Hydatidosis of the cervicofacial glands. Apropos of 6 cases

Six cases of hydatid cyst of cervico-facial glands are reported: 4 involving the salivary gland and 2 the thyroid gland, insisting on their rareness even in endemic countries. Ultra sound scanning let us suspect the hydatid nature of the liquid when there are multiple echoes or compartmentation. Cytopuncture using a fine needle which provides a crystal clear liquid is important for the diagnosis. Treatment is surgical and avoids the spontaneous evolution that may be interrupted by complications.     

Peritoneal echinococcosis. Diagnostic and therapeutic problems. Apropos of 34 cases]

By the light of retrospective study of a series of 34 cases of peritoneal echinococcosis the authors are reminding epidemiological, etiopathologenical, diagnostic difficulties and treatment of this endemic affection in their country. In their study they noted a frequency of 4.5%. With a female predominance (73.5%), the main age was 47 years 80% of the patients were noted to have a rural origin. The treatment was conservative for the primitive kyste as for the peritoneal locations. The post operative course was uneventful in 76% of cases and complicated in 24% (subphrenic abscess in 5 cases and cholerragy in 2 cases). They deplored 3 deaths the follow up was assured clinically; echographically and biologically; they have reoperated 9 relapses.     

Bilio-bronchial fistula of hydatid origin. Apropos of 8 cases

While reporting on 9 cases of bilio-bronchic fistulas of hydatic origin, and with the help of literature data the authors are underlying a number of points: Hidatic bilio-bronchic fistulas are rare and a serious condition responsible of lesions at 3 levels, hepatic, diaphragmatic, and pulmonary. The diagnosis gives no rise to any problem the biliptysia is the main symptom. The treatment is always surgical, the approach is the abdominal way that permits the hepato-bronchic deconnection and the treatment of the hydatic cyst and to ensure the liberty of the common bile duct and to realise an eventuly drainage of the common bile duct to close the fistulous diaphragmatic communication and permit an inter-hepatodiaphragmatic drainage. It's but in front of a preoperatory destruction of a pulmonary lobe or the absence of improval of a pulmonary state post operatively (irreversible bronchectasis, chronic pulmonary sepsis) that the thoracotomy is indicated. The prognosis is severe with an elevated rate of mortality of 12,2% in this series. Showing the necessity of the prenetion of such complication by operating on every hydatic cyst of hepatic dome.     

Imino-tetrahydro-benzothiazole derivatives as p53 inhibitors: discovery of a highly potent in vivo inhibitor and its action mechanism

Several neurological disorders manifest symptoms that result from the degeneration and death of specific neurons. p53 is an important modulator of cell death, and its inhibition could be a therapeutic approach to several neuropathologies. Here, we report the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of novel p53 inhibitors based on the imino-tetrahydrobenzothiazole scaffold. By performing studies on their mechanism of action, we find that cyclic analogue 4b and its open precursor 2b are more potent than pifithrin-alpha (PFT-alpha), which is known to block p53 pro-apoptotic activity in vitro and in vivo without acting on other pro-apoptotic pathways. Using spectroscopic methods, we also demonstrate that open form 2b is more stable than 4b in biological media. Compound 2b is converted into its corresponding active cyclic form through an intramolecular dehydration process and was found two log values more active in vivo than PFT-alpha. Thus, 2b can be considered as a new prodrug prototype that prevents in vivo p53-triggered cell death in several neuropathologies and possibly reduces cancer therapy side effects.     

