The Chepang language: Phonology, Nominal and Verbal morphology - synchrony and diachrony of the varieties of the Lothar and Manahari Rivers

N/

Review: The Dura language: Grammar and phylogeny

The present article is a review of The Dura language: Grammar and phylogeny by Schorer (2016)

Influence of surface topography on biofilm development: Experiment and modeling

International audienceThe effect of surface topography on the long-term development (≈10 weeks) of biofilms has been investigated using a monitoring technique based on images produced by a flat-bed scanner and initially developed for flat surfaces. The biofilm response to rotation speed changes in lab-scale rotating biological contactors (RBCs) has been studied. Two RBCs, each containing five discs (two with flat surfaces and three with rough surfaces) were run initially at two different rotation speeds: 4 rpm for reactor I and 40 rpm for reactor II. After 47 days, the rotation speed was increased in reactor I to 40 rpm and decreased in reactor II to 4 rpm. Prior to the rotation speed change, the biofilm on the flat discs underwent large detachments in both reactors, but the biofilm on rough discs was less extensively damaged. The increase in rotation speed induced large detachments of the biofilm in reactor I on all discs, but the biofilm on the rough discs recovered more effectively with faster regrowth. In reactor II, the decrease in rotation speed favored the development of the biofilm. Wall stress distributions obtained from CFD simulations on flat and rough discs at different rotation speeds were well correlated with experimental observations

Interaction of Vaccination and Reduction of Antibiotic Use Drives Unexpected Increase of Pneumococcal Meningitis

International audienceAntibiotic-use policies may affect pneumococcal conjugate-vaccine effectiveness. The reported increase of pneumococcal meningitis from 2001 to 2009 in France, where a national campaign to reduce antibiotic use was implemented in parallel to the introduction of the 7-valent conjugate vaccine, provides unique data to assess these effects. We constructed a mechanistic pneumococcal transmission model and used likelihood to assess the ability of competing hypotheses to explain that increase. We find that a model integrating a fitness cost of penicillin resistance successfully explains the overall and age-stratified pattern of serotype replacement. By simulating counterfactual scenarios of public health interventions in France, we propose that this fitness cost caused a gradual and pernicious interaction between the two interventions by increasing the spread of nonvaccine, penicillin-susceptible strains. More generally, our results indicate that reductions of antibiotic use may counteract the benefits of conjugate vaccines introduced into countries with low vaccine-serotype coverages and high-resistance frequencies. Our findings highlight the key role of antibiotic use in vaccine-induced serotype replacement and suggest the need for more integrated approaches to control pneumococcal infections

