Visual Maturation at Term Equivalent Age in Very Premature Infants According to Factors Influencing Its Development

Introduction: Visual impairment is a concern in premature infants as perinatal factors may alter maturation during visual development. This observational study aimed at evaluating visual maturation at term equivalent age and factors associated with impaired visual maturation.Methods: Infants born before 32 weeks’ gestation were evaluated with routine brain MRI, visual acuity, refraction, fundus, and clinical eye examination. Environmental factors were collected from infant’s files.Results: Fifty-four infants (29.5 ± 1.7 weeks’ gestation, birth weight 1194 ± 288 g) were studied at term equivalent age. Visual acuity was higher in premature infants at term equivalent age than in a reference publication with the same method in term newborns at birth (1.54 ± 0.67 vs. 0.99 ± 0.40 cycles/degree, p = 0.008). In multivariate analysis, abnormal brain MRI was the only factor associated with visual acuity (r2= 0.203; p = 0.026). Incomplete retinal vascularization was observed in 29/53 of infants at term equivalent age and associated with MRI abnormalities of the posterior fossa (p = 0.027) and larger refractive sphere difference between both eyes (1.2 ± 0.8 vs. 0.6 ± 0.4 diopters; p = 0.0005). Retinopathy of prematurity was associated with indices of smaller cerebral volume (p = 0.035).Conclusion: Higher visual acuity in premature infants at term equivalent age than in term newborns at birth may be related to longer visual experience from birth. Lower visual acuity was correlated with abnormal MRI in preterm infants at term equivalent age

Effects of sodium nitrite reduction, removal or replacement on cured and cooked meat for microbiological growth, food safety, colon ecosystem, and colorectal carcinogenesis in Fischer 344 rats

Epidemiological and experimental evidence indicated that processed meat consumption is associated with colorectal cancer risks. Several studies suggest the involvement of nitrite or nitrate additives via N-nitroso-compound formation (NOCs). Compared to the reference level (120 mg/kg of ham), sodium nitrite removal and reduction (90 mg/kg) similarly decreased preneoplastic lesions in F344 rats, but only reduction had an inhibitory effect on Listeria monocytogenes growth comparable to that obtained using the reference nitrite level and an effective lipid peroxidation control. Among the three nitrite salt alternatives tested, none of them led to a significant gain when compared to the reference level: vegetable stock, due to nitrate presence, was very similar to this reference nitrite level, yeast extract induced a strong luminal peroxidation and no decrease in preneoplastic lesions in rats despite the absence of NOCs, and polyphenol rich extract induced the clearest downward trend on preneoplastic lesions in rats but the concomitant presence of nitrosyl iron in feces. Except the vegetable stock, other alternatives were less efficient than sodium nitrite in reducing L. monocytogenes growth

Homme et biodiversité : cohabiter jusqu'où ?

National audienceHomme et biodiversité : cohabiter jusqu'ou ? Cohabiter suppose qu'il y ait deux entités distinctes… C'est l'opposition nature/culture ? or, cette dualité est remise en cause actuellement (Descola

SARS-CoV-2 transmission among children and staff in daycare centres during a nationwide lockdown in France: a cross-sectional, multicentre, seroprevalence study

International audienceBackground The extent to which very young children contribute to the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is unclear. We aimed to estimate the seroprevalence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in daycare centres that remained open for key workers' children during a nationwide lockdown in France. Methods Children and staff who attended one of 22 daycare centres during a nationwide lockdown in France (between March 15 and May 9, 2020) were included in this cross-sectional, multicentre, seroprevalence study. Hospital staff not occupationally exposed to patients with COVID-19, or to children, were enrolled in a comparator group. The primary outcome was SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in children, daycare centre staff, and the comparator group. The presence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in capillary whole blood was measured with a rapid chromatographic immunoassay. We computed raw prevalence as the percentage of individuals with a positive IgG or IgM test, and used Bayesian smoothing to account for imperfect sensitivity and specificity of the assay. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04413968. Findings Between June 4 and July 3, 2020, we enrolled 327 children (mean age 1•9 [SD 0•9] years; range 5 months to 4•4 years), 197 daycare centre staff (mean age 40 [12] years), and 164 adults in the comparator group (42 [12] years). Positive serological tests were observed for 14 children (raw seroprevalence 4•3%; 95% CI 2•6-7•1) and 14 daycare centre staff (7•7%; 4•2-11•6). After accounting for imperfect sensitivity and specificity of the assay, we estimated that 3•7% (95% credible interval [95% CrI] 1•3-6•8) of the children and 6•8% (3•2-11•5) of daycare centre staff had SARS-CoV-2 infection. The comparator group fared similarly to the daycare centre staff; nine participants had a positive serological test (raw seroprevalence 5•5%; 95% CI 2•9-10•1), leading to a seroprevalence of 5•0% (95% CrI 1•6-9•8) after accounting for assay characteristics. An exploratory analysis suggested that seropositive children were more likely than seronegative children to have been exposed to an adult household member with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 (six [43%] of 14 vs 19 [6%] of 307; relative risk 7•1 [95% CI 2•2-22•4]). Interpretation According to serological test results, the proportion of young children in our sample with SARS-CoV-2 infection was low. Intrafamily transmission seemed more plausible than transmission within daycare centres. Further epidemiological studies are needed to confirm this exploratory hypothesis

Reduction, removal or replacement of sodium nitrite in a model of cured and cooked meat: a joint evaluation of consequences on microbiological issues in food safety, colon ecosystem and colorectal carcinogenesis

