Gene expression of free fatty acids-sensing G protein-coupled receptors in beef cattle

Many physiological functions are regulated by free fatty acids (FFA). Recently, the discovery of FFA-specific G protein-coupled receptors (FFARs) has added to the complexity of their actions at the cellular level. The study of FFAR in cattle is still in its earliest stages focusing mainly on dairy cows. In this study, we set out to map the expression of genes encoding FFARs in 6 tissues of beef cattle. We also investigated the potential effect of dietary forage nature on FFAR gene expression. To this end, 16 purebred Charolais bulls were fed a grass silage ration or a maize silage ration (n = 8/group) with a forage/concentrate ratio close to 60:40 for 196 d. The animals were then slaughtered at 485 ± 42 d and liver, spleen, ileum, rectum, perirenal adipose tissue (PRAT), and Longissimus Thoracis muscle were collected. FFAR gene expression was determined by real-time quantitative PCR. Our results showed that of the five FFARs investigated, FFAR1, FFAR2, FFAR3, and GPR84 are expressed (Ct < 30) in all six tissues, whereas FFAR4 was only expressed (Ct < 30) in PRAT, ileum, and rectum. In addition, our results showed that the nature of the forage, i.e., grass silage or maize silage, had no effect on the relative abundance of FFAR in any of the tissues studied (P value > 0.05). Taken together, these results open new perspectives for studying the physiological role of these receptors in beef cattle, particularly in nutrient partitioning during growth.

Chapitre 4. Subventions discriminatoires de soins medicaux à l’épreuve du principe éthique de la justice : cas d’un service d’orl au burkina faso

INTRODUCTION

A legal exception to the principle of equal health rights, discriminatory subsidies often pose an ethical dilemma in the field of application.

AIM

To analyze discriminatory subsidies for healthcare in the light of the ethical principle of justice and to propose alternatives to any inherent legal and ethical conflicts.

METHOD

This was a qualitative, descriptive and analytical study based on semi-structured interviews with caregivers.

RESULTS

Participants felt that the application of discriminatory subsidies has a negative impact on substantial distributive justice. The infringements of the award conditions were exclusively for the benefit of the patients concerned. Their impact was considered positive on distributive justice and negative on formal justice.

DISCUSSION

Discriminatory care subsidies generally stem from a legal requirement whose application should not be ambiguous. It is apparent that the infringements of the conditions for attribution were in favour of substantial distributive justice. This opposition is a potential source of decision-making difficulties for caregivers who often choose to violate conditions for the benefit of their indigent patients. There are therefore violations of ethically understandable standards, which must be admitted. This could be done through the provision of exceptions for the application of standards for ”noble causes” and conscientious objection clauses in health policy texts.

CONCLUSION

The legitimacy of health policy norms is essential for their effective application, hence the interest of taking distributive justice into account in the genesis of formal norms.

A cluster of autochthonous dengue transmission in the Paris region - detection, epidemiology and control measures, France, October 2023

A cluster of three confirmed autochthonous dengue cases was detected in October 2023 in the Val-de-Marne department neighbouring Paris, France. This marks the northernmost transmission of dengue in Europe reported to date. The epidemiological and microbiological investigations and the vector control measures are described. This event confirms the need for early case detection and response to contain dengue in Europe, especially given the 2024 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, when millions of visitors will visit the Greater Paris area.

Arboviral Risk Associated with Solid Organ and Hematopoietic Stem Cell Grafts: The Prophylactic Answers Proposed by the French High Council of Public Health in a National Context

Diseases caused by arboviruses are on the increase worldwide. In addition to arthropod bites, most arboviruses can be transmitted via accessory routes. Products of human origin (labile blood products, solid organs, hematopoietic stem cells, tissues) present a risk of contamination for the recipient if the donation is made when the donor is viremic. Mainland France and its overseas territories are exposed to a complex array of imported and endemic arboviruses, which differ according to their respective location. This narrative review describes the risks of acquiring certain arboviral diseases from human products, mainly solid organs and hematopoietic stem cells, in the French context. The main risks considered in this study are infections by West Nile virus, dengue virus, and tick-borne encephalitis virus. The ancillary risks represented by Usutu virus infection, chikungunya, and Zika are also addressed more briefly. For each disease, the guidelines issued by the French High Council of Public Health, which is responsible for mitigating the risks associated with products of human origin and for supporting public health policy decisions, are briefly outlined. This review highlights the need for a "One Health" approach and to standardize recommendations at the international level in areas with the same viral epidemiology.

Maliibacterium massiliense gen. nov. sp. nov., Isolated from Human Feces and Proposal of Maliibacteriaceae fam. nov

Bacterial strain Marseille-P3954 was isolated from a stool sample of a 35-year-old male patient living in France. It was a gram-positive, rod-shaped anaerobic, non-motile, and non-spore-forming bacterium. C_16:0 and C_18:1n9 were the major fatty acid, while its genome measured 2,422,126 bp with 60.8 mol% of G+C content. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that strain Marseille-P3954 had 85.51% of similarity with Christensenella minuta, its closest related species with standing in nomenclature. As this value is very low compared to the recommended threshold, it suggested that the Marseille-P3954 strain belongs to a new bacterial genus, classified in a new family. On the basis of these genomic, phenotypic, and phylogenetic evidences, we propose that strain Marseille-P3954 should be classified as a new genus and species, Maliibacterium massiliense gen. nov., sp. nov. The type strain of M. massiliense sp. nov. is Marseille-P3954 (CSUR P3954 = CECT 9568).

Analyses of response time data in the same-different task

The Same-Different task presents two stimuli in close succession and participants must indicate whether they are completely identical or if there are any attributes that differ. While the task is simple, its results have proven difficult to explain. Notably, response times are characterized by a fast-same effect whereby Same responses are faster than Different responses even though identical stimuli should be exhaustively processed to be accurate. Herein, we examine a little more than a quarter million response times (N = 255,744) obtained from 327 participants who participated in one of 14 variants of the task involving minor changes in the stimuli or their durations. We performed distribution fitting and analyzed estimated parameters stemming from the ex-Gaussian, lognormal, and Weibull distributions to infer the cognitive processing characteristics underlying this task. The results exclude serial processing of the stimuli and do not support dual-route processing. The fast-same effect appears only through a shift of the entire response time distributions, a feature impossible to detect solely with mean response time analyses. An attention-modulated process driven by entropy may be the most adequate model of the fast-same effect. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Study protocol: hypnosis versus standard care for shoulder dislocation reduction in the emergency department - a multicentre, randomised, controlled study protocol

INTRODUCTION

Anterior shoulder dislocation is a common reason for consultation at the emergency department (ED). Hypnosis could be a safe and effective alternative therapy for pain relief during shoulder dislocation reduction but nowadays, evidence is not sufficient. The main objective of this study is to show that reduction under hypnosis is associated with a decrease in the use of analgesic compared with usual care.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

We will conduct an interventional, controlled, multicentre, randomised study. A total of 44 patients with shoulder dislocation will be randomised in two groups: the hypnosis group (N=22) and the usual care group (N=22). The primary endpoint will be the comparison of morphine equivalent analgesic consumption during a shoulder dislocation reduction manoeuvre. Secondary endpoints will include haemodynamic parameters monitoring, patient and practitioner satisfaction using a Likert scale, use of coanalgesic or sedative drugs, number of reduction attempts and time spent at ED. Adverse events will be recorded. Statistical analysis will include parametric tests, multivariate linear regression and descriptive statistics.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This study has received ethics approval from the Comité de Protection des Personnes of Sud-Est IV on 03/11/2021 (ANSM informed on 19 November 2021). The results will be published in scientific articles and communicated in national and international conferences.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ClinicalTrial.gov: NCT04992598; National Clinical trial no ID RCB : 2021-A01382-39.

Changes over time in anxiety, depression, and stress symptoms among healthcare workers in French emergency departments during the first COVID-19 outbreak

STUDY OBJECTIVE

Assess the changes in anxiety, depression, and stress levels over time and identify risk factors among healthcare workers in French emergency departments (EDs) during the first COVID-19 outbreak.

METHOD

A prospective, multicenter study was conducted in 4 EDs and an emergency medical service (SAMU). During 3 months, participants completed fortnightly questionnaires to assess anxiety, depression, and stress using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression and the Chamoux-Simard scale. The changes in anxiety, depression, and stress levels over time were modelled by a linear mixed model including a period effect and a continuous time effect within periods.

RESULTS

A total of 211 respondents (43.5 %) completed the survey at inclusion. There was a decrease in mean anxiety (from 7.33 to 5.05, p < 0.001), mean depression (from 4.16 to 3.05, p = 0.009), mean stress at work (from 41.2 to 30.2, p = 0.008), and mean stress at home (from 33.0 to 26.0, p = 0.031) at the beginning of each period. The mean anxiety level was higher for administrative staff (+0.53) and lower for paramedics (-0.61, p = 0.047) compared to physicians. The anxiety level increased with the number of day and night shifts (0.13/day, p < 0.001, 0.12/night, p = 0.025) as did stress at work (1.6/day, p < 0.001, 1.1/night, p = 0.007). Reassigned healthcare workers were at higher risk of stress particularly compared to SAMU workers (stress at work: p = 0.015, at home: p = 0.021, in life in general: p = 0.018).

