The daily updated Dutch national database on COVID-19 epidemiology, vaccination and sewage surveillance.

The Dutch national open database on COVID-19 has been incrementally expanded since its start on 30 April 2020 and now includes datasets on symptoms, tests performed, individual-level positive cases and deaths, cases and deaths among vulnerable populations, settings of transmission, hospital and ICU admissions, SARS-CoV-2 variants, viral loads in sewage, vaccinations and the effective reproduction number. This data is collected by municipal health services, laboratories, hospitals, sewage treatment plants, vaccination providers and citizens and is cleaned, analysed and published, mostly daily, by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) in the Netherlands, using automated scripts. Because these datasets cover the key aspects of the pandemic and are available at detailed geographical level, they are essential to gain a thorough understanding of the past and current COVID-19 epidemiology in the Netherlands. Future purposes of these datasets include country-level comparative analysis on the effect of non-pharmaceutical interventions against COVID-19 in different contexts, such as different cultural values or levels of socio-economic disparity, and studies on COVID-19 and weather factors.

[Bipolar disorder and quality of life: A cross-sectional study including 104 Tunisian patients]. / Trouble bipolaire type I et qualité de vie: étude transversale auprès de 104 patients Tunisiens.

INTRODUCTION: Bipolar disorder affects many psychosocial and functional aspects, leading to a real social handicap and an alteration in quality of life. AIM OF THE STUDY: To evaluate bipolar patients' quality of life and to identify the risk factors responsible for a deterioration. DESIGN: Our cross-sectional study lasted for four months and included 104 bipolar patients treated at the psychiatry consultation of the university hospital in Mahdia. The data were collected through a questionnaire composed of 52 items exploring the general characteristics of subjects, the clinical and evolutional characteristics of bipolar disorder and providing information on the treatment. Quality of life was measured using the SF-36 (Short form) generic scale. A global average score was calculated and it was considered that quality of life was altered if the score was less than 66.7, according to the threshold value of Léan. Moreover, an average score was calculated for each dimension, thus permitting us to identify those most affected. We standardized initial average scores. RESULTS: The assessment of quality of life revealed a global average of 52.2 and an alteration in 78.8% of patients. The study of the dimensional average scores revealed that all dimensions were affected. The standardization also revealed deterioration in all dimensions, the mental component being particularly more affected than the physical component with respectively estimated scores of 31.7 and 40.5. The analytic approach concerned the relationship between qualitative and quantitative variables and the occurrence of an alteration in quality of life. For this effect, a bivariate study displayed a statistically significant correlation between the eight dimensions of the SF-36 and 8 variables. In order to take into account the relationships that link each variable to the others, and to avoid the bias of the bivariate study, a logistic regression analysis was performed. Only 4 variables with discriminating weight emerged from this analysis. According to the number of dimensions affected, the following factors were classified in decreasing order: absence of leisure activities, lack of stable budgetary resources, absence of professional activity and the association of a psychotropic medication. CONCLUSION: This clinimetric approach permitted us to consider the global life of each patient suffering from bipolar disorder.

Vitamin D metabolite-mediated hypercalcemia with suppressed parathormone concentration in Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia after kidney transplantation.

Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (PJP) is a severe complication in immunocompromised hosts including transplant recipients. Hypercalcemia (HCa) is not a classic symptom of the disease. However, HCa (mean [SD; range], 2.90 [0.20; 2.71-3.17] mmol/L) was detected in 5 patients with PJP at diagnosis. The HCa was associated with decreased concentrations of circulating parathormone (PTH), from 294 (292) ng/L 3 to 6 months previously to 20 (23.5; 7-53) ng/L. Concentrations of 1,25-(OH)2 vitamin D, measured in 3 patients, were in the high normal range (54.66 [7.23; 225-66] microg/L), whereas 25-(OH) vitamin D concentrations were low (13.9 [2.17; 20-60] microg/L). After treatment with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole for 21 days, 4 patients recovered and 1 died. Calcium and PTH concentrations rapidly returned to normal (2.36 [0.05] mmol/L and 89 [29.7] ng/L, respectively) at 2 months after the acute phase of the disease. Although fewer than 10 cases of PJP-associated HCa have been reported to date, it is possible that this association is more frequent than previously thought because our cases were detected during 2 years. As in other granulomatous disease-induced HCa, including fungal infections, it is likely that endogenous extrarenal production of 1-alpha-hydroxylase by activated macrophages and by interferon-gamma involved in granuloma formation results in increased conversion from 25-(OH) vitamin D to 1,25-(OH)2 vitamin D and, consequently, in transient HCa and suppression of PTH secretion. Fortuitous detection of HCa in transplant recipients with pulmonary symptoms must raise suspicion of PJP or fungal infection.

