Assessing feeding history and health status through analysis of fatty acids and fat content in golden mullet Liza aurata

The aim of this study was to check the suitability of using fatty acids of vegetable origin as biomarkers of aquafeed consumption in fish that aggregate around off-shore fish farms, analysing their different accumulation patterns and their persistence in different tissues in juveniles of Liza aurata (Risso, 1810). Their natural diet was replaced by a commercial feed, followed by a return to the natural diet (wash-out period). The fatty acid profiles of flesh, liver, and brain were modified after 2 months of commercial feed consumption, while 2 months of the wash- out period were not sufficient to return to original values, the brain being particularly resilient in this respect. Histological examination of the liver showed no alterations of the lipid droplet distribution or fat content. The combined use of flesh and brain for fatty acid analysis can be recommended for tracking aquaculture waste intake in the form of lost pellets by wild fish

Genetic inactivation of the polycomb repressive complex 2 in T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an immature hematopoietic malignancy driven mainly by oncogenic activation of NOTCH1 signaling(1). In this study we report the presence of loss-of-function mutations and deletions of the EZH2 and SUZ12 genes, which encode crucial components of the Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2)(2,3), in 25% of T-ALLs. To further study the role of PRC2 in T-ALL, we used NOTCH1-dependent mouse models of the disease, as well as human T-ALL samples, and combined locus-specific and global analysis of NOTCH1-driven epigenetic changes. These studies demonstrated that activation of NOTCH1 specifically induces loss of the repressive mark Lys27 trimethylation of histone 3 (H3K27me3)(4) by antagonizing the activity of PRC2. These studies suggest a tumor suppressor role for PRC2 in human leukemia and suggest a hitherto unrecognized dynamic interplay between oncogenic NOTCH1 and PRC2 function for the regulation of gene expression and cell transformation

A randomised, blinded, trial of clopidogrel versus aspirin in patients at risk of ischaemic events (CAPRIE). CAPRIE Steering Committee

Many clinical trials have evaluated the benefit of long-term use of antiplatelet drugs in reducing the risk of clinical thrombotic events. Aspirin and ticlopidine have been shown to be effective, but both have potentially serious adverse effects. Clopidogrel, a new thienopyridine derivative similar to ticlopidine, is an inhibitor of platelet aggregation induced by adenosine diphosphate. METHODS: CAPRIE was a randomised, blinded, international trial designed to assess the relative efficacy of clopidogrel (75 mg once daily) and aspirin (325 mg once daily) in reducing the risk of a composite outcome cluster of ischaemic stroke, myocardial infarction, or vascular death; their relative safety was also assessed. The population studied comprised subgroups of patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease manifested as either recent ischaemic stroke, recent myocardial infarction, or symptomatic peripheral arterial disease. Patients were followed for 1 to 3 years. FINDINGS: 19,185 patients, with more than 6300 in each of the clinical subgroups, were recruited over 3 years, with a mean follow-up of 1.91 years. There were 1960 first events included in the outcome cluster on which an intention-to-treat analysis showed that patients treated with clopidogrel had an annual 5.32% risk of ischaemic stroke, myocardial infarction, or vascular death compared with 5.83% with aspirin. These rates reflect a statistically significant (p = 0.043) relative-risk reduction of 8.7% in favour of clopidogrel (95% Cl 0.3-16.5). Corresponding on-treatment analysis yielded a relative-risk reduction of 9.4%. There were no major differences in terms of safety. Reported adverse experiences in the clopidogrel and aspirin groups judged to be severe included rash (0.26% vs 0.10%), diarrhoea (0.23% vs 0.11%), upper gastrointestinal discomfort (0.97% vs 1.22%), intracranial haemorrhage (0.33% vs 0.47%), and gastrointestinal haemorrhage (0.52% vs 0.72%), respectively. There were ten (0.10%) patients in the clopidogrel group with significant reductions in neutrophils (< 1.2 x 10(9)/L) and 16 (0.17%) in the aspirin group. INTERPRETATION: Long-term administration of clopidogrel to patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease is more effective than aspirin in reducing the combined risk of ischaemic stroke, myocardial infarction, or vascular death. The overall safety profile of clopidogrel is at least as good as that of medium-dose aspirin

