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Cardiac surgery associated-acute kidney injury is a common and serious postoperative complication of cardiac surgery, which is associated with increased postoperative morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to explore the association between cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) blood flow rate (BFR), and major adverse kidney events (MAKEs) at day 30. Retrospective single-center before–after observational study. Patients were divided in 2 groups according to CPB flow rates: a first group with an institutional protocol targeting a CPB-BFR of >2.2 L/min/m² (low CPB-BFR group), and a second group with a modified institutional protocol targeting a CPB-BFR of >2.4 L/min/m² (high CPB-BFR group). The primary outcome was MAKE at 30 days, defined as the composite of death, renal replacement therapy or persistent renal dysfunction. The data were collected from clinical routines in university hospital. Adult patients who underwent elective and urgent cardiac surgery without severe chronic renal failure, for whom CPB duration was ≥90 minutes. We included 533 patients (low CPB-BFR group, n = 270; high CPB-BFR group, n = 263). A significant decrease in MAKE at 30 days was observed in the high CPB-BFR group (3% v 8%; odds ratio [OR], 0.779; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.661-0.919; p < 0.001) mainly mediated by a lower 30-day mortality in the high CPB-BFR group (1% v 5%; OR, 0.697; 95% CI, 0.595-0.817; p = 0.001), as was renal replacement therapy (1% v 4%; OR, 0.739; 95% CI, 0.604-0.904; p = 0.016). In patients undergoing cardiac surgery, increased CPB-BFR was associated with a decrease in MAKE at 30 days including mortality and renal replacement therapy. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Tectonic activities control the sedimentary processes in the western Jianghan Basin. • The Jiangnan orogenic belt is the main provenance area of western Jianghan Basin. • The Yangtze River enters the Jianghan Basin between 34 Ma and 1.2 Ma. Provenance analysis of sedimentary basins is a direct way to understand the uplift of orogenic belts, basin deposition, and evolution of large rivers. A series of Mesozoic and Cenozoic strata from the western Jianghan Basin provides key sedimentary archives for investigating the growth of the surrounding orogenic belts and the evolution of the Yangtze drainage. However, the provenance of these sediments remains unclear. In this study, we report U–Pb data for 1098 detrital zircons from the western Jianghan Basin. We combine these data with published zircon U–Pb ages of potential source areas, paleocurrent data, and paleomagnetic age constraints to reconstruct provenance areas and establish related mountain-building processes. All Cretaceous and Early Cenozoic samples show five major age peaks at 131–210, 432–461, 720–986, 1836–1908, and 2470–2552 Ma. We infer that these sediments are primarily derived from recycled sediments associated with the uplift of the western Jiangnan Orogen. The tectonic uplift of the Jiangnan orogenic belt in the Cretaceous and Early Cenozoic was mainly controlled by the subduction of the Pacific and Indian plates underneath Eurasia. The detritus in the current upper reaches of the Yangtze River did not enter the Jianghan Basin before the Late Eocene (34 Ma). Early Pleistocene strata (1.2–0.7 Ma) show a distinct Cenozoic zircon U–Pb (41 Ma) peak age, which is mainly derived from the detrital sediments of the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. The combination of these data with published provenance tracing results for boreholes in the Jianghan Basin and Yangtze River Delta indicates that the Yangtze River was completely connected between 34 and 1.2 Ma. Such a long time interval may correspond to the tectonic uplift of the Tibetan Plateau and environmental changes during the Late Cenozoic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying sedimentary lithofacies, including their characteristics and distribution, is a common method to describe geological heterogeneity. Characterizing microlithofacies within shale fabric requires the integration of multi-scale, multimodal data. In this study, we identify 6 representative microlithofacies within a Vaca Muerta shale sample using Convolutional Neural Networks. We characterize the two main porous microfacies using Focused Ion Beam-Scanning Electron Microscopy (FIB-SEM) and Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM) imaging to understand the characteristics and roles of connected pores. The coccolithic mud microfacies, rich in carbonates, contains well-connected organic pores, intraparticle pores within clays, as well as interparticle pores in between grains. The organic-rich clayey mud microfacies has a large and well connected organic pore network. In both microfacies, the larger pores play a key role in connecting the abundant organic nanopores to meso- and macro-scale flow paths. Importantly, 2D information in FIB-SEM is insufficient to characterize fully the nanopores, and 3D STEM tomography is needed to probe connectivity. Given the impact of nanoscale processes on hydrocarbon production, high-resolution imaging techniques are necessary to characterize fully the formation. In particular, we show that most of the porosity exists below 100 nm for both microfacies, and abundant organic nanopores can be as small as a few nanometers. • Six microlithofacies are automatically classified using a fully-convolutional network. • Carbonate-rich coccolithic mud microfacies contains organic and interparticle pores. • Organic-rich clayey mud has a large and very well connected organic pore network. • Porous features greater than 20–25 nm in size tend to be connected. • Below 20–25 nm, the porosity is abundant but generally not connected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simultaneous combined transplantation (SCT), i.e. the transplantation of two solid organs within the same procedure, can be required when the patients develop more than one end-stage organ failure. The development of SCT over the last 20 years could only be possible thanks to progress in the surgical techniques and in the perioperative management of patients in an ageing population. Performing such major transplant surgeries from the same donor, in a short amount of time, and in critical pathophysiological conditions, is often considered to be counterbalanced by the immune benefits expected from these interventions. However, SCT includes a wide array of different transplant combinations, with each time a different immunological constellation. Recent research offers new insights into the immune mechanisms involved in these different settings. Progress in the understanding of these immunological intricacies help to address the optimal induction and maintenance immunosuppressive treatment strategies. In this review, we summarize the different immunological benefits according to the type of SCT performed. We also incorporate the main outcomes according to the immunological risk at transplantation, and the deleterious impact of preformed or de novo donor-specific antibodies (DSA) in the different types of SCT. Finally, we propose comprehensive and evidence-based induction and maintenance immunosuppression strategies guided by the type of SCT. • Simultaneous combined transplantations include a wide range of clinical settings with different immune effects. • Immunosuppression in combined transplantation should be adapted according to the presence of a liver transplantation. • The role of DSA is different in combined transplantation, according to the presence of a liver transplantation. • Combined transplantations present specific pitfalls regarding the diagnosis of rejection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Colonization pressure is a risk factor for intensive care unit (ICU)-acquired multi-drug-resistant organisms (MDROs).Aim: To measure the long-term respective impact of colonization pressure on ICU-acquired extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacterales (ESBL-PE) and meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).Methods: All patients admitted to two ICUs (medical and surgical) between January 1997 and December 2015 were included in this retrospective observational study. Rectal and nasal surveillance cultures were obtained at admission and weekly thereafter. Contact precautions were applied for colonized or infected patients. Colonization pressure was defined as the ratio of the number of MDRO-positive patient-days (PDs) of each MDRO to the total number of PDs. Single-level negative binomial regression models were used to evaluate the incidence of weekly MDRO acquisition.Findings: Among the 23,423 patients included, 2327 (10.0%) and 1422 (6.1%) were colonized with ESBL-PE and MRSA, respectively, including 660 (2.8%) and 351 (1.5%) acquisitions. ESBL-PE acquisition increased from 0.51/1000 patient-exposed days (PEDs) in 1997 to 6.06/1000 PEDs in 2015 (P<0.001). In contrast, MRSA acquisition decreased steadily from 3.75 to 0.08/1000 PEDs (P<0.001). Controlling for period-level covariates, colonization pressure in the previous week was associated with MDRO acquisition for ESBL-PE (P<0.001 and P=0.04 for medical and surgical ICU, respectively), but not for MRSA (P=0.34 and