Uptake and metabolism of carbamazepine (CBZ) by clam Ruditapes decussatus and its effects in biochemical responses

1. Laboratory experiments were carried out to assess uptake and metabolism of the epilepsy drug, carbamazepine and its consequent biological responses in marine clam (Ruditapes decussatus) a model non-target organism in ecotoxicology.

2. Clams were exposed to two nominal concentrations (C1?=?30?μg/L and C2?=?50?μg/L) of CBZ for a maximum period of 14 days. Analysis of CBZ and their metabolites in clam and water after exposure to two nominal concentrations of the pharmaceutical drug were performed using UPLC-HRMS analysis. CBZ accumulation reached an average tissue concentration of 1241.59 ng/g dw and 1664.33 ng/g dw at low and high nominal concentration, respectively.

3. Furthermore, a metabolite (3-hydroxy-CBZ) was detected in tissues indicating carbamazepine translocation and metabolism inside clam, suspect screening of CBZ glucuronides was also performed by accurate mass extraction but it could not be detected.

4. Activities of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase and gluthatione-S-transferase generally increased. Change in the contents of glutathione, malondialdehyde and protein carbonyl were also studied.

5. Results indicated that the bioaccumulation of CBZ resulted in the changes of the antioxidant defense system and the production of ROS with the oxidative stress, ultimately induced alteration in lipid peroxidation and protein carbonyl.     

Metasurfaces for Far-Field Radiation Pattern Correction of Antennas under Dielectric Seamed-Radomes

A high-index dielectric radome seam is camouflaged with respect to a low-index dielectric radome panel by tuning the seam with carefully engineered metasurfaces. A transmission-line approach is used to model the metasurface-tuned seam and analytically retrieve the corresponding surface impedance, from which the unit-cell design is then tailored. Full-wave simulations and microwave antenna measurements performed on a proof-of-concept prototype validate the undesired scattering suppression effect in the case of normally and obliquely incident transverse electric and transverse magnetic wave illuminations. Robustness of the proposed solution to fabrication tolerances is also reported. The study presents metasurface-tuning as an easily implementable, frequency adjustable, and polarization insensitive solution to reduce the scattering of dielectric mechanical seams and improve the overall transparency performance of radome structures.     

Radiological features of Adenomatoid odontogenic tumor: Report of a maxillary case and a mandibular one

We present two cases of AOT, the first case concerns a 23‐year‐old patient with an AOT located in the maxilla and the second case involves a 37‐year‐old patient presenting an AOT with mandibular localization.     

Opposing effects of narcotic gases and pressure on the striatal dopamine release in rats

Nitrogen-oxygen breathing mixtures, for pressures higher than 0.5 MPa, decrease the release of dopamine in the rat striatum, due to the narcotic potency of nitrogen. In contrast, high pressures of helium-oxygen breathing mixtures of more than 1-2 MPa induce an increase of the striatal dopamine release and an enhancement of motor activity, referred to as the high pressure nervous syndrome (HPNS), and attributed to the effect of pressure per se. It has been demonstrated that the effect of pressure could be antagonized by narcotic gas in a ternary mixture, but most of the narcotic gas studies measuring DA release were executed below the threshold for pressure effect. To examine the effect of narcotic gases at pressure on the rat striatal dopamine release, we have used two gases, with different narcotic potency, at sublethargic pressure, nitrogen at 3 MPa and argon at 2 MPa. In addition, to dissociate the effect of the pressure, we have used nitrous oxide at 0.1 MPa to induce narcosis at very low pressure, and helium at 8 MPa to study the effect of pressure per se. In all the narcotic conditions we have recorded a decrease of the striatal dopamine release. In contrast, helium pressure induced an increase of DA release. For the pressures used, the results suggest that the decrease of dopamine release was independent of such an effect of the pressure. However, for the same narcotic gas, the measurements of the extracellular DA performed in the striatum seem to reflect an opposing effect of pressure, since the decrease in DA release is lower with increasing pressure.     

Association of systemic lupus erythematosus and dermatopolymyositis

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) associated with dermatopolymyositis (DM). This association is rare. Diagnosis may be difficult because of their common clinical findings. We report here a case. A 22-year-old man was admitted for arthritis with fever, diffuse myalgia and periorbital skin heliotrope rash. Electromyogram and muscular biopsy were suggestive of DM. The patient was treated with oral prednisone. Two months and a half later, he was admitted for impure nephrotic syndrome in relation with diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis. Antibodies against native double-stranded- DNA were positive, and normal skin biopsy showed immune complex deposit on dermo-epidermic junction, suggestive of SLE. The patient was treated with high doses of prednisone and 6 monthly intravenous pulses of cyclophosphamide. Skin lesions and nephrotic syndrome improved. Presently, the patient remains asymptomatic. While being of different pathogenesis, SLE and DM may coexist in the same patient.     

