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Presence of Technomyrmex difficilis (Forel, 1892) in Saint-Barthélemy, French West Indies (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Dolichoderinae). We report here for the first time the occurrence of the ant Technomyrmex difficilis (Forel, 1892) in Saint-Barthélemy, French West Indies. Morphological diagnostic characters which allow its identification according to the criteria defined by Bolton in 2007 are presented. Sequencing of a 650 base pairs region of the mitochondrial gene coding for cytochrome oxidase 1 (CO1), proposed as a standard barcode for the animal kingdom, confirms the specific identification of specimens.Nous mentionnons pour la première fois la Fourmi Technomyrmex difficilis (Forel, 1892) aux Antilles françaises, dans l’île de Saint-Barthélemy. Des caractères de diagnose morphologique permettant son identification d’après les critères définis par Bolton en 2007 sont présentés. Le séquençage d’une région de 650 paires de bases du gène mitochondrial codant pour la cytochrome oxidase 1 (CO1), proposée comme barcode standard chez les animaux, confirme l’identification spécifique des spécimens.Celini Léonide, Roy Virginie, Delabie Jacques H.C., Frechault Sophie, Pando Anne, Mora Philippe. Première mention de Technomyrmex difficilis (Forel, 1892) à Saint-Barthélemy, Petites Antilles (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Dolichoderinae). In: Bulletin de la Société entomologique de France, volume 119 (3),2014. pp. 293-298

Differential Affinity Chromatography Coupled to Mass Spectrometry: A Suitable Tool to Identify Common Binding Proteins of a Broad-Range Antimicrobial Peptide Derived from Leucinostatin.

Leucinostatins are antimicrobial peptides with a broad range of activities against infectious agents as well as mammalian cells. The leucinostatin-derivative peptide ZHAWOC_6027 (peptide 6027) was tested in vitro and in vivo for activity against the intracellular apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. While highly efficacious in vitro (EC50 = 2 nM), subcutaneous application of peptide 6027 (3 mg/kg/day for 5 days) in mice experimentally infected with T. gondii oocysts exacerbated the infection, caused mild clinical signs and elevated cerebral parasite load. Peptide 6027 also impaired the proliferation and viability of mouse splenocytes, most notably LPS-stimulated B cells, in vitro. To identify common potential targets in Toxoplasma and murine splenocytes, we performed differential affinity chromatography (DAC) with cell-free extracts from T. gondii tachyzoites and mouse spleens using peptide 6027 or an ineffective analogue (peptide 21,358) coupled to N-hydroxy-succinimide sepharose, followed by mass spectrometry. Proteins specifically binding to peptide 6027 were identified in eluates from the peptide 6027 column but not in peptide 21,358 nor the mock column eluates. In T. gondii eluates, 269 proteins binding specifically to peptide 6027 were identified, while in eluates from mouse spleen extracts 645 proteins specifically binding to this peptide were detected. Both datasets contained proteins involved in mitochondrial energy metabolism and in protein processing and secretion. These results suggest that peptide 6027 interacts with common targets in eukaryotes involved in essential pathways. Since this methodology can be applied to various compounds as well as target cell lines or organs, DAC combined with mass spectrometry and proteomic analysis should be considered a smart and 3R-relevant way to identify drug targets in pathogens and hosts, thereby eliminating compounds with potential side effects before performing tedious and costly safety and efficacy assessments in animals or humans

Common Molecular Targets of a Quinolone Based Bumped Kinase Inhibitor in Neospora caninum and Danio rerio.

Neospora caninum is an apicomplexan parasite closely related to Toxoplasma gondii, and causes abortions, stillbirths and/or fetal malformations in livestock. Target-based drug development has led to the synthesis of calcium-dependent protein kinase 1 inhibitors, collectively named bumped kinase inhibitors (BKIs). Previous studies have shown that several BKIs have excellent efficacy against neosporosis in vitro and in vivo. However, several members of this class of compounds impair fertility in pregnant mouse models and cause embryonic malformation in a zebrafish (Danio rerio) model. Similar to the first-generation antiprotozoal drug quinine, some BKIs have a quinoline core structure. To identify common targets in both organisms, we performed differential affinity chromatography with cell-free extracts from N. caninum tachyzoites and D. rerio embryos using the 5-aminopyrazole-4-carboxamide (AC) compound BKI-1748 and quinine columns coupled to epoxy-activated sepharose followed by mass spectrometry. BKI-binding proteins of interest were identified in eluates from columns coupled to BKI-1748, or in eluates from BKI-1748 as well as quinine columns. In N. caninum, 12 proteins were bound specifically to BKI-1748 alone, and 105 proteins, including NcCDPK1, were bound to both BKI-1748 and quinine. For D. rerio, the corresponding numbers were 13 and 98 binding proteins, respectively. In both organisms, a majority of BKI-1748 binding proteins was involved in RNA binding and modification, in particular, splicing. Moreover, both datasets contained proteins involved in DNA binding or modification and key steps of intermediate metabolism. These results suggest that BKI-1748 interacts with not only specific targets in apicomplexans, such as CDPK1, but also with targets in other eukaryotes, which are involved in common, essential pathways

