Epidemiology of Human Parvovirus 4 Infection in Sub-Saharan Africa

Human parvovirus 4 infections are primarily associated with parenteral exposure in western countries. By ELISA, we demonstrate frequent seropositivity for antibody to parvovirus 4 viral protein 2 among adult populations throughout sub-Saharan Africa (Burkina Faso, 37%; Cameroon, 25%; Democratic Republic of the Congo, 35%; South Africa, 20%), which implies existence of alternative transmission routes

Characterization of the Molecular Determinants of Primary HIV-1 Vpr Proteins: Impact of the Q65R and R77Q Substitutions on Vpr Functions

Although HIV-1 Vpr displays several functions in vitro, limited information exists concerning their relevance during infection. Here, we characterized Vpr variants isolated from a rapid and a long-term non-progressor (LTNP). Interestingly, vpr alleles isolated from longitudinal samples of the LTNP revealed a dominant sequence that subsequently led to diversity similar to that observed in the progressor patient. Most of primary Vpr proteins accumulated at the nuclear envelope and interacted with host-cell partners of Vpr. They displayed cytostatic and proapoptotic activities, although a LTNP allele, harboring the Q65R substitution, failed to bind the DCAF1 subunit of the Cul4a/DDB1 E3 ligase and was inactive. This Q65R substitution correlated with impairment of Vpr docking at the nuclear envelope, raising the possibility of a functional link between this property and the Vpr cytostatic activity. In contradiction with published results, the R77Q substitution, found in LTNP alleles, did not influence Vpr proapoptotic activity

Les Goncourt avant l'Académie et après

Lefrère Jean-Jacques. Les Goncourt avant l'Académie et après. In: Cahiers Edmond et Jules de Goncourt n°3, 1994. pp. 122-129

Edmond de Goncourt dans le Journal de Brinn'Gaubast

Lefrère Jean-Jacques. Edmond de Goncourt dans le Journal de Brinn'Gaubast. In: Cahiers Edmond et Jules de Goncourt n°4, 1995. Hommage à Edmond de Goncourt pour le centième anniversaire de sa mort. pp. 290-294

Selling Donations: Ethics and Transfusion Medicine

What is blood, what are blood products, and what are derived medications from blood? Many different representations are associated with blood transfusion (Garraud and Lefrère 2014a), and many questions emerge as soon as transfusion medicine is evoked in the public mind. The scandals of contaminated blood (human immunodeficiency virus—HIV—and hepatitis C virus—HCV) are still in our memories and have definitively changed our appreciation of global safety. Nevertheless, many questions remain ope..

L'immortalité : un sujet d'avenir

Les éditeurs du livre ont réuni autour de l'énigme de l'immortalité une vingtaine d'auteurs venus de différents horizons. Qu'ils soient professeur de médecine ou de littérature, dessinateur, biologiste, psychiatre, avocat, architecte, mathématicien ou alpiniste, ils proposent, chacun à leur manière, en sortant parfois de leur réalité professionnelle, une réflexion en lien avec ce thème vaste, incertain et intemporel. Avec la participation de nombreux auteurs dont René de Obaldia et Elizabeth Blackburn