A long survival of a patient with brain metastasis of unknown site of the primary tumor

Eighty percent of brain metastases (BM) are diagnosed in patients with known primary site of cancer. BM of unknown primary represents a difficult diagnosis. In up to 15% of patients with BM, the site of the primary tumor will not be detected despite investigations. The prognosis of this entity is very poor. We report here a case of a long survival of a patient with brain metastasis of unknown primary. The conclusion that can be drawn is that within BM of unknown primary exist patients with a very good prognosis that must be collected and published in order to base recommendations

Healed Lesions of Human Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Caused By Leishmania major Do Not Shelter Persistent Residual Parasites

In human cutaneous leishmaniasis (HCL) caused by Leishmania (L.) major, the cutaneous lesions heal spontaneously and induce a Th1-type immunity that confers solid protection against reinfection. The same holds true for the experimental leishmaniasis induced by L. major in C57BL/6 mice where residual parasites persist after spontaneous clinical cure and induce sustainable memory immune responses and resistance to reinfection. Whether residual parasites also persist in scars of cured HCL caused by L. major is still unknown. Cutaneous scars from 53 volunteers with healed HCL caused by L. major were biopsied and the tissue sample homogenates were analyzed for residual parasites by four methods: i) microscope detection of amastigotes, ii) parasite culture by inoculation on biphasic medium, iii) inoculation of tissue exctracts to the footpad of BALB/c mice, an inbred strain highly susceptible to L. major, and iv) amplification of parasite kDNA by a highly sensitive real-time PCR (RT-PCR). Our results show that the scars of healed lesions of HCL caused by L. major do not contain detectable residual parasites, suggesting that this form likely induces a sterile cure at least within the scars. This feature contrasts with other Leishmania species causing chronic, diffuse, or recidivating forms of leishmaniasis where parasites do persist in healed lesions. The possibility that alternative mechanisms to parasite persistence are needed to boost and maintain long-term immunity to L. major, should be taken into consideration in vaccine development against L. major infection

Differential effect of water salinity levels on gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence and antioxidant compounds in ex vitro date palm plants

In this study, the response to salt stress was evaluated in ex vitro acclimated date palm plants, regenerated from in vitro culture multiplication. The plants, eighteen-month-old, were irrigated with 0 (control), 150, 300 or 450 mM NaCl solutions (high to very high-water salinity). Photosynthesis parameters and antioxidant compounds were determined at the end of the experiment in leaves. At 150 mM NaCl, net CO2 assimilation rate and internal CO2 concentration were not impaired; while transpiration and stomatal conductance decreased by 60 and 70%, respectively. By increasing salt concentrations, all gas exchanges parameters were decreased. Measurement of chlorophyll fluorescence and P700 redox state showed that PSII and PSI machineries were significantly enhanced under 150 mM NaCl, conditions. With the 300 mM NaCl, the PSI parameters remained unchanged compared to control, while some of the PSII parameters, such as NPQ and Y (NPQ), were increased. At 450 mM NaCl, photosystems functionality was light intensity (PAR) dependent. Only at low PAR, a significant increase of some PSI and PSII parameters was observed. At the contrary, with high PAR, most of the energy conversion functions were significantly reduced, especially those related to PSI, indicating that PSI was more susceptible for damage by salinity than PSII. To overcome high salinity stress, ex vitro date palm plants mobilized a cascade of physio-biochemical pathways including the antioxidant activity and proline biosynthesis. Overall, the salinity of irrigation water, and up to 150 mM, improves the physiological performance of ex vitro date palm plants, which manage to tolerate very high levels of this stress.The authors extend their appreciation to the Deanship of Scientific Research at King Khalid University for funding this work through the large research Groups projects (Project under grant number (RGP. 2/73/44)).Peer reviewe

Etude comparative du séchage à haute température à l'air sec, l'air humide et à la vapeur d'eau surchauffé d'un matériau poreux et détermination de la température d'inversion

National audienc