Multi-scale datasets for monitoring Mediterranean oak forests from optical remote sensing during the SENTHYMED/MEDOAK experiment in the north of Montpellier (France).

Mediterranean forests represent critical areas that are increasingly affected by the frequency of droughts and fires, anthropic activities and land use changes. Optical remote sensing data give access to several essential biodiversity variables, such as species traits (related to vegetation biophysical and biochemical composition), which can help to better understand the structure and functioning of these forests. However, their reliability highly depends on the scale of observation and the spectral configuration of the sensor. Thus, the objective of the SENTHYMED/MEDOAK experiment is to provide datasets from leaf to canopy scale in synchronization with remote sensing acquisitions obtained from multi-platform sensors having different spectral characteristics and spatial resolutions. Seven monthly data collections were performed between April and October 2021 (with a complementary one in June 2023) over two forests in the north of Montpellier, France, comprised of two oak endemic species with different phenological dynamics (evergreen: Quercus ilex and deciduous: Quercus pubescens) and a variability of canopy cover fractions (from dense to open canopy). These collections were coincident with satellite multispectral Sentinel-2 data and one with airborne hyperspectral AVIRIS-Next Generation data. In addition, satellite hyperspectral PRISMA and DESIS were also available for some dates. All these airborne and satellite data are provided from free online download websites. Eight datasets are presented in this paper from thirteen studied forest plots: (1) overstory and understory inventory, (2) 687 canopy plant area index from Li-COR plant canopy analyzers, (3) 1475 in situ spectral reflectances (oak canopy, trunk, grass, limestone, etc.) from ASD spectroradiometers, (4) 92 soil moistures and temperatures from IMKO and Campbell probes, (5) 747 leaf-clip optical data from SPAD and DUALEX sensors, (6) 2594 in-lab leaf directional-hemispherical reflectances and transmittances from ASD spectroradiometer coupled with an integrating sphere, (7) 747 in-lab measured leaf water and dry matter content, and additional leaf traits by inversion of the PROSPECT model and (8) UAV-borne LiDAR 3-D point clouds. These datasets can be useful for multi-scale and multi-temporal calibration/validation of high level satellite vegetation products such as species traits, for current and future imaging spectroscopic missions, and by fusing or comparing both multispectral and hyperspectral data. Other targeted applications can be forest 3-D modelling, biodiversity assessment, fire risk prevention and globally vegetation monitoring.

Human resources needed to perform antimicrobial stewardship teams' activities in French hospitals.

OBJECTIVE: In January 2015, the French ministry of Health set up a task force on antibiotic resistance. Members of the task force's "antimicrobial stewardship" group conducted a study to evaluate the human resources needed to implement all the required activities of the multidisciplinary antimicrobial stewardship teams (AST - antibiotic/infectious disease lead supervisors, microbiologists, and pharmacists) in French healthcare facilities. METHODS: We conducted an online cross-sectional nationwide survey. The questionnaire was designed based on regulatory texts and experts' consensus. The survey took place between March and May 2015. We used the mailing list of the French Infectious Diseases Society (SPILF) to send out questionnaires. RESULTS: A total of 65 healthcare facilities completed the questionnaire. The human resources needed to implement all AST's activities were estimated at 3.6 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions/1000 acute care beds for antibiotic/infectious disease lead supervisors, at 2.5 FTE/1000 beds for pharmacists, and at 0.6 FTE/1000 beds for microbiologists. This almost amounts to a total of 2000 FTE positions for all healthcare facilities (public and private) in France and to an annual cost of 200 million euros. CONCLUSION: Dedicated and sustainable funding for AST is urgently needed to implement comprehensive and functional AST programs in all healthcare facilities.

The global threat of antimicrobial resistance: science for intervention.

In the last decade we have witnessed a dramatic increase in the proportion and absolute number of bacterial pathogens resistant to multiple antibacterial agents. Multidrug-resistant bacteria are currently considered as an emergent global disease and a major public health problem. The B-Debate meeting brought together renowned experts representing the main stakeholders (i.e. policy makers, public health authorities, regulatory agencies, pharmaceutical companies and the scientific community at large) to review the global threat of antibiotic resistance and come up with a coordinated set of strategies to fight antimicrobial resistance in a multifaceted approach. We summarize the views of the B-Debate participants regarding the current situation of antimicrobial resistance in animals and the food chain, within the community and the healthcare setting as well as the role of the environment and the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, providing expert recommendations to tackle the global threat of antimicrobial resistance.

Corrigendum to "The global threat of antimicrobial resistance: science for intervention" [New Microbes New Infect 6 (2015): 22-29].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.nmni.2015.02.007.].

Antibiotic resistance: a geopolitical issue.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), associated with a lack of new antibiotics, is a major threat. Some countries have been able to contain resistance, but in most countries the numbers of antibiotic-resistant bacteria continue to increase, along with antibiotic consumption by humans and animals. AMR is a global issue, and concerns all decision-makers worldwide. Some initiatives have been undertaken in the last 15 years, in particular by the WHO, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, and the CDC, but those initiatives were partial and poorly implemented, without coordination. Very recently, some important initiatives have been implemented by the WHO. Since 2009, a US and European joint task force, the Trans-Atlantic Task Force on Antibiotic Resistance, has been working on common recommendations. At a national level, some important initiatives have been implemented, in particular in European countries and in the USA. The Chennai declaration, in India, is also a good example of a multidisciplinary and national initiative that was highly political. Finally, several non-governmental non-profit organizations are also very active, and have helped to raise awareness about the problem of AMR. In the future, this global issue will need political involvement and strong cooperation between countries and between international agencies.

