CREB-2, a cellular CRE-dependent transcription repressor, functions in association with Tax as an activator of the human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 promoter.

The Tax protein of the human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) has been implicated in human T-cell immortalization. The primary function of Tax is to transcriptionally activate the HTLV-1 promoter, but Tax is also known to stimulate expression of cellular genes. It has been reported to associate with several transcription factors, as well as proteins not involved in transcription. To better characterize potential cellular targets of Tax present in infected cells, a Saccharomyces cerevisiae two-hybrid screening was performed with a cDNA library constructed from the HTLV-1-infected MT2 cell line. From this study, we found 158 positive clones representing seven different cDNAs. We focused our attention on the cDNA encoding the transcription factor CREB-2. CREB-2 is an unconventional member of the ATF/CREB family in that it lacks a protein kinase A (PKA) phosphorylation site and has been reported to negatively regulate transcription from the cyclic AMP response element of the human enkephalin promoter. In this study, we demonstrate that CREB-2 cooperates with Tax to enhance viral transcription and that its basic-leucine zipper C-terminal domain is required for both in vitro and in vivo interactions with Tax. Our results confirm that the activation of the HTLV-1 promoter through Tax and factors of the ATF/CREB family is PKA independent.

Psychiatrie [Trends in psychiatry]

New data confirm that antidepressants have a global protective effect on the risk of suicide even if they very moderately and transiently increase suicide attempts, particularly in young people. We also present recent data about the following topics. (1) The main results of the STAR*D study, an outpatient study about depression treatment following a very complex algorithm. Nearly all the head to head comparisons between treatments showed a lack of significant difference, and the rates of clinical remission for patients non responders to their first two treatments were low. (2) The reintroduction of sertindole, an atypical antipsychotic: cardiac monitoring is necessary, but should not prevent its use as a second line drug. (3) The potential efficacy of dawn simulation and high density negative air ionization in seasonal depression.

Implantació del SAW en el centre d'educació especial AREMI

Oferir suport al centre AREMI a l'hora de posar en marxa l'ús del SAW amb l'objectiu d'usar-lo com a sistema de comunicació augmentativa en substitució del sistema que utilitzaven fins ara, el Plaphoons.

Noces : un dispositif complexe et une réception plurivoque

Noces est un film réalisé par Philippe Béziat. Issu d'une coproduction franco-suisse, il est sorti en France le 8 février 2012 et en Suisse romande le 26 septembre de la même année. Il met en scène, dans le Lavaux, une production contemporaine de l'oeuvre Les Noces, des répétitions à la présentation de la pièce dans son intégralité. La particularité de cette représentation, qui constitue l'aboutissement du film, réside dans le fait qu'elle n'est pas jouée devant un public, et était d'emblée prévue pour être exclusivement filmée1. Cette «cantate-ballet» a été composée par Igor Stravinsky lors de son séjour à Morges et le livret a été adapté en français par Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz à partir de contes et chansons populaires russes. La création du spectacle est encadrée par les Souvenirs sur Igor Strawinsky2, ouvrage dans lequel le poète vaudois évoque sa collaboration avec le compositeur et dépeint le lieu où ce projet a été développé. Constatant la diversité des discours critiques portés sur le film lors de sa sortie, le présent article cherche à identifier les logiques de réception ainsi que les aspects du film qui, parce que susceptibles de produire des lectures plurivoques, peuvent conduire à élaborer des avis opposés. 1Philippe Béziat revendique cette particularité de Noces dans l'interview qui figure dans le dossier de presse du film : « Mais le dispositif de représentation est absolument unique et ne peut être que cinématographique. On ne peut pas imaginer donner ces Noces comme ça dans une salle de concert ou dans une salle d'opéra. On n'entendrait pas ce que le spectateur du film entend, avec un son direct, spatialisé, et toujours du point de vue de la caméra. Un point de vue idéal parce qu'au centre de tout. ». 2Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz, Souvenirs sur Igor Strawinsky, Lausanne, Editions de l'Aire, 1978 [1929].

Predictions from information-theoretical models of nonequilibrium radiation

The radiation distribution function used by Domínguez and Jou [Phys. Rev. E 51, 158 (1995)] has been recently modified by Domínguez-Cascante and Faraudo [Phys. Rev. E 54, 6933 (1996)]. However, in these studies neither distribution was written in terms of directly measurable quantities. Here a solution to this problem is presented, and we also propose an experiment that may make it possible to determine the distribution function of nonequilibrium radiation experimentally. The results derived do not depend on a specific distribution function for the matter content of the system

Expression of neuroectodermal antigens common to melanomas, gliomas, and neuroblastomas. I. Identification by monoclonal anti-melanoma and anti-glioma antibodies.

The reactivity spectrum of five different monoclonal anti-melanoma antibodies cross-reacting with gliomas and neuroblastomas and one monoclonal anti-glioma antibody cross-reacting with melanomas and neuroblastomas was investigated. Comparison of the binding activity of these monoclonal antibodies for 11 melanoma, seven glioma, and three neuroblastoma cell lines showed that each of these clones had a different pattern of cross-reactivity. The results indicated that the antigenic determinants detected by these antibodies were not associated with the same antigen and thus suggested the existence of at least six different antigens common to melanomas, gliomas, and neuroblastomas. Since all these tumors are known to derive from cells originating embryologically from the neural crest, it can be assumed that the antigens recognized by our monoclonal antibodies are neuroectodermal differentiation antigens. However, absorption with fetal brain homogenates abolished only the binding of monoclonal anti-glioma antibody, but did not modify the binding of monoclonal anti-melanoma antibodies.