Vers un site atelier de ruisseaux de plaine : la forêt de la Reine

National audienceLa forêt de la Reine est un massif forestier de plus de 5000 ha, au Nord Est de la France. Cette forêt, qui est avant tout une grande zone humide qui alimente de nombreux cours d'eau temporaires, se situe au niveau de la plaine de la Woëvre, est ancienne, tirant son nom de la reine Brunehaut. En 1150, l’abbaye de Rangeval a été construite, accueillant des moines jusqu’à la Révolution française. Cs moines ont entretenu la forêt de la Reine jusqu’à la Révolution. De nombreux aménagements tels que des fossés ont été réalisés afin d’anticiper les potentiels risques d’inondation de la forêt et des cultures sous-jacentes, et d’améliorer la vie des villageois des alentours (aménagements de ruisseaux rectilignes pour l’alimentation en eau, création d’étangs, etc.). La conduite sylvicole de la forêt a été modifiée à plusieurs reprises depuis la fin du 17ème siècle. Il y a quelques années, le gestionnaire de la forêt (ONF) a entrepris de restaurer l’hydromorphologie de certains de ces petits cours, souvent temporaires, altérés chimiquement par les pratiques agricoles : retour au lit d’origine, mise en place de petits seuils poreux ou de déflecteurs en bois.Ces petits cours d’eau sont typiques des cours d’eau de tête de bassin versant lesquels représentent, selon les estimations, jusqu’à 80% du linéaire hydrographique total du bassin versant, contribuant ainsi de façon majeure à l’approvisionnement en eau des écosystèmes aval. Ils constituent un réceptacle final de la matière produite dans le bassin versant (matière allochtone), cette matière représentant la source principale de nutriments et d’énergie pour le fonctionnement de ces écosystèmes. Le projet « BV Plaine » vise à accroître nos connaissances sur ce type de cours d’eau pour lesquels il est difficile d’accéder à des milieux de référence. En s’appuyant sur une équipe interdisciplinaire, le projet « BV Plaine » assurera un suivi annuel, multiparamétrique, de quelques cours d’eau de tête de bassin versant, de référence et/ou restaurés, en plaine lorraine. Ce projet permettra de proposer ultérieurement un site observatoire original sur ces cours d’eau d’intérêt écologique et méconnus, de fédérer des chercheurs de la ZAM autour d’un même objet d’étude en y intégrant des sciences humaines, et d’acquérir des connaissances fondamentales sur le fonctionnement des cours d’eau de tête de bassin versant en plaine.Des études préalables sont en cours pour caractériser la topographie et le fonctionnement (débit, physico-chimie, biologie) de trois de ces petits cours d’eau, sous-affluents de la Moselle. Des appareils photographiques automatiques ont été installés pour suivre les évolutions des hauteurs d’eau en fonction des conditions météorologiques ainsi que le développement global de la végétation. Des campagnes de prélèvements ont été effectuées pour de premières caractérisations physico-chimiques (pH, conductivité, éléments majeurs, matière organique dissoute) et biologiques (prélèvements et identifications de macroinvertébrés aquatiques). Des contrastes chimiques sont d’ores et déjà visibles deux d’entre eux, pourtant distants de quelques centaines de mètres. Les communautés d’invertébrés sont également diversifiées, et incluent des espèces souvent peu étudiées et possédant des traits biologiques et écologiques caractéristiques des milieux temporaires

Trends and characteristics of attempted and completed suicides reported to general practitioners before vs during the COVID-19 pandemic in France: Data from a nationwide monitoring system, 2010-2022

International audienceBackground Most studies published to date have investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on suicidal acts using hospital data. Trends from primary care in a country such as France are crucial, as individuals may not consult hospital services after suicide attempts (SAs) but rather see their general practitioner (GP). Objectives We aimed to evaluate whether the incidence and characteristics of SAs and completed suicides (CSs) reported to French GPs were different during the COVID-19 pandemic than those of before. Methods and findings We conducted a retrospective observational study using data from a nationwide monitoring system, the French Sentinel Network (FSN). All SAs and CSs reported by GPs to the FSN from January 1, 2010, to March 10, 2022 were included. The annual incidence rates (IRs) and the characteristics of SAs and CSs during the pandemic (March 11, 2020, to March 10, 2022) were compared to those of before. In total, 687 SAs and 169 CSs were included. The IRs remained stable for SAs and CSs before and during the pandemic (overlap in confidence intervals). The mean IRs were 52 (95%CI = 44; 57) per 100,000 inhabitants for SAs during the pandemic versus 47 [36; 57] during the pre-pandemic period (p = 0.49), and 5 (95%CI = 2; 9) for CSs versus 11 [6; 16] (p = 0.30). During the pandemic, SA were slightly different from those before in terms of age and occupational status (young/students and older/retirees over-represented), history of consultation and expression of suicidal ideas to GP (more frequent), and CS in terms of occupational status (students over-represented) (p<0.05). Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic had no major effect on the overall incidence of SAs and CSs reported to French GPs. However, more suicidal acts were reported among younger and older individuals. Suicidal patients and GPs have adapted by improving the expression of suicidal ideas

