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Due to large outbreaks observed worldwide, Candida auris has emerged as a major threat to healthcare facilities. To prevent these phenomena, a systematic screening should be performed in patients transferred from regions where the pathogen is highly endemic. In this study, we recorded and analyzed French mycologists' current knowledge and practice regarding C. auris screening and diagnosis. Thirty-six centers answered an online questionnaire. Only 11 (30.6 %) participants were aware of any systematic screening for C. auris for patients admitted to their hospital. In the case of post-admission screening, axillae/groins (n = 21), nares (n = 7), rectum (n = 9), and mouth (n = 6) alone or various combinations were the body sites the most frequently sampled. Only six centers (8.3 %) reported using a commercially available plate allowing the differentiation of C. auris colonies from that of other Candida species, while five laboratories (13.8 %) had implemented a C. auris -specific qPCR. Considering the potential impact on infected patients and the risk of disorganization in the care of patients, it is crucial to remember to biologists and clinicians the utmost importance of systematic screening on admission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SYMBIOSE is a modelling platform that accounts for variability and uncertainty in radiological impact assessments, when simulating the environmental fate of radionuclides and assessing doses to human populations. The default database of SYMBIOSE is partly based on parameter values that are summarized within International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) documents. To characterize uncertainty on the transfer parameters, 331 Probability Distribution Functions (PDFs) were defined from the summary statistics provided within the IAEA documents (i.e. sample size, minimal and maximum values, arithmetic and geometric means, standard and geometric standard deviations) and are made available as spreadsheet files. The methods used to derive the PDFs without complete data sets, but merely the summary statistics, are presented. Then, a simple case-study illustrates the use of the database in a second-order Monte Carlo calculation, separating parametric uncertainty and inter-individual variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhino-orbital-aspergillosis (ROA) is a rare but serious disease in immunocompetent patients. Diagnosis is often delayed due to the absence of specific clinical symptoms. We describe the case of a patient who presented initially with ROA which spread progressively to the right ethmoid-sphenoid sinuses and then to the brain. A 61-year-old patient with a history of well-controlled diabetes presented with a sudden severe decrease in right visual acuity. Cerebral MRI showed the presence of an infiltrate in the right orbital apex extending to the homolateral cavernous sinus without any cerebral involvement. A diagnosis of right orbital myositis was made and corticosteroid therapy was started. His symptoms worsened progressively leading to quasi-blindness. A new MRI showed the development of right sphenoid-ethmoid osteolytic lesions. A fungal aetiology was suspected and tests for fungal biomarkers found a β-(1-3)-D-glucan level of 99 pg/ml but negative galactomannan. An ethmoid biopsy was performed for histological and mycological investigations, including the detection of Aspergillus DNA by qPCR. qPCR was positive and culture resulted in the isolation of multi-sensitive Aspergillus fumigatus. Treatment was initiated with voriconazole. Due to persistence of blindness and the appearance of a lesion extending to the right frontal lobe, surgical excision was performed followed by antifungal treatment for a total duration of 1 year. The patient is currently stable, but has persistence of blindness in the right eye. Invasive ROA is a rare but serious disease in immunocompetent patients which should be evoked in the differential diagnosis of a tumour or vasculitis. Early diagnosis is essential for optimal management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the long-term after atmospheric deposit onto a forest ecosystem, Cs-137 becomes incorporated into the biogeochemical cycle of stable elements and progressively reaches a quasi-equilibrium state. This study aimed at determining to what extent Cs-137 activity distribution in tree vegetation could be predicted from that of stable caesium (Cs-133) and potassium (K), which are known to be stable chemical analogues and competitors for Cs-137 intake in tree organs. Field campaigns that focused on beech trees (Fagus sylvatica L.) were conducted in 2021 in three French forest stands with contrasted characteristics regarding either the contribution of global vs. Chornobyl fallouts, soil or climatic conditions. Decades after Cs-137 fallouts, it was found that more than 80% of the total radioactive inventory in the system remained confined in the top 20 cm mineral layers, while organic layers and beech vegetation (including roots) contributed each to less than 1.5%. The enhanced downward migration of Cs-137 in cambisol than podzol forest sites was presumably due to migration of clay particles and bioturbation. The distribution of Cs-137 and Cs-133 inventories in beech trees was very similar among sites but differed from that of K due a higher accumulation of Cs isotopes in roots (40–50% vs. < 25% for K). The aggregated transfer factor (Tag) of Cs-137 calculated for aerial beech organs were all lower than those reported in literature more than 20 years ago, this suggesting a decrease of bioavailability in soil due to ageing processes. Regarding their variability, Tag s were generally lower by a factor 5 at the cambisol site, which was fairly well explained by a much higher value of RIP (radiocesium immobilisation potential). Cs-137 concentrations in trees organs normalized by the soil exchangeable fractions were linearly correlated to those of Cs-133 and the best fit was found for the linear regression model without intercept indicating that no more contribution of the foliar uptake could be observed on long term. Provided that the vertical distribution of caesium concentrations and fine root density are properly measured or estimated, Cs-133 was shown to be a much better proxy than K to estimate the root transfer of Cs-137. • Beech trees contributed to less than 1.5% of the total Cs-137 inventory. • The signature of Cs-137 foliar uptake could not be observed anymore in the long term. • Root uptake of Cs-137 was much higher at podzol than cambisol sites. • Partitioning of both Cs inventories among tree organs differed from that of K. • Cs-133 was shown a better proxy than K to assess root uptake of Cs-137. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper describes a dynamic compartment model (TOCATTA) that simulates tritium transfer in agricultural plants of several categories including vegetables, pasture and annual crops, exposed to time-varying HTO concentrations of water vapour in the air and possibly in irrigation and rainwater. Consideration is also given to the transfer pathways of HTO in soil. Though the transfer of tritium is quite complex, from its release into the environment to its absorption and its incorporation within the organic material of living organisms, the TOCATTA model is relatively simple, with a limited number of compartments and input parameters appropriate to its use in an operational mode. In this paper, we took the opportunity to have data obtained on an ornamental plant – an indoor palm tree – within an industrial building where tritium was released accidentally over several weeks (or months). More specifically, the model's ability to provide hindsight on the chronology of the release scenario is discussed by comparing model predictions of TFWT and OBT activity concentrations in the plant leaves with measurements performed on three different leaves characterized by different developmental stages. The data-model comparison shows some limitations, mainly because of a lack of knowledge about the initial conditions of the accident and when it actually started and about the processes involved in the transfer of tritium. Efforts are needed in both experimental and modelling areas for future evaluation of tritium behaviour in agricultural soil and plants exposed to gaseous HTO releases and/or to irrigation with contaminated water. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Cooked dishes must be cooled rapidly after cooking to avoid significant growth of Clostridium perfringens. French regulations require that produce be cooled from 63 °C to 10 °C in less than 2 h. Cooling is a critical phase for central cooking facilities that need to cool large quantities of food. The food is cooled in blast-chillers before being placed in cold storage. We observed that in France the blast-chiller is usually switched off by operators as soon as a measured temperature is equal to or below 10 °C. This temperature measurement may be taken at any place in the batch. We studied the consequences of this procedure on the distribution of temperatures at the time when cooling is stopped. We did this by monitoring the core temperatures of the foodstuffs during 52 cooling operations carried out in seven central cooking facilities for hospitals or schools. The data allowed us to estimate the characteristics of the distribution of temperatures within batches. Simulations suggest that, when the blast-chiller is switched off after cooling, there can be significant differences between random temperature readings in the batch and the highest temperatures. For 5% of simulations, the difference could be greater than 17 °C. We propose alternative rules to reduce this discrepancy. If such a single measurement was replaced by three measurements, with each of them taken at the centre of a container, this difference would be less than 3.8 °C in 95% of the simulations. The improvement of methods for measuring temperatures is necessary to achieve the cooling durations recommended by the official organizations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper compares the Morris, Spearman and Sobol' methods of sensitivity analysis in radiological risk assessment. The determination of the most influential parameters on model with regards to the propagation of their uncertainties to output variables, is of greatest interest. This study aims to determine the relative importance of parameters uncertainties on the dose calculation uncertainty in the framework of a scenario of routine discharges discussed in the context of an IAEA working group. The scenario considers atmospheric and liquid discharges of three different types of radionuclides (14C, tritium as HTO and 110m Ag) from a nuclear power plant located by the side of a river. It is concluded that the most reliable and practical method according to the ability of ranking influential parameters and the easiness of its application is the Spearman method. As key result, the three first influential variables for annual total dose for all pathways and all radionuclides were the water dissolved inorganic carbon concentration, the volatilisation rate constant and the soil layer solid liquid distribution in 14 C. • Comparison of three methods of Sensitivity Analysis: Spearman, Morris and Sobol'. • Radiological impact assessment with a scenario of atmospheric and liquid routine discharges of a nuclear power plant. • Uncertainty of ingestion dose calculation due to 14C, 3H, 110mAg. • Sensitivity analysis performed with SAMCAT software embedding Morris and Sobol' methods. • Spearman method implemented in SYMBIOSE software and appears to be the mot reliable and practical method. • Water dissolved inorganic carbon concentration, volatilisation rate constant and soil layer solid liquid distribution in 14C are the most inuential parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]