Austérité versus protection sociale : comment garantir l’accès aux soins en Europe ?

Maria MelchiorMédecins du Monde agit en Europe depuis 1986, et actuellement dans 14 pays différents à travers 160 programmes qui visent à aider des personnes vulnérables à accéder à des soins et à leurs droits. Depuis 2004, l’association développe un plaidoyer spécifique auprès de divers acteurs européens – le Parlement européen, la Commission européenne, l’Agence de surveillance sanitaire européenne ainsi que le Conseil de l’Europe – pour promouvoir l’accès aux soins de toutes les personnes ..

Nat Genet

The function of the majority of genes in the mouse and human genomes remains unknown. The mouse embryonic stem cell knockout resource provides a basis for the characterization of relationships between genes and phenotypes. The EUMODIC consortium developed and validated robust methodologies for the broad-based phenotyping of knockouts through a pipeline comprising 20 disease-oriented platforms. We developed new statistical methods for pipeline design and data analysis aimed at detecting reproducible phenotypes with high power. We acquired phenotype data from 449 mutant alleles, representing 320 unique genes, of which half had no previous functional annotation. We captured data from over 27,000 mice, finding that 83% of the mutant lines are phenodeviant, with 65% demonstrating pleiotropy. Surprisingly, we found significant differences in phenotype annotation according to zygosity. New phenotypes were uncovered for many genes with previously unknown function, providing a powerful basis for hypothesis generation and further investigation in diverse systems.Comment in : Genetic differential calculus. [Nat Genet. 2015] Comment in : Scaling up phenotyping studies. [Nat Biotechnol. 2015

Stem cell-related "self-renewal" signature and high epidermal growth factor receptor expression associated with resistance to concomitant chemoradiotherapy in glioblastoma

PURPOSE: Glioblastomas are notorious for resistance to therapy, which has been attributed to DNA-repair proficiency, a multitude of deregulated molecular pathways, and, more recently, to the particular biologic behavior of tumor stem-like cells. Here, we aimed to identify molecular profiles specific for treatment resistance to the current standard of care of concomitant chemoradiotherapy with the alkylating agent temozolomide. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Gene expression profiles of 80 glioblastomas were interrogated for associations with resistance to therapy. Patients were treated within clinical trials testing the addition of concomitant and adjuvant temozolomide to radiotherapy. RESULTS: An expression signature dominated by HOX genes, which comprises Prominin-1 (CD133), emerged as a predictor for poor survival in patients treated with concomitant chemoradiotherapy (n = 42; hazard ratio = 2.69; 95% CI, 1.38 to 5.26; P = .004). This association could be validated in an independent data set. Provocatively, the HOX cluster was reminiscent of a "self-renewal" signature (P = .008; Gene Set Enrichment Analysis) recently characterized in a mouse leukemia model. The HOX signature and EGFR expression were independent prognostic factors in multivariate analysis, adjusted for the O-6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) methylation status, a known predictive factor for benefit from temozolomide, and age. Better outcome was associated with gene clusters characterizing features of tumor-host interaction including tumor vascularization and cell adhesion, and innate immune response. CONCLUSION: This study provides first clinical evidence for the implication of a "glioma stem cell" or "self-renewal" phenotype in treatment resistance of glioblastoma. Biologic mechanisms identified here to be relevant for resistance will guide future targeted therapies and respective marker development for individualized treatment and patient selection

The feminine sanctification in ivory images of Mary, mother of Jesus

Nos espaços coloniais do Império português, em seus contextos de encontros e confrontos, nos desafios da alteridade, a experiência intercultural pode ser identificada nas diversidades das iconografias religiosas. Neste artigo observa-se a sacralização do feminino, que, se para o Projeto da Conquista teve em Maria a imagem e o modelo de mulher segundo a fé católica, ambiguamente, em suas representações, vestígios técnicos, estéticos e míticos, aproximou a Mãe de Jesus de divindades femininas de devocional equivalência, de outras matrizes das sociedades colonizadas, conforme se pode comparar na Índia portuguesa. A imaginária mariana em marfim, produzida nesta que foi uma matéria-prima símbolo de prestígio e de grande valor comercial, denota as tensões do poder além da polarização e do subjugo do império.In a context permeated by conflicts, among the challenge of otherness, intercultural experiences can be identified in the colonial Portuguese Empire environment through the variety of religious iconography. In this paper, our aim is to analyze the feminine sanctification under two perspectives: if, in one hand, Mary was in the Conquer Project both the paradigm and model of woman according to the catholic doctrine, on the other, ambiguously, in its representation and technical, aesthetic and mythic traces, the Mother of Jesus was compared to female deities from religious matrices belonged to other colonized societies, as seen in the Portuguese India. Produced with ivory, symbol of prestige and great commercial value, the images of Mary represent the tensions for power beyond the polarization and the control of the Portuguese Empire