Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD
Résumé : International audience
BACKGROUND: Several studies suggest that exposure to organophosphate insecticides (OP) during pregnancy impairs neurodevelopment in children. OBJECTIVES: We evaluated associations between biomarkers of prenatal and postnatal OP exposure and cognitive function of 6-year-olds in a French longitudinal birth cohort. METHODS: In 2002-2006, the PELAGIE mother-child cohort enrolled pregnant women from Brittany. For a random subcohort, we measured nonspecific dialkylphosphate metabolites (DAP) of OP in one maternal urine sample, collected before 19 weeks' gestation, and in one urine sample collected from their 6-year-old children. Six subtests of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-4th edition (WISC-IV) was administered at 6 years to evaluate cognitive function (n=231). Linear regression models controlling for factors including maternal intelligence and the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment score were used. RESULTS: WISC-IV scores were not significantly associated with prenatal or childhood total DAP metabolites. WISC verbal comprehension score was significantly higher in association with the highest maternal urinary concentrations of diethylphosphate metabolites (DE) (5.5; 95% CI: 0.8, 10.3 for extgreater 13.2 nmol/L versus extlessLOQ), while WISC working memory score was significantly lower in association with the highest urinary concentrations of DE metabolites at age 6 years (-3.6; 95% CI: -7.8, -0.6 for extgreater 11.1 nmol/L versus extlessLOD). CONCLUSION: This study found no evidence that prenatal OP exposure adversely affected cognitive function in 6-year-olds, perhaps because of the higher population's socioeconomic status than in previous studies though other causal and non-causal explanations are also possible. The negative association between WISC score and concurrent DE urinary concentrations requires replication by longitudinal studies investigating childhood OP exposure
Environmental Health Perspectives

hal-01207282
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01207282
DOI : 10.1289/ehp.1409472
PUBMED : 26394442

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : International audience
Mixtures of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are present in indoor environments. Studies of the developmental effects of exposure to these chemicals in large prospective mother-child cohorts are required, with data on prenatal exposure and long-term follow-up of the children. We aimed to investigate the relationship between prenatal and childhood exposure to PBDEs and neurodevelopment at the age of six years. We determined the levels of PBDEs and other neurotoxicants in cord blood and dust collected from the homes of children for 246 families included in the PELAGIE mother-child cohort in France. We assessed two cognitive domains of the six-year-old children using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-IV. Verbal comprehension scores were lower in children from homes with higher concentrations of BDE99 (βDetects < median_vs_NonDetects = −1.6; 95% CI: −6.1, 2.9; βDetects≥median_vs_NonDetects = −5.4; −9.9, −1.0; ptrend = 0.02) and of BDE209 (β2nd_vs₁st_tertile = −1.8; 95% CI: −6.1, 2.5; β3rd_vs₁st_tertile = −3.2; −7.5, 1.2; ptrend = 0.15) in dust, particularly for boys (ptrend = 0.02 and 0.04, respectively). Working memory scores seemed to be lower in children with higher BDE99 concentrations in dust (ptrend = 0.10). No association was observed with cord blood levels of BDE209. Our findings are in agreement with those of four previous studies suggesting adverse cognitive outcomes among children associated with early-life exposure to penta-BDE mixtures, and provide new evidence for the potential neurotoxicity of BDE209. Several countries are in the process of banning the use of PBDE mixtures as flame-retardants. However, these compounds are likely to remain present in the environment for a long time to come
ISSN: 0161-813X

hal-01286255
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01286255
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01286255/document
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01286255/file/Childhood%20exposure%20to%20polybrominated%20diphenyl-accepted.pdf
DOI : 10.1016/j.neuro.2016.03.002

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Springer Verlag (Germany)
Résumé : In this paper we study merosity in the genus Urospatha within the framework of a resolved phylogeny of the Araceae. We analyse how a transition from dimerous or tetramerous merosity to pentamerous or hexamerous merosity can occur developmentally in the Lasioideae. In Urospatha, initiation of floral primordia along the inflorescence is acropetal, while development of flowers is basipetal. This indicates the presence of two distinct phases in the development of the Urospatha inflorescence. The first phase corresponds to initiation of flowers and establishment of the phyllotactic pattern, and the second phase to differentiation of floral organs. Urospatha is characterized by the presence of trimerous, tetramerous, pentamerous and rarely hexamerous flowers. In all types of flowers, the stamens are closely associated and opposite to the tepals. Pentamerous flowers are formed by addition of a sector comprising a stamen and tepal. Likewise, in the case of hexamerous flowers, two sectors are added. In the Lasioideae, the increase in the number of tepals and stamens is linked with two developmental processes that have appeared independently in the subfamily: (1) addition of one or two stamen-petal sectors (Anaphyllopsis and Urospatha), and (2) independent increase in the number of tepals and stamens on whorls, more or less organized and inserted in alternate position (Dracontium). Tetramerous whorls as they occur in basal Lasioideae would be homologous to two dimerous whorls from an evolutionary point of view.
ISSN: 0378-2697

hal-01019867
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01019867
DOI : 10.1007/s00606-011-0475-6