Vigilância pós-alta e o seu impacto na incidência da infecção do sítio cirúrgico

As infecções do sítio cirúrgico (ISC) por sua elevada incidência e repercussões associadas, representam importante problema dentre as infecções hospitalares. Objetivou-se neste estudo determinar a incidência da ISC de pacientes submetidos à cirurgia para obesidade mórbida (COM) e gástrica por outras causas (CGOC), durante a internação e após alta. Foram acompanhados em dois hospitais terciários, de ensino da cidade de São Paulo, entre agosto de 2001 e março de 2002, conforme metodologia NISS, 158 pacientes, sendo 81 submetidos à COM e 77 à CGOC, por um período de 30dias. Notificou-se 64 ISC, 6,3% durante a internação e 34,1% após a alta. Durante a internação, a incidência de ISC foi de 5,0% no grupo COM e de 7,8% no CGOC e com a vigilância pós-alta, estas taxas aumentaram para 55,6% e 24,7%, respectivamente, demonstrando que vigilância pós-alta no pacientes cirúrgico é uma importante ferramenta para obter dados confiáveis e redirecionar as políticas de prevenção e controle da ISC.

High-dose intravenous immunoglobulin treatment and cerebral vasospasm : a possible mechanism of ischemic encephalopathy?

A 46-year-old woman with a severe polyradiculoneuropathy treated with high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) presented an encephalopathy with increased blood flow velocities of the middle cerebral arteries (MCAs) detected by transcranial Doppler (TCD) studies. The similitude between this observation and another case recently reported of a patient suffering from Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and cerebral blood flow abnormalities after IVIg treatment prompted us to investigate the responsibility of the IVIg therapy in the genesis of these blood flow alterations. We studied therefore by TCD 10 consecutive patients who underwent this treatment for different reasons. In 1 case we observed an asymptomatic, spontaneously reversible increase in the blood flow velocities of the MCAs consistent with a vasospasm and occurring 3-10 days after completion of the therapy. Stroke and ischemic encephalopathy have been reported as possible complications of IVIg treatment. In the case under discussion, clinical events appeared shortly after the administration of the IVIg therapy and responded favorably to a treatment with nimodipine. Other etiopathogenic mechanisms, in particular a CNS vasculopathic process related to the GBS itself, have to be considered as well. Further studies, with a larger number of patients, are therefore needed to evaluate the underlying mechanisms of blood flow abnormalities occurring sometimes in GBS patients after IVIg treatment.

Host factors in occupational diisocyanate asthma: a Swiss longitudinal study

Objective: To investigate the usefulness of surrogates for individual susceptibility to organic diisocyanates in occupational asthma. Subjects: All new cases declared to the Swiss National Accident Insurance Company (SUVA) for establishment of a case for compensable occupational disease during 1993. Sixty-nine persons, of whom three were women, were suspected of having occupational asthma due to isocyanates. Of these, 47 subjects fulfilled the criteria to be accepted as an occupational disease case. Methods: All subjects were studied clinically and gave a blood sample for the phenotyping of their alpha-antitrypsin status and for immunological studies. The subjects were also given a peroral dose of caffeine for the determination of their N-acetylation capacity. Finally, those with an occupational disease were subjected to the methacholine provocation test. Results: Forty-four persons with occupational disease, out of 47, were heterozygous antitrypsin carriers and/or slow acetylators of primary amines. In the bronchial provocation with methacholine, 12 of these subjects had an unaltered response and seven had a mild reaction, 13 a moderate one and 15 a severe reaction. Interpretation: The study confirms the finding that slow N-acetylators are susceptible to asthma from exposure to common diisocyanate monomers at work. The same applies to heterozygous antitrypsin-phenotype carriers. Thus, the use of these markers may reinforce the diagnostic procedure, but they cannot completely replace the immunological tests. [Authors]

Oestrogen replacement treatment and the risk of endometrial cancer : an assessment of the role of covariates

The relationship between oestrogen replacement treatment and the risk of endometrial cancer was analysed in a case-control study of 158 histologically confirmed incident cases below the age of 75 and 468 controls in hospital for acute, non-neoplastic, non-hormone-related conditions conducted in the Swiss Canton of Vaud in 1988-1992. Overall, 60 (38%) cases vs. 93 (20%) controls had ever used oestrogen replacement treatment: the corresponding multiple logistic regression relative risk (RR) was 2.7 (95% confidence interval, CI: 1.7-4.1). The risk was directly related to duration of use, and rose to 5.1 (95% CI: 2.7-9.8) for > 5 year-use. The RR was still significantly elevated 10 or more years after stopping use (RR = 2.3, 95% CI: 1.2-4.5). When the role of covariates was considered, a significant interaction was observed with body mass index (RR for long-term oestrogen use = 6.0 for lean or normal weight women vs. 2.4 for overweight women). There was also a hint of a negative interaction with oral contraceptive (OC) use, since the RR for oestrogens was higher (or restricted) to women who had never used OC (RR = 5.4, for long-term oestrogen use), as compared with those who had used OC, who showed no significant evidence of association with oestrogens (RR = 0.9 for long-term use). There was no significant interaction with cigarette smoking. Thus, this study confirms the presence of a strong association between oestrogen replacement treatment and endometrial cancer risk, since in the late 1980s or early 1990s about 25% of cases could be attributed to oestrogen replacement treatment in this Swiss population. Further, it confirms the presence of significant negative interactions of oestrogen use with obesity, and, possibly, with OC as well.