Mapping the DeFi Crime Landscape: An Evidence-based Picture

Over the past years, decentralized finance (DeFi) has been the target of numerous profit-driven crimes. However, until now, the full prevalence and cumulative impact of these crimes have not been assessed. This study provides a first comprehensive assessment of profit-driven crimes targeting the DeFi sector. To achieve this, we collected data on 1155 crime events from 2017 to 2022. Of these, 1050 were related to the DeFi industry and 105 to the centralized finance (CeFi) industry. Focusing on the former, a taxonomy was developed to clarify the similarities and differences among these crimes. All events were mapped onto the DeFi stack to assess the impacted technical layers, and the financial damages were quantified to gauge their scale. The findings show that the entire cryptoasset industry has suffered a minimum loss of US$30B, with two thirds related to centralized finance (CeFi) and one third to DeFi. Focusing solely on the latter, the results highlight that during an attack, a DeFi actor (an entity developing a DeFi technology) can serve as a direct target, as a perpetrator, or as an intermediary. The findings show that DeFi actors are the first victims of crimes targeting the DeFi industry: 52% of crime events targeted them, primarily due to technical vulnerabilities at the protocol layer, and these events accounted for 83% of all recorded financial damages. On the other hand, in 40% of crime events, DeFi actors were themselves malicious perpetrators, predominantly misusing contracts at the cryptoasset layer (e.g., rug pull scams). However, these events accounted for only 17% of all financial damages. The study's findings offer a preliminary assessment of the size and scope of crime events within the DeFi sector and highlight the vulnerable position of DeFi actors in the ecosystem

La promotion des firmes françaises de biotechnologie

L’objectif de cet article est d’étudier le système de promotion des entreprises françaises de biotechnologie. L’exemple des États-Unis où l’industrie des biotechnologies a émergé dans les années quatre-vingt constitue notre point de départ. Nous nous focalisons plus particulièrement sur deux facteurs institutionnels qui ont contribué au succès des biotechnologies américaines : les systèmes de propriété intellectuelle et de financement. Nous examinons la manière dont ces facteurs contribuent au développement des entreprises françaises. Ce travail s’appuie sur les résultats d’une étude empirique conduite auprès de petites entreprises innovantes créées entre 1985 et 2005.The aim of this article is to analyse the way French biotechnology firms evolve. Our study relies on the American example where the biotechnology industry emerged during the 80’s. We shed light on two institutional factors which have induced the American success : intellectual property and financing system. We study how these factors contribute to the development of the French firms. This work is based on an empirical study focusing on innovating biotech firms created between 1985 and 2005

Effects of combined calcium and vitamin D supplementation on insulin secretion, insulin sensitivity and β-cell function in multi-ethnic vitamin D-deficient adults at risk for type 2 diabetes: a pilot randomized, placebo-controlled trial

ObjectivesTo examine whether combined vitamin D and calcium supplementation improves insulin sensitivity, insulin secretion, &beta;-cell function, inflammation and metabolic markers.Design6-month randomized, placebo-controlled trial.ParticipantsNinety-five adults with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] &le;55 nmol/L at risk of type 2 diabetes (with prediabetes or an AUSDRISK score &ge;15) were randomized. Analyses included participants who completed the baseline and final visits (treatment n = 35; placebo n = 45).InterventionDaily calcium carbonate (1,200 mg) and cholecalciferol [2,000&ndash;6,000 IU to target 25(OH)D &gt;75 nmol/L] or matching placebos for 6 months.MeasurementsInsulin sensitivity (HOMA2%S, Matsuda index), insulin secretion (insulinogenic index, area under the curve (AUC) for C-peptide) and &beta;-cell function (Matsuda index x AUC for C-peptide) derived from a 75 g 2-h OGTT; anthropometry; blood pressure; lipid profile; hs-CRP; TNF-&alpha;; IL-6; adiponectin; total and undercarboxylated osteocalcin.ResultsParticipants were middle-aged adults (mean age 54 years; 69% Europid) at risk of type 2 diabetes (48% with prediabetes). Compliance was &gt;80% for calcium and vitamin D. Mean serum 25(OH)D concentration increased from 48 to 95 nmol/L in the treatment group (91% achieved &gt;75 nmol/L), but remained unchanged in controls. There were no significant changes in insulin sensitivity, insulin secretion and &beta;-cell function, or in inflammatory and metabolic markers between or within the groups, before or after adjustment for potential confounders including waist circumference and season of recruitment. In a post hoc analysis restricted to participants with prediabetes, a significant beneficial effect of vitamin D and calcium supplementation on insulin sensitivity (HOMA%S and Matsuda) was observed.ConclusionsDaily vitamin D and calcium supplementation for 6 months may not change OGTT-derived measures of insulin sensitivity, insulin secretion and &beta;-cell function in multi-ethnic adults with low vitamin D status at risk of type 2 diabetes. However, in participants with prediabetes, supplementation with vitamin D and calcium may improve insulin sensitivity.<br /

