“Une plongée dans le présent” : à propos de Voronia (2015). Entretien avec Marcos Morau

Entretien avec Marcos Morau, fondateur du collectif La Veronal, à l’occasion de la reprise en janvier 2019 de Voronia (2015) sur la scène nationale du Manège à Reims, dans le cadre du festival Reims Scènes d’Europe

Inference of phylogenetic trees directly from raw sequencing reads using Read2Tree.

Current methods for inference of phylogenetic trees require running complex pipelines at substantial computational and labor costs, with additional constraints in sequencing coverage, assembly and annotation quality, especially for large datasets. To overcome these challenges, we present Read2Tree, which directly processes raw sequencing reads into groups of corresponding genes and bypasses traditional steps in phylogeny inference, such as genome assembly, annotation and all-versus-all sequence comparisons, while retaining accuracy. In a benchmark encompassing a broad variety of datasets, Read2Tree is 10-100 times faster than assembly-based approaches and in most cases more accurate-the exception being when sequencing coverage is high and reference species very distant. Here, to illustrate the broad applicability of the tool, we reconstruct a yeast tree of life of 435 species spanning 590 million years of evolution. We also apply Read2Tree to >10,000 Coronaviridae samples, accurately classifying highly diverse animal samples and near-identical severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 sequences on a single tree. The speed, accuracy and versatility of Read2Tree enable comparative genomics at scale

How do “migrant” and “world” music change local and national cultures? An insight from Cologne carnival, related antiracist networks and recent cultural politics

Ayse Çağlar and Nina Glick Schiller have invited migration scholars to put constructively into question the transnational paradigm by “Locating Migration” (2011). Based on our work on the dynamics of the Cologne carnival (Salzbrunn 2014, 2022a; Ellinghaus and Salzbrunn 2019), this chapter assesses the impact of “migrant” and “world” music on local and national cultural policies. Cologne’s history has always been shaped by migration, even though the enrichment of the music and carnival scene thanks to migrants has been recognized and celebrated only for a couple of decades. During the last thirty years, Cologne carnival as well as the broader music scene in Cologne has undergone profound changes: new repertories referring to different social and religious references, updated lyrics of songs, hybrid styles with sources from musicians with multiple origins, links between the anti-Nazi resistance movements and current anti-fascist initiatives. Diversification processes have been initiated both top-down and bottom-up, leading to resilient changes concerning the use of musical references and the visibility of new cultural actors. We analyse the creativity and openness of the cultural scene of Cologne, taking into consideration political consciousness, decision-making and re-shaping of institutions and the short-term and long-term strategies and effects of culture politics. Starting from a local case study, we will broaden our perspective to regional dynamics and put those in a broader national and supranational context

Cancers des glandes salivaires : nouvelles approches thérapeutiques [Salivary gland cancer: new therapeutic approaches]

Salivary gland carcinomas are rare, characterized by a diversity of histological subtypes associated with variable clinical behavior and prognosis with usually a poor response to chemotherapy. In this context, molecular alterations have been identified and represent potential therapeutic targets: overexpression of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) and androgen receptors in salivary duct cancer, NOTCH mutations in adenoid cystic carcinoma, NTRK gene fusion in secretory carcinoma. Screening for these molecular alterations is mandatory in all patients with recurrent or metastatic salivary gland cancer as it may allow an individualized treatment

Ondansetron for Low Anterior Resection Syndrome (LARS): A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Cross-Over, Randomized Study.

The aim of the study was to examine the efficacity and safety of ondansetron, a serotonin receptor antagonist, to treat patients with low anterior resection syndrome (LARS). LARS after rectal resection is common and debilitating. Current management strategies include behavioral and dietary modifications, physiotherapy, antidiarrheal drugs, enemas, and neuromodulation, but the results are not always satisfactory. This is a randomized, multicentric, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, and cross-over study. Patients with LARS (LARS score >20) no longer than 2 years after rectal resection were randomized to receive either 4 weeks of ondansetron followed by 4 weeks of placebo (O-P group) or 4 weeks of placebo followed by 4 weeks of ondansetron (P-O group). The primary endpoint was LARS severity measured using the LARS score; secondary endpoints were incontinence (Vaizey score) and irritable bowel syndrome quality of life (IBS-QoL questionnaire). Patients' scores and questionnaires were completed at baseline and after each 4-week treatment period. Of 46 randomized patients, 38 were included in the analysis. From baseline to the end of the first period, in the O-P group, the mean (SD) LARS score decreased by 25% [from 36.6 (5.6) to 27.3 (11.5)] and the proportion of patients with major LARS (score >30) went from 15/17 (88%) to 7/17 (41%), ( P =0.001). In the P-O group, the mean (SD) LARS score decreased by 12% [from 37 (4.8) to 32.6 (9.1)], and the proportion of major LARS went from 19/21 (90%) to 16/21 (76%). After crossover, LARS scores deteriorated again in the O-P group receiving placebo, but further improved in the P-O group receiving ondansetron. Mean Vaizey scores and IBS QoL scores followed a similar pattern. Ondansetron is a safe and simple treatment that appears to improve both symptoms and QoL in LARS patients

The use of whole body computed tomography does not lead to increased 24-h mortality in severely injured patients in circulatory shock.

The Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) approach is generally accepted as the standard of care for the initial management of severely injured patients. While whole body computed tomography (WBCT) is still considered a contraindication in haemodynamically unstable trauma patients, there is a growing amount of data indicating the absence of harm from cross sectional imaging in this patient group. Our study aimed to compare the early mortality of unstable trauma patients undergoing a WBCT during the initial workup with those who did not. Single-center retrospective observational study based on the local trauma registry including 3525 patients with an ISS > 15 from January 2008 to June 2020. We compared the 24-h mortality of injured patients in circulatory shock undergoing WBCT with a control group undergoing standard workup only. Inclusion criteria were the simultaneous presence of a systolic blood pressure < 100 mmHg, lactate > 2.2 mmol/l and base excess < - 2 mmol/l as surrogate markers for circulatory shock. To control for confounding, a propensity score matched analysis with conditional logistic regression for adjustment of residual confounders and a sensitivity analysis using inverse probability weighting (IPW) with and without adjustment were performed. Of the 3525 patients, 161 (4.6%) fulfilled all inclusion criteria. Of these, 132 (82%) underwent WBCT and 29 (18%) standard work-up only. In crude and matched analyses, no difference in early (24 h) mortality was observed (WBCT, 23 (17.4%) and no-WBCT, 8 (27.6%); p = 0.21). After matching and adjustment for main confounders, the odds ratio for the event of death at 24 h in the WBCT group was 0.36 (95% CI 0.07-1.73); p = 0.20. In the present study, WBCT did not increase the risk of death at 24 h among injured patients in shock. This adds to the growing data indicating that WBCT may be offered to trauma patients in circulatory shock without jeopardizing early survival