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Little is known as to whether there may be any pathogenetic link between pulmonary carcinoids and neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs). A gene signature we previously found to cluster pulmonary carcinoids, large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) and small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC), and which encompassed MEN1, MYC, MYCL1, RICTOR, RB1, SDHA, SRC and TP53 mutations or copy number variations (CNVs), was used to reclassify an independent cohort of 54 neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) [31 typical carcinoids (TC), 11 atypical carcinoids (AC) and 12 SCLC], by means of transcriptome and mutation data. Unsupervised clustering analysis identified two histology-independent clusters, namely CL1 and CL2, where 17/42 (40.5%) carcinoids and all the SCLC samples fell into the latter. CL2 carcinoids affected survival adversely, were enriched in T to G transversions or T > C/C > T transitions in the context of specific mutational signatures, presented with at least 1.5-fold change (FC) increase of gene mutations including TSC2, SMARCA2, SMARCA4, ERBB4 and PTPRZ1, differed for gene expression and showed epigenetic changes in charge of MYC and MTORC1 pathways, cellular senescence, inflammation, high-plasticity cell state and immune system exhaustion. Similar results were also found in two other independent validation sets comprising 101 lung NENs (24 carcinoids, 21 SCLC and 56 LCNEC) and 30 carcinoids, respectively. We herein confirmed an unexpected sharing of molecular traits along the spectrum of lung NENs, with a subset of genomically distinct aggressive carcinoids sharing molecular features of high-grade neuroendocrine neoplasms., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The author has no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

After intensive control efforts, human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) was declared eliminated in Côte d'Ivoire as a public health problem in December 2020 and the current objective is to achieve the interruption of the transmission (zero cases). Reaching this objective could be hindered by the existence of an animal reservoir of Trypanosoma (T.) brucei (b.) gambiense. In the framework of a study led in 2013 to assess the role of domestic animals in the epidemiology of HAT in the two last active foci from Côte d'Ivoire (Bonon and Sinfra), plasmas were sampled from four species of domestic animals for parasitological (microscopic examination by the buffy coat technique (BCT)), serological (immune trypanolysis (TL)) and molecular (specific PCR: TBR for T. brucei s.l., TCF for T. congolense forest type, TVW for T. vivax and PCR for T. b. gambiense) testing. In order to improve the understanding of the involvement/role of these animals in the transmission of T. b. gambiense, we have quantified in this study the IgG response to whole saliva extracts of Glossina palpalis gambiensis in order to perform an association analysis between anti-saliva responses and the positivity of diagnostic tests. Cattle and pigs had significantly higher rates of anti-tsetse saliva responses compared to goats and sheep (p < 0.01). In addition, the anti-tsetse saliva responses were strongly associated with the parasitology (BCT+), serology (TL+) and PCR (TBR+ and TCF+) results (p < 0.001). These associations indicate a high level of contacts between the positive/infected animals and tsetse flies. Our findings suggest that protecting cattle and pigs against tsetse bites could have a significant impact in reducing transmission of both animal and human trypanosome species, and advocates for a "One health" approach to better control African trypanosomosis in Côte d'Ivoire., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Italy was among the first countries hit by the pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. The application of strict lockdown measures disproportionately affected both cancer patient care as well as basic and translational cancer research., Materials and Methods: The Italian Cancer Society (SIC) conducted a survey on the effect of lockdown on laboratories involved in cancer research in Italy. The survey was completed by 570 researchers at different stages of their career, working in cancer centers, research institutes and universities from 19 Italian regions., Results: During the lockdown period, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic emergency on face-to-face research activities was high, with a complete (47.7%) or partial (36.1%) shutdown of the laboratories. In the post-lockdown period, research activities were resumed in most of the respondents' institutions (80.4%), though with some restrictions (77.2%). COVID-19 testing was offered to research personnel only in ~50% of research institutions. Overall, the response to the pandemic was fragmented as in many cases institutions adopted different strategies often aimed at limiting possible infections without a clearly defined contingency plan. Nevertheless, research was able to provide the first answers and possible ways out of the pandemic, also with the contribution of many cancer researchers that sacrificed their research programs to help overcome the pandemic by offering their knowledge and technologies., Conclusions: Given the current persistence of an emergency situation in many European countries, a more adequate organization of research centers will be urgent and necessary to ensure the continuity of laboratory activities in a safe environment., Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors have declared no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