Local hyperhemia to heating is impaired in secondary Raynaud's phenomenon

Accurate and sensitive measurement techniques are a key issue in the quantification of the microvascular and endothelial dysfunction in systemic sclerosis (SSc). Thermal hyperhemia comprises two separate mechanisms: an initial peak that is axon reflex mediated; and a sustained plateau phase that is nitric oxide dependent. The main objective of our study was to test whether thermal hyperhemia in patients with SSc differed from that in patients with primary Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) and healthy controls. In a first study, we enrolled 20 patients suffering from SSc, 20 patients with primary RP and 20 healthy volunteers. All subjects were in a fasting state. Post-occlusive hyperhemia, 0.4 mg sublingual nitroglycerin challenge and thermal hyperhemia were performed using laser Doppler flowmetry on the distal pad of the third left finger. In a second study, thermal hyperhemia was performed in 10 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and 10 patients with primary RP. The thermal hyperhemia was dramatically altered in terms of amplitude and kinetics in patients with SSc. Whereas 19 healthy volunteers and 18 patients with primary RP exhibited the classic response, including an initial peak within the first 10 minutes followed by a nadir and a second peak, this occurred only in four of the SSc patients (p < 0.0001). The 10 minutes thermal peak was 43.4 (23.2 to 63), 42.6 (31 to 80.7) and 27 (14.7 to 51.4) mV/mm Hg in the healthy volunteers, primary RP and SSc groups, respectively (p = 0.01), while the 44°C thermal peak was 43.1 (21.3 to 62.1), 42.6 (31.6 to 74.3) and 25.4 (15 to 52.4) mV/mm Hg, respectively (p = 0.01). Thermal hyperhemia was more sensitive and specific than post-occlusive hyperhemia for differentiating SSc from primary RP. In patients with rheumatoid arthritis, thermal hyperhemia was also altered in terms of amplitude. Thermal hyperhemia is dramatically altered in patients with secondary RP in comparison with subjects with primary RP. Further studies are required to determine the mechanisms of this altered response, and whether it may provide additional information in a clinical setting

Patterns of chromosomal copy-number alterations in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

International audienceBackground: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas (ICC) are relatively rare malignant tumors associated with a poor prognosis. Recent studies using genome-wide sequencing technologies have mainly focused on identifying new driver mutations. There is nevertheless a need to investigate the spectrum of copy number aberrations in order to identify potential target genes in the altered chromosomal regions. The aim of this study was to characterize the patterns of chromosomal copy-number alterations (CNAs) in ICC. Methods: 53 patients having ICC with frozen material were selected. In 47 cases, DNA hybridization has been performed on a genomewide SNP array. A procedure with a segmentation step and a calling step classified genomic regions into copy-number aberration states. We identified the exclusively amplified and deleted recurrent genomic areas. These areas are those showing the highest estimated propensity level for copy loss (resp. copy gain) together with the lowest level for copy gain (resp. copy loss). We investigated ICC clustering. We analyzed the relationships between CNAs and clinico-pathological characteristics. Results: The overall genomic profile of ICC showed many alterations with higher rates for the deletions. Exclusively deleted genomic areas were 1p, 3p and 14q. The main exclusively amplified genomic areas were 1q, 7p, 7q and 8q. Based on the exclusively deleted/amplified genomic areas, a clustering analysis identified three tumors groups: the first group characterized by copy loss of 1p and copy gain of 7p, the second group characterized by 1p and 3p copy losses without 7p copy gain, the last group characterized mainly by very few CNAs. From univariate analyses, the number of tumors, the size of the largest tumor and the stage were significantly associated with shorter time recurrence. We found no relationship between the number of altered cytobands or tumor groups and time to recurrence. Conclusion: This study describes the spectrum of chromosomal aberrations across the whole genome. Some of the recurrent exclusive CNAs harbor candidate target genes. Despite the absence of correlation between CNAs and clinico-pathological characteristics, the co-occurence of 7p gain and 1p loss in a subgroup of patients may suggest a differential activation of EGFR and its downstream pathways, which may have a potential effect on targeted therapies

Are intentions to change, policy awareness, or health knowledge related to changes in dietary intake following a sugar-sweetened beverage tax in South Africa? A before-and after study

Background In April 2018, South Africa implemented the Health Promotion Levy (HPL), one of the first sugarsweetened beverage (SSB) taxes to be based on each gram of sugar (beyond 4 g/100mL). The objectives of this study were to examine whether the psychological constructs tax awareness, SSB knowledge, SSB risk perception, and intentions to reduce SSB intake were associated with taxed beverage intake, whether they changed from pre- to posttax, and whether they modified the effect of the HPL. Methods We collected single day 24-hour dietary recalls surveyed from repeat cross-sectional surveys of adults aged 18–39 years in Langa, South Africa. Participants were recruited in February-March 2018 (pre-tax, N = 2,481) and February-March 2019 (post-tax, N = 2,507) using door-to-door sampling. Surveys measured tax awareness, SSB knowledge, SSB risk perception, and intention to reduce SSB intake. SSB intake was estimated using a two-part model. To examine changes over time, logistic regression models were used for binary outcomes (tax awareness and intention to reduce SSB consumption) and linear regression models for continuous outcomes (SSB knowledge SSB risk perceptions). Effect modification was tested using interaction terms for each psychological construct with time. Results No constructs were associated with SSB intake at baseline. At post-tax, the predicted probability to consume taxed beverages was 33.5% (95% CI 28.5–38.5%) for those who expressed an intention to reduce SSB intake compared to 45.9% (95% CI 43.7–48.1%) for those who did not. Among consumers, intending to reduce SSB intake was associated with 55 (95% CI 28 to 82) kcal/capita/day less SSBs consumed. Tax awareness, SSB knowledge, and SSB risk perception increased by a small amount from pre- to post-tax. Intentions to reduce SSB intake was lower in the post-tax period. The tax effect on SSB intake was modified by SSB knowledge and intention to reduce SSB intake, with higher levels of each associated with lower SSB intake