Key Issues at the Forefront of Diagnosis and Testing for Antiphospholipid Syndrome.

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by antiphospholipid antibodies associated with thrombosis and pregnancy complications. Catastrophic APS is a severe form involving multiple organ systems with a high mortality rate. The pathogenesis involves antiphospholipid antibodies which target phospholipid-binding proteins and damage endothelial cells thus activating coagulation, triggering a pro-thrombotic state.

Dynamics of submicroscopic and microscopic asymptomatic malaria infection and associated factors: A longitudinal study in South Benin.

Introduction: Asymptomatic malaria infection is now recognized as a potential threat to malaria control. However, its prevalence and its dynamics are poorly documented especially in a perennial context of high seasonal transmission. A longitudinal study was conducted in southern Benin to investigate the dynamics of asymptomatic malaria infection and to identify factors influencing it.

Inhibition of Aflatoxin B1 Production by Procyanidins Present in and Aqueous Extracts.

Aflatoxin B (AFB), primarily produced by and , is the most dangerous mycotoxin for humans and contaminates a variety of crops. To limit fungal growth and aflatoxin production in food and feed, research has been increasingly focusing on alternatives to pesticides. Studies show that some aqueous plant extracts with strong antioxidant properties could significantly impact AFB production, representing an eco-friendly and sustainable method to protect crops.

Spatiotemporal dynamics of rabies virus detected in rabid dogs in Cameroon, 2010-2021.

Rabies is a viral zoonosis that causes an estimated 60,000 human deaths each year, mainly in Africa and Asia. The etiological agent of rabies, the Rabies Lyssavirus or Rabies Virus (RABV) has been characterized in dog populations in Cameroon, in previous studies. However, the dynamics of RABV maintenance and propagation in dogs are still to be documented in Cameroon.

Rapid Detection of Aflatoxins in Ground Maize Using Near Infrared Spectroscopy.

Aflatoxins are carcinogenic mycotoxins that may contaminate many crops and more especially maize. To protect consumers from these contaminants, many countries set up low regulatory thresholds of few µg/kg. The control of food requires time-consuming analysis for which sampling is a key step.

Primiparous sow behaviour on the day of farrowing as one of the primary contributors to the growth of piglets in early lactation.

Large White and Meishan sows differ in maternal ability and early piglet growth. We investigated the relationships between 100 maternal traits, grouped into 11 blocks according to the biological function they describe and litter growth over three successive periods after birth (D0-D1, D1-D3 and D3-D7; D0 starting at the onset of farrowing), as a measure of sow investment in early piglet production. Within- and between-breed variation was exploited to cover a maximum of the variability existing in pig maternal populations.

Plasmodium ovale spp dhfr mutations associated with reduced susceptibility to pyrimethamine in sub-Saharan Africa: a retrospective genetic epidemiology and functional study.

Background: Mutations in the Plasmodium falciparum dhfr gene confer resistance to pyrimethamine, which is widely used for malaria chemoprevention in Africa. We aimed to evaluate the frequency and evolution of dhfr mutations in Plasmodium ovale spp in Africa and their functional consequences, which are incompletely characterised.

Methods: We analysed dhfr mutations and their frequencies in P ovale spp isolates collected between Feb 1, 2004, and Aug 31, 2023, from the French National Malaria Reference Centre collection and from field studies in Benin, Gabon, and Kenya.

Enterovirus A71 crosses a human blood-brain barrier model through infected immune cells.

Enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) is associated with neurological conditions such as acute meningitis and encephalitis. The virus is detected in the bloodstream, and high blood viral loads are associated with central nervous system (CNS) manifestations. We used an blood-brain barrier (BBB) model made up of human brain-like endothelial cells (hBLECs) and brain pericytes grown in transwell systems to investigate whether three genetically distinct EV-A71 strains (subgenogroups C1, C1-like, and C4) can cross the human BBB.

Hematological Complications of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Infection: An Update From an HIV-Endemic Setting.

Medical professionals, particularly in regions with a high burden of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), should be alert to the hematological complications of HIV, which may include cytopenias, malignancy, and coagulation disturbances. Patients may present with these conditions as the first manifestation of HIV infection. Hematological abnormalities are often multifactorial with opportunistic infections, drugs, malignancy, and HIV infection itself contributing to the clinical presentation, and the diagnosis should consider all these factors.