Multifunctional Mitochondrial Epac1 Controls Myocardial Cell Death

International audienceRationale: Although the second messenger cyclic AMP (cAMP) is physiologically beneficial in the heart, it largely contributes to cardiac disease progression when dysregulated. Current evidence suggests that cAMP is produced within mitochondria. However, mitochondrial cAMP signaling and its involvement in cardiac pathophysiology are far from being understood. Objective: To investigate the role of MitEpac1 (mitochondrial exchange protein directly activated by cAMP 1) in ischemia/reperfusion injury. Methods and Results: We show that Epac1 (exchange protein directly activated by cAMP 1) genetic ablation (Epac1−/−) protects against experimental myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury with reduced infarct size and cardiomyocyte apoptosis. As observed in vivo, Epac1 inhibition prevents hypoxia/reoxygenation–induced adult cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Interestingly, a deleted form of Epac1 in its mitochondrial-targeting sequence protects against hypoxia/reoxygenation–induced cell death. Mechanistically, Epac1 favors Ca2+ exchange between the endoplasmic reticulum and the mitochondrion, by increasing interaction with a macromolecular complex composed of the VDAC1 (voltage-dependent anion channel 1), the GRP75 (chaperone glucose-regulated protein 75), and the IP3R1 (inositol-1,4,5-triphosphate receptor 1), leading to mitochondrial Ca2+ overload and opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore. In addition, our findings demonstrate that MitEpac1 inhibits isocitrate dehydrogenase 2 via the mitochondrial recruitment of CaMKII (Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II), which decreases nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate hydrogen synthesis, thereby, reducing the antioxidant capabilities of the cardiomyocyte. Conclusions: Our results reveal the existence, within mitochondria, of different cAMP–Epac1 microdomains that control myocardial cell death. In addition, our findings suggest Epac1 as a promising target for the treatment of ischemia-induced myocardial damage

Performance Evaluation of Host Biomarker Combinations for the Diagnosis of Serious Bacterial Infection in Young Febrile Children: A Double-Blind, Multicentre, Observational Study

International audienceThe diagnosis of serious bacterial infection (SBI) in young febrile children remains challenging. This prospective, multicentre, observational study aimed to identify new protein marker combinations that can differentiate a bacterial infection from a viral infection in 983 children, aged 7 days–36 months, presenting with a suspected SBI at three French paediatric emergency departments. The blood levels of seven protein markers (CRP, PCT, IL-6, NGAL, MxA, TRAIL, IP-10) were measured at enrolment. The patients received the standard of care, blinded to the biomarker results. An independent adjudication committee assigned a bacterial vs. viral infection diagnosis based on clinical data, blinded to the biomarker results. Computational modelling was applied to the blood levels of the biomarkers using independent training and validation cohorts. Model performances (area under the curve (AUC), positive and negative likelihood ratios (LR+ and LR–)) were calculated and compared to those of the routine biomarkers CRP and PCT. The targeted performance for added value over CRP or PCT was LR+ ≥ 5.67 and LR− ≤ 0.5. Out of 652 analysed patients, several marker combinations outperformed CRP and PCT, although none achieved the targeted performance criteria in the 7 days–36 months population. The models seemed to perform better in younger (7–91 day-old) patients, with the CRP/MxA/TRAIL combination performing best (AUC 0.895, LR+ 10.46, LR− 0.16). Although computational modelling using combinations of bacterial- and viral-induced host-protein markers is promising, further optimisation is necessary to improve SBI diagnosis in young febrile children

Measures of restrictions against COVID-19 in France, March 2020-March 2022.

(PDF)</p

Comparison of suicide attempters and completers reported to the Sentinel GP during the first year of COVID-19 pandemic (from March 11, 2020, to March 10, 2021) and the second year (from March 11, 2021, to March 10, 2022), French General Practice Sentinel Network.

Comparison of suicide attempters and completers reported to the Sentinel GP during the first year of COVID-19 pandemic (from March 11, 2020, to March 10, 2021) and the second year (from March 11, 2021, to March 10, 2022), French General Practice Sentinel Network.</p