A rare case of ureteral tuberculosis mimicking a tumor

Isolated ureteral involvement in urogenital tuberculosis is rare. The diagnosis can be difficult to evoke. The radiological aspect often evokes tumor involvement, hence the importance of mentioning this pathology in endemic countries. The purpose of this study is to show that it will be necessary to think of ureteral tuberculosis in the presence of ureteral thickening living in an endemic country. We reported a case of ureteric tuberculosis in a 46-years old man mimicking a tumor.

Comparative study on photosynthetic and antioxidant activities of Haematococcus pluvialis vegetative and resting cells; UVA light-induced stimulation

AIM

This study aims to determine how photosynthetic and antioxidant activities vary in vegetative and dormant cells of Haematococcus pluvialis subjected to stresses in conditions representative of industrial productions of microalgae under solar light.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The effects of short-term oxidative treatments were examined on photosynthetic and antioxidant activities of Haematococcus pluvialis vegetative and resting cells. The vegetative cells have 1.6 times higher levels of phenolic compounds, but 1.7 times less catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase activities than the astaxanthin-enriched resting cells. Mainly, a UVA dose of 4 J cm^-2 induced increases in photosystem II electron transport rates (ETRmax) (+15%), phenolic compounds (+15%), astaxanthin (+ 48%), catalase (+45%), and superoxide dismutase (+30%) activities in vegetative cells.

CONCLUSION

The UVA-dose strongly stimulates the photosynthetic and antioxidant activities of vegetative cells, but only the accumulation of astaxanthin in resting cells.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

These preliminary results show that oxidative stresses at sub-lethal levels can stimulate the activities of microalgae. Further investigations are needed to estimate the real influence on metabolite productivities in industrial production conditions.

Reproductive performance in successive generations of the brine shrimp Artemia salina (Crustacea: Anostraca) from the Sebkha of Sidi El Hani (Tunisia)

Artemia salina cysts collected from the Sebkha of Sidi El Hani hatched and cultivated in the laboratory were investigated. Nauplii were acclimated to laboratory conditions until reproductively mature (Generation 1; G1). Reproductive performance in terms of total cysts and nauplii offspring, days between brood production, and cyst and nauplii numbers was evaluated. Nauplii produced by specimens in the G1 were defined as those of G2 with there also being third (G3) and fourth (G4) generations. The aims were to evaluate Artemia salina in aquaculture conditions with the long-term aim of developing a system for "artemiculture". There was a larger number of cysts or nauplii per brood between G1 (60.7 ± 10.9 nauplii or cysts/female) and subsequent generations, notably G2 (122 nauplii or cysts/female, P <  0.05). The mean number of cysts and nauplii per female increased from the first and last brood. Number of cysts produced per female increased markedly (P <  0.05) from G1 (54.5 ± 14.2) to G3 (128.9 ± 39.2). Percentage of females producing nauplii increased from G1 (20 %) to G4 (100 %). There was, therefore, an increase in percentage of ovoviviparous offspring (nauplii) per female (P <  0.05) from G1 (7%) to G4 (71 %). There were no differences, however, between mean numbers of broods per female, and numbers of days between broods. The results indicate there are variations in reproduction from oviparity to ovoviviparity as consecutive generations of Artemia salina are cultivated. In summary, there was a rapid adaptation of Artemia salina of Sidi El Hani to laboratory conditions.

[Neurologic manifestations of sarcoidosis: A study of 18 cases]

INTRODUCTION

Sarcoidosis is a multisystemic granulomatous disease of unknown aetiology. Neurologic manifestations are found in 5 to 10% of cases.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We conducted a retrospective study over 6-year period including 18 patients diagnosed with neurosarcoidosis in the Neurologic department of the Military Hospital of Instruction of Tunis. Clinical, radiological, therapeutic features and outcome were studied.

RESULTS

The mean age was 43.44 years. Neurologic signs were the first symptom in 10 cases. Peripheral nervous system impairment was often found. Meningitis was noted in 8 cases. Biological tests are not contributive for the diagnosis. The brain magnetic resonance imaging was pathologic in 10 cases. Corticosteroids were administrated in the majority of cases. Eight patients did not show any sign of improvement. Ten cases improved with treatment.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Diagnosis of neurosarcoidosis is difficult because of its clinical and radiological polymorphism. It is based on a clinical history suggestive of neurosarcoidosis, laboratory, imaging and histological studies.

