Application of the 2008 definitions for invasive fungal diseases to the trial comparing voriconazole versus amphotericin B for therapy of invasive aspergillosis: a collaborative study of the Mycoses Study Group (MSG 05) and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Infectious Diseases Group.

BACKGROUND: Strict definition of invasive aspergillosis (IA) cases is required to allow precise conclusions about the efficacy of antifungal therapy. The Global Comparative Aspergillus Study (GCAS) compared voriconazole to amphotericin B (AmB) deoxycholate for the primary therapy of IA. Because predefined definitions used for this trial were substantially different from the consensus definitions proposed by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer/Mycoses Study Group in 2008, we recategorized the 379 episodes of the GCAS according to the later definitions. METHODS: The objectives were to assess the impact of the current definitions on the classification of the episodes and to provide comparative efficacy for probable/proven and possible IA in patients treated with either voriconazole or AmB. In addition to original data, we integrated the results of baseline galactomannan serum levels obtained from 249 (65.7%) frozen samples. The original response assessment was accepted unchanged. RESULTS: Recategorization allowed 59 proven, 178 probable, and 106 possible IA cases to be identified. A higher favorable 12-week response rate was obtained with voriconazole (54.7%) than with AmB (29.9%) (P < .0001). Survival was higher for voriconazole for mycologically documented (probable/proven) IA (70.2%) than with AmB (54.9%) (P = .010). Higher response rates were obtained in possible IA treated with voriconazole vs AmB with the same magnitude of difference (26.2%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 7.2%-45.3%) as in mycologically documented episodes (24.3%; 95% CI, 11.9%-36.7%), suggesting that possible cases are true IA. CONCLUSIONS: Recategorization resulted in a better identification of the episodes and confirmed the higher efficacy of voriconazole over AmB deoxycholate in mycologically documented IA.

Eco rastreos durante agosto de 1966

Describe la operación Eureka VI que se realizó del 16 al 18 de agosto de 1966, cubrió la zona comprendida entre Salaverry y Punta Olleros, hasta 90 millas de la costa.

Iowa Gender Wage Equity Study, 2008

In 1993, Iowa Workforce Development (then the Department of Employment Services) conducted a survey to determine if there was a gender gap in wages paid. The results of that survey indicated that females were paid 68 cents for every dollar paid to males. Another study was conducted in 1999 which found that females made approximately 73 cents for every dollar made by males in Iowa. These calculations took into account the average number of hours respondents worked weekly. In January 2008, Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) was contacted by the Iowa Commission on the Status of Women (ICSW) to request that IWD conduct research to update the 1999 gender wage equity study to determine if the wage disparity between males and females has changed since the 1999 study. This study was completed by IWD using 2007/2008 Laborshed data consisting of responses from 5,669 employed respondents. Of the respondents, 59.6 percent (3,379) were female, 40.3 percent (2,285) were male, and 0.1 percent (5) refused to identify their gender. Statewide sampling was provided by the University of Northern Iowa’s Institute for Decision Making based on the population per ZIP code. The results of the survey show that females who are paid an hourly wage earn 21.8 percent (78.2 cents for every dollar) less than males earn and females who are salaried earn 21.6 percent less than males. Additional survey results detail the occupational categories, industries and the education and experience levels. All of these characteristics contribute to the disparity.

Professori Paavo Kastari 27/11 1975

Kirje 27.11.1975

Building digital libraries in developing countries

Digital libraries (DL) are seen as the hope for developing countries in their struggle to access scientific and academic publications. However, building such libraries in developing countries is a real challenge. These countries usually face several difficulties, such as low computer and Internet penetration rates, poor ICT infrastructure, lack of qualified human resources, lack of financial resources, etc. Thus, it is imperative finding alternative mechanisms of building DL that best fit the specificities of these countries. This paper presents the process used for building a digital library at the University Jean Piaget of Cape Verde, created in a context of scarce access to printed materials and serious difficulties in accessing ICT resources. This paper also presents the challenges, the solutions and the adopted methodological framework.

