Potential cellular targets of platinum in the freshwater microalgae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Nitzschia palea revealed by transcriptomics

Platinum group element levels have increased in natural aquatic environments in the last few decades, in particular as a consequence of the use of automobile catalytic converters on a global scale. Concentrations of Pt over tens of μg L-1 have been observed in rivers and effluents. This raises questions regarding its possible impacts on aquatic ecosystems, as Pt natural background concentrations are extremely low to undetectable. Primary producers, such as microalgae, are of great ecological importance, as they are at the base of the food web. The purpose of this work was to better understand the impact of Pt on a cellular level for freshwater unicellular algae. Two species with different characteristics, a green alga C. reinhardtii and a diatom N. palea, were studied. The bioaccumulation of Pt as well as its effect on growth were quantified. Moreover, the induction or repression factors of 16 specific genes were determined and allowed for the determination of possible intracellular effects and pathways of Pt. Both species seemed to be experiencing copper deficiency as suggested by inductions of genes linked to copper transporters. This is an indication that Pt might be internalized through the Cu(I) metabolic pathway. Moreover, Pt could possibly be excreted using an efflux pump. Other highlights include a concentration-dependent negative impact of Pt on mitochondrial metabolism for C. reinhardtii which is not observed for N. palea. These findings allowed for a better understanding of some of the possible impacts of Pt on freshwater primary producers, and also lay the foundations for the investigation of pathways for Pt entry at the base of the aquatic food web.

[Smoking, vaping among hospital staff during the Covid-19 pandemic: Appraisal of the "tobacco-free hospital, campus" campaign in Brest]

INTRODUCTION

In the framework of a "tobacco-free hospital and campus" campaign, we conducted a study on the prevalence of smoking and vaping among a university hospital (CHRU) staff. The study took place in late 2020 (from 1 September to 15 December), and involved self-assessment of the impact of the covid-19 pandemic on smoking.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

A cross-sectional study was carried out using an online questionnaire, which was distributed by email and QR code posting and included socio-professional details as well as data on participants' smoking and vaping.

RESULTS

There were 782 responses, representing a participation rate of 13.5%. The sample included 73.3% women and 22.7% men; 28.9% nurses, 24.9% medical staff, 3.6% nursing assistants and 42.6% other professional categories. The overall smoking rate was 13%. Sixty-two (7.9%) participants vaped; 37 (5%) vaped exclusively, 25 (3.2%) combined smoking and vaping. Men smoked more than women: 23.7% vs. 9.4% (P < 0.01). Medical staff smoked and vaped less than other categories; 6.2% vs 14.8% (P < 0.01) and 4.1% vs 9.1% respectively (P=0.02). Doctors were more often non-smokers: OR=2.71 (95% CI: 1.14-6.46). Among smokers, 25% said they had increased their cigarette consumption during the covid-19 pandemic, frequently as a means of combating stress or fatigue.

CONCLUSION

This study showed a lower smoking rate than in the literature, possibly due to the high participation of physicians. Ours were the initial estimates of vaping among hospital staff.

Competition Among Trivalent Elements (Al, Eu, Fe, Gd, Nd, Tm, and Y) for Uptake in Algae and Applicability of the Biotic Ligand Model

Rare earth elements (REE) are essential in many new technologies. While anthropogenic dispersion of REE into the environment are expected in the future, their biogeochemical fate and interactions at biological interfaces are still largely unexplored. Due to their chemical nature (generally trivalent and hard metals), REE can potentially compete among themselves or with other ubiquitous trivalent metals for uptake sites at the surface of aquatic organisms. In the current study, the bioavailability and uptake of gadolinium (Gd) was assessed in the green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, while in the presence of various trivalent elements (Al, Eu, Fe, Nd, Tm, and Y). In the absence of competitors, Gd uptake was well described by a Michaelis-Menten equation with an affinity constant (K_Gd) of 10^7.1 and a maximum internalization flux (J_max) of 1.95 ± 0.09 × 10^-2 amol µm^-2 min^-1. Neither Al(III) nor Fe(III) had notable effects on Gd uptake in the conditions tested; however, Gd uptake was reduced with increasing concentrations of other REE. These had binding constants with uptake sites very similar to that of Gd (K_{Nd, Y, Tm, Eu} = 10^7.0). Our results suggest that the different REE likely share common transport sites and that the biotic ligand model (BLM) can be used to predict their uptake.

