Genomic changes during the evolution of the Coxiella genus along the parasitism-mutualism continuum

The Coxiellaceae family is composed of five genera showing lifestyles ranging from free-living to symbiosis. Among them, Coxiella burnetii is a well-known pathogen causing Q fever in humans. This bacterium presents both intracellular (parasitic) and environmental (resistant) forms. Recently, several environmental Coxiella genomes have been reported, among which several have come from intracellular mutualistic symbionts of ticks, termed Coxiella-like endosymbionts. We sequenced two new Coxiella-LE genomes from Dermacentor marginatus (CLEDm) and Ornithodoros maritimus (CLEOmar) ticks, the latter belonging to the C. burnetii lineage. Using these newly sequenced Coxiella-LEs and 43 Coxiellaceae genomes, we conducted comparative genomic and phylogenomic analyses to increase our knowledge of C. burnetii pathogenicity and the emergence of Coxiella-LEs. Results highlight the probably parasitic nature of the common ancestor of the Coxiellaceae. Indeed, the virulence factor Dot/Icm T4 Secretion System is present in most, but not all, Coxiellaceae. Whereas it is part of a putative pathogenic island in C. burnetii, it has been entirely lost or inactivated in Coxiella-LEs, suggesting its importance in pathogenesis. Additionally, we found that a Sha/Mrp antiporter was laterally acquired in the C. burnetii lineage. This antiporter might be involved in alkali resistance and the development of the resistant form that is able to persist in the environment for long periods of time. The Sha operon is eroded or absent in Coxiella-LEs. Finally, we found that all Coxiella representatives produce B vitamins and co-factors indicating a pre-adaptation of Coxiella to mutualism with hematophagous arthropods. Accordingly, the ancestor of C. burnetii and Coxiella-LEs was likely a parasitic bacterium able to manipulate its host cell and to produce vitamins and co-factors for its own use

The Gene Expression Analysis of Blood Reveals S100A11 and AQP9 as Potential Biomarkers of Infective Endocarditis

BACKGROUND: The diagnostic and prognostic assessments of infective endocarditis (IE) are challenging. To investigate the host response during IE and to identify potential biomarkers, we determined the circulating gene expression profile using whole genome microarray analysis. METHODS AND RESULTS: A transcriptomic case-control study was performed on blood samples from patients with native valve IE (n = 39), excluded IE after an initial suspicion (n = 10) at patient's admission, and age-matched healthy controls (n = 10). Whole genome microarray analysis showed that patients with IE exhibited a specific transcriptional program with a predominance of gene categories associated with cell activation as well as innate immune and inflammatory responses. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR performed on a selection of highly modulated genes showed that the expression of the gene encoding S100 calcium binding protein A11 (S100A11) was significantly increased in patients with IE in comparison with controls (P<0.001) and patients with excluded IE (P<0.05). Interestingly, the upregulated expression of the S100A11 gene was more pronounced in staphylococcal IE than in streptococcal IE (P<0.01). These results were confirmed by serum concentrations of the S100A11 protein. Finally, we showed that in patients with IE, the upregulation of the aquaporin-9 gene (AQP9) was significantly associated with the occurrence of acute heart failure (P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Using transcriptional signatures of blood samples, we identified S100A11 as a potential diagnostic marker of IE, and AQP9 as a potential prognostic factor

Orientia tsutsugamushi Stimulates an Original Gene Expression Program in Monocytes: Relationship with Gene Expression in Patients with Scrub Typhus

Orientia tsutsugamushi is the causal agent of scrub typhus, a public health problem in the Asia-Pacific region and a life-threatening disease. O. tsutsugamushi is an obligate intracellular bacterium that mainly infects endothelial cells. We demonstrated here that O. tsutsugamushi also replicated in monocytes isolated from healthy donors. In addition, O. tsutsugamushi altered the expression of more than 4,500 genes, as demonstrated by microarray analysis. The expression of type I interferon, interferon-stimulated genes and genes associated with the M1 polarization of macrophages was significantly upregulated. O. tsutsugamushi also induced the expression of apoptosis-related genes and promoted cell death in a small percentage of monocytes. Live organisms were indispensable to the type I interferon response and apoptosis and enhanced the expression of M1-associated cytokines. These data were related to the transcriptional changes detected in mononuclear cells isolated from patients with scrub typhus. Here, the microarray analyses revealed the upregulation of 613 genes, which included interferon-related genes, and some features of M1 polarization were observed in these patients, similar to what was observed in O. tsutsugamushi-stimulated monocytes in vitro. This is the first report demonstrating that monocytes are clearly polarized in vitro and ex vivo following exposure to O. tsutsugamushi. These results would improve our understanding of the pathogenesis of scrub typhus, during which interferon-mediated activation of monocytes and their subsequent polarization into an M1 phenotype appear critical. This study may give us a clue of new tools for the diagnosis of patients with scrub typhus