[Special care in dentistry in France: Issues, current situation, outlook].

The question of oral health care and access to it for persons with disabilities is a key public health issue. This contribution describes the general landscape of access to oral health care for persons with disabilities since Law no.2005-102 of February 11, 2005, taking a broad approach that spans initial training and continuing education in the sector, the Romain Jacob charter, and the implementation of several networks.

Wastewater Surveillance in Europe for Non-Polio Enteroviruses and Beyond.

Wastewater surveillance (WWS) was developed in the early 1960s for the detection of poliovirus (PV) circulation in the population. It has been used to monitor several pathogens, including non-polio enteroviruses (NPEVs), which are increasingly recognised as causes of morbidity in children. However, when applying WWS to a new pathogen, it is important to consider the purpose of such a study as well as the suitability of the chosen methodology.

Performance of a pesticide fate model for predicting multi-year surface runoff contamination in a Mediterranean vineyard.

Characterization of the risk of water contamination by pesticide runoff is an essential issue in the assessment of the environmental impact of pesticide use in agriculture. Models are valuable tools for this purpose. However, the use of pesticide runoff models implies that they can simulate the intra- and interannual variations in runoff contamination with a sufficient accuracy.

Late dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine treatment failure of malaria attack related to insufficient dosing in an obese patient.

We report the case of an obese patient who experienced late failure on day28 of a well-conducted treatment with artesunate, followed by dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DHA-PPQ) for a severe malaria attack. The same strain was evidenced at day0 and day28. Genotypic and phenotypic resistance tests could not explain this treatment failure.

Role of Polyphenols from the Aqueous Extract of in the Inhibition of Aflatoxin B1 Synthesis in .

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a mycotoxin considered a potent carcinogen for humans that contaminates a wide range of crops. Various strategies have been established to reduce or block the synthesis of AFB1 in food and feed. The use of aqueous extracts derived from plants with high antioxidant activity has been a subject of study in recent years due to their efficacy in inhibiting AFB1.

Multicentre verification of haematology laboratory blood collection tubes during a global blood collection tube shortage.

Introduction: Verification of blood collection tubes is essential for clinical laboratories. The aim of this study was to assess performance of candidate tubes from four alternative suppliers for routine diagnostic haematology testing during an impending global shortage of blood collection tubes.

Methods: A multicentre verification study was performed in Cape Town, South Africa.

PITCH: A model simulating the transfer and retention of pesticides in infiltrating ditches and channel networks for management design purposes.

Agricultural ditches are frequently included in the panel of landscape elements to be managed to minimize the negative impacts of agriculture on the environment, particularly water contamination. A new mechanistic model simulating pesticide transfer in ditch networks during flood events was developed for help in designing ditch management. The model considers pesticide sorption processes to soil, living vegetation and litter and is adapted to heterogeneous and infiltrating tree-like ditch networks, with a reach resolution.

Point of care ultrasound findings in critically ill SARS-COV2 patients in an HIV endemic, resourced constrained setting.

Objectives: To describe the incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients in an HIV endemic, resourced constrained setting. To describe the incidence of VTE in relation to HIV status and anticoagulant therapy, and to evaluate VTE-associated cardio-respiratory changes. To establish the contribution of HIV, anticoagulation therapy and other risk factors to mortality.

Ex vivo RSA and pfkelch13 targeted-amplicon deep sequencing reveal parasites susceptibility to artemisinin in Senegal, 2017.

Background: Malaria control is highly dependent on the effectiveness of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT), the current frontline malaria curative treatment. Unfortunately, the emergence and spread of parasites resistant to artemisinin (ART) derivatives in Southeast Asia and South America, and more recently in Rwanda and Uganda (East Africa), compromise their long-term use in sub-Saharan Africa, where most malaria deaths occur.

Methods: Here, ex vivo susceptibility to dihydroartemisinin (DHA) was evaluated from 38 Plasmodium falciparum isolates collected in 2017 in Thiès (Senegal) expressed in the Ring-stage Survival Assay (RSA).

Nearly Complete Genome Sequence of Enterovirus Type A119 from Sewage in France in 2015.

A nearly complete genome sequence of enterovirus type A119 was determined from an urban wastewater sample collected during a surveillance campaign in 2015 in Clermont-Ferrand, France. The partial VP1 sequence is a close relative of other partial enterovirus type A119 sequences detected in France and South Africa in the same year.