Quality of Life After Violent Crime: The Impact of Acute Stress Disorder, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, and Other Consequences

Victims of violent crime (VVC) are at risk of developing acute stress disorder (ASD) and subsequent posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In addition, VVC are more likely to have low social support due to stigmatization and victim-blaming, and PTSD is frequently associated with depression, anxiety, and impaired quality of life (QoL). The present study aimed to determine the impact of ASD, PTSD, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and perceived social support in relation to four domains of QoL among VVC. Individuals were recruited as part of a longitudinal study assessing the efficacy of a brief cognitive behavioral treatment for ASD. Participants (N = 127) were interviewed and completed self-report measures within 30 days of experiencing a violent crime (T₀ ) and at assessments 2 months (T₁ ) and 6 months (T₂ ) after the event. Depressive symptoms, ASD, and PTSD were found to be associated with lower QoL ratings in all four domains. Anxiety symptoms were found to be associated with lower ratings in the physical health and psychological QoL domains. Perceived social support was found to be associated with higher QoL ratings in all domains. The proportions of QoL variance explained by the combined fixed and random effects combined ranged from 70% to 79%. Future research considerations include an examination of how early interventions for VVC could prevent QoL deterioration by targeting ASD and PTSD development, depressive and anxiety symptoms, and social support.

The effects of psychotherapies for posttraumatic stress disorder on quality of life in the civilian population: A meta-analysis of RCTs

Objective: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been shown to significantly impair quality of life (QOL), although no meta-analysis has evaluated the effect of psychotherapies for PTSD on QOL in the civilian population. The current meta-analysis aimed to assess these effects in the adult civilian population. Method: An exhaustive search of 13 databases revealed 9 studies of moderate to strong methodological quality evaluating mainly cognitive-behavioral therapy (8 of 9 studies). A total of 421 participants were allocated to a psychotherapy condition, 174 to a waitlist control group, and 203 were allocated to an active control group. Waitlist and active-controlled random effects of psychotherapies on QOL were computed. Risk of bias was assessed using multiple indices. Results: Pre-post treatment pooled effect sizes were small to moderate for QOL (active-controlled: Hedges' g = 0.37, 95% confidence interval [CI;0.14, 0.59]; waitlist-controlled: g = 0.63, CI [0.44, 0.83]) and were both large (waitlist-controlled: g = -1.36, CI [-1.85, -0.88]) and small (active-controlled: g = -0.40, CI [-0.57, -0.23]) for PTSD. Risk of bias analyses support robust and conservative results. Conclusions: The results, mainly with respect to cognitive-behavioral therapy, suggest that psychotherapies for PTSD improve QOL. More research is required to determine whether improvements are adequate in restoring QOL to a clinically acceptable level. Future studies should evaluate the effects of psychotherapies on the different dimensions of QOL as well as the specific effects of additional QOL-focused interventions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Gender Differences in the Prediction of Acute Stress Disorder From Peritraumatic Dissociation and Distress Among Victims of Violent Crimes

Peritraumatic dissociation and distress are strong predictors of acute stress disorder (ASD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) development. However, there is limited data concerning gender differences in these relations, particularly among victims of violent crimes (VVC). The objective of this study is to examine whether peritraumatic dissociation and distress predict the number of ASD symptoms differently for men and women VVC. In all, 162 adults (97 women, M age = 39.6 years), 63% of whom experienced physical assaults, completed the Acute Stress Disorder Interview, the Peritraumatic Dissociative Experience Questionnaire, and the Peritraumatic Distress Inventory. Analyses included t tests and multiple hierarchical regressions models controlling for known PTSD risk factors. The regression model showed dissociation and distress to be significant predictors of ASD for both men and women (β = .349 and β =.312 respectively; all p < .001). A significant three-way interaction was also observed between peritraumatic distress (PDI), past potentially traumatic experiences, and gender. In simple slopes analyses, the combination of high levels of PDI and of a high number of past potentially traumatic events were associated with greater risk of ASD in men only (b = 3.78, p < .001). However, women experienced greater PDI, t(157) = 5.844, p = .005, than men, and elevated distress was associated with more ASD symptoms independently of past traumatic events. Gender differences were revealed as a function of past potentially traumatic experiences. There is a cumulative impact of past potential traumas and current distress that predicts ASD in men, while in women, it contributes to ASD via increased distress.

