compulsive buying, the PGs seemed to display materialism in a more experiential way that was centred on what possessions can induce secondarily rather than on the possessions themselves. The belief that material possessions are essential to achieving happiness may encourage the PG to gamble, thus contributing to both the development and maintenance of GD. We provided evidence that materialism is a key concept in the comprehension of GD and should be further considered when adapting care strategies.

Trends in breast cancer incidence and mortality in France 1990-2008.

The objective of this work was to detail the incidence and mortality trends of invasive and in situ breast cancer (BC) in France, especially regarding the development of screening, over the 1990-2008 period. Data issued from nine population-based cancer registries were studied. The incidence of invasive BC increased annually by 0.8 % from 1990 to 1996 and more markedly by 3.2 % from 1996 to 2003, and then sharply decreased until 2006 (-2.3 % per year), especially among women aged 50-69 years (-4.9 % per year). This trend was similar whatever the introduction date of the organized screening (OS) program in the different areas. The incidence of ductal carcinoma in situ steadily increased between 1990 and 2005, particularly among women aged 50-69 years and 70 and older. At the same time, the mortality from BC decreased annually by 1.1 % over the entire study period. This decrease was more pronounced in women aged 40-49 and 50-69 and, during the 1990-1999 period, in the areas where OS began in 1989-1991. The similarity in the incidence trends for all periods of implementation of OS in the different areas was striking. This suggests that OS alone does not explain the changes observed in incidence rate. Our study highlights the importance of closely monitoring the changes in incidence and mortality indicators, and of better understanding the factors causing variation.

Risk factors for substances use and misuse among young people in France: What can we learn from the Substance Use Risk Profile Scale?

BACKGROUND: The prevention of addictions in young people is a challenge for Mental and Public Health policies, and requires specific risk-screening tools. Specific personality traits, as assessed using the Substance Use Risk Profile Scale (SURPS), could play a key role in the onset and escalation of substance use. This study aimed to examine (1) measurement invariance across age and gender (2) the effects of age and gender on associations between SURPS scores and the most frequently-consumed substances. METHODS: Analyses were based on the responses from 5069 participants (aged 14-20 years) from the 2011 ESPAD-France dataset. Substance-use outcomes were experimentation and current frequency of alcohol, tobacco and cannabis use, and drunkenness. RESULTS: Our approach, consisting in analysing measurement and structural invariance and interaction terms, established the stability of (i) SURPS profiles, and (ii) relationships between these scores and substance experimentation and use over a developmental period ranging from mid-adolescence to early adulthood. Measurement invariance across genders was also confirmed despite the absence of scalar invariance for 2 items. Significant interactions between gender and SURPS factors were established, highlighting differential vulnerability, especially concerning Hopelessness and experimentation of alcohol and drunkenness, or Impulsivity and tobacco experimentation. Finally, Anxiety Sensitivity could be protective against substance use, especially for cannabis in girls. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest the relevance of the SURPS to assess vulnerability towards drug use, and underline the need to consider gender differences in addiction risks.

AF15q14, a novel partner gene fused to the MLL gene in an acute myeloid leukaemia with a t(11;15)(q23;q14).

In haematopoietic malignancies the MLL gene, located on chromosome 11q23, is frequently disrupted by chromosome rearrangement, generally resulting in fusion to various partner genes. We have previously reported a t(11;15)(q23;q14) in a case of acute myeloblastic leukaemia. Here, we report the cloning of a novel MLL partner, AF15q14, at chromosome 15q14. In this translocation, the breakpoint occurred in exon 8 of MLL and exon 10 of AF15q14. The normal AF15q14 transcripts of approximately 8.5 kb in size, are expressed in different tumoral cell lines, in a variety of normal tissues, and in all the foetal tissues tested. Sequencing of AF15q14 cDNA revealed a putative open reading frame of 1833 amino acids that had no homology with any other known protein. The C-terminal end of the putative AF15q14 contained a bipartite nuclear localization site. The translocation t(11;15) preserved the open reading frame between MLL and the 3' end of AF15q14. The contribution of AF15q14 to the fusion protein was only 85 amino acids. Immunofluorescence staining experiments with expression vectors encoding these 85 amino acids confirmed the functionality of the predicted nuclear localization site.

C-Isoprenylation of flavonoids enhances binding affinity toward P-glycoprotein and modulation of cancer cell chemoresistance.

Previous studies have shown that flavones bind to P-glycoprotein (Pgp) with higher affinity than isoflavones, flavanones, and glycosylated derivatives. In the present work, a series of C- or O-substituted hydrophobic derivatives of chrysin were synthesized to further investigate structural requirements of the A ring toward Pgp modulation. Increasing hydrophobicity at either position 6, 8, or 7 increased the affinity of in vitro binding to a purified cytosolic domain of Pgp, but only benzyl and 3,3-dimethylallyl C-substitution produced a high maximal quenching of the protein intrinsic fluorescence. Inhibition of membrane Pgp within leukemic cells, characterized by intracellular drug accumulation, was specifically produced by isoprenylated derivatives, with 8-(3,3-dimethylallyl)chrysin being even more efficient than the commonly used cyclosporin A.

[Sedation with oral hydroxyzine and rectal chloral hydrate in pediatric MRI and CT]. / Sédation par hydroxyzine orale et hydrate de chloral rectal en IRM et TDM pédiatriques.

AIM: To assess the efficacy and risks of oral hydroxyzine and rectal chloral hydrate to sedate children undergoing CT or MRI. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 110 children underwent 117 studies. Medical history, treatments, doses per kg of sedative drugs, study quality, sedation time and side effects were prospectively recorded. RESULTS: 25 minutes was the mean time necessary to put children to sleep, 59 minutes was the mean time of sedation 96% of studies were interpretable. 2 children showed transient side effects. CONCLUSION: This sedation regimen appeared efficient. However, its limitations and risks have to be known by radiologists. Sedation-related problems also have to be considered by hospital managers when a new CT or MR equipment is being acquired.

Some remarks on adolescence with particular reference to Winnicott and Lacan.

Utilizing observations on adolescence--notably those of Winnicott, as well as the work of Lacan and a clinical case--the author advances several propositions concerning the unique relationship between adolescents and time. The consequences of this relationship are then framed as a paternal metaphor.

Biochemical properties of protease resistant prion protein PrPsc in natural sheep scrapie.

Prions are infectious agents involved in neurodegenerative diseases, such as scrapie in sheep and goats, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in cows and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in humans. These pathogens are characterized by unusual properties, and, in particular, by their strong resistance to common procedures of disinfection used against conventional microorganisms. A major component of highly infectious fractions is a proteinase K-resistant prion protein PrPsc (PrP-res), the normal host prion protein PrPc being sensitive to PK (PrP-sen). We used a biochemical approach to further characterize PrPsc protein in natural sheep scrapie. Western blot analyses using rabbit antiserum that recognized both normal and pathologic sheep prion proteins, were undertaken to study the biochemical behaviour of PrPsc extracted from brains of sheep naturally infected with scrapie after protease digestion and under denaturing conditions. Increasing concentrations of urea (1-7 M) or GdnSCN (0.25-3 M) and different pH from 2 to 11 were tested for their effects on protease resistance of PrPsc. Alkaline pH (pH = 10) and high concentrations of urea (> 3 M) and GdnSCN (> 0.75 M) greatly decreased the protease resistance of the prion protein. Identical experiments carried out on three different sheep from the same flock gave similar results. The biochemical behaviour of PrPsc under denaturing conditions and in the presence of proteinase K could thus provide a biochemical means for further characterization of different natural scrapie isolates.