Beyond Centre and Margin: (Self-)translation and the Ecopoetics of Space in Geetanjali Shree's "Mai"

Croisant les concepts de traduction culturelle et une approche « queer » de l'identité, notre article propose une lecture de l'utilisation de tropes végétaux ou organiques dans le roman de Geetanjali Shree, Mai, comme critique de la logique binaire du centre et de la marge qui caractérise autant l'orientalisme que le système patriarcal. Ecrit à la première personne, le roman invente un nouvel espace d'énonciation en narrant l'enfance et la jeunesse d'une jeune femme et la constitution de son identité à travers la relation complexe qu'elle entretient avec sa mère, son milieu familial issu de la classe moyenne du Nord de l'Inde, et la société indienne contemporaine aux prises avec la globalisation. Toutefois, ce cercle ou centre est en constante évolution puisque le contexte postcolonial dans lequel ces identités féminines se situent nous amène à considérer d'autres modes d'intervention (agency) qui opèrent non seulement à travers la prise de parole mais aussi à travers l'usage stratégique du silence. Fleurissant entre l'anglais et le hindi, ces identités hybrides nous poussent à revoir nos cartographies critiques et à investiguer et investir des lieux liminaux dans lesquels des subjectivités traversent les frontières et transgressent les limites imposées par l'ordre patriarcal et les cartographies imposées par les centres de pouvoir.

Nrf2 links epidermal barrier function with antioxidant defense.

The skin provides an efficient permeability barrier and protects from microbial invasion and oxidative stress. Here, we show that these essential functions are linked through the Nrf2 transcription factor. To test the hypothesis that activation of Nrf2 provides skin protection under stress conditions, we determined the consequences of pharmacological or genetic activation of Nrf2 in keratinocytes. Surprisingly, mice with enhanced Nrf2 activity in keratinocytes developed epidermal thickening, hyperkeratosis and inflammation resembling lamellar ichthyosis. This resulted from upregulation of the cornified envelope proteins small proline-rich proteins (Sprr) 2d and 2h and of secretory leukocyte peptidase inhibitor (Slpi), which we identified as novel Nrf2 targets in keratinocytes. Since Sprrs are potent scavengers of reactive oxygen species and since Slpi has antimicrobial activities, their upregulation contributes to Nrf2's protective function. However, it also caused corneocyte fragility and impaired desquamation, followed by alterations in the epidermal lipid barrier, inflammation and overexpression of mitogens that induced keratinocyte hyperproliferation. These results identify an unexpected role of Nrf2 in epidermal barrier function, which needs to be considered for pharmacological use of Nrf2 activators.

Peculiar findings in a case of bilateral uveal pigmented lesions.

PURPOSE: To describe a probable case of bilateral diffuse uveal melanocytic proliferation (BDUMP) with unusual manifestations and prognosis. DESIGN: Case report. METHODS: Clinical follow-up of the patient lasting 50 months with recurrent fundus examination using color photographs, angiography, ultrasound, and optical coherence tomography. Serological and radiological investigations were performed to assess possible extraocular alterations. RESULTS: In both eyes patch-shaped pigmented alterations of the fundus were revealed. Fluorescein and indocyanine angiography evidenced corresponding areas of hyperfluorescent pinpoints and subtle serous detachment of the neurosensory retina, respectively. Ten months after the initial evaluation, flat pigmentary lesions appeared in the superior scleral surface of the right eye and underwent histological examination. After an initial decrease in visual acuity, the patient experienced a spontaneous recovery. He did not develop cataracts or any systemic malignancies. CONCLUSIONS: Although not all the criteria for the diagnosis were fulfilled, clinical findings were compatible with BDUMP. The presence of scleral pigmented lesions and the good visual prognosis may widen the spectrum of this rare disease.

Concomitant chemoradiotherapy versus acceleration of radiotherapy with or without concomitant chemotherapy in locally advanced head and neck carcinoma (GORTEC 99-02): an open-label phase 3 randomised trial.

