Basal Ti level in the human placenta and meconium and evidence of a materno-foetal transfer of food-grade TiO2 nanoparticles in an ex vivo placental perfusion model.

BACKGROUND: Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is broadly used in common consumer goods, including as a food additive (E171 in Europe) for colouring and opacifying properties. The E171 additive contains TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs), part of them being absorbed in the intestine and accumulated in several systemic organs. Exposure to TiO2-NPs in rodents during pregnancy resulted in alteration of placental functions and a materno-foetal transfer of NPs, both with toxic effects on the foetus. However, no human data are available for pregnant women exposed to food-grade TiO2-NPs and their potential transfer to the foetus. In this study, human placentae collected at term from normal pregnancies and meconium (the first stool of newborns) from unpaired mothers/children were analysed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) coupled to energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy for their titanium (Ti) contents and for analysis of TiO2 particle deposition, respectively. Using an ex vivo placenta perfusion model, we also assessed the transplacental passage of food-grade TiO2 particles. RESULTS: By ICP-MS analysis, we evidenced the presence of Ti in all placentae (basal level ranging from 0.01 to 0.48 mg/kg of tissue) and in 50% of the meconium samples (0.02-1.50 mg/kg), suggesting a materno-foetal passage of Ti. STEM-EDX observation of the placental tissues confirmed the presence of TiO2-NPs in addition to iron (Fe), tin (Sn), aluminium (Al) and silicon (Si) as mixed or isolated particle deposits. TiO2 particles, as well as Si, Al, Fe and zinc (Zn) particles were also recovered in the meconium. In placenta perfusion experiments, confocal imaging and SEM-EDX analysis of foetal exudate confirmed a low transfer of food-grade TiO2 particles to the foetal side, which was barely quantifiable by ICP-MS. Diameter measurements showed that 70 to 100% of the TiO2 particles recovered in the foetal exudate were nanosized. CONCLUSIONS: Altogether, these results show a materno-foetal transfer of TiO2 particles during pregnancy, with food-grade TiO2 as a potential source for foetal exposure to NPs. These data emphasize the need for risk assessment of chronic exposure to TiO2-NPs during pregnancy.

[Mental health care in French correctional facilities during the Covid-19 pandemic]. / Prisons confinées : quelles conséquences pour les soins psychiatriques et la santé mentale des personnes détenues en France ?

OBJECTIVE: The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the 11 million people currently incarcerated worldwide is the subject of many concerns. Prisons and jails are filled with people suffering from many preexisting medical conditions increasing the risk of complications. Detainees' access to medical services is already limited and overcrowding poses a threat of massive contagion. Beyond the health impact of the crisis, the tightening of prison conditions worries. On March 16, 2020, in France, the lockdown measures have been accompanied by specific provisions for prisons: all facilities have suspended visitations, group activities and external interventions. Over 10,000 prisoners have been released to reduce the prison population and the risk of virus propagation. These adjustments had major consequences on the healthcare system in French prisons. The objectives of this article are to describe the reorganization of the three levels of psychiatric care for inmates in France in the context of Covid-19 pandemic and to have a look at the impact of lockdown measures and early releases on mental health of prisoners. METHODS: This work is based on a survey conducted in April 2020 in France among psychiatric healthcare providers working in 42 ambulatory units for inmates and in the 9 full-time inpatient psychiatric wards exclusively for inmates called "UHSAs" (which stands for "unités hospitalières spécialement aménagées", and can be translated as "specially equipped hospital units"). A review of the international literature on mental healthcare system for inmates during the Covid-19 epidemic has also been performed. RESULTS: The Covid-19 epidemic has been rather contained during the period of confinement in French prisons but the impact of confinement measures on the prison population is significant. The three levels of psychiatric care for inmates have implemented specific measures to ensure continuity of care, to support detainees during Coronavirus lockdown and to prevent an infection's spread. Among the most important are: limitation of medical consultations to serious and urgent cases, creation of "Covid units", cancellation of voluntary psychiatric hospitalizations, reinforcement of preventive hygiene measures and reshuffling of medical staff. Prolonged confinement has consequences on mental health of detainees. Currently, mental health workers are facing multiple clinical situations such as forced drug and substance withdrawal (linked to difficulties in supplying psychoactive substances), symptoms of anxiety (due to concerns for their own and their relatives' well-being) and decompensation among patients with severe psychiatric conditions. Early releases from prison may also raise some issues. People recently released from prison are identified as at high risk of death by suicide and drug overdose. The lack of time to provide the necessary link between health services within prisons and health structures outside could have serious consequences, emphasizing the well-known "revolving prison doors" effect. DISCUSSION: The current lockdown measures applied in French jails and prisons point out the disparities between psychiatric care for inmates and psychiatric care for general population. Giving the high vulnerability of prison population, public health authorities should pay more attention to health care in prisons.

