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To assess whether the incidence and aggressiveness of molar pregnancy (MP) and postmolar gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) changed during the COVID-19 pandemic.Observational study with two separate designs: retrospective multicentre cohort of patients with MP/postmolar GTN and a cross-sectional analysis, with application of a questionnaire.Six Brazilian Reference Centres on gestational trophoblastic disease.2662 patients with MP/postmolar GTN treated from March-December/2015-2020 were retrospectively evaluated and 528 of these patients answered a questionnaire.Longitudinal retrospective multicentre study of patients diagnosed with MP/ postmolar GTN at presentation and a cross-sectional analysis, with application of a questionnaire, exclusive to patients treated during the period of study, to assess living and health conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with previous years.The incidence of MP/postmolar GTN.Compared with the last 5 pre-pandemic years, MP/postmolar GTN incidence remained stable during 2020 (COVID-19 pandemic). Multivariable logistic regression, adjusted for the patient age, showed that during 2020, presentation with MP was more likely to be10 weeks of gestation (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.50, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.90-3.29, P 0.001), have a pre-evacuation hCG level ≥100 000 iu/l (aOR 1.77, 95% CI 1.38-2.28, P 0.001) and time to the initiation of chemotherapy ≥7 months (aOR 1.86, 95% CI 1.01-3.43, P = 0.047) when compared with 2015-2019.Although the incidence of MP/postmolar GTN remained stable during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil, the pandemic was associated with greater gestational age at MP diagnosis and more protracted delays in initiation of chemotherapy for postmolar GTN.

Aim To investigate clinical course and mortality-associated factors in children with Down syndrome (DS) managed in a medical paediatric intensive care unit. Methods A single-centre, retrospective study conducted between 2001 and 2010 in DS children aged 1 month to 16 years. Results Sixty-six patients with a median age of 24 months (1–192) and a male/female ratio of 1.5 were analysed. Patients presented with history of congenital heart disease (n = 52, 78.8%), mechanical ventilation (n = 40, 60.6%) and chronic upper airway obstruction (n = 10, 15.1%). The primary reason for admission was respiratory failure (n = 56, 84.8%). Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) (n = 19, 28.8%), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (n = 18, 27.2%) and sepsis (n = 14, 21.2%) were observed during their clinical course. Twenty-six patients died (39.4%). Mortality-associated factors included the following: (i) baseline characteristics: history of mechanical ventilation, chronic upper airway obstruction and congenital heart disease; (ii) clinical course during paediatric intensive care unit stay: sepsis, catecholamine support, ARDS, PAH and nosocomial infection. In multivariate logistic analysis, history of mechanical ventilation, ARDS and PAH remained independently associated with death. Conclusions The mortality rate in critically ill DS children admitted for medical reasons is high and is predominantly associated with respiratory conditions.

Regulatory T (Treg) lymphocytes play a central role in the control of immune responses and so maintain immune tolerance and homeostasis. In mice, expression of the CD8 co-receptor and low levels of the co-stimulatory molecule CD28 characterizes a Treg cell population that exerts potent suppressive function in vitro and efficiently controls experimental immunopathology in vivo. It has remained unclear if CD8(+) CD28(low) Treg cells develop in the thymus or represent a population of chronically activated conventional T cells differentiating into Treg cells in the periphery, as suggested by their CD28(low) phenotype. We demonstrate that functional CD8(+) CD28(low) Treg cells are present in the thymus and that these cells develop locally and are not recirculating from the periphery. Differentiation of CD8(+) CD28(low) Treg cells requires MHC class I expression on radioresistant but not on haematopoietic thymic stromal cells. In contrast to other Treg cells, CD8(+) CD28(low) Treg cells develop simultaneously with CD8(+) CD28(high) conventional T cells. We also identified a novel homologous naive CD8(+) CD28(low) T-cell population with immunosuppressive properties in human blood and thymus. Combined, our data demonstrate that CD8(+) CD28(low) cells can develop in the thymus of mice and suggest that the same is true in humans.

