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Communication technologies have invaded our daily lives. Several studies have assessed these technologies in the management of infectious diseases (mainly HIV). Weekly short text messages and real-time compliance monitoring assessed in HIV patients are both associated with higher compliance in low-income countries. Virtual consultations to monitor stable chronic HIV patients or tuberculosis treatment in high-income countries appear to be acceptable and efficient. Although assessed in small studies, virtual monitoring seems to reinforce the doctor–patient relationship and the relation between primary care settings and hospitals in various infectious diseases (endocarditis, urinary tract infection, skin and soft tissue infection, HIV, tuberculosis, hepatitis C). A better prevention of infectious diseases (mainly sexually transmitted infections) seems to be observed with telemedicine tools. As fees for teleconsultation or telemonitoring have yet to be defined, the development and evaluation (cost effectiveness) of these tools are difficult. The regulatory framework will need to be improved to encourage such developments, all the while ensuring the confidentiality of data. The development of new tools will require the collaboration of physicians, users, and healthcare systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives French reference centers for bone and joint infections (BJI) were implemented from 2009 onwards to improve the management of complex BJIs. This study compared BJI burden before and after the implementation of these reference centers. Patients and methods BJI hospital stays were selected from the 2008 and 2013 national hospital discharge database using a validated algorithm, adding the new complex BJI code created in 2011. Epidemiology and economic burden were assessed. Results BJI prevalence increased in 2013 (70 vs. 54/100,000 in 2008). Characteristics of BJI remained similar between 2008 and 2013: septic arthritis (50%), increasing prevalence with age and sex, case fatality 5%, mean length of stay 17.5 days, rehospitalization 20%. However, device-associated BJIs increased (34 vs. 26%) as well as costs (€421 million vs. €259 in 2008). Similar device-associated BJI characteristics between 2008 and 2013 were: septic arthritis (70%), case fatality (3%), but with more hospitalizations in reference centers (34 vs. 30%) and a higher cost per stay. Among the 7% of coded complex BJIs, the mean length of stay was 22.2 days and mean cost was €11,960. Conclusions BJI prevalence highly increased in France. Complex BJI prevalence assessment is complicated by the absence of clinical consensus and probable undercoding. A validation of clinical case definition of complex BJI is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Burnishing is a mechanical finishing operation performed on workpieces to enhance their surface quality through plastic deformation. One of the main issues to understand the overall process is the behavior of the elastoplastic deformations caused by the burnishing ball on the workpiece. The first burnishing passes performed on the workpiece surface lead to its plastic strain and self-hardening, thus influencing the results of consecutive passes. Some references have studied the phenomenon of indentation, finding that there is a certain self-hardening coefficient threshold which allows to predict the presence of pile-ups at the edges of the indentation path. Nevertheless, burnishing is not a single-pass operation. On the contrary, burnishing a whole surface requires successive adjacent and/or overlapping passes, i.e., parallel passes separated consecutively a certain lateral pass width. No reference has been found in the literature defining the adequate values of the lateral pass width with regards to the pile-up effect to enhance the final topology of the burnished surface. This paper explores that influence by studying the presence of the pile-up effect after burnishing a single or several overlapping passes on two materials (aluminum and steel), by characterizing the topology of the generated path. Afterwards, two adjacent passes are performed, varying the lateral pass width, to compare the final surface roughness derived from each operation. An optimum value for the lateral pass width was found, to improve the final roughness after burnishing in different conditions and to increase the productivity of the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective We had for objective to study HIV management (hospital, ambulatory, and mixed) and assess compliance with health insurance database. Method We conducted a retrospective study using the French Social Security (CPAM) database. The inclusion criteria were: age > 18 years of age, at least 2 prescriptions of antiretroviral therapy. Results Five hundred and seventy-five patients were included: extra-hospital (12), hospital (162), mixed (401). The prescriptions were exclusively hospital issued for 76.2% of the patients. Among the mixed group patients, 91% of treatments were delivered at least once in the community, and 45.6% of biological tests were performed in private laboratories at least once. The sex ratio (2.1 vs. 1.3), the number of patients having switched antiretroviral therapy (36.7% vs. 27.8%), and the frequency of biological tests (3.1 vs. 2.6) were significantly higher in the mixed group compared to the hospital group. The mean compliance was 90% in the hospital group and 91.8% in the mixed group. The compliance was < 80% for 104 patients (21.8%). Patients with ≥ 80% compliance were older (46.1 years of age vs. 42.7 years of age), with more frequent biological tests (3 per year vs. 2.5 per year), and more frequent switches in treatment (35.4% vs. 26.0%). Conclusion Prescriptions of ARV were almost exclusively hospital issued. Their dispensation and biological tests were split between hospital and extra-hospital settings. Most patients demonstrated an optimal compliance. The CPAM database allows describing HIV management and assessing compliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the microbiological diagnosis yield of post-biopsy blood cultures (PBBCs) and second percutaneous needle biopsy (PNB) following an initial negative biopsy in vertebral osteomyelitis (VO) without bacteremia. A retrospective multicenter study was performed. Patients with VO, pre-biopsy negative blood culture(s), ≥1 PNB, and ≥1 PBBC (0-4 h) were included. One hundred and sixty-nine PNBs (136 first and 33 following initial negative biopsy) were performed for 136 patients (median age = 58 years, sex ratio M/F = 1.9). First and second PNBs had a similar yield: 43.4 % (59/136) versus 39.4 % (13/33), respectively. Only two PBBCs (1.1 %) led to a microbiological diagnosis. The strategy with positive first PNB and second PNB following an initial negative result led to microbiological diagnosis in 79.6 % (74/93) of cases versus 44.1 % (60/136) for the strategy with only one biopsy. In the multivariate analysis, young age (odds ratio, OR [95 % confidence interval (CI)] = 0.98 [0.97; 0.99] per 1 year increase, p = 0.02) and >1 sample (OR = 2.4 ([1.3; 4.4], p = 0.007)) were independently associated with positive PNB. To optimize microbiological diagnosis in vertebral osteomyelitis, performing a second PNB (after an initial negative biopsy) could lead to a microbiological diagnosis in nearly 80 % of patients. PBBC appears to be limited in microbiological diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We developed methods for inactivating the human immunodeficiency virus by heat and ionizing radiation and tested the effects of these treatments on the mechanical strength of bone. Simultaneous use of heat and radiation caused a considerably greater inactivation of HIV than the additive effects of the two separate treatments, but also caused a significant reduction in the maximum load sustained by the bone specimens tested with an Instrom machine. Application of the same doses but given in the sequential fashion of radiation followed by heat also caused marked inactivation of HIV and had less effect on the mechanical strength of the bone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammation is a frequent result of radiation damage, especially after therapeutic irradiation. Monocytes and macrophages play an important role in inflammatory cytokine secretion. However, knowledge of monocyte macrophage involvement in the pathogenesis of inflammation is still incomplete. In this study, we investigated the inflammatory cytokine regulation after in vitro gamma-irradiation of monocytes macrophages. Semiquantitative RT-PCR after irradiation revealed no significant induction of interleukin 1beta or tumour necrosis factor-alpha mRNA expression. When induction was observed, for only two donors out of seven, only interleukin 6 gene expression was affected by irradiation, with a 5-14-fold increase in level according to the donor, 2h after irradiation compared with sham-irradiated cells. For only one of seven donors tested, monocytes macrophages responded to 10-Gy gamma-rays