The multiple gene duplication problem revisited

Motivation: Deciphering the location of gene duplications and multiple gene duplication episodes on the Tree of Life is fundamental to understanding the way gene families and genomes evolve. The multiple gene duplication problem provides a framework for placing gene duplication events onto nodes of a given species tree, and detecting episodes of multiple gene duplication. One version of the multiple gene duplication problem was defined by Guigó et al. in 1996. Several heuristic solutions have since been proposed for this problem, but no exact algorithms were known

Selenoprotein gene nomenclature

The human genome contains 25 genes coding for selenocysteine-containing proteins (selenoproteins). These proteins are involved in a variety of functions, most notably redox homeostasis. Selenoprotein enzymes with known functions are designated according to these functions: TXNRD1, TXNRD2, and TXNRD3 (thioredoxin reductases), GPX1, GPX2, GPX3, GPX4 and GPX6 (glutathione peroxidases), DIO1, DIO2, and DIO3 (iodothyronine deiodinases), MSRB1 (methionine-R-sulfoxide reductase 1) and SEPHS2 (selenophosphate synthetase 2). Selenoproteins without known functions have traditionally been denoted by SEL or SEP symbols. However, these symbols are sometimes ambiguous and conflict with the approved nomenclature for several other genes. Therefore, there is a need to implement a rational and coherent nomenclature system for selenoprotein-encoding genes. Our solution is to use the root symbol SELENO followed by a letter. This nomenclature applies to SELENOF (selenoprotein F, the 15 kDa selenoprotein, SEP15), SELENOH (selenoprotein H, SELH, C11orf31), SELENOI (selenoprotein I, SELI, EPT1), SELENOK (selenoprotein K, SELK), SELENOM (selenoprotein M, SELM), SELENON (selenoprotein N, SEPN1, SELN), SELENOO (selenoprotein O, SELO), SELENOP (selenoprotein P, SeP, SEPP1, SELP), SELENOS (selenoprotein S, SELS, SEPS1, VIMP), SELENOT (selenoprotein T, SELT), SELENOV (selenoprotein V, SELV) and SELENOW (selenoprotein W, SELW, SEPW1). This system, approved by the HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee, also resolves conflicting, missing and ambiguous designations for selenoprotein genes and is applicable to selenoproteins across vertebrates