Segregation distortion in Lolium: evidence for genetic effects.

Segregation distortion (SD) is the deviation of genetic segregation ratios from their expected Mendelian fraction and is a common phenomenon found in most genetic mapping studies. In this study two segregating Lolium perenne populations were used to construct two genetic maps: an 'F(2) biomass' consisting of 360 genotypes and an 'F(1) late flowering' sibling based population consisting of 182 genotypes. Additionally two parental maps were generated for the 'F(1) late flowering' population. SD was detected and p-values for SD were calculated for each marker locus. The 'F(1) late flowering' map had only half of the extent of SD (32%) compared to the map based on the 'F(2) biomass' population (63%). Molecular marker data have been supplemented with genomic in situ hybridization (GISH) data to show non major non-recombined segments of Fescue chromosomes within the parental inbred ryegrass lines with a Festuca x Lolium pedigree. We conclude that SD in our study is more likely caused by genetic effects rather than by population structure and marker types. Two new L. perenne mapping populations including their genetic maps are introduced; one of them is the largest reported Lolium mapping population consisting of 360 individuals.

Determination of fatty acid composition of pork fat by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.

The fatty acid composition of pork fat determines its processing quality. FTIR spectroscopic methods were evaluated on pork back and breast fat, directly on fat slices and on the fat extracts. Near infrared transmission and middle infrared using an ATR method were developed to determine the fatty acid content in the fat extracts. The results obtained with 80 back and 80 breast samples showed the validity of infrared spectroscopy to estimate SFA (saturated fatty acids), MUFA (monounsaturated fatty acids), PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acids), C16:0, C18:0, C18:1 and C18:2 contents in fat extracts. Correlation coefficients (R(2)) were around 0.91 and 0.98 for MIR (ATR) and around 0.85 and 0.96 for NIR (transmission). Direct measurements on fat slices by NIR predicted SFA, PUFA, C18:1 and C18:2, although the coefficient correlations were less good; 0.69-0.79. This method though, is easier and faster than other techniques and is accurate enough to discriminate fat samples separated by standard visual and texture classification. Measurements could be made in 1 min.

Detection of HIV-1 RNA in two consecutive blood donations screened negative for HIV antibodies.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: An unusual serological pattern of HIV-1 seroconversion in a blood donor is described. The seroconversion panel was used to investigate the sensitivity of existing screening assays. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A volunteer blood donor who had given blood 79 times was diagnosed anti-HIV-1-antibody-positive. The heteroduplex mobility assay identified a subtype B HIV-1 strain. The frozen plasmas from the last four blood donations had been kept at -30 degrees C. They were thawed and aliquoted for subsequent testing. RESULTS: The last two blood donations contained HIV-1 RNA, 2,800 copies/ml (October 26) and 170 copies/ml (November 23). Weak anti-p24 antibodies were detected by Western blot in the October 26 sample, and a clear p24 reactivity along with a faint gp160 reactivity was observed on November 23. HIV p24 antigen was undetectable in both samples. Out of 13 screening assays, only 6 gave positive results on the November sample and 7 negative results which were obtained by 1 competitive enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and 6 of the 9 sandwich EIAs. CONCLUSION: Most sandwich EIAs gave prolonged false-negative results in the present case. p24 antigen testing was negative and would not have reduced the risk of HIV transmission.