Tocopherols, phytosterols, polyphenols, and coenzymes Q are naturally present in oilseeds such as sunflower, rape, and soybean. Besides contributing to taste and color, micronutrients help protect against health disorders such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer. However, during the conventional oil manufacturing process, many minor components are lost. Given that diet is a major cause of cardiovascular diseases and cancer, it makes sense to optimize the content of micronutrients in food, and specifically in vegetable oils. These micronutrients have antioxidant properties that inhibit the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. This review summarizes important recent research emphasizing the impact of crushing and refining processes on the micronutrient content of different vegetable oils. After the crushing step, the total sterol content was high in crude rape, sunflower, and soybean oils, at 4358–10 569, 2212–4146, and 1735–4328 mg/kg, respectively. The tocopherol content was lower, at 464–1458, 725–1892, and 1094–2484 mg/kg, respectively, and the level of phenolics was 113–629, 10–120, and 23–148 mg/kg, respectively. The refining process destroyed micronutrients: 10–36% loss of total tocopherols, 6–52% loss of total sterols, and 93–98% loss of polyphenols. Studies have focused on improving the extraction of tocopherols by alternative heating (microwave treatment, roasting, or steaming processes). These treatments improved tocopherol content, and extraction was faster and consumed less energy. Practical applications: Some researchers later tested the ability of different alternative solvents (supercritical CO2 and pressurized solvents) to raise the concentration of micronutrients. Enzymatic extraction also offered an innovative technique to conserve micronutrients in oils. Researchers and the oil extraction industry have also tested some alternative refining processes, such as alternative neutralization, based on the use of different alkaline agents, and soft refining, which offered the possibility of micronutrient preservation and recovery. Upstream, genetic factors, cultivation conditions, and seed storage strongly influence micronutrient concentration in vegetable oils. Upstream steps in the industrial oil process were important for the nutritional quality of edible oils. This review of micronutrient evolution during oil processing highlights the impact of industrial processes, and points to methods for improved extraction of oil constituents. The micronutrient content in vegetable oils is strongly influenced by crushing and refining processes. A focus on sunflower, rapeseed and soybean oils is performed in this review.

Reviewing the situation of quinoa production in southern Bolivia, Jacobsen (2011, J. Agron. Crop Sci. 197: 390) argues that the booming export market has a negative effect on the environment and on the home consumption of quinoa, thereby leading to an environmental disaster in the region. In view of the scarcity of scientific knowledge on the rapid social and environmental dynamics in the region, we consider that Jacobsen’s review misrepresents the situation of quinoa production in southern Bolivia. Specifically, we argue that (i) the data presented by Jacobsen (2011, J. Agron. Crop Sci. 197: 390) do not support any drop in quinoa crop yield supposed to reflect soil degradation and (ii) his demonstration regarding home consumption of quinoa is ill-founded from both a nutritional and a cultural point of view. We suggest that the diffusion of the arguments exposed by Jacobsen (2011, J. Agron. Crop Sci. 197: 390), because of their flaws, might have strong negative impacts on those concerned with sustainable food production and fair-trade with developing countries. We conclude that, rather than reinforced agro-technical controls on local farmers, the rising competition in the international quinoa market requires a shift towards an ethical economy and ethical research cooperation with quinoa producers.

Photosynthetic, photoprotective and antioxidant responses during high temperature stress were determined in leaves of evergreen holm oak (Quercus ilex L.), the main species in Mediterranean forests, during resprouting under elevated CO(2) (750 μl·l(-1) ). Leaf chemicals, chloroplast pigments and non-enzymatic antioxidants were quantified in a single measurement using NIRS (near-infrared spectroscopy), a rapid and suitable method for ecophysiological purposes. Resprouts from plants grown under elevated CO(2) (RE) showed photosynthetic down-regulation, higher starch content and lower stomatal conductance, but similar stomatal density, than plants grown under current CO(2) concentrations (350 μl·l(-1) ) (RA). The photosynthetic sink reduction and need for more antioxidants and photoprotection in RE were reflected in an increased concentration of ascorbate (Asc) and phenolic compounds and in the contribution of the xanthophyll (Z/VAZ) and lutein epoxide cycles to excess energy dissipation as heat, and also reflected in chlorophyll fluorescence measurements. CO(2) assimilation parameters were stable from 25 to 35 °C in RE and RA, declining thereafter in RA in spite of a 2.3 °C lower leaf temperature. RE showed a more marked decline in photorespiration above 35 °C and less sensitive stomatal responses to high temperature stress than RA. During heat stress, RE had higher Asc, Z/VAZ and phenolics content, together with delayed enhancement of chloroplast lipophilic antioxidant compounds (carotenes and tocopherols). The high contribution of photoprotective systems and high temperature tolerance in resprouts developed under elevated CO(2) would mitigate the effect of photosynthesis acclimation during the regeneration of Q. ilex plants under climate change.

