Trichophyton mentagrophytes ITS genotype VII infections among men who have sex with men in France: An ongoing phenomenon.

Background: Trichophyton mentagrophytes ITS genotype VII (TMVII) has recently been identified in France as the causative agent of dermatophyte infections transmitted during sexual activity among men who have sex with men (MSM).

Objectives: Our objective was to provide new insights into the epidemiology, clinical presentation and treatment of TMVII infections based on cases diagnosed from October 2022 to September 2023 in three medical mycology laboratories in Paris. Additionally, we aimed to perform molecular characterization of TMVII strains collected in Paris, as well as in Switzerland.

Bringing atom probe tomography to transmission electron microscopes.

For the purpose of enhancing the structural insights within the three-dimensional composition fields revealed by atom probe tomography, correlative microscopy approaches, combining (scanning) transmission electron microscopy with atom probe tomography, have emerged and demonstrated their relevance. To push the boundaries further and facilitate a more comprehensive analysis of nanoscale matter by coupling numerous two- or three-dimensional datasets, there is an increasing interest in combining transmission electron microscopy and atom probe tomography into a unified instrument. This study presents the tangible outcome of an instrumental endeavour aimed at integrating atom probe tomography into a commercial transmission electron microscope.

Data simulations for advancing psychological research: Insights, preparations and investigations.

Simulation has become an essential tool in psychological research, offering unique insights into statistical concepts, optimising research project planning and modelling human behaviour and cognition. This tutorial navigates simulations' diverse applications across various research stages. This tutorial begins by demonstrating simulations' impact on understanding statistical concepts.

In Situ Pulsed Hydrogen Implantation in Atom Probe Tomography.

The investigation of hydrogen in atom probe tomography appears as a relevant challenge due to its low mass, high diffusion coefficient, and presence as a residual gas in vacuum chambers, resulting in multiple complications for atom probe studies. Different solutions were proposed in the literature like ex situ charging coupled with cryotransfer or H charging at high temperature in a separate chamber. Nevertheless, these solutions often faced challenges due to the complex control of specimen temperature during hydrogen charging and subsequent analysis.

An experimental investigation of Lean Six Sigma philosophies in a high-mix low-volume manufacturing environment.

This article experimentally examines methods for implementing the philosophies of Lean Six Sigma (LSS) in a High-Mix Low-Volume (HMLV) manufacturing environment. HMLV environments present unique challenges to LSS paradigms because of the need for extraordinary operational flexibility and customer responsiveness. The subject HMLV manufacturer for this experimentation manufactures (among 8500 others) an example component for which 3 machines work independently to perform the necessary operations to manufacture this component.

Resistance Profile, Terbinafine Resistance Screening and MALDI-TOF MS Identification of the Emerging Pathogen Trichophyton indotineae.

The emerging pathogen Trichophyton indotineae, often resistant to terbinafine (TRB), is known to cause severe dermatophytoses such as tinea corporis and tinea cruris. In order to achieve successful treatment for these infections, insight in the resistance profile of T. indotineae strains and rapid, reliable identification is necessary.

Poly(vinyl chloride) Dechlorination Catalyzed by Zirconium.

Poly(vinyl chloride) undergoes dechlorination in the presence of triethylsilane (EtSiH) and a catalytic amount of [CpZr(NPh)][CHB(CF)] (1 b) at 40-80 °C, with up to 91 % efficiency. Stoichiometric reactivity studies conducted on cyclohexyl chloride as a model suggest that 1 b dechlorinates PVC by initial chloride abstraction, followed by hydride transfer to the cationic PVC chain from EtSiH. Consumer items such as pipe fitting, vinyl disc or electric cable insulation undergo either dechlorination or hydrosilylation of the carbonyl-containing copolymer (polyvinyl acetate) or plasticizer (phthalate).

The Perceived Economic Scarcity Scale: A valid tool with greater predictive utility than income.

This article introduces the Perceived Economic Scarcity Scale (PESS), a novel instrument measuring the subjective evaluation and experience of economic scarcity (the feeling of having insufficient financial resources to meet one's needs). We conducted three high-powered preregistered studies (total N = 1900) to rigorously evaluate the PESS's psychometric properties. In Study 1, we generated a pool of items and used both Principal Component Analysis and Exploratory Factor Analysis to select the most appropriate items.

Yeast Biodiversity of Karst Waters: Interest of Four Culture Media and an Improved MALDI-TOF MS Database.

Karst aquifers are a significant source of drinking water and highly vulnerable to pollution and microbial contamination. Microbiological regulations for the quality of drinking water mostly focus on bacterial levels and lack guidance concerning fungal contamination. Moreover, there is no standardised microbial analysis methodology for identifying fungi in water.

Nosocomial transmission of Aspergillus flavus in a neonatal intensive care unit: Long-term persistence in environment and interest of MALDI-ToF mass-spectrometry coupled with convolutional neural network for rapid clone recognition.