The Representation(s) of Morocco in Elias Canetti’s The Voices of Marrakesh

Elias Canetti’s (2009) the Voices of Marrakesh depicts a set of cultural features about Marrakesh city, Morocco. In such travel writing text, different are the issues of representation about the country which are discursively figured in negative perspectives. Relatedly, the gaze of the Westerner theoretically and practically helps target the extent to which the Moroccan landscape and identity are constructed. At this point, debates about the nature of concepts like the ‘civilized’, the ‘primitive’, and the ‘savage’ are very common and form the intellectual background for the travel writer. The dichotomy between center and periphery is highly examined in the present article since there are images or processes of decentralizing Morocco. Following post-colonial analytical approach, the current article problematizes the way the West represents Morocco and its cultural geography. Importantly, the article focuses on Moroccan geography which is given little if not no importance pretending that it is a deserted space where the uncivilized natives dwell. It serves nothing but fear and mystery. This paper serves as a basis for the readership to understand the way Morocco is portrayed by Canetti. By representing Morocco in different images, Canetti ideologically generates a socio-cultural discourse about Arabs and about Morocco in particular. By doing so, he confirms the fact that there is no innocent text including travel narrative

The Representation(s) of Morocco in Elias Canetti’s The Voices of Marrakesh

Elias Canetti’s (2009) the Voices of Marrakesh depicts a set of cultural features about Marrakesh city, Morocco. In such travel writing text, different are the issues of representation about the country which are discursively figured in negative perspectives. Relatedly, the gaze of the Westerner theoretically and practically helps target the extent to which the Moroccan landscape and identity are constructed. At this point, debates about the nature of concepts like the ‘civilized’, the ‘primitive’, and the ‘savage’ are very common and form the intellectual background for the travel writer. The dichotomy between center and periphery is highly examined in the present article since there are images or processes of decentralizing Morocco. Following post-colonial analytical approach, the current article problematizes the way the West represents Morocco and its cultural geography. Importantly, the article focuses on Moroccan geography which is given little if not no importance pretending that it is a deserted space where the uncivilized natives dwell. It serves nothing but fear and mystery. This paper serves as a basis for the readership to understand the way Morocco is portrayed by Canetti. By representing Morocco in different images, Canetti ideologically generates a socio-cultural discourse about Arabs and about Morocco in particular. By doing so, he confirms the fact that there is no innocent text including travel narrative

Benefits of Argan Oil on Human Health—May 4–6 2017, Errachidia, Morocco

The First International Symposium "The beneficial effects of argan oil on human health" is part of the dynamics of research and development programs on argan oil, which prompts Morocco to deploy various strategies, programs and plans for the protection and preservation of the argan tree and of its know-how that is linked to the production of argan oil. The economy associated with Argan oil concerns different sectors: agriculture, agro-industry, health and wellbeing…The first international symposium was organized on 4, 5 and 6 May in Errachidia (Tafilalet, Morocco) on the theme "The beneficial effects of argan oil on human health" by the Research Team ‘Biology, Environment and Health’ (Univ. Moulay Ismaïl, FSTE) in partnership with the Moroccan Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Its objective was to allow researchers and experts, farmers / producers, technical institutes, decision-makers and elected representatives, to exchange about the results of research on argan oil, in the valorisation of its substances and on their chemical and biological properties.A large call for contributions helped to harvest about a hundred contributions presented in the form of lectures (10), oral communications (22) or posters (66). The various contributions, resulting from research and R & D projects, from actions of institutions, laboratories, non-governmental organizations, international and national projects, were entirely or partially dedicated to the importance of argan oil as food with benefits to human health. People from Morocco, and North Africa (Tunisia, Algeria), Europa (France, Spain) and USA attended the meeting.The holding of this congress in the city of Errachidia, capital of the Tafilalet region, was an opportunity for exchanges and contacts between Moroccan researchers and the international scientific community. The presence of renowned speakers nationally and internationally recognized honored and enriched this event. The purpose of this meeting was to provide a valuable opportunity for participants to exhibit and discuss their research and introduce new technologies. The themes addressed current international issues and raise awareness of the uses and perspectives of research on the beneficial effects of argan oil.Below, you will find the abstracts grouped as invited presentations, oral presentations and poster presentations.n/

