Evolutionary history of hepatitis C virus genotype 5a in France, a multicenter ANRS study

The epidemic history of HCV genotype 5a is poorly documented in France, where its prevalence is very low, except in a small central area, where it accounts for 14.2% of chronic hepatitis C cases. A Bayesian coalescent phylogenetic investigation based on the E1 envelope gene and a non-structural genomic segment (NS3/4) was carried out to trace the origin of this epidemic using a large sample of genotype 5a isolates collected throughout France. The dates of documented transmissions by blood transfusion were used to calibrate five nodes in the phylogeny. The results of the E1 gene analysis showed that the best-fitting population dynamic model was the expansion growth model under a relaxed molecular clock. The rate of nucleotide substitutions and time to the most recent common ancestors (tMRCA) of genotype 5a isolates were estimated. The divergence of all the French HCV genotype 5a strains included in this study was dated to 1939 [95% HPD: 1921–1956], and the tMRCA of isolates from central France was dated to 1954 [1942–1967], which is in agreement with epidemiological data. NS3/4 analysis provided similar estimates with strongly overlapping HPD values. Phylodynamic analyses give a plausible reconstruction of the evolutionary history of HCV genotype 5a in France, suggesting the concomitant roles of transfusion, iatrogenic route and intra-familial transmission in viral diffusion

Autoantibodies against type I IFNs in patients with critical influenza pneumonia

In an international cohort of 279 patients with hypoxemic influenza pneumonia, we identified 13 patients (4.6%) with autoantibodies neutralizing IFN-alpha and/or -omega, which were previously reported to underlie 15% cases of life-threatening COVID-19 pneumonia and one third of severe adverse reactions to live-attenuated yellow fever vaccine. Autoantibodies neutralizing type I interferons (IFNs) can underlie critical COVID-19 pneumonia and yellow fever vaccine disease. We report here on 13 patients harboring autoantibodies neutralizing IFN-alpha 2 alone (five patients) or with IFN-omega (eight patients) from a cohort of 279 patients (4.7%) aged 6-73 yr with critical influenza pneumonia. Nine and four patients had antibodies neutralizing high and low concentrations, respectively, of IFN-alpha 2, and six and two patients had antibodies neutralizing high and low concentrations, respectively, of IFN-omega. The patients' autoantibodies increased influenza A virus replication in both A549 cells and reconstituted human airway epithelia. The prevalence of these antibodies was significantly higher than that in the general population for patients 70 yr of age (3.1 vs. 4.4%, P = 0.68). The risk of critical influenza was highest in patients with antibodies neutralizing high concentrations of both IFN-alpha 2 and IFN-omega (OR = 11.7, P = 1.3 x 10(-5)), especially those <70 yr old (OR = 139.9, P = 3.1 x 10(-10)). We also identified 10 patients in additional influenza patient cohorts. Autoantibodies neutralizing type I IFNs account for similar to 5% of cases of life-threatening influenza pneumonia in patients <70 yr old

ÉTUDE PAR MICROSCOPIE ÉLECTRONIQUE EN TRANSMISSION DE DÉFAUTS CRÉÉS PAR IMPLANTATION IONIQUE DANS DU SILICIUM < III >

Des échantillons de silicium ont subi soit une implantation phosphore (30 keV, 1016 at/cm2) soit des implantations arsenic (50 à 140 keV, dose de l'ordre de 1015 at/cm2). Dans le cas du phosphore, on observe en microscopie électronique une couche amorphe qui recristallise en épitaxie sur le substrat à 650 °C. Au cours de recuits à plus haute température, la formation et l'évolution de défauts tels que boucles de dislocations et dipôles ont été observées. Dans le cas de l'arsenic, la recristallisation de la couche amorphe s'accompagne d'une formation de micromacles et de défauts divers (boucles, défauts linéaires, ...).Silicon specimens have been implanted either with phosphorous ions (30 keV, 1016 at/cm2) or with arsenic ions (energies between 30 and 140 keV, doses in the order of 1015 at/cm2). In the case of phosphorous implantation, an amorphous layer has been observed using electron microscopy. The epitaxial recrystallization of this layer occurs at 650 °C. During annealing at higher temperatures, the formation and evolution of defects such as dislocation loops and dipoles have been observed. In the case of arsenic implantations, the formation of defects such as microtwins, loops, linear defects... takes place during the recrystallization of the amorphous layer

