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Background Early diagnosis and prompt initiation of specific antifungal treatment are essential for improving the prognosis of mucormycosis. We aimed to assess the performance of serum Mucorales quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) for the early diagnosis and follow-up of mucormycosis. Methods We prospectively enrolled 232 patients with suspicion of invasive mold disease, evaluated using standard imaging and mycological procedures. Thirteen additional patients with proven or probable mucormycosis were included to analyze DNA load kinetics. Serum samples were collected twice-a-week for Mucorales qPCR tests targeting the Mucorales genera Lichtheimia , Rhizomucor , and Mucor/Rhizopus. Results The sensitivity was 85.2%, specificity 89.8%, and positive and negative likelihood ratios 8.3 and 0.17, respectively in this prospective study. The first Mucorales qPCR-positive serum was observed a median of 4 days (interquartile range [IQR], 0–9) before sampling of the first mycological or histological positive specimen and a median of one day (IQR, −2 to 6) before the first imaging was performed. Negativity of Mucorales qPCR within seven days after liposomal-amphotericin B initiation was associated with an 85% lower 30-day mortality rate (adjusted hazard ratio = 0·15, 95% confidence interval [.03–.73], P  = .02). Conclusions Our study argues for the inclusion of qPCR for the detection of circulating Mucorales DNA for mucormycosis diagnosis and follow-up after treatment initiation. Positive results should be added to the criteria for the consensual definitions from the European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer/Mycoses Study Group Education and Research Consortium (EORTC/MSGERC), as already done for Aspergillus PCR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microsporidiosis is a fungal infection that generally causes digestive disorders, especially in immunocompromised hosts. Over a 4-day period in January 2018, 3 patients with hematologic malignancies who were admitted to the hematology unit of a hospital in France received diagnoses of Enterocytozoon bieneusi microsporidiosis. This unusually high incidence was investigated by sequence analysis at the internal transcribed spacer rDNA locus and then by 3 microsatellites and 1 minisatellite for multilocus genotyping. The 3 isolates had many sequence similarities and belonged to a new genotype closely related to genotype C. In addition, multilocus genotyping showed high genetic distances with all the other strains collected from epidemiologically unrelated persons; none of these strains belonged to the new genotype. These data confirm the epidemiologic link among the 3 patients and support a common source of infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Garlan, T.; Mathias, X.; Brenon E.; Favretto-Cristini, N.; Deschamps, A.; Beucler, E., Guyomard P., and Morio, O., 2018. Circular sedimentary figures of anthropic origin in a sediment stability context. In: Shim, J.-S.; Chun, I., and Lim, H.S. (eds.), Proceedings from the International Coastal Symposium (ICS) 2018 (Busan, Republic of Korea). Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 85, pp. 411–415. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. The French POSA project studies the seismic energy released by bomb and mine blasting. This project is based on seismological and acoustical measurements recording during blasting actions in order to study seismic wave propagation nucleated by controlled sources (location and explosive energy). These measurements are compared to numerical modeling of the acoustic and seismic wave propagation based on the most faithful 3D representation of the seabed sediments and underlying rocks. This project first focused on the 3D environment representation based on specific surveys and on two blasting experiments which consist in exploding bombs of different loads at two distinct environmental places. The in-situ measurements reveal several hundred circular figures with very specific characteristics which clearly differentiate them from other sedimentary, biological and geological figures encountered on the seabed. They are found within the whole studied area and their diameter is from 10 to 130 m. About 30 circles by kilometer square are observed without correlation with the depth which varies from 10 to 150m. These sedimentary structures indicate that they have been generated by the explosion of bombs, but at different periods. The oldest ones most probably result from bombs dropped in 1940 and 1944 during the landing of the Allied forces in the region of Toulon. These original anthropic sedimentary figures and their differences compared with other circular structures observed on the seabed are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Blastocystis sp. is the most common intestinal parasite of humans. Despite its potential public health impact, epidemiological data regarding the prevalence and molecular subtype distribution of Blastocystis sp. in Europe are rarely reported. Therefore, the first multi-center epidemiological survey performed in Europe was conducted in France to diagnose and subtype Blastocystis sp. and to identify risk factors for infection.Methods: Stool samples from 788 patients were collected either in summer or winter in 11 hospitals throughout France together with patient data. All stool samples were tested for the presence of Blastocystis sp. by quantitative PCR targeting the SSU rDNA gene. Positive samples were sequenced to determine the distribution of the subtypes in our cohort. Statistical analyses were performed to identify potential risk factors for infection.Results: Using quantitative PCR, the overall prevalence of Blastocystis sp. was shown to reach 18.1 %. The prevalence was significantly higher in summer (23.2 %) than in winter (13.7 %). Travellers or subjects infected with other enteric parasites were significantly more infected by Blastocystis sp. than non-travellers or subjects free of other enteric parasites, respectively. Different age-related epidemiological patterns were also highlighted from our data. The prevalence of Blastocystis sp. was not significantly higher in patients with digestive symptoms or diagnosed with chronic bowel diseases. Among symptomatic patients, Blastocystis sp. infection was significantly associated with abdominal pain. Gender, socioeconomic status, and immune status were not identified as potential risk factors associated with infection. Among a total of 141 subtyped isolates, subtype 3 was predominant (43.3 %), followed by subtype 1 and subtype 4 (20 %), subtype 2 (12.8 %), subtype 6 and subtype 7 (2.1 %). No association between ST and clinical symptoms was statistically evidenced.Conclusions: A high prevalence of Blastocystis sp. infection was found in our French patient population. Seasonal impact on the prevalence of Blastocystis sp. was highlighted and recent travels and age were identified as main risk factors for infection. Most cases were caused by subtypes 1 to 4, with a predominance of subtype 3. Large variations in both prevalence and ST distribution between hospitals were also observed, suggesting distinct reservoirs and transmission sources of the parasite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morio, O. Sedrati, M., Goubert, E., Floc'h F., Furgerot L., and Garlan, T., 2016. Morphodynamic of a sandy-muddy macrotidal estuarine beach under contrasted energy conditions (Vilaine estuary, France). In: Vila-Concejo, A.; Bruce, E.; Kennedy, D.M., and McCarroll, R.J. (eds.), Proceedings of the 14th International Coastal Symposium (Sydney, Australia). Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 75, pp. 258-262. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208 Estuarine and bay beaches are important areas for human activities. These beaches are variably affected by tides, waves, and winds that can commonly generate marked topographic and sedimentological contrasts. Betahon beach (South Brittany, France) is an intermediate-type beach exhibiting a low-tide terrace linked to a steeply sloping gravelly-sandy upper foreshore, and separated by a shore-parallel bluff from a mudflat on the lower foreshore. The beach exhibits linear ridge and runnel (R-R) bedforms perpendicular to the shoreline. Seasonal monitoring of the beach shows mudflat accretion by fluid mud deposition and erosion of R-R bedforms. A core obtained from the mudflat shows alternations of mud and sand. In order to understand the cross-shore dynamics of the beach, topographic surveys and wave and current monitoring were carried out during two contrasting energy conditions. Bed return flows occurred during high-energy events, inducing an infill of runnels by non-cohesive fine sediments and coarser sediments from the reflective upper beach. During low-energy conditions, a longshore flow channel was identified between the shore-parallel low-tide terrace bluff and the mudflat. Throughout the tide, on-shore currents prevailed over the mudflat, inducing the filling of runnels and the base of the bluff with fluid mud. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing the consumption of saturated fatty acids to a level as low as possible is a European public health recommendation to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. The association between dietary intake of saturated fatty acids and development and management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), however, is a matter of debate. A literature search was performed to identify prospective studies and clinical trials in humans that explored the association between dietary intake of saturated fatty acids and risk of insulin resistance and T2DM. Furthermore, to assess whether specific foods, and not just the saturated fatty acid content of the food matrix, can have differential effects on human health, the relationship between consumption of full-fat dairy products, a main source of dietary saturated fatty acids, and risk of insulin resistance and T2DM was studied. There is no evidence that dietary saturated fatty acids from varied food sources affect the risk of insulin resistance or T2DM, nor is intake of full-fat dairy products associated with this risk. These findings strongly suggest that future studies on the effects of dietary saturated fatty acids should take into account the complexity of the food matrix. Furthermore, communication on saturated fats and their health effects should be prudent and well informed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the validity of total energy expenditure (TEE) provided by Actiheart® and Armband®. Normal-weight adult volunteers wore both devices either for 17 hours in a calorimetric chamber (CC, n = 49) or for 10 days in free-living conditions (FLC) outside the laboratory (n = 41). The two devices and indirect calorimetry or doubly labelled water, respectively, were used to estimate TEE in the CC group and FLC group. In the CC, the relative value of TEE error was not significant (p > 0.05) for Actiheart® but significantly different from zero for Armband®, showing TEE underestimation (−4.9%, p < 0.0001). However, the mean absolute values of errors were significantly different between Actiheart® and Armband®: 8.6% and 6.7%, respectively (p = 0.05). Armband® was more accurate for estimating TEE during sleeping, rest, recovery periods and sitting–standing. Actiheart® provided better estimation during step and walking. In FLC, no significant error in relative value was detected. Nevertheless, Armband® produced smaller errors in absolute value than Actiheart® (8.6% vs. 12.8%). The distributions of differences were more scattered around the means, suggesting a higher inter-individual variability in TEE estimated by Actiheart® than by Armband®. Our results show that both monitors are appropriate for estimating TEE. Armband® is more effective than Actiheart® at the individual level for daily light-intensity activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What is already known about this subject Acute exercise may lead to subsequent energy expenditure compensation., Intensive exercise may favor a higher compensation than low or moderate exercises., What this study adds This post-exercise compensation might occur only in overweight/obese youth and not in lean., This work used objective measures of energy expenditure compare to previous work., Background Physical activity is mainly used in weight control strategies to favour energy expenditure. Some evidence suggests that exercise might not have the expected impact on energy balance, and may actually cause a decrease in the subsequent physical activity energy expenditure. Objective To question the impact of an acute exercise session of varying intensities on daily energy expenditure in lean and obese adolescents. Methods Data from three separate studies conducted in lean and obese 12-15 years old adolescents (study 1: 12 obese; study 2: 10 obese and nine lean; study 3: 15 obese) have been used. Daily energy expenditure ( DEE) was assessed in studies 1 and 2 during an exercise condition with an exercise bout at 70% VO2max ( EX) and a rest day ( REST) (using Actiheart and Armbands, respectively). In study 3, DEE was assessed in calorimetric chambers during (i) a high intensity exercise condition ( HIE - 75% VO2max) and (ji) a condition with a low intensity exercise ( LIE - 40% VO2max) and (iii) a rest condition ( REST). Results Morning energy expenditure was significantly higher during the exercise conditions whatever the intensity compared with rest. Afternoon energy expenditure was significantly lower following HIE compared to the rest condition in studies 2 and 3. Afternoon energy expenditure was not significantly different between LIE and REST in study 2. Total DEE was not significantly different between conditions in the three studies. Conclusion Obese adolescents seem to show a compensatory response to an acute session of HIE (>70% VO2max) by decreasing their following physical activity energy expenditure. Although HIE favours body composition, physical fitness and metabolic profile improvements, this induced compensatory energy expenditure response has to be considered to optimize its effect on weight loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]