Health risks, governance and changes in ecotourism paradigms during Covid19 pandemic, case study of Essaouira Province in Morocco

Tourism merits on natural spaces are not exhausted, namely economic dynamics, development of the local population’s life conditions, species conservation and awareness of environmental protection. However, the damage caused by Coronavirus to natural and rural spaces has impacted such merits negatively, for example, suspension of tourism and recreation activities. Further, the rebirth of ecotourism will be slower and necessitates profound changes in travel design and service delivery. Hence, sustainability, sanitary and regulatory measures will probably help manage ecotourism systems. Nevertheless, these will be affected by the increase in exploring relations between nature and wildlife regarding zoonotic and vector-borne infections and the fragility of biodiversity. Because of his mobility, a tourist appears to be a potential pathogen transmission factor of infections to natural areas, local communities, ecotourism destinations, his country and the crossed ones. New procedures would reduce travel and control traveler’s behavior, and interactions between travelers and wild animals. The slowdown in demand may thus hinder the development of ecotourism. Sensitivity to epidemiological risk and vector-borne diseases will be greater and the need for health-friendly tourism will be further strengthened

Automatic Control Variates for Option Pricing using Neural Networks

International audienceMany pricing problems boil down to the computation of a high dimensional integral, which is usually estimated using Monte Carlo. In fact, the accuracy of a Monte Carlo estimator with M simulations is given by σ √ M. Meaning that its convergence is immune to the dimension of the problem. However, this convergence can be relatively slow depending on the variance σ of the function to be integrated. To resolve such a problem, one would perform some variance reduction techniques such as importance sampling, stratification, or control variates. In this paper, we will study two approaches for improving the convergence of Monte Carlo using Neural Networks. The first approach relies on the fact that many high dimensional financial problems are of low effective dimensions[15]. We expose a method to reduce the dimension of such problems in order to keep only the necessary variables. The integration can then be done using fast numerical integration techniques such as Gaussian quadrature. The second approach consists in building an automatic control variate using neural networks. We learn the function to be integrated (which incorporates the diffusion model plus the payoff function) in order to build a network that is highly correlated to it. As the network that we use can be integrated exactly, we can use it as a control variate

Argan Oil as an Effective Nutri-Therapeutic Agent in Metabolic Syndrome: A Preclinical Study

The present study aims at examining the effects of argan oil on the three main cardiovascular risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome (hypertension, insulin resistance and obesity) and on one of its main complications, neuropathic pain. Male Sprague-Dawley rats had free access to a drinking solution containing 10% d-glucose or tap water for 12 weeks. The effect of argan oil was compared to that of corn oil given daily by gavage during 12 weeks in glucose-fed rats. Glucose-fed rats showed increases in systolic blood pressure, epididymal fat, plasma levels of triglycerides, leptin, glucose and insulin, insulin resistance, tactile and cold allodynia in association with a rise in superoxide anion production and NADPH oxidase activity in the thoracic aorta, epididymal fat and gastrocnemius muscle. Glucose-fed rats also showed rises in B1 receptor protein expression in aorta and gastrocnemius muscle. Argan oil prevented or significantly reduced all those anomalies with an induction in plasma adiponectin levels. In contrast, the same treatment with corn oil had a positive impact only on triglycerides, leptin, adiponectin and insulin resistance. These data are the first to suggest that argan oil is an effective nutri-therapeutic agent to prevent the cardiovascular risk factors and complications associated with metabolic syndrome