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Suicide often has a severe impact on the surviving family and friends. There is a need to better understand the psychological and psychopathological consequences of losing a significant other by suicide. The aim of the present study was to assess hopelessness, depression, suicide risk, complicated grief, intrusive memories, and avoidance in a sample of suicide survivors. In this observational study, 35 bereaved individuals were recruited at the Suicide Prevention Centre of Sant'Andrea Hospital in Rome. Individuals were administered a series of validated instruments: the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI), the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), the Inventory of Complicated Grief (ICG), the Impact of Event Scale (IES), the Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS), and the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS). Most survivors (62.8%) obtained high scores on measures of complicated grief. Scores on the measure of complicated grief were associated with intrusiveness of thoughts and memories, attempts to prevent the thoughts and emotions related to the event, depressive symptoms and hopelessness, and lower scores for feelings of happiness and satisfaction with life. A subgroup of suicide survivors may be at risk of severe psychological distress and suicidal behavior. Identification of these survivors is a necessary step for providing appropriate counseling and psychotherapy. ispartof: Frontiers in Psychology vol:9 issue:MAR ispartof: location:Switzerland status: published

In the last decade, miRNAs have received substantial attention as potential players of diabetes microvascular complications, affecting the kidney, the retina, and the peripheral neurons. Compelling evidence indicates that abnormally expressed miRNAs have pivotal roles in key pathogenic processes of microvascular complications, such as fibrosis, apoptosis, inflammation, and angiogenesis. Moreover, clinical research into innovative both diagnostic and prognostic tools suggests circulating miRNAs as possible novel noninvasive markers of diabetes microvascular complications. In this review, we summarize current knowledge and understanding of the role of miRNAs in the injury to the microvascular bed in diabetes and discuss the potential of miRNAs as clinical biomarkers of diabetes microvascular complications.

Identifying rare, highly penetrant risk mutations may be an important step in dissecting the molecular etiology of schizophrenia. We conducted a gene-based analysis of large (>100 kb), rare copy-number variants (CNVs) in the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium 2 (WTCCC2) schizophrenia sample of 1564 cases and 1748 controls all from Ireland, and further extended the analysis to include an additional 5196 UK controls. We found association with duplications at chr20p12.2 (P = 0.007) and evidence of replication in large independent European schizophrenia (P = 0.052) and UK bipolar disorder case-control cohorts (P = 0.047). A combined analysis of Irish/UK subjects including additional psychosis cases (schizophrenia and bipolar disorder) identified 22 carriers in 11 707 cases and 10 carriers in 21 204 controls [meta-analysis Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel P-value = 2 × 10(-4); odds ratio (OR) = 11.3, 95% CI = 3.7, ∞]. Nineteen of the 22 cases and 8 of the 10 controls carried duplications starting at 9.68 Mb with similar breakpoints across samples. By haplotype analysis and sequencing, we identified a tandem ~149 kb duplication overlapping the gene p21 Protein-Activated Kinase 7 (PAK7, also called PAK5) which was in linkage disequilibrium with local haplotypes (P = 2.5 × 10(-21)), indicative of a single ancestral duplication event. We confirmed the breakpoints in 8/8 carriers tested and found co-segregation of the duplication with illness in two additional family members of one of the affected probands. We demonstrate that PAK7 is developmentally co-expressed with another known psychosis risk gene (DISC1) suggesting a potential molecular mechanism involving aberrant synapse development and plasticity.

Identifying rare, highly penetrant risk mutations may be an important step in dissecting the molecular etiology of schizophrenia. We conducted a gene-based analysis of large (>100 kb), rare copy-number variants (CNVs) in the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium 2 (WTCCC2) schizophrenia sample of 1564 cases and 1748 controls all from Ireland, and further extended the analysis to include an additional 5196 UK controls. We found association with duplications at chr20p12.2 (P = 0.007) and evidence of replication in large independent European schizophrenia (P = 0.052) and UK bipolar disorder case-control cohorts (P = 0.047). A combined analysis of Irish/UK subjects including additional psychosis cases (schizophrenia and bipolar disorder) identified 22 carriers in 11 707 cases and 10 carriers in 21 204 controls [meta-analysis Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel P-value = 2 × 10(-4); odds ratio (OR) = 11.3, 95% CI = 3.7, ∞]. Nineteen of the 22 cases and 8 of the 10 controls carried duplications starting at 9.68 Mb with similar breakpoints across samples. By haplotype analysis and sequencing, we identified a tandem ~149 kb duplication overlapping the gene p21 Protein-Activated Kinase 7 (PAK7, also called PAK5) which was in linkage disequilibrium with local haplotypes (P = 2.5 × 10(-21)), indicative of a single ancestral duplication event. We confirmed the breakpoints in 8/8 carriers tested and found co-segregation of the duplication with illness in two additional family members of one of the affected probands. We demonstrate that PAK7 is developmentally co-expressed with another known psychosis risk gene (DISC1) suggesting a potential molecular mechanism involving aberrant synapse development and plasticity.

