Steady-state expression of self-regulated genes.

MOTIVATION: Regulatory gene networks contain generic modules such as feedback loops that are essential for the regulation of many biological functions. The study of the stochastic mechanisms of gene regulation is instrumental for the understanding of how cells maintain their expression at levels commensurate with their biological role, as well as to engineer gene expression switches of appropriate behavior. The lack of precise knowledge on the steady-state distribution of gene expression requires the use of Gillespie algorithms and Monte-Carlo approximations. METHODOLOGY: In this study, we provide new exact formulas and efficient numerical algorithms for computing/modeling the steady-state of a class of self-regulated genes, and we use it to model/compute the stochastic expression of a gene of interest in an engineered network introduced in mammalian cells. The behavior of the genetic network is then analyzed experimentally in living cells. RESULTS: Stochastic models often reveal counter-intuitive experimental behaviors, and we find that this genetic architecture displays a unimodal behavior in mammalian cells, which was unexpected given its known bimodal response in unicellular organisms. We provide a molecular rationale for this behavior, and we implement it in the mathematical picture to explain the experimental results obtained from this network.

Deep accidental hypothermia with core temperature below 24°c presenting with vital signs.

Abstract Pasquier, Mathieu, Noemi Zurron, Barbara Weith, Pierre Turini, Fabrice Dami, Pierre-Nicolas Carron, and Peter Paal. Deep accidental hypothermia with core temperature below 24°C presenting with vital signs. High Alt Med Biol. 15:58-63, 2014.-Background: According to the Swiss hypothermia clinical staging, patients with stage III are unconscious with preserved vital signs, with core temperature usually between 24° and 28°C. With stage IV, vital signs are absent with core temperature <24°C. Aims: To describe a patient presenting with HT stage III with vital signs but a core temperature of <24°C, and to search for similar patients in the medical literature. Materials and methods: MEDLINE was used to search for cases of deep accidental hypothermia (<24°C) and preserved vital signs. Results: We found 22 cases in addition to our case (n=23). Median age was 44 years (IQR 36; range 4-83) and median core temperature 22°C (IQR 1.7; 17-23.8). Vital signs were often minimal. Seven patients developed ventricular fibrillation (VF). Twenty patients survived with excellent neurological outcome. Conclusions: Vital signs can be present in hypothermic patients with core temperature <24°C. In deeply hypothermic patients, a careful check and prolonged check of vital functions should be made, as vital signs may be minimal. The clinical Swiss staging remains valuable in the prehospital evaluation of hypothermic patients; its correlation with core temperature should be better defined.

Desarrollo de un framework de Persistencia paratecnología Java : WayPersistence ORM

Les característiques imprescindibles per a qualsevol framework desenvolupat de forma personalitzada són: escalabilitat i multiplataforma, adaptabilitat a qualsevol sistema gestor de base de dades, vàlid per a qualsevol tipus de base de dades (relacional, en xarxa, jeràrquica, etc.) i fàcil maneig i simplicitat per a l'equip de desenvolupament. En el nostre WayPersistence v1.0 està validat per base de dades relacionals en un principi, millorable en versions posteriors.

L'autonomie fait-elle l'agence ?

Le modèle de l'agence et le phénomène d'agentification du service public correspondant au cours de ces deux dernières décennies s'inscrit à l'origine dans les réformes associées à la Nouvelle Gestion Publique, dans une visée d'amélioration de la performance du secteur public, par une plus grande efficacité managériale (eg Pollitt et al., 2001). Le modèle est basé sur une logique contractuelle: l'autorité politique attribue un mandat à l'agence, l'agence délivre les prestations attendues ; celle-ci est ensuite contrôlée sur ses résultats. Afin de délivrer les prestations de manière efficiente et efficace, l'agence doit bénéficier d'une latitude et flexibilité substantielle dans l'utilisation de ces ressources, c'est-à-dire d'un affranchissement (partiel) des règles et procédures bureaucratiques (eg Bouckaert, 2003).

Transparence et accès à l'information : typologie des comportements organisationnels des administrations publiques visant à limiter l'accès à l'information

La transparence de l'action gouvernementale et des administrations publiques est devenue une exigence démocratique inscrite dans de nombreux pays dans des lois sur l'accès à l'information. Or, si ces lois ont permis d'accroître l'information des citoyens, on constate toujours que de nombreuses organisations publiques cherchent à dissimuler de l'information alors qu'aucun intérêt public ou privé prépondérant ne justifie ce comportement. Ce working paper établit une typologie de ces comportements et les décrit avec notamment de nombreux exemples tirés des expériences faites aux USA, au Canada et en Suisse.

Traumatic mitral valve injury after blunt chest trauma: a case report and review of the literature.

Mitral valve injury after blunt chest trauma is a rare occurrence. We recently admitted a patient with severe traumatic mitral regurgitation who was successfully treated with surgery. Review of the literature aimed at taking an inventory of cases of traumatic nonpenetrating mitral insufficiency that were operated on, since the earliest report in 1964. Eighty-two cases were found and analyzed allowing for a better understanding of the epidemiology, etiology, natural history, pathology, and treatment of this rare condition. The most common lesions reach the papillary muscles (PM), followed by the chordae and then the mitral valve leaflets. Among the 82 cases reported that have been treated with surgery, 57% required a valve replacement. More than half of the patients had a PM injury with a complete or partial rupture. When the rupture is complete, and especially when it involves the anterior PM, the clinical picture is most always acute with clinically important hemodynamic repercussions, often necessitating emergency surgery, most of the time with mitral valve replacement. One must always suspect traumatic mitral injury after blunt chest trauma. The most common mitral lesions affect the PM. The clinical course can be indolent or devastating, and most often requires urgent or delayed surgical treatment, either with mitral valve repair or replacement.

Modelling and Prospects for Audience Measurement of Outdoor Advertising using GPS Devices

The paper describes how to integrate audience measurement and site visibility as the main research approaches in outdoor advertising research in a single concept. Details are portrayed on how GPS is used on a large scale in Switzerland for mobility analysis and audience measurement. Furthermore, the development of a software solution is introduced that allows the integration of all mobility data and poster location information. Finally a model and its results is presented for the calculation of coverage of individual poster campaigns and for the calculation of the number of contacts generated by each billboard.

A new species of the genus Panstrongylus from French Guiana (Heteroptera; Reduviidae; Triatominae)

Panstrongylus mitarakaensis n. sp. is described from French Guiana. Morphological characters are provided. This small species, less robust than other Panstrongylus species, shows a pronotum shape similar to species of the "P. lignarius complex". However, others characters such as the postocular part of head, the obsolete tubercle on the anterior lobe of pronotum, and the lateral process on the antenniferous tubercle distinguish it from the species in that complex. The taxonomic key of the genus Panstrongylus is actualized.