Thermo-hydrous behavior of hardened cement paste based on calcium aluminate cement

International audienceRefractory castables based on aluminous hydraulic binders are commonly used in aluminium casthouses (furnaces, ducts, etc.). Their selection is based on their good mechanical strength, thermal behavior and compatibility with molten aluminium. However, few studies focus on their hydrous evolution in operation, whereas this property can also have an influence on the produced metal quality. In this article, the internal moisture of twelve hardened cement pastes fired at high temperature, made with four aluminous hydraulic binders and three different Water/Binder ratios was registered under diverse thermo-hydrous conditions, including at high temperature. The water trapped by physisorption and chemisorption can be significant for some products, and it strongly depends on the mineralogy and porosity of the hardened cement paste. The more the binders contain alumina phase, the more the hardened cement pastes mobilize and render moisture

Dual Ureaplasma parvum arthritis: a case report of U. parvum septic arthritis following contralateral reactive arthritis in an immunosuppressed patient

International audienceBackground: Ureaplasma parvum is usually part of the normal genital flora. Rarely can it cause invasive infections such as genitourinary infections, septic arthritis, or meningitis. Case presentation: Here we present the first description of chronic ureterocystitis in a 56-year-old immunocompromised patient, complicated first by reactive arthritis and secondarily by contralateral septic arthritis due to U. parvum infection. U. parvum was detected in synovial fluid and in a urine sample. Treatment consisted of double-J stenting and targeted antibiotic therapy. Evolution showed resolution of urinary symptoms and clinical improvement of arthritis despite functional sequelae. Conclusions: Given the high prevalence of U. parvum colonisation, this diagnosis should remain a diagnosis of exclusion. However, because of the difficulty in detecting this microorganism, it should be considered in unexplained subacute urethritis or arthritis, including reactive arthritis, especially in immunosuppressed patients. Real-time PCR positivity in the absence of a differential diagnosis should not be overlooked

Apport du tube BD Vacutainer SST II Advance® dans l’identification des pathogènes à partir des flacons d’hémocultures positifs après subculture

National audienc

Antibiorésistance : outils pour une recherche translationnelle efficace

La crise qui résulte de la montée des résistances bactériennes menace la santé humaine, animale et environnementale. L’impact sanitaire et économique de la crise est massif. Alors que l’alerte est largement donnée et que des mécanismes et des programmes d’aide à l’innovation pour lutter contre l’antibiorésistance ont été mis en place, force est de constater que les nouveaux produits antibiotiques proposés n’arrivent pas à trouver une rentabilité économique leur permettant d’atteindre le marché et d’être au service des patients et de la communauté. Par ailleurs, il est nécessaire de développer des outils/indicateurs pour définir les interventions probantes en matière de lutte contre l’antibiorésistance. Les travaux de réflexion relatés dans cet article sont concentrés sur ces deux aspects de la recherche translationnelle : – la prévention et l’impact en santé de la problématique antibiorésistance, et – les spécificités de la recherche clinique pour innover en matière de lutte contre l’antibiorésistance. Cet article, issu des réflexions d’un groupe d’experts français, propose des solutions directement opérationnelles qui pourraient être mises en place rapidement et transformer radicalement la qualité et la quantité de nos moyens de lutte

Antibiotic resistance: Tools for effective translational research

The rising emergence of bacterial resistances has led to a crisis which threatens human, animal and environmental health. The impact of the emergency is enormous in terms of public health and economics. Although there is a global awareness of the warnings and programmes supporting innovative actions to combat fight against antibiotic resistance, it must be admitted that proposed new antibiotics fail to find the economic profitability necessary for them to reach the market and become available for patients and the community. Moreover, it is necessary to develop tools/indicators to define effective interventions against antibiotic resistance. The work of the think-tank reported in this article concentrated on two aspects of translational research: - prevention and the impact on health of the antibiotic resistance issue, and - the specific requirements of clinical research leading to innovation in the fight against antibiotic resistance. This article, which reflects the thoughts of a group of French experts, proposes directly operational solutions which could be rapidly implemented and radically transform the quality and quantity of our resources available for the combat

Contribution of the anaerobic blood culture vial for the recovery of Candida glabrata : A retrospective multicentric study

Abstract Although Candida spp are aerobic microorganisms, some Candida strains, mainly Candida glabrata, can be recovered from anaerobic blood culture vials. We assessed the contribution of the anaerobic vials for the diagnosis of candidemia, especially for C. glabrata. We conducted a multicenter retrospective study including eight university or regional hospitals. A single episode of monomicrobial candidemia per patient was included from September 1st, 2016, to August 31st, 2019. The characteristics of all aerobic and anaerobic blood culture vials sampled within 2 h before and after the first positive blood culture vials were recorded (type of vials, result, and for positive vials time-to-positivity and Candida species). Overall, 509 episodes of candidemia were included. The main species were C. albicans (55.6%) followed by C. glabrata (17.1%), C. parapsilosis (4.9%), and C. tropicalis (4.5%). An anaerobic vial was positive in 76 (14.9%) of all episodes of which 56 (73.8%) were due to C. glabrata. The number of C. glabrata infections only positive in anaerobic vials was 1 (2.6%), 1 (11.1%), and 15 (37.5%) with the BACT/ALERT 3D the BACT/ALERT VIRTUO and the BACTEC FX instrument, respectively (P < 0.01). The initial positivity of an anaerobic vial was highly predictive of the isolation of C. glabrata with the BACTEC FX (sensitivity of 96.8%). C. glabrata time-to-positivity was shorter in anaerobic vial than aerobic vial with all instruments. Anaerobic blood culture vials improve the recovery of Candida spp mainly C. glabrata. This study could be completed by further analyses including mycological and pediatric vials. Lay summary Although Candida spp are aerobic microorganisms, C. glabrata is able to grow in anaerobic conditions. In blood culture, the time-to-positivity of C. glabrata is shorter in anaerobic than aerobic vials. Only the anaerobic vial was positive in up to 15 (37.5%) C. glabrata bloodstream infections