[Alliance against MDRO: safeguarding antibiotics]. / Alliance contre les bactéries multirésistantes : sauvons les antibiotiques !

Resistance to antibiotics has increased recently to a dramatic extend, and the pipeline of new antibiotics is almost dry for the 5 next years. Failures happen already for trivial community acquired infections, like pyelonephritis, or peritonitis, and this is likely to increase. Difficult surgical procedures, transplants, and other immunosuppressive therapies will become far more risky. Resistance is mainly due to an excessive usage of antibiotics, in all sectors, including the animal one. Action is urgently needed. Therefore, an alliance against MDRO has been recently created, which includes health care professionals, consumers, health managers, and politicians. The document highlights the different proposed measures, and represents a strong consensus between the different professionals, including general practitioners, and veterinarians.

[Invasive candidiasis in ICU: analysis of antifungal treatments in the French study AmarCand]. / Candidoses invasives en réanimation: analyse des traitements antifongiques au cours de l'enquête française AmarCand.

OBJECTIVE: Comparison of treatments initiated during invasive candidiasis in intensive care units with current French guidelines. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, observational, French multicenter study (October 2005-May 2006). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Selection of patients with Candida species identification and in vitro antifungal susceptibility determination. The empiric treatments instituted before the microbiologic documentation of infection and the curative treatments instituted after identification of the causative Candida and determination of its susceptibility were collected and compared with treatments proposed by the French clinical practice guidelines (2004) for the management of patients with invasive candidiasis. RESULTS: One hundred and eighty-six patients were studied. Invasive candidiasis was due to fluconazole-resistant or susceptible-dose dependent Candida in 18.3% of patients, without any significant influence of a previous treatment with azoles. Empiric and curative treatments were both in accordance with recommendations for 47% of patients. Recommendations were mainly not respected when proposed therapy was amphotericin B that disappeared from therapeutics used in ICU. Finally, 16.9% of episodes of invasive candidiasis, for which fluconazole was the recommended treatment, were due to fluconazole-resistant or susceptible-dose dependent Candida. CONCLUSION: The support of French ICU physicians to current French guidelines was observed in 47% of cases. The infrequent use of amphotericin B must be emphasized. The nonnegligible incidence of fluconazole-resistant or susceptible-dose dependent Candida sp., particularly in patients without any prior exposition to azole agents, and the inability to predict this resistance should lead to propose a revision of 2004 guidelines.

[Antibiotic therapy in serious infectious states]. / Antibiothérapie des états infectieux graves.

Severe sepsis, which is related to a high mortality rate, requires a very specific antibiotic strategy, which must be adapted to each case. The appropriateness of empiric therapy is based on the delay before administration of the molecule, the bacterial resistance profile, and the kinetic and/or dynamic properties of the available antibiotics.

[Detection of nasal colonization methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: a prospective study comparing real-time genic amplification assay vs selective chromogenic media]. / Détection de la colonisation nasale de Staphylococcus aureus résistant à la méthicilline : étude prospective comparant l'amplification génique temps réel vs les milieux chromogènes sélectifs.

UNLABELLED: In contrast to "classical" genic amplification, real-time genic amplification can be performed in every laboratory without the need of sophisticated isolation procedures. Moreover, real-time genic amplification allows an early detection of meticillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization, 2 hours compared to 1 or 2 days for culture. OBJECTIVE: In order to assess the feasibility on Smartcycler of the IDI-MRSA real-time genic amplification assay in comparison with chromogenic media. METHODS: A prospective study has been initiated in July 2004: nasal swabs were taken from patients entering the ICU, vascular surgery, diabetology and geriatry wards. During a 4 months period, 682 specimens have been obtained from 508 patients. RESULTS: Sixty-four (9.3%) patients were positive by genic amplification and selective agar culture (CHROMagar MRSA, MRSASelect and/or ORSAB), 19 (2.9%) were positive by genic amplification only (3 of these patients were under antibiotic treatment); 572 specimens remained negative by both methods. The sensitivity and specificity of this assay were 100% and 96% respectively with a positive predictive value of 70% and negative predictive value of 100%. Initially 82 nasal specimens were unresolved (12%). 38 were resolved following a freeze-thaw cycle. Thus, 44 (6.4%) were unresolved specimens. Comparison between CHROMagar MRSA and MRSASelect showed a good correlation for the detection at 24 hours (5.5% and 5.6% respectively). These two chromogenic media allowed a much better detection of MRSA than ORSAB medium within 24H. CONCLUSION: The results obtained by the early real-time genic amplification for the detection of meticillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus are promising. Despite 6.4% amplification failure, we consider that IDI-MRSA real-time genic amplification assay represents a significant breakthrough in the detection of colonization.

[Risk of infection in institutions for elderly people]. / Risque infectieux dans les structures hébergeant des personnes âgées.

The infectious risk in long-term care facilities and nursing homes is significant. Patients living in those facilities are very old, with a poor health status, and a high degree of dependency. The risk for epidemic outbreaks, in particular with viruses, is very high. A simple system for surveillance and action, in relation with hospital infection control units, is mandatory. An educational program is needed to define the prevention program based on the use of hand disinfection and other standard precautions, anti-viral and pneumococcal vaccination. The program must be simple, pragmatic, allowing to maintain social links and quality of life, which are essential for these patients. A strong cooperation between these long-term care facilities and nursing homes, general practitioners, healthcare team, and relatives is necessary.