Integrating dynamical modeling and phylogeographic inference to characterize global influenza circulation.

Global seasonal influenza circulation involves a complex interplay between local (seasonality, demography, host immunity) and global factors (international mobility) shaping recurrent epidemic patterns. No studies so far have reconciled the two spatial levels, evaluating the coupling between national epidemics, considering heterogeneous coverage of epidemiological, and virological data, integrating different data sources. We propose a novel-combined approach based on a dynamical model of global influenza spread (GLEAM), integrating high-resolution demographic, and mobility data, and a generalized linear model of phylogeographic diffusion that accounts for time-varying migration rates.

Sex differences in the relationships between 24-h rest-activity patterns and plasma markers of Alzheimer's disease pathology.

Background: Although separate lines of research indicated a moderating role of sex in both sleep-wake disruption and in the interindividual vulnerability to Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related processes, the quantification of sex differences in the interplay between sleep-wake dysregulation and AD pathology remains critically overlooked. Here, we examined sex-specific associations between circadian rest-activity patterns and AD-related pathophysiological processes across the adult lifespan.

Methods: Ninety-two cognitively unimpaired adults (mean age = 59.

Impact of gender on self-assessment accuracy among fourth-year French medical students on faculty's online Objective Structured Clinical Examinations.

Background: Historically, women have been shown to underestimate their abilities, while men often assess themselves more accurately or overestimate. This study aims to determine self-assessment accuracy during online Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) according to gender.

Methods: A prospective study was conducted among fourth-year medical students at Paris Cité University during faculty training OSCEs, utilizing Zoom® software for remote participation.

Multifunctional Supramolecular Gels with Strong Mechanical Properties Formed by Self-Assembly of Polyoxometalate-Based Coordination Polymers.

Metallogels built in a bottom-up approach by metal coordination and supramolecular interactions have important potential for the elaboration of smart materials. In this context, we present here the formation of supramolecular coordination polymers driven by the complexation of cobalt(II) or zinc(II) ions with polyoxometalate-based hybrids displaying two terpyridine ligands in a linear arrangement. Thanks to the electrostatic interactions between the polyoxometalate cores and metal nodes, the polymer chains self-assemble into fibers that physically cross-link to form gels above a critical concentration.

Neural mass modeling for the masses: Democratizing access to whole-brain biophysical modeling with FastDMF.

Different whole-brain computational models have been recently developed to investigate hypotheses related to brain mechanisms. Among these, the Dynamic Mean Field (DMF) model is particularly attractive, combining a biophysically realistic model that is scaled up via a mean-field approach and multimodal imaging data. However, an important barrier to the widespread usage of the DMF model is that current implementations are computationally expensive, supporting only simulations on brain parcellations that consider less than 100 brain regions.

Occurrence and ecological risks of antibiotics and antiparasitics in surface water in urban lakes in Hanoi city, Vietnam.

The presence of antibiotics in the environment is of significant concern due to their adverse effects on aquatic ecosystems. This study provides an assessment of potential ecological risks (RQ) associated with the concentrations of eight antibiotics and antiparasitics (amoxicillin-AMO, azithromycin-AZI, ciprofloxacine-CIP, ofloxacine-OFL, oxfendazole-OXF, lincomycin-LIN, sulfacetamide-SCE and sulfamethoxazole-SME) in the surface water of 13 urban lakes in Hanoi city, Vietnam during the period 2021-2023. The findings revealed considerable variations in the total concentrations of these 8 substances (T), ranging from below the method detection limit (< MDL) to 2240 ng L with an average of 330.

Lower mini-sternotomy: an approach for treating all valvulopathies?

Background: Lower mini-sternotomy offers the advantage of providing excellent visualization of the 4 cardiac cavities, allowing surgical treatment of aortic, mitral and tricuspid valves as well as any intra-cavitary procedure. Technical issues, as well as safety and echocardiographic results of this approach, are lacking. The aim of this retrospective study was to describe outcomes of lower mini-sternotomy to treat valvulopathies and other intracardiac surgeries.

Clinical Spectrum and Prognosis of Atypical Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease Caused by Monoallelic Pathogenic Variants of IFT140.