BACKGROUND: Concomitant chemoradiotherapy and accelerated radiotherapy independently improve outcomes for patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous-cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of a combination of these approaches. METHODS: In our open-label phase 3 randomised trial, we enrolled patients with locally advanced, stage III and IV (non-metastatic) HNSCC and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0-2. We randomly allocated patients centrally with a computer program (with centre, T stage, N stage, and localisation as minimisation factors) in a 1:1:1 ratio to receive conventional chemoradiotherapy (70 Gy in 7 weeks plus three cycles of 4 days' concomitant carboplatin-fluorouracil), accelerated radiotherapy-chemotherapy (70 Gy in 6 weeks plus two cycles of 5 days' concomitant carboplatin-fluorouracil), or very accelerated radiotherapy alone (64·8 Gy [1·8 Gy twice daily] in 3·5 weeks). The primary endpoint, progression-free survival (PFS), was assessed in all enrolled patients. This trial is completed. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00828386. FINDINGS: Between Feb 29, 2000, and May 9, 2007, we randomly allocated 279 patients to receive conventional chemoradiotherapy, 280 to accelerated radiotherapy-chemotherapy, and 281 to very accelerated radiotherapy. Median follow-up was 5·2 years (IQR 4·9-6·2); rates of chemotherapy and radiotherapy compliance were good in all groups. Accelerated radiotherapy-chemotherapy offered no PFS benefit compared with conventional chemoradiotherapy (HR 1·02, 95% CI 0·84-1·23; p=0·88) or very accelerated radiotherapy (0·83, 0·69-1·01; p=0·060); conventional chemoradiotherapy improved PFS compared with very accelerated radiotherapy (0·82, 0·67-0·99; p=0·041). 3-year PFS was 37·6% (95% CI 32·1-43·4) after conventional chemoradiotherapy, 34·1% (28·7-39·8) after accelerated radiotherapy-chemotherapy, and 32·2% (27·0-37·9) after very accelerated radiotherapy. More patients in the very accelerated radiotherapy group had RTOG grade 3-4 acute mucosal toxicity (226 [84%] of 268 patients) compared with accelerated radiotherapy-chemotherapy (205 [76%] of 271 patients) or conventional chemoradiotherapy (180 [69%] of 262; p=0·0001). 158 (60%) of 265 patients in the conventional chemoradiotherapy group, 176 (64%) of 276 patients in the accelerated radiotherapy-chemotherapy group, and 190 (70%) of 272 patients in the very accelerated radiotherapy group were intubated with feeding tubes during treatment (p=0·045). INTERPRETATION: Chemotherapy has a substantial treatment effect given concomitantly with radiotherapy and acceleration of radiotherapy cannot compensate for the absence of chemotherapy. We noted the most favourable outcomes for conventional chemoradiotherapy, suggesting that acceleration of radiotherapy is probably not beneficial in concomitant chemoradiotherapy schedules. FUNDING: French Ministry of Health.

Remaniement en prose de la Chanson de la croisade contre les Albigeois

Manuscrit P du remaniement L Sur le feuillet A préliminaire sont deux notes indiquant que le texte de notre ms. a été imprimé au tome III de l'histoire de Languedoc de D. Vaissette et au tome XIX du recueil des Historiens de France. Ce texte représente la traduction en prose, faite au XVe siècle par un jurisconsulte inconnu, d'après un ms. un peu différent de celui que nous avons de la Chanson de la croisade contre les Albigeois, dit M. P. Meyer, page XXVI de son introduction à lad. chanson, qu'il a publiée pour la Société de l'histoire de France en 1879. Commençant par : Com entre toutas l[as] causas que lo cre[ator] a formadas pri[mierament] a creat et form[at los] entendemens, so es [lo] eutendemen angelic et huma [...]Finissant par : [...] et son absolution ly a baylada par escript.

Extraits divers.