CONCLUSION

Although anxiety, depression, and stress decreased over time, anxiety was higher among physicians and administrative staff. Reassignment and working hours were identified as potential risk factors for mental health distress in EDs.

Management and Outcome of COVID-19 Positive and Negative Patients in French Emergency Departments During the First COVID-19 Outbreak: A Prospective Controlled Cohort Study

ntroduction: Few studies have investigated the management of COVID-19 cases from the operational perspective of the emergency department (ED), We sought to compare the management and outcome of COVID-19 positive and negative patients who presented to French EDs. Methods: We conducted a prospective, multicenter, observational study in four EDs. Included in the study were adult patients (≥18 years) between March 6–May 10, 2020, were hospitalized, and whose presenting symptoms were evocative of COVID-19. We compared the clinical features, management, and prognosis of patients according to their confirmed COVID-19 status. Results: Of the 2,686 patients included in this study, 760 (28.3%) were COVID-19 positive. Among them, 364 (48.0%) had hypertension, 228 (30.0%) had chronic cardiac disease, 186 (24.5%) had diabetes, 126 (16.6%) were obese, and 114 (15.0%) had chronic respiratory disease. The proportion of patients admitted to intensive care units (ICU) was higher among COVID-19 positive patients (185/760, 24.3%) compared to COVID-19 negative patients (206/1,926, 10.7%; P <0.001), and they required mechanical ventilation (89, 11.9% vs 37, 1.9%; P <0.001) and high-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy (135, 18.1% vs 41, 2.2%; P < 0.001) more frequently. The in-hospital mortality was significantly higher among COVID-19 positive patients (139, 18.3% vs 149, 7.7%; P <0.001). Conclusion: Emergency departments were on the frontline during the COVID-19 pandemic and had to manage potential COVID-19 patients. Understanding what happened in the ED during this first outbreak is crucial to underline the importance of flexible organizations that can quickly adapt the bed capacities to the incoming flow of COVID-19 positive patients.

An Inconsistency Responding Scale for the Durand Adaptive Psychopathic Traits Questionnaire

Careless and inconsistent responding is a common issue with self-reported instruments, observed in approximately 10% of respondents. The purpose of this study was to develop an Inconsistency Responding Scale (IRS) for the Durand Adaptive Psychopathic Traits Questionnaire (DAPTQ). First, a derivation sample (N = 525) was used to develop the IRS-DAPTQ, a scale generating a total score from the absolute difference of 12 pairs of items with high intra-correlation. Second, the validity of the IRS-DAPTQ was assessed using human (N = 943) and randomly generated (N = 1,000) data. The IRS-DAPTQ successfully differentiated human data from randomly generated data. The IRS-DAPTQ scores showed a negative association with conscientiousness and had higher specificity for a sample of the general population recruited online than for a sample of undergraduate students. These findings support the usefulness of the IRS-DAPTQ for identifying individuals displaying an inconsistent responding style.

Exploring the relationship between ADHD, its common comorbidities, and their relationship to organizational skills

BACKGROUND

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting numerous executive functioning skills, such as organizational skills. While the relationship between the inattention aspect of ADHD and poor organizational skills is well documented, it is still unclear if lower organizational skills are only associated with ADHD or if they are also associated with other comorbid disorders commonly diagnosed in conjunction with ADHD. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the relationship between organizational skills and ADHD in adults, as well as the impact of comorbid disorders on ADHD in relation to organizational skills.

METHODS

Four hundred seven (n = 201 with a diagnosis of ADHD) adults from the general population were recruited online. Participants completed a measure of organizational skills, measures assessing levels of ADHD, depression, and anxiety, and extensive demographic information related to their diagnosis of ADHD or other possible diagnosis.

RESULTS

Participants with a diagnosis of ADHD were significantly more likely to have a comorbid diagnosis of depression and/or anxiety. Organizational skills were significantly lower in individuals who reported having received a diagnosis of ADHD, but not in those with a past diagnosis of depression and anxiety. However, organizational skills were lower in individuals currently experiencing higher levels of depression and anxiety. The results of regression analyses suggest that levels of organizational skills are most strongly predicted by inattention and more weakly predicted by comorbid disorders.

