Possible macrophage activation syndrome following initiation of adalimumab in a patient with adult-onset still’s disease

Macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) has been rarely reported in the course of adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD) and in the majority of cases, it was triggered by an infection. Here, we report, to our knowledge, the first case of MAS occurring after adalimumab treatment initiation and not triggered by an infection. A  26-yearold woman with classical features of AOSD developed persistent fever, severe bicytopenia associated with extreme hyperferritinemia, hyponatremia and abnormal liver function two months after the initiation of adalimumab treatment. The diagnosis of MAS was made without histological proof. The patient was treated with methylprednisolone pulse therapy and her condition improved. During the disease course, extensive studies could not identify any viral infection or other known underlying etiology for the reactive MAS. The  adalimumab was incriminated in this complication. Currently, the patient is in remission on tocilizumab and low-dose prednisoloneKey words: Adult-onset Still´s disease, macrophage activation syndrome, hemophagocytic syndrome, adalimumab

Polymorphism in apoA1 Influences High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Levels but Is Not a Major Risk Factor of Alzheimer's Disease

Background: Apolipoprotein A1 (apoA1) is the major apolipoprotein constituent of the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and is involved in reverse cholesterol transport. Variation in the apoA1 gene might influence the function of the protein and, thus, brain cholesterol metabolism, leading to an increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Aim: In the current report, we investigated the role of the functional apoA1 polymorphism (–75 G/A) as a genetic risk factor for AD in a Tunisian population. Methods: 173 AD patients and 150 healthy controls were studied. Results: No association was found between this genetic variation in apoA1 gene and the risk of AD. The presence of the (–75 G/A) A allele appeared, however, to be associated with lower levels of cerebrospinal fluid Aβ42 and HDL cholesterol levels in sera. Conclusion: Our data support the observation that apoA1 polymorphism influences cholesterol metabolism and Aβ42 deposition in the brain

Les colorants textiles sources de contamination de l’eau : CRIBLAGE de la toxicité et des méthodes de traitement

Les colorants sont largement utilisés dans les imprimeries, les produits alimentaires, cosmétiques et cliniques, mais en particulier dans les industries textiles pour leur stabilité chimique et la facilité de leur synthèse et leur variété de couleurs. Cependant, ces colorants sont à l’origine de la pollution une fois évacués dans l’environnement. La production mondiale des colorants est estimée à plus de 800 000 t•an-1 et les colorants azoïques sont majoritaires et représentent 60-70 %. Compte tenu de la composition très hétérogène de ces derniers, leur dégradation conduit souvent à la conception d’une chaîne de traitement physique-chimique et biologique assurant l’élimination des différents polluants par étapes successives. Dés études ont montré que plusieurs colorants azoïques sont toxiques et mutagènes et le traitement biologique de ces colorants semble présenter un intérêt scientifique majeur. Les traitements physico-chimiques communs (adsorption, coagulation/floculation, précipitation etc.) sont couramment utilisés pour les effluents industriels. Malgré leur rapidité, ces méthodes se sont avérées peu efficaces compte tenu des normes exigées sur ces rejets. Le traitement biologique constitue une alternative fiable; en effet, plusieurs microorganismes sont capables de transformer les colorants azoïques en sous-produits incolores. Les bactéries dégradent les colorants azoïques en deux étapes : un clivage de liaison azo, par l’intermédiaire de l’azoréductase, suivi d’une oxydation des amines aromatiques formées lors de la première étape. L’azoréduction constitue alors une étape clé du traitement des effluents chargés de ces colorants.Dyes are widely used for industrial, printing, food, cosmetic and clinical purposes as well as textile dyeing because of their chemical stability, ease of synthesis, and versatility. Their stability, however, causes pollution once the dyes are released into the environment in effluents. More than 800,000 tons of dyes are annually produced worldwide, of which 60 to 70% are azo dyes. Considering the heterogeneous composition of these latter dyes, their degradation usually requires a chain of physical, chemical and biological treatments assuring the elimination of different pollutants in successive steps. In addition, some azo dyes are toxic and mutagenic and thus the biological treatment of these dyes is now of major scientific interest. Physical-chemical treatments (adsorption, coagulation/flocculation precipitation, etc.) are usually used for industrial effluents. In spite of their rapidity, these methods have turned out to be ineffective in attaining the standards required for these discharges. As a viable alternative, biological processes are receiving increasing interest owing to their cost effectiveness and their ability to produce less sludge. It has been found that some microorganisms can transform azo dyes into colourless products. Bacterial degradation of azo dyes is often initiated by an enzymatic biotransformation step that involves cleavage of azo linkages with the aid of an azoreductase and an electron donor. As the azoreductase in some microorganisms can catalyze the reductive cleavage of azo groups, they have potential advantages in developing bio-treatment methods of wastewater containing azo compounds

CuZn Electrodeposition in Cyanide-Free Electrolytes: Influence of Citrate/Metal ratio and pH on Simultaneous Copper and Zinc Reduction Kinetics and Alloy Composition Control

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Analytical Study of CuZn 30 and CuZn 39 Brass Surfaces in 3% NaCl Solution Under Polarization

International audienceThe main objective of the investigation is to identify the role of beta phase on the corrosion behavior of CuZn alloys in chloride solution. The experimental study was based on the characterization and identification of the anodized brass films formed on the surface of two alloys: CuZn30 and CuZn39, abbreviated by CuZnα and CuZnαβ. Oxidation was carried out at different potentials chosen from the anodic polarization curves recorded beforehand with the two alloys. The main analysis techniques are AFM, SEM, EDS and XRD. Results indicate that the corrosion mechanism is similar for both alpha and alpha beta brasses and followed the same succession of steps. Nevertheless, the rate of dezincification is higher in the case of CuZnαβ: the surface of the attack is larger, and different plugs could be created at the same potential. Therefore, the composition of the protective layer is more diverse than that of CuZnα, while much more varied oxide and hydroxide species are likely to be formed

The influence of a dielectric spacer layer on the morphological, optical and electrical properties of self-dewetted silver nanoparticles

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Comet assay with gill cells of Mytilus galloprovincialis end point tools for biomonitoring of water antibiotic contamination

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Differential impact of consanguineous marriages on autosomal recessive diseases in Tunisia

International audienceObjectives Consanguinity is common in Tunisