SpectraX: A Straightforward Tool for Principal Component Analysis-Based Spectral Analysis.

The analysis of complex spectra is an important component of direct/ambient mass spectrometry (MS) applications such as natural product screening. Unlike chromatography-based metabolomics or proteomics approaches, which rely on software and algorithms, the work of spectral screening is mostly performed manually in the initial stages of research and relies heavily on the experience of the analyst. As a result, throughput and spectral screening reliability are problematic when dealing with large amounts of data. Here, we present SpectraX, a MATLAB-based application, which can analyze MS spectra and quickly locate m/z features from them. Principal component analysis (PCA) is used to analyze the data set, and scoring plots are presented to help in understanding the clustering of data. The algorithm uses mass to charge (m/z) features to produce a list of potential natural products.

Place of radiotherapy for treatment of metastatic cervical, vaginal and endometrial uterine cancer.

Beyond classical palliative-intent irradiation schemes, there are increasing data suggesting a benefit for intensive locoregional treatments in metastatic gynecological cancers. Such approach aims at avoiding local symptoms related to tumor progression, but may also improve survival outcome by shrinking tumor burden to a microscopic state. This strategy is rarely considered upfront (in highly selected patients with very limited oligometastatic disease), but rather after systemic treatment. In case of tumor response (especially if complete response) of the metastatic sites, pelvic±para-aortic radiotherapy can be considered in combination with a brachytherapy boost to obtain long-term local control, in particular in cervical or vaginal cancer patients. Such approach seems particularly relevant when there is isolated persistence or progression of macroscopic disease within the pelvis. In parallel, there is also an increasing place for radiotherapy of oligo-metastatic sites. We review the literature on the place of radiotherapy in the management of cancers of the cervix and metastatic endometrial cancer.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza: Unprecedented outbreaks in Canadian wildlife and domestic poultry.

Canada experienced a wave of HPAI H5N1 outbreaks in the spring of 2022 with millions of wild and farmed birds being infected. Seabird mortalities in Canada have been particularly severe on the Atlantic Coast over the summer of 2022. Over 7 million birds have been culled in Canada, and outbreaks continue to profoundly affect commercial bird farms across the world. This new H5N1 virus can and has infected multiple mammalian species, including skunks, foxes, bears, mink, seals, porpoises, sea lions, and dolphins. Viruses with mammalian adaptations such as the mutations PB2-E627K, E627V, and D701N were found in the brain of various carnivores in Europe and Canada. To date this specific clade of H5N1 virus has been identified in less than 10 humans. At the ground level, awareness should be raised among frontline practitioners most likely to encounter patients with HPAI.

Le Canada a vécu un vague d'éclosions de grippe aviaire de souche H5N1 hautement pathogène au printemps 2022 lorsque des millions d'oiseaux sauvages et d'oiseaux d'élevage ont été infectés. La mortalité des oiseaux marins au Canada a été particulièrement marquée sur la côte Atlantique pendant l'été 2022. Plus de sept millions d'oiseaux ont été abattus au Canada, et les éclosions continuent de nuire profondément aux élevages commerciaux d'oiseaux dans le monde. Ce nouveau virus H5N1 peut infecter de multiples espèces de mammifères, y compris des mouffettes, des renards, des ours, des visons, des phoques, des marsouins, des otaries et des dauphins. Les virus adaptés aux mammifères et porteurs des mutations PB2-E627K, E627V et D701N, ont été observés dans le cerveau de divers carnivores de l'Europe et du Canada. Jusqu'à présent, ce clade du virus H5N1 a été dépisté chez moins de dix humains. Sur le terrain, il est important de sensibiliser les praticiens de première ligne qui sont plus susceptibles de voir des patients atteints de la grippe aviaire de souche hautement pathogène.

