Acral Acquired Cutis Laxa Associated with IgA Multiple Myeloma, Joint Hyper laxity and Urticarial Neutrophilic Dermatosis

Peer reviewe

Food web structure and trophic interactions at the recently discovered deep-sea La Scala hydrothermal vent field (SW Pacific)

editorial reviewedHydrothermal vents are features of the seafloor where fluids (acidic, geothermally heated water enriched in chemical compounds such as hydrogen sulphide) discharge in the water column. These fluid emissions sustain unusual chemosynthesis-based ecosystems where abundant micro-organisms and animal communities can thrive under extreme conditions. In May 2019, the La Scala vent field was discovered in Woodlark Basin (Papua New Guinea, SW Pacific). Several active "black smokers" harbouring dense fauna were found at depths ranging from 3300 to 3400 m. The main engineer species were symbiont-bearing gastropods Ifremeria nautilei and Alviniconcha spp. in more active diffuse areas, and stalked barnacles Vulcanolepas sp. nov. in mildly active areas. At least 44 taxa were observed in these habitats. Here, we used trophic markers (stable isotope ratios of C, N and S) to identify energy fluxes supporting those communities, and understand how their feeding habits could influence interspecific interactions. Most sampled animals primarily depended (either directly or indirectly) on endogenous chemosynthetic vent production for their nutrition. This dependence spanned all sampled taxonomic and functional groups. It extended to organisms considered as peripheral fauna, or not strictly found at vents, such as Vulcanolepas sp. nov., anemones, or scavenging gastropods. Moreover, other peripheral fauna fed on a mix of both chemosynthesis- and photosynthesis-derived items. This emphasizes the importance of exported vent production for the surrounding deep-sea fauna. Animal communities showed considerable trophic diversity, and depended on several bacterial production mechanisms. Many taxa co-relied on two or more carbon sources, and inter- and intra-taxon differences in feeding habits could lead to a more even segregation of available food resources. While many questions about environmental and biological drivers of food web structure at La Scala vent field remain open, our results constitute a first glimpse at processes shaping those freshly discovered communities

Food web structure and trophic interactions at the recently discovered deep-sea La Scala hydrothermal vent field (SW Pacific).

editorial reviewedHydrothermal vents are features of the seafloor where fluids (acidic, geothermally heated water enriched in chemical compounds such as hydrogen sulphide) discharge in the water column. These fluid emissions sustain unusual chemosynthesis-based ecosystems where abundant micro-organisms and animal communities can thrive under extreme conditions. In May 2019, the La Scala vent field was discovered in Woodlark Basin (Papua New Guinea, SW Pacific). Several active "black smokers" harbouring dense fauna were found at depths ranging from 3300 to 3400 m. The main engineer species were symbiont-bearing gastropods Ifremeria nautilei and Alviniconcha spp. in more active diffuse areas, and stalked barnacles Vulcanolepas sp. nov. in mildly active areas. At least 44 taxa were observed in these habitats. Here, we used trophic markers (stable isotope ratios of C, N and S) to identify energy fluxes supporting those communities, and understand how their feeding habits could influence interspecific interactions. Most sampled animals primarily depended (either directly or indirectly) on endogenous chemosynthetic vent production for their nutrition. This dependence spanned all sampled taxonomic and functional groups. It extended to organisms considered as peripheral fauna, or not strictly found at vents, such as Vulcanolepas sp. nov., anemones, or scavenging gastropods. Moreover, other peripheral fauna fed on a mix of both chemosynthesis- and photosynthesis-derived items. This emphasizes the importance of exported vent production for the surrounding deep-sea fauna. Animal communities showed considerable trophic diversity, and depended on several bacterial production mechanisms. Many taxa co-relied on two or more carbon sources, and inter- and intra-taxon differences in feeding habits could lead to a more even segregation of available food resources. While many questions about environmental and biological drivers of food web structure at La Scala vent field remain open, our results constitute a first glimpse at processes shaping those freshly discovered communities

Mutations in DNAH1, which encodes an inner arm heavy chain dynein, lead to male infertility from multiple morphological abnormalities of the sperm flagella.