by releasing inflammatory cytokines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Les cas les plus sévères d’infection ostéoarticulaires (IOA), dits « complexes » (IOAC), doivent être validés en réunion de concertation pluridisciplinaire (RCP) dans un centre de référence en France. La définition nationale d’IOAC n’a jamais fait l’objet de validation. Cette enquête évalue la concordance à deux niveaux : au sein d’une RCP en mesurant l’accord entre professionnels pour le diagnostic d’IOAC, et au niveau de six RCP. Matériels et méthodes L’accord entre professionnels a été estimé au moyen des coefficients kappa (κ) de Cohen et Fleiss. Premièrement, cinq professionnels (3 orthopédistes – 2 infectiologues/2 professeurs – 2 seniors – 1 junior) d’une même RCP ont réalisé une validation individuelle de 24 dossiers, classés en non-IOA (4 dossiers), IOA « simple » ou « complexe », à l’aide du dossier patient complet. Deuxièmement, six RCP en quorum ont classé collectivement les 24 cas à l’aide de présentations standardisées. Le statut et la spécialité des membres de RCP étaient recueillis. Résultats Au sein d’une RCP, les 4 cas non-IOA, correctement identifiés par tous les professionnels, ont été exclus. L’accord global entre professionnels était faible : 6 cas sur 20 classés par tous en IOA « simple » ou IOAC (κ = 0,23). Le kappa variait de 0,00 (accord nul) à 0,50 (modéré) au sein d’une même spécialité et de 0,13 (faible) à 0,50 entre spécialités. L’accord d’un même professionnel, mesuré à un mois d’intervalle, était modéré, avec en moyenne 15 classements concordants sur 20 (κ = 0,50, étendue 0,27–0,90), non amélioré lorsque le professionnel était plus expérimenté. L’estimation de la concordance des classements de cas entre RCP est en cours. Conclusion La première étape a confirmé l’hétérogénéité actuelle du classement en IOAC selon les professionnels, probablement liée à une interprétation différente de la définition de la complexité. La RCP devrait éviter cette hétérogénéité ; un bon accord inter-RCP est attendu, en lien avec le haut niveau d’expertise des centres de référence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction – objectifs Le bénéfice clinique des STR nécessite une évaluation en vie réelle, particulièrement en termes de paramètres rapportés par les patients (PROs). Matériels et méthodes SToRy est une étude de cohorte prospective de 2 ans, appariée, non-interventionnelle, multicentrique, comparant, chez des patients naïfs ou prétraités initiant un nouveau traitement ARV, des schémas en 1 seul cp/j (STR) vs plusieurs cps/j (non-STR), en termes d’efficacité, de tolérance et de PROs via des questionnaires patients. Nous rapportons ici les résultats à 3 mois. Résultats 306 patients (âge moyen = 43 ans, sex ratio = 2,8), ont été inclus (57 % prétraités ; 43 % naïfs), dont 181 STR et 125 non-STR. Les patients STR recevaient RPV/FTC/TDF (83 %) ou EFV/FTC/TDF (17 %) vs. majoritairement FTC/TDF (71 %) et IP+RTV (76 %) dans le groupe non-STR. Les patients prétraités représentaient 71 % et 38 % des groupes STR et non-STR. A M3, aucune différence n’a été observée en termes d’efficacité immunovirologique ni d’observance entre STR et non-STR. Les patients STR ont rapporté une meilleure perception de la facilité d’utilisation du traitement (PERC) (p < 0,01). Chez les prétraités STR, la préférence du nouveau traitement (POM) est plus élevée (p = 0,003) et l’augmentation de la satisfaction patient depuis l’inclusion plus importante (HIVTSQ : 1,51 (STR) vs -0,02 (non-STR), p = 0,042). Conclusion A 3 mois, l’efficacité et les niveaux d’observance sont similaires dans les 2 groupes. Avec STR, la facilité d’utilisation du traitement semble meilleure. Les patients prétraités ont rapporté une plus grande satisfaction vis à vis du traitement et une préférence par rapport au traitement antérieur plus élevée avec STR vs non-STR [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis (PVO) is a rare disease with possible severe complications (e.g. sepsis and spinal cord injury). In the 1990s, diagnostic delay (DD) was often extensive as PVO has a non-specific clinical spectrum, mostly afebrile with back pain, and access to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was not straightforward. Our aim was to perform a new study focusing on the clinical spectrum and DD of PVO and its associated factors.Method: This study examined a prospective cohort of 88 patients having PVO with microbiological identification between 15 November 2006 and 15 November 2010.Results: The 88 patients included in the study (female:male ratio 1:8) had a mean age of 64.1 years. The mean (sd) DD was 45.5 (50.4) days (range 2-280), and 46 patients (52.2%) were febrile at diagnosis. The main microorganism involved was Staphylococcus (n = 45; 51.1%). In univariate and multivariate analyses, age > 75 years, antecedent back pain, involvement of bacteria, topography of PVO, and anti-inflammatory drug intake did not affect the DD, unlike a C-reactive protein (CRP) value > 63 mg/L or a positive blood culture (DD lowered from 73 to 17 days and from 90 to 30 days, respectively). Conversely, X-ray investigation was associated with a longer DD (from 14 to 34.7 days). Severity at diagnosis was not significantly different depending on the intake of anti-inflammatory drugs.Conclusions: Despite easier access to MRI, the DD for PVO remains long. One shortening factor is a high CRP value, which could be a useful diagnostic tool in case of back pain. Anti-inflammatory drugs seem to have no impact on DD and severity at diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Les routiers sont, dans les pays en voie de développement, une profession à forte prévalence d’infection par le VIH. Il n’existe pas d’étude de prévalence dans les pays dits développés. La méconnaissance de cette profession comme groupe à risque pourrait exposer à un dépistage tardif. Méthodes: Dans une cohorte de 2 017 patients (1 563 hommes) infectés par le VIH suivis dans le COREVIH de Basse-Normandie, une étude rétrospective cas/témoins a été menée. Les cas, tous de sexe masculin et nés en Europe, étaient routiers lors de la prise en charge (PEC). Nous avons tiré au sort 3 à 4 témoins parmi les hommes non routiers nés en Europe appariés sur l’année de PEC. L’âge, la présence d’un événement classant sida, le nombre de CD4 à la PEC ont été comparés. Résultats: 20 cas dont un toxicomane pour 77 témoins. L’âge moyen à la PEC était de 43,6 ± 10,3 ans (écart type) pour les routiers vs. 37,1 ± 10,3 ans (p = 0,015). Les CD4 étaient plus bas, 139 ± 190 vs. 365 ± 240 (p = 0,0002). Le nombre d’événements classant sida à la PEC était plus élevé, 12 (60 %) vs. 9 (12 %), p = 0,00002. L’analyse multivariée montre que la profession de routier et le taux de CD4 (par incréments de 50/mm3) sont des facteurs indépendants prédictifs d’être au stade sida lors de la PEC : Discussion: Il existe un lien entre le métier de routier et le dépistage tardif (DT) pour le VIH. Ceci peut être lié à un moindre accès au dépistage ou au fait que ce métier constitue un facteur de risque méconnu d’acquisition du VIH. Le DT multipliant par 12,7 la mortalité dans les 6 mois qui suivent la PEC (données FHDH), des actions ciblées de dépistage chez les routiers pourraient être discutées. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Neurotrophins nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived growth factor (BDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) and neurotrophin-4 (NT-4) and their high-affinity tyrosine protein kinase receptor (Trk) family, TrkA, TrkB, TrkC, and low-affinity p75NTR receptor, are key molecules implicated in the development of the central nervous system. Increasing evidence suggests that they also have physiological and pathological roles outside the nervous system. In this study we examined the expression of neurotrophins and their receptors in human activated macrophages and to what extent neurotrophins themselves modulate macrophage activation, in a model of primary adult monocyte-derived macrophage. Our data indicate that macrophages express neurotrophin and neurotrophin receptor genes differentially, and respond to cell stimulation by specific inductions. Neurotrophins did not modify the antigen-presenting capacities of macrophages or their production of proinflammatory cytokines, but somehow skewed their activation phenotype. In contrast, NGF clearly increased CXCR-4 expression in macrophage and their chemotactic response to low CXCL-12 concentration. The differential effect of specific macrophage stimuli on neurotrophin expression, in particular NGF and NT-3, and the specific enhancement of CXCR-4 expression suggest that neurotrophins might participate in tissue-healing mechanisms that should be investigated further in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND The management of prosthetic joint infection usually consists of a combination of surgery and antimicrobial therapy. The appropriate duration of antimicrobial therapy for this indication remains unclear. METHODS We performed an open-label, randomized, controlled, noninferiority trial