P=0.37 for medical and surgical ICU, respectively). The increase in colonization pressure was significant above 100/1000 PDs for ESBL-PE.Conclusion: Colonization pressure contributed to the increasing incidence of ESBL-PE but not MRSA. This study suggests that preventive control measures should be customized to MDROs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Migrants are sustainability actors in their urban destinations. • Sustainability policy overlook the transformative role of migrants. • Technocratic and assimilationist notions dominate sustainability policy discourse. • Sustainability policy should embrace migration and plurality. Although it is widely recognized that migration is socially transformative, the potential contributions of migrants to transformations towards sustainability in their destination areas are often overlooked in mainstream discourse on environmentalism and sustainability. Here we seek to identify current narratives of migrants and sustainability across individual, urban, and national scales. Migrants are commonly framed in public policy as having no or even negative impacts on sustainability. The study hypotheses that the lived experience of sustainability by migrants within urban destinations differ from dominant discourses and perceptions of migrant populations within societies. We test and document such divergence using data from 21 interviews with key stakeholders from the city and Swedish national level, an attitudinal survey of 895 migrants and non-migrants in Malmö, Sweden; and a media analysis of local and national Swedish newspapers. Survey results show that migrants engage more extensively with a number of sustainability actions compared to non-migrants culminating in new insights on 'migrants as sustainability actors'. By contrasting individual scale practices against urban to national sustainability narratives, the study illuminates current barriers to and the potential of migrants to play a transformative role in progress towards sustainability that is unrecognized in dominant policy discourses. To tap into this potential, the study emphasizes that sustainability policy across scales should embrace plurality and migration as fundamental parts of progress towards sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Migration has simultaneous offsetting positive and negative effects on sustainability. • Migration affects sustainability in environmental, social, and economic dimensions. • Migration contributes to sustainability if it increases well-being and reduces inequality and environmental burden. • If policies for sustainable development incorporate migration, they yield significant synergistic benefits. Migration represents a major transformation of the lives of those involved and has been transformative of societies and economies globally. Yet models of sustainability transformations do not effectively incorporate the movement of populations. There is an apparent migration-sustainability paradox: migration plays a role as a driver of unsustainability as part of economic globalisation, yet simultaneously represents a transformative phenomenon and potential force for sustainable development. We propose criteria by which migration represents an opportunity for sustainable development: increasing aggregate well-being; reduced inequality leading to diverse social benefits; and reduced aggregate environmental burden. We detail the dimensions of the transformative potential of migration and develop a generic framework for migration-sustainability linkages based on environmental, social, and economic dimensions of sustainability, highlighting identity and social transformation dimensions of migration. Such a model overcomes the apparent paradox by explaining the role of societal mobility in achieving sustainable outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• State-provided welfare resources are not always perceived positively by migrants. • Migrants do not only consider the welfare resources potentially available in destination. • Conceptions of welfare regimes in the country of origin shape migration projects. • Migration is a transformative process that reconfigures the welfare habitus. • Welfare practices are site-specific, complex and dynamic. Little is known on how people's way of thinking and doing around welfare provision – what we call the welfare habitus – plays a role in migration and how such cultural references change over the migration process. Through an empirical case study on Brazilian migration to Southern Europe, this article explores the dynamism of the welfare habitus focusing on three elements. First, the welfare-related resource environment in the countries of origin and destination. Second, the role of the welfare habitus in shaping migration aspirations. Third, the transformative learning process taking place during the life course and the migration experience. The article draws on a literature review, the analysis of secondary quantitative data and 24 in-depth semi-structured qualitative interviews collected in 2016 in Lisbon and Barcelona among men and women born in Brazil selected at different stages of the life course –young people without children, parents of school-aged children and people aged 55 or more. Drawing on practice theory the paper looks at the interaction between external structures, habitus and everyday actions around welfare provision in contexts of migration. Doing so, the paper contributes to a better understanding of the effect of welfare provisions in the country of origin on migration focusing on the temporal perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Talas Fergana/Karatau Fault, is a major tectonic boundary separating the Kazakh-Turan domain to the west from the Tian Shan domain to the east. During the Jurassic, movements along the fault led to the opening of several basins. Still, the Mesozoic kinematics of the fault and the geodynamic mechanism that led to the opening of these basins are largely unconstrained. Located at its southwestern termination, the Yarkand-Fergana Basin is certainly the best exposed and however still poorly understood. In this study, we provide new sedimentological description of the Jurassic series from the northern part of the Yarkand-Fergana Basin as well as new palynological data. Following a Middle–Late Triassic period dominated by regional erosion, the onset of sedimentation in the Yarkand-Fergana Basin occurred during the Sinemurian(?)–Pliensbachian. The basin opened as a half graben controlled by the Talas Fergana/Karatau Fault and separated from the Fergana Basin by basement highs. Extension persisted during the late Pliensbachian–Middle Jurassic, leading to a general widening of the Yarkand-Fergana Basin. Finally, Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous renewed tectonic activity in the area led to the inversion of the north Yarkand-Fergana Basin. The Early to Middle Jurassic timing of development of the Yarkand-Fergana Basin suggests that the coeval movements along the Talas Fergana/Karatau Fault are not associated to the collision of the Qiangtang block along the southern margin of Eurasia. We favor the hypothesis of an opening controlled by transtension related to far field effects of back-arc extension along the Neo-Tethys subduction zone to the west. Image 1 • First sedimentology and palynology data from the Jurassic Yarkand-Fergana Basin. • Sinemurian(?)–Pliensbachian onset of sedimentation in half graben setting. • Extension led to Middle Jurassic basin widening before Early Cretaceous inversion. • Jurassic movements along the Talas Fergana Fault is not associated to Qiangtang collision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mesozoic geodynamic evolution of Transbaikalia has been largely controlled by the scissors-like closure of the Mongol–Okhotsk Ocean that separated Siberia from Mongolia–North China continents. Following the oceanic closure, the tectonic evolution of that region was characterized by collisional uplift and subsequent extension that gave rise to the formation of metamorphic core complexes. This complex tectonic setting prevailed simultaneously between 150 ​Ma and 110 ​Ma both in Transbaikalia, North Mongolia, and within the North China Craton. Published paleobotanical and paleontological data show that the oldest Mesozoic basins had formed in western Transbaikalia before the estimated age of extension onset. However no precise geochronological age is available for the onset of extension in Transbaikalia. The Tugnuy Basin, as probably the oldest Mesozoic basin in western Transbaikalia, is a key object to date the onset of extension and following changes in tectonic setting. In this study, U–Pb (LA-ICP-MS) dating of detrital zircons from three key Jurassic sediment formations of the Tugnuy Basin are used to identify the potential source areas of the sediments, understand the changes in sediment routing and provide insights on the topographic evolution of western Transbaikalia. Our results show several significant changes in tectonic regime after the closure of the Mongol–Okhotsk Ocean. A wide uplifted plateau formed during the closure of the Mongol–Okhotsk Ocean, determining the Early Jurassic drainage system reaching the Angara-Vitim batholith to the north and shedding sediments to the continental margin to the