Infection with the Sand Flea Tunga penetrans (Tungiasis) in a Traveller Returning from Cameroon, Africa

Tungiasis refers to human infection with adult fleas, Tunga penetrans. Although common throughout the tropics, tungiasis is rarely encountered by physicians in the United States such that it may be improperly diagnosed and inappropriately treated. We provide a case report of tungiasis in a traveler from Cameroon and a brief review of reported cases in the United States and Canada

Ichthyobodosis in Oncorhynchus mykiss fry

On February 1998 in one of the trout farm of Kohkiloieh & Boyer Ahmad province was observed the mass mortality of trout fry with 3 centimeters total length. The rate of mortality was 40%. The sampling was done randomly from various traphs of hatchery hall and 200 fish fry sampled. Wet smears provided from skin and gill of 100 pieces of fish showed 100%infection to parasite Ichthyobodo which the contamination in skin was severe and about gills, it was moderate. Treatment procedures recommended of increasing water flow, decreasing fish density, formalin bath with proportion of 1:4000 for one hour with use of aeration in order to supplying dissolved oxygen needed (synchronously). Above recommendations were effective in decreasing of contamination load and mortality rate

Explorative Study on Urban Public Space Renovation during COVID-19: Test of a Visual Web-Based Survey about the City of Saint German en Laye, France

Background: The complex socio-epidemiological situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic forced cities to rapidly adapt to new prevention distancing measures. Several interventions have been made but specific tools are needed to rapidly verify the suitability of such design proposals. This study aims to describe the process of development and testing of a visual web-based survey to assess potential user feedback on Urban Public Space renovation for the city of Saint Germain-En-Laye (SGL), France during the pandemic. The renovation included pedestrianization strategies for the city center and the design and installation of new street furniture. Method: After an exploration of the literature and stakeholder interaction, an online survey composed of three sections and seven questions evaluating the project was developed to rapidly validate the design solution before its actual installation and compare the pre- and post-situation trough visual insights on a 5-point Likert scale. Data was collected through a Google Form and analyzed with descriptive statistics. Results: We received 371 full replies from Italian and French respondents. The survey results showed that the Urban Public Space proposal improved the baseline situation for different reasons, such as safety, sustainability, and accessibility. In fact, Solution A (the existing situation) obtained an average score of 2.08 while Solution B (the design solution) obtained 4.13. Conclusions: The features identified allowed for timely comparisons and possible insights, and the approach can be implemented in other medium-sized European cities dealing with Urban Public Space transformation during COVID-19

Urinary eicosanoid metabolites in HIV-infected women with central obesity switching to raltegravir: an analysis from the women, integrase, and fat accumulation trial.

Chronic inflammation is a hallmark of HIV infection. Eicosanoids reflect inflammation, oxidant stress, and vascular health and vary by sex and metabolic parameters. Raltegravir (RAL) is an HIV-1 integrase inhibitor that may have limited metabolic effects. We assessed urinary F2-isoprostanes (F2-IsoPs), prostaglandin E2 (PGE-M), prostacyclin (PGI-M), and thromboxane B2 (TxB2) in HIV-infected women switching to RAL-containing antiretroviral therapy (ART). Thirty-seven women (RAL = 17; PI/NNRTI = 20) with a median age of 43 years and BMI 32 kg/m(2) completed week 24. TxB2 increased in the RAL versus PI/NNRTI arm (+0.09 versus -0.02; P = 0.06). Baseline PGI-M was lower in the RAL arm (P = 0.005); no other between-arm cross-sectional differences were observed. In the PI/NNRTI arm, 24-week visceral adipose tissue change correlated with PGI-M (rho = 0.45; P = 0.04) and TxB2 (rho = 0.44; P = 0.005) changes, with a trend seen for PGE-M (rho = 0.41; P = 0.07). In an adjusted model, age ≥ 50 years (N = 8) was associated with increased PGE-M (P = 0.04). In this randomized trial, a switch to RAL did not significantly affect urinary eicosanoids over 24 weeks. In women continuing PI/NNRTI, increased visceral adipose tissue correlated with increased PGI-M and PGE-M. Older age (≥ 50) was associated with increased PGE-M. Relationships between aging, adiposity, ART, and eicosanoids during HIV-infection require further study

Chemotherapy-related damage to ovarian reserve in childhood cancer survivors : interpreting the evidence

