Risk of prostate, breast and colorectal cancer after skin cancer diagnosis.

Ultraviolet radiation is the major cause of skin cancer, but promotes vitamin D synthesis, and vitamin D has been inversely related to the risk of several common cancers including prostate, breast and colorectum. We therefore computed the incidence of prostate, breast and colorectal cancer following skin cancer using the datasets of the Swiss cancer Registries of Vaud and Neuchâtel. Between 1974 and 2005, 6,985 histologically confirmed squamous cell skin cancers, 21,046 basal cell carcinomas and 3,346 cutaneous malignant melanomas were registered, and followed up to the end of 2005 for the occurrence of second primary cancer of the prostate, breast and colorectum. Overall, 680 prostate cancers were observed versus 568.3 expected (standardized incidence ratio (SIR) = 1.20; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.11-1.29), 440 breast cancers were observed versus 371.5 expected (SIR = 1.18; 95% CI: 1.08-1.30) and 535 colorectal cancers were observed versus 464.6 expected (SIR = 1.15; 95% CI: 1.06-1.25). When basal cell, squamous cell and skin melanoma were considered separately, all the SIRs for prostate, breast and colorectal cancers were around or slightly above unity. Likewise, the results were consistent across strata of age at skin cancer diagnosis and location (head and neck versus others), and for male and female colorectal cancers. These findings, based on a population with a long tradition of systematic histologic examination of all surgically treated skin lesions, do not support the hypothesis that prostate, breast and colorectal cancer risk is decreased following skin cancer.

ESTUDIO FLORÍSTICO Y ECOLÓGICO DE LAS ALGAS BENTÓNICAS DEL ARCHIPIÉLAGO DE CABO VERDE

As algas marinhas de Cabo Verde foram descritas pela primeira vez em 1822 por J. Forbes. Posteriormente vários investigadores estrangeiros em suas viagens esporádicas coletaram algas em várias localidades das ilhas de Cabo Verde, sendo a publicação de Askenasy (1896) considerada o ponto de partida dos estudos florísticos nestas ilhas. A presente investigação tem como objetivos atualizar o catálogo de macroalgas marinhas que ocorrem no arquipélago de Cabo Verde, sistematizando as distintas contribuições já realizadas; adicionar novos registros resultantes do estudo realizado em expedições marinhas BIOGES (setembro de 1996 e julho 1997), cujos dados ainda não tinham sido tratados de forma sistemática; aumentar o conhecimento ficológico destas ilhas da Macaronésia com o estudo sistemático da costa da ilha de Santiago; caracterizar a estrutura de fitobentos das comunidades da zona entremarés da ilha de Santiago; e estabelecer a relação da flora ficológica marinha de Cabo Verde com a flora ficológica das outras ilhas que compõem a região da Macaronésia e com a flora ficológica da costa ocidental africana. As coletas para o presente estudo foram realizadas durante duas Expedições Marinhas BIOGES, nos navios Islândia e Corvette, realizadas nos meses de setembro de 1996 e julho de 1997, respectivamente. Os pontos de amostragem foram escolhidos aleatoriamente em 8 ilhas, 5 ilhéus e numa extensa plataforma submarina rochosa, banco de Baixo João Valente. Para o catálogo florístico e estudos ecológicos das macroalgas marinhas dos costões rochosos do litoral da ilha de Santiago as amostradas foram recolhidas em nove estações da zona de entremarés da referida ilha, a saber: Cidade Velha, Palmarejo, Quebra Canela, Praia Baixo, Santa Cruz, Calheta São Miguel, Tarrafal, Ribeira da Barca e Rincão, durante os meses de janeiro e fevereiro de 2011 e 2012. Dos 132 táxons de algas identificados, catorze algas vermelhas: Apoglossum gregarium, Centroceras gasparrinii, Ceramium deslongchampsii, Ceramium tenerrimum, Ceratodictyon variabile, Champia vieillardii, Chondracanthus acicularis, Colaconema codicola, Erythrocystis montagnei, Jania pumila, Laurencia flexilis, Lophosiphonia cristata, Sahlingia subintegra e Wrangelia bicuspidata, para além de duas espécies de algas verdes: Anadyomene saldanhae e Valonia aegagropila são citadas pela primeira vez para as águas cabo-verdianas. Do mesmo modo, as espécies Apoglossum gregarium, Centroceras gasparrinii e Wrangelia bicuspidata podem ser consideradas novos registros para a região da costa ocidental da África e ilhas adjacentes. Contudo, a flora marinha das ilhas de Cabo Verde é muito semelhante a dos restantes arquipélagos da Macaronésia, embora muitas das suas espécies apresentam um caráter mais tropical. Como resultado desta tese de doutoramento se amplia o catálogo ficológico deste arquipélago, incrementando o número de espécies, em 16 espécies, passando de 330 para 346. No litoral da ilha de Santiago, a localidade de Quebra Canela apresenta o maior e a de Santa Cruz a menor riqueza e diversidade de espécies de algas. Os valores de riqueza de espécies, diversidade, similaridade e equitatibilidade indicam que não há uma variação e diferença significativa na composição, riqueza e diversidade de algas da zona de entremarés do litoral da ilha de Santiago. Os grupos morfo-funcionais de macroalgas que dominam nesta zona são algas crostosas, foliosas e macrófitas corticadas.