Contient : Extraits de chartes et de manuscrits, parmi lesquels on remarque les suivants : ; Chartes de Saint-Crépin de Soissons (VIIIe-IXe siècle) ; Charte de Philippe-Auguste pour l'abbaye de Sarlat, 1181 (Delisle, Actes de Philippe-Auguste, n° 19) ; Lettres de Philippe-Auguste aux nobles de Poitou, pour les mander à l'expédition d'Angleterre, d'après un ms. de l'abbaye du Jard ; Lettres relatives aux affaires d'Avignon (1470-1472) ; Notice de la fondation da l'église de Nogaro, en 1061-1062 (Bréquigny, Table chronologique, t. II, p. 83) ; Acte d'émancipation de Raoul, fils de Raoul de Cournand (1245), d'après un vidimus de 1259 ; Visio Wettini, d'après un ms. de Cl. Dupuy collationné avec un ms. de Besly ; Notes concernant sainte Wilgeforte ; Lettre de M. Boileau, doyen de Sens [à Baluze] (21 juin 1684) ; Extraits de mss. liturgiques du chapitre de Sens ; Lettre de Raban Maur au chorévêque Regimbaldus ; collation d'un ms. d'Ant. Faure ; Extraits des « Constitutiones episcopatus Sutrini », ms. appartenant au cardinal Casanata ; Extrait d'un ms. d'Orléans (aujourd'hui Bibl. nat., nouv. acq. lat. 1632 ; cf. (Delisle, Cat. des fonds Libri et Barrois, p. 111) ; Extraits d'un sacramentaire de l'église de Lyon, faits par Baluze en novembre 1673 ; Extraits d'un pontifical de l'église de Reims ; Extraits d'un pontifical de l'église de Reims, de la main d'Adrien de Valois ; Autres extraits d'un pontifical de Sens ; Formules de serments « ex veteri codice Remensi Nicolai Fabri. » ; Extraits d'un pontifical de l'église de Reims ; Extraits d'un ms. de Saint-Gall (sans doute ms. 446), collationnés par Baluze en 1674 ; Ordo romanus, extraits faits d'après deux mss. de Saint-Gall ; Ordo romanus, extraits faits d'après un ms. de Cahors ; « Benedictiones, » tirées d'un ms. de Saint-Hilaire-en-Carcassès ; Extraits du De confessione verae fidei [Liber precum], de Marcellinus et Faustinus, faits par Baluze en décembre 1673, d'après un ms. de Saint-Gall (ms. 190) ; « Ex homiliis incerti auctoris qui aevo Karoli M. floruit, » d'après un ms. de Saint-Gall ; Homélies tirées d'un ms. de l'église de Lyon ; Poenitentia laicorum, de Fulbert de Chartres (Migne, Patr. lat., t. CXLI, col. 339) ; Extraits d'un pénitentiel, d'après un ms. de Saint-Arnoul de Metz ; Extraits d'un ms. de l'Oratoire de Troyes, contenant un recueil de canons ; Extraits des Decrétales du Pseudo-Isidore, d'après un ms. de Saint-Gall (ms. 670) ; Copie de deux martyrologes, envoyée par Baluze à d'Achery (cf. note au f. 185) ; le second (f. 210), tiré d'un ms. de Saint-Gall (sans doute le ms. 914), de la main de Baluze, en juin 1674 ; Extraits du De miseria humanae conditionis, d'Innocent III ; Dédicace, par Calixte II, de l'église du Ronceray d'Angers (Hist. de France, t. XIV, p. 199) ; Lettre de Charlemagne relative aux travaux de Paul Diacre (Migne, Patr. lat., t. XCV, col. 1159) ; Bulles et actes pontificaux divers : ; Bulles d'Eugène III (24 avril 1146) et d'Anastase IV (25 avril 1154) pour les églises de la province de Bordeaux (Jaffé, Regesta, nos 8910 et 9876) ; Bulle de Benoit XI portant révocation des collations de bénéfices faites par Boniface VIII (6 novembre 1303) ; Bulle d'Innocent VI pour la prédication d'une croisade contre les Grandes Compagnies (1361), d'après un ms. de Saint-Victor ; Bulle de Clément VII pour le monastère de Coiroux (6 juillet 1393) ; Lettres de Julien [de la Rovere], cardinalévêque d'Ostie, pour Antoine Galvan, seigneur de « Chausenejoulx » (15 février 1486) ; Bulle de Pie V pour Hugues de Vermondot, abbé de La Valette (23 avril 1571) ; Signature en cour de Rome pour Jean du Peyron, sacristain du monastère d'Obazine (17 février 1587) ; Bulle de Clément VIII pour Pierre Pandinhe, abbé de Bonneval (4 janvier 1596) ; Bulle du même pour Léger, abbé de Dalon (12 juin 1600) ; Bulles du même pour Jean de Montroux, abbé de Bonaigue (1601) ; Bulle d'Alexandre III pour l'église de Toulouse, 8 juillet 1162 [Jaffé, n° 10739) ; Bref de N. S. P. le pape Alexandre VII, envoyé à M. l'abbé comte de Richelieu, au sujet de son voyage d'Allemagne (23 mars 1664) ; imprimé de 4 pages in-fol ; Lettres de Philippe le Bel portant convocation d'Etats à Tours (25 mars 1307) ; Lettre de Dom Claude Estiennot à Baluze (Rome, 1er mai 1696) ; Lettre de l'empereur Léopold Ier à Charles II, roi d'Espagne (Vienne, 20 janvier 1696) ; Lettres de l'inquisiteur général de Portugal, portant condamnation des Acta sanctorum des Bollandistes (24 janvier 1696) ; Lettres des inquisiteurs d'Aragon portant même condamnation (19 novembre 1695) ; Extraits de la vie de saint Géraud d'Aurillac ; Instructions données à ceux qui visitent des églises ; Extraits d'un évengéliaire donné par la comtesse. Mathilde à l'abbaye de Padolirone ; Extrait du récit de la translation des reliques de saint Thomas d'Aquin à Toulouse, en 1368, par Raimond Hugues (Bibl. hag. lat. n° 8161), d'après un ms. des Dominicains de Toulouse ; Extraits d'un recueil de formules appartenant à Fr. Pithou (cf. Zeumer, Formulae, p. 597) ; Note sur la fuite d'Ant. Muret à Toulouse, en 1554 ; Sommaire des thèses d'Et. Baluze pour le grade de bachelier en droit canon (3 septembre 1665) ; « Harangue de M. Talon, avocat général, au lit de justice du Roy, tenu au Parlement de Paris, le mecredi XVe janvier 1648. » ; Notes sur l'histoire d'Espagne, envoyées à Baluze ; Lettres (1380-1383), relatives à Simon de Cramaud, plus tard évêque de Carcassonne ; Mémoire sur les affaires d'Italie (26 mars 1669), en italien ; Eloge de Louis XIV : paraphrase, en vers latins, du Psaume CXLIII ; Eloge de Colbert, par M. Boyer ; original ; Lettres de Pierre de Saint-Martial, archevêque de Toulouse, pour l'Hôpital Saint-Jacques de ladite ville (1391) ; Extraits d'un bréviaire ms. de Limoges ; Extraits des registres du Parlement de Toulouse ; Notes pour l'établissement du texte des lettres de Pierre de Blois ; Note sur les affaires de Roussillon ; Instructions données par Henri d'Orléans, [marquis de Rothelin], à ses fils ; « Sirventes de Arnaud Maziere, 1283 », et pièces relatives à Frothaire, archevêque de Bourges ; Notes extraites des archives de Carcassonne, envoyées à Baluze par Guillaume Besse ; Anagramme sur le nom de famille [Ruspiliosus] du pape Clément IX ; placard gravé de 1668