CARACTERISATION OPTIQUE DE DIFFERENTS TYPES DE NEIGE. EXTINCTION DE LA LUMIERE DANS LA NEIGE

La complexité des particules qui constituent le matériau neige ne permet pas un calcul rigoureux de ses paramètres optiques pour lesquels il est donc nécessaire de recourir à l'expérience. L'extinction de la lumière a été mesurée pour différents types de neige, dont le givre de profondeur, et pour des bandes spectrales allant du visible au proche infra-rouge. Les données expérimentales montrent une nette dépendance envers la taille des cristaux (D) en D-½ et révèlent l'effet de la pollution.The complex ice texture of the snow medium unables an exact calculation of its optical parameters, thus making measurements necessary. Flux extinction has been measured for various snow types, among which depth hoar, and for near infra-red and visible wavelengths. The data collected are strongly depending on grain size (D) as D-½ and on impurity content

Treatment patterns in Medicaid patients with schizophrenia initiated on a first- or second-generation long-acting injectable versus oral antipsychotic

Dominic Pilon,1 Kruti Joshi,2 Neeta Tandon,2 Marie-H&eacute;l&egrave;ne Lafeuille,1 Rhiannon L Kamstra,1 Bruno Emond,1 Patrick Lefebvre2 1Groupe d&rsquo;analyse, Lt&eacute;e, Montr&eacute;al, QC, Canada; 2Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC, Titusville, NJ, USA Background: Poor antipsychotic (AP) adherence is a key issue in patients with schizophrenia. First-generation antipsychotic (FGA) and second-generation antipsychotic (SGA) long-acting injectable therapies (LAI) may improve adherence compared to oral antipsychotics (OAP). The objective of the study was to compare treatment adherence and persistence in Medicaid patients with schizophrenia initiated on first-generation long-acting injectable therapies (FGA-LAI) or second-generation long-acting injectable therapies (SGA-LAI) versus OAP.Methods: Adults with schizophrenia initiated on FGA-LAI, SGA-LAI, or OAP on or after January 2010 were identified using a six-state Medicaid database (January 2009&ndash; March 2015). Outcomes were assessed during the 12 months following treatment initiation. Index medication adherence was assessed using the proportion of days covered &ge;80%, while persistence was assessed as no gap of &ge;30, &ge;60, or &ge;90 days between days of supply. Outcomes were compared between FGA/SGA-LAI and OAP cohorts using chi-squared tests and adjusted odds ratios (OR).Results: During follow-up, AP polypharmacy was more common in FGA-LAI patients (N=1,089; 36%; P=0.029) and less common in SGA-LAI patients (N=2,209; 27%; P&lt;0.001) versus OAP patients (N=20,478; 33%). After adjustment, SGA-LAI patients had 24% higher odds of adherence at 12 months (OR: 1.24; P&lt;0.001), in contrast to FGA-LAI patients who had 48% lower odds of adherence (OR: 0.52; P&lt;0.001) relative to OAP patients. SGA-LAI patients were more likely to be persistent (no gap &ge;60 days) at 12 months than OAP patients (37% vs 30%; P&lt;0.001), but not FGA-LAI patients (31% vs 30%; P=0.776). In comparison to OAP patients, SGA-LAI patients had 46% higher adjusted odds of persistence (no gap &ge;60 days; OR: 1.46; P&lt;0.001), while FGA-LAI patients were not significantly different (OR: 0.95; P=0.501).Conclusion: Medicaid patients initiated on SGA-LAI demonstrated better treatment adherence and persistence compared to OAP patients, while those initiated on FGA-LAI did not show significant improvement in adherence or persistence and had more AP polypharmacy relative to OAP patients. These findings suggest the potential value of SGA-LAI in the treatment of schizophrenia. Keywords: schizophrenia, long-acting injectable therapy, adherence, persistence, first generation, second generatio

Concentration des Rotavirus simien SA

Le Rotavirus simien SA11 dilué dans 100 ml d'eau distillée a été adsorbé sur des membranes de nitrate de cellulose à divers pH acides en présence de 0,05 M de MgCl2 puis élue à divers pH alcalins en présence de 10% de tryptose phosphate. A pH 4, l'adsorption moyenne a été de 97%. A partir de pH 8, nous avons obtenu un pourcentage d'élution voisin de 90% des virus adsorbés. Appliquée au Rotavirus humain DSI, cette méhode a permis de détecter 0,8 unité infectieuse par millilitre lorsqu'un litre d'eau était traité (800 unités infectieuses par litre). Placé dans une eau potable faiblement minéralisée (Volvic), le Rotavirus SA11 ne perd que 2 log de titre à +4°C en 120 jours, tandis qu'à 23°C la chute est de l'ordre de 3 log à l'obscurité au 120e jour et supérieure à 4 log à la lumière dès le 90e jour (virus non détectable)