Mammalian frataxin directly enhances sulfur transfer of NFS1 persulfide to both ISCU and free thiols

Friedreich's ataxia is a severe neurodegenerative disease caused by the decreased expression of frataxin, a mitochondrial protein that stimulates iron sulfur (Fe-S) cluster biogenesis. In mammals, the primary steps of Fe-S cluster assembly are performed by the NFS1 ISD11 ISCU complex via the formation of a persulfide intermediate on NFS1. Here we show that frataxin modulates the reactivity of NFS1 persulfide with thiols. We use maleimide-peptide com- pounds along with mass spectrometry to probe cysteine-persulfide in NFS1 and ISCU. Our data reveal that in the presence of ISCU, frataxin enhances the rate of two similar reactions on NFS1 persulfide: sulfur transfer to ISCU leading to the accumulation of a persulfide on the cysteine C104 of ISCU, and sulfur transfer to small thiols such as DTT, L-cysteine and GSH leading to persulfuration of these thiols and ultimately sulfide release. These data raise important questions on the physiological mechanism of Fe-S cluster assembly and point to a unique function of frataxin as an enhancer of sulfur transfer within the NFS1 ISD11 ISCU complex

Vitamin A status of populations in three West african countries

Les résultats des enquêtes de consommation alimentaire et d'épidémiologie (clinique et biochimique) entreprises dans trois régions sub-sahéliennes ont mis en évidence l'existence de xérophtalmie au Burkina Faso, une déficience transitoire en vitamine A durant la saison humide au sud du Mali sans signes cliniques graves et un bon état en vitamine A en Casamanc

Fermi detection of delayed GeV emission from the short GRB 081024B

We report on the detailed analysis of the high-energy extended emission from the short Gamma-Ray Burst (GRB) 081024B, detected by the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. Historically, this represents the first clear detection of temporal extended emission from a short GRB. The light curve observed by the Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor lasts approximately 0.8 seconds whereas the emission in the Fermi Large Area Telescope lasts for about 3 seconds. Evidence of longer lasting high-energy emission associated with long bursts has been already reported by previous experiments. Our observations, together with the earlier reported study of the bright short GRB 090510, indicate similarities in the high-energy emission of short and long GRBs and open the path to new interpretations.Comment: 19 pages, 4 figures, 2 tables. Accepted for publication in Ap

Money growth pegging, Taylor rule, status-seeking behavior and the 'spirit of capitalism'

This paper analyzes the impact of “spirit of capitalism” on stationary welfare and stability properties of a one-sector Ramsey economy, where the demand of money is motivated by a cash-in-advance constraint on consumption expenditures. Preferences are defined over consumption and capital stock. There is a monetary authority that follows either a money growth pegging rule or an interest rate pegging rule. When a money growth pegging rule is introduced, a unique steady state emerges. A slight desire for status is a sufficient condition for an increase in the money growth rate to exert a local stabilizing effect and to improve stationary welfare. When an interest rate pegging rule is introduced, two steady states may emerge: a “liquidity trap” and an “interior” steady state. Both steady states are locally determinate. Moreover, we show that a slight desire for status is also a sufficient condition to ensure that the stationary welfare at “interior” steady state is higher than the one of the “liquidity trap”. It follows that an increase in the policy rate is, then, an efficient way to exit the “liquidity trap” steady state. Under similar conditions, a higher policy rate increases the stationary welfare at the “interior” steady state

The risk of lung cancer related to dietary intake of flavonoids

It has been hypothesized that flavonoids in foods and beverages may reduce cancer risk through antioxidation, inhibition of inflammation, and other antimutagenic and antiproliferative properties. We examined associations between intake of five flavonoid subclasses (anthocyanidins, flavan-3-ols, flavones, flavonols, flavanones) and lung cancer risk in a population-based case-control study in Montreal, Canada (1,061 cases and 1,425 controls). Flavonoid intake was estimated from a food frequency questionnaire that assessed diet two years prior to diagnosis (cases) or interview (controls). Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using unconditional logistic regression. Overall, total flavonoid intake was not associated with lung cancer risk, the effect being similar regardless of sex and smoking level. However, low flavonoid intake from food, but not from beverages, was associated with an increased risk. The adjusted ORs (95% CIs) comparing the highest versus the lowest quartiles of intake were 0.63 (0.47-0.85) for total flavonoids, 0.82 (0.61-1.11) for anthocyanidins, 0.67 (0.50-0.90) for flavan-3-ols, 0.68 (0.50-0.93) for flavones, 0.62 (0.45-0.84) for flavonols, and 0.70 (0.53-0.94) for flavanones. An inverse association with total flavone and flavanone intake was observed for squamous cell carcinoma but not adenocarcinoma. In conclusion, low flavonoid intake from food may increase lung cancer risk

The Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service Ocean State Report

The Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS) Ocean State Report (OSR) provides an annual report of the state of the global ocean and European regional seas for policy and decision-makers with the additional aim of increasing general public awareness about the status of, and changes in, the marine environment. The CMEMS OSR draws on expert analysis and provides a 3-D view (through reanalysis systems), a view from above (through remote-sensing data) and a direct view of the interior (through in situ measurements) of the global ocean and the European regional seas. The report is based on the unique CMEMS monitoring capabilities of the blue (hydrography, currents), white (sea ice) and green (e.g. Chlorophyll) marine environment. This first issue of the CMEMS OSR provides guidance on Essential Variables, large-scale changes and specific events related to the physical ocean state over the period 1993–2015. Principal findings of this first CMEMS OSR show a significant increase in global and regional sea levels, thermosteric expansion, ocean heat content, sea surface temperature and Antarctic sea ice extent and conversely a decrease in Arctic sea ice extent during the 1993–2015 period. During the year 2015 exceptionally strong large-scale changes were monitored such as, for example, a strong El Niño Southern Oscillation, a high frequency of extreme storms and sea level events in specific regions in addition to areas of high sea level and harmful algae blooms. At the same time, some areas in the Arctic Ocean experienced exceptionally low sea ice extent and temperatures below average were observed in the North Atlantic Ocean