Adaptation of canine distemper virus to canine footpad keratinocytes modifies polymerase activity and fusogenicity through amino acid substitutions in the P/V/C and H proteins.

The wild-type canine distemper virus (CDV) strain A75/17 induces a non-cytocidal infection in cultures of canine footpad keratinocytes (CFKs) but produces very little progeny virus. After only three passages in CFKs, the virus produced 100-fold more progeny and induced a limited cytopathic effect. Sequence analysis of the CFK-adapted virus revealed only three amino acid differences, of which one was located in each the P/V/C, M and H proteins. In order to assess which amino acid changes were responsible for the increase of infectious virus production and altered phenotype of infection, we generated a series of recombinant viruses. Their analysis showed that the altered P/V/C proteins were responsible for the higher levels of virus progeny formation and that the amino acid change in the cytoplasmic tail of the H protein was the major determinant of cytopathogenicity.

Association analyses of 249,796 individuals reveal 18 new loci associated with body mass index.

Obesity is globally prevalent and highly heritable, but its underlying genetic factors remain largely elusive. To identify genetic loci for obesity susceptibility, we examined associations between body mass index and ∼ 2.8 million SNPs in up to 123,865 individuals with targeted follow up of 42 SNPs in up to 125,931 additional individuals. We confirmed 14 known obesity susceptibility loci and identified 18 new loci associated with body mass index (P < 5 × 10⁻⁸), one of which includes a copy number variant near GPRC5B. Some loci (at MC4R, POMC, SH2B1 and BDNF) map near key hypothalamic regulators of energy balance, and one of these loci is near GIPR, an incretin receptor. Furthermore, genes in other newly associated loci may provide new insights into human body weight regulation.

Elämää Pohjanmaalla siirtolaisuuden varjossa

Kirja-arvio

V, (3)

Le médecin légiste - celui qui fascine la littérature policière, les scénaristes et les médias - c'est essetiellement celui qui pratique l'autopsie médico-légale. Or les médecins légistes aiment rappeler que leur spécialité dépasse, et de loin, cet exercice. En effet, la médecine légale est la médecine de toutes les violences. Le plus souvent, et c'est heureux, les victimes restent en vie, même si elles sont parfois marquées profondément par le traumatisme qu'elles ont subi. En associant quatre vingt-dix auteurs, ce traité constitue un panorama des situations de violence dans leur gravité clinique, leur réalité sociale et leur épidémiologie. Abordant dans la seconde partie de l'ouvrage les rapports entre médecine et justice, les auteurs s'adressent à tous les praticiens du droit et de la santé pour montrer qu'un médecin légiste a bien d'autres territoires d'intervention que la salle d'autopsie.

The Quaternary Active Faults Database of Iberia (QAFI v.2.0)

The Quaternary Active Faults Database of Iberia (QAFI) is an initiative lead by the Institute of Geology and Mines of Spain (IGME) for building a public repository of scientific data regarding faults having documented activity during the last 2.59 Ma (Quaternary). QAFI also addresses a need to transfer geologic knowledge to practitioners of seismic hazard and risk in Iberia by identifying and characterizing seismogenic fault-sources. QAFI is populated by the information freely provided by more than 40 Earth science researchers, storing to date a total of 262 records. In this article we describe the development and evolution of the database, as well as its internal architecture. Aditionally, a first global analysis of the data is provided with a special focus on length and slip-rate fault parameters. Finally, the database completeness and the internal consistency of the data are discussed. Even though QAFI v.2.0 is the most current resource for calculating fault-related seismic hazard in Iberia, the database is still incomplete and requires further review.

Institution de Jonas, év. d'Orléans.

Ex-libris : f.1 : « Sti Germani a Pratis »

Detecting, quantifying and adjusting for publication bias in meta-analyses: protocol of a systematic review on methods.

BACKGROUND: Health professionals and policymakers aspire to make healthcare decisions based on the entire relevant research evidence. This, however, can rarely be achieved because a considerable amount of research findings are not published, especially in case of 'negative' results - a phenomenon widely recognized as publication bias. Different methods of detecting, quantifying and adjusting for publication bias in meta-analyses have been described in the literature, such as graphical approaches and formal statistical tests to detect publication bias, and statistical approaches to modify effect sizes to adjust a pooled estimate when the presence of publication bias is suspected. An up-to-date systematic review of the existing methods is lacking. METHODS/DESIGN: The objectives of this systematic review are as follows:âeuro¢ To systematically review methodological articles which focus on non-publication of studies and to describe methods of detecting and/or quantifying and/or adjusting for publication bias in meta-analyses.âeuro¢ To appraise strengths and weaknesses of methods, the resources they require, and the conditions under which the method could be used, based on findings of included studies.We will systematically search Web of Science, Medline, and the Cochrane Library for methodological articles that describe at least one method of detecting and/or quantifying and/or adjusting for publication bias in meta-analyses. A dedicated data extraction form is developed and pilot-tested. Working in teams of two, we will independently extract relevant information from each eligible article. As this will be a qualitative systematic review, data reporting will involve a descriptive summary. DISCUSSION: Results are expected to be publicly available in mid 2013. This systematic review together with the results of other systematic reviews of the OPEN project (To Overcome Failure to Publish Negative Findings) will serve as a basis for the development of future policies and guidelines regarding the assessment and handling of publication bias in meta-analyses.