Chemotherapy during childhood damages ovarian reserve and can affect future fertility. However, recent large epidemiological studies showed that the detrimental impact on fertility is less severe if women seek for pregnancy at a younger age. To explain this observation, we hypothesize that the detrimental effects of previous chemotherapy on the ovarian reserve may be attenuated in young adults for two main reasons. Firstly, recent evidence showed that the amount of ovarian reserve is not a critical factor for effective natural conceptions. Provided that the residual ovarian reserve allows regular ovulatory cycles, the chances of pregnancy are similar in women with intact or reduced ovarian reserve. Secondly, ovarian reserve depletion appears to be a phenomenon that is inversely related to the residual ovarian reserve rather than to age. From a mathematical perspective, this kind of regulation intrinsically attenuates the effects of an early loss of a significant amount of primordial follicles. In conclusion, the detrimental effects of chemotherapy on natural fertility may be less severe if women with a history of chemotherapy during childhood seek for pregnancy early. This information should be part of the counseling

Therapeutic challenges for cisplatin-resistant ovarian germ cell tumors

The majority of patients with advanced ovarian germ cell cancer are treated by cisplatin-based chemotherapy. Despite adequate first-line treatment, nearly one third of patients relapse and almost half develop cisplatin-resistant disease, which is often fatal. The treatment of cisplatin-resistant disease is challenging and prognosis remains poor. There are limited data on the efficacy of specific chemotherapeutic regimens, high-dose chemotherapy with autologous progenitor cell support and targeted therapies. The inclusion of patients in clinical trials is strongly recommended, especially in clinical trials on the most frequent male germ cell tumors, to offer wider therapeutic opportunities. Here, we provide an overview of current and potential new treatment options including combination chemotherapy, high-dose chemotherapy and molecular targeted therapies, for patients with cisplatin-resistant ovarian germ cell tumors

Reproductive outcomes and fertility preservation strategies in women with malignant ovarian germ cell tumors after fertility sparing surgery

Malignant ovarian germ cell tumors are rare tumors that mainly affect patients of reproductive age. The aim of this study was to investigate the reproductive outcomes and fertility preservation strategies in malignant ovarian germ cell tumors after fertility-sparing surgery. Data in literature support that fertility-sparing surgery is associated with an excellent oncological outcome not only in early stages malignant ovarian germ cell tumors but also in advanced stages. Moreover, the possibility of performing conservative treatment should be considered even in case of relapse or advanced disease, given the high chemosensitivity. Indeed, available data have shown that menstrual function is maintained after platinum-based regimens in over 85–95% of patients with malignant ovarian germ cell tumors and rate of premature menopause reported in literature ranges between 3% and 7.4%, while premature ovarian failure rates are between 3.4% and 5%. Moreover, reproductive outcomes are about 80% with no increase in the risk of teratogenicity compared to general population. Therefore, conservative surgery for malignant ovarian germ cell tumors currently may represent a therapeutic option in patients who wish to preserve fertility but must be available for extended follow-up and after subscribing to informed consent

EP-1349: Long term results of a phase I-II study of moderate hypofractionated IGRT in prostate cancer

Pregnant women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus subjected to diet (GDMd) that do not reach normal glycaemia are passed to insulin therapy (GDMi). GDMd associates with increased human cationic amino acid transporter 1 (hCAT-1)-mediated transport of L-arginine and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity in foetoplacental vasculature, a phenomenon reversed by exogenous insulin. Whether insulin therapy results in reversal of the GDMd effect on the foetoplacental vasculature is unknown. We assayed whether insulin therapy normalizes GDMd-associated foetoplacental endothelial dysfunction. Primary cultures of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) from GDMi pregnancies were used to assay L-arginine transport kinetics, NOS activity, p44/42mapk and protein kinase B/Akt activation, and umbilical vein rings reactivity. HUVECs from GDMi or GDMd show increased hCAT-1 expression and maximal transport capacity, NOS activity, and eNOS, and p44/42mapk, but not Akt activator phosphorylation. Dilation in response to insulin or calcitonin-gene related peptide was impaired in umbilical vein rings from GDMi and GDMd pregnancies. Incubation of HUVECs in vitro with insulin (1 nmol/L) restored hCAT-1 and eNOS expression and activity, and eNOS and p44/42mapk activator phosphorylation. Thus, maternal insulin therapy does not seem to reverse GDMd-associated alterations in human foetoplacental vasculature.Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico Chileno 1150377 , 1150344 , 11150083Servicio de Salud de Medicina Oriente de Chile 1938–2016Marie Curie International Research 295185 - EULAMDIM