Effect of glucose supply strategy on acetate accumulation, growth, and recombinant protein production by Escherichia coli BL21 (lambdaDE3) and Escherichia coli JM109.

Two Escherichia coli strains, widely used for the production of various recombinant proteins, were compared for their pre-induction growth and acetate accumulation patterns. The strains studied were E. coli BL21 (lambdaDE3), transformed with a plasmid encoding Pseudomonas exotoxin A, and an E. coli K12 derived strain, JM109, carrying a plasmid encoding maltose-binding protein fused with HIV protease. Cultures were grown in controlled bench-top fermentors to the optimal pre-induction density in both high glucose batch and low glucose fed batch strategies. The results showed the superiority of E. coli BL21 (lambdaDE3) as a host for a recombinant protein expression system. For example, JM109 responds differently to high glucose concentration and to low glucose concentration. Its acetate concentration was as high as 10 g/L in a batch mode and 5 g/L in a fed batch mode. In comparison, strain BL21 (lambdaDE3) reached 2 g/L acetate when grown in batch mode and not more than 1 g/L acetate when grown in a fed batch mode. E. coli BL21 (lambdaDE3), most likely, possesses an acetate self-control mechanism which makes it possible to grow to the desired pre-induction density in a high glucose medium using simple batch propagation techniques. Such a technique is cost effective, reproducible, and easy to scale up. (c) 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

[Contribution of position emission tomography in a case of Marchiafava Bignami disease: Morel's laminar sclerosis?]. / Apport de la tomographie par émission de positons dans un cas de maladie de Marchiafava Bignami: sclérose laminaire de Morel?

We report the case of a 26-year old alcoholic woman who abruptly presented with confusion associated with a major hypertonia. She evolved into a chronically vegetative state. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was consistent with the diagnosis of Marchiafava Bignami disease. The corpus callosum first presented an oedematous aspect, then a central atrophy with an axial band. The clinical presentation and the functional imaging strongly suggest an association between the Marchiafava Bignami disease and diffuse cortical lesions, such as the laminar sclerosis of Morel.

Parkinsonism and dilatation of the perivascular spaces (état criblé) of the striatum: a clinical, magnetic resonance imaging, and pathological study.

Two men, 89 and 83 years of age, presented with predominantly axial parkinsonian signs. In both cases, magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed numerous small foci, delineating the striatum. The lesions had the same signal as cerebral spinal fluid in both T1 and T2 sequences. Postmortem examination of the brain showed numerous lacunes due to dilatation of the perivascular spaces, frequently associated with alterations of the surrounding brain parenchyma. Typical changes of Parkinson's disease were associated in one case. Such vascular changes may produce, or modify, a parkinsonian syndrome.

[Hypoxic cerebral lesions. X-ray computed tomography and MRI aspects. Apropos of 20 cases. Selective vulnerability of the striatopallidum]. / Lésions cérébrales hypoxiques. Aspects TDM et IRM. A propos de 20 cas. Vulnérabilité sélective du striatopallidum.

Brain lesions following hypoxic-ischaemic injuries are known from autopsy studies, but their appearance in live patients has been only occasionally described, and only sporadic reports have been published on their CT and MRI images. Over a 2-year period (1991-93) we studied the clinical, MRI and CT features in 20 patients shortly after a severe hypoxia. Clinical examination showed motor extrapyramidal signs in 13 cases and coma in 7 cases. MR with inversion recovery (IR) and T2-weighted spin echo (SE) sequences was performed in 17 patients and CT in 15. Bilateral lesions were found in 11 cases, but in 13 of them CT was normal. Radiological lesions were always symmetrical and bilateral, located in the pallidum in 10 cases, the striatum in 4 cases and the thalamus in 2 cases. Additional white matter lesions were present in only 4 MRI examinations. No relationship was found between the mechanism of hypoxia and the severity of clinical signs. The course of the clinical signs was correlated with the presence of radiological lesions. In comatous patients there was a relation between parkinsonism and abnormalities of basal ganglia. None of the patients who had perinatal asphyxia had radiological lesions. The presence of pallidal or striatal confirmed the hypoxic origin of neurological symptoms, especially in patients with parkinsonism. MRI, particularly in IR sequences, makes it possible to detect small lesions in basal ganglia after hypoxic injuries.

