[Avian cytogenetics goes functional] Third report on chicken genes and chromosomes 2015

High-density gridded libraries of large-insert clones using bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) and other vectors are essential tools for genetic and genomic research in chicken and other avian species... Taken together, these studies demonstrate that applications of large-insert clones and BAC libraries derived from birds are, and will continue to be, effective tools to aid high-throughput and state-of-the-art genomic efforts and the important biological insight that arises from them

Venlafaxine Versus Applied Relaxation for Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Study on Clinical and Electrophysiological Outcomes

Some components of generalized anxiety disorder, such as physical symptoms, are thought to reflect autonomic nervous system arousal. This study primarily assessed the relationships between psychophysiological and clinical measures using venlafaxine extended release or applied relaxation, and secondarily, the impact of combination treatment in patients not remitting after 8weeks. Fifty-eight patients were randomly assigned to 8weeks of treatment with either venlafaxine or applied relaxation (Phase I). Non-remitted patients received combination treatment for an additional 8weeks (Phase II). Assessments included the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A), Beck Depression Inventory, Penn State Worry Questionnaire and the Stroop Color-Word Task coupled with electrophysiological measures (skin conductance and frontalis electromyography (EMG)). In Phase 1, a time effect was found for the clinical and skin conductance measures. Thirteen patients from each group were in remission. In Phase 2, seven additional patients remitted. Baseline psychophysiological measures were not associated with baseline clinical variables or with clinical outcomes. Independently of treatment allocation, a reduction in frontal EMG values at week 4 was significantly associated with a decrease in HAM-A scores at week 8. At week 4, responders from the applied relaxation group had lower electrophysiological activity than the venlafaxine group. Baseline psychophysiological measures were not linked with clinical measures at study inclusion or with treatment response. Frontal EMG response at week 4 is a possible predictor of treatment response. Treatment combination enhances treatment response after initial failure

Epigénétique et variabilitlé des caractères : quelle importance en aviculture ?

More and more studies show that epigenetic information affects the phenotypes of individuals. Little is knownabout the epigenetic mechanisms in birds, although, as in many animal and plant species, these mechanisms maybe involved in trait variability. Little is known about epigenetic mechanisms in birds with the exception of thephenomenon of dosage compensation of sex chromosomes, although such mechanisms could be involved in thephenotypic variability of birds, as in several livestock species. This paper reviews the literature on epigeneticmechanisms that could contribute significantly to trait variability in birds, and compares the results to theexisting knowledge of epigenetic mechanisms in mammals. The main issues addressed in this paper are: (1)Does genomic imprinting exist in birds? (2) How does the embryonic environment influence the adult phenotypein avian species? (3) Does the embryonic environment have an impact on phenotypic variability across severalsuccessive generations? The potential for epigenetic studies to improve the performance of individual animalsthrough the implementation of limited changes in breeding conditions or the addition of new parameters inselection models is still an open question.De plus en plus d'études révèlent que l'information épigénétique a une influence sur les phénotypes desindividus. On sait peu de choses sur les mécanismes épigénétiques chez les oiseaux, bien que, comme dansplusieurs espèces animales et végétales, ces mécanismes pourraient être impliqués dans la variabilité desperformances. Cet article passe en revue la littérature sur les mécanismes épigénétiques qui pourraient contribuerde manière significative à la variabilité des caractères chez les oiseaux, et compare les résultats à la connaissanceactuelle des mécanismes épigénétiques chez les mammifères. Les principales questions abordées sont lessuivantes: (1) L'empreinte génomique parentale existe-t-elle chez les oiseaux? (2) En quoi l'environnementembryonnaire influence le phénotype adulte chez les espèces aviaires? (3) Dans quelle mesure l'environnementembryonnaire a-t-il un impact sur la variabilité phénotypique sur plusieurs générations successives ? Le rôlepotentiel des études épigénétiques dans l’amélioration des performances individuelles des animaux à travers lamise en oeuvre de changements, même restreints, dans les conditions d'élevage, ou par l'ajout de nouveauxparamètres dans les modèles de sélection, est encore une question ouverte

Venlafaxine versus applied relaxation for generalized anxiety disorder: a randomized controlled study on clinical and electrophysiological outcomes

Some components of generalized anxiety disorder, such as physical symptoms, are thought to reflect autonomic nervous system arousal. This study primarily assessed the relationships between psychophysiological and clinical measures using venlafaxine extended release or applied relaxation, and secondarily, the impact of combination treatment in patients not remitting after 8 weeks. Fifty-eight patients were randomly assigned to 8 weeks of treatment with either venlafaxine or applied relaxation (Phase I). Non-remitted patients received combination treatment for an additional 8 weeks (Phase II). Assessments included the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A), Beck Depression Inventory, Penn State Worry Questionnaire and the Stroop Color-Word Task coupled with electrophysiological measures (skin conductance and frontalis electromyography (EMG)). In Phase 1, a time effect was found for the clinical and skin conductance measures. Thirteen patients from each group were in remission. In Phase 2, seven additional patients remitted. Baseline psychophysiological measures were not associated with baseline clinical variables or with clinical outcomes. Independently of treatment allocation, a reduction in frontal EMG values at week 4 was significantly associated with a decrease in HAM-A scores at week 8. At week 4, responders from the applied relaxation group had lower electrophysiological activity than the venlafaxine group. Baseline psychophysiological measures were not linked with clinical measures at study inclusion or with treatment response. Frontal EMG response at week 4 is a possible predictor of treatment response. Treatment combination enhances treatment response after initial failure

