SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Children Less Than Forty Days Hospitalized in Belgium Between 2020 and 2022.

Our study aimed to assess the severity of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection in hospitalized infants under 40 days old, across 21 Belgian hospitals between 2020 and 2022. Of the 365 infants studied, 14.2% needed respiratory support.

Duodenal obstruction: A rare complication of severe acute pancreatitis in children.

Duodenal obstruction (DO) is an uncommon complication of pancreatitis. It has been described in groove and severe acute and chronic pancreatitis in adults but, to the best of our knowledge, it has not yet been reported in pediatric acute pancreatitis. Current guidelines comment on management of several early and late-onset complications, but DO is not mentioned.

Captive rearing effects on the methylome of Atlantic salmon after oceanic migration: Sex-specificity and intergenerational stability.

Captive rearing in salmon hatcheries can have considerable impacts on both fish phenotype and fitness within a single generation, even in the absence of genetic change. Evidence for hatchery-induced changes in DNA methylation is becoming abundant, though questions remain on the sex-specificity of these effects, their persistence until spawning and potential for transmission to future generations. Here we performed whole genome methylation sequencing of fin tissue for 16 hatchery and 16 wild Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) returning to spawn in the Rimouski River, Québec, Canada.

A hold-and-feed mechanism drives directional DNA loop extrusion by condensin.

Structural maintenance of chromosomes (SMC) protein complexes structure genomes by extruding DNA loops, but the molecular mechanism that underlies their activity has remained unknown. We show that the active condensin complex entraps the bases of a DNA loop transiently in two separate chambers. Single-molecule imaging and cryo-electron microscopy suggest a putative power-stroke movement at the first chamber that feeds DNA into the SMC-kleisin ring upon adenosine triphosphate binding, whereas the second chamber holds on upstream of the same DNA double helix.

Effects of stocking at the parr stage on the reproductive fitness and genetic diversity of a wild population of Atlantic salmon ( L.).

Captive-breeding programs are among the most adopted conservation practices to mitigate the loss of biodiversity, including genetic diversity. However, both genetic and nongenetic changes occurring in captivity can reduce the fitness of supplemented individuals, which complicate rehabilitation efforts. In the case of Atlantic salmon, the intensity of changes that occur in captivity and their impact on fitness will vary with the stocking practice adopted.

Evaluation of Antireflux Mucosectomy for Severe Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: Medium-Term Results of a Pilot Study.

Background: Antireflux mucosectomy, a new endoscopic treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease, consists of endoscopic mucosal resection at the esophagogastric junction. This study aim was to evaluate the medium-term efficacy of the antireflux mucosectomy technique for patients with severe gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms (proton pump inhibitor treatment-dependent or proton pump inhibitor treatment-resistant gastroesophageal reflux disease).

Methods: Between January 2017 and June 2018, 13 patients with severe gastroesophageal reflux disease without hiatal hernia, with positive pH reflux, were included in this monocentric prospective pilot study.

Early double-guidewire versus repeated single-guidewire technique to facilitate selective bile duct cannulation: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: During endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), access to the common bile duct (CBD) can be problematic after unintentional insertion of the guidewire into the pancreatic duct. We conducted a prospective, randomized study in order to compare biliary cannulation success rates of early double-guidewire (EDG) and repeated single-guidewire (RSG) techniques in patients with inadvertent passage of the guidewire into the pancreatic duct.

Methods: Patients with a native papilla were randomly assigned to either the EDG or RSG groups after unintentional insertion of the guidewire into the pancreatic duct.

[Pregnancy outcomes in medical residents: An observational study].

Objective: To describe the working conditions during pregnancy of medical residents. To describe adverse outcomes and to identify professional factors associated with these outcomes.

Methods: This observational study described the working conditions during pregnancy of medical residents and the outcomes.

Performance of digital single-operator cholangiopancreatoscope for biliopancreatic diseases in real life: results from a prospective multicenter study.

Objectives: Peroralcholangio-pancreatoscopy (POCP) is used for diagnosis and treatment of biliopancreatic disease when standard endoscopy (ERCP) or pre-operative imaging workup failed. We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic and therapeutic performance of POCP in complex biliary and pancreatic diseases.

Materials And Methods: Patients with indeterminate biliary or pancreatic duct (PD) strictures, and patients with failure of complex biliary or pancreatic stones removal, were enrolled (six centers).

Structural insights into DNA loop extrusion by SMC protein complexes.

Structural Maintenance of Chromosomes (SMC) protein complexes play key roles in the three-dimensional organization of genomes in all kingdoms of life. Recent insights from chromosome contact mapping experiments and single-molecule imaging assays suggest that these complexes achieve distinct cellular functions by extruding large loops of DNA while they move along the chromatin fiber. In this short review, we summarize recent insights into the molecular architecture of these unconventional DNA motor complexes, their interaction with their DNA substrates, and the remarkable dynamic changes they can undergo during their ATPase reaction cycle.

Cryo-EM structures of holo condensin reveal a subunit flip-flop mechanism.

Complexes containing a pair of structural maintenance of chromosomes (SMC) family proteins are fundamental for the three-dimensional (3D) organization of genomes in all domains of life. The eukaryotic SMC complexes cohesin and condensin are thought to fold interphase and mitotic chromosomes, respectively, into large loop domains, although the underlying molecular mechanisms have remained unknown. We used cryo-EM to investigate the nucleotide-driven reaction cycle of condensin from the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Genomic profile concordance between pancreatic cyst fluid and neoplastic tissue.

