Regulation of memory B-cell survival by the BH3-only protein Puma

Apoptosis is crucial for immune system homeostasis, including selection and survival of long-lived antibody-forming cells and memory cells. The interactions between proapoptotic and pro-survival proteins of the Bcl-2 family are critical for this process. In this report, we show that expression of the proapoptotic BH3-only Bcl-2 family member Puma was selectively up-regulated on in vitro activation with antigens or mitogens of both human and mouse B cells. Puma expression coincided in vivo, with the prosurvival Bcl-2 family member Mcl-1 within the germinal centers and its expression correlates with the germinal center like phenotype of Burkitt lymphoma. Experiments performed in Puma-deficient mice revealed that Puma is essential for apoptosis of mitogen-activated B cells in vitro and for the control of memory B-cell survival. In conclusion, using both human and murine models, our data show that Puma has a major role in the T cell- dependent B-cell immune response. These data demonstrate that Puma is a major regulator of memory B lymphocyte survival and therefore a key molecule in the control of the immune response.     

NESS038C6, a novel selective CB1 antagonist agent with anti-obesity activity and improved molecular profile

The present work aims to study the effects induced by a chronic treatment with a novel CB1 antagonist (NESS038C6) in C57BL/6N diet-induced obesity (DIO) mice. Mice treated with NESS038C6 and fed with a fat diet (NESS038C6 FD) were compared with the following three reference experimental groups: DIO mice fed with the same fat diet used for NESS038C6 and treated with vehicle or the reference CB1 antagonist/inverse agonist rimonabant, "VH FD" and "SR141716 FD", respectively; DIO mice treated with vehicle and switched to a normal diet (VH ND). NESS038C6 chronic treatment (30mg/kg/day for 31 days) determined a significant reduction in DIO mice weight relative to that of VH FD. The entity of the effect was comparable to that detected in both SR141716 FD and VH ND groups. Moreover, if compared to VH FD, NESS038C6 FD evidenced: (i) improvement of cardiovascular risk factors; (ii) significant decrease in adipose tissue leptin expression; (iii) increase in mRNA expression of hypothalamic orexigenic peptides and a decrease of anorexigenic peptides; (iv) expression increase of metabolic enzymes and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α in the liver; (v) normalization of monoaminergic transporters and neurotrophic expression in mesolimbic area. However, in contrast to the case of rimonabant, the novel CB1 antagonist improved the disrupted expression profile of genes linked to the hunger-satiety circuit, without altering monoaminergic transmission. In conclusion, the novel CB1 antagonist compound NESS038C6 may represent a useful candidate agent for the treatment of obesity and its metabolic complications, without or with reduced side effects relative to those instead observed with rimonabant.     

M. bovis and M. caprae infections in Aquitaine: A clinico-epidemiologic study of 15 patients

The agent of bovine tuberculosis, Mycobacterium bovis, is a zoonosis which can be transmitted to human beings. In France, the prevalence of tuberculosis due to M. bovis has drastically decreased, both for animals and humans, since public health measures were introduced to prevent its transmission. However, a new outbreak of the disease is noted among cattle in several French areas and more particularly in Aquitaine. In 2008, 40% of bovine tuberculosis French cases provided from Aquitaine. From November 2004 to October 2008, 15 cases were registered at Bordeaux's academic hospital (CHU). Thirteen of them were due to M. bovis and two to Mycobacterium caprae. It represents 2.9% of tuberculosis due to tuberculosis complex. An analysis of the 15 patients’ medical files showed that it occurred either to old people who reactivated a former infection, or to younger ones who were born in countries with a strong M. bovis endemic disease. Extrapulmonary forms and especially ganglionics ones are the most frequent. M. caprae seems to be an emergent species among animal mycobacteries transmissible to human being. An epidemiological monitoring seems to be necessary to establish a relation between the regional outbreak of bovine tuberculosis and human tuberculosis.     

Electroencephalogram processing using neural networks.

The electroencephalogram (EEG), a highly complex signal, is one of the most common sources of information used to study brain function and neurological disorders. More than 100 current neural network applications dedicated to EEG processing are presented. Works are categorized according to their objective (sleep analysis, monitoring anesthesia depth, brain-computer interface, EEG artifact detection, EEG source-based localization, etc.). Each application involves a specific approach (long-term analysis or short-term EEG segment analysis, real-time or time delayed processing, single or multiple EEG-channel analysis, etc.), for which neural networks were generally successful. The promising performances observed are demonstrative of the efficiency and efficacy of systems developed. This review can aid researchers, clinicians and implementors to understand up-to-date interest in neural network tools for EEG processing. The extended bibliography provides a database to assist in possible new concepts and idea development.     

The epidemiology of anxiety disorders in the Arab world: A review

Epidemiological studies are quite rare in the Arab world. The Institute for Development Research Advocacy and Applied Care (IDRAAC) has conducted a systematic review of all epidemiologic research on anxiety disorders in the Arab world up to 2006. Specific keywords were used in the search for affective disorders, namely anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder, GAD, panic, separation anxiety disorder, SAD, overanxious disorder, OAD, phobia, fear, post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), obsessive compulsive symptom (OCS), obsession, compulsion, obsessive, compulsive. All results were screened and categorized. Epidemiological data on prevalence, gender differences, age of onset, comorbidity, risk factors and treatment of anxiety disorders in the Arab world were found in clinical and community samples. There is an evident need for national data on anxiety disorders in the Arab world in order to identify the magnitude of these diseases and their burden on the individual and community.     

Trends in cervical cancer incidence in younger US women from 2000 to 2013

Objective

This study aimed to assess the temporal trends in invasive cervical cancer (ICC) incidence rates among 21–25 year-olds. US guidelines no longer recommend screening prior to age 21, and concerns have been raised that delayed screening initiation may increase ICC incidence among young women.

Some unexpected behaviours of PTW/Nucletron well-type ionization chambers

Some unexpected behaviours of PTW/Nucletron well-type ionization chambers have been discovered. A significant undesired detection volume is present in the region surrounding the electrical terminals. A finite-element code has been used to compute electrical fields in this region, and it showed that the magnitude of the undesired volume was dependent on the electrical connector type. An experimental confirmation of this assumption has been obtained. A source activity dependence of the calibration coefficients has also been revealed. A set of recommendations for the optimal use of this detector is proposed.