Rationale & Objective: Monoallelic predicted Loss-of-Function (pLoF) variants in IFT140 have recently been associated with an autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD)-like phenotype. This study sought to enhance the characterization of this phenotype.

Study Design: Case series.

Rapid confirmation of autochthonous origin in suspected cases of melioidosis from French overseas departments in the Caribbean and the Indian Ocean by PCR-high resolution melting (HRM) analysis.

Burkholderia pseudomallei, a soil-borne bacterium that causes melioidosis, endemic in South and Southeast Asia and northern Australia, is now emerging in new regions. Since the 1990s, cases have been reported in French overseas departments, including Martinique and Guadeloupe in the Caribbean, and Reunion Island and Mayotte in the Indian Ocean, suggesting a local presence of the bacterium. Our phylogenetic analysis of 111 B.

Targeting autophagy plus high-dose CDK4/6 inhibitors in advanced HR+HER2- breast cancer: A phase 1b/2 trial.

Background: The unmet needs of managing patients with hormone receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HR+/HER2-) breast cancer who progress after cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)4/6 inhibitor (CDK4/6i) treatment remain unclarified.

Methods: This was a phase 1b/2, single-arm, open-label study that enrolled 29 patients with HR+/HER2- breast cancer who experienced first-line palbociclib treatment failure. The primary endpoint was the incidence of dose-limiting toxicity (DLT).

Safety of baricitinib in vaccinated patients with severe and critical COVID-19 sub study of the randomised Bari-SolidAct trial.

Background: The Bari-SolidAct randomized controlled trial compared baricitinib with placebo in patients with severe COVID-19. A post hoc analysis revealed a higher incidence of serious adverse events (SAEs) among SARS-CoV-2-vaccinated participants who had received baricitinib. This sub-study aimed to investigate whether vaccination influences the safety profile of baricitinib in patients with severe COVID-19.

From spastic paraplegia to infantile neurodegenerative disorder: Expanding the phenotypic spectrum associated with biallelic SPAST variants.

Purpose: Heterozygous pathogenic variants in SPAST are known to cause Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia 4 (SPG4), the most common form of HSP, characterized by progressive bilateral lower limbs spasticity with frequent sphincter disorders. However, there are very few descriptions in the literature of patients carrying biallelic variants in SPAST.

Methods: Targeted Sanger sequencing, panel sequencing and exome sequencing were used to identify the genetic causes in 9 patients from 6 unrelated families with symptoms of HSP or infantile neurodegenerative disorder.

CD57 EMRA CD8 T cells in cancer patients over 70: associations with prior chemotherapy and response to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy.

Background: Immune ageing complicates cancer treatment in older individuals. While immunotherapy targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway can reinvigorate T cells, these cells tend to become senescent with age. This study investigates different CD8 T cell subsets usually associated with senescence, in cancer patients over 70 years old who are undergoing anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy, and examines the relationship between these senescent cells and prior chemotherapy exposure.

From cells to recapture rates: responses and recovery of a wild fish after an experimental exposure to a widely used herbicide.

Freshwater environments are biodiversity hotspots under multiple pressures, including pesticide exposure. S-metolachlor, a widely used herbicide, can induce genotoxic, cytotoxic and physiological effects in captive fish, but we have a limited understanding of the effects of exposure to S-metolachlor in free-living vertebrates. We carried out an original field experiment using integrative approaches across biological levels and temporal scales.

Comparative evaluation of feature reduction methods for drug response prediction.

Personalized medicine aims to tailor medical treatments to individual patients, and predicting drug responses from molecular profiles using machine learning is crucial for this goal. However, the high dimensionality of the molecular profiles compared to the limited number of samples presents significant challenges. Knowledge-based feature selection methods are particularly suitable for drug response prediction, as they leverage biological insights to reduce dimensionality and improve model interpretability.

The Financial Burden of Localized and Metastatic Bladder Cancer.

Background And Objective: Bladder cancer (BCa) imposes a substantial economic burden on health care systems and patients. Understanding these financial implications is crucial for effective resource allocation and optimization of treatment cost effectiveness. Here, we aim to systematically review and analyze the financial burden of BCa from the health care and patient perspectives.