3D dento-maxillary osteolytic lesion and active contour segmentation pilot study in CBCT: semi-automatic vs manual methods

OBJECTIVES

This study was designed to evaluate the reliability of a semi-automatic segmentation tool for dento-maxillary osteolytic image analysis compared with manually defined segmentation in CBCT scans.

METHODS

Five CBCT scans were selected from patients for whom periapical radiolucency images were available. All images were obtained using a ProMax® 3D Mid Planmeca (Planmeca Oy, Helsinki, Finland) and were acquired with 200-μm voxel size. Two clinicians performed the manual segmentations. Four operators applied three different semi-automatic procedures. The volumes of the lesions were measured. An analysis of dispersion was made for each procedure and each case. An ANOVA was used to evaluate the operator effect. Non-paired t-tests were used to compare semi-automatic procedures with the manual procedure. Statistical significance was set at α = 0.01.

RESULTS

The coefficients of variation for the manual procedure were 2.5-3.5% on average. There was no statistical difference between the two operators. The results of manual procedures can be used as a reference. For the semi-automatic procedures, the dispersion around the mean can be elevated depending on the operator and case. ANOVA revealed significant differences between the operators for the three techniques according to cases.

CONCLUSIONS

Region-based segmentation was only comparable with the manual procedure for delineating a circumscribed osteolytic dento-maxillary lesion. The semi-automatic segmentations tested are interesting but are limited to complex surface structures. A methodology that combines the strengths of both methods could be of interest and should be tested. The improvement in the image analysis that is possible through the segmentation procedure and CBCT image quality could be of value.

Thyroid hormone-induced demineralisation of the vertebral skeleton of the eel, Anguilla anguilla

The role of thyroid hormones (TH) in bone remodelling is controversial. Indeed, in humans, while they are necessary for normal growth and development, their overproduction can induce important mineral bone loss and osteoporosis. Intense bone resorption is a natural phenomenon also observed in some teleosts, during reproductive migration and fasting. Our work aimed at investigating the effects of chronic treatments with TH (thyroxin, T4 or triiodothyronine, T3) on bone resorption in a migratory fish, the European eel (Anguilla anguilla), a representative species of an ancient group of teleosts (Elopomorphs). The incineration method showed that TH induced a significant mineral loss in eel vertebral skeleton. Histology and histophysical (qualitative and quantitative microradiographs) methods were then applied to vertebral sections to determine which types of resorption were induced by TH. Quantitative image analysis of microradiographs showed that TH significantly increased the porosity of the vertebrae, demonstrating the induction of a severe bone loss. Histology revealed the appearance of large osteoclastic lacunae, indicating a stimulation of osteoclastic resorption. Quantitative image analysis of ultrathin microradiographs showed a significant increase of the size of osteocytic lacunae, indicating a stimulation of periosteocytic osteolysis. Finally, quantitative microradiographs indicated a significant fall of mineralisation degree. TH treatments did not stimulate the production of the calcium-bonded lipo-phospho-protein vitellogenin, indicating that TH-induced bone demineralisation was not mediated by any indirect effect on vitellogenesis. Our study demonstrates that TH may participate in the mobilisation of bone mineral stores in the eel, by inducing different types of vertebral bone resorption, such as osteoclastic resorption and periosteocytic osteolysis. These data suggest that the stimulatory action of TH on bone resorption may be an ancient regulatory mechanism in vertebrates.

Demineralization of the vertebral skeleton in Atlantic salmon Salmo salar L. during spawning migration

In Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, the mineral rate of vertebrae in a given fish varies according to the position of the vertebra along the rachidian axis. Indeed, the mean rate goes from 49% in the anterior vertebrae and raises to 51% in post-truncal vertebrae. Although no significant difference in the mineral rate was noticed between males and females either in the lower river basin or after spawning, the mineral rate of vertebral bone decreased significantly (1-2%) during spawning migration. Vertebrae, like scales, are an important reservoir of calcium from which fasting salmon draws the minerals and organic materials necessary for the substantial remodeling of cranial bones in males and for sexual maturation. We hypothesize that mineral decrease in vertebrae may be the result of a halastasic demineralization of the vertebral tissues.