Simple rules to contain an invasive species with a complex life cycle and high dispersal capacity

Designing practical rules for controlling invasive species is a challenging task for managers, particularly when species are long-lived, have complex life cycles and high dispersal capacities. Previous findings derived from plant matrix population analyses suggest that effective control of long-lived invaders may be achieved by focusing on killing adult plants. However, the cost-effectiveness of managing different life stages has not been evaluated. We illustrate the benefits of integrating matrix population models with decision theory to undertake this evaluation, using empirical data from the largest infestation of mesquite (Leguminosae: Prosopis spp) within Australia. We include in our model the mesquite life cycle, different dispersal rates and control actions that target individuals at different life stages with varying costs, depending on the intensity of control effort. We then use stochastic dynamic programming to derive cost-effective control strategies that minimize the cost of controlling the core infestation locally below a density threshold and the future cost of control arising from infestation of adjacent areas via seed dispersal. Through sensitivity analysis, we show that four robust management rules guide the allocation of resources between mesquite life stages for this infestation: (i) When there is no seed dispersal, no action is required until density of adults exceeds the control threshold and then only control of adults is needed; (ii) when there is seed dispersal, control strategy is dependent on knowledge of the density of adults and large juveniles (LJ) and broad categories of dispersal rates only; (iii) if density of adults is higher than density of LJ, controlling adults is most cost-effective; (iv) alternatively, if density of LJ is equal or higher than density of adults, management efforts should be spread between adults, large and to a lesser extent small juveniles, but never saplings. Synthesis and applications.In this study, we show that simple rules can be found for managing invasive plants with complex life cycles and high dispersal rates when population models are combined with decision theory. In the case of our mesquite population, focussing effort on controlling adults is not always the most cost-effective way to meet our management objective.

Common variants at the MHC locus and at chromosome 16q24.1 predispose to Barrett's esophagus

Barrett's esophagus is an increasingly common disease that is strongly associated with reflux of stomach acid and usually a hiatus hernia, and it strongly predisposes to esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), a tumor with a very poor prognosis. We report the first genome-wide association study on Barrett's esophagus, comprising 1,852 UK cases and 5,172 UK controls in the discovery stage and 5,986 cases and 12,825 controls in the replication stage. Variants at two loci were associated with disease risk: chromosome 6p21, rs9257809 (P(combined) = 4.09 × 10(-9); odds ratio (OR) = 1.21, 95% confidence interval (CI) =1.13-1.28), within the major histocompatibility complex locus, and chromosome 16q24, rs9936833 (P(combined) = 2.74 × 10(-10); OR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.10-1.19), for which the closest protein-coding gene is FOXF1, which is implicated in esophageal development and structure. We found evidence that many common variants of small effect contribute to genetic susceptibility to Barrett's esophagus and that SNP alleles predisposing to obesity also increase risk for Barrett's esophagus.

Large-scale association analysis identifies new risk loci for coronary artery disease

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the commonest cause of death. Here, we report an association analysis in 63,746 CAD cases and 130,681 controls identifying 15 loci reaching genome-wide significance, taking the number of susceptibility loci for CAD to 46, and a further 104 independent variants (r(2)

Factors influencing success of clinical genome sequencing across a broad spectrum of disorders

To assess factors influencing the success of whole-genome sequencing for mainstream clinical diagnosis, we sequenced 217 individuals from 156 independent cases or families across a broad spectrum of disorders in whom previous screening had identified no pathogenic variants. We quantified the number of candidate variants identified using different strategies for variant calling, filtering, annotation and prioritization. We found that jointly calling variants across samples, filtering against both local and external databases, deploying multiple annotation tools and using familial transmission above biological plausibility contributed to accuracy. Overall, we identified disease-causing variants in 21% of cases, with the proportion increasing to 34% (23/68) for mendelian disorders and 57% (8/14) in family trios. We also discovered 32 potentially clinically actionable variants in 18 genes unrelated to the referral disorder, although only 4 were ultimately considered reportable. Our results demonstrate the value of genome sequencing for routine clinical diagnosis but also highlight many outstanding challenges.