to compare 6 weeks with 12 weeks of antibiotic therapy in patients with microbiologically confirmed prosthetic joint infection that had been managed with an appropriate surgical procedure. The primary outcome was persistent infection (defined as the persistence or recurrence of infection with the initial causative bacteria, with an antibiotic susceptibility pattern that was phenotypically indistinguishable from that at enrollment) within 2 years after the completion of antibiotic therapy. Noninferiority of 6 weeks of therapy to 12 weeks of therapy would be shown if the upper boundary of the 95% confidence interval for the absolute between-group difference (the value in the 6-week group minus the value in the 12-week group) in the percentage of patients with persistent infection within 2 years was not greater than 10 percentage points. RESULTS A total of 410 patients from 28 French centers were randomly assigned to receive antibiotic therapy for 6 weeks (205 patients) or for 12 weeks (205 patients). Six patients who withdrew consent were not included in the analysis. In the main analysis, 20 patients who died during follow-up were excluded, and missing outcomes for 6 patients who were lost to follow-up were considered to be persistent infection. Persistent infection occurred in 35 of 193 patients (18.1%) in the 6-week group and in 18 of 191 patients (9.4%) in the 12-week group (risk difference, 8.7 percentage points; 95% confidence interval, 1.8 to 15.6); thus, noninferiority was not shown. Noninferiority was also not shown in the per-protocol and sensitivity analyses. We found no evidence of between-group differences in the percentage of patients with treatment failure due to a new infection, probable treatment failure, or serious adverse events. CONCLUSIONS Among patients with microbiologically confirmed prosthetic joint infections that were managed with standard surgical procedures, antibiotic therapy for 6 weeks was not shown to be noninferior to antibiotic therapy for 12 weeks and resulted in a higher percentage of patients with unfavorable outcomes. (Funded by Programme Hospitalier de Recherche Clinique, French Ministry of Health; DATIPO ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01816009.) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Introduction: Herpetic meningoencephalitis is treated with acyclovir (15 mg/kg/8 h). This higher dosage enhance the risk of acute renal failure. Case report: We report the case of a previously healthy 42 years old man treated by intravenous aciclovir 1g/8 h for a herpetic meningoencephalitis. He presented an acute renal failure and an acute confusional state at the end of the treatment. Renal function and neurologic status improved rapidly with increased hydration and stop of the antiviral therapy. Conclusion: If acyclovir is usually well tolerated, there is also a risk of acute nephropathy, especially dose-dependent. We point out the need to monitor renal function when high dosage of acyclovir is indicated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The aim of this paper is to analyze the performance of a RepRap 3D printer liquefier by studying its thermal behavior, focusing on the convective heat dissipation developed along the liquefier body during the 3D printing process of a workpiece. More specifically, this work tackles with the influence of the airflow generated by a fan coupled to the extruder, on the heat transfer mechanisms during the printing process. The airflow is thus taken as the variable of study. The temperature at the top of the liquefier body, where a low temperature is desirable for the correct preservation of the 3D printer components, is analyzed to assess the results for the different printing conditions. For the development of this study, a finite elements model was used to determine the theoretical temperature profile of the liquefier in a steady state working regime. This mathematical model was then validated with experimental data registered with four thermocouples fixed on the tested extruder. The data was taken for different airflows, finding a relation between printing parameters and resulting temperature profile. The liquefier used for experimental data acquisition was the BCNozzle model, designed by the BCN3D Technologies of the Polytechnic University of Catalonia. Determining the correct working parameters is necessary to optimize the fused filament fabrication process on which 3D printing is based, ensuring a suitable temperature distribution along the liquefier body. This would allow a correct position