Imprinting/Erasing Woman

This dialogue between the two presenters examines representations of the gendered body in men writers of the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s and finds no evidence of a changed consciousness in them as a result of debates about gender identity. They discuss Gerard Windsor's Family Lore and Tim Winton's Riders

New genetic loci link adipose and insulin biology to body fat distribution.

Body fat distribution is a heritable trait and a well-established predictor of adverse metabolic outcomes, independent of overall adiposity. To increase our understanding of the genetic basis of body fat distribution and its molecular links to cardiometabolic traits, here we conduct genome-wide association meta-analyses of traits related to waist and hip circumferences in up to 224,459 individuals. We identify 49 loci (33 new) associated with waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for body mass index (BMI), and an additional 19 loci newly associated with related waist and hip circumference measures (P < 5 × 10(-8)). In total, 20 of the 49 waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for BMI loci show significant sexual dimorphism, 19 of which display a stronger effect in women. The identified loci were enriched for genes expressed in adipose tissue and for putative regulatory elements in adipocytes. Pathway analyses implicated adipogenesis, angiogenesis, transcriptional regulation and insulin resistance as processes affecting fat distribution, providing insight into potential pathophysiological mechanisms

Hatching the posthuman: Margaret Atwood’s “Bluebeard’s egg”

Dans la nouvelle “Bluebeard’s Egg” de Margaret Atwood, nombre de stratégies post‑modernes sont employées pour explorer le rapport entre le corps humain et le texte littéraire. La fluidité du sujet et l'instabilité du corps, toujours en cours de “ devenir ”, présentent des analogies avec le sens insaisissable, évasif et fuyant engendré par la structure intertextuelle du récit littéraire. La remarquable complexité de cette structure déstabilise le lecteur pour l’empêcher d’atteindre une vérité “ pure et simple ”. La fin ouverte d’une histoire et l’insaisissabilité de son sens peuvent, certes, perturber voire rendre hostile le lecteur à l’égard du texte. Elles peuvent cependant aussi le libérer, ouvrant pour lui un espace neuf dans lequel il pourrait créer ses propres histoires et des identités nouvelles. Ainsi, Sally, l’héroïne de Margaret Atwood dans “ Bluebeard’s Egg ”, porte en elle les traces de vieux récits qui hantent son personnage. Elle fonctionne comme un modèle pour le lecteur qui, à travers ses formidables tentatives de déconstruction, en particulier dans sa propre écriture, crée pour elle-même (et pour le lecteur) une multitude de possibilités de sens et de développements identitaires, toutes résultant de distorsions nouvelles qu’elle apporte à de vieux récits

Adefovir dipivoxil for wait-listed and post-liver transplantation patients with lamivudine-resistant hepatitis B: Final long-term results

Wait-listed (n = 226) or post-liver transplantation (n = 241) chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with lamivudine-resistant hepatitis B virus (HBV) were treated with adefovir dipivoxil for a median of 39 and 99 weeks, respectively. Among wait-listed patients, serum HBV DNA levels became undetectable (&lt;l,000 copies/mL) in 59% and 65% at weeks 48 and 96, respectively. After 48 weeks, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), albumin, bilirubin, and prothrombin time normalized in 77%, 76%, 60%, and 84% of wait-listed patients, respectively. Among postransplantation patients, serum HBV DNA levels became undetectable in 40% and 65% at weeks 48 and 96, respectively. After 48 weeks, ALT, albumin, bilirubin, and prothrombin time normalized in 51%, 81%. 76%, and 56% of posttransplantation patients, respectively. Among wait-listed patients who underwent on-study liver transplantation, protection from graft reinfection over a median of 35 weeks was similar among parents who did (n = 34) or did not (n = 23) receive hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIg). Hepatitis B surface antigen was detected on the first measurement only in 6% and 9% of patiends who did or did not receive HBIg, respectively. Serum HBV DNA was detected on consecutive visits in 6% and 0% of patients who did or did not receive HBIg, respectively. Treatment-related adverse events led to discontinuation of adefovir dipivoxil in 4% of patients. Cumulative probabilities of resistance were 0%, 2%, and 2% at weeks 48, 96, and 144, respectively. In conclusion, adefovir dipivoxil is effective and safe at wait-listed or posttransplantation CHB patients with lamivudine-resistant HBV and prevents graft reinfection with or without HBIg. © 2007 AASLD

Adefovir dipivoxil for wait-listed and post-liver transplantation patients with lamivudine-resistant hepatitis B : final long-term results

Wait-listed (n = 226) or post-liver transplantation (n = 241) chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with lamivudine-resistant hepatitis B virus (HBV) were treated with adefovir dipivoxil for a median of 39 and 99 weeks, respectively. Among wait-listed patients, serum HBV DNA levels became undetectable (<1,000 copies/mL) in 59% and 65% at weeks 48 and 96, respectively. After 48 weeks, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), albumin, bilirubin, and prothrombin time normalized in 77%, 76%, 60%, and 84% of wait-listed patients, respectively. Among posttransplantation patients, serum HBV DNA levels became undetectable in 40% and 65% at weeks 48 and 96, respectively. After 48 weeks, ALT, albumin, bilirubin, and prothrombin time normalized in 51%, 81%, 76%, and 56% of posttransplantation patients, respectively. Among wait-listed patients who underwent on-study liver transplantation, protection from graft reinfection over a median of 35 weeks was similar among patients who did (n = 34) or did not (n = 23) receive hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIg). Hepatitis B surface antigen was detected on the first measurement only in 6% and 9% of patients who did or did not receive HBIg, respectively. Serum HBV DNA was detected on consecutive visits in 6% and 0% of patients who did or did not receive HBIg, respectively. Treatment-related adverse events led to discontinuation of adefovir dipivoxil in 4% of patients. Cumulative probabilities of resistance were 0%, 2%, and 2% at weeks 48, 96, and 144, respectively. In conclusion, adefovir dipivoxil is effective and safe in wait-listed or posttransplantation CHB patients with lamivudine-resistant HBV and prevents graft reinfection with or without HBIg