Corticosteroid therapy is associated with a decrease in mortality in a multicenter cohort of mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients

peer reviewedRetrospectively analyzing the data of a multicenter cohort, we observed that mortality of patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumoniatreated with mechanical ventilation was as high as 45% and median survival time was 82 days. In this series, the risk factors for mortality included age, renal and circulatory dysfunction, lymphopenia and the absence of corticosteroid use during the first week of mechanical ventilation. Corticosteroid therapy during the first week of mechanical ventilation was associated with a lower mortality (34% vs 48%) (p = 0,01)

COVID-19 pandemic: overview of protective-ventilation strategy in ARDS patients.

: In the context of COVID-19 pandemic, the aim of this manuscript is to provide a standard of care of patients with ARDS for non-emergency medicine trained physicians who are not customary with mechanical ventilation.: We conducted a systematic review of the literature to investigate the best practice recommendations regarding the mechanical ventilation of patients with ARDS.: We summarized the principal strategies for lung-protective ventilation of patients with ARDS. This focus is particularly addressed to physicians who are not experienced in the invasive respiratory management of ARDS patients. Nevertheless, it remains fundamental to acknowledge that new insights concerning this quickly spreading illness become available on a regular base

Leptospirosis-induced purpura: An atypical manifestation of Weil's disease.

Purpura is a rare but documented presenting feature of severe leptospirosis. We describe a case of Weil's disease characterized by predominating coagulopathy and hepato-nephritis. We illustrate dynamic changes in cutaneous lesions

Influence of the physiological condition of bivalve recruits on their post-settlement dispersal potential

International audienceSecondary dispersal (= migration) of bivalves occurs after metamorphosis and is a key recruitment process that can radically change patterns of primary settlement. An example of secondary dispersal is active migration behavior of bivalve recruits such as in bysso-pelagic drift. We hypothesize that these active migrations represent an energy cost for recruits and that the ability to actively migrate will depend upon the recruit’s physiological profile (quantity and quality of energy reserves). In lab experiments, we hatched 4 batches of recruits of Venus verrucosa with different physiological profiles by varying rearing temperature and diet composition. We then introduced these recruits into a fall velocity tube (5 m height) to estimate their vertical fall velocity as a proxy of their dispersal potential: slower fall velocity implies enhanced dispersal potential. We also compared alive vs. passive (dead) recruits to assess behavioral differences. Fall velocity increased logarithmically with recruit volume for each treatment, and no differences between active and passive individuals were observed for batches reared at 20°C with a mixture of Tisochrysis lutea and Chaetoceros gracilis. By contrast, active recruits in 2 other treatments (T. lutea at 20°C and a mix of C. gracilis and T. lutea at 15°C) significantly decreased their fall velocity regardless of their volume. Moreover, the ability of recruits to control their fall velocity by their behavior was correlated with triglyceride content. Recruits with the highest energy reserves had the greatest capacity to decrease their fall velocity, which suggests a major role of physiological conditions on potential secondary dispersal. We also used a benthic flume to test the substrate selection ability of recruits depending on their physiological profile and found no differences between physiologically different batches. However, V. verrucosa recruits preferred fine sediments, unlike adults, which live mainly in coarse sediment habitats; such difference in substrate preference suggests potential secondary migrations between nursery and adult areas

SNARE Machinery is optimized for ultra-fast fusion

International audienc

Le leadership politique et le territoire : les cadres d'analyse en débat

Omniprésent dans les énoncés de sens commun comme dans les commentaires journalistiques, le mot leadership a souvent suscité de la circonspection dans les sciences sociales. Pourtant la question de la légitimité de la direction politique de nos sociétés est à nouveau reposée et, avec elle, celle des clés conceptuelles de son analyse, dont celui de leadership

Est-il possible d'estimer précisément la richesse spécifique de grands quadrats? Cas d'étude sur des données de calibration entre observateurs

International audienceThe number of species (species richness) is certainly the most widely used descriptor of plant diversity. However, estimating richness is a difficult task because plant censuses are prone to overlooking and identification errors that may lead to spurious interpretations. We used calibration data from the French ICP-level II plots (RENECOFOR) to assess the magnitude of the two kinds of errors in large forest plots. Eleven teams of professional botanists recorded all plants on the same eight 100-m2 plots in 2004 (four plots, eights teams) and 2005 (four plots, nine teams including six from 2004), first independently and then consensually. On average, 15.5% of the shrubs and trees above 2 m were overlooked and 2.3% not identified at the species level or misidentified. On average, 19.2% of the plant species below 2 m in height were overlooked and 5.3% were misidentified and 1.3% were misidentified at the genus level (especially bryophytes). The overlooking rate also varied with plant species, morphological type, plot and team. It was higher when only one botanist made the census. It rapidly decreased with species cover and increased with plot species richness, the recording time of the census in the tree layer and the number of the censuses carried out during the day in the ground layer. Familiarity of the team with the local flora reduced the risk of overlooking and identification errors, whereas training had little impact. Differences in species richness (over space or time) in large plots should be cautiously interpreted, especially when several botanists participate in the survey. In particular, the quality of the data needs to be evaluated using calibration training and, if necessary, may be improved by involving more experienced botanists working in teams and by fixing a minimum recording time

Can we reliably estimate species richness with large plots ? an assessment through calibration training.

The number of species (species richness) is certainly the most widely used descriptor of plant diversity. However, estimating richness is a difficult task because plant censuses are prone to overlooking and identification errors that may lead to spurious interpretations. We used calibration data from the French ICP-level II plots (RENECOFOR) to assess the magnitude of the two kinds of errors in large forest plots. Eleven teams of professional botanists recorded all plants on the same eight 100-m2 plots in 2004 (four plots, eights teams) and 2005 (four plots, nine teams including six from 2004), first independently and then consensually. On average, 15.5% of the shrubs and trees above 2 m were overlooked and 2.3% not identified at the species level or misidentified. On average, 19.2% of the plant species below 2 m in height were overlooked and 5.3% were misidentified and 1.3% were misidentified at the genus level (especially bryophytes). The overlooking rate also varied with plant species, morphological type, plot and team. It was higher when only one botanist made the census. It rapidly decreased with species cover and increased with plot species richness, the recording time of the census in the tree layer and the number of the censuses carried out during the day in the ground layer. Familiarity of the team with the local flora reduced the risk of overlooking and identification errors, whereas training had little impact. Differences in species richness (over space or time) in large plots should be cautiously interpreted, especially when several botanists participate in the survey. In particular, the quality of the data needs to be evaluated using calibration training and, if necessary, may be improved by involving more experienced botanists working in teams and by fixing a minimum recording time