of the melting front along the liquefier channel, and at the same time, a non-excessive temperature at its top, next to the feeding mechanism. This is the relevance of this study, through which a model is obtained to analyze the heat transfer mechanisms, applicable for other working regimes and other extruders based on the same working principles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The 2010-2014 HIV/AIDS French program recommends using HIV rapid diagnostic tests in family practice. Our aim was to assess the acceptability and feasibility of the RDT in family practice in France. Methods The first part of this study was to determine the opinions of family practitioners (FPs) concerning the news guidelines for screening and the possible use of rapid HIV tests in their practice. The second part was a feasibility study of the actual use of rapid HIV tests given to FPs during six months. The third part was a qualitative analysis of experience feedback to determine the impediments to using rapid HIV tests. Results Seventy-seven percent of the 352 FPs interviewed were favorable to rapid HIV tests use. The three main impediments were: misinterpretation of test result, complexity of quality control, and lack of training: 23 of the 112 FPs having volunteered to evaluate the rapid HIV tests followed the required training session. Sixty-nine tests were handed out, and three rapid HIV tests were used; the qualitative study involved 12 FPs. The participants all agreed on the difficult use of rapid HIV tests in daily practice. The main reasons were: too few opportunities or requests for use, complex handling, difficulties in proposing the test, fear of having to announce seropositivity, significantly longer consultation. Conclusion Although FPs are generally favorable to rapid HIV tests use in daily practice, the feasibility and contribution of rapid HIV tests are limited in family practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We report a case of Legionella pneumonia in an immunocompetent child. Legionella pneumonia is a rare pathology among children,and even rarer when they are immuno-competent; a few cases have been reported in the literature. This is explained by the fact that infection occurs primarily to immuno-suppressed patients. Legionella bacteria are not systematicaly sought for in front of child''s atypical pneumonia, contrary to Mycoplasma or Chlamydiae. In addition, a number of cases are probably not even noticed because either not serious (Pontiac fever), spontaneously cured, or cured with macrolides prescribed in the case of suspected pneumonia with Mycoplasma. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Mainly regulated at the transcriptional level, the cellular cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, CDKN1A/p21WAF1 (p21), is a major cell cycle regulator of the response to DNA damage, senescence and tumor suppression. Here, we report that COUP-TF-interacting protein 2 (CTIP2), recruited to the p21 gene promoter, silenced p21 gene transcription through interactions with histone deacetylases and methyltransferases. Importantly, treatment with the specific SUV39H1 inhibitor, chaetocin, repressed histone H3 lysine 9 trimethylation at the p21 gene promoter, stimulated p21 gene expression and induced cell cycle arrest. In addition, CTIP2 and SUV39H1 were recruited to the silenced p21 gene promoter to cooperatively inhibit p21 gene transcription. Induction of p21WAF1 gene upon human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) infection benefits viral expression in macrophages. Here, we report that CTIP2 further abolishes Vpr-mediated stimulation of p21, thereby indirectly contributing to HIV-1 latency. Altogether, our results suggest that CTIP2 is a constitutive p21 gene suppressor that cooperates with SUV39H1 and histone methylation to silence the p21 gene transcription. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macrophages play a central role in inflammation and host defence against microorganisms, but they also participate actively in the resolution of inflammation after alternative activation. However, it is not known whether the resolution of inflammation requires alternative activation of new resting monocytes/macrophages or if proinflammatory activated macrophages have the capacity to switch their activation towards anti-inflammation. In order to answer this question, we first characterized differential human macrophage activation phenotypes. We found that CD163 and CD206 exhibited mutually exclusive induction patterns after stimulation by a panel of anti-inflammatory molecules, whereas CCL18 showed a third, overlapping, pattern. Hence, alternative activation is not a single process, but provides a variety of different cell populations. The capacity of macrophages to switch from one activation state to another was then assessed by determining the reversibility of CD163 and CD206 expression and of CCL18 and CCL3 production. We found that every activation state was rapidly and fully reversible, suggesting that a given cell may participate sequentially in both the induction and the resolution of inflammation. These findings may provide new insight into the inflammatory process as well as new fields of investigation for immunotherapy in the fields of chronic inflammatory diseases and cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY Our objective was to characterize T-cell responses to Phleum pratense in grass pollen allergic individuals and healthy controls using the fluorescent dye PKH26. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were stimulated with P. pratense , or with recall antigens, and CD3+/CD4+ and CD3+/CD8+ T-cells that had proliferated were analysed by flow cytometry. In the presence of P. pratense CD4+/CD3+ T-cells proliferated more in grass pollen sensitive atopic patients than in nonallergic controls or in nongrass pollen sensitive atopic subjects. PPD and TT recall antigens elicited uniformly high proliferation in all T-cell subsets. Only half of pollen sensitive patients also had an increased proliferation of CD3+/CD8+ T-cells in response to P. pratense . We determined precursor frequency of CD4+ T cells in the original population that responded to P. pratense and found values ranging from 1 × 10-3 to 0·6 × 10-1 , in the same range as those measured for PPD and TT. In conclusion, grass pollen sensitive atopic patients show enhanced CD4+ T-cell reactivity to P. pratense , and this could be related to the presence of elevated numbers of circulating allergen-specific CD4+ T cells. This flow cytometric method should allow the identification of other phenotypic markers such as intracellular cytokines in allergen specific responding CD4+ T cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Na+ -dependent transporters for glutamate (excitatory amino acid transporters, EAATs) clear extracellular glutamate in the brain and prevent excitotoxic neuronal damage. Glutamine synthetase (GS) provides metabolic support for neurones by producing the neurotrophic amino acid glutamine. EAAT and GS expression has recently been demonstrated in macrophages and microglial cells in vitro , and in two models of acute inflammation in vivo . This observation might modify our current understanding of brain inflammation, which considers activated microglia and brain macrophages as the main neurotoxic cells through their production of a variety of neurotoxins, including glutamate. EAAT and GS expression by these cells would entail neuroprotective and neurotrophic properties, counterbalancing the deleterious consequences of microglial activation. Macaque infection by the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) is considered the most relevant model for human acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), including chronic inflammation of the brain at the early asymptomatic stage of the infection, followed by an AIDS-like disease where neuronal death occurs. We studied the expression of EAAT-2 and GS in the brains of three SIVmac251-infected and two noninfected cynomolgus macaques. We found that both microglia and brain macrophages expressed EAAT-2 and GS in infected primates, suggesting that these cells might, like astrocytes, clear extracellular glutamate and provide glutamine to neurones. Microglia and macrophages could thus have neuroprotective and neurotrophic properties in addition to their production of neurotoxins. This finding might explain the contrast between early intense microglial activation and the late occurrence of neuronal apoptotic cell death, which is mainly observed at the terminal stage of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Les HSH ont fréquemment des IST des sites extragénitaux conduisant à pratiquer systématiquement des prélèvements au niveau pharyngé, anal et urinaire dans cette population, générant des coûts élevés. L'objectif de cette étude est d'évaluer les performances de la détection de CT , Ng et Mg dans des prélèvements poolés (pharynx, rectum, urines) par comparaison à la même détection dans des prélèvements non poolés en utilisant une PCR multiplex. Il