Elevated levels of IFNγ and LIGHT in the spinal cord of patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a paralytic and fatal neurodegenerative disorder caused by the gradual loss of both upper and lower motoneurons. There is compelling evidence from ALS experimental models that neuroinflammation actively contributes to motoneuron damage. We recently proposed that interferon gamma (IFNγ), a potent proinflammatory cytokine, induces motoneuron death by eliciting the activation of the lymphotoxin beta receptor (LT‐βR) through its ligand LIGHT. Here, we explore the pertinence of this non‐cell‐autonomous mechanism in human ALS. Methods: The levels and expression pattern of IFNγ, LIGHT, and LT‐βR were investigated by Western blot and immunohistochemical analysis in spinal cord of patients with sporadic ALS. Results: We observed significant increased levels of IFNγ in human ALS spinal cords compared to control cases. We found that large ventral horn neurons as well as glial cells were immunoreactive for IFNγ in sporadic ALS spinal cord. We further observed that LIGHT and LT‐βR were expressed mainly by motoneurons in both ALS and control cases, and while LT‐βR levels remained constant between ALS and control cases, LIGHT levels were increased in human ALS spinal cords. Conclusion: These findings in sporadic ALS cases, which are consistent with the observation made in ALS experimental models, propose that the IFNγ‐triggered LIGHT/LT‐βR‐mediated death pathway may contribute to human ALS pathogenesis.     

Role of both actin–myosin cross bridges and NO-cGMP pathway modulators in the contraction and relaxation of human placental stem villi

Introduction

Human placental stem villi (PSV) present contractile properties. We studied the role of actin–myosin cross bridges (CBs) and the effects of NO-cGMP pathway modulators in the PSV contraction and relaxation.

Methods

In vitro contractile properties were investigated in 71 PSV from term human placentas studied according to their long axis. Contraction was induced by both KCl and electrical tetanic stimulation. Relaxation was induced by inhibiting the CB cycle with either 2,3-butanedione monoxime (BDM) or blebbistatin (BLE) and by activating the NO-cGMP pathway with isosorbide dinitrate (ISDN), sildenafil (SIL) or ISDN + SIL.

Results

PSV tension slowly increased by 140% of the basal tone after KCl exposure and by 85% after tetanus. The addition of BDM, BLE, ISDN, SIL and ISDN + SIL induced a relaxation of PSV, the overall time course of relaxation (in s) was respectively (means ± SD) 3412 ± 1904, 14,250 ± 3095*, 3813 ± 1383, 2883 ± 1188 and 2440 ± 477; significantly longer in BLE compared with BDM, ISDN, SIL and ISDN + SIL:*p < 0.001). the overall time course of relaxation (in s) was respectively (means ± SD) 3412 ± 1904, 14,250 ± 3095*, 3813 ± 1383, 2883 ± 1188 and 2440 ± 477; significantly longer in BLE compared with BDM, ISDN, SIL and ISDN + SIL:*p < 0.001). These relaxation kinetics were particularly slow. Other relaxation parametres, i.e., maximum lengthening, -peak dT/dt, and resting tension, did not differ between these 5 subgroups.

Discussion and conclusion

Isolated human PSV were able to contract after both KCl exposure and tetanus. This increase in contractility was reversed by inhibiting the CB cycle with BDM or BLE and by stimulating the NO-cGMP pathway with ISDN or SIL. The association ISDN + SIL did not potentiate the relaxing processes     

Large Electrocaloric Responsivity and Energy Storage Response in the Lead-Free Ba(GexTi1−x)O3 Ceramics

Ferroelectric property that induces electrocaloric effect was investigated in Ba(Ge_xTi_1−x)O₃ ceramics, known as BTGx. X-ray diffraction analysis shows pure perovskite phases in tetragonal symmetry compatible with the P4mm (No. 99) space group. Dielectric permittivity exhibits first-order ferroelectric-paraelectric phase transition, confirmed by specific heat measurements, similar to that observed in BaTiO₃ (BTO) crystal. Curie temperature varies weakly as a function of Ge-content. Using the direct and indirect method, we confirmed that the adiabatic temperature change ΔT reached its higher value of 0.9 K under 8 kV/cm for the composition BTG6, corresponding to an electrocaloric responsivity ΔT/ΔE of 1.13 × 10⁻⁶ K.m/V. Such electrocaloric responsivity significantly exceeds those obtained so far in other barium titanate-based lead-free electrocaloric ceramic materials. Energy storage investigations show promising results: stored energy density of ~17 mJ/cm³ and an energy efficiency of ~88% in the composition BTG5. These results classify the studied materials as candidates for cooling devices and energy storage applications.