Abstract Scope Epidemiological and experimental evidence reported that processed meat consumption is associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) risk. Several studies suggest the involvement of nitrite or nitrate additives via N -nitroso-compound formation (NOCs). Methods and results Compared to the reference level (120 mg/kg of ham), the effects of sodium nitrite reduction (90 mg/kg of ham), removal and replacement were analysed on ham characteristics and in a CRC rat model. Sodium nitrite removal and reduction induced a similar decrease in CRC preneoplastic lesions, but only reduction led to (i) an inhibitory effect on Listeria monocytogenes growth comparable to that obtained using the reference nitrite level of 120 mg/kg and (ii) an effective control of lipid peroxidation. Among the three alternatives tested, none led to a significant gain when compared to the 120 mg/kg ham reference level: vegetable stock, due to nitrate presence, was very similar to this reference nitrite level, yeast extract induced a strong luminal peroxidation and no decrease in preneoplastic lesions despite the absence of NOCs, and polyphenol rich extract induced the clearest downward trend on preneoplastic lesions but the concomitant presence of nitrosyl iron in feces. Except vegetable stock, other alternatives were less efficient than sodium nitrite (≥ 90 mg/kg) in reducing L. monocytogenes growth. Conclusion Nitrite reduction (90mg/kg) effectively reduced CRC risk through limiting NOC formation and lipid peroxidation, while mitigating L. monocytogenes risks from cooked hams. Going further in reduction should be possible if accompanied by antioxidants to limit lipid peroxidation and appropriate use-by dates

Effects of sodium nitrite reduction, removal or replacement on cured and cooked meat for microbiological growth, food safety, colon ecosystem, and colorectal carcinogenesis in Fischer 344 rats

International audienceAbstract Epidemiological and experimental evidence indicated that processed meat consumption is associated with colorectal cancer risks. Several studies suggest the involvement of nitrite or nitrate additives via N -nitroso-compound formation (NOCs). Compared to the reference level (120 mg/kg of ham), sodium nitrite removal and reduction (90 mg/kg) similarly decreased preneoplastic lesions in F344 rats, but only reduction had an inhibitory effect on Listeria monocytogenes growth comparable to that obtained using the reference nitrite level and an effective lipid peroxidation control. Among the three nitrite salt alternatives tested, none of them led to a significant gain when compared to the reference level: vegetable stock, due to nitrate presence, was very similar to this reference nitrite level, yeast extract induced a strong luminal peroxidation and no decrease in preneoplastic lesions in rats despite the absence of NOCs, and polyphenol rich extract induced the clearest downward trend on preneoplastic lesions in rats but the concomitant presence of nitrosyl iron in feces. Except the vegetable stock, other alternatives were less efficient than sodium nitrite in reducing L. monocytogenes growth

Presenting features and molecular genetics of primary hyperparathyroidism in the paediatric population

International audienceAim: To describe the presenting features and molecular genetics of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) in the paediatric population.Methods: Retrospective study of 63 children diagnosed with primary PHPT from 1998 to 2018.Results: Compared to older children, infants were often asymptomatic (54% vs 15%, P = 0.002) with a milder form of PHPT. When symptomatic, children and adolescents mostly presented with non-specific complaints such as asthenia, depression, weight loss, vomiting or abdominal pain. A genetic cause of PHPT was identified in about half of this cohort (52%). The infancy period was almost exclusively associated with mutation in genes involved in the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) signalling pathway (i.e. CaSR and AP2S1 genes, 'CaSR group'; 94% of infants with mutations) whereas childhood and adolescence were associated with mutation in genes involved in parathyroid cell proliferation (i.e. MEN1, CDC73, CDKN1B and RET genes, 'cell proliferation group'; 69% of children and adolescents with mutations). Although serum calcium levels did not differ between the two groups (P = 0.785), serum PTH levels and the urinary calcium/creatinine ratio were significantly higher in 'cell proliferation group' patients compared to those in the 'CaSR group' (P = 0.001 and 0.028, respectively).Conclusion: Although far less common than in adults, PHPT can develop in children and is associated with significant morbidity. Consequently, this diagnosis should be considered in children with non-specific complaints and lead to monitoring of mineral homeostasis parameters. A genetic cause of PHPT can be identified in about half of these patients

Référentiel de la Société francophone du diabète (SFD) : vaccination chez la personne diabétique

International audienceObjective Few studies of patients with a 45,X/46,XY mosaicism have considered those with normal male phenotype. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcome of 45,X/46,XY boys born with normal or minor abnormalities of external genitalia, notably in terms of growth and pubertal development. Methods Retrospective longitudinal study of 40 patients followed between 1982 and 2017 in France. Results Twenty patients had a prenatal diagnosis, whereas 20 patients had a postnatal diagnosis, mainly for short stature. Most patients had stunted growth, with abnormal growth spurt during puberty and a mean adult height of 158 ± 7.6 cm, i.e. −2.3 DS with correction for target height. Seventy percent of patients presented Turner-like syndrome features including cardiac (6/23 patients investigated) and renal malformations (3/19 patients investigated). Twenty-two patients had minor abnormalities of external genitalia. One patient developed a testicular embryonic carcinoma, suggesting evidence of partial gonadal dysgenesis. Moreover, puberty occurred spontaneously in 93% of patients but 71% ( n = 5) of those evaluated at the end of puberty presented signs of declined Sertoli cell function (low inhibin B levels and increased FSH levels). Conclusion This study emphasizes the need to identify and follow-up 45,X/46,XY patients born with normal male phenotype until adulthood, as they present similar prognosis than those born with severe genital anomalies. Currently, most patients are diagnosed in adulthood with azoospermia, consistent with our observations of decreased testicular function at the end of puberty. Early management of these patients may lead to fertility preservation strategies