Behavioral and pathological effects in the rat define two groups of neurotoxic nitriles.

Adult male Long-Evans rats (250-350 g) received control vehicles, 3,3'-iminodipropionitrile (IDPN, 400 mg kg(-1) day(-1)), allylnitrile (50 mg kg(-1) day(-1)), cis-crotononitrile (110 mg kg(-1) day(-1)), trans-crotononitrile (250 mg kg(-1) day(-1)), or 2,4-hexadienenitrile (300 mg kg(-1) day(-1)), i.p., for 3 consecutive days. Rats treated with IDPN, allylnitrile, and cis-crotononitrile developed the ECC (excitation with circling and choreiform movements) syndrome, whereas those treated with trans-crotononitrile and hexadienenitrile exhibited a different syndrome, characterized by faltering movements. On quantitative analysis, IDPN, allylnitrile, and cis-crotononitrile induced high scores in a test battery for vestibular dysfunction and hyperactivity in the open field, but they did not significantly decrease stride length. Hexadienenitrile and trans-crotononitrile did not increase the vestibular scores or the locomotor activity, but they caused a marked decrease in stride length; they also decreased holding time on a vertical ladder. In brain and spinal cord tissue from rats exposed to IDPN, allylnitrile, or cis-crotononitrile, Fluoro-Jade B, a selective stain for degenerating neurons, did not reveal any labeling other than that of nerve terminals in the glomeruli of the olfactory bulbs, indicating degeneration of the olfactory mucosa. With the same stain, rats exposed to trans-crotononitrile or hexadienenitrile showed a common pattern of selective neurotoxicity; major targets were the inferior olive and the piriform cortex. Hexadienenitrile did not cause hair cell degeneration in the vestibular and auditory sensory epithelia. Present and previous data indicate that neurotoxic nitriles induce one or the other of two different motor syndromes, through either vestibular hair cell degeneration or neuronal degeneration of the inferior olive.     

Allogeneic stem-cell transplantation may overcome the adverse prognosis of unmutated VH gene in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

PURPOSE: To investigate whether allogeneic stem-cell transplantation (allo-SCT) may overcome the negative impact of unmutated VH genes in the outcome of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We analyzed the outcome of patients who underwent SCT according to their VH mutational status. RESULTS: Thirty-four patients (14 allo-SCT and 20 autologous SCT [auto-SCT]) presented unmutated VH genes and 16 patients presented mutated VH genes (nine allo-SCT and seven auto-SCT). Tumoral burden pre-SCT was significantly higher in the allo-SCT patients independent of the VH mutational status. The risk of relapse was significantly higher after auto-SCT (5-year risk, 61%; 95% CI, 44% to 84%) than after allo-SCT (5-year risk 12%, 95% CI, 3% to 44%; P < .05). In the unmutated group, 13 of 20 auto-SCT and two of 14 allo-SCT patients experienced disease progression, with a risk of relapse at 5 years of 66% (95% CI, 48% to 93%) v 17% (95% CI, 5% to 60%), respectively (P = .01). CONCLUSION: These results show that allo-SCT may overcome the unfavorable effect of unmutated VH genes in patients with CLL.     

Improvement to the Corrosion Resistance of Ti-Based Implants Using Hydrothermally Synthesized Nanostructured Anatase Coatings

The electrochemical behavior of polycrystalline TiO₂ anatase coatings prepared by a one-step hydrothermal synthesis on commercially pure (CP) Ti grade 2 and a Ti13Nb13Zr alloy for bone implants was investigated in Hank’s solution at 37.5 °C. The aim was to verify to what extent the in-situ-grown anatase improved the behavior of the substrate in comparison to the bare substrates. Tafel-plot extrapolations from the potentiodynamic curves revealed a substantial improvement in the corrosion potentials for the anatase coatings. Moreover, the coatings grown on titanium also exhibited lower corrosion-current densities, indicating a longer survival of the implant. The results were explained by considering the effects of crystal morphology, coating thickness and porosity. Evidence for the existing porosity was obtained from corrosion and nano-indentation tests. The overall results indicated that the hydrothermally prepared anatase coatings, with the appropriate morphology and surface properties, have attractive prospects for use in medical devices, since better corrosion protection of the implant can be expected.     

Les douleurs à point de départ ORL : quelles douleurs, quelle prise en charge ?

The ENT pathology is frequent in primary care, adults and children, and often comes along with pain. The pains have a point of departure ORL are mostly in connection with viral infections, or bacterial and to affect the ear itself or to be projected. Patients very often fear carcinogenic pathology. The nurse who greets the patient can by inquiring identify not only the intensity (severe with acute stage), chronology (paroxystic, chronic) and associated signs (rhinologiques, cough, fever, general state, sleeping disorders, etc.) of pain but also the context: anxiety, fear for cancer pathology, and vascular headache. The nurse has to inform the patient, reassure the family and the circle of acquaintances in particular when it is about children. We shall limit ourselves to the most frequently encountered pathologies such as rhino-sinusal infections, ENT pathology, otitis and cancer pain.     

Embolization of a septal branch perforation using subcutaneous fat during a percutaneous coronary intervention of chronic total occlusion by retrograde approach

We describe a case of septal branch perforation during percutaneous coronary intervention of a right coronary artery chronic total occlusion. The septal branch perforation was treated with administration of autologous fat into the septal branch with significant reduction of extravasation. This treatment was followed by prolonged balloon inflation at the exit point of the septal branch in the donor artery which definitively sealed the perforation.