International audienceTen to fifteen percent of couples are confronted with infertility and a male factor is involved in approximately half the cases. A genetic etiology is likely in most cases yet only few genes have been formally correlated with male infertility. Homozygosity mapping was carried out on a cohort of 20 North African individuals, including 18 index cases, presenting with primary infertility resulting from impaired sperm motility caused by a mosaic of multiple morphological abnormalities of the flagella (MMAF) including absent, short, coiled, bent, and irregular flagella. Five unrelated subjects out of 18 (28%) carried a homozygous variant in DNAH1, which encodes an inner dynein heavy chain and is expressed in testis. RT-PCR, immunostaining, and electronic microscopy were carried out on samples from one of the subjects with a mutation located on a donor splice site. Neither the transcript nor the protein was observed in this individual, confirming the pathogenicity of this variant. A general axonemal disorganization including mislocalization of the microtubule doublets and loss of the inner dynein arms was observed. Although DNAH1 is also expressed in other ciliated cells, infertility was the only symptom of primary ciliary dyskinesia observed in affected subjects, suggesting that DNAH1 function in cilium is not as critical as in sperm flagellum

Molecular survey of the genetic diversity from commercial Pelargonium x hortorum cultivars compared to botanical accessions

Molecular survey of the genetic diversity from commercial[i] Pelargonium x hortorum[/i] cultivars compared to botanical accessions. 17. EUCARPIA Congress "Genetic variations for plant breeding

Apport de la biopsie pulmonaire transbronchique dans le diagnostic de pneumonie organisée.

International audienc

Farmer's lung disease and microbiological composition of hay: a case-control study.

International audiencePrevious studies performed in France have suggested that handling hay contaminated with high amounts of moulds, and especially Absidia corymbifera and Eurotium amstelodami, may favour farmer's lung disease. The circumstances favouring farmer's lung disease and the distinctive microbiological composition of hay samples that provoke attacks need to be specified. We present a case-control study which investigates the agricultural practices and the microbiological composition of hay handled in patients with farmer's lung disease as compared to those of a representative control population. Ten cases identified the hay they were handling at the onset of symptoms. The location, type of farm and working conditions were similar to those of the control farms. Conversely, the microbiological composition of hay differed, with significantly higher amounts of E. amstelodami (P < 0.01), A. corymbifera (P = 0.003), mesophilic Streptomyces (P < 0.01), thermophilic Streptomyces (P < 0.01) and Saccharomonospora viridis (P < 0.01) than in the control population. Our results demonstrate that hay identified by patients as having a harmful effect is characterized by a higher total amount of microorganisms, notably five microorganisms that seem discriminative. Mean concentrations are 2- to 115-fold higher in hay suspected to cause symptoms than in hay from a representative panel of farms. Handling hay with high amounts of these five microorganisms constitutes a risk factor for farmer's lung disease that should be considered for the development of prophylactic measures

Third-line chemotherapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer: identifying the candidates for routine practice.

International audienceBACKGROUND: The interest of first- and second-line treatments in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has been demonstrated by successive randomized trials. Improvements in lung cancer care have routinely allowed a significant proportion of patients to be considered for third-line treatment. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed, including all consecutive patients with advanced NSCLC, who received at least three lines of systemic antineoplastic treatment at our institution. RESULTS: From a population of 613 patients treated with first-line treatment, a total of 173 patients received third-line treatment (cytotoxic chemotherapy in 131 patients; epidermal growth factor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors in 42 patients). Only 13 patients (8%) received less than 75% of the theoretical dose intensity; 22 patients (13%) presented with severe toxicities. Symptom relief and performance status (PS) improvement were observed in 121 (92% of the 131 patients with symptoms) and 90 patients (52%), respectively. Using multivariate analysis, survival after third-line treatment was significantly increased in patients younger than 70 years-old (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.73, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.53-0.99, p = 0.047), who smoked less than 10 pack-years (HR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.57-0.93, p = 0.036), with no cancer-related symptoms (HR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.61-0.92, p = 0.007), a weight loss inferior to 5 kg since the beginning of second-line (HR = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.52-0.75, p = 0.013), a PS 0 to 1 (HR = 0.81, 95% CI: 0.76-0.86, p = 0.008), and no extrathoracic tumor spread at initiation of third-line treatment (HR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.47-0.94, p = 0.042). Disease control after both first- and second-line treatments was the strongest predictor of prolonged survival after third-line treatment (HR = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.33-0.67, p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with advanced NSCLC may benefit from third-line treatment. The best candidates can be identified using standard prognostic factors, such as PS, and disease control after first- and second-line treatments

Influence des facteurs individuels et environnementaux sur le declin de la fonction respiratoire des producteurs laitiers

National audienc