Scale up of anaesthesia services in underserved rural Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Because of critical shortage of physician anaesthesiologists, the government of Tanzania adopted a task shifting strategy for provision of anaesthesia services. This paper describes the results of an operational study designed to increase the number of anaesthesia providers for emergency obstetric surgeries in order to reduce maternal and perinatal mortality in underserved rural Tanzania. METHODS: In 2016 a before-after cohort study was conducted in seven health centres in rural Tanzania. Five health centres received an intervention and two were selected to track secular trends (control group). Ten associate clinicians, i.e. assistant medical officers, clinical officers, and nurse midwives, from five health centres were trained in anaesthesia skills for emergency obstetric surgeries for three months followed by quarterly supportive supervision, mentoring and teleconsultation to reinforce skills. Primary and secondary outcome measures included Caesarean delivery (CD) rate, quality and safety of anaesthesia, and uptake of the educational program for anaesthesia. RESULTS: Out of the 2,179 CDs performed in the intervention facilities from 2016 to 2019, two women died from complications of anaesthesia. The risk of death from anaesthetic complications was 0.9 per 1000 CD (95% CI 0.1-3.3. The risk of death was not established in the control group because of inadequate documentation and records keeping. The proportion of CD performed under spinal anaesthesia in intervention facilities doubled from 28% (60/214 with 95% CI 22-35) at baseline (July 2014 - June 2016) to 57% (558/971 with 95% CI of 54-61) in year three (July 2018 - June 2019), while in the control group increased by only 40% from 19% (92/475 with 95% CI of 16-23) at baseline and 27% (68/251 with 95% CI of 22-33) in year three. In 2020I, this educational training program was then adopted by the government with minor content changes and increasing duration of training to six months. CONCLUSIONS: This three month educational training program for associate clinicians in anaesthesia, complemented by supportive supervision, can increase the CD rate to one that fills the "unmet need" and the proportion of operations performed under spinal anaesthesia, the gold standard technique for CD. The program can be used to meet the urgent demand for anaesthesia services in other underserved areas in Africa.

Streptomyces genus as a source of probiotics and its potential for its use in health.

The effect of a probiotic on gut microbiota depends not only on the species of microorganism but specifically on the strain. In human beings, as in other animals, specific probiotics have been associated with numerous beneficial properties, which include weight modulation (gain or loss), immune modulation, and prevention of many disorders such as lactose intolerance, cardiovascular diseases, and antibiotic-associated diarrhoea. Streptomyces are an essential group of soil bacteria in the Actinomycetes family. They are related to producing a wide range of secondary metabolites known for their beneficial effects on human health. However, according to the human microbiome analysis, a lower prevalence of Streptomyces genus exists than in other non-human microbiomes. This difference can be associated with current lifestyles. In this article, we review the benefits associated with different compounds produced by Streptomyces, with a particular focus on the production of exopolysaccharides, antibiotics, and other secondary metabolites and the potential innovative use of Streptomyces spp. as probiotics.

Impact of an intensive multimodal educative program on behavioral disorders of polyhandicapped patients: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Hospitalized children and young adults with polyhandicap (PLH) often present with behavioral and relational disorders that are mainly related to their difficulties in communicating and interacting with their environments. Educational support is rarely provided to these patients. An intensive multimodal educative program could help in reducing behavioral disorders and in improving the quality of life of healthcare workers, including nurses and auxiliary nurses. METHODS: A multicenter, randomized controlled trial compared the impact of the usual practice of an educative program (1 h a week) to a multimodal intensive educative program (5 h a week) at 12 months. Patients aged 3-25 with PLH defined by the combination of five criteria (motor deficiency, severe-to-profound mental impairment, daily life dependence, restricted mobility, onset of cerebral lesion at younger than 3 years, and at least one behavioral disorder per week [withdrawn behavior, unexplained crying, teeth grinding, self-injury, aggression, stereotypy, or merycism]) were included. The primary outcome was the evolution of the predominant behavioral disorder between study inclusion and 12 months. Healthcare workers completed questionnaires about chronic stress, coping strategies, and quality of life at study inclusion and at 12 months. RESULTS: Overall, 60 patients were included. Despite a tendency toward reduced teeth grinding, withdrawn and self-injury behaviors, the intervention was not significantly effective: The median duration of continuous behavioral disorders (stereotypy, unexplained crying, withdrawn behavior, and teeth grinding) did not differ between groups. The median frequency of the discontinuous behavioral disorders (self-injury) did not differ between groups. Considering each disorder separately, there was a decrease in teeth grinding, self-injury, and autistic-like traits in the intervention group, although it did not reach statistical significance. This study also suggested decreased depersonalization feelings by healthcare workers. CONCLUSION: Although the study did not show a significant reduction in behavioral disorders in patients with PLH, these results encourage further evaluation of educational management, particularly in regard to patients with self-injury and with withdrawn and teeth-grinding behaviors.

