Empirical model for rapid macroseismic intensities prediction in Guadeloupe and Martinique Modèle empirique pour la prédiction rapide des intensités macrosismiques en Guadeloupe et Martinique

International audienceWe describe a simple model for prediction of macroseismic intensities adapted to Guadeloupe and Martinique (Lesser Antilles), based on a combination of peak ground acceleration (PGA) predictive equation and a forward relation between acceleration and intensity. The PGA predictive equation is built from a 3-parameter functional form constrained by measurements from permanent accelerometer stations, mostly associated with Les Saintes crustal earthquake (21/11/2004, Mw = 6:3) and its many aftershocks. The forward intensity model is checked on a database of recent instrumental events of various origins with magnitudes 1.6 to 7.4, distances from 4 to 300 km, and observed intensities from I to VIII. Global sigma residual equals 0.8 in the MSK scale, suggesting a larger applicability range than the intermediate PGA predictive equation. The model is presently used by the French Lesser Antilles observatories to produce automatic reports for earthquakes potentially felt

HyMeX: A 10-Year Multidisciplinary Program on the Mediterranean Water Cycle

Drobinski, P. ... et. al.-- 20 pages, 10 figures, 1 table, supplement material http://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/suppl/10.1175/BAMS-D-12-00244.1HyMeX strives to improve our understanding of the Mediterranean water cycle, its variability from the weather-scale events to the seasonal and interannual scales, and its characteristics over one decade (2010–20), with a special focus on hydrometeorological extremes and the associated social and economic vulnerability of the Mediterranean territoriesHyMeX was developed by an international group of scientists and is currently funded by a large number of agencies. It has been the beneficiary of financial contributions from CNRS; Météo-France; CNES; IRSTEA; INRA; ANR; Collectivité Territoriale de Corse; KIT; CNR; Université de Toulouse; Grenoble Universités; EUMETSAT; EUMETNET; AEMet; Université Blaise Pascal, Clermont Ferrand; Université de la Méditerranée (Aix-Marseille II); Université Montpellier 2; CETEMPS; Italian Civil Protection Department; Université Paris- Sud 11; IGN; EPFL; NASA; New Mexico Tech; IFSTTAR; Mercator Ocean; NOAA; ENEA; TU Delft; CEA; ONERA; IMEDEA; SOCIB; ETH; MeteoCat; Consorzio LAMMA; IRD; National Observatory of Athens; Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación; CIMA; BRGM; Wageningen University and Research Center; Department of Geophysics, University of Zagreb; Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Split, Croatia; INGV; OGS; Maroc Météo; DHMZ; ARPA Piemonte; ARPA-SIMC Emilia-Romagna; ARPA Calabria; ARPA Friuli Venezia Giulia; ARPA Liguria; ISPRA; University of Connecticut; Università degli Studi dell'Aquila; Università di Bologna; Università degli Studi di Torino; Università degli Studi della Basilicata; Università La Sapienza di Roma; Università degli Studi di Padova; Università del Salento; Universitat de Barcelona; Universitat de les Illes Balears; Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha; Universidad Complutense de Madrid; MeteoSwiss; and DLR. It also received support from the European Community's Seventh Framework Programme (e.g., PERSEUS, CLIM-RUN)Peer reviewe

Construction of a subgenomic CV-B3 replicon expressing emerald green fluorescent protein to assess viral replication of a cardiotropic enterovirus strain in cultured human cells

Coxsackieviruses B (CV-B) (Picornaviridae) are a common infectious cause of acute myocarditis in children and young adults, a disease, which is a precursor to 10-20% of chronic myocarditis and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) cases. The mechanisms involved in the disease progression from acute to chronic myocarditis phase and toward the DCM clinical stage are not fully understood but are influenced by both viral and host factors. Subgenomic replicons of CV-B can be used to assess viral replication mechanisms in human cardiac cells and evaluate the effects of potential antiviral drugs on viral replication activities. Our objectives were to generate a reporter replicon from a cardiotropic prototype CV-B3/28 strain and to characterize its replication properties into human cardiac primary cells. To obtain this replicon, a cDNA plasmid containing the full CV-B3/28 genome flanked by a hammerhead ribozyme sequence and an MluI restriction site was generated and used as a platform for the insertion of sequences encoding emerald green fluorescent protein (EmGFP) in place of those encoding VP3. In vitro transcribed RNA from this plasmid was transfected into HeLa cells and human primary cardiac cells and was able to produce EmGFP and VP1-containing polypeptides. Moreover, non-structural protein biological activity was assessed by the specific cleavage of eIF4G1 by viral 2A(pro). Viral RNA replication was indirectly demonstrated by inhibition assays, fluoxetine was added to cell culture and prevented the EmGFP synthesis. Our results indicated that the EmGFP CV-B3 replicon was able to replicate and translate as well as the CV-B3/28 prototype strain. Our EmGFP CV-B3 replicon will be a valuable tool to readily investigate CV-B3 replication activities in human target cell models

Investigation of persistent Enterovirus genotypic characteristics in human cardiac tissue with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy

Les Entérovirus, et notamment les coxsackievirus B (CV-B), sont une cause commune de myocardite. Cette maladie peut évoluer vers une myocardite chronique jusqu’au stade de cardiomyopathie dilatée (CMD). Le mécanisme moléculaire permettant le passage de l’infection aigue à l’infection persistante dans le tissu cardiaque humain reste méconnu. Pour étudier les activités de réplication des CV-B persistant, un réplicon a été généré à partir d’une souche cardiotrope. Il a permis de caractériser les activités de réplication de CV-B persistant dans des cellules cardiaques humaines. Une analyse par séquençage à moyen débit a permis de mettre en évidence la sélection de variants tronqués dans le cœur pouvant expliquer la progression de la myocardite virale vers la CMD. De plus, l’existence de populations majoritaires tronquées de 19 à 50 nucléotides associées à des formes virales minoritaires complètes a été mise en évidence chez 8 patients atteints de CMD. La proportion de populations tronquées s’est révélée négativement corrélée au ratio ARN+/ARN- et à la charge virale (R2=0,748; P=0,016; R2= 0,36, P=0,038, respectivement). Des études immuno-histologiques et par hybridation in situ des tissus cardiaques ont montrées que le clivage de la dystrophine était uniquement retrouvé dans les cardiomyocytes infectés par les CV-B. La transfection d’ARN de synthèse complets et tronqués dans des cultures de cardiomyocytes humains primaires a mis en évidence une trans-complémentation entre les 2 formes virales induisant de faibles activités de réplication. Nos résultats démontre l’existence d’un nouveau mécanisme moléculaire de coopération entre des populations persistantes d’entérovirus B tronquées et complètes qui contribue à la physiopathologie de la CMD.Enteroviruses, especially group B coxsackieviruses (CV-B) are considered to be a common cause of acute human myocarditis, a disease that is a precursor of chronic myocarditis cases as well as dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). The molecular mechanisms related to the switch from the acute to the CV-B chronic persistent infection in human cardiac tissues are still unknown. To study the replication activities of CV-B a replicon from a cardiotropic prototype strain was generated and was used to study persistent CV-B replication activities into human cardiac cells. Using NGS analyses, our results evidenced that the molecular selection of TD viral forms in heart could explain pathophysiological progression from acute viral myocarditis to DCM. Moreover, we demonstrated in 8 end-stage DCM patients the existence of CV-B major populations characterized by 5’NTR deletions ranging from 19 to 50 nucleotides that were associated with minor full-length viral forms. The amounts of persistent deleted populations appeared to be negatively correlated to RNA(+)/RNA(-) minus ratio and viral load values (R2=0.748; P=0.016; R2= 0.36, P=0.038, respectively). In situ hybridization and immunohistological assays in cardiac tissues demonstrated that the dystrophin disruption was only present in EV-B infected cardiomyocytes. Transfection of deleted and full-length RNA-populations in cultured primary human cardiomyocytes evidenced a trans-acting genomic complementation system between the two viral forms resulting in low viral replication activities. Our findings suggest a new molecular mechanism through which persistent low replicative EV-B deleted and full-length collaborative populations contribute to the pathogenesis of idiopathic DCM cases

Picornavirus Cellular Remodeling: Doubling Down in Response to Viral-Induced Inflammation.

Purpose of reviewTo highlight recent findings on how picornavirus infections of the airways and cardiac tissues impact cellular inflammation and remodeling events.Recent findingsRecent published work has revealed that although many picornavirus infections appear to be initially asymptomatic, there are significant disease sequelae that result from chronic or persistent infections and the long-term, pathogenic effects on host tissues.SummaryBecause many acute picornavirus infections are asymptomatic, it is difficult to diagnose these pathologies at the early stages of disease. As a result, we must rely on preventative measures (i.e., vaccination) or discover novel treatments to reverse tissue damage and remodeling in affected individuals. Both of these strategies will require a comprehensive knowledge of virus-and cell-specific replication determinants and how these processes induce pathogenic effects in infected cells and tissues

Picornavirus Cellular Remodeling: Doubling Down in Response to Viral-Induced Inflammation.

Purpose of reviewTo highlight recent findings on how picornavirus infections of the airways and cardiac tissues impact cellular inflammation and remodeling events.Recent findingsRecent published work has revealed that although many picornavirus infections appear to be initially asymptomatic, there are significant disease sequelae that result from chronic or persistent infections and the long-term, pathogenic effects on host tissues.SummaryBecause many acute picornavirus infections are asymptomatic, it is difficult to diagnose these pathologies at the early stages of disease. As a result, we must rely on preventative measures (i.e., vaccination) or discover novel treatments to reverse tissue damage and remodeling in affected individuals. Both of these strategies will require a comprehensive knowledge of virus-and cell-specific replication determinants and how these processes induce pathogenic effects in infected cells and tissues

SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination: What Can We Expect Now?

International audienceAt the beginning of summer 2022, my colleagues and I wanted to share some thoughts about a vaccination success story [...

Analysis of transcription and translation viral activities of wild type (WT) and 5’ terminally deleted enteroviruses in a model of cultured primary human cardiomyocytes

International audienc