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Evaluating the efficacy of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation in managing chronic pelvic pain in endometriosis patients
No full textInternational audienceIntroduction: This study sought to assess the impact of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) prescribed by gynecologists in routine practice on pain, pelvic sensitization, quality of life, and catastrophization scores in patients with endometriosis and chronic pelvic pain.Methods: Thirty patients at the University Hospital of Rennes, France, diagnosed with endometriosis and experiencing chronic pelvic pain, received TENS between September 2022 and February 2023. Pain, pelvic sensitization, quality of life, catastrophization, and Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) were assessed using standardized and validated questionnaires before and after 1, 3, and 6 months of TENS device use.Results: After 1 month of device use, minimal changes occurred as improvement in the perception of treatment effectiveness by patients, sleep quality, and well-being (BPI). However, after 3 months, a significant improvement was observed in all these measures, which persisted at 6 months. Specifically, pain intensity (numerical rating scale) significantly decreased (p=0.029), pelvic sensitization decreased (p=0.039), quality of life assessed by the EHP-5 score improved (p=0.003), and catastrophization scores significantly decreased (p=0.003). Patients also reported a notable improvement in their perception of treatment effectiveness, particularly in terms of its impact on work and interactions with others (BPI).Conclusions: TENS prescribed by gynecologists in routine practice may be effective in reducing pain, pelvic sensitization, and improving quality of life and catastrophization scores in patients with endometriosis and chronic pelvic pain. These findings are very useful in daily practice, especially for patients waiting for pain management physicians
Exploring the Relationship Between Astringency and Lingual Tactile Sensitivity
No full textThis research leading to these results was funded by the “FlaveurVeg” grant, from Carnot Qualiment© (DOI: https://doi.org/10.17180/h5gd-gk88).International audienceWhen lingual tactile sensitivity has received less attention than taste, it plays a critical role in food textural preferences and eating behavior. The anterior tongue, rich in specialized mechanoreceptors, is particularly sensitive to tactile stimuli. This study investigated inter‐individual variability in lingual tactile sensitivity and its potential relationship with astringency sensitivity. To this end, three distinct aspects of lingual tactile sensitivity as well as tongue strength were assessed in 39 subjects (26 F, mean age = 35 ± 5 years). The three tactile dimensions included: (i) light touch (assessed with Von Frey monofilaments in a one‐point pressure test), (ii) spatial perception (two‐point discrimination test), and (iii) roughness sensitivity (using paper coupons with varying grit sizes). Astringency detection thresholds, previously determined using tannic acid solutions, were available for all participants. Results revealed significant inter‐individual variability across all tactile measures. Notably, no significant correlations were found between the three different tactile sensitivity tests (light touch, spatial perception, roughness), suggesting that each one captures a distinct aspect of lingual tactile functions. Tongue strength was not associated with either tactile or astringency sensitivity. A key finding was a significant positive correlation between the tannic acid astringency detection threshold and the pressure discrimination threshold, suggesting that astringency sensitivity may involve a tactile component possibly mediated by the slowly adapting mechanoreceptors (SAI and SAII types). However, no relationship was found between astringency sensitivity and roughness sensitivity. The study emphasizes the need for standardized methods to better understand distinct dimensions of lingual tactile sensitivity and their influence on food texture perception
