Grouping levels of exposure with same observable effects before class prediction in toxicogenomics.

International audienceGene expression profiling in toxicogenomics is often used to find molecular signature of toxicants. The range of doses chosen in toxicogenomics studies does not always represent all the possible effects on gene expression: several doses of toxicant can lead to the same observable effect on the transcriptome. This makes the problem of dose exposure prediction difficult to address. We propose a strategy allowing to gather the doses with similar effects prior to the computing of a molecular signature. The different gathering of doses are compared with criteria based on likelihood or Monte Carlo Cross Validation. The molecular signature is then determined via a voting algorithm. Experimental results point out that the obtained classifier has better prediction performances than the classifier computed according to the original labeling

Wavelength Shifters for Water Cherenkov Detectors

The light yield of a water-based Cherenkov detector can be significantly improved by adding a wavelength shifter. Wavelength shifter (WLS) molecules absorb ultraviolet photons and re-emit them at longer wavelengths where typical photomultiplier tubes are more sensitive. In this study, several wavelength shifter compounds are tested for possible deployment in the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO). Test results on optical properties and chemical compatibility for a few WLS candidates are reported; together with timing and gain measurements. A Monte Carlo simulation of the SNO detector response is used to estimate the total light gain with WLS. Finally, a cosmic ray Cherenkov detector was built to investigate the optical properties of WLS.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figure

Risk Factors for Marburg Hemorrhagic Fever, Democratic Republic of the Congo

We conducted two antibody surveys to assess risk factors for Marburg hemorrhagic fever in an area of confirmed Marburg virus transmission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Questionnaires were administered and serum samples tested for Marburg-specific antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Fifteen (2%) of 912 participants in a general village cross-sectional antibody survey were positive for Marburg immunoglobulin G antibody. Thirteen (87%) of these 15 were men who worked in the local gold mines. Working as a miner (odds ratio [OR] 13.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.1 to 62.1) and receiving injections (OR 7.4, 95% CI 1.6 to 33.2) were associated with a positive antibody result. All 103 participants in a targeted antibody survey of healthcare workers were antibody negative. Primary transmission of Marburg virus to humans likely occurred via exposure to a still unidentified reservoir in the local mines. Secondary transmission appears to be less common with Marburg virus than with Ebola virus, the other known filovirus

CECAM. Regards sur l'impact du réseau. Histoires de vie...

En zone rurale, les CECAM représentent, le plus souvent, le seul moyen d’accès à un crédit formel proche tandis que la raison majeure de la non adhésion au réseau reste l’auto exclusion du crédit. L’étude souligne l’importance des crédits CECAM : facteurs de sécurisation alimentaire, de renforcement de la résilience des ménages moyens et pauvres ; levier et accélérateur de développement des projets économiques pour les ménages moyens et aisés. Elle rapporte aussi le cas d’emprunteurs qui ont connu des difficultés avec leur crédit

Point-of-care diagnostics for ricin exposure

International audienc

Initial and final whole body fatty acid profile (mg/g of dry matter) of rainbow trout subjected to a feeding trial at 15°C or 19°C with a control diet (FO) or a linseed oil diet (LO).

<p>Initial and final whole body fatty acid profile (mg/g of dry matter) of rainbow trout subjected to a feeding trial at 15°C or 19°C with a control diet (FO) or a linseed oil diet (LO).</p

Measurement of AC losses in superconducting tapes subjected to both AC current and magnetic field using a bolometric technique

<p><b>Effect of the dietary treatment on f<i>ads2</i> and e<i>lovl5</i> relative expressions in the liver (A) and intestine (B) of rainbow trout reared at two different water temperatures with a fish oil (FO) or a linseed oil (LO) diet.</b> Results are expressed as relative mean value (± SEM) to geometric mean of <i>EF1α</i> and <i>β-actin</i> reference gene expressions. On the same graph, data with no common letter (^{a, ab, b}) are significantly different (Tukey’s (parametric) or Student’s (nonparametric with α = 0.8%) <i>post hoc</i> tests; <i>n</i> = 5 except in intestine for which <i>n</i> = 4 for LO at 19°C). f<i>ads2</i>, fatty acid desaturase 2; <i>elovl5</i>, elongase 5; <i>EF1α</i>, elongation factor 1α.</p

Temperature Increase Negatively Affects the Fatty Acid Bioconversion Capacity of Rainbow Trout (<i>Oncorhynchus mykiss</i>) Fed a Linseed Oil-Based Diet - Fig 2

<p><b>Effect of the dietary treatment on f<i>ads2</i> and e<i>lovl5</i> relative expressions in the liver (A) and intestine (B) of rainbow trout reared at two different water temperatures with a fish oil (FO) or a linseed oil (LO) diet.</b> Results are expressed as relative mean value (± SEM) to geometric mean of <i>EF1α</i> and <i>β-actin</i> reference gene expressions. On the same graph, data with no common letter (^{a, ab, b}) are significantly different (Tukey’s (parametric) or Student’s (nonparametric with α = 0.8%) <i>post hoc</i> tests; <i>n</i> = 5 except in intestine for which <i>n</i> = 4 for LO at 19°C). f<i>ads2</i>, fatty acid desaturase 2; <i>elovl5</i>, elongase 5; <i>EF1α</i>, elongation factor 1α.</p