Prevalence, characteristics, and outcomes of patients with low baseline C-reactive protein in giant cell arteritis.

Objective: Elevated inflammatory markers play a crucial role in the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA). This study aimed to describe the prevalence, characteristics, and outcomes of patients with low baseline (< 10 mg/L) C-reactive protein (CRP) in GCA.

Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted at Lille University Hospital, involving all patients diagnosed with GCA between January 2000 and April 2023.

Not All in Vein: Oral Antibiotics for Diabetic Foot Osteomyelitis: A Narrative Review.

Introduction: Osteomyelitis is a severe complication of diabetes-related foot ulcers (DFUs) often managed with antibiotic therapy and surgical resection of the infected bone. Areas of research: While intravenous (IV) antibiotics have been the traditional approach for bone and joint infections in general, randomized clinical trials have shown that, overall, oral antibiotics are non-inferior to IV antibiotics. While comparisons between oral antibiotics are generally lacking, the data suggest that oral antibiotics with high bioavailability and bone penetration ratios should be prioritized for osteomyelitis treatment, including diabetic foot osteomyelitis (DFO).

Immune checkpoint inhibitors-associated cranial nerves involvement: a systematic literature review on 136 patients.

Objective: Describe the demographic data and clinical phenotype of cranial palsy induced by immune checkpoint inhibitors (CNP-ICI).

Methods: A systematic literature review of the literature was performed in Pubmed, Web of Science, and Embase, including 68 articles and 136 patients (PROSPERO no. CRD42024517262).

IncC plasmid genome rearrangements influence the vertical and horizontal transmission tradeoff in .

It has been shown that an evolutionary tradeoff between vertical (host growth rate) and horizontal (plasmid conjugation) transmissions contributes to global plasmid fitness. As conjugative IncC plasmids are important for the spread of multidrug resistance (MDR), in a broad range of bacterial hosts, we investigated vertical and horizontal transmissions of two multidrug-resistant IncC plasmids according to their backbones and MDR-region rearrangements, upon plasmid entry into a new host. We observed plasmid genome deletions after conjugation in three diverse natural clinical strains, varying from null to high number depending on the plasmid, all occurring in the MDR region.

Dalbavancin as suppressive therapy for implant-related infections: a case series with therapeutic drug monitoring and review of the literature.

Implant-related infections may need suppressive antibiotic therapy (SAT). We describe a SAT strategy using dalbavancin with therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM). This is a retrospective bicentric study of patients with implant-related infection who received dalbavancin SAT between January 2021 and September 2023.

Outcomes in orthopedic device infections due to Streptococcus agalactiae: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Group B streptococci (Streptococcus agalactiae) (GBS) is a rare cause of prosthetic joint infection (PJI) occurring in patients with comorbidities and seems to be associated with a poor outcome. Depiction of GBS PJI is scarce in the literature.

Methods: A retrospective survey in 2 referral centers for bone joint infections was done Patients with a history of PJI associated with GBS between 2014 and 2019 were included.

Deep mutational scanning reveals the molecular determinants of RNA polymerase-mediated adaptation and tradeoffs.

RNA polymerase (RNAP) is emblematic of complex biological systems that control multiple traits involving trade-offs such as growth versus maintenance. Laboratory evolution has revealed that mutations in RNAP subunits, including RpoB, are frequently selected. However, we lack a systems view of how mutations alter the RNAP molecular functions to promote adaptation.

Dissemination of IncI plasmid encoding is not hampered by its fitness cost in the pig's gut.

Multiresistance plasmids belonging to the IncI incompatibility group have become one of the most pervasive plasmid types in extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing of animal origin. The extent of the burden imposed on the bacterial cell by these plasmids seems to modulate the emergence of "epidemic" plasmids. However, data in the natural environment of the strains are scarce.

The bacterial genetic determinants of Escherichia coli capacity to cause bloodstream infections in humans.

Escherichia coli is both a highly prevalent commensal and a major opportunistic pathogen causing bloodstream infections (BSI). A systematic analysis characterizing the genomic determinants of extra-intestinal pathogenic vs. commensal isolates in human populations, which could inform mechanisms of pathogenesis, diagnostic, prevention and treatment is still lacking.

