Use of a predictive protocol to measure the antimicrobial resistance risks associated with biocidal product usage

Background In this study we assessed the propensity of biocide exposure in the development of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria. Methods Our protocol is based on reporting changes in established antimicrobial susceptibility profiles in biocides and antibiotics after during use exposure to a product. The during use exposure reflects worse conditions of product use during application. It differs from the term low concentration, which usually reflects a concentration below the minimal inhibitory concentration, but not necessarily a concentration that occurs in practice. Results Our results showed that exposure to triclosan (0.0004%) was associated with a high risk of developing resistance and cross-resistance in Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. This was not observed with exposure to chlorhexidine (0.00005%) or a hydrogen peroxide–based biocidal product (in during use conditions). Interestingly, exposure to a low concentration of hydrogen peroxide (0.001%) carried a risk of emerging resistance to antibiotics if the presence of the oxidizing agent was maintained. We observed a number of unstable clinical resistances to antibiotics after exposure to the cationic biocide and oxidizing agent, notably to tobramycin and ticarcillin–clavulanic acid. Conclusions Using a decision tree based on the change in antimicrobial susceptibility test results, we were able to provide information on the effect of biocide exposure on the development of bacterial resistance to antimicrobials. Such information should address the call from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and European Union Biocidal Products Regulation for manufacturers to provide information on antimicrobial resistance and cross-resistance in bacteria after the use of their product

Enseignement bilingue et enseignement international

L’enseignement bilingue n’est pas nouveau, même en France, mais il est à la mode. L’enseignement international est moins connu, mais il n’est plus nécessaire, comme c’était encore le cas il y a quelques années de clarifier les concepts ou de faire œuvre de militant. Pourtant, le succès même de certaines formules, qui les place désormais dans le champ des décisions administratives, impose qu’on y regarde à nouveau de plus près. En France même, des cursus existent, et d’autres vont se développe..

New results on the Galactic Center Helium stars

The cluster of helium stars around Sgr A* has been re‐observed with the BEAR spectro‐imager on CFHT, in the 2.06 μm helium line, at a spectral resolution of 52 km s^(–1) and on a field of ≃40″. This new analysis confirms and completes a previous study at a spectral resolution of 74 km s^(–1) and on a smaller field of 24″ , corresponding to the central parsec (Paumard et al. 2001). Nineteen stars are confirmed as helium stars. These observations led to a clear differentiation between two groups of hot stars based on their emission linewidth, their magnitude and their positions relative to Sgr A*. The first class of 6 members is characterized by narrow‐line profiles (FWHM ≃200 km s^(–1)) and by their brightness. The other, fainter in K by an average of 2 mag, has a much broader emission component of width ≃1,000 km s^(–1). Several of the emission lines show a P Cygni profile. From these results, we propose that the narrow‐line group is formed of stars in the LBV phase, while the broad‐line group is formed of stars in or near the WR phase. The division into two groups is also shown by their spatial distribution, with the narrow‐line stars in a compact central cluster (IRS 16) and the other group distributed at the periphery of the central cluster of hot stars. HST‐NICMOS data in Paα (1.87 μm) of the same field reveal a similar association. The identification of the Paα counterpart to the He I stars provides an additional element to characterize the two groups. Bright Paα emitters are found generally associated with the narrow‐line class stars while the weak Paαemitters are generally associated with the broad‐line stars. A few particular cases are discussed. This confirms the different status of evolution of the two groups of massive, hot stars in the central cluster. As a by‐product, about 20 additional candidate emission stars are detected in the central, high‐resolution 19″ field from the NICMOS data

The Galactic Center Source IRS 13E: a Star Cluster

High spatial resolution, near‐infrared observations of the Galactic Center source, close to Sgr A*, known historically as IRS13, are presented. These observations include ground‐based adaptive optics images in the H, K' and L bands, HST‐NICMOS observations in filters between 1.1 and 2.2 μm, and spectroimaging data in the He I 2.06 μm line and the Brγ line. Analysis of all these data has made possible the resolution of the main component, IRS 13E, into a cluster of seven individual stars within a projected diameter of ∼0.5″ (0.02 pc), and to build their SED. The main sources, 13E1, 13E2, 13E3 (a binary), and 13E4, are hot stars of different nature. 13E2 and 13E4 are emission line stars. The spectral type of the various members goes from O5I to WR, including dusty WRs like IRS 21 (Tanner et al. 2002). All these sources have a common westward proper motion. Two weaker sources, 13E5 and 13E6, are also detected within the compact cluster, with 13E5 proposed as another dusty WR and 13E6 as a O5V star. An extended halo seen around the cluster, part of the mini‐spiral of dust is particularly enhanced in the L band. It is interpreted as a contribution of the scattered light from the inner cluster and the thermal emission from the dust. IRS 13E is proposed to be the remaining core of a massive, young star cluster which was disrupted in the vicinity of Sgr A*, and hence, the possible source of the young stars in the central parsec, from the helium stars to the S stars