Angular analysis of the rare decay Bs0 {B}_s^0 → ϕμ+^{+}μ−^{−}

An angular analysis of the rare decay ${B}_s^0$→ ϕμ$^{+}$μ$^{−}$ is presented, using proton-proton collision data collected by the LHCb experiment at centre-of-mass energies of 7, 8 and 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 8.4 fb$^{−1}$. The observables describing the angular distributions of the decay ${B}_s^0$→ ϕμ$^{+}$μ$^{−}$ are determined in regions of q$^{2}$, the square of the dimuon invariant mass. The results are consistent with Standard Model predictions.[graphic not available: see fulltext

Branching Fraction Measurements of the Rare Bs0→ϕμ+μ−B^0_s\rightarrow\phi\mu^+\mu^- and Bs0→f2′(1525)μ+μ−B^0_s\rightarrow f_2^\prime(1525)\mu^+\mu^-- Decays

International audienceThe branching fraction of the rare Bs0→ϕμ+μ- decay is measured using data collected by the LHCb experiment at center-of-mass energies of 7, 8, and 13 TeV, corresponding to integrated luminosities of 1, 2, and 6  fb-1, respectively. The branching fraction is reported in intervals of q2, the square of the dimuon invariant mass. In the q2 region between 1.1 and 6.0  GeV2/c4, the measurement is found to lie 3.6 standard deviations below a standard model prediction based on a combination of light cone sum rule and lattice QCD calculations. In addition, the first observation of the rare Bs0→f2′(1525)μ+μ- decay is reported with a statistical significance of 9 standard deviations and its branching fraction is determined

Simultaneous determination of CKM angle γ\gamma and charm mixing parameters

A combination of measurements sensitive to the CP violation angle γ of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa unitarity triangle and to the charm mixing parameters that describe oscillations between D$^{0}$ and $\overline{D} ^{0}$ mesons is performed. Results from the charm and beauty sectors, based on data collected with the LHCb detector at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider, are combined for the first time. This method provides an improvement on the precision of the charm mixing parameter y by a factor of two with respect to the current world average. The charm mixing parameters are determined to be $x=\left({0.400}_{-0.053}^{+0.052}\right)\%$ and y = $\left({0.630}_{-0.030}^{+0.033}\right)\%$. The angle γ is found to be γ = $\left({65.4}_{-4.2}^{+3.8}\right){}^{\circ}$ and is the most precise determination from a single experiment.[graphic not available: see fulltext

Observation of excited Ωc0\Omega_c^0 baryons in Ωb−→Ξc+K−π−\Omega_b^- \to \Xi_c^+ K^-\pi^-decays

International audienceThe first observation of the Ωb-→Ξc+K-π- decay is reported using p p collision data at center of mass energies of 7, 8, and 13 TeV collected by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9  fb-1. Four excited Ωc0 baryons are observed in the Ξc+ K- mass projection of the Ωb-→Ξc+K-π- decays with the significance of each exceeding five standard deviations. They coincide with the states previously observed in prompt pp and e+e- production. Relative production rates, masses, and natural widths of the states are measured, and a test of spin hypotheses is performed. Moreover, the branching ratio of Ωb-→Ξc+K-π- is measured relative to the Ωb-→Ωc0π- decay mode and a precise measurement of the Ωb- mass of 6044.3±1.2±1.1-0.22+0.19  MeV is obtained

Observation of the suppressed Λb0→DpK- decay with D→K+π- and measurement of its CP asymmetry

International audienceA study of Λb0 baryon decays to the DpK- final state is presented based on a proton-proton collision data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9  fb-1 collected with the LHCb detector. Two Λb0 decays are considered, Λb0→DpK- with D→K-π+ and D→K+π-, where D represents a superposition of D0 and D¯0 states. The latter process is expected to be suppressed relative to the former, and is observed for the first time. The ratio of branching fractions of the two decays is measured, and the CP asymmetry of the suppressed mode, which is sensitive to the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa angle γ, is also reported