Systemic sclerosis associated interstitial lung disease: a survey of current practices in France.

Background: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is the leading cause of mortality in systemic sclerosis (SSc).

Objective: We performed an overview of the diagnostic approaches, follow-up and treatment strategies used in France for the management of SSc-associated ILD (SSc-ILD).

Design Structured Nationwide Online Surveymethods: A structured nationwide online survey was submitted to participants the French Medical Societies for Internal Medicine and Pneumology, and research groups on SSc-ILD from May 2018 to June 2020.

Do Anti-Biofilm Antibiotics Have a Place in the Treatment of Diabetic Foot Osteomyelitis?

The choice of antibiotic regimens for use in patients presenting with diabetic foot osteomyelitis and their duration differs according to the situation. Antibiotics play a more important role in the medical option where no infected bone has been resected, while their role is reduced but not negligible in the case of surgical options. Some studies have reported the presence of biofilm structures in bone samples taken from patients with diabetic foot osteomyelitis, which raises the question of the place of anti-biofilm antibiotic regimens in this setting.

A Microbiota-Dependent Response to Anticancer Treatment in an Human Microbiota Model: A Pilot Study With Hydroxycarbamide and Daunorubicin.

Background: Anticancer drug efficacy is linked to the gut microbiota's composition, and there is a dire need to better understand these interactions for personalized medicine. microbiota models are promising tools for studies requiring controlled and repeatable conditions. We evaluated the impact of two anticancer drugs on human feces in the MiniBioReactor Array (MBRA) microbiota system.

Severe SARS-CoV-2 patients develop a higher specific T-cell response.

Objectives: Assessment of the adaptive immune response against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is crucial for studying long-term immunity and vaccine strategies. We quantified IFNγ-secreting T cells reactive against the main viral SARS-CoV-2 antigens using a standardised enzyme-linked immunospot assay (ELISpot).

Methods: Overlapping peptide pools built from the sequences of M, N and S viral proteins and a mix (MNS) were used as antigens.

Highly reactive photothermal initiating system based on sulfonium salts for the photoinduced thermal frontal cationic polymerization of epoxides: a way to create carbon-fiber reinforced polymers.

A new combination of sulfonium salts has been investigated to cure opaque and thick carbon composite materials through photoinduced thermal frontal polymerization reaction. The photopolymerization occurs at the surface of the cycloaliphatic epoxide through the excitation of a triarylsulfonium salt and releases enough heat to decompose an alkyl-based sulfonium salt acting as a latent thermal initiator. Thus, a thermal front propagates into the medium leading to the polymerization of the whole sample.

Airway Mucus Restricts Neisseria meningitidis Away from Nasopharyngeal Epithelial Cells and Protects the Mucosa from Inflammation.

is an inhabitant of the nasopharynx, from which it is transmitted from person to person or disseminates in blood and becomes a harmful pathogen. In this work, we addressed colonization of the nasopharyngeal niche by focusing on the interplay between meningococci and the airway mucus that lines the mucosa of the host. Using Calu-3 cells grown in air interface culture (cells grown with the apical domain facing air), we studied meningococcal colonization of the mucus and the host response.

Advantage of the F2:A1:B- IncF Pandemic Plasmid over IncC Plasmids in Acquisition and Evolution of Gene-Bearing Plasmids in Escherichia coli.

Despite a fitness cost imposed on bacterial hosts, large conjugative plasmids play a key role in the diffusion of resistance determinants, such as CTX-M extended-spectrum β-lactamases. Among the large conjugative plasmids, IncF plasmids are the most predominant group, and an F2:A1:B- IncF-type plasmid encoding a CTX-M-15 variant was recently described as being strongly associated with the emerging worldwide sequence type 131 (ST131)-O25b:H4 30Rx/C2 sublineage. In this context, we investigated the fitness cost of narrow-range F-type plasmids, including the F2:A1:B- IncF-type CTX-M-15 plasmid, and of broad-range C-type plasmids in the K-12-like J53-2 strain.