South. The following collisional event at the end of the Early Jurassic led to the uplift of the collision zone, which partially inverted the drainage system toward the North. A strike-slip displacement induced by the oblique collision initiated some of the early Transbaikalian depressions, such as the Tugnuy Basin at about 168 ​Ma. A phase of basin inversion, marked by folding and erosion of the Upper Jurassic sediments, could correspond to the short-term collision event that took place during the latest Jurassic–earliest Cretaceous in the eastern Central Asian Orogenic Belt. The following inversion in tectonic regime from compression to extension is consistent with the mid–lower-crustal extension that led to the formation of the numerous metamorphic core complexes throughout northeastern continental Asia during the Early Cretaceous. Image 1 • Topographic evolution of Transbaikalia controlled by the Mongol–Okhotsk collision. • Changes in tectonic regime in Transbaikalia occurred between 180 ​Ma and 110 ​Ma. • U–Pb dating of detrital zircons shows inversion of the drainage system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of ozone (O 3) pollution events on the plant drought response needs special attention because spring O 3 episodes are often followed by summer drought. By causing stomatal sluggishness, O 3 could affect the stomatal dynamic during a subsequent drought event. In this context, we studied the impact of O 3 exposure and water deficit (in the presence or in the absence of O 3 episode) on the stomatal closure/opening mechanisms relative to irradiance or vapour pressure deficit (VPD) variation. Two genotypes of Populus nigra x deltoides were exposed to various treatments for 21 days. Saplings were exposed to 80 ppb/day O 3 for 13 days, and then to moderate drought for 7 days. The curves of the stomatal response to irradiance and VPD changes were determined after 13 days of O 3 exposure, and after 21 days in the case of subsequent water deficit, and then fitted using a sigmoidal model. The main responses under O 3 exposure were stomatal closure and sluggishness, but the two genotypes showed contrasting responses. During stomatal closure induced by a change in irradiance, closure was slower for both genotypes. Nonetheless, the genotypes differed in stomatal opening under light. Carpaccio stomata opened more slowly than control stomata, whereas Robusta stomata tended to open faster. These effects could be of particular interest, as stomatal impairment was still present after O 3 exposure and could result from imperfect recovery. Under water deficit alone, we observed slower stomatal closure in response to VPD and irradiance, but faster stomatal opening in response to irradiance, more marked in Carpaccio. Under the combined treatment, most of the parameters showed antagonistic responses. Our results highlight that it is important to take genotype-specific responses and interactive stress cross-talk into account to improve the prediction of stomatal conductance in response to various environmental modifications. Image 1 • Genotypes differed in stomatal dynamics in response to irradiance or VPD changes. • Ozone induced stomatal closure and sluggishness in response to irradiance changes. • Stomata recovery was not complete after ozone exposure. • Water deficit decreased closing speed but increased opening speed. • Ozone followed by water deficit resulted in an antagonistic effect. This study indicates that the possible multiple stomatal responses to environmental stimuli must be taken into account in order to better define the parameters of the stomatal conductance model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Sustainability transitions are challenged by the social dynamics of people moving. • Migration is a driver of sustainability practices in low income urban settings. • Indepth study of sustainability practices using life histories in Accra. • Sustainability practices vary between internal and international migrants. • Transformation processes among internal and international migrants are not uniform. Development that is inclusive and sustainable requires significant social and environmental transformations from current trajectories, building on demographic realities such as changing profiles of populations, and increased levels of mobility. Migration is a major driving force of urbanisation in all global regions, partly facilitated through emerging technologies and declining costs of movement and communication. Social transformations associated with increased migration are highly uneven but include shifts in the location of economic activities, major urban growth, and changing individual incentives and social constraints on sustainability trajectories. Yet, there is limited empirical evidence on how observed population movements can both challenge and promote sustainable transformations. This paper examines how migration transforms places and societies, by providing new evidence on the behaviours and practices of individuals who are part of such transformations as they assimilate, converge or remain distinctive to prior populations. Focusing on individuals in rapidly expanding cities in the Global South, this study uses new biographical life-history survey data from Accra, Ghana, to examine the barriers and enablers of sustainability practices among diverse types of migrants and a sample of non-migrants. The study uses data from 1,163 individuals: international migrants from the West African sub-region (5 5 9), internal migrants (2 9 9), and non-migrants (3 0 5) in Accra. The findings show that sustainability practices established before migration are predictors of current sustainability practices, including proactive recycling, conservation activities, and choice of mode of transportation, but that there is some convergence between behaviours, reflecting assimilation, place attachment and other factors. Internal migrants in Accra exhibit stronger sustainability practices than international migrants. Individual levels of poverty, poor infrastructural development, and perceptions about life satisfaction in the neighbourhood negatively affect sustainability practices among all respondents. These results suggest that poverty and social exclusion are critical to addressing sustainability issues in urban contexts. It is important for policy makers to address issues of urban poverty, cumulative deprivation, and inequality as strong barriers to the adoption of sustainability practices in urban areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Understanding the pre-collisional paleogeography in the NE Tibetan plateau provides insights into the growth mechanisms of the northern portion of the plateau in the Cenozoic. We conducted sandstone petrography analysis and determined U-Pb ages for detrital zircons from Cretaceous sandstone from the Yumen Basin and the northern Qilian Shan. Cretaceous strata in the northern Yumen Basin yield a unimodal age population at 290–240 Ma that indicates primary derivation from Bei Shan. Cretaceous strata in the westernmost Yumen Basin contain zircons of 2.6–2.2 Ga, 2.1–1.7 Ga, 1.4–0.7 Ga, 440–380 Ma and 300–230 Ma, suggesting source derivation from both the Qilian Shan and Bei Shan. Within the northern Qilian Shan, Cretaceous strata yield age populations of 2.8–2.3 Ga, 2.1–1.2 Ga, 480–380 Ma and ca. 270 Ma, indicating derivation from the Qilian Shan. Sandstone composition results show that a sample from the northern Qilian Shan contains more lithic fragments and plots in the recycled orogen field of the quartz-feldspar-lithics (QFL) diagram, while samples from Yumen Basin are more quartz-rich and plot close to the continental block field of the QFL diagram. This compositional difference corresponds to source variation, consistent with the detrital zircon record. Combined with existing sedimentology and low-temperature thermochronology datasets, we suggest the presence of Cretaceous topographic relief in the Bei Shan and Qilian Shan prior to India-Asia collision. Considering >300 km post-Cretaceous left-lateral offset along the Altyn Tagh Fault (ATF) and the consistently similar detrital zircon ages spectra of the samples from the Cretaceous to late Oligocene strata in the Yumen Basin, we infer the paleogeography in the NE Tibetan plateau has been similar from the late Cretaceous to the late Oligocene with ATF termination in the western Yumen Basin instead of having been linked to strike-slip faults in the Alxa or other regions to the east since its initiation. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Lower Cretaceous strata in the Yumen Basin derived from northern Qilian Shan and Bei Shan. • Contribution of the Qilian Shan source to the Yumen Basin largely increased during the Miocene. • The east segment of Altyn Tagh Fault terminates in the Yumen basin. • Our results highlight multiple stages of growth of the NE Tibetan plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides new low-temperature thermochronometric data, mainly apatite fission track data on the basement rocks in and adjacent to the Talas-Fergana Fault, in the Kyrgyz Tien Shan in the first place. In the second place, we also present new detrital apatite fission track data on the Meso-Cenozoic sediments from fault related basins and surrounding intramontane basins. Our results confirm multi-staged Meso-Cenozoic tectonic activity, possibly induced by the accretion of the so-called Cimmerian blocks to the Eurasian margin. New evidence for this multi-staged thermo-tectonic activity is found in the data of both basement and Meso-Cenozoic sediment samples in or close to the Talas-Fergana Fault. Zircon (U–Th)/He and apatite fission track data constrain rapid Late Triassic–Early Jurassic and Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous basement cooling in the Kyrgyz Tien Shan around 200 Ma and 130–100 Ma respectively. Detrital apatite fission track results indicate a different burial history on both sides of the Talas-Fergana Fault. The apatite fission track system of the Jurassic sediments in the Middle Tien Shan unit east of the Talas-Fergana Fault is not reset, while the Jurassic sediments in the Fergana Basin and Yarkand-Fergana Basin, west of the fault zone, are partially and in some cases even totally reset. The totally reset samples exhibit Oligocene and Miocene ages and evidence the Cenozoic reactivation of the western Kyrgyz Tien Shan as a consequence of the India-Eurasia convergence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New insights in the Mesozoic geodynamic evolution and related basin-range interactions in the Kyrgyz Tien Shan were obtained based on new sedimentological and detrital zircon U-Pb (LA-ICP-MS) results from Jurassic to Paleogene sedimentary sequences. Studied sedimentary sections are located in the Fergana and Yarkand-Fergana basins to the west of the Talas-Fergana Fault (TFF) and in the Issyk-Kul and Ming-Kush-Kökömeren basins to the east. The ages of the Phanerozoic zircon grains found in 18 Jurassic to Paleogene sandstones can be divided into four groups: Caledonian (470–390 Ma), Hercynian (315–260 Ma), Triassic (250–210 Ma) and Jurassic (190–160 Ma) ages. The differences in sedimentation pattern and zircon U-Pb results suggest that the TFF played an important role in the distribution of the sedimentary deposits in the Mesozoic. During the Early - Middle Jurassic, the TFF was active and the strongest subsidence occurred in the Yarkand-Fergana Basin. The provenance of its sediments can be explained both by local sources close to the TFF and by more distal sources to the (south)west, probably stretching into the present-day Pamir. During the Late Jurassic – Early Cretaceous, renewed compression led to the inversion of the Yarkand-Fergana Basin. Around the Jurassic – Cretaceous transition, large alluvial fans developing in a semi-arid to arid climate traceable around the whole Tien Shan were also deposited in the Fergana Basin. A mafic sill intruded within these alluvial fans provides an emplacement age of 144 ± 8 Ma (apatite U-Pb) indicating (sub)volcanic activity during the Early Cretaceous. During the Late Cretaceous to early Paleogene, the area to the west of the TFF experienced marine incursions related to the proto-Paratethys Sea. The dominance of Caledonian ages in the Upper Cretaceous – lower Paleogene detrital samples indicates a change in provenance whereby the drainage areas became larger towards low-relief land area east of the TFF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Résumé L’intensification des traitements immunosuppresseurs et la généralisation de leur utilisation aux patients atteints de cancer solide et/ou de maladies inflammatoires nécessitent de revisiter nos pratiques de prévention du risque infectieux en milieu de soin. Cette révision est justifiée aussi par les modifications de nos pratiques avec une intensification des prises en charge en structures de soins de suites réhabilitation et en ambulatoire. Une revue de la littérature menée par un groupe de travail multidisciplinaire réuni début 2014 a souhaité répondre aux 4 questions suivantes : (i) Quelle définition des patients immunodéprimés à risque infectieux élevé, intermédiaire et faible, (ii) Quel traitement d’air recommander pour les patients immunodéprimés à risque d’infections ? (iii) Quelles précautions complémentaires recommander pour les patients immunodéprimés à risque d’infections ? (iv) Quelle maîtrise globale de l’environnement recommander pour les patients immunodéprimés à risque d’infections ? À partir des données de la littérature et en utilisant la méthode GRADE, nous proposons 15 recommandations qui permettront de réduire le risque infectieux dans ces populations exposées. Summary The increase use of immunosuppressive treatments in patients with solid cancer and/or inflammatory diseases requires revisiting our practices for the prevention of infectious risk in the care setting. A review of the literature by a multidisciplinary working group at the beginning of 2014 wished to answer the following 4 questions to improve healthcare immunocompromised patients: (I) How can we define immunocompromised patients with high, intermediate and low infectious risk, (II) which air treatment should be recommended for this specific population? (III) What additional precautions should be recommended for immunocompromised patients at risk for infection? (IV) Which global environmental control should be recommended? Based on data from the literature and using the GRADE method, we propose 15 recommendations that could help to reduce the risk of infection in these exposed populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ascertaining the enigmatic characteristics of the crystalline basement of the Qaidam basin, the deepest intracontinental basin yet located in the highest orogenic plateau with the thickest continental crust, has broad implications for the Cenozoic basin evolution, in particular, and intracontinental tectonics of Asia, in general. We carried out a comprehensive investigation on the ages and geochemical-isotopic characteristics of the Qaidam and Suganhu basement rocks obtained from drill-cores. Petrological observations and U-Pb zircon dating (LA-ICP-MS) of granitoid samples from drill cores indicate that Early Neoproterozoic, Early Paleozoic and Late Paleozoic-Mesozoic intrusions are largely represented, suggesting that the Qaidam and Suganhu blocks were involved into three tectono-magmatic episodes. Similar whole-rock geochemistry and Sr–Nd isotopic characteristics between the Early Neoproterozoic granitoids beneath the Qaidam basin and the contemporaneous basement rocks in the surrounding orogenic belts confirm the existence of pervasive Early Neoproterozoic metamorphism and magmatism along the present-day northern Tibetan Plateau. By comparing the trace and rare earth elements patterns as well as the Sr-Nd compositions of the Ordovician arc-related granitoids and Silurian-Devonian post-collisional granitoids beneath the Qaidam and Suganhu basins with the corresponding granitoids from the surrounding orogenic belts, we assert that the Proto-Tethys subduction events that were recorded within the Eastern Kunlun, Altyn Tagh and the Qilian Shan orogenic belts, were different. They generated distinctive subduction-related arc magmas, whereas the closure of the oceanic basins resulted in the amalgamation of the orogenic belts inducing subsequent extensive post-collisional magmatism within the Qaidam block. The widespread Permian and Triassic granitoids beneath the northwestern/northern Qaidam basin mainly involved a lower crust or a crust-mantle source including Mesoproterozoic crust. They demonstrate that the influence of the Paleo-Tethys evolution penetrated the Qaidam block northwards, reaching to the northern edges of the block. We conclude that the Qaidam block is not a craton as typical as the rigid Tarim block, but pertains to a tectono-magmatic rejuvenated craton, which is not mechanically-stronger than its surrounding regions. However, trapped between the lithospheric left lateral strike-slip Altyn Tagh fault system to the northwest and the Qilian Shan transpressional system to the northeast, the Qaidam block forms a relatively stable domain that escaped from significant Cenozoic deformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the past decade, the use of DNA for forensic applications has been extensively implemented for plant and animal species, as well as in humans. Tracing back the geographical origin of an individual usually requires genetic assignment analysis. These approaches are based on reference samples that are grouped into populations or other aggregates and intend to identify the most likely group of origin. Often this grouping does not have a biological but rather a historical or political justification, such as “country of origin”. In this paper, we present a new nearest neighbour approach to individual assignment or classification within a given but potentially imperfect grouping of reference samples. This method, which is based on the genetic distance between individuals, functions better in many cases than commonly used methods. We demonstrate the operation of our assignment method using two data sets. One set is simulated for a large number of trees distributed in a 120 km by 120 km landscape with individual genotypes at 150 SNPs, and the other set comprises experimental data of 1221 individuals of the African tropical tree species Entandrophragma cylindricum (Sapelli) genotyped at 61 SNPs. Judging by the level of correct self-assignment, our approach outperformed the commonly used frequency and Bayesian approaches by 