HIV-1 co/super-infection in intravenous drug users.

BACKGROUND: The frequency of HIV-1 co/super-infection is unknown despite their implications for public health and vaccine development. This issue was addressed during an epidemic of both CRF11 and B subtype among intravenous drug users (IVDUs). METHODS: Bulk sequencing of reverse transcriptase, protease and C2V3 regions and subtype-specific nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in plasma and proviral DNA were performed using baseline and follow-up samples collected in recently infected IVDUs between 1998-2002 and in IVDUs with chronic infection living in the same area and presenting an unexpected rise of viremia (> 1 log10). RESULTS: In 58 recently infected patients, three B/CRF-11 co-infections, 25 B, 28 CRF-11 and two other subtypes were detected at baseline. In the three co-infected patients, both CRF-11 and B were detected in plasma and proviral DNA and persisted during follow-up. B- and CFR-11-specific PCR performed on follow-up samples of 40 of 58 recently infected patients (median follow-up, 14.5 months) revealed a transient B super-infection in a patient initially infected by CRF-11. Five of 156 chronic IVDUs (total follow-up: 346 years) had an unexpected rise of viremia. In two of them, aviremic without treatment for years after an initial B infection, a symptomatic CRF-11 super-infection occurred and was associated with high viral load and a fall of CD4 cell count. CONCLUSIONS: In recently infected IVDUs, co-infection B/CRF-11 is relatively frequent (5%). In chronically infected IVDUs super-infection may be transient and may occur in patients controlling efficiently HIV infection by the initial strain.

Registries in rheumatological and musculoskeletal conditions. Paediatric Behçet's disease: an international cohort study of 110 patients. One-year follow-up data.

OBJECTIVE: To set-up an international cohort of patients suspected with Behçet's disease (BD). The cohort is aimed at defining an algorithm for definition of the disease in children. METHODS: International experts have defined the inclusion criteria as follows: recurrent oral aphthosis (ROA) plus one of following-genital ulceration, erythema nodosum, folliculitis, pustulous/acneiform lesions, positive pathergy test, uveitis, venous/arterial thrombosis and family history of BD. Onset of disease is <16 years, disease duration is ≤3 years, future follow-up duration is ≥4 years and informed consent is obtained. The expert committee has classified the included patients into: definite paediatric BD (PED-BD), probable PED-BD and no PED-BD. Statistical analysis is performed to compare the three groups of patients. Centres document their patients into a single database. RESULTS: At January 2010, 110 patients (56 males/54 females) have been included. Mean age at first symptom: 8.1 years (median 8.2 years). At inclusion, 38% had only one symptom associated with ROA, 31% had two and 31% had three or more symptoms. A total of 106 first evaluations have been done. Seventeen patients underwent the first-year evaluation, and 36 had no new symptoms, 12 had one and 9 had two. Experts have examined 48 files and classified 30 as definite and 18 as probable. Twenty-six patients classified as definite fulfilled the International Study Group criteria. Seventeen patients classified as probable did not meet the international criteria. CONCLUSION: The expert committee has classified the majority of patients in the BD group although they presented with few symptoms independently of BD classification criteria.

Lausannevirus, a giant amoebal virus encoding histone doublets.