International audience

International audience; It is seen as a promising source of biomass for crucial applications such as energy production,1 source of highly valuable molecules. Optimizing the monitoring of the mass cultivation process is challenging2 as it requires high frequency biochemical and physical characterization of the microalgal cells throughout the cultivation process. Visible (VIS) and near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy have the potential to characterize dense microalgal cultures status. This measurements are fast and can be performed with minimum or no sample preparation. Applying spectroscopic methods to dense algal cultures can be troublesome due to multiple scattering effects resulting from high cell density (106− 109cells/mL). In this study, we attempt to model the optical properties of dense algal sample in which multi scattering occurs. Our work aims at providing a simulation method that can be used to interpret the spectral properties of a dense algal culture, and to provide information on the biochemical and physical characteristics of the algal cells during growth. For this purpose, we implemented a method based on Kerker's solution of the extended Mie theory3 coupled with the numerical resolution of the radiative transport theory4 was implemented. The algal cells are thus modeled as multilayered spheres composed of different organic materials and dissolved photopigments5. Two different monospecific batch cultures of Isochrisys galbana and Phaeodactylum tricornutum were tested. The biochemical compositionof cell, the number, mean size and mean dry weight and the total transmittance over the [400-750 nm] spectral range were measured at three different growth (beginning, exponential and stationary) stages of each of the two cultures. The measured transmittance spectra were used in the simulation method in order to predict cell mean size and density on the one hand, and the pigment quantity and composition on the other for the two species at each growth phase. Thus the mean equivalent spherical diameter was retrieved for both strains and at each sampling date with a relative error below 10%. Cell density was also successfully predicted for I. galbana for each growth phase studied, with a relative error below 7%, which suggest that cell dynamics could be successfully monitored during cell population growth. However, more discrepancies are observed for P. tricornutum, for which the cell density is predicted with a higher relative error, up to 27% at day 34. This higher relative error is due to the non-spherical shape of the P. tricornutum cells. Predictions of the relative proportions of each pigments are closely match HLPC measurements, with relative errors below 9%. Therefore changes in the carotenoids/Chl ratio may also be successfully predicted with low relative errors (3-7%). For P. tricornutum, the predicted values show generally more discrepancies with the measurements than for I. galbana. This is likely explained also by the shape effect of these microalgae.

In Italy pig industry is one of the most important sector in livestock husbandry, also as a consequence of the economic value of by-product production. Pig farming is mainly concentrated in Northern Regions where, over the past decade a significant increase in pig population has occurred. In the remaining Regions pig farming is less specialized and it is characterized by small-scale holdings mainly for self-consumption or for small-scale trade. The presence of different pig farming systems determine the coexistence of different: management systems, production scales, health and bio-security standards, market requirements and production costs; all these factors are considered relevant for diseases spreading. Theoretically the application of rigorous prevention measures (bio-security) may modulate the risk of disease diffusion but, data emerged during the surveillance and eradication campaigns, indicate that the bio-security measures applied are too weak to guarantee the status of the entire system. This inconvenience could be overcome throughout the assignment of different levels of risk, to be established throughout the collection of objective parameters on the holding. Trade between farms of the same level of risk and same health standard could guarantee the status of the entire sector and safeguard the economic and market requirements of the different production systems.

International audience; We describe an enhanced spectroscopic measurement method for advanced diagnosis of phytoplankton growth for algal mass cultivation. The bulk absorption and scattering coefficient spectra of non-diluted algal samples were obtained in VIS range by using double integrating sphere measurements combined with inverse-adding-doubling computations. The theoretical optical properties were computed with Mie theory on model algal suspensions and compared to the experimental results. Our study proves the measured spectra can be analyzed to provide an extensive characterization of the culture state.

Current environmental and energy issues such as biofuel production require new source of biomass. Microalgae are seen as a promising solution, and the global mass production has largely increased over the last decade. Microalgae are photosynthetic organisms growing in freshwaters or oceans. They absorb light and carbon dioxide and produce oxygen and carbon chains. Nowadays, the monitoring of the cultivation process in closed or open systems still remains limited. This is due in particular to a lack of specic measuring instrumentation, fully adapted to the constraints of in-line monitoring. This thesis investigates the potential of a multispectral optical method as a tool to characterize the physicochemical state of dense algal cultures. The theoretical formulation of the optical phenomena in complex media is addressed. The metrological issue is also investigated. Finally, the modeling of the spectral information and the interpretation in terms of physiological data are studied.; (trad auto)Les questions environnementales et énergétiques actuelles, telles que la production de biocarburants, nécessitent une nouvelle source de biomasse. Les microalgues sont considérées comme une solution prometteuse, et la production mondiale de masse a largement augmenté au cours de la dernière décennie. Les microalgues sont des organismes photosynthétiques qui poussent dans les eaux douces ou les océans. Ils absorbent la lumière et le dioxyde de carbone et produisent de l'oxygène et des chaînes de carbone. De nos jours, la surveillance du processus de culture dans des systèmes fermés ou ouverts reste encore limitée. Ceci s'explique notamment par l'absence d'instruments de mesure spécifiques, parfaitement adaptés aux contraintes de la surveillance en ligne. Cette thèse étudie le potentiel d'une méthode optique multispectrale comme outil pour caractériser l'état physico-chimique des cultures d'algues denses. La formulation théorique des phénomènes optiques en milieux complexes est abordée. La question métrologique est également étudiée. Enfin, la modélisation de l'information spectrale et l'interprétation en termes de données physiologiques sont étudiées.