Rheumatoid arthritis-induced pseudotumoral AA amyloidosis of the bladder with vesico-peritoneal fistula.

Rheumatoid arthritis-induced AA amyloidosis of the bladder is rare, with fewer than 25 cases reported so far. This localization may be life-threatening with a mortality rate of about 60%, most often due to massive hematuria or multiorgan failure as a result of systemic amyloidosis. We report the case of a 72-year-old woman with a long history of rheumatoid arthritis who developed gross hematuria that induced severe anemia. Ultrasonography and tomodensitometry revealed a large mass localized in the upper part of the bladder. Cystoscopy showed a congestive inflammatory area with a large vesicoperitoneal fistula. Biopsies revealed amyloidosis, and immunohistochemical staining of the specimens defined the process as AA amyloidosis. The amyloid deposits were also found in the rectum, duodenum, uterus and kidneys. This case of rheumatoid arthritis-induced AA amyloidosis of the bladder is characterized by its pseudotumoral aspect and the existence ofa vesico-peritoneal fistula: only 2 cases have been reported so far. Treatment was symptomatic, and the patient died from cachexia. The pseudotumoral forms of AA amyloidosis, including amyloidosis of the bladder, deserve an early correct diagnosis. Otherwise, an incorrect diagnosis, especially cancer, may prompt inappropriate treatments.

Anti-donor DR103 Immunization in a DRB1*0101 kidney allograft recipient.

Posttransplant appearance of donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies is correlated with poor graft survival. Herein, we have provided evidence that an HLA-DRB1*0101 kidney allograft recipent developed anti-DR103 antibody after receiving a transplant from a HLA-DRB1*0103 cadaveric donor, resulting in graft loss. HLA-DRB1*0103 is a rare allele in Caucasian populations. It differs from DRB1*0101 only by three amino-acid substitutions and may play a central role in allorecognition. Nevertheless, our data showed that it induced alloimmunization in a DRB1*0101 recipient. Therefore, this new possibility of immunization must be taken into account before transplantation as well as after grafting.

Effects of bioaugmentation strategies in UASB reactors with a methanogenic consortium for removal of phenolic compounds.

The removal of phenol, ortho- (o-) and para- (p-)cresol was studied with two series of UASB reactors using unacclimatized granular sludges bioaugmented with a consortium enriched against these substances. The parameters studied were the amount of inoculum added to the sludges and the method of immobilization of the inoculum. Two methods were used, adsorption to the biomass or encapsulation within calcium alginate beads. In the bioaugmentation by adsorption experiment, and with a 10% inoculum, complete phenol removal was obtained after 36 d, while 178 d were required in the control reactor. For p-cresol, 95% removal was obtained in the bioaugmented reactor on day 48 while 60 d were required to achieve 90% removal in the control reactor. For o-cresol, the removals were only marginally better with the bioaugmented reactors. Tests performed with the reactors biomass under non-limiting substrate concentrations showed that the specific activities of the bioaugmented biomasses were larger than the original biomass for phenol, and p-cresol even after 276 of operations, showing that the inoculum bacteria successfully colonized the sludge granules. Immobilization of the inoculum by encapsulation in calcium alginate beads, was performed with 10% of the inoculum. Results showed that the best activities were obtained when the consortium was encapsulated alone and the beads added to the sludges. This reactor presented excellent activity and the highest removal of the various phenolic compounds a few days after start-up. After 90 d, a high-phenolic compounds removal was still observed, demonstrating the effectiveness of the encapsulation technique for the start-up and maintenance of high-removal activities.