Rapid Mass Spectrometric Calibration and Standard Addition Using Hydrophobic/Hydrophilic Patterned Surfaces and Discontinuous Dewetting.

The rapid calibration chip (RCC) is a device that uses the fast and reproducible wetting behavior of hydrophilic/hydrophobic patterned surfaces to confine a series of differently sized droplets on a substrate to obtain a calibration curve. Multiple series of droplets can be formed within seconds by dipping an RCC into a calibration solution. No pipetting, sequential droplet deposition, or advanced equipment is required. The performance and reproducibility of RCCs were evaluated with an electrospray ionization triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer equipped with a liquid microjunction-surface sampling probe (LMJ-SSP) that allows for fast sampling of surfaces. Using circular hydrophilic areas with diameters ranging from 0.25 to 2.00 mm, liquid volumes of 4.6-70.6 nL could be deposited. Furthermore, the use of a second hydrophobic/hydrophilic patterned transfer chip can be used to add internal standard solutions to each calibration spot of the RCC, allowing to transfer a liquid volume of 22.5 nL.

Evaluation of vitamin-producing and immunomodulatory lactic acid bacteria as a potential co-adjuvant for cancer therapy in a mouse model.

AIMS: To evaluate a mixture of selected lactic acid bacteria (LAB) (a riboflavin-producer, a folate-producer and an immunomodulatory strain) as co-adjuvant for 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) chemotherapy in cell culture and using a 4T1 cell animal model of breast cancer. METHODS AND RESULTS: The viability of Caco-2 cells exposed to 5-FU and/or LAB was analysed. Mice bearing breast tumour were treated with 5-FU and/or LAB. Tumour growth was measured. Intestinal mucositis (IM) was evaluated in small intestine; haematological parameters and plasma cytokines were determined. The bacterial mixture did not negatively affect the cytotoxic activity of 5-FU on Caco-2 cells. The LAB mixture attenuated the IM and prevented blood cell decreases associated with 5-FU treatment. Mice that received 5-FU and LAB mixture decreased tumour growth and showed modulation of systemic cytokines modified by both tumour growth and 5-FU treatment. The LAB mixture by itself delayed tumour growth. CONCLUSIONS: The mixture of selected LAB was able to reduce the side-effects associated with chemotherapy without affecting its primary anti-tumour activity. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This bacterial mixture could prevent the interruption of conventional oncologic therapies by reducing undesirable side-effects. In addition, this blend would provide essential nutrients (vitamins) to oncology patients.

Recent update on lactic acid bacteria producing riboflavin and folates: application for food fortification and treatment of intestinal inflammation.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB), widely used as starter cultures for the fermentation of a large variety of food, can improve the safety, shelf life, nutritional value and overall quality of the fermented products. In this regard, the selection of strains delivering health-promoting compounds is now the main objective of many researchers. Although most LAB are auxotrophic for several vitamins, it is known that certain strains have the capability to synthesize B-group vitamins. This is an important property since humans cannot synthesize most vitamins, and these could be obtained by consuming LAB fermented foods. This review discusses the use of LAB as an alternative to fortification by the chemical synthesis to increase riboflavin and folate concentrations in food. Moreover, it provides an overview of the recent applications of vitamin-producing LAB with anti-inflammatory/antioxidant activities against gastrointestinal tract inflammation. This review shows the potential uses of riboflavin and folates producing LAB for the biofortification of food, as therapeutics against intestinal pathologies and to complement anti-inflammatory/anti-neoplastic treatments.

Maternal dietary omega-3 deficiency worsens the deleterious effects of prenatal inflammation on the gut-brain axis in the offspring across lifetime.

Maternal immune activation (MIA) and poor maternal nutritional habits are risk factors for the occurrence of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD). Human studies show the deleterious impact of prenatal inflammation and low n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) intake on neurodevelopment with long-lasting consequences on behavior. However, the mechanisms linking maternal nutritional status to MIA are still unclear, despite their relevance to the etiology of NDD. We demonstrate here that low maternal n-3 PUFA intake worsens MIA-induced early gut dysfunction, including modification of gut microbiota composition and higher local inflammatory reactivity. These deficits correlate with alterations of microglia-neuron crosstalk pathways and have long-lasting effects, both at transcriptional and behavioral levels. This work highlights the perinatal period as a critical time window, especially regarding the role of the gut-brain axis in neurodevelopment, elucidating the link between MIA, poor nutritional habits, and NDD.