Exploring the Gut Microbiota–Muscle Axis in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

The gut microbiota plays a pivotal role in maintaining the dynamic balance of intestinal epithelial and immune cells, crucial for overall organ homeostasis. Dysfunctions in these intricate relationships can lead to inflammation and contribute to the pathogenesis of various diseases. Recent findings uncovered the existence of a gut–muscle axis, revealing how alterations in the gut microbiota can disrupt regulatory mechanisms in muscular and adipose tissues, triggering immune-mediated inflammation. In the context of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), alterations in intestinal permeability stand as a potential origin of molecules that could trigger muscle degeneration via various pathways. Metabolites produced by gut bacteria, or fragments of bacteria themselves, may have the ability to migrate from the gut into the bloodstream and ultimately infiltrate distant muscle tissues, exacerbating localized pathologies. These insights highlight alternative pathological pathways in DMD beyond the musculoskeletal system, paving the way for nutraceutical supplementation as a potential adjuvant therapy. Understanding the complex interplay between the gut microbiota, immune system, and muscular health offers new perspectives for therapeutic interventions beyond conventional approaches to efficiently counteract the multifaceted nature of DMD

Supplementary Material for: Effectiveness of Barrier Creams against Irritant Contact Dermatitis

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Skin tissue is frequently exposed to various irritant substances in the workplace, particularly in wet work, which can lead to the development of occupational contact dermatitis. ‘Barrier' creams (BCs) are well known, and their applications are still the subject of many studies and controversies. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We searched all controlled trials investigating BCs against cutaneous irritants in humans published between 1956 and December 2014 from MEDLINE, PubMed, reference lists and existing reviews. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Thirty-nine studies about the effects of BCs against skin irritants in humans were selected. Among these, 27 trials in healthy volunteers were found to show many differences with regard to BCs and irritants used, their quantities, test locations, procedures and assessment methods. Finally, 14 patch test trials assessed by clinical scoring and evaporimetry emerged. Although the findings were generally positive, only few findings could be cross-checked from all the data, and vehicles seem to be as effective as BCs. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Although this review highlights the poor quality and the lack of standardization of most studies, BCs seem to have protective effects against irritants. Further well-designed, adequately powered randomized controlled trials with clinical and biophysical assessments are required

Stratégies posturales de bagagistes novices et expérimentés utilisant un convoyeur télescopique à rouleaux dans les soutes d\u27avion [Postural strategies of novice and experienced baggage handlers using an extendable roller track conveyor in aircraft cargo holds]

Introduction: Bien que le sujet de la manutention ait fait l\u27objet de recherches approfondies, la littérature spécifique à la manutention dans les soutes des avions est limitée. Cette étude visait à observer les gestes et les postures des bagagistes, à identifier les différentes stratégies qu\u27ils emploient dans les soutes des avions à fuselage étroit à l\u27aide de convoyeurs télescopiques à rouleaux (CTR) Power Stow®, et à établir des comparaisons entre les manutentionnaires novices et expérimentés à travers l\u27enregistrement vidéo. Méthode: À Brussels South Charleroi Airport, un total de 58 bagagistes, comprenant à la fois des novices et des personnes ayant une solide expérience, ont été enregistrés par vidéo alors qu\u27ils chargeaient et déchargeaient des avions. Les images ont ensuite été revues, avec des critères d\u27observation spécifiques guidant la sélection des séquences les plus pertinentes. Résultats: Les séquences vidéo analysées ont révélé des stratégies diverses parmi les manutentionnaires, qui se distinguaient par des gestes et des postures variés. Conclusions: L\u27observation vidéo s\u27avère être un outil précieux pour analyser les gestes et les postures liés au travail. Lorsqu\u27elles sont utilisées pour comparer les travailleurs novices et expérimentés, ces observations offrent des informations qui peuvent améliorer la formation à la manutention des charges. De plus, les résultats suggèrent qu\u27avec une formation appropriée, les CTR peuvent être exploités d\u27une manière à la fois plus efficace et plus sécuritaire. © 2024 Elsevier Masson SAS; Introduction: While the topic of handling has been extensively researched, there is a limited body of literature specifically addressing handling within aircraft cargo holds. This study aimed to observe the gestures and postures of baggage handlers, to identify the different strategies they employ in the holds of narrow-body aircrafts using extendable roller track conveyors (ERCs) – Power Stow®, and draw comparisons between novice and experienced handlers through video recordings. Materials and methods: At Brussels South Charleroi Airport, a total of 58 baggage handlers, comprising both novices and those with substantial experience, were video recorded as they loaded and unloaded aircrafts. Footage was subsequently reviewed with specific observation criteria guiding the selection of the most pertinent sequences. Results: The analyzed video sequences revealed diverse strategies among the handlers, distinguished by varying gestures and postures. Conclusions: Video-based observation proves to be a valuable tool for analyzing work-related gestures and postures. When utilized to compare novice and experienced workers, such observations offer insights that can enhance load handling training. Furthermore, the findings suggest that with appropriate training, ERCs can be operated in a manner that is both more efficient and safer. © 2024 Elsevier Masson SA

Haruspex: A Neural Network for the Automatic Identification of Oligonucleotides and Protein Secondary Structure in Cryo‐Electron Microscopy Maps

In recent years, three‐dimensional density maps reconstructed from single particle images obtained by electron cryo‐microscopy (cryo‐EM) have reached unprecedented resolution. However, map interpretation can be challenging, in particular if the constituting structures require de‐novo model building or are very mobile. Herein, we demonstrate the potential of convolutional neural networks for the annotation of cryo‐EM maps: our network Haruspex has been trained on a carefully curated set of 293 experimentally derived reconstruction maps to automatically annotate RNA/DNA as well as protein secondary structure elements. It can be straightforwardly applied to newly reconstructed maps in order to support domain placement or as a starting point for main‐chain placement. Due to its high recall and precision rates of 95.1 % and 80.3 %, respectively, on an independent test set of 122 maps, it can also be used for validation during model building. The trained network will be available as part of the CCP‐EM suite