HIV-1/M+O INTERGROUP DUAL INFECTIONS AND ASSOCIATED HIV-MO RECOMBINANTS IN FRANCE FROM 2004 TO 2014

International audienc

The star-forming core of Monoceros R2

Publisher's version/PDFThe central region of the Monoceros R2 molecular cloud has been studied using molecular line maps, maps in continuum emission, and an M-band (4.7 [micrometres]) absorption spectrum toward Mon R2 IRS 3. Maps were made in the emission lines CO (3-2) H[subscript 2]CO (5[subscript 1.5]-4[subscript 1.4), and HCN (4-3), all with a 14" beam size. CO (2-1) and [superscript 13]CO (3-2) spectra were obtained at a dozen positions. Maps of continuum emission were made at 1300 [micrometres] (25" resolution), 1100 [micrometres] (20" resolution), 800 [micrometres] (14" resolution), and 450 [micrometres] (14" resolution). The M-band spectrum of IRS 3 has a velocity resolution of 5.2 km s[superscript -1] and shows fundamental vibrational band absorption lines of CO and [superscript 13]CO over a range of rotational states. The CO map has numerous intensity peaks which, if interpreted as clumps, have masses from 0.1 to 3 M [subscript circled dot]. The large velocity dispersion of these structures implies that they cannot be gravitationally bound. The brightest CO-emitting gas shows no bipolar distribution with velocity. Diffuse CO-emitting gas with low velocities does have a generally bipolar distribution, but there are no collimated lobes pointing to a particular source. We conclude that the source (or sources) of the very extended Mon R2 outflow is (are) now inactive. The highest velocity gas is found toward the embedded young stellar object IRS 3, suggesting that IRS 3 is the source of a compact outflow, unresolved at our 14" resolution. The presence of blueshifted CO in the absorption spectrum supports the interpretation of IRS 3 as an outflow source. The H[subscript 2]CO and HCN maps demonstrate that much of the dense gas is distributed within three structures having different velocities. The fundamental band absorption lines of [superscript 13]CO show two gas temperatures in the line of sight to IRS 3. The colder (45 K) is identified as gas in the clump surrounding IRS 3, which is seen in emission lines of CO, H[subscript 2]CO, and HCN. The warmer (310 K) we interpret as gas very close to IRS 3. From the submillimeter continuum maps we identify 11 clumps whose masses lie in the range 3-10 M [subscript circled dot]. A clump that is prominent in the continuum maps but not in the molecular line maps is attributed to heated dust inside the compact H II region, where molecules have been destroyed

Detection of decreased glomerular filtration rate in intensive care units: serum cystatin C versus serum creatinine

Peer reviewe

Hypersatellite x-ray decay of 3d3d hollow-KK-shell atoms produced by heavy-ion impact

We report on the radiative decay of double K-shell vacancy states produced in solid Ca, V, Fe, and Cu targets by impact with about 10 MeV/amu C and Ne ions. The resulting K hypersatellite x-ray emission spectra were measured by means of high- energy-resolution spectroscopy using a von Hamos bent crystal spectrometer. The experiment was carried out at the Philips variable energy cyclotron of the Paul Scherrer Institute. From the fits of the x-ray spectra the energies, line widths, and relative intensities of the hypersatellite x-ray lines could be determined. The fitted intensities were corrected to account for the energy-dependent solid angle of the spectrometer, effective source size, target self-absorption, crystal reflectivity, and detector efficiency. The single-to-double K-shell ionization cross-section ratios were deduced from the corrected relative intensities of the hypersatellites and compared to theoretical predictions from the semiclassical approximation model using hydrogenlike and Dirac-Hartree-Fock wave functions and from classical trajectory Monte Carlo calculations