Effect of triple antiretroviral therapy on Tunisian AIDS profile: study of 139 cases

We report a retrospective study to estimate highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) effect in 139 HIV infected patients. Four criteria are studied: prevalence of opportunistic infections, CD4 cell count evolution, viral load progression and mortality. Gastrointestinal side effects are the most common clinical adverse reaction (61.1 percent), and hematological side effects are the most common biological adverse reaction (61.2 percent). During the 22.8 months (3 months to 6 years) follow-up average period, CD4 cell counts remained above 500 per cubic millimeter in only 25.8 percent of cases, while 63.5 percent of patients had a viral load below 400 copies per milliliter. During the study on patients receiving HAART, opportunistic infections appeared in 17.3 percent of cases (24 cases) and mortality in 6.4 percent of cases.     

Quantification of brain mu-opioid receptors with [11C]carfentanil: reference-tissue methods

[(11)C]Carfentanil (CFN) is a mu-opioid agonist used for in vivo positron emission tomography (PET) studies of mu-opioid receptors. Previously, a tissue-ratio method was validated for the quantification of CFN binding. However, since that initial validation, several other blood independent (reference-tissue) methods have become available. To evaluate these methods, CFN PET studies with arterial blood sampling were acquired in six healthy male control subjects. Specific binding estimates obtained from reference-tissue methods were compared to those obtained with a more rigorous blood input modeling technique. It was determined that both a graphical method, and a simplified reference tissue model, were more accurate than the tissue-ratio method for quantification of CFN binding.     

Presence of simian virus 40 in diffuse large B-cell lymphomas in Tunisia correlates with germinal center B-cell immunophenotype, t(14;18) translocation, and P53 accumulation.

Previously we have reported the presence of simian virus 40 DNA in 56% of diffuse large B-cell lymphomas in Tunisia. Here, we investigated the relationship between the status of simian virus 40 and t(14;18) translocation, germinal center status, and P53 and BCL2 expression to assess the clinical and biological relevance of simian virus 40 presence in diffuse large B-cell lymphomas. Therefore, we evaluated by immunohistochemistry the expression patterns of CD10, BCL6, MUM1, BCL2, and P53 in 86 diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (48 simian virus 40-positive and 38 simian virus 40-negative cases). The t(14;18) translocation was investigated by polymerase chain reaction. Immunostaining patterns for CD10, BCL6, and MUM1 were used to subclassify diffuse large B-cell lymphoma cases as germinal center or non-germinal center phenotypes. Germinal center phenotype, t(14;18), P53, and BCL2 expression were found in 71, 30, 55, and 65% of cases, respectively. Interestingly, germinal center phenotype, t(14;18), and P53 accumulation were found to be more frequent in simian virus 40-positive cases than in simian virus 40-negative ones (81, 44, 69 vs 58, 13, 37%; P=0.018, 0.002, and 0.003, respectively). However, there were no correlations between the presence of simian virus 40 and the expression of CD10, BCL6, MUM1 and BCL2, patient's age and gender, clinical stage, or the International Prognosis Index. Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that the germinal center phenotype, P53 accumulation, and t(14;18) were independent factors for simian virus 40 association (P=0.029, 0.006, and 0.014, respectively). There were no significant differences in overall survival regarding P53, BCL2, or t(14;18) status. However, patients with germinal center phenotype or low International Prognosis Index scores displayed a significantly better survival than those with non-germinal center phenotype or high International Prognosis Index scores (P=0.003 and 0.0001, respectively). These two prognosis factors remain independent in multivariate analyses (P=0.001 and <0.0001, respectively). Interestingly, among patients with germinal center phenotype, simian virus 40-positive subgroup displayed a significantly shorter survival than simian virus 40-negative subgroup (P=0.034). In summary, these findings support a role of simian virus 40 in the pathogenesis of diffuse large B-cell lymphomas. On other hand, they suggest that a significant proportion of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma cases with germinal center phenotype may result from early transformation by simian virus 40, mainly those harboring the t(14;18).Modern Pathology (2008) 21, 282-296; doi:10.1038/modpathol.3800993; published online 28 December 2007.     

Combined vesicovaginal and rectovaginal fistulas associated with a vaginal foreign body

Long-duration intravaginal foreign bodies are a rare entity, but may cause serious complications to the bladder or rectum. We describe a 22-year-old woman who presented with a calcified pelvic mass caused by a long-duration intravaginal foreign body complicated by perforation into the bladder and rectum. The vesicovaginal and rectovaginal fistulas were simultaneously repaired by suprapubic approach after retrieval of the foreign body during the same procedure.