Characterization of extended-spectrum cephalosporin-resistant Klebsiella recovered from dairy manure in Southern Ontario, Canada
No full textInternational audienceExtended-spectrum cephalosporin (ESC)-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae are a problem in human patients and have been studied extensively. However, there is a paucity of information regarding ESC-resistant K. pneumoniae from livestock in general, and in Canada in particular. This study characterized ESC-resistant K. pneumoniae recovered from dairy manure in Ontario, Canada, and their ESC-resistance plasmids. ESC-resistant K. pneumoniae ( n = 73) and K. quasipneumoniae (n = 11) isolates were screened by PCR for bla CTX-M , bla CMY and bla SHV prior to undergoing antimicrobial susceptibility testing using disk diffusion. Isolates from dairy manure carrying bla CTX-M ( n = 74), and additional isolates from turkeys ( n = 8) and dogs ( n = 2), underwent short-read whole genome sequencing (WGS) and a subset of these ( n = 35) had additional long-read sequencing and hybrid assembly for confirmation. Isolates were characterized using multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) gene profiles. Thirty known sequence types (STs) and four novel STs were identified for K. pneumoniae, and two STs among K. quasipneumoniae . The isolates were found at various treatment stages of the manure on one farm but were only sporadically found on any of the other farms investigated. The majority of isolates (86%) were multi-drug resistant. Variants of CTX-M were identified in diverse STs and included bla CTX-M-15 ( n = 81), bla CTX-M-1 ( n = 2) and bla CTX-M-32 ( n = 1). The bla CTX-M-15 gene was located on diverse IncF, IncHI1 or IncY replicons as well as on the chromosome, whereas bla CTX-M-1 was harboured on the epidemic IncI1/ST3 plasmid, and bla CTX-M-32 on an IncN plasmid. Plasmids were characterized based on core gene SNPs, replicon types and AMR genes, and compared to plasmids from Escherichia coli from a parallel study. Transfer of bla CTX-M plasmids between bacterial species by conjugation was also assessed. Conjugation of IncI1 and IncFII plasmids occurred from K. pneumoniae to E. coli strains but not vice versa . Notably, IncY replicons were identified as conjugative plasmids and transfer was demonstrated between E. coli strains as well as from K. pneumoniae to E. coli . No strain overlap was observed between dairy manure isolates and those from turkey and dogs, however we did identify similarities between K. pneumoniae MLST and resistance profiles from publicly available human clinical isolates to our isolates found in dairy manure (ST37 and 405), turkeys (ST45) and dogs (ST711)
Eco‐Evolutionary Drivers of Body Size Variation in Arthropods, With a Focus on Spiders
No full textInternational audienceAim Body size has been used thoroughly in arthropod ecology as a reliable trait to assess fitness responses to changes in environmental factors. We aim to assess general patterns of intraspecific body size variation along macroecological gradients in arthropods. We more specifically discuss these patterns in spiders, as they represent a large and diverse group, colonising most terrestrial habitats. Location: Global. Time Period: 1982–2024. Major Taxa Studied: Arthropods. Methods We propose a systematic review and a meta‐analysis of 146 studies on intraspecific body size variation in arthropods over two main macroecological spatial gradients—latitude and elevation—both of high interest in a global warming context. Results We found that more species with direct than with indirect development present a converse Bergmann cline along both gradients. Main Conclusions We propose that life history traits such as voltinism, mobility and brood care influence intraspecific body size patterns—potentially hiding large‐scale patterns. This review gathers empirical data about body size variation along elevational and latitudinal gradients in arthropods, providing a step forward to a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms driving body size variation
Experimental evolution of Plasmodium yoelii in single and helminth-coinfected mice.