Predicting root defence against herbivores during succession

P>1. Root herbivores and pathogens interfere with basic below-ground plant function, and can thereby affect plant fitness and spatial and temporal patterns in natural plant communities. However, there has been little development of concepts and theories on below-ground plant defence, a deficit that is in contrast to the abundance of theorizing for above-ground plant parts.2. A review of the past 10 years of research on below-ground plant-herbivore interactions has revealed that, similar to above-ground tissues, root defences can be expressed constitutively or induced upon herbivore attack, and can be classified into direct and indirect traits, tolerance, and escape. Indeed, it has been shown that roots tolerate herbivory by outgrowing or re-growing lost tissues, or resist it by producing secondary metabolites that are toxic to herbivores or attract natural enemies of herbivores.3. We propose that, similar to above-ground plant-herbivore theories, the partition of abiotic and biotic factors over ecological succession can serve as the basis for predicting investment in defence strategies below-ground.4. Investigation of herbivore pressure and root responses along primary and secondary successional gradients suggests that: (i) roots are often fast growing, thinner and softer in early compared to later succession. (ii) Insect and nematode herbivore pressure increases until mid-succession and later decreases. (iii) Mycorrhizal abundance increases with succession, and the composition of fungal species changes through succession, often shifting from arbuscular mycorrhizae to ecto-mycorrhizae.5. Based on these findings, and on classical (above-ground) plant defence theory, we suggest the following set of testable hypotheses for below-ground plant defence: (i) During succession, early plants invest most of their resources in growth and less in defences (associated with a general lack of herbivores and pathogens, and with limited availability of resources in the system), therefore relying more on re-growth (tolerance) strategies. (ii) During mid-succession, a buildup of herbivore pressure facilitates replacement by plant species that exhibit greater direct and indirect defence strategies. (iii) Constitutive and inducible levels of defences may trade-off, and early successional plants should rely more on induction of defences after herbivore attack, whereas late successional plants will increasingly rely on constitutively produced levels of physical and chemical defence. (iv) Successional changes in microbial associations have consequences for root defence by improving plant nutrition and defence expression as well as directly competing for root space; however, toxic or impenetrable root defences may also limit association with root symbionts, and so may constrain the expression of root defence.