Mini-Mental Parkinson: first validation study of a new bedside test constructed for Parkinson's disease.

We have developed a brief screening test aimed at identifying cognitive disorders in Parkinson's disease. The Mini-Mental Parkinson derives from the Mini-Mental State Examination of Folstein. It includes seven ordered subsections, with a total score of 32. A pilot study was conducted in 50 community-dwelling parkinsonian patients, in order to establish its metrological qualities. Comparisons were made with a neuropsychological battery including several tests widely used in the assessment of specific cognitive disorders in Parkinson's disease. The correlations between the Mini-Mental Parkinson and each component of this battery were substantial, especially for the performance subtests of the WAIS-R (r = 0.62 to 0.72), the Stroop test (r = 0.65) the 15-objects test (r = 0.64), the word fluency (r = 0.63) and the Odd Man Out test (r = 0.61). The validity of each subtest of the Mini-Mental Parkinson was adequate except for one, based on a word choice, which requires a modification in French before definitive use. The test-retest reliability was high (r = 0.84). There was a significant difference in the mean scores in cases with confusional event (22.4), even without current signs of dementia, compared with patients with no such history (27.2). In conclusion, this brief test is suitable for assessment of parkinsonian patients.

[Multiple and recurrent paralysis of cranial nerves: primary Gougerot-Sjögren syndrome]. / Paralysies multiples et récidivantes des nerfs crâniens. Syndrome de Goujerot-Sjögren primitif.

Over a period of 10 years, a 49-year-old man had 3 episodes of recurrent cranial nerve palsy regressing within a few weeks. Each episode was accompanied with acute inaugural headache and diplopia and once with sensory impairment of the trigeminal nerf and once with tinnitus. The diagnosis of Goujerot-Sjögren's syndrome was retained after demonstration of hypergammaglobulinaemia, a positive Rose Bengale test and histological examination of biopsy specimens from the accessory salivary glands which revealed advanced typical lesions. Clinically, impaired secretion was not obvious.

Axial motor disturbances after hypoxic lesions of the globus pallidus.

Four subjects aged between 29 and 60 years were examined because of axial motor impairment after hypoxic brain injury. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed circumscribed lesions of the globus pallidus in every case. The association of freezing of the gait, speech disorders, axial bradykinesia, and postural disturbances, with no rigidity or tremor and little or no distal akinesia, suggests a role of the globus pallidus in controlling axial motion.

[Specialized memory consultation. Value and evaluation after 2 years of functioning]. / Consultation spécialisée de la mémoire. Intérêt et bilan de 2 années de fonctionnement.

Disorders of memory are a frequent cause of consultation and are observed in dementias, in some depressive syndromes and in normal ageing. The specialized memory consultation is based on two successive examinations: one by a neurologist, the other by a psychologist, using standardized batteries of tests. In 100 consecutive subjects, 3 main groups of about 20 to 30 individuals each could be identified: dementia syndromes, psychiatric disorders and age-related disorders of memory. The remaining subjects had various diseases. In subjects with memory complaints a psychometric evaluation performed by a team of specialists seems to be the only means of refining the diagnosis enough for a personalized management. In addition, the specialized consultation team acquires the knowledge that will help it, in the future, to lay down the bases of medical prevention of pathological cerebral ageing.

Postneuroleptic laryngeal dyskinesias: a cause of upper airway obstructive syndrome improved by local injections of botulinum toxin.

We report a case of laryngeal dyskinesia resulting in severe rest and exercise dyspnea. A 51-year-old man treated for 2 years with flupentixol, an incisive neuroleptic, developed severe dyspnea due to intermittent, rhythmic, and dystonic movements of the vocal cords and upper airway. Local injections of botulinum toxin resulted in spectacular regression of laryngeal spasms and major improvement in breathing. This case emphasizes the risk of upper respiratory dyskinesias associated with neuroleptic treatment and shows the feasibility of a new local treatment in this life-threatening disorder.