Intrinsic antibacterial activity of nanoparticles made of β-cyclodextrins potentiates their effect as drug nanocarriers against tuberculosis

Multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) is a major public health problem, concerning about half a million cases each year. Patients hardly adhere to the current strict treatment consisting of more than 10 000 tablets over a 2-year period. There is a clear need for efficient and better formulated medications. We have previously shown that nanoparticles made of cross-linked poly-β-cyclodextrins (pβCD) are efficient vehicles for pulmonary delivery of powerful combinations of anti-TB drugs. Here, we report that in addition to being efficient drug carriers, pβCD nanoparticles are endowed with intrinsic antibacterial properties. Empty pβCD nanoparticles are able to impair Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) establishment after pulmonary administration in mice. pβCD hamper colonization of macrophages by Mtb by interfering with lipid rafts, without inducing toxicity. Moreover, pβCD provoke macrophage apoptosis, leading to depletion of infected cells, thus creating a lung microenvironment detrimental to Mtb persistence. Taken together, our results suggest that pβCD nanoparticles loaded or not with antibiotics have an antibacterial action on their own and could be used as a carrier in drug regimen formulations effective against TB.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Unusual Delayed FDG-PET/CT Hypermetabolism Due to Charcoal-Induced Granuloma

A 63-year-old patient initially presented with right leg pain. First imaging studies (not shown) revealed a tumoral infiltration of the distal half of the femur. As sarcoma was initially suspected, a percutaneous biopsy was performed with charcoal (black carbon) deposit along needle tract. It revealed a high-grade follicular lymphoma and the patient was treated with 8 cycles of R-CHOP. Four months after treatment initiation, first follow-up 18F fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) Positron Emission Tomography coupled with Computed Tomography (PET/CT) showed a persistent strong FDG uptake in the femur along with the biopsy track (Figure 1, arrow). Six months later, a follow-up FDG-PET/CT after completion of treatment showed a complete femoral metabolic response, but appearance of a hypermetabolic lesion (SUVmax = 17.3) in the muscle tissues next to the previous lymphoma localization (Figure 2: PET/CT – arrow: biopsy track). US-guided biopsy was performed and showed dark-pigmented fragments. Microscopically, striated muscle tissues and subcutaneous tissues with granulomatous inflammation that comprised multinucleated giant cells, fibrosis and charcoal deposits were observed (Figure 3: H-E coloration, ×10)

Endovascular Repositioning of a Central Venous Port Malposition in the Internal Thoracic Vein.

Malpositioning of a central venous port in the internal thoracic vein can be difficult to check based on single-plane (PA) chest radiographs only, and can be managed by interventional radiology. Central venous port malposition in the internal thoracic vein must be detected on postero-anterior chest radiograph and can be repositioned via endovascular procedure

Lipedematous scalp: a rare dermatological entity.

A 57-year-old man presented with complaints of limping, sacral pain,left thigh hypoesthesia and occasionally left sciatic nerve irritation. Healso suffered from constipation and rectal pain. MRI series of the lumbar column were performed and revealed a volu-minous and expansive tumoral lesion focused on the 3rd, 4thand 5thsacralsegments. This soft tissue mass causes a massive but well delimitedsacral osteolysis. The lesion presents a low to intermediate T1-weightedsignal intensity (Fig. A – sagittal view) and high T2 and proton density-weighted signal intensity with internal septations (Fig. B1 – T2 ; B2 – PD-weighted). Enhancement of the internal septations and the pseudo -capsule of the tumor after contast materiel injection is also noted (Fig. C).These fe atures are very evocative of a sacroccygeal chordoma, a diag-nosis that was confirmed by surgical biopsy and pathologic examination.Unfortunately, our patient refused any surgical treatment or radiationtherapy and was lost to follow-u

Iatrogenic facial subcutaneous emphysema after endodontic treatment.

A 74-year-old woman was referred to the ophthalmologicdepartment by her dentist, for an acute left facial swelling afterextraction of the left higher canine (tooth n° 23). Patient presented left superior and inferior palpebral oedemaextending to left periorbital subcutaneous tissues (Fig. A – CT sur-face rendering). The skin appeared normal without any erythemaand palpation revealed typical subcutaneous gaseous crepitations.Dysphagia and dyspnea were absent. Complete extensive oph-thalmologic examination was also normal. Unenhanced facial CT was performed and revealed diffuse leftfacial subcutaneous emphysema involving both left eyelids, theleft malar Bichat fat and left peribuccal subcutaneous fat but alsothe left infratemporal, pterygomandibular and parapharyngealspaces(Fig. B – coronal views and Fig. C – axial views). No facialsinuses anomaly or bone interruption was observed on CT series,even in the left superior alveolar bones. These findings associatedwith recent dental extraction history allowed to diagnose iatro-genic left facial subcutaneous emphysema, caused by a high-speed dental hand-piece use.Treatment consisted on short oral corticotherapy and antibio-therapy (amoxycillin/clavulanic acid)

Extravasation of urinary excreted iodine contrast into peripelvic cysts due to obstructive hydronephrosis

A 47-year-old male with a remote history of nephrolithiasis presented to the hospital with acute left flank pain radiating to the left groin and no documented fever. There was a significant family history of renal colic. Laboratory analysis only revealed microscopic hematuria.Unenhanced abdominal CT (Fig. 1) showed a 2 mm renal stone located at the left vesico-ureteral junction. Moreover, multiple bilateral peripelvic cysts were observed.In order to exclude or evaluate a left kidney hydronephrosis in addition to peripelvic cysts, intravenous iodine contrast injection was performed, early (Fig. 2) and late (Fig. 3) excretory acquisitions were obtained

Diffuse AIDS-related lymphoma

A 47-year-old woman was referred to the hospital with non-productive coughing, fever, fatigue, weight loss. She was known for a 3-year-long standing HIV infection. Blood tests showed an increased C-reactive protein (CRP: 3.6 mg/dl, nl < 1 mg/dl), an increased lactate deshydrogenase (LDH: 875 UI/L, nl < 248 UI/L) and an Epstein-Barr virus reactivation. A chest radiograph was performed (not shown), followed by a contrast-enhanced CT scan of the thorax (Fig. 1) and the abdomen (Fig. 2). Based on the CT scan examination, a pleural puncture was performed for cytological analysis (Fig. 3

Post-Traumatic Ostial Avulsion of a Polar Inferior Renal Artery Treated by Endovascular Covered Aortic Stenting.

Renovascular traumas are rare in abdominal blunt traumas, especially those involving complete avulsion of a renal artery. Their management poses a dilemma between blood flow preservation and the risks of bleeding. We present the case of a rare variant of renovascular injury, with a post traumatic ostial avulsion of a polar inferior renal artery, successfully treated percutaneously by endovascular aortic covered stenting under c-arm cone-beam computed tomography guiding