No full textInternational audienceBackground Coinfection has the potential to affect key traits describing the infection dynamics, the severity of the disease and in fine parasite fitness. However, despite its pervasiveness, experimental work investigating how parasites adapt to the conditions provided by a coinfected host is mostly missing. Methods We adopted an experimental evolution approach to investigate if coinfection with the nematode Heligmosomoides polygyrus (Hp) affected the infection dynamics and virulence of the murine malaria parasite Plasmodium yoelii (Py). To this purpose, lines of Py were passaged either in single infected hosts (SI-lines) or in hosts that had been previously infected with Hp (COI-lines). After five and seven passages, the infection dynamics and virulence of evolved lines were compared to the ancestral Py population during single infection trials. COI-lines were also used to infect hosts during coinfection trials, allowing us to compare within-host Py replication when the environment during the evaluation trials matched the environment experienced during the passages and when the two environments were mismatched. Results We found that serial passages increased parasitemia and Py virulence, due to the competitive advantage of genotypes with the fastest replication rate, but SI-lines and COI-lines had relatively similar replication rate and virulence. Hosts infected with evolved lines of Py were also less tolerant (steeper slope between red blood cell counts and parasitemia) but there was no difference between SI-lines and COI-lines. Finally, we found that when COI-lines were used during single infection trials (mismatched environments), they had a slower early replication rate compared to matched-environment trials. Conclusions We did not find strong evidence supporting a divergence between the virulence of SI-lines and COI-lines, possibly due to the cost of virulence paid by COI-lines. However, Py rapidly adapted to the environmental conditions provided by single infected or coinfected hosts, as shown by the slower replication rate found in mismatched-environment trials
Survival after ICU discharge is shaped more by chronic disease than admission severity
No full textInternational audienceBackground: Mortality is high both during intensive care unit (ICU) stay and in the year following discharge, yet factors influencing long-term survival remain poorly defined. We hypothesized that pre-existing chronic conditions may be more strongly associated with post-ICU survival than acute illness severity or admission diagnosis.Methods: This is a post-hoc analysis of the prospective, observational, multicenter FROG-ICU cohort, which included all consecutive patients admitted to 21 French ICUs and followed for one year after discharge. ICU survivors with complete data on admission severity scores (Sequential Organ Failure Assessment [SOFA], Simplified Acute Physiology Score II [SAPS-II]), comorbidities (Charlson Comorbidity Index [CCI]), and cardiovascular/renal biomarkers at discharge (n = 1400) were included. Associations with one-year mortality were assessed using Cox models. Discriminatory performance was evaluated with time-dependent area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC).Results: Among 1548 ICU survivors, 1400 were analyzed (median age 61 years, 63 % male). Admission diagnoses included acute respiratory failure (19 %), septic shock (24 %), and neurologic conditions (16 %). The CCI was the strongest predictor of mortality at day 7 (AUC 0.70 [95 % Confidence Interval [CI], 0.64-0.77]), at 3 weeks (AUC 0.75 [0.69-0.78]), and remained high over one year, outperforming SAPS-II (0.63 [0.54-0.72]) and SOFA (0.61 [0.53-0.68]). Although cardiovascular (NT-proBNP, bio-ADM) and kidney (pNGAL) biomarkers had comparable short-term discriminatory value, CCI performed better for long-term outcomes across different admission diagnoses.Conclusion: In this analysis, pre-existing chronic conditions were primary drivers of short- and long-term survival after ICU discharge, exceeding prognostic value of acute illness severity at admission.Clinical trial registration: French and European Outcome Registry in Intensive Care Units (FROG-ICU) study: ClinicalTrials.govNCT01367093. Registered 3 June 2011
Distribution of tick-borne microorganisms in human-biting ticks in France collected through a Citizen-science program
No full textInternational audienceTicks occupy diverse habitats, increasing the risk of human exposure. Assessing the public health threat posed by ticks requires rigorous monitoring of their distribution and of the prevalence of tick-borne pathogens. In France since 2017, the citizen science program CiTIQUE monitors human tick bites through multiple complementary approaches. Citizens can report bites and submit biting ticks to a national tick bank for research and surveillance. This study aimed to investigate human exposure to tick-borne microorganisms including pathogens across France, using ticks submitted through the CiTIQUE program. In total, 2009 ticks were selected from the CiTIQUE tick bank, identified, and screened for microorganisms using a real-time microfluidic PCR method. Most bites involved Ixodes ricinus nymphs except in Mediterranean regions where Dermacentor and Rhipicephalus ticks were more common. Twenty-six microorganisms were detected, eighteen of which are potentially pathogenic to humans. These pathogens were widely distributed across the country. Borrelia spp. were the most frequently detected pathogens with spatial variation among regions. Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection rates varied from region to region. Neoehrlichia mikurensis was found in seven out of twelve French regions. Rickettsia species diversity was highest in the southeast, associated with a greater diversity of vectors. Five percent of ticks were infected with more than one pathogen. Although spatial heterogeneity was observed, no region was free of infected ticks. This study demonstrates the power of citizen science for nationwide surveillance of tick-borne pathogens, providing a large-scale overview of pathogen diversity and distribution across France from crowdsourced tick data
Do large carnivores fare better in savannas when they get drier?