Summary 1 Understanding the effect of water deficit on plant respiration and its temperature sensitivity at long time-scales is important for anticipating the shift in ecosystem dynamics that is expected to occur as a result of climate change. 2 We investigated seasonal variations of leaf dark respiration and sensitivity to temperature in the upper and lower canopy of Quercus ilex trees in a forest stand that had been exposed to either 33% throughfall reduction or normal rainfall for the preceding 6 years. 3 For upper and lower canopy leaves, light-saturated photosynthesis and respiration at a reference temperature of 15 °C (R15) had the lowest values in late summer, when both traits were lower in trees subjected to throughfall reduction than in those subject to control conditions. Respiration acclimated to seasonal shifts in temperature, more intensively through summer than winter and in throughfall-exclusion than control trees. Foliar concentration of soluble sugars was positively correlated with R15 across seasons. 4 As leaf respiration decreased with increasing water deficit, and the relationship between water status and respiration did not differ between trees that had been exposed to 7 years of enhanced drought when compared with controls, we suggest that drier conditions projected for the Mediterranean may attenuate the stimulation of leaf respiratory CO2 release by global warming in Q. ilex forests.

Multidisciplinary forensic, anthropological, and radiological studies of bone fragments encased in a concrete block were carried out to determine whether or not the bones were human. Multislice computed tomography (MSCT) investigation was performed before the bones were removed from the concrete. MSCT study pinpointed the location of the bone fragments within the concrete block, which was helpful for their extraction and recovery, and identified most of their types and nature. Osteological study on dry bones provided more accurate identification of the bones and of their side. According to both methods, the human skeletal remains were compatible with those of a child, aged 8-13 years old, with a minimum height of 128 cm. Neither investigation identified sex or racial phenotype. Both studies identified the skeletal remains as consisting of two animal and five human bones. Furthermore, both methods revealed that the concrete completely encased bones, suggesting a secondary burial.

The modelisation of an HDS site from the MoS2 structure is undertaken in order to understand the desulfurisation of thiophene. Depending on the number of coordinative unsaturation degrees (one, two and three anionic vacancies) and on their stoechiometry (Mo3S13H12”, MOS5H5”, MOS5H4”, MOS4H4 and MOS3H3+) these models may represent sites on basal planes, edges, or corners of the MOS2 crystal. Different types of adsorption (vertical, horizontal, on S, on the hetero-cycle and on one pi bond) of the thiophene molecule on the different model sites are computed using the EHT quantum chemical method. The comparison of the adsorption energy curves obtained by approaching thiophene near the site shows that the vertical one point adsorption of the S atom of thiophene is prefered over any. This adsorption step can be readily followed by a desulfurization process supposing C4H4 radical is an intermediate. These theoretical predictions agree with different conclusions of the literature. The MOS4H4 model seems to be the best choice for the site.

In the Mediterranean basin, precipitation is expected to decline as a consequence of climate change. The response of a Quercus ilex forest in southern France to such a decline in water availability was studied using a 4-year throughfall exclusion experiment. Seasonal courses of sap flow and leaf water potential were obtained from 2004 to 2007 and used to characterize tree water relations in a control and a dry treatment. The experiment reduced the average precipitation input to the soil by 29%, and resulted in a 23% reduction in annual transpiration. Soil water potential was significantly lower in the dry treatment only during summer drought, but transpiration was reduced all year round even during well-watered periods. Despite a tight stomatal control over transpiration, whole-tree hydraulic conductance was found to be lower in the trees growing in the driest conditions. This reduction in water transport capacity was observed jointly with a reduction in leaf transpiring area. Canopy leaf area decreased by 18% in the dry treatment as a consequence of the throughfall exclusion, which was found to validate the ecohydrological equilibrium theory.

Dectin-1 is a pattern-recognition receptor recognizing beta-(1,3)-glucans found on fungal cell walls. Dectin-1 plays an important role in immunity to fungi by mediating phagocytic clearance of fungal particles and inducing transcription of innate response genes. We show here that the two processes are linked and that Dectin-1 signalling for inflammation is attenuated by phagocytosis. Blocking Dectin-1 ligand-dependent internalization using either actin polymerization or dynamin inhibitors, large non-phagocytosable beta-glucan particles or poorly phagocytic cells leads in all cases to enhanced and sustained activation of downstream signalling pathways and culminates in production of high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. These findings establish the importance of phagocytosis not only in the clearance of pathogens, but also in the modulation of pattern-recognition receptor signalling and strongly suggest that internalization is the first step to attenuation of Dectin-1-mediated pro-inflammatory responses.