Background: DNA mutational analysis of pancreatic cystic fluid (CF) is a useful adjunct to the evaluation of pancreatic cysts. KRAS/GNAS or RAF/PTPRD/CTNNB1/RNF43 mutations are highly specific to precancerous or advanced neoplasia. Several studies recently demonstrated the ability of next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis to detect DNA mutations in pancreatic CF, but few studies have performed a systematic comparative analysis between pancreatic CF and neoplastic surgical tissue (NT).

19 G nitinol needle versus 22 G needle for transduodenal endoscopic ultrasound-guided sampling of pancreatic solid masses: a randomized study.

Background: The aim of this prospective multicenter study was to compare a flexible 19 G needle with nitinol shaft (19 G Flex) with a standard 22 G needle for transduodenal endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided sampling of pancreatic head tumors.

Methods: Patients with pancreatic head tumors requiring tissue diagnosis were randomized into two arms: puncture with either a 19 G Flex needle or a 22 G needle. The primary end point was diagnostic accuracy for malignancy.

Double guidewire endoscopic technique, a major evolution in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography: Results of a retrospective study with historical controls comparing two therapeutic sequential strategies.

Background And Aim: Endoscopic access to the common bile duct (CBD) remains difficult in 10% of cases, requiring alternative techniques .CBD access was difficult after either five unsuccessful attempts, five unintentional insertions into the pancreatic duct or >10-min-long unsuccessful attempts. This retrospective study with historical controls aimed to evaluate the benefit of the double guidewire (DGW) technique after failure of standard CBD cannulation.

Optimal therapy of genotype-2 chronic hepatitis C: what's new?

The standard of care (SOC) for the treatment of HCV genotype 2 (HCV-2) was pegylated interferon alpha plus ribavirin (PEG-IFN/RBV) at weight-based doses for a response-guided duration. The launches of sofosbuvir and daclatasvir in 2014 have resulted in new, better tolerated and shorter treatment. The combination of sofosbuvir and RBV for 12 weeks appears to be the new SOC in both European and American guidelines.

Implementing hospital-based surveillance for severe acute respiratory infections caused by influenza and other respiratory pathogens in New Zealand.

Background: Recent experience with pandemic influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 highlighted the importance of global surveillance for severe respiratory disease to support pandemic preparedness and seasonal influenza control. Improved surveillance in the southern hemisphere is needed to provide critical data on influenza epidemiology, disease burden, circulating strains and effectiveness of influenza prevention and control measures. Hospital-based surveillance for severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) cases was established in New Zealand on 30 April 2012.

[Involvement of pharmacists in systems for supervising off-label medications: example of the CAMTEA system for the prescription of baclofen in alcohol use disorder in Northern France].

Off-label prescribing matches the using of medications outside the summary of product characteristics. Adverse drug reactions are often poorly studied in off-label situations, which may expose patients to additional safety risks, and impose taking specific precautions. The current off-label prescribing practice of baclofen for alcohol-dependence in France is a typical illustration of such a situation.

Should highly active antiretroviral therapy be prescribed in critically ill HIV-infected patients during the ICU stay? A retrospective cohort study.

Background: The impact of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in HIV-infected patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) remains controversial. We evaluate impact of HAART prescription in HIV-infected patients admitted to the ICU of Tourcoing Hospital from January 2000 to December 2009.

Results: There were 91 admissions concerning 85 HIV-infected patients.

Hepatitis C therapy in non-genotype 1 patients: the near future.

Worldwide, 50-70 million subjects are infected with an hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6. In these patients, the combination of PEG-INF-α and ribavirin remains the currently approved standard-of-care treatment. The identification of different potential therapeutic targets in the HCV life cycle has led to the development of both direct antiviral agents (DAAs) and reagents targeting host functions essential for viral replication.

Optimized stepwise combination algorithms of non-invasive liver fibrosis scores including Hepascore in hepatitis C virus patients.

Background: Non-invasive liver fibrosis scores such as Hepascore (HS) have been proposed as an alternative to liver biopsy in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients.

Aim: To validate HS as an alternative to liver biopsy and Fibrotest (FT) and propose five optimized combination algorithms to improve diagnostic accuracy.

Methods: The cohort included 467 patients with HCV.

Both additivity and epistasis control the genetic variation for fruit quality traits in tomato.

The effect of a gene involved in the variation of a quantitative trait may change due to epistatic interactions with the overall genetic background or with other genes through digenic interactions. The classical populations used to map quantitative trait loci (QTL) are poorly efficient to detect epistasis. To assess the importance of epistasis in the genetic control of fruit quality traits, we compared 13 tomato lines having the same genetic background except for one to five chromosome fragments introgressed from a distant line.

Validation and comparison of indexes for fibrosis and cirrhosis prediction in chronic hepatitis C patients: proposal for a pragmatic approach classification without liver biopsies.

Noninvasive indexes have been developed to predict fibrosis staging. The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of these indexes in comparison with liver histology in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients. A total of 235 consecutive patients with HCV infection from the Fibropaca multicentre independent study were included in this paper.