Identifying crime victims vulnerable to persistent depressive symptoms: Results from a secondary analysis

BACKGROUND

Although depression has been extensively studied in relations to Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and Childhood Maltreatment (CM), we still know little about its relationship with other types of violent crimes (e.g., physical assault, mugging) or how symptoms evolve over time.

METHODS

Using a clinical sample of 132 crime victims, this study sought to map out group-based symptoms trajectories using Latent Growth Curve Analysis (LCGA) over the course of one year.

RESULTS

Less than one month after having been assaulted, 30% of the sample reached the severe depression threshold. Symptoms tended to improve over time, with only 8% of participants reporting severe depression one year later. Analyses indicate the presence of three distinct profiles: one marked by severe and stable symptomatology over time (17%), the second characterized by a moderate level of symptoms that decreases exponentially over time (57%) and a third one describing a pattern of minimal depression throughout the year. People who suffered from persistent depression reported significantly lower levels of social support, scored higher on the ASDI and were also more likely to report some type of maltreatment in childhood but not IPV in adulthood, and appeared non-responsive to treatment.

LIMITATIONS

Results must be nuanced by the size (i.e., LCGA requirements and attrition) and nature of the sample (i.e., help-seeking victims only).

CONCLUSIONS

Although violence is a risk factor for depression, some individuals, especially those with a history of CM, appear to be more vulnerable to severe, persistent and treatment-resistant depression than others.

Validation de la version française canadienne du Perception of Prevalence of Aggression Scale auprès d’un échantillon d’intervenants en protection de la jeunesse1

Objectif. L’objectif de cette étude est d’évaluer la validité de construit de la version française de l’échellePerception Of Prevalence of Aggression Scale (POPAS), un questionnaire auto-rapporté mesurant l’exposition à la violence au travail commise par la clientèle du milieu de la santé et des services sociaux.Méthode. Un échantillon de 310 intervenants en protection de la jeunesse est utilisé afin de confirmer la structure interne à quatre facteurs de l’instrument. À défaut de confirmer cette structure, un modèle d’équation structurelle exploratoire est utilisé. Les facteurs retenus sont soumis aux tests d’alpha de Cronbach qui permettent d’évaluer leur cohérence interne. Ils sont corrélés avec la version française duPosttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist Scale(PCLS) et du nombre de jours d’absence du travail causé par la violence afin d’évaluer la validité convergente. Il sont également corrélées avec leFelt Accountability(FA) afin d’évaluer la validité divergente. Des analyses de comparaison en fonction du lieu de travail permettent d’explorer la validité de critère.Résultats. L’analyse factorielle confirmatoire ne confirme pas la structure à quatre facteurs du POPAS. L’équation structurelle exploratoire valide une structure à trois facteurs : « violence verbale », « violence physique » et « violence envers soi-même ». Les deux premiers possèdent une bonne cohérence interne. Les corrélations positives entre ces deux facteurs et le PCLS, ainsi qu’entre ces deux facteurs et le nombre de jours d’absence appuient la validité convergente du POPAS. Toutefois, l’absence de corrélation significative entre le dernier facteur et le PCLS, et entre ce facteur et le nombre de jour d’absence n’appuient pas cette convergence. L’absence de corrélation des facteurs avec le FA appuie la validité divergente du POPAS. Les différences observées selon les environnements de travail attestent aussi de la validité de critère.Discussion. La validité de construit de la version française canadienne du POPAS suggère que l’outil permet d’évaluer la fréquence subjective de différentes formes de violence au travail vécues par les intervenants en protection de la jeunesse. Il offre ainsi une alternative aux données officielles (c.-à-d. déclaration d’incidents à l’employeur) qui reflètent peu la réalité de ces travailleurs compte tenu de la sous-déclaration des incidents de violence dans ce milieu.

Développement et validation de la version canadienne-française de l’échelle de Satisfaction des Adolescents de la gestion de la Douleur postopératoire – Scoliose idiopathique (SAD-S)

Background: Spinal fusion for scoliosis generates moderate to severe pain intensity. There are currently no instruments available to measure adolescents’ satisfaction regarding post-spinal fusion pain management.

Aims: To develop and validate a scale on satisfaction of adolescents regarding pain management following spinal fusion for scoliosis.