Current environmental and energy issues such as biofuel production require new source of biomass. Microalgae are seen as a promising solution, and the global mass production has largely increased over the last decade. Microalgae are photosynthetic organisms growing in freshwaters or oceans. They absorb light and carbon dioxide and produce oxygen and carbon chains. Nowadays, the monitoring of the cultivation process in closed or open systems still remains limited. This is due in particular to a lack of specic measuring instrumentation, fully adapted to the constraints of in-line monitoring. This thesis investigates the potential of a multispectral optical method as a tool to characterize the physicochemical state of dense algal cultures. The theoretical formulation of the optical phenomena in complex media is addressed. The metrological issue is also investigated. Finally, the modeling of the spectral information and the interpretation in terms of physiological data are studied.; (trad auto)Les questions environnementales et énergétiques actuelles, telles que la production de biocarburants, nécessitent une nouvelle source de biomasse. Les microalgues sont considérées comme une solution prometteuse, et la production mondiale de masse a largement augmenté au cours de la dernière décennie. Les microalgues sont des organismes photosynthétiques qui poussent dans les eaux douces ou les océans. Ils absorbent la lumière et le dioxyde de carbone et produisent de l'oxygène et des chaînes de carbone. De nos jours, la surveillance du processus de culture dans des systèmes fermés ou ouverts reste encore limitée. Ceci s'explique notamment par l'absence d'instruments de mesure spécifiques, parfaitement adaptés aux contraintes de la surveillance en ligne. Cette thèse étudie le potentiel d'une méthode optique multispectrale comme outil pour caractériser l'état physico-chimique des cultures d'algues denses. La formulation théorique des phénomènes optiques en milieux complexes est abordée. La question métrologique est également étudiée. Enfin, la modélisation de l'information spectrale et l'interprétation en termes de données physiologiques sont étudiées.

Identifying rare, highly penetrant risk mutations may be an important step in dissecting the molecular etiology of schizophrenia. We conducted a gene-based analysis of large (>100 kb), rare copy-number variants (CNVs) in the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium 2 (WTCCC2) schizophrenia sample of 1564 cases and 1748 controls all from Ireland, and further extended the analysis to include an additional 5196 UK controls. We found association with duplications at chr20p12.2 (P = 0.007) and evidence of replication in large independent European schizophrenia (P = 0.052) and UK bipolar disorder case-control cohorts (P = 0.047). A combined analysis of Irish/UK subjects including additional psychosis cases (schizophrenia and bipolar disorder) identified 22 carriers in 11 707 cases and 10 carriers in 21 204 controls [meta-analysis Cochran–Mantel–Haenszel P-value = 2 × 10−4; odds ratio (OR) = 11.3, 95% CI = 3.7, ∞]. Nineteen of the 22 cases and 8 of the 10 controls carried duplications starting at 9.68 Mb with similar breakpoints across samples. By haplotype analysis and sequencing, we identified a tandem ∼149 kb duplication overlapping the gene p21 Protein-Activated Kinase 7 (PAK7, also called PAK5) which was in linkage disequilibrium with local haplotypes (P = 2.5 × 10−21), indicative of a single ancestral duplication event. We confirmed the breakpoints in 8/8 carriers tested and found co-segregation of the duplication with illness in two additional family members of one of the affected probands. We demonstrate that PAK7 is developmentally co-expressed with another known psychosis risk gene (DISC1) suggesting a potential molecular mechanism involving aberrant synapse development and plasticity.

Summary The Eighth Round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade led to the creation of the World Trade Organization and to the adoption of the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement, thus considerably changing the rules of international trade in animals and animal products. Animal health measures may result in trade restrictions, but governments accept that these restrictions may sometimes be necessary and appropriate to ensure food safety and animal health protection. The SPS Agreement acknowledges the rights of governments to adopt measures to protect human, animal and plant health. To ensure effective animal health protection, without unjustifiable discrimination, the operational procedures of Veterinary Services must be standardised, especially those concerning disease notification, epidemiological information, certification for international trade and management of animal health emergencies. Veterinary Services must be further supported by a proper legislative framework and adequate financial resources.