Large viruses infecting algae or amoebae belong to the NucleoCytoplasmic Large DNA Viruses (NCLDV) and present genotypic and phenotypic characteristics that have raised major interest among microbiologists. Here, we describe a new large virus discovered in Acanthamoeba castellanii co-culture of an environmental sample. The virus, referred to as Lausannevirus, has a very limited host range, infecting Acanthamoeba spp. but being unable to infect other amoebae and mammalian cell lines tested. Within A. castellanii, this icosahedral virus of about 200 nm exhibits a development cycle similar to Mimivirus, with an eclipse phase 2 h post infection and a logarithmic growth leading to amoebal lysis in less than 24 h. The 346 kb Lausannevirus genome presents similarities with the recently described Marseillevirus, sharing 89% of genes, and thus belongs to the same family as confirmed by core gene phylogeny. Interestingly, Lausannevirus and Marseillevirus genomes both encode three proteins with predicted histone folds, including two histone doublets, that present similarities to eukaryotic and archaeal histones. The discovery of Lausannevirus and the analysis of its genome provide some insight in the evolution of these large amoebae-infecting viruses.

[Phot. du porche de l'église de Ry (Seine-Inférieure) en juillet 1890, don E. Reclus en 1892]

Donateur : Reclus, Élisée (1830-1905)

A Prospective Multicenter SPOG 2003 FN Study of Microbiologically Defined Infections in Pediatric Cancer Patients with Fever and Neutropenia.

BACKGROUND: Fever and neutropenia (FN) often complicate anticancer treatment and can be caused by potentially fatal infections. Knowledge of pathogen distribution is paramount for optimal patient management. METHODS: Microbiologically defined infections (MDI) in pediatric cancer patients presenting with FN by nonmyeloablative chemotherapy enrolled in a prospective multi-center study were analyzed. Effectiveness of empiric antibiotic therapy in FN episodes with bacteremia was assessed taking into consideration recently published treatment guidelines for pediatric patients with FN. RESULTS: MDI were identified in a minority (22%) of pediatric cancer patients with FN. In patients with, compared to without MDI, fever (median, 5 [IQR 3-8] vs. 2 [IQR1-3] days, p < 0.001) and hospitalization (10 [6-14] vs. 5 [3-8] days, p < 0.001) lasted longer, transfer to the intensive care unit was more likely (13 of 95 [14%] vs. 7 of 346 [2.0%], p < 0.001), and antibiotics were given longer (10 [7-14] vs. 5 [4-7], p < 0.001). Empiric antibiotic therapy in FN episodes with bacteremia was highly effective if not only intrinsic and reported antimicrobial susceptibilities were considered but the purposeful omission of coverage for coagulase negative staphylococci and enterococci was also taken into account (81% [95%CI 68 - 90] vs. 96.6% [95%CI 87 - 99.4], p = 0.004) CONCLUSIONS: MDI were identified in a minority of FN episodes but they significantly affected management and the clinical course of pediatric cancer patients. Compliance with published guidelines was associated with effectiveness of empiric antibiotic therapy in FN episodes with bacteremia.

Development of the femur - Implications for age and sex determination.

Growth of four variables of the femur (diapyseal length, diaphyseal length plus distal epiphysis, maximum length and vertical diameter of the head) was analyzed by polynomial regression for the purpose of evaluating its significance and capacity for age and sex determination throughout the entire life continuum. Materials included in analysis consisted of 346 specimens ranging from birth to 97 years of age from five documented osteological collections of Western European descent. Linear growth was displayed by each of the four variables. Significant sexual dimorphism was identified in two of the femoral measurements, including maximum length and vertical diameter of the head, from age 15 onward. These results indicate that the two variables may be of use in the determination of sex in sex determination from that age onward. Strong correlation coefficients were identified between femoral size and age for each of the four metric variables. These results indicate that any of the femoral measurements is likely to serve as a useful source to estimate sub-adult age in both archaeological and forensic samples.

Microcrystals as DAMPs and their role in joint inflammation.

Microcrystals associated with joint diseases, namely monosodium urate, calcium pyrophosphate and basic calcium phosphate, can be considered as 'danger signals' to the innate immune system and provoke inflammation through inflammasome-dependent as well as inflammasome-independent pathways. Direct crystal membrane interactions can also lead to cell activation. The result is the generation of IL-1β and other pro-inflammatory cytokines. The primacy of IL-1β in the case of gouty inflammation has been demonstrated by the efficacy of IL-1 inhibitors in clinical studies. These findings may be relevant to other diseases where crystal formation is found, such as OA and atherosclerosis.