We present 9 years of eddy covariance measurements made over an evergreen Mediterranean forest in southern France. The goal of this study was to quantify the different components of the carbon (C) cycle, gross primary production (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (R-eco), and to assess the effects of climatic variables on these fluxes and on the net ecosystem exchange of carbon dioxide. The Puechabon forest acted as a net C sink of -254 g C m(-2) yr(-1), with a GPP of 1275 g C m(-2) yr(-1) and a R-eco of 1021 g C m(-2) yr(-1). On average, 83% of the net annual C sink occurred between March and June. The effects of exceptional events such the insect-induced partial canopy defoliation that occurred in spring 2005, and the spring droughts of 2005 and 2006 are discussed. A high interannual variability of ecosystem C fluxes during summer and autumn was observed but the resulting effect on the annual net C budget was moderate. Increased severity and/or duration of summer drought under climate change do not appear to have the potential to negatively impact the average C budget of this ecosystem. On the contrary, factors affecting ecosystem functioning (drought and/or defoliation) during March-June period may reduce dramatically the annual C balance of evergreen Mediterranean forests.

The physiological characteristics of holm oak (Quercus ilex L.) resprouts originated from plants grown under current CO2 concentration (350 μl l−1) (A-resprouts) were compared with those of resprouts originated from plants grown under elevated CO2 (750 μl l−1) (E-resprouts). At their respective CO2 growth concentration, no differences were observed in photosynthesis and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters between the two kinds of resprout. E-resprouts appeared earlier and showed lower stomatal conductance, higher water-use efficiency and increased growth (higher leaf, stem and root biomass and increased height). Analyses of leaf chemical composition showed the effect of elevated [CO2] on structural polysaccharide (higher cellulose content), but no accumulation of total non-structural carbohydrate on area or dry weight basis was seen. Four months after appearance, downregulation of photosynthesis and electron transport components was observed in E-resprouts: lower photosynthetic capacity, photosystem II quantum efficiency, photochemical quenching of fluorescence and relative electron transport rate. Reduction in ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCo) activity, deduced from the maximum carboxylation velocity of RuBisCo, accounts for the observed acclimation. Increased susceptibility of photosynthetic apparatus to increasing irradiance was detected in E-resprouts.

International audience; Understanding of plant interactions is greatly limited by our ability to identify and quantify roots belonging to different species. We proposed and compared two methods for estimating the root biomass proportion of each species in artificial mixtures: near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) and plant wax markers. Two sets of artificial root mixtures composed of two or three herbaceous species were prepared. The proportion of root material of each species in mixtures was estimated from NIRS spectral data (i) and the concentration patterns of n-alkanes (ii), n-alcohols (iii), and n-alkanes +n-alcohols combined (iv). For each data set, calibration equations were developed using multivariate statistical models. The botanical composition of root mixtures was predicted well for all the species considered. The accuracy varied slightly among methods: alkanes < alcohols = alkanes + alcohols < NIRS. Correlation coefficients between predicted and actual root proportions ranged from 0.89 to 0.99 for alkanes + alcohols predictions and from 0.97 to 0.99 for NIRS predictions. These two methods provide promising potential for understanding allocation patterns and competitive interactions.

International audience; • Among oak species, Quercus ilex is classified as a monoterpene emitter and Q. suber is mainly known as a nonisoprenoid emitter. The extent and origin of this diversification is unknown. • We examined intra-and interspecific emission variability in two mixed stands which differed in their level of hybridization and reciprocal genetic introgression based on variations in cytoplasmic (chloroplast DNA) and nuclear (allozyme) markers. • At both sites all trees identified as Q. ilex , or as recent descendants from Q. ilex × Q. suber hybrids, emitted monoterpenes. Of Q. suber trees (genetically introgressed or not by Q. ilex), 91% were also monoterpene emitters, and the remainder nonemitters. One tree identified as a Q. canariensis × Q. ilex hybrid emitted both isoprene and monoterpenes. Compared with Q. ilex , the standard emission rate of Q. suber was higher in summer and lower in autumn. Both species emitted the same monoterpenes, proportions of which showed significant intra-and interspecific variability. • The results suggest that Q. suber populations in the French Mediterranean intrinsically emit monoterpenes, and that gene flow between oak species contributes to diversification of emission signatures.