15% for the simulated data set and by 5–7% for the Sapelli data set. Our new approach is less sensitive to overlapping sources of genetic differentiation, such as genetic differences among closely-related species, phylogeographic lineages and isolation by distance, and thus operates better even for suboptimal grouping of individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Revue Francaise d'Allergologie is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In situ reconstruction (ISR) with autologous veins is the preferred method in infectious native aortic aneurysms (INAAs) or vascular (endo)graft infection (VGEI). However, access to biological substitutes can prove difficult and lacks versatility. This study evaluates survival and freedom from reinfection after ISR of INAA/VGEI using the antimicrobial Intergard Synergy graft combining silver and triclosan. From February 2014 to April 2020, 86 antimicrobial grafts were implanted for aortic infection. The diagnosis of INAA/VGEI and reinfection was established based on the Management of Aortic Graft Infection Collaboration criteria. Survival was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank P values. The antimicrobial graft was implanted in 32 cases of INAA, 28 of VGI, and 26 of VEI. The median age was 69.0 (interquartile range: 62.0; 74.0), with a history of coronary artery disease (n = 21; 24.4%), chronic kidney disease (n = 11; 12.8%), cancer (n = 21; 24.4%), and immunosuppression (n = 27; 31.4%). Imaging showed infiltration (n = 14; 16.3%), air (n = 10; 11.6%), and rupture (n = 16; 18.6% including 22 aortoenteric fistulae [AEnF]). Symptoms included fever (n = 37; 43.0%), shock (n = 11; 12.8%), and pain (n = 47; 54.7%). Repair was undertaken through a midline laparotomy in 75 cases (87.2%) and coeliac cross-clamping in 19 (22.1%), suprarenal in 26 (30.2%), plus celiac trunk (n = 3), mesenteric (n = 5), renal (n = 13), or hypogastric (n = 4) artery reconstruction, and omental flap coverage (n = 41; 48.8%). For AEnF, the gastrointestinal tract was repaired using direct suture (n = 14; 16.3%) or resection anastomosis (n = 8; 9.3%). Causative organisms were identified in 74 patients (86.0%), with polymicrobial infection in 32 (37.2%) and fungal coinfection in 7 (8.1%). Thirty-day and in-hospital mortality were 14.0% and 22.1% (n = 12 and 19, respectively, 3 INAA [9.4%], 7 VGI [25.0%], and 9 VEI [34.6%]). Seventy patients (81.4%) had a postoperative complication, 44 (51.2%) of whom returned to the operative room. The 1- and 2-year survival rates were 74.0% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 63.3-82.1) and 69.8% (95% CI: 58.5-78.5), respectively. Survival was significantly better for INAA vs VGEI (P =.01) and worse for AEnF (P =.001). Freedom from reinfection was 97.2% (95% CI: 89.2-99.3) and 95.0% (95% CI: 84.8-98.4) with six reinfections (7.0%) requiring two radiological/six surgical drainage and two graft removals. Primary patency was 88.0% (95% CI: 78.1-93.6) and 79.9% (95% CI: 67.3-88.1) with no significant difference between INAA and VGEI (P =.16). ISR of INAA or VGEI with the antimicrobial graft showed encouraging early mortality, comparable to the rates found in femoral vein (9%-16%) and arterial allograft (8%-28%) studies, as well as mid-term reinfection. The highest in-hospital mortality was noted for VEI including nearly 50% of AEnF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus raffinosus has rarely been associated with nosocomial infection and outbreaks.Aim: To report the successful control of a nosocomial outbreak of vanA-type vancomycin-resistant E. raffinosus in a surgical intensive care unit.Methods: The investigation of the outbreak is reported with control measures taken. Molecular typing of vancomycin-resistant E. raffinosus isolates was performed by repetitive sequence-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR).Findings: Between September and October 2014, vancomycin-resistant E. raffinosus isolates were isolated from four patients. The index patient had been hospitalized previously in Portugal, and was not found to be colonized by vancomycin-resistant enterococci on screening cultures obtained at admission. However, vancomycin-resistant E. raffinosus was isolated from a bile sample 19 days after hospital admission. All four isolates were resistant to both vancomycin and teicoplanin due to the presence of the vanA gene, while remaining susceptible to daptomycin and linezolid. Repetitive sequence-based PCR confirmed the spread of a single vanA-positive E. raffinosus clone. Infection control measures including direct PCR screening on rectal specimens, contact precautions, and cohorting of patients and personnel led to successful control of the outbreak.Conclusion: This is the first reported outbreak of vanA-type vancomycin-resistant E. raffinosus in France in both clinical and screening specimens among hospitalized patients. The inability of routine selective screening media to detect the vancomycin-resistant E. raffinosus in the index case likely contributed to the outbreak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ozone exposure- and dose-response relationships based on photosynthetic leaf traits (CO 2 assimilation, chlorophyll content, Rubisco and PEPc activities) were established for wheat, maize and poplar plants grown in identical controlled conditions, providing a comparison between crop and tree species, as well as between C3 and C4 plants. Intra-specific variability was addressed by comparing two wheat cultivars with contrasting ozone tolerance. Depending on plant models and ozone levels, first-order, second-order and segmented linear regression models were used to derive ozone response functions. Overall, flux-based functions appeared superior to exposure-based functions in describing the data, but the improvement remained modest. The best fit was obtained using the POD 0.5 for maize and POD 3 for poplar. The POD 6 appeared relevant for wheat, although intervarietal differences were found. Our results suggest that taking into account the dynamics of leaf antioxidant capacity could improve current methods for ozone risk assessment for plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Mesozoic–Cenozoic continental deposits of the Tian Shan area, two main levels containing pedogenic carbonates have been identified on both the southern and northern foothills of the range: one in the Upper Jurassic series and one in the Upper Cretaceous–Lower Palaeocene series. In order to reconstruct the palaeoenvironmental and palaeotopographic characteristics of the Tian Shan area during these two periods, we measured the oxygen and carbon isotope composition of these pedogenic carbonates (calcrete and nodules). The stable isotope compositions are homogeneous: most δ 18 O values are between 21 and 25‰ and most δ 13 C values are between −4 and −6‰. No distinction can be made between the calcrete and nodule isotopic compositions. The constancy of isotopic values across the Tian Shan is evidence of a development of these calcification features in similar palaeoenvironmental conditions. The main inference is that no significant relief existed in that area at the Cretaceous−Palaeogene boundary, implying that most of the present relief developed later, during the Cenozoic. In addition to the pedogenic carbonates, few beds of limestones interstratified in the Jurassic series of the southern foothills display oxygen and carbon isotope compositions typical of lacustrine carbonates, ruling out brackish water incursion at that period in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Late Tertiary tectonic and topographic evolution of the Tian Shan Range has been widely studied as it represents a key example of active intra-continental mountain belts. Recent studies have shown that both the general tectonic framework of Tian Shan and some of its actual topographic features were inherited from the still poorly constrained Late Paleozoic–Mesozoic evolution of the range. In addition, better understanding of the tectonic and topographic evolution of the area before the last phases of late Cenozoic deformation is required to constrain the unresolved climatic and paleogeographic reconstructions. We present here U/Pb (LA-ICP-MS) dating of detrital zircons and apatite fission track analysis on detrital apatites from the exceptionally well-exposed Jurassic to Cenozoic sediment series of the still poorly constrained southwestern Tian Shan piedmont to investigate changes in sediment provenance through time. The U/Pb detrital zircon ages range widely from 222 to 3179 Ma and can be statistically separated in four main groups: 240–320 Ma, 400–540 Ma, 550–1600 Ma and 1640–2800 Ma. These zircons were derived from the Tian Shan area to the north and from recycling of the Paleozoic North Tarim margin. The detrital apatite fission track ages encompass sources with preserved Mesozoic ages as well as much younger sources exhumed during middle Miocene times. Combined together those data show a general planation of the range from Middle Jurassic to Late Cretaceous associated to a wide drainage system. The progressive decrease in the variety of sources through the Mesozoic is consistent with burying of the basement exposures by sediments. Detrital zircon U/Pb data indicate an initial Tertiary uplift of the southern Tian Shan