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Résumé : International audience
Background: Glycol ethers (GE) are widely used organic solvents. Despite the potential neurotoxicity of several families of organic solvents, little is known about the impact of GE on the neurodevelopment of infants and children. Objectives: We investigated the relation between urinary concentrations of GE metabolites in pregnant women and neurocognitive abilities in their 6-year-old children in the PELAGIE mother-child cohort. Methods: Five GE metabolites were measured in first morning void urine samples of 204 French pregnant women in early pregnancy (<19 weeks of gestation). Psychologists assessed the neurocognitive abilities of their 6-year-old children with the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children IV (WISC) and the Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment (NEPSY). We analyzed the results with linear (WISC) and Poisson regression models (NEPSY), adjusted for potential confounders, including child's stimulation at home. Results: GE metabolites were detected in 90-100% of maternal urine samples. The WISC Verbal Comprehension score was significantly lower for children with the highest tertile of urinary phenoxyacetic acid (PhAA) [beta (third vs. first tertile)=-6.53; 95% CI: -11.44, -1.62]. Similarly, the NEPSY Design Copying subtest score was lower in those with the highest tertile of urinary ethoxyacetic acid (EAA) [beta (third vs. first tertile)=-0.11; 95% CI: -0.21, 0.00]. The other GE metabolites we studied were not significantly associated with WISC or NEPSY scores. Conclusions: Prenatal urine concentrations of two GE metabolites were associated with lower WISC Verbal Comprehension Index scores and NEPSY Design Copying subscale scores, respectively, at age 6 years. PhAA is the primary metabolite of 2-phenoxyethanol (EGPhE), which is commonly found in cosmetics, and precursors of EAA are frequently used in cleaning agents. Additional research is needed to confirm our findings and further explore potential effects of prenatal GE exposures on neurocognitive performance in children.
ISSN: 0091-6765

hal-01519256
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01519256
DOI : 10.1289/EHP39
PUBMED : 27740510

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : International audience
Pyrethroid insecticides are widely used in agriculture and in homes. Despite the neurotoxicity of these insecticides at high doses, few studies have examined whether lower-level exposures could adversely affect children's neurodevelopment. The PELAGIE cohort included 3421 pregnant women from Brittany, France between 2002 and 2006. When their children reached their sixth birthday, 428 mothers from the cohort were randomly selected, successfully contacted and found eligible. A total of 287 (67%) mothers agreed to participate with their children in the neuropsychological follow-up. Two cognitive domains were assessed by the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children: verbal comprehension and working memory. Five pyrethroid and two organophosphate insecticide metabolites were measured in maternal and child first-void urine samples collected between 6 and 19 gestational weeks and at 6 years of age, respectively. Linear regression models were used to estimate associations between cognitive scores and urinary pyrethroid metabolite concentrations, adjusting for organophosphate metabolite concentrations and potential confounders. Maternal prenatal pyrethroid metabolite concentrations were not consistently associated with any children's cognitive scores. By contrast, childhood 3-PBA and cis-DBCA concentrations were both negatively associated with verbal comprehension scores (P-trend = 0.04 and P-trend < 0.01, respectively) and with working memory scores (P-trend = 0.05 and P-trend < 0.01, respectively). No associations were observed for the three other childhood pyrethroid metabolite concentrations (4-F-3-PBA, cis-DCCA, and trans-DCCA). Low-level childhood exposures to deltamethrin (as cis-DBCA is its principal and selective metabolite), in particular, and to pyrethroid insecticides, in general (as reflected in levels of the 3-PBA metabolite) may negatively affect neurocognitive development by 6 years of age. Whatever their etiology, these cognitive deficits may be of importance educationally, because cognitive impairments in children interfere with learning and social development. Potential causes that can be prevented are of paramount public health importance
ISSN: 0160-4120

hal-01162374
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01162374
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01162374/document
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01162374/file/Pyrethroid%20insecticide%20exposure.pdf
DOI : 10.1016/j.envint.2015.05.009

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD National Research Council Canada
Résumé : International audience
The spadix of Arum italicum Miller consists of two main parts: a clavate sterile portion (appendix) and a cylindroid fertile portion. In the fertile portion with both male and female zones, there are two zones of sterile flowers (bristles). The basal portion of bristles is surrounded by a verrucose structure consisting of a mass of tissular excrescences. During early stages of development, there is no free space between the different zones of the inflorescence. The elongation of the inflorescence axis is what eventually separates the different zones from each other. There are no atypical flowers that are morphologically intermediate between male and female flowers as is the case in other genera of Aroideae (e.g., Cercestis, Philodendron, Schismatoglottis). The structure of the bristles in the inflorescences of Arum does not correspond to any type of atypical flower (unisexual or bisexual) that has been analysed previously in the Araceae. From a developmental point of view, it is not possible to determine if the bristles correspond to aborted or modified female or male flowers. In the early stages of development, the stamens, staminodes, and appendix are covered by globular masses of extracellular calcium oxalate crystals.
Le spadice de l’Arum italicum comporte deux parties principales : une portion claviforme stérile (appendice) et une portion cylindroïde fertile. Dans la portion fertile avec zones mâles et femelles, il y a deux zones de fleurs stériles (soies). La portion basales des soies est entourée par une structure verruqueuse, constituée d’une masse d’excroissances tissulaires. Aux premiers stades du développement, il n’y a pas d’espace libre entre les différentes zones de l’inflorescence. L’élongation de l’axe de l’inflorescence est ce qui sépare éventuellement les différentes zones l’une de l’autre. Il n’y pas de fleurs atypiques intermédiaires entre des fleurs mâles et des fleurs femelles, comme c’est le cas dans d’autres genres d’Aroideae (p. ex. Cercestis, Philodendron, Schismataglottis). La structure des soies chez les inflorescences de l’Arum ne correspond à aucune des fleurs atypiques (unisexuées ou bisexuées) qui ont précédemment été analysées chez les Araceae. Considérant le développement, il n’est pas possible de déterminer si les soies correspondent à des modifications de fleurs femelles ou mâles avortées. Aux premiers stades du développement, les étamines, les staminodes et les appendices sont couverts de masses globuleuses constituées de cristaux extracellulaires d’oxalate de calcium.
ISSN: 0008-4026

hal-01206194
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01206194