BCG in the immunotherapy of Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas

Summary Patients with bad prognosis malignant lymphomas were treated by a combination of radiotherapy and polychemotherapy. After complete remission they were randomized: one group was treated by BCG in dermic scarification, the other one was not treated. The results do not ascertain BCG efficiency but justify the intensive reductive treatment.Immuno-oncology week, Paris, June 27, 1975     

The FUS gene is dual‐coding with both proteins contributing to FUS‐mediated toxicity

Novel functional coding sequences (altORFs) are camouflaged within annotated ones (CDS) in a different reading frame. We show here that an altORF is nested in the FUS CDS, encoding a conserved 170 amino acid protein, altFUS. AltFUS is endogenously expressed in human tissues, notably in the motor cortex and motor neurons. Over‐expression of wild‐type FUS and/or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis‐linked FUS mutants is known to trigger toxic mechanisms in different models. These include inhibition of autophagy, loss of mitochondrial potential and accumulation of cytoplasmic aggregates. We find that altFUS, not FUS, is responsible for the inhibition of autophagy, and pivotal in mitochondrial potential loss and accumulation of cytoplasmic aggregates. Suppression of altFUS expression in a Drosophila model of FUS‐related toxicity protects against neurodegeneration. Some mutations found in ALS patients are overlooked because of their synonymous effect on the FUS protein. Yet, we show they exert a deleterious effect causing missense mutations in the overlapping altFUS protein. These findings demonstrate that FUS is a bicistronic gene and suggests that both proteins, FUS and altFUS, cooperate in toxic mechanisms.     

Differentiation of cytoplasmic organelles and storage of yolk during vitellogenesis in Hemidiaptomus ingens and Mixodiaptomus kupelwieseri (Copepoda,Calanoida)

These investigations concern two freshwater calanoid copepods Hemidiaptomus ingens and Mixodiaptomus kupelwieseri. The first aspect of the research relates to the processes involved in the formation and the differentiation of the ooplasmic organelles at the time of primary vitellogenesis. During this phase, a number of complex associations develop in the ooplasm. They consist chiefly of nuage-like structures, corresponding to extruded nuclear material, and vesicular formations, some arising from the nuclear envelope and the others neoformed in the ooplasm. These associations represent centers of maturation for ribosomes and synthesis for reticulum membranes. Annulate lamellae may be observed near these associations. Biogenesis of the reticulum always precedes the differentiation of the Golgi apparatus. Indeed, the dictyo-somes develop in characteristic complexes including endoplasmic reticulum cisternae and numerous vesicles resulting from intensive blebbing from cisternae. The second aspect of this research concerns yolk synthesis and accumulation of hyaloplasmic inclusions. A preliminary synthesis of yolk occurs early in these complexes and becomes more important after achievement of Golgi apparatus biogenesis. However, the most important yolk storage results from exogenous molecules and consists of complex globules, which develop into the ooplasm during secondary vitellogenesis. Formation of these globules is associated with the accumulation of two categories of inclusions in the hyaloplasm, i.e., lipid droplets and clusters of glycogen particles. At the end of vitellogenesis, a new type of endogenous material develops into small cisternae localized in the cortical ooplasm. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

The early/late Pliocene ichthyofauna from Koro-Toro, Eastern Djurab, Chad

This is the first extensive study of a freshwater fish fauna from the Pliocene site of Koro-Toro (Chad), aged 3.58 ± 0.27 Ma. The assemblage includes an abafish (Mormyriformes, Gymnarchidae: Gymnarchus), a tigerfish (Characiformes, Alestidae: Hydrocynus), six different catfishes (Siluriformes, Ariidae: Carlarius; Bagridae: Bagrus; Claroteidae: Clarotes and Auchenoglanis; Mochokidae: Synodontis; Clariidae: Clarias or Heterobranchus), perciform fishes (Perciformes, Latidae: Lates sp. cf. niloticus, and Cichlidae indet.), and a pufferfish (Tetraodontidormes, Tetraodontidae: Tetraodon). The diversity is relatively low when compared with other Chadian Neogene sites. This is probably mostly explained by the wind erosion of the outcrops being responsible for the lack of minute remains. However, we recognize that the aquatic environment recorded corresponds to open waters.