Voyage de Jean de Mandeville, Roman de Fauvel, par Gervais Du Bus, et pièces diverses.

Contient : « Le livre des parties d'Oultre mer, lequel fu fait, ordonné et compilé par honorable et vaillant seigneur Jehan de Mandeville... Escript (fol. 62) par moy, Ogier de Caumont, en la cité de Liege, et finy le penultieme jour de juillet l'an mil CCC IIIIxx??? et XVI. » Cf. R. Röhricht, Bibliotheca geographica Palestinae, p. 79 ; On lit : « Hunc librum acquisivit monasterio Sancti Victoris prope Parisius frater Johannes Lamasse, dum esset prior ejusdem ecclesie. Scriptum anno Domini 1424 » ; Prière à la Vierge ; « Dit de la rose », pièce en l'honneur de la Vierge ; Les peines de l'enfer ; « Scriptum quoddam super degradatione et combustione quorumdam fratrum ordinis Predicatorum, qui... opinionem suam ab ecclesia damnata de conceptione purissime Virginis matris Domini Jhesu deffendere nitebantur... Actum anno Domini millesimo quingentesimo nono. » Cf. Du Boulay, Historia Universitatis Parisiensis, t. VI, p. 45 ; Pater Noster et Ave Maria, en vers ; Vers sur le plaisir de boire. « Ad primum morsum, nisi potavero mort sum... » (15 vers) ; « Statutum sacre facultatis Theologie studii Parisiensis super materia conceptionis immaculate gloriosissime Virginis... » (1497) ; Paraphrase, en vers français, de l'Ave maris stella ; « Clericus sic ethimologizatur : Per c intelligitur quod sit clarus... » ; « Almalarius (sic), qui loquitur de duobus ebdomadis passionis Christi. Due ebdomade passionis Christi significant duo tempora ante legem et sub lege... » ; Explications, en latin, du Pater et du Credo. « Elegit Dominus Deus noster Jhesus Christus septem apostolos... » ; « Tabula fidei christiane. Septem virtutes principales : fides, spes... » ; Notes de comput. « Ad habendum ciclum solarem, secundum Gallandum, sive litteram dominicalem... » ; Prière à la Vierge ; « La deputaison » ou « le mireur du corps et de l'ame. Une grant vision est en ce livre escripte... » ; Prières à la Vierge ; I ; II ; III ; Note relative à « Jehan Le Mire, jadis trésorier des guerres » (1339) ; La maison de sapience ; Poème moral sur la mort du Christ ; Vers latins, en l'honneur de S. Jean-Baptiste ; « Missa pro evitanda mortalitate, quam dominus papa Clemens sextus constituit et fecit... » ; « Le Testament maistre Jehan de Meun. » Cf. Histoire littéraire, t. XXVIII (1880), p. 416 (art. de P. Paris) ; Roman de Fauvel, par Gervais Du Bus. Cf. Histoire littéraire, t. XXXII (1898), p. 108 (art. de M. G. Paris) ; Vers latins contre les femmes ; Autre pièce contre les femmes ; Autre pièce sur les femmes. « Se j'avoye une fame qui ne me mentist point... » ; Prière. « Doulx Diex, qui es sans fin et sans initium... » ; « Les heures de la Croiz [en vers], ausquellez le pape Jehan XXII donna i an ex xl jours de vray pardon à quelconque persone, qui par devocion dira ceste office du mistère de la Passion Jhesu Crist » ; Prière à la Vierge

Notices sur N.-J.-B. Tripier / [éloge de M. Tripier, prononcé à l'ouverture de la conférence des avocats, le 4 décembre 1841, par M. J.-B. Josseau,.... M. Tripier / article extrait du "Barreau" par Oscar Pinard. Discours prononcés sur la tombe de M. Tripier / [par MM. Mauguin et Paillet]

Comprend : Discours prononcé sur la tombe de M. Tripier ; M. Tripier / article extrait du "Barreau" par Oscar Pinard