Determinants of Second Primary Cancer Type in Survivors of Virus-Related and Non-Virus-Related Cancer Living With HIV in the French Dat’AIDS Cohort

International audienceObjectives: People who survive after primary cancer are at an increased risk for subsequent primary cancers. We aimed to investigate the possible determinants of second primary cancer (SPC) in HIV-positive cancer survivors. Methods: This was a multicenter retrospective study using longitudinal data from the French Dat'AIDS cohort. Subjects who developed at least 2 primary cancers were selected. Cancer cases were identified using ICD10 codes and distributed in 3 cancer categories: AIDS-defining cancer (ADC), virus-related non-ADC (VR-NADC), and virus-unrelated-NADC (VU-NADC). The possible determinants considered were the first primary cancer category, sex, age, HIV transmission route, duration of HIV infection follow-up, duration of ART exposure, nadir CD4 + T cell count, and hepatitis C and hepatitis B serostatus. Results: Among the 44642 patients in the Dat'AIDS cohort, 4855 were diagnosed with cancer between 1 December 1983 and 31 December 2015, of whom 444 (9.1%) developed at least 2 primary cancers: 130 ADCs, 85 VR-NADCs, and 229 VU-NADCs. A longer delay between the first primary cancer and the SPC was associated with an increased risk of occurrence of a VR-NADC rather than a secondary ADC. Having had a first primary VU-NADC, an older age, and a longer delay between the HIV diagnosis and the first primary cancer as well as between the first primary cancer and the SPC were associated with an increased risk of VU-NADC rather than ADC. Conclusion: SPCs are now a major concern in HIV-positive cancer survivors justifying the development of monitoring strategies after a first cancer

Epigenetics and long-term effects if embryonic environment in avian species

absen

Epigenetics and phenotypic variability:interesting insights from birds and long-term effects of embryonic environment in avian species

absen

Effects of expertise on football betting

BACKGROUND: Football (soccer game) is one of the most popular sports in the World, including in Europe. It is associated with important betting activities. A common belief, widely spread in gambling activities, is that knowledge and expertise on football lead to better prediction skills on the matches' outcomes. If mistaken, this belief should be considered as a form of "illusion of control".The aim of this study was to examine whether football experts are better than nonexperts at predicting football match scores. METHODS: Two hundred and fifty-eight persons took part in the study: 21.3% as football experts; 54.3% as laypersons (non-initiated to football), and 24.4% as football amateurs. They predicted the scores of the first 10 matches of the Euro-Foot 2008. A logistic regression was carried out to assess the correlation between the accuracy of the forecasted scores and the expertise, age, and gender of the participants. RESULTS: The variables assessed did not predict the accuracy of scoring prognostics (R2 = 5%). CONCLUSIONS: Expertise, age, and gender did not have an impact on the accuracy of the football match prognostics. Therefore, the belief that football expertise improves betting skills is no more than a cognitive distortion called the "illusion of control." Gamblers may benefit from psychological interventions that target illusion of control related to their believed links between betting skills and football expertise. Public health policies may have to consider the phenomenon in order to prevent problem gambling related to football betting

Prevalence and Spectrum of Second Primary Malignancies among People Living with HIV in the French Dat’AIDS Cohort

International audienceBackground: We aimed to describe the prevalence and spectrum of second primary cancer (SPC) in HIV-positive cancer survivors. Methods: A multicenter retrospective study was performed using longitudinal data from the French Dat’AIDS cohort. Subjects who had developed at least two primary cancers were selected. The spectrum of SPCs was stratified by the first primary cancer type and by sex. Results: Among the 44,642 patients in the Dat’AIDS cohort, 4855 were diagnosed with cancer between 1 December 1983 and 31 December 2015, of whom 444 (9.1%) developed at least two primary cancers. The most common SPCs in men were non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) (22.8%), skin carcinoma (10%) and Kaposi sarcoma (KS) (8.4%), and in women the most common SPCs were breast cancer (16%), skin carcinoma (9.3%) and NHL (8%). The pattern of SPCs differed according to first primary cancer and by sex: in men, NHL was the most common SPC after primary KS and KS was the most common SPC after primary NHL; while in women, breast cancer was the most common SPC after primary NHL and primary breast cancer. Conclusion: The frequency and pattern of subsequent cancers among HIV-positive cancer survivors differed according to the first primary cancer type and sex