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Let P be any one of the following combinatorial properties: weak P-pointness, weak (semi-) Q-pointness, weak (semi-)selectivity, ω-closedness. We deal with the following two questions: (1) What is the least cardinal k such that there exists an ideal with k many generators that does not have the property P? (2) Can one extend every ideal with the property P to a prime ideal with the property P?

BACKGROUND: The A3243G point mutation in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is associated with MELAS (mitochondrial encephalomyopathy with lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes) and MIDD syndromes (maternally inherited diabetes and deafness). Both MELAS and MIDD patients can present with visual symptoms due to a retinopathy, sometimes before the genetic diagnosis is made. CASE PRESENTATION: Patient 1: 46 year-old woman with diabetes mellitus and hearing loss was referred for an unspecified maculopathy detected during screening evaluation for diabetic retinopathy. Visual acuity was 20/20 in both eyes. Fundus examination showed bilateral macular and peripapillary hyperpigmented/depigmented areas.Patient 2: 45 year-old woman was referred for recent vision loss in her left eye. History was remarkable for chronic fatigue, migraine and diffuse muscular pain. Visual acuity was 20/20 in her right eye and 20/30 in her left eye. Fundus exhibited several nummular perifoveal islands of retinal pigment epithelium atrophy and adjacent pale deposits in both eyes.Retinal anatomy was investigated with autofluorescence, retinal angiography and optical coherence tomography. Retinal function was assessed with automated static perimetry, full-field and multifocal electroretinography and electro-oculography. Genetic testing of mtDNA identified a point mutation at the locus 3243. CONCLUSION: Observation of RPE abnormalities in the context of suggestive systemic findings should prompt mtDNA testing.

A specific neonatal death certificate has been put into use in France since April 1997. It must be completed for any infants born alive and deceased between 0 and 27 days. Its content is presented together with the results of an evaluation of its use performed during a 3 month period in 1996. This certificate is aimed to improve the mortality statistics of the neonatal period, thus helping to better define the priorities in the medical care and prevention fields.

Purpose Factors explaining recurrences of toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis (TRC) and their frequency are not understood. The aim of this study is to analyze their recurrence patterns, and search for an association with their clinical and biological features. Methods 40 consecutive cases of TRC with a positive aqueous humour (AH) tap for toxoplasmosis were retrospectively included. Inclusion criteria were: Goldman-Witmer coefficient (GWC)>2.0, positive immunoblot (IB) or positive PCR for Toxoplasma gondii. Further episodes, their characteristics, disease-free intervals, and treatments were collected. We performed a case-control analysis of patients with and without recurrences during follow-up. Results Mean age was 41.5 years. 10% of patients were immunodeficient (n=4). Mean follow-up was 7.3 years (5.8-10.3). Forty-three percent of patients (n=17) presented at least one recurrence, with a mean of 1.7 episodes (1-4) per patient. Mean interval between episodes was 27 months (3-73). For patients experiencing one recurrence or more, initial AH analysis showed a lower GWC, less additional bands on IB, and less positive PCRs, even though these trends did not reach statistical significance. Clinically, these patients had broader lesions, in more peripheral locations, and more intense vitritis than those with no recurrences. For the initial episode, durations of antibiotic and anti-inflammatory treatments were superior in the recurrence group. Sex, ethnicity, or immune status were not associated with a change in recurrence risk. Conclusion TRC recurrences seem to be influenced by clinical and biological features at baseline.

The term ‘white dot syndromes’ (WDS) refers to several inflammatory diseases of the retina and choroid caused by immune dysregulation. They consist of the following disorders, with overlapping clinical features: • Acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy (APMPPE) • Serpiginous choroidopathy • Multiple evanescent white dot syndrome (MEWDS) • Birdshot retinochoroidopathy • Acute retinal pigment epitheliitis (ARPE) • Multifocal choroiditis and panuveitis syndrome (MCP) • Punctuate inner choroidopathy (PIC), and • Acute zonal occult outer retinopathy (AZOOR) These conditions usually occur following an influenza-like illness, but their patho-physiologic mechanism remains poorly understood. The white dot syndromes affect more frequently young females and individuals with mild myopia, and present as white or yellow, deep, round lesions in the central fundus. Their size and number can vary between each entity, as well as their unior bilateral involvement.

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National audience; Chromosomal control of pig populations in France: 2007–2010 survey Chromosomal control activities of pig populations in France have been widely developed during the last ten years. Up to now, more than 24000 individuals have been karyotyped in our laboratory. Ninety percent were young purebred boars controlled before service in artificial insemination centers.One hundred and forty one structural chromosomal rearrangements have been identified to date, including 44 since 2007. Among these, 40 were reciprocal translocations , 2 peri- or paracentric inversions, 1 rearrangement involving one chromosome N°3 (not yet characterized), and 1 Robertsonian translocation Rob (15;18). Two out of the 40 reciprocal translocations involved the Y chromosome and one autosome.The prevalence of balanced structural chromosomal rearrangements estimated in a sample of more than 16000 young boars controlled before service between 2002 and 2010 was 0.46%. The results presented in this communication indicate that the continuation of the chromosomal control program is essential

National audience; DNA methylation analysis in sperm from boar with bad sperm quality Infertility problems are an increasing health challenge in human and animal populations. They can be explained by genetic or hormonal causes but also by aging or life‐style causes. In farm animals high inbreeding levels, exposure to atmosphere, food and water contaminants, also lead to a significant decrease of animal fertility and are beginning to be a real problem. For example, nearly 50% of boars selected on agronomical criteria (like growth or alimentary efficiency, muscle fat content…) are culled for bad sperm quality (including concentration, morphology and motility). In the present work we decided to focus our study on DNA methylation levels in sperm from boars with bad semen quality. DNA methylation is a direct modification of cytosine residues that can affect gene expression and chromatin organization. In infertile patients, sperm DNA methylation is affected at some particular loci especially those submitted to parental imprinting. Using the genomic and bioinformatics facilities available in our laboratory, we started to perform genome‐wide methylome maps from sperm DNA of fertile animals. At the same time, we looked at the methylation status of imprinted loci in sperm from animals with bad sperm quality using immunoprecipitation and real time PCR analysis of methylated DNA. Methylation of blood genomic DNA will also be analyzed at these loci to test for the presence of a positive correlation between DNA methylation defects in somatic and germinal cells. We hope to develop an easy diagnostic method to detect, in immature animals, future reproductive limitations.

Purpose. “En face” is an emerging imaging technique derived from spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT). It produces frontal sections of retinal layers, also called “C-scan OCT.” Outer retinal tubulations (ORTs) in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are a recent finding evidenced by spectral-domain OCT. The aim of this study is to characterize the morphology of ORT according to the form of AMD, using “en-face” spectral domain OCT.Methods. “En face” OCT imaging was prospectively performed in 26 consecutive eyes with AMD that also had ORT.Results. There were 15 neovascular, 8 atrophic, and 3 eyes with a mixed (fibrotic and atrophic) form of AMD. Among the neovascular group, the most frequent tubulation pattern on “en-face” OCT was a branching network emanating from a fibrovascular scar; we term this pattern as “pseudodendritic.” It did not require treatment when observed as an isolated finding. In all cases of atrophic AMD, the tubular network was located at the edge of the geographic atrophy area, and formed a “perilesional” pattern. Six atrophic cases showed tubular invaginations inside this area.Conclusion. “En face” OCT is a valuable technique in the diagnosis and followup of macular disease. It revealed the main characteristic patterns of ORT associated with neovascular and atrophic AMD.

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