Simultaneous removal of phenol, ortho- and para-cresol by mixed anaerobic consortia.

Two different anerobic consortia, one removing phenol and ortho (o-) cresol and other removing para(p-) cresol, were cultivated in serum bottles using whey as cosubstrate substitute for proteose peptone. Phenol and p-cresol removal with the phenol-removing consortium were the same with 0.0125% (w/v) whey as with 0.05% proteose peptone. For the other consortium, 8 days were required to decrease the p-cresol concentration from 35 to 2 mg/L with 0.025% whey, while 35 days were required to achieve a similar removal with 0.5% proteose peptone. The two consortia were mixed and cultivated with 0.025% whey. Phenolic compound removal with the mixed consortia was as good as that achieved by each of the two initial consortia against their respective substrates. This removal activity was maintained after several transfers. In a continuous upflow fixed-film reactor, the mixed consortia removed over 98% of 150 mg/L of phenol and 35 mg/L of each o- and p-cresol in the influent at 29 degrees C, with 0.025% whey as cosubstrate. The hydraulic retention time (HRT) was 0.25 day, corresponding to a phenolic compound volumic loading rate of 880 mg/(L of reactor x day). Once the continuous flow reactor achieved constant phenolic compound removal, no intermediates were found in the effluent, while in serum bottles, m-toluic acid, an o-cresol intermediate, accumulated. Measurements of the specific activity for the uptake of different substrates demonstrated the presence of all trophic groups involved in methanogenic fermentation. These activities were, in mg of substrate/(g of volatile suspended solids x day), as follows: 849 +/- 25 for the acidogens; 554 +/- 15 for the acetogens; 934 +/- 37 for the aceticlastic methanogens; and 135 +/- 15 for the hydrogenophilic methanogens. Electron micrographs of the mixed consortia showed seven different morphological bacterial types, including Methanotrix-like bacteria.

Disruption and phenotypic analysis of seven ORFs from the left arm of chromosome XV of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

We have disrupted seven open reading frames (ORFs) located in the left arm of chromosome XV of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These ORFs, previously discovered by our laboratory during the programme of systematic sequencing of the yeast genome, are YOL152w, YOL151w, YOL149w, YOL130w, YOL128c, YOL125w and YOL124c. In most cases, the short flanking homology (SFH) replacement technique has been used. The mutants were analysed for different phenotypic tests. Disruption of YOL130w (also known as ALR1) produced a lethal phenotype, despite the presence of a highly similar gene in the yeast genome (ALR2/YFL050C). Disruption of YOL149w (also known as DCP1, and encoding an mRNA decapping enzyme) results in lethality in the FY1679 background, although it allows slow growth in the CEN.PK141 background. Disruption of the remaining ORFs did not result in readily detectable phenotypic changes.

Sexual phenotype of avian chimeric gonads with germinal and stromal cells of opposite genetic sexes.

The respective roles of germinal and stromal cells in determining the sexual phenotype of the gonad were analyzed in chimeric gonads obtained by surgical recombination between young avian blastodiscs in ovo. Equivalent territories were exchanged between two blastodisc, in order that the germinal crescent and the gonad territory had a different origin (fig. 3). Embryos used for these experiments carried a sex linked pigment mutation, that made it possible to diagnose the genetic sexes of germ cells and stroma at the time when the gonad was retrieved for examination. On the basis of species, three types of combination were performed: chick germ cells in chick or quail stroma, quail germ cells in chick stroma. In each chimera, the genetic sexes of the two gonadal cell populations could be identical or opposite. However it appeared that the germ cell population was not always homogeneous. In some grafting schemes, ectopic germ cells, located outside the germinal crescent, contributed to the colonization of the experimental gonad. These germ cells were from the same territory as the stroma element of the gonad, i.e., they were of the same species and the same genetic sex. Whatever the case, in 87 chimeras that were studied, the sex phenotype of the gonads always corresponded to the genetic sex of the stroma. Thus the genetic sex of germ cells has no role in the sexual differentiation of the gonadal rudiments.