Genetic Sharing with Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors and Diabetes Reveals Novel Bone Mineral Density Loci.

Bone Mineral Density (BMD) is a highly heritable trait, but genome-wide association studies have identified few genetic risk factors. Epidemiological studies suggest associations between BMD and several traits and diseases, but the nature of the suggestive comorbidity is still unknown. We used a novel genetic pleiotropy-informed conditional False Discovery Rate (FDR) method to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with BMD by leveraging cardiovascular disease (CVD) associated disorders and metabolic traits. By conditioning on SNPs associated with the CVD-related phenotypes, type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, high density lipoprotein, low density lipoprotein, triglycerides and waist hip ratio, we identified 65 novel independent BMD loci (26 with femoral neck BMD and 47 with lumbar spine BMD) at conditional FDR < 0.01. Many of the loci were confirmed in genetic expression studies. Genes validated at the mRNA levels were characteristic for the osteoblast/osteocyte lineage, Wnt signaling pathway and bone metabolism. The results provide new insight into genetic mechanisms of variability in BMD, and a better understanding of the genetic underpinnings of clinical comorbidity

Family Burials at Hayonim

The exceptionally high frequency of third molar agenesis found at Hayonim would indicate continued use of the one site by members of the same family groupe through out the entire period represented.Un caractère constant de la dentition des squelettes trouvés dans les niveaux successifs de la grotte d'Hayonim tend à souligner la continuité de l'occupation du site par un même groupe d'individus.Smith Philip E.L. Family Burials at Hayonim. In: Paléorient, 1973, vol. 1, n°1. pp. 69-71

Gashed Clay Cones at Ganj Dareh, Iran

In the early Neolithic site of Ganj Dareh many of the clay cones have been deliberately modified by gashes stabbed into the plastic material. The purpose is unclear. The feature may be peculiar to this site.A Ganj Dareh, de nombreux cônes d'argile portent des entailles pratiquées délibérément. Leur signification reste ignorée; cette caractéristique pourrait être spécifique de ce site du Néolithique ancien.Broman Morales Vivian, Smith Philip E.L. Gashed Clay Cones at Ganj Dareh, Iran. In: Paléorient, 1990, vol. 16, n°1. pp. 115-117

Un nouveau sondage sur la terrasse d'El Ouad, Israël

A re-examination of the deposits at El-Wad Terrace was carried out in 1980-81. Layers B.2 (Early Natufian) and B.I (Late Natufian) were found as described by Garrod. The uppermost layer A is disturbed but the flint industry can be classified as an evolved Natufian, recently named Final Natufian. Together with Mallaha (Eynan), the sequence of El-Wad is therefore the longest presently known among Natufian sites. The paper presents the lithic industry, isolated human teeth, bone objects, marine molluscs, land snails, mammalian and fish remains.Une vérification a été entreprise en 1980-81 sur la terrasse d'El Ouad. Elle a permis de retrouver les couches B.1 et B.2 de Garrod et de confirmer leur attribution au Natoufien ancien et récent. La couche supérieure, A, paraît renfermer, mais très perturbé, un Natoufien plus évolué que les précédents, qualifié de final. Avec Mallaha, El Ouad aurait ainsi conservé la plus longue séquence natoufienne actuellement connue. Les différentes catégories de vestiges sont analysées, y compris les dents humaines et la faune (mollusques, mammifères, poissons, etc.).Valla François, Bar-Yosef Ofer, Smith Philip E.L., Tchernov Eitan, Desse J. Un nouveau sondage sur la terrasse d'El Ouad, Israël. In: Paléorient, 1986, vol. 12, n°1. pp. 21-38

Immunocompromised patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome : Secondary analysis of the LUNG SAFE database

The aim of this study was to describe data on epidemiology, ventilatory management, and outcome of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in immunocompromised patients. Methods: We performed a post hoc analysis on the cohort of immunocompromised patients enrolled in the Large Observational Study to Understand the Global Impact of Severe Acute Respiratory Failure (LUNG SAFE) study. The LUNG SAFE study was an international, prospective study including hypoxemic patients in 459 ICUs from 50 countries across 5 continents. Results: Of 2813 patients with ARDS, 584 (20.8%) were immunocompromised, 38.9% of whom had an unspecified cause. Pneumonia, nonpulmonary sepsis, and noncardiogenic shock were their most common risk factors for ARDS. Hospital mortality was higher in immunocompromised than in immunocompetent patients (52.4% vs 36.2%; p < 0.0001), despite similar severity of ARDS. Decisions regarding limiting life-sustaining measures were significantly more frequent in immunocompromised patients (27.1% vs 18.6%; p < 0.0001). Use of noninvasive ventilation (NIV) as first-line treatment was higher in immunocompromised patients (20.9% vs 15.9%; p = 0.0048), and immunodeficiency remained independently associated with the use of NIV after adjustment for confounders. Forty-eight percent of the patients treated with NIV were intubated, and their mortality was not different from that of the patients invasively ventilated ab initio. Conclusions: Immunosuppression is frequent in patients with ARDS, and infections are the main risk factors for ARDS in these immunocompromised patients. Their management differs from that of immunocompetent patients, particularly the greater use of NIV as first-line ventilation strategy. Compared with immunocompetent subjects, they have higher mortality regardless of ARDS severity as well as a higher frequency of limitation of life-sustaining measures. Nonetheless, nearly half of these patients survive to hospital discharge. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02010073. Registered on 12 December 2013