s'agit d'une étude prospective multicentrique. Les patients inclus sont des HSH majeurs consultant dans un CeGIDD. Un prélèvement pharyngé, anal, ainsi qu'un recueil du premier jet d'urine est réalisé. Une PCR est effectuée dans chaque centre à la recherche de Ct, Ng ± Mg. Si un des sites est positif, 3 nouveaux prélèvements sont effectués et centralisés pour réaliser une PCR multiplex (Allplex TM STI essential, Seegene) sur les prélèvements non poolés et poolés au laboratoire. Une recherche de résistance aux macrolides est effectuée pour les Mg détectés (PCR S-DiaMGRes TM, Diagenode ± séquençage). Cent dix patients sont actuellement inclus. L'âge moyen est de 36 ans (18–65), il s'agit le plus souvent de patients asymptomatiques (84,2 %, 80/95). Ils sont le plus souvent infectés par un seul des 3 germes (73 %, 80/110) et au niveau d'un seul site (64,5 %, 73/110). Le site le plus souvent atteint est ano-rectal (2/3 des cas) et dans 61,6 % des cas (45/73), il n'y a pas d'infection des autres sites. Les patients ayant une localisation pharyngée n'ont pas d'autre localisation dans la moitié des cas (51,2 %, 21/40). Une résistance aux macrolides a été détectée pour 78 % (18/25) des Mg avec des différences en fonction des sites chez un même patient. Concernant les résultats de la PCR multiplex réalisée à partir des prélèvements isolés versus poolés, la concordance globale est de 95,5 % (105/110). La sensibilité de la PCR réalisée sur les pools est de 94,2 % (50/53) pour Ct, 98,2 % (56/57) pour Ng, 96,4 % (27/28) pour Mg. Il n'y a pas d'impact en fonction du site : 95,1 % (39/41) pour le pharynx, 97,2 % pour l'anus (71/73), 96,2 % pour l'urine (25/26). La spécificité est de 100 %. Les cas discordants correspondent à des patients ayant une très faible quantité de germes détectables dans un des 3 sites. Notre étude montre que le poolage des prélèvements urinaires, pharyngés et rectaux pour un même patient peut être utilisé pour détecter CT , Ng et Mg par PCR en temps réel et rappelle l'importance de prélever aux niveaux des différents sites et de détecter la résistance aux macrolides des Mg. Le dépoolage peut être réalisé seulement en cas de positivité afin de préciser le ou les sites infectés. Cette pratique permet une réduction significative des coûts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Fused-Deposition Modelling (FDM) technique has transformed the manufacturing discipline by simplifying operational processes and costs associated with conventional technologies, with polymeric materials being indispensable for the development of this technology. A lack of quantification of viscoelastic/plastic behavior has been noted when addressing FDM parts with Polyetherimide (PEI), which is currently being investigated as a potential material to produce functional end-products for the aerospace and health industry. Primary and secondary creep along with stress relaxation tests have been conducted on FDM PEI specimens by applying stresses from 10 to 40 MPa for 100 to 1000 min. Specimens were 3D printed by varying the part build orientation, namely XY, YZ, and XZ. Creep results were fitted to the Generalized Time Hardening equation (GTH), and then this model was used to predict stress relaxation behavior. FDM PEI parts presented an isotropic creep and stress relaxation performance. The GTH model was proven to have a significant capacity to fit viscoelastic/plastic performances for each single build orientation (r > 0.907, p < 0.001), as well as a tight prediction of the stress relaxation behavior (r > 0.998, p < 0.001). Averaged-orientation coefficients for GTH were also closely correlated with experimental creep data (r > 0.958, p < 0.001) and relaxation results data (r > 0.999, p < 0.001). FDM PEI parts showed an isotropic time-dependent behavior, which contrasts with previous publications arguing the significant effect of part build orientation on the mechanical properties of FDM parts. These findings are strengthened by the high correlation obtained between the experimental data and the averaged-coefficient GTH model, which has been proven to be a reliable tool to predict time-dependent performance in FDM parts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Test & Treat (T&T) policy (WHO) recommends universal cART initiation regardless of CD4 T cell count. By reducing the time during which HIV-positive patients are infectious and improving treatment initiation and adherence rates, rapid initiation of ART could prevent over 31% of new HIV infections in France by 2030. [Extracted from the article]