Dark Matter in host-microbiome metabolomics: Tackling the unknowns-A review

in Analytica Chimica Acta (2017)

The “dark matter” in metabolomics (unknowns) represents an exciting frontier with significant potential for discovery in relation to biochemistry, yet it also presents one of the largest challenges to ... [more ▼]

The “dark matter” in metabolomics (unknowns) represents an exciting frontier with significant potential for discovery in relation to biochemistry, yet it also presents one of the largest challenges to overcome. This focussed review takes a close look at the current state-of-the-art and future challenges in tackling the unknowns with specific focus on the human gut microbiome and host-microbe interactions. Metabolomics, like metabolism itself, is a very dynamic discipline, with many workflows and methods under development, both in terms of chemical analysis and post-analysis data processing. Here, we look at developments in the mutli-omic analyses and the use of mass spectrometry to investigate the exchange of metabolites between the host and the microbiome as well as the environment within the microbiome. A case study using HuMiX, a microfluidics-based human-microbial co-culture system that enables the co-culture of human and microbial cells under controlled conditions, is used to highlight opportunities and current limitations. Common definitions, approaches, databases and elucidation techniques from both the environmental and metabolomics fields are covered, with perspectives on how to merge these, as the boundaries blur between the fields. While reflecting on the number of unknowns remaining to be conquered in typical complexsamples measured with mass spectrometry (often ordersof magnitude above the “knowns”), we provide an outlook on future perspectives and challenges in elucidating the relevant “dark matter”. [less ▲]

Secure Number Theoretic Transform and Speed Record for Ring-LWE Encryption on Embedded Processors

in The 20th Annual International Conference on Information Security and Cryptology - ICISC2017 (2017, December 30)

Genetic variation in CFH predicts phenytoin-induced maculopapular exanthema in European-descent patients.

in Neurology (2017)

OBJECTIVE: To characterize, among European and Han Chinese populations, the genetic predictors of maculopapular exanthema (MPE), a cutaneous adverse drug reaction common to antiepileptic drugs. METHODS ... [more ▼]

OBJECTIVE: To characterize, among European and Han Chinese populations, the genetic predictors of maculopapular exanthema (MPE), a cutaneous adverse drug reaction common to antiepileptic drugs. METHODS: We conducted a case-control genome-wide association study of autosomal genotypes, including Class I and II human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles, in 323 cases and 1,321 drug-tolerant controls from epilepsy cohorts of northern European and Han Chinese descent. Results from each cohort were meta-analyzed. RESULTS: We report an association between a rare variant in the complement factor H-related 4 (CFHR4) gene and phenytoin-induced MPE in Europeans (p = 4.5 x 10(-11); odds ratio [95% confidence interval] 7 [3.2-16]). This variant is in complete linkage disequilibrium with a missense variant (N1050Y) in the complement factor H (CFH) gene. In addition, our results reinforce the association between HLA-A*31:01 and carbamazepine hypersensitivity. We did not identify significant genetic associations with MPE among Han Chinese patients. CONCLUSIONS: The identification of genetic predictors of MPE in CFHR4 and CFH, members of the complement factor H-related protein family, suggest a new link between regulation of the complement system alternative pathway and phenytoin-induced hypersensitivity in European-ancestral patients. [less ▲]

Damnatio memoriae

Article for general public (2017)

Functionally Convergent B Cell Receptor Sequences in Transgenic Rats Expressing a Human B Cell Repertoire in Response to Tetanus Toxoid and Measles Antigens.

in Frontiers in immunology (2017), 8

The identification and tracking of antigen-specific immunoglobulin (Ig) sequences within total Ig repertoires is central to high-throughput sequencing (HTS) studies of infections or vaccinations. In this ... [more ▼]