Methods: A methodological design was used to develop and validate the French-Canadian scale “Satisfaction des Adolescents de la gestion de la Douleur postopératoire – Scoliose idiopathique (SAD-S)”. A modified Delphi method, with seven healthcare professionals and 10 adolescents, was used to establish content validity of the SAD-S. A pre-test of the scale was conducted with 10 adolescents post-spinal fusion. The final version of the scale was validated through a pilot study with 98 adolescents following their surgery.

Results: The SAD-S scale includes a total of 13 items. Principal component analysis yielded a two-factor structure (2 subscales): 1) Pain management education and 2) Education regarding medication. These two factors explained 47,8% of the total variance for satisfaction. A Cronbach’s alpha of 0,84 was obtained for internal consistency.

Conclusion: Validation of the SAD-S scale showed that it has good psychometric properties with this population. Further validation is required with a larger sample to pursue its validation.

Intracellular signalling pathways: targets to reverse immunosenescence

Ageing is a very complex process, the result of the dysregulation of multiple systems interacting in many ways. A prominent change occurring with ageing is related to the architecture and functioning of the immune system, viewed commonly as detrimental and termed 'immunosenescence'. However, age-associated changes may also lead to increased function in certain respects, which can be viewed as adaptive. None the less, on balance it is well-recognized that immunosenescence is accompanied by the low-grade inflammation observed commonly in elderly people, which has been dubbed 'inflamm-ageing'. The exact cause and significance of all these changes is not clear, but there is a consensus that they are related to the occurrence of chronic non-infectious age-associated disease, as well as increased susceptibility to infections. Alterations to immune cell signalling may be a prominent cause of malfunctioning immunity. Emerging attempts to reverse immunosenescence have recently targeted the signalling pathways in various different cell types of the immune system. Here, we review and discuss alterations in the signalling pathways of immune cells with ageing and consider current targets and means to modulate altered functions. We discuss the potential dangers as well as the benefits of these interventions, and consider future approaches to this problem.

Early Initiation Rather Than Prolonged Duration of Antiretroviral Therapy in HIV Infection Contributes to the Normalization of CD8 T-Cell Counts

BACKGROUND

CD8 T-cell counts remain elevated in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection even after long-term antiretroviral therapy (ART), which is associated with an increased risk of non-AIDS-related events. We assessed the impact of ART initiation in early versus chronic HIV infection on trajectories of CD8 cell counts over time.

METHODS

Of 280 individuals enrolled during primary HIV infection (PHI), 251 were followed up for 24 months; 84 started ART before 6 months of infection (eART), 49 started between 6 and 24 months, and 118 remained untreated. Plasma HIV viral load (VL), CD4 and CD8 cell counts were assessed at each study visit. CD8 counts were also examined in 182 age-matched HIV-infected individuals who started ART during chronic infection and maintained undetectable plasma VL for ≥5 years.

RESULTS

At PHI baseline, higher CD8 cell counts were associated with more recent infection (P = .02), higher CD4 cell counts (P < .001), and higher VL (P < .001). The CD8 count in the eART group decreased from 797 to 588 cells/µL over 24 months (P < .001), to a level lower than that in untreated PHI (834 cells/µL; P = .004) or in long-term-treated patients with chronic HIV infection (743 cells/µL; P = .047). More prominent CD4 T-cell recovery was observed in the eART group than in the delayed ART group.

CONCLUSIONS

ART initiated in early HIV infection is associated with improved resolution of CD8 T-cell elevation compared with long-term ART initiated in chronic infection. Early ART may help reduce the risk of non-AIDS-related events by alleviating this elevation.

Subthreshold traits of the broad autistic spectrum are distributed across different subgroups in parents, but not siblings, of probands with autism

Autism is a categorical developmental disorder characterized by impairment in socialization, communication, and by restricted and circumscribed interests. Several authors have described the presence of subthreshold autistic traits in the general population, pervasive developmental disorders representing the extreme end of their distribution. In this study, we explored the presence of autistic traits in siblings and parents of a proband with autism, and in siblings and parents of a normally developing child, using the previously validated self-report French Autism Quotient, an adaptation of the AQ developed by S. Baron-Cohen. Scores were distributed between two main factors, F1 corresponding to socialization and communication, F2 to imagination and rigidity. Here, we show that both parents and siblings of a child with autism have more symptomatic scores in the domains of communication and socialization. In addition, we show that in these families the parents, but not the siblings, are distributed across different subcategories, according to their scores for the F1 and F2 domains. We hypothesize that these different subgroups may correspond to different underlying genetic mechanisms.