Lendemains incertains pour les printemps Arabes

Les « printemps » arabo-africains se suivent et ne se ressemblent pas, aux  « printemps » doux et pacifiques succèdent des « printemps » chauds et sanguinaires. Un « printemps » en chasse un autre, mais le bilan est mitigé, l’avenir encore incertain et les acquis réversibles. Indéniablement, ils n’ont pas encore dit leur dernier mot. De nouvelles raisons de préoccupations voient le jour, de nature différente ; elles ont pour nom : instabilité, intolérance, chaos, paralysie de l’État et ses institutions, menace qui plane sur le droit des femmes, des minorités de tous ordres, sur la liberté de conscience et le droit à la différence. Mais aussi de nouvelles raisons d’espérer des lendemains meilleurs.L'Afrique n’en est pas à un « printemps » près, mais les retombées sont toujours restées en deçà des attentes. La mise en place laborieuse d'un système panafricain des droits de l’homme et des peuples fut saluée, à juste titre, comme un évènement majeur et un « printemps » avant  la  lettre.L'article retrace toutes les étapes et péripéties de cette mise en place, le contexte, les tenants  et  les aboutissants de l'élaboration de la Charte africaine des droits de l'homme et des peuples qui en constitue le substratum. Il met en exergue ses spécificités, ses originalités, les mécanismes prévus et les organes érigés (Commission et Cour Africaine des Droits de l'Homme et des Peuples) pour assurer l'application et la promotion des  droits de l'homme et des peuples. À beaucoup d’égards, la Charte innove courageusement et originalement par  rapport à ses illustres devancières.Dans son intitulé d'abord : il s'agit d'une Charte et non d’une Déclaration. Ensuite, les droits de l’homme sont couplés aux droits des peuples et hissés au même niveau d'importance et d'impérativité, sinon plus. Enfin, la Charte ne reconnait pas seulement des droits mais elle édicte des devoirs (envers la famille, la communauté, l'État, l'Afrique, l’environnement, etc.) et fait de l'accomplissement de ceux-ci une condition de la jouissance de ceux-là. Deux décennies de recul et seulement 12 affaires traitées (sur seulement 24 qui lui sont parvenus), on peut dire que cette dernière est loin d'avoir atteint sa vitesse de croisière et mérité tant d'espoir placé en elle. De là à jeter le bébé avec l'eau du  bain, occulter tous les bienfaits d'un système qui est loin d'avoir démérité, il n'y a qu'un pas que ne franchirons guère.The Arab-African springs follow one after the other but are not alike, soft and peaceful springs are succeeded by hot and bloodthirsty springs. One spring expels another one, but the situation s balance sheet is mixed, the future is still uncertain and the experiences are reversible. Undeniably, they didn't say their last word. New reasons of preoccupation are born, made of different nature : they are named : instability, intolerance, chaos, paralysis of the state and its institutions, threat to the women rights, minorities of all kinds, the conscience freedom and the rights to difference ; but also new reasons to hope for a better tomorrow. Africa is not at its last "spring" but the rewards remained always below expectations.The laborious Implementation of a Pan-African system of human rights and peoples was hailed, deservedly, as a major event and a "spring" far ahead of its time. The article in attached outlines all the steps and vicissitudes of this implementation rerelease the context, the end and results of the elaboration of human and people’s rights African charter which constitutes the substratum. It highlights its specificities, its originalities, the planed mechanisms and high instruments (Commission and the African Court of Human and Peoples' Rights) to ensure the application and the promotion of human and people’s rights.In many respects, the Charter innovates bravely and originally compared to its illustrious predecessors.At first in its title: it is matter of a charter and not a declaration. Then, human rights are closely connected to the people’s rights and hoisted at the same level of importance and imperativeness or more. Finally, the Charter does not only recognizes rights but it promulgates duties (to family, community, the state, Africa, the environment, etc.) and makes of the fulfillment of these a condition of enjoyment of those. Two decades backout, and only 12 cases treated (from only 24 have reached) later, in front of the Court, we can say that it is far from having reached its cruising speed and deserved so much hope placed in it.From there to throw the baby out with the bath water, hide all the benefits of a system which is far from being unworthy, there is only one step which shall exceed hardly

Lendemains incertains pour les printemps Arabes

The Arab-African springs follow one after the other but are not alike, soft and peaceful springs are succeeded by hot and bloodthirsty springs. One spring expels another one, but the situation s balance sheet is mixed, the future is still uncertain and the experiences are reversible. Undeniably, they didn't say their last word. New reasons of preoccupation are born, made of different nature : they are named : instability, intolerance, chaos, paralysis of the state and its institutions, threat to the women rights, minorities of all kinds, the conscience freedom and the rights to difference ; but also new reasons to hope for a better tomorrow. Africa is not at its last "spring" but the rewards remained always below expectations.The laborious Implementation of a Pan-African system of human rights and peoples was hailed, deservedly, as a major event and a "spring" far ahead of its time. The article in attached outlines all the steps and vicissitudes of this implementation rerelease the context, the end and results of the elaboration of human and people’s rights African charter which constitutes the substratum. It highlights its specificities, its originalities, the planed mechanisms and high instruments (Commission and the African Court of Human and Peoples' Rights) to ensure the application and the promotion of human and people’s rights.In many respects, the Charter innovates bravely and originally compared to its illustrious predecessors.At first in its title: it is matter of a charter and not a declaration. Then, human rights are closely connected to the people’s rights and hoisted at the same level of importance and imperativeness or more. Finally, the Charter does not only recognizes rights but it promulgates duties (to family, community, the state, Africa, the environment, etc.) and makes of the fulfillment of these a condition of enjoyment of those. Two decades backout, and only 12 cases treated (from only 24 have reached) later, in front of the Court, we can say that it is far from having reached its cruising speed and deserved so much hope placed in it.From there to throw the baby out with the bath water, hide all the benefits of a system which is far from being unworthy, there is only one step which shall exceed hardly