The identification and tracking of antigen-specific immunoglobulin (Ig) sequences within total Ig repertoires is central to high-throughput sequencing (HTS) studies of infections or vaccinations. In this context, public Ig sequences shared by different individuals exposed to the same antigen could be valuable markers for tracing back infections, measuring vaccine immunogenicity, and perhaps ultimately allow the reconstruction of the immunological history of an individual. Here, we immunized groups of transgenic rats expressing human Ig against tetanus toxoid (TT), Modified Vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA), measles virus hemagglutinin and fusion proteins expressed on MVA, and the environmental carcinogen benzo[a]pyrene, coupled to TT. We showed that these antigens impose a selective pressure causing the Ig heavy chain (IgH) repertoires of the rats to converge toward the expression of antibodies with highly similar IgH CDR3 amino acid sequences. We present a computational approach, similar to differential gene expression analysis, that selects for clusters of CDR3s with 80% similarity, significantly overrepresented within the different groups of immunized rats. These IgH clusters represent antigen-induced IgH signatures exhibiting stereotypic amino acid patterns including previously described TT- and measles-specific IgH sequences. Our data suggest that with the presented methodology, transgenic Ig rats can be utilized as a model to identify antigen-induced, human IgH signatures to a variety of different antigens. [less ▲]

Ordinary Pairing-Friendly Genus 2 Hyperelliptic Curves with Absolutely Simple Jacobians

in International Conference on Mathematical Aspects of Computer and Information Sciences (2017, December 21)

L’usage du téléphone portable dans L’Appel de l’Ange de Guillaume Musso et Fuir de Jean-Philippe Toussaint. Réflexion et analyse de notre société globale contemporaine

in Deregnoncourt, Marine; Roudier, Luce (Eds.) Mauvais goût, mauvais genre ? (2017, December 21)

Coupled CFD-DEM with Heat and Mass transfer to Investigate the Melting of a Granular Packed Bed

in Chemical Engineering Science (2017)

The eXtended Discrete Element Method (XDEM) platform which is a Coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian framework with heat and mass transfer, is extended for melting of granular packed beds. In this method, the ... [more ▼]

The eXtended Discrete Element Method (XDEM) platform which is a Coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian framework with heat and mass transfer, is extended for melting of granular packed beds. In this method, the fluid is simulated by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and the soft-sphere discrete element approach (DEM) is used for the particle system. A four-way coupling accounts for solid-liquid interaction via drag and buoyancy forces and the collisions between the particles and the walls. The contact forces between the particles and wall-particle contacts have been calculated by the hertz-mindlin model. The particles heat up, melt and shrink due to heat and mass exchange, and the temperature distributions inside the particles are described. In order to validate the method, melting of a single ice particle and of a packed bed of ice in flowing water have been carried out. Very good agreement between the simulation and experiment has been achieved. The effects of the temperature and velocity of flowing water on melting rate are also discussed. [less ▲]

WWII, Russians in Luxembourg: Sowjetesch Zwangsaarbechter zu Lëtzebuerg

Speeches/Talks (2017)

Am Kader vun engem Recherche-Projet iwwer "100 Joer russesch Emigratioun op Lëtzebuerg" fuerscht d'Inna Ganschow, mat der Ënnerstëtzung vun der Lydie-Schmit-Stëftung, ënnert anerem och iwwer d'Lous vu ... [more ▼]

Am Kader vun engem Recherche-Projet iwwer "100 Joer russesch Emigratioun op Lëtzebuerg" fuerscht d'Inna Ganschow, mat der Ënnerstëtzung vun der Lydie-Schmit-Stëftung, ënnert anerem och iwwer d'Lous vu sowjeteschen Zwangsaarbechter, déi an de Joren 1942 bis 44 op Lëtzebuerger Schmelzen an a Lëtzebuerger Bauerebetriber geschafft hunn. [less ▲]

La firma d’artista nella Francia romanica. Problemi, forme, funzioni

in Venezia Arti (2017), 26

This paper aims to discuss some issues related to artists’ signatures during the XIth and XIIth centuries, focusing on a corpus of French inscriptions, broadly neglected in previous works. After a short ... [more ▼]

This paper aims to discuss some issues related to artists’ signatures during the XIth and XIIth centuries, focusing on a corpus of French inscriptions, broadly neglected in previous works. After a short introduction of the corpus, the second part of the article undertakes to evaluate the writing skills of those who executed these inscriptions. The last part deals with the value of theses signatures, traditionally considered as the artist’s claim of authorship of a work, in order to obtain recognition of his talent and status. However, since the analysis of their exhibition contexts shows that they were often invisible to a large public, and that they were concentrated in symbolic spaces of the church, this study suggests their interpretation from a devotional and eschatological perspective. [less ▲]