In the context of the Pan African Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Eradication Campaign, the value of tsetse saliva antibodies as a biomarker of cattle exposure to tsetse flies was evaluated, as this could provide an alternative and complementary tool to conventional entomological methods. Serum immune reactivity to Glossina (G.) palpalis (p.) gambiensis, G. tachinoides and G. morsitans (m.) submorsitans whole saliva extracts (WSE) were monitored in cattle from both tsetse free and tsetse infested areas, and in cows experimentally exposed to tsetse flies and other hematophagous arthropods. In the tsetse infested area, cattle IgG responses to Glossina WSE were significantly higher during the dry season (p<0.0001) when herds are most exposed to tsetse flies and in infected animals (p=0.01) as expected in the case of a biomarker of exposure. Experimental studies further confirmed this as a quick rise of specific IgGs was observed in animals exposed to tsetse flies (within weeks), followed by a rapid clearance after exposure was stopped. In contrast to the two other tsetse species, G. m. submorsitans WSE enabled to detect exposure to all tsetse species and were associated with low level of cross-reactivity to other blood sucking arthropods. Finally, IgG responses to G. m. submorsitans salivary antigens enabled to distinguish different groups of cows according to exposure levels, thus indicating that tsetse saliva antibodies are not only indicators of tsetse exposure but also are correlated to the intensity of tsetse contacts (p=0.0031). Implementation of this new sero-epidemiological marker of cattle exposure to tsetse flies in the framework of tsetse elimination campaigns is discussed., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The saliva of blood sucking arthropods contains a number of pharmacologically active compounds that induce an antibody response in exposed human individuals. The objectives of the present study were (i) to assess the human IgG response directed against salivary antigens of Glossina palpalis gambiensis, the main vector of Trypanosoma brucei gambiense in West Africa, as a biomarker of human-tsetse contacts; and (ii) to identify specific salivary antigens. Immune reactivity of human plasma collected within active human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) foci (coastal Guinea), historical foci where tsetse flies are still present (South-West Burkina Faso) and a tsetse free area (Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso), was measured by ELISA against whole saliva extracts. In the active HAT foci and areas where tsetse flies were present in high densities, specific IgG responses were significantly higher (p < 0.0001) to those in Bobo-Dioulasso or in Loropeni, where tsetse flies were either absent or only present at low densities. Furthermore, 2D-electrophoresis combined with mass spectrometry enabled to reveal that several antigens were specifically recognized by plasma from exposed individuals. Among them, four salivary proteins were successfully identified (Ada, 5'Nuc, Ag5 and Tsgf1). These results represent a first attempt to identify Glossina salivary proteins or synthetic peptides to develop a standardized and specific biomarker of tsetse exposure in West Africa., (Copyright © 2013 Institut Pasteur. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

At a time when human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) elimination again seems a reachable goal in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, it is becoming increasingly important to characterise the factors involved in disease resurgence or maintenance to develop sustainable control strategies. In this study conducted in the Forecariah mangrove focus in Guinea, HAT patients and serological suspects (SERO) were identified through mass screening of the population with the Card Agglutination Test for Trypanosomiasis (CATT) and were followed up for up to 2 years. Analysis of the samples collected during the follow-up of HAT patients and SERO was performed with PCR (TBR1/TBR2) and the trypanolysis serological test (TL) in order to clarify the role played by these individuals in the epidemiology of HAT. PCR positivity was higher in TL⁺ than in SERO TL⁻ (50% vs. 18%, respectively). Whereas CATT plasma titres decreased both in treated HAT patients and SERO TL⁻, SERO TL⁺ maintained high CATT titres. Four out of 17 SERO TL⁺ developed HAT during the study. These results strongly suggest that SERO TL⁺ individuals are asymptomatic carriers. In the context where disease prevalence is sufficiently low, treating SERO TL⁺ individual may thus be of crucial importance in order to cut transmission., (Copyright © 2011 Institut Pasteur. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: Survival analysis is a standard methodology to assess progress in oncology disease treatment. However, survival analysis commonly only measures survival during the treatment period (and the period immediately afterwards), and does not provide an estimate of life expectancy, which is often of more interest to patients and to health policy makers. In this paper we propose a method to estimate childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) life expectancy through the integration of traditional survival analysis and life expectancy tables., Patients and Methods: The study included 305 incident cases registered by the Childhood Cancer Registry of Piedmont in 1979-1991. Vital status on 30 June 2004 was known for 304 cases. Survival analyses were carried out using the Kaplan-Meier method and the Gompertz model, according to the time period of diagnosis and gender., Results: Cumulative survival at 5 years increased from 58.6% (95% CI 48.9-68.3) for cases diagnosed in March 1979-July 1982 to 79.1% (95% CI 70.8-87.5) in March 1987-February 1991 (P = 0.002). Average life expectancy increased from 46.1 years for boys and 42.6 years for girls diagnosed in March 1979-July 1982 to 58.3 and 69.1, respectively, in March 1987-February 1991., Conclusions: These analyses show an improvement over the time period of diagnosis of life expectancy for children with ALL.