piedmont around Eocene times and a possible activation of the Talas Fergana Fault between 18 and 16 Ma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The Dien Bien Phu (DBP) Fault strikes nearly perpendicular to the general tectonic framework, separating northwest Vietnam into two compartments. The DBP and Muong Lay granites are exposed respectively east and west of the fault. The U/Pb age of 277±2Ma obtained for the Muong Lay granite is similar to the age of the Chieng Khuong complex exposed within the Song Ma structure east of the DBP Fault. These two magmatic intrusions are considered as belonging to a same tectonic structure related to the subduction of the Song Ma Ocean under the Indochina Block during the Indosinian orogeny. The DBP Fault with a total post Permian dextral offset of 30–40km shifts the Song Ma Suture. It could then be connected to the Ailao Shan–Shuanggou suture to the north. The undeformed DBP granite gave a U/Pb age of 230±1Ma sealing the Indosinian deformation on the fault. The Ladinian–Carnian activity of the fault is confirmed by the 40Ar/39Ar (biotite) age of 228±4Ma obtained from the paragneiss forming the fault zone. A geodynamic model is proposed to describe the various tectonic phases recorded by on the DBP Fault. It associates field data, stratigraphic observations, and geochronology analyses (U/Pb, Ar/Ar, fission tracks). Following the Late Triassic exhumation of the granite and the end of the Indosinian orogeny marked by the Norian unconformity, the granite was buried under Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous sediments. A strong cooling event during the early Late Cretaceous (100Ma) is associated with the reactivation of the DBP Fault and the accommodation of a southward thrusting of the Song Da terrane onto the Truong Son Belt. This newly recognised tectonic phase could be associated to the subduction of the Paleo-Pacific plate under the Indochina Block. No data are available yet to constrain the Tertiary evolution of the DBP system. However, the Tertiary deformation is likely similar to the Cretaceous one. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objectives: To evaluate a protocol, including MRI acquisition with dedicated sequences for fat-water quantification and semi-automatic segmentation, for 3D geometry measurement and fat infiltration of key muscles of the spino-pelvic complex. Materials and methods: MRI protocol: two axial acquisitions from the thoraco-lumbar region to the patella were obtained: one T1-weighted and one based on the Dixon method, permitted to evaluate the proportion of fat inside each muscle. Muscle reconstruction: with Muscl’X software, 3D reconstructions of 18 muscles or groups of muscles were obtained identifying their contours on a limited number of axial images 3D references were obtained only on T1 acquisitions identifying the contour of the muscles on all axial images. Evaluation: for two volunteers, three operators completed reconstructions three times across three sessions. Each reconstruction was projected on the reference to calculate the ‘point to surface’ error. Mean and maximal axial section, muscle volume, and muscle length calculated from the reconstructions were compared to reference values, and intra- and inter-operator variability for those parameters were evaluated. Results: 2xRMS ‘point to surface’ error was below 3mm, on average. The agreement between the two methods was variable between muscles [–4.50; 8.00%] for the mean axial section, the length and the volume. Intra- and inter-operator variability were less than 5% and comparison of variability for the Fat and T1 reconstructions did not reveal any significant differences. Discussion: Excellent inter- and intra-operator reliability was demonstrated for 3D muscular reconstruction using the DPSO method and Dixon images that allowed generation of patient-specific musculoskeletal models. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Inside the biofilm, antimicrobial agents must overcome high cell density, an increased number of resistant mutants, substance delivery, molecular exchanges, such as high levels of beta-lactamases or inducers of efflux pump expression, and specific adaptive cells, so-called persisters. The environment within the biofilm modulates the response to antibiotics, especially when the SOS response or DNA repair systems are involved. Exposure to subinhibitory concentrations of antibiotics can enhance biofilm formation and mutagenesis. Thus, a global response to cell stress seems to be responsible for antibiotic-induced biofilm formation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The Baikal Rift System in southern Siberia is one of the main intracontinental extensional features on Earth. The rift system represents the northwestern boundary of the Amuria plate and in that respect can be considered as an evolving plate boundary. The Baikal Rift System has been widely studied both in terms of geology and geophysics and many models have been proposed for its formation and evolution. However, the age of the initiation of deformation and the mechanism driving this deformation are still largely debated. While major extension has occurred since the Late Miocene–Pliocene, the onset of extension seems older than the India–Asia collision, implying that several driving mechanisms may have acted together or in relay through time. In this work, we review the available data and models for deformation in an area encompassing the Baikal Rift System, the Sayan ranges to the west and the Transbaikal to the east. Using a synthesis of this data and our own field and mapping observations, we show that the Baikal Rift System, along with transpressional deformation in the Sayan ranges and transtension in the Transbaikal area, can be explained through major left-lateral strike–slip systems. The deformation is strongly controlled by inherited crustal and lithospheric structures, and is distributed over a wide area within the western Amuria plate that consequently cannot be considered as a rigid block. Such distributed deformation is likely to have a strong effect on the structure of the future continental margin if extension evolves towards the formation of oceanic crust. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The effect of ozone (O3) on stomatal regulation was studied in three Euramerican poplar genotypes (Populus deltoides × Populus nigra: Carpaccio, Cima and Robusta). The impact of O3 on stomatal conductance responses to variations in blue light, red light, CO2 concentration and vapour pressure deficit (VPD) was studied. Upon O3 exposure, a sluggish response of stomatal movements was observed, characterized by slower reactions to increases in blue light intensity, CO2 concentration and VPD, and lower amplitude of the response to variations in light intensity. That sluggish response should be taken into account in stomatal conductance models for phytotoxic ozone dose (PODY) calculations. The speed of the response to variations in environmental parameters appears as a determining factor of genotype-related sensitivity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Illegal logging and associated trade are the cause of many economic and ecological problems both in producer and in consumer countries. There are an increasing number of national and international regulations in place that call for efficient timber tracking systems. We present results of a pilot study of a DNA-based method to control the geographical origin of timber in forest concessions in Cameroon. We addressed genetic differentiation at five nuclear microsatellite loci in seven sapelli (Entandrophragma cylindricum, Meliaceae) populations located in three forest concessions in Eastern Cameroon. In the framework of a blind test, seven anonymous timber sample sets were analysed at three microsatellite loci and compared to the genetic reference data of the forest concessions in Cameroon. Our results show that genetic differentiation was low within and among concessions. Combining the results of Bayesian genetic assignment method and exclusion test, we could determine that the timber stemmed or did not stem from the focus forest concession in six out of the seven blind sample sets. We further discuss the accuracy of the presented method and draw conclusions for a better sampling and genotyping strategy. Our work provides clear evidence that the use of genetic fingerprints is a useful tool to fight against illegal logging. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Forests in Europe face significant changes in climate, which in interaction with air quality changes, may significantly affect forest productivity, stand composition and carbon sequestration in both vegetation and soils. Identified knowledge gaps and research needs include: (i) interaction between changes in air quality (trace gas concentrations), climate and other site factors on forest ecosystem response, (ii) significance of biotic processes in system response, (iii) tools for mechanistic and diagnostic understanding and upscaling, and (iv) the need for unifying modelling and empirical research for synthesis. This position paper highlights the above focuses, including the global dimension of air pollution as part of climate change and the need for knowledge transfer to enable reliable risk assessment. A new type of research site in forest ecosystems (“supersites”) will be conducive to addressing these gaps by enabling integration of experimentation and modelling within the soil-plant-atmosphere interface, as well as further model development. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) are cationic surfactants used as preservatives and environmental disinfectants. Limited data are available regarding the effect of QACs in the clinical setting. We performed a prospective cohort study in 153 patients with Escherichia coli bacteraemia from February to September 2008 at University Hospital in Rennes. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of antibiotics and QACs alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride (ADBAC) and didecyldimethylammonium chloride (DDAC) were determined by the agar dilution method. The capacity of biofilm production was assayed using the Crystal Violet method, and mutation frequencies by measuring the capacity of strains to generate resistance to rifampicin. Logistic regression analysis showed that one of the significant factors related to low MICs for ADBAC (≤16mg/L) and DDAC (≤8mg/L), was cotrimoxazole susceptibility (odds ratio: 3.72; 95% confidence interval: 1.22–11.24; P =0.02 and OR: 3.61; 95% CI: 1.56–7.56; P <0.01, respectively). Antibiotic susceptibility to cotrimoxazole was strongly associated with susceptibility to amoxicillin and nalidixic acid (P <0.01). Community-acquired or healthcare-associated bacteraemia, severity of bacteraemia, and patient outcome were independent of the MICs of ADBAC and DDAC. Our findings demonstrate an epidemiological relationship between higher MIC values of QACs in clinical E. coli isolates and antibiotic resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revue Francaise d'Allergologie is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Management of Norovirus and Clostridium difficile gastroenteritis is challenging for rehabilitation and long-term care facilities. We evaluated the contribution of a 2-step laboratory-based strategy, including a new ready-to-use Norovirus polymerase chain reaction assay to promote isolation precautions. C difficile and Norovirus were successively identified from 17% and 23% of 52 episodes of diarrhea, respectively, during the winter season, leading to 100% adequate isolation measures. In patient populations with numerous risk factors for diarrhea, a combined laboratory-based approach could improve infection control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: There is now a large literature dealing with the policy question of public participation in technical choice and technology assessment (TA). Files such as the mad cow crisis, genetically modified food, and the emerging nanotechnologies have been edified into a public problem, and have given place to a number of experiments and reviews about participatory arrangements. Much less attention has been devoted so far to the application of the TA framework to more local and limited projects–not yet and maybe never reaching the public problem status–and the management of their societal dimensions. Among them, new energy technology represents a very interesting field for investigation: many of the new energy enjoy a global positive public image whereas the local implementation of their implantation often raises societal questions and oppositions. This paper describes an original experiment conducted in the field of new energy technologies during which a participatory technology assessment inspired approach was applied to a number of individual and local projects. A framework methodology called ESTEEM was developed to facilitate such participatory process to take place, and it was tested and evaluated in 5 projects located in 5 different countries over Europe. A detailed discussion of the ESTEEM method and its application to one case study, a Carbon Sequestration project in The Netherlands, is provided. We show that a major question in the application in such participatory framework is to establish a reflective practice of project management based on situated and constructive interactions between project promoters and project stakeholders. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: This study describes an outbreak of Serratia marcescens and its investigation and control in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). During a three-month period, five infants were colonised or infected by a single strain of S. marcescens. A case–control study, culture surveys and pulse-field gel electrophoresis analysis implicated a bottle soap dispenser as a reservoir of S. marcescens (P =0.032). Infants with S. marcescens colonisation or infection were also more likely to have been exposed to a central or percutaneous venous catheter (P =0.05) and had had longer exposure to endotracheal intubation (P =0.05). Soap dispensers are used in many hospitals and may be an unrecognised source of nosocomial infections. This potential source of infection could be reduced by using ‘airless’ dispensers which have no air intake for the distribution of soap. Prompt intervention and strict adherence to alcoholic hand disinfection were the key factors that led to the successful control of this outbreak. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Copyright of Revue Francaise d'Allergologie is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of IRBM is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract: The combination of stomatal-dependent ozone flux and total ascorbate level is currently presented as a correct indicator for determining the degree of sensitivity of plants to ozone. However, the large changes in carbon metabolism could play a central role in the strategy of the foliar cells in response to chronic ozone exposure, participating in the supply of reducing power and carbon skeletons for repair and detoxification, and modifying the stomatal mode of functioning. To reinforce the accuracy of the definition of the threshold for ozone risk assessment, it is proposed to also consider the redox pool (NAD(P)H), the ratio between carboxylases and the water use efficiency as indicators of the differential ozone tolerance of plants. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: We sought to investigate the mechanism whereby a particular deformity of the aortic arch, an angulated Gothic shape, might lead to hypertension late after anatomically successful repair of aortic coarctation. Methods: Fifty-five normotensive patients with anatomically successful repair of aortic coarctation and either a Gothic (angulated) or a Romanesque (smooth and rounded) arch were studied with magnetic resonance angiography and flow mapping in both the ascending and descending aortas. Systolic waveforms, central aortic stiffness, and pulse velocity were measured. We hypothesized that arch angulation would result in enhanced systolic wave reflection with loss of energy across the aortic arch, as well as increased central aortic stiffness. Results: Twenty patients were found to have a Gothic, and 35 a Romanesque, arch. Patients with a Gothic arch showed markedly augmented systolic wave reflection (12 ± 6 vs 5 ± 0.3 mL, P < .001) and greater loss of systolic wave height in the distal aorta (30% ± 16% vs 22% ± 12%, P < .01) compared with that of subjects with a Romanesque arch. Pulse wave velocity was also increased with a Gothic arch (5.6 ± 1.1 vs 4.1 ± 1 m/s, P < .0001), as well as left ventricular mass index (85 ± 15 vs 77 ± 20 g/m2). Patients with a Romanesque arch had increased aortic stiffness compared with that of control subjects (stiffness β-index, 3.9 ± 0.9 vs 2.9 ± 1; P = .03). Conclusions: Angulated Gothic aortic arch is associated with increased systolic wave reflection, as well as increased central aortic stiffness and left ventricular mass index. These findings explain (at least in part) the association between this pattern of arch geometry and late hypertension at rest and on exercise in subjects after coarctation repair. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Hypertension occurs in 20% to 40% of survivors of anatomically successful repair of aortic coarctation (CoA). The aim of the present study was to examine the role of central aortic function in this setting. Methods: Forty normotensive asymptomatic subjects with successful CoA repair (age 12 ± 8 years) and 20 age- and sex-matched control subjects underwent detailed magnetic resonance imaging investigation of the thoracic aorta and left ventricle. Aortic distensibility, compliance, and stiffness β index were calculated in the central (precoarctation) and descending (postcoarctation) aorta. Aortic pulse wave velocity was measured and left ventricular mass was calculated. Results: Compared to control subjects, CoA subjects had markedly decreased central aortic distensibility (2.8 ± 0.7 vs 4.2 ± 0.5 mm Hg−1·10−3, P < .001) and compliance (1.7 ± 0.3 vs 2.5 ± 0.6 mm2 mm Hg−1, P < .001) and increased stiffness β index (5.2 ± 1 vs 2.5 ± 0.6, P < .001). Pulse wave velocity was also significantly increased in the CoA subjects (4.7 ± 1.3 vs 3.3 ± 0.6 m/sec, P < .001). Left ventricular mass index was higher in the CoA subjects (84 ±11 vs 73 ±10 g/m2, P = .01) and correlated significantly with aortic stiffness β index (r 2 = 0.8, P < .0001). By contrast, descending aortic characteristics were similar in the CoA and control subjects. Conclusion: Central aortic stiffness is markedly increased and associated with increased left ventricular mass in normotensive young subjects after successful early repair of CoA. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] • The closure of the Mongol-Okhotsk Ocean was not scissor-like, but segmental. • Northern Argun-Idemeg terrane was the last to be accreted to the Siberian continent. • First U–Pb (LA-ICP-MS) detrital zircon ages for the marine and continental deposits. The Late Paleozoic–Early Mesozoic Mongol-Okhotsk Ocean extended between the Siberian and Amur–North China continents. The timing and modalities of the oceanic closure are widely discussed. It is largely accepted that the ocean closed in a scissor-like manner from southwest to northeast (in modern coordinates), though the timing of this process remains uncertain. Recent studies have shown that both western (West Transbaikalia) and eastern (Dzhagda) parts of the ocean closed almost simultaneously at the Early–Middle Jurassic boundary. However, little information on the key central part of the oceanic suture zone is available. We performed U-Pb (LA-ICP-MS) dating of detrital zircon from well-characterized stratigraphic sections of the central part of the Mongol-Okhotsk suture zone. These include the initial marine and final continental sequences of the East Transbaikalia Basin, deposited on the northern Argun-Idemeg terrane basement. We provide new stratigraphic ages for the marine and continental deposits. This revised chronostratigraphy allows assigning an age of ~165–155 Ma, to the collision-related flexure of the northern Argun-Idemeg terrane and the development of a peripheral foreland basin. This collisional process took place 5 to10 million years later than in the western and eastern parts of the ocean. We demonstrate that the northern Argun-Idemeg terrane was the last block to collide with the Siberian continent, challenging the widely supported scissor-like model of closure of the Mongol-Okhotsk Ocean. Different segments of the ocean closed independently, depending on the initial shape of the paleo continental margins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few global syntheses of oxygen and carbon isotope composition of pedogenic carbonates have been attempted, unlike marine carbonates. Pedogenic carbonates represent in-situ indicators of the climate conditions prevailing on land. The δ 18O and δ 13C values of pedogenic carbonates are controlled by local and global factors, many of them not affecting the marine carbonates largely used to probe global climate changes. We compile pedogenic oxygen and carbon isotopic data (N = 12,167) from Cretaceous to Quaternary-aged paleosols to identify potential trends through time and tie them to possible controlling factors. While discrete events such as the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum are clearly evidenced, our analysis reveals an increasing complexity in the distribution of the δ 18O vs δ 13C values through the Cenozoic. As could be expected, the rise of C 4 plants induces a shift towards higher δ 13C values during the Neogene and Quaternary. We also show that the increase in global hypsometry during the Neogene plays a major role in controlling the δ 18O and δ 13C values of pedogenic carbonates by increasing aridity downwind of orographic barriers. Finally, during the Quaternary, an increase of 3‰ in δ 18O values is recorded both by the pedogenic carbonates and the marine foraminifera suggesting that both indicators may be used to track global climate signal. [Display omitted] • Global synthesis of O and C isotope composition of pedogenic carbonates • Cretaceous to Quaternary O and C isotope compositon data in pedogenic carbonates • Continental global isotopic signals complementary to oceanic signals • Continent topography and associated enhanced aridity as major forcing parameter [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This paper scrutinizes smart mobility project expecations' knowledge claims. • Smart knowledge claims present datafication as a producer of neutral knowledge. • Expectations based on datafication carry strong inherent legitimacy. • Expectations on societal benefits disappear from view when projects materialize. • Smart knowledge-claims risk excluding non-smart alternatives. This paper studies the performativity of smart mobility expectations in envisioning urban futures. Smart mobility, or ICT-enabled transport services, are increasingly considered a necessary ingredient for sustainability transitions in cities. Expectations of smart mobility's contribution to such a transition are constituted by a strong belief in the transformative potential of data collection and use. These knowledge claims embedded in smart mobility expectations tend to be unchallenged, yet contribute to a particular future vision of urban mobility. Our empirical analysis, which draws on two empirical smart cycling case studies in Utrecht, the Netherlands, and Bordeaux, France, underlines the politics of such smart knowledge claims in two smart cycling projects and identifies distinct processes as to how such claims may shape and structure mobility futures. We observe intimate entanglements between what is being developed in terms of technologies and services; and the societal needs that the projects' expectations promise to fulfil. At the same time, we witness a disentanglement of these interconnected knowledge claims when projects unfold, leaving the promise of (un)achieved societal benefits out of view. Indeed, smart knowledge claims carried strong inherent legitimacy in the cases studied, thereby risking to exclude non-smart alternatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a case of cerebral phaeohyphomycosis, a fungal brain infection due to a dark (dematiaceous) fungi in a 6-year-old French Guyanese boy. The child presented fever and drowsiness due to several paraventricular brain abscesses. Neurological surgeries were performed to reduce intracranial hypertension and to obtain abscess biopsies. Mycological cultures of intraoperative samples led to the diagnosis of cerebral phaeohyphomycosis due to Cladophialophora bantiana. The patient neurological status deteriorated and remained critical after several weeks of combination antifungal therapy with voriconazole 8 mg/kg/day, liposomal amphotericin B 10 mg/kg/day and flucytosine 200 mg/kg/day. A complete surgical resection was not possible because of multiple small abscesses. A multidisciplinary ethical staff decided on home medical care with palliative ventriculoperitoneal shunt, nasogastric feeding and analgesics. One year later, the patient's neurological condition had improved and cerebral lesions had regressed, while he had not received any antifungal treatment but only traditional medicines. Cerebral phaeohyphomycosis are rare diseases affecting immunocompromised but also apparently non-immunocompromised patients, as in this case. A complete surgical resection is not always possible and mortality rates are high in spite of treatments with a combination of antifungals. The diagnosis may be difficult because of these dematiaceous fungi's slowly growing and their potential pathogenicity for laboratory staff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basics Due to its diverse population composition and the paucity of medical resources, the Antilles-Guyane M3 C pediatric cardiology center based in Martinique, provides regular medical support to French Guiana (other overseas territory) using a collaborative dedicated network. To date, prevalence, efficacy of prenatal screening, as well as outcomes of complex congenital heart disease (cCHD), remain totally unknown in this part of the world. Methods A prospective population-based study of all cCHD cases identified from January 2012 to December 2016 including live births, terminations of pregnancy for fetal anomalies (TOPFA), fetal deaths identified either prenatally or up to 1 year of age in the birth cohorts. Results We identified a total of 71 (47 fetal, 24 post natal) cCHD cases over 33796 births (32,975 live births). The total prevalence of cCHD was 21 for 10,000 births while live birth prevalence was 16.98 per 10000. Non-chromosomal isolated cCHD (39 fetal, 17 post natal, TOPFA in 38.4%) occurred in 12.43 per 10,000 live births. Fetal studies allowed an overall detection rate of 66% of all cCHD and 100% of univentricular hearts. The prevalence (7.98 per 10,000) of functionally univentricular hearts (27 cases including 19 hypoplastic left heart syndrome: TOPFA rate 51.8%) exceeded the expected average observed in other European or American populations. Finally, the overall one- year mortality of live births infants with cCHD was found significant (51.5%), mostly related to compassionate care policy, geographical location and other major considerations (anatomical findings, prematurity, birth weight, non-cardiac problems, social issues). Conclusions Despite very low medical resources, the cCHD detection program in French Guiana appears effective. Complex congenital heart diseases, especially univentricular hearts, are common and deserve strict medical attention. High prevalence might suggest for additional unknown risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]