No full textInternational audienceBeyond rising temperatures, several parts of Africa are affected by aridification (more frequent and worsening droughts, lengthening dry seasons). Such drier conditions are likely to affect in several ways not only the many large herbivore species but also the rich carnivore guild that characterise African savannas, with consequences on the behavioural ecology of predator–prey interactions. Using data sets of exceptional quality on the feeding behaviour and the reproduction of leopards and lions covering 4 years of contrasting environmental conditions in a semi‐arid African savanna, Balme et al. analysed the effect of drought conditions on the carnivores' diet composition, kill rates, prey biomass acquisition but also cub production and survival. They showed that droughts led to a higher prey biomass consumption for the two carnivore species although the underlying mechanisms differed (higher kill rate for leopards and larger consumed prey for lionesses). Additionally, they revealed that the probability of cub survival was driven by factors other than drought‐driven food acquisition (such as intraguild predation by hyaenas for leopards and sarcoptic mange for lions). Balme et al. (2025) convincingly showed that droughts influence not only predator–prey interactions through several pathways, but also carnivore intraguild interactions. Altogether, their findings illustrate the difficulty to predict the impact of drier conditions on carnivore populations if we do not better unravel the mechanisms through which climate change affects both predator–prey and predator–predator interactions. Overall, this inspiring study invites us to conceptualise a larger framework to study interspecific interactions in African mammals in a context of a drier (and hotter) climate
Benefits of Increased Dietary Diversity Depend on Food Group and Diversity Dimension: A Microsimulation Modeling Study
No full textInternational audienceBackground: Dietary diversity is essential for nutrient adequacy, but its effects may vary depending on which food groups are diversified and the dimension of diversity considered (i.e., the number of food subgroups consumed, their consumption evenness, or their nutritional dissimilarity).Objectives: This study aimed to identify which food groups and diversity dimensions contribute to positive or negative effects of dietary diversity on the nutrient quality of diets, and to assess the magnitude of these effects and their underlying mechanisms.Methods: Using data from the French National Food Consumption Survey, we developed an individual level microsimulation model to maximize diversity within 12 food groups—one at a time—either in a single dimension or across the 3 dimensions simultaneously, while keeping the total quantity consumed constant. Nutrient quality was evaluated using probabilistic scores for nutrient adequacy, nutrient security (i.e., risk of deficiency), and moderation (i.e., avoidance of excessive intakes of sugar, sodium, and saturated fat). The effects of iincreasing diversity were analyzed using factorial repeated-measures analysis of variance.Results: Five food groups categories emerged based on how increased within-group diversity impacted nutrient quality: “favorable,” “no effect, “mixed effects,” “highly contrasting effects,” and “unfavorable.” “Vegetables,” “Fish and Seafood,” and “Bread” food groups fell into the first category, where greater diversity enhanced nutrient adequacy (with effect sizes ranging from +0.04 to +0.16 SD) without compromising moderation. In these cases, increasing the number of subgroups consumed was the most effective strategy. In contrast, increasing diversity within “Meat, Poultry, Eggs” and “Dairy,” classified under the contrasting or unfavorable categories, tended to undermine moderation (from–0.05 to–0.20 SD). These negative effects were primarily driven by increasing consumption evenness and nutrient dissimilarity.Conclusions: Promoting dietary diversity should not be generic. It should be targeted to the food group and diversification strategies that enhance nutrient adequacy without compromising moderation