Aspergillosis of the newborn remains a rare but severe disease. We report four cases of primary cutaneous Aspergillus flavus infections in premature newborns linked to incubators contamination by putative clonal strains. Our objective was to evaluate the ability of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time of flight (MALDI-TOF) coupled to convolutional neural network (CNN) for clone recognition in a context where only a very small number of strains are available for machine learning.

Severe kerion Celsi caused by Trichophyton quinckeanum: Severe kerion Celsi due to Trichophyton quinckeanum.

We report a severe case of kerion Celsi of the scalp in a previously healthy 13-year-old girl due to Trichophyton quinckeanum, an emerging dermatophyte species in Europe. The species was definitely identified by DNA sequencing and the patient was successfully treated by oral terbinafine for 6 weeks. Kerion Celsi is a severe inflammatory form of tinea capitis, which is characterised by a purulent discharge and alopecia [1].

Sexually Transmitted Trichophyton mentagrophytes Genotype VII Infection among Men Who Have Sex with Men.

Transmission of dermatophytes, especially Trichophyton mentagrophytes genotype VII, during sexual intercourse has been recently reported. We report 13 such cases in France. All patients were male; 12 were men who have sex with men.

Remarkable fungal biodiversity on northern Belgium bats and hibernacula.

Bats can be affected by fungal pathogens such as , the causative agent of the white-nose syndrome. Their body surface can also be colonized by fungal commensals or carry transient fungal species and participate in their dispersal. In this study, 114 bat specimens belonging to seven species were sampled from various locations in northern Belgium.

Intestinal Candida albicans overgrowth in IgA deficiency.

Background: Secretory IgA interacts with commensal bacteria, but its impact on human mycobiota ecology has not been widely explored. In particular, whether human IgA-deficiency is associated with gut fungal dysbiosis remains unknown.

Objectives: Our goal was to study the impact of IgA on gut mycobiota ecology.

Evaluation of Gradient Concentration Strips for Detection of Terbinafine Resistance in spp.

The number of dermatophytosis cases resistant to terbinafine is increasing all over the world. Therefore, there is a need for antifungal susceptibility testing of dermatophytes for better management of the patients. In the present study, we have evaluated a gradient test (GT) method for testing the susceptibility of dermatophytes to terbinafine.

Bright and ultrafast electron point source made of LaB nanotip.

The development of time-resolved transmission electron microscopy (TEM), ultrafast electron spectroscopy and pulsed X-ray sources relies on the realization of stable and high brightness sources of ultra-short electron bunches with a long service time. The flat photocathodes implanted in thermionic electron guns have been replaced by Schottky-type or cold-field emission sources driven by ultra-fast laser. Recently, lanthanum hexaboride (LaB) nanoneedles have been reported to have high brightness and high emission stability when working in a continuous emission mode.

Improving the Detection of Epidemic Clones in Outbreaks by Combining MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry and Deep Learning Approaches.

Identifying fungal clones propagated during outbreaks in hospital settings is a problem that increasingly confronts biologists. Current tools based on DNA sequencing or microsatellite analysis require specific manipulations that are difficult to implement in the context of routine diagnosis. Using deep learning to classify the mass spectra obtained during the routine identification of fungi by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry could be of interest to differentiate isolates belonging to epidemic clones from others.

Reliability of a terbinafine agar containing method for the screening of dermatophyte resistance.

The increase in terbinafine resistance worldwide due to Trichophyton indotineae underlies the need for surveillance networks, deploying easy to perform methods to correctly identify resistant isolates and thereby reduce their spread. In the present study, we evaluated the performances of the terbinafine containing agar method (TCAM). Different technical parameters, such as culture medium (RPMI agar [RPMIA] or Sabouraud dextrose agar [SDA]) and inoculum size, were evaluated.

Trichophyton indotineae, from epidemiology to therapeutic.

Trichophyton indotineae is a newly described dermatophyte species. This fungal pathogen has recently emerged in India and is responsible for chronic or recurrent widespread superficial infections. Resistance to terbinafine is frequently associated to this pathogen and is related to point mutations in the gene encoding the squalene epoxidase.

Multicentric Analysis of the Species Distribution and Antifungal Susceptibility of Clinical Isolates from Aspergillus Section .

The clinical involvement and antifungal susceptibility of Aspergillus section are poorly known. We analyzed 52 isolates, including 48 clinical isolates, belonging to 9 species inside the section . The whole section exhibited, by the EUCAST reference method, a poor susceptibility to amphotericin B, but species/series-specific patterns were observed for azole drugs.

Hospital Clonal Outbreak of Fluconazole-Resistant Candida parapsilosis Harboring the Y132F ERG11p Substitution in a French Intensive Care Unit.

We report the first identification of a fluconazole-resistant Candida parapsilosis (FR-) strain in our hospital, which subsequently caused an outbreak involving 17 patients (12 deaths) within a 26-bed French intensive care unit. Microsatellite genotyping confirmed that all FR- isolates belonged to the same clone. Given recent reports of rapid dissemination of these emerging clones, routine testing of azole susceptibility for all Candida parapsilosis isolates should be encouraged, at least in ICU patients.