Upregulation of haematopoetic cell kinase (Hck) activity by a secreted parasite effector protein (Ta9) drives proliferation of Theileria annulata-transformed leukocytes.

Reversible transformation of bovine leukocytes by the intracellular parasites Theileria annulata and Theileria parva is central to pathogenesis of the diseases they cause, tropical theileriosis and East Coast Fever, respectively. Parasite-dependent constitutive activation of major host transcription factors such as AP-1 (Activating Protein 1) and NF-κB (Nuclear Factor-Kappa B) sustains the transformed state. Although parasite interaction with host cell signaling pathways upstream of AP-1 have been studied, the precise contribution of Theileria encoded factors capable of modulating AP-1 transcriptional activity, and other infection-altered signaling pathways is not fully understood.

Development of a New Score Based on Image Defined Risk Factors to Standardize Surgical Risk in Neuroblastoma Resection - A SIOPEN Collaborative Study.

Background And Aims: Image Defined Risk Factors (IDRFs) assess surgical risk in neuroblastoma (NB) and guide neoadjuvant therapy. Despite chemotherapy IDRFs may persist in 70 % of cases. Several studies have suggested that not all IDRFs hold equal significance and that the presence of an IDRF does not inherently signify unresectability.

A stratified treatment algorithm in psychiatry: a program on stratified pharmacogenomics in severe mental illness (Psych-STRATA): concept, objectives and methodologies of a multidisciplinary project funded by Horizon Europe.

Schizophrenia (SCZ), bipolar (BD) and major depression disorder (MDD) are severe psychiatric disorders that are challenging to treat, often leading to treatment resistance (TR). It is crucial to develop effective methods to identify and treat patients at risk of TR at an early stage in a personalized manner, considering their biological basis, their clinical and psychosocial characteristics. Effective translation of theoretical knowledge into clinical practice is essential for achieving this goal.

The 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine: microRNA Takes Center Stage.

The Journal Editorial Board Members would like to congratulate Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun, who were jointly awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their groundbreaking discovery of microRNAs and the role of microRNAs in post-transcriptional gene regulation, uncovering a previously unknown layer of gene control in eukaryotes [...

Does Trunk Self-Elongation Instruction Lead to Changes in Effective Trunk Height and Spino-Pelvic Parameters? A Radiographic Analysis.

Background/objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in trunk height and variations in spino-pelvic parameters during trunk self-elongation. Two populations were studied: non-athletes and gymnasts, who differ in their engagement with core-strengthening exercises.

Methods: EOS biplanar radiographs were taken on 14 non-athletes and 24 gymnasts in both neutral and trunk self-elongation positions.

Lysosphingolipid Quantitation in Plasma and Dried-Blood Spots Using Targeted High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry.

Background: Sphingolipidoses are rare inherited metabolic diseases belonging to lysosomal diseases. Early and accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective management and treatment. In this study, we aimed to develop a robust method to accelerate the diagnosis of these sphingolipidoses using dried blood spots and plasma.

Moving Beyond the Bladder Diary: Does New Technology Now Allow Us to Take Investigation of LUTS Into the Community? ICI-RS 2024.

Context: Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS) are defined by their distressing effect on patients' day-to-day life. Given the pressures on secondary care resources, LUTS may be overlooked or inadequately assessed and therefore patients may be burdened for an extended period before treatment.

Methods: In a debate held at the International Consultation on Incontinence Research Society (ICI-RS) meeting in Bristol in June 2024, we considered how new technologies might contribute to an expedited, dignified and effective investigation of LUTS.

A novel open-source cultivation system helps establish the first full cycle chemosynthetic symbiosis model system involving the giant ciliate .

Symbiotic interactions drive species evolution, with nutritional symbioses playing vital roles across ecosystems. Chemosynthetic symbioses are globally distributed and ecologically significant, yet the lack of model systems has hindered research progress. The giant ciliate and its sulfur-oxidizing symbionts represent the only known chemosynthetic symbiosis with a short life span that has been transiently cultivated in the laboratory.