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

Impacts of the Tropical Pacific/Indian Oceans on the Seasonal Cycle of the West African Monsoon

The current consensus is that drought has developed in the Sahel during the second half of the twentieth century as a result of remote effects of oceanic anomalies amplified by local land–atmosphere interactions. This paper focuses on the impacts of oceanic anomalies upon West African climate and specifically aims to identify those from SST anomalies in the Pacific/Indian Oceans during spring and summer seasons, when they were significant. Idealized sensitivity experiments are performed with four atmospheric general circulation models (AGCMs). The prescribed SST patterns used in the AGCMs are based on the leading mode of covariability between SST anomalies over the Pacific/Indian Oceans and summer rainfall over West Africa. The results show that such oceanic anomalies in the Pacific/Indian Ocean lead to a northward shift of an anomalous dry belt from the Gulf of Guinea to the Sahel as the season advances. In the Sahel, the magnitude of rainfall anomalies is comparable to that obtained by other authors using SST anomalies confined to the proximity of the Atlantic Ocean. The mechanism connecting the Pacific/Indian SST anomalies with West African rainfall has a strong seasonal cycle. In spring (May and June), anomalous subsidence develops over both the Maritime Continent and the equatorial Atlantic in response to the enhanced equatorial heating. Precipitation increases over continental West Africa in association with stronger zonal convergence of moisture. In addition, precipitation decreases over the Gulf of Guinea. During the monsoon peak (July and August), the SST anomalies move westward over the equatorial Pacific and the two regions where subsidence occurred earlier in the seasons merge over West Africa. The monsoon weakens and rainfall decreases over the Sahel, especially in August.Peer reviewe

Search for heavy resonances decaying to two Higgs bosons in final states containing four b quarks

A search is presented for narrow heavy resonances X decaying into pairs of Higgs bosons (H) in proton-proton collisions collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC at root s = 8 TeV. The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 fb(-1). The search considers HH resonances with masses between 1 and 3 TeV, having final states of two b quark pairs. Each Higgs boson is produced with large momentum, and the hadronization products of the pair of b quarks can usually be reconstructed as single large jets. The background from multijet and t (t) over bar events is significantly reduced by applying requirements related to the flavor of the jet, its mass, and its substructure. The signal would be identified as a peak on top of the dijet invariant mass spectrum of the remaining background events. No evidence is observed for such a signal. Upper limits obtained at 95 confidence level for the product of the production cross section and branching fraction sigma(gg -> X) B(X -> HH -> b (b) over barb (b) over bar) range from 10 to 1.5 fb for the mass of X from 1.15 to 2.0 TeV, significantly extending previous searches. For a warped extra dimension theory with amass scale Lambda(R) = 1 TeV, the data exclude radion scalar masses between 1.15 and 1.55 TeV

Measurement of the top quark mass using charged particles in pp collisions at root s=8 TeV

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MUSiC : a model-unspecific search for new physics in proton-proton collisions at root s=13TeV

Results of the Model Unspecific Search in CMS (MUSiC), using proton-proton collision data recorded at the LHC at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb(-1), are presented. The MUSiC analysis searches for anomalies that could be signatures of physics beyond the standard model. The analysis is based on the comparison of observed data with the standard model prediction, as determined from simulation, in several hundred final states and multiple kinematic distributions. Events containing at least one electron or muon are classified based on their final state topology, and an automated search algorithm surveys the observed data for deviations from the prediction. The sensitivity of the search is validated using multiple methods. No significant deviations from the predictions have been observed. For a wide range of final state topologies, agreement is found between the data and the standard model simulation. This analysis complements dedicated search analyses by significantly expanding the range of final states covered using a model independent approach with the largest data set to date to probe phase space regions beyond the reach of previous general searches.Peer reviewe

Measurement of prompt open-charm production cross sections in proton-proton collisions at root s=13 TeV

The production cross sections for prompt open-charm mesons in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13TeV are reported. The measurement is performed using a data sample collected by the CMS experiment corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 29 nb(-1). The differential production cross sections of the D*(+/-), D-+/-, and D-0 ((D) over bar (0)) mesons are presented in ranges of transverse momentum and pseudorapidity 4 < p(T) < 100 GeV and vertical bar eta vertical bar < 2.1, respectively. The results are compared to several theoretical calculations and to previous measurements.Peer reviewe

Measurement of B-c(2S)(+) and B-c*(2S)(+) cross section ratios in proton-proton collisions at root s=13 TeV

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