DISCUSSION

These results highlight the centrality of organizational skills deficit in ADHD as well as the influence of the inattention component over other components commonly observed in ADHD on organizational skills. Suggestions for treatment of ADHD in adults are discussed.

L’éthique clinique face à la fin du monde annoncée

La Terre est de plus en plus hostile à l’égard de nombreuses espèces vivantes et inhabitable dans certaines régions du monde. Ce qui est annoncé dans les décennies à venir n’est pas la fin du monde, mais celle du monde que nous connaissons. Partout dans le monde, de nombreux individus (scientifiques, intellectuels, citoyens) croient aujourd’hui au caractère inéluctable d’un effondrement de notre civilisation et leur existence est profondément bouleversée : peuvent-ils encore avoir le projet de fonder une famille? Doivent-ils poursuivre leurs études ou dès aujourd’hui préparer leur survie? L’existence a-t-elle encore un sens? Dans les Consultations d’éthique clinique, nous sommes confrontés à des demandes de contraception définitive pour raison environnementale qui mettent en difficulté le corps médical et les fondements même de l’éthique clinique. Quelles réponses sont légitimes?

Fenollaria timonensis sp. nov., A New Bacterium Isolated from Healthy Human Fresh Stool

The strain Marseille-P2133 is the type strain of a new bacterial species of the order Clostridiales that was isolated from a stool sample from a healthy volunteer. It is a strictly anaerobic Gram-negative coccobacillus. MALDI-TOF MS did not provide any identification. Strain Marseille-P2133^T exhibits 97.4% similarity levels with the Fenollaria massiliensis strain 9401234^T (NR_133038), a phylogenetically related species with standing in nomenclature. On the basis of these data, we propose the creation of Fenollaria timonensis sp. nov.

Reduced organizational skills in adults with ADHD are due to deficits in persistence, not in strategies

Background

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is commonly associated with poor organizational skills, as per the definition of ADHD. However, the contribution of each of the following factors (and their interactions) to the aforementioned poor organization, while comparing individuals with and without ADHD, has not been analyzed in-depth: Work Organization; Communication Clarity; Punctuality; Goal-oriented behaviour; Assiduity; Workspace Organization; Strategies; and Attentiveness. The purpose is to examine the self-reported levels of organizational skills in adults with and without ADHD.

Methods

Seven hundred seventy-four (n = 303 with a diagnosis of ADHD) adults from the community were recruited online. Participants completed a measure of organizational skills and a screening measure of ADHD.

Results

Participants with a diagnosis of ADHD displayed lower scores than individuals without a diagnosis of ADHD on all organizational skills with the exception of using strategies to remain organized and learn new information. Higher levels of education were associated with higher levels of organizational skills. While there was no difference between males and females with ADHD, females without ADHD scored higher than males without ADHD.

Conclusion

This study supports that individuals with ADHD can efficiently develop strategies, but may have difficulties using those strategies in a continuous manner. Suggestions to increase organizational skills in adults with ADHD are presented.

Vector-borne transmission of Zika virus in Europe, southern France, August 2019

On 1 October 2019, a locally-acquired Zika virus disease case was laboratory confirmed in Hyères, Var department. Active case finding identified two additional locally-acquired cases living within 90 m, with symptom onset 8 days before the index case. Extensive patient interviews did not yield information supporting transmission through sexual contact or substances of human origin. Vector-borne transmission by local Aedes albopictus mosquitoes is the most likely mode of transmission. Here we describe the public health response.

Development and Evaluation of a duo SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR Assay Combining Two Assays Approved by the World Health Organization Targeting the Envelope and the RNA-Dependant RNA Polymerase (RdRp) Coding Regions

The recent emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) worldwide has highlighted the importance of reliable and rapid diagnostic testing to prevent and control virus circulation. Dozens of monoplex in-house RT-qPCR assays are already available; however, the development of dual-target assays is suited to avoid false-negative results caused by polymorphisms or point mutations, that can compromise the accuracy of diagnostic and screening tests. In this study, two mono-target assays recommended by WHO (E-Sarbeco (enveloppe gene, Charite University, Berlin, Germany) and RdRp-IP4 (RdRp, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France)) were selected and combined in a unique robust test; the resulting duo SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR assay was compared to the two parental monoplex tests. The duo SARS-CoV-2 assay performed equally, or better, in terms of sensitivity, specificity, linearity and signal intensity. We demonstrated that combining two single systems into a dual-target assay (with or without an MS2-based internal control) did not impair performances, providing a potent tool adapted for routine molecular diagnosis in clinical microbiology laboratories.

Assessment of VITEK® MS IVD database V3.0 for identification of Nocardia spp. using two culture media and comparing direct smear and protein extraction procedures

We assessed the performance of the VITEK® MS IVD V3.0 matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization - time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-ToF MS) V3.0 database for the identification of Nocardia spp. as compared with targeted DNA sequencing. A collection of 222 DNA sequence-defined Nocardia spp. strains encompassing 18 different species present or not in the database was tested. Bromocresol purple agar (BCP) and Columbia agar +5% sheep's blood (COS) culture media were used together with two different preparation steps: direct smear and a "3 attempts" procedure that covered (1) spotting of an extract, (2) new spotting of the same extract, and (3) spotting of a new extract. The direct smear protocol yielded low correct identification rates (≤ 15% for both media) whereas protein extraction yielded correct identification results (> 67% regardless of the media used.). The use of 2 additional attempts using repeat or new extracts increased correct identification rates to 87% and 91% for BCP and COS, respectively. When using the 3 attempts procedure, the best identification results, independent of media types, were obtained for N. farcinica and N. cyriacigeorgica (100%). Identification attempts 2 and 3 allowed to increase the number of correct identifications (BCP, +20%; COS, +13%). The enhancement in performance during attempts 2 and 3 was remarkable for N. abscessus (81% for both media) and low prevalence species (BCP, 70%; COS, 85%). Up to 3.4% and 2.4% of the strains belonging to species present in the database were misidentified with BCP and COS media, respectively. In 1.9% of the cases for BCP and 1.4% for COS, these misidentifications concerned a species belonging to the same phylogenetic complex. Concerning strains that are not claimed in the V3.0 database, N. puris and N. goodfellowi generated "No identification" results and 100% of the strains belonging to N. arthritidis, N.cerradoensis, and N. altamirensis yielded a misidentification within the same phylogenetic complex. Vitek® MS IVD V3.0 is an accurate and useful tool for identification of Nocardia spp.

Integrative and comparative genomic analyses identify clinically relevant pulmonary carcinoid groups and unveil the supra-carcinoids

The worldwide incidence of pulmonary carcinoids is increasing, but little is known about their molecular characteristics. Through machine learning and multi-omics factor analysis, we compare and contrast the genomic profiles of 116 pulmonary carcinoids (including 35 atypical), 75 large-cell neuroendocrine carcinomas (LCNEC), and 66 small-cell lung cancers. Here we report that the integrative analyses on 257 lung neuroendocrine neoplasms stratify atypical carcinoids into two prognostic groups with a 10-year overall survival of 88% and 27%, respectively. We identify therapeutically relevant molecular groups of pulmonary carcinoids, suggesting DLL3 and the immune system as candidate therapeutic targets; we confirm the value of OTP expression levels for the prognosis and diagnosis of these diseases, and we unveil the group of supra-carcinoids. This group comprises samples with carcinoid-like morphology yet the molecular and clinical features of the deadly LCNEC, further supporting the previously proposed molecular link between the low- and high-grade lung neuroendocrine neoplasms.

Triggering nucleic acid nanostructure assembly by conditional kissing interactions

Nucleic acids are biomolecules of amazing versatility. Beyond their function for information storage they can be used for building nano-objects. We took advantage of loop–loop or kissing interactions between hairpin building blocks displaying complementary loops for driving the assembly of nucleic acid nano-architectures. It is of interest to make the interaction between elementary units dependent on an external trigger, thus allowing the control of the scaffold formation. To this end we exploited the binding properties of structure-switching aptamers (aptaswitch). Aptaswitches are stem–loop structured oligonucleotides that engage a kissing complex with an RNA hairpin in response to ligand-induced aptaswitch folding. We demonstrated the potential of this approach by conditionally assembling oligonucleotide nanorods in response to the addition of adenosine.

[Chapter 8.Assessing the Patient’s Autonomy: The Physician in the face of metaphysics.]

Faced with complex situations, caregivers test one of the oldest philosophical questions: how to prove the freedom of a decision? In the care, it is a question of determining if the patient has understood the situation, evaluated the consequences of his choice and if his decision is taken in the absence of any constraint. In other words, is the patient’s decision an autonomous decision? But what are the tools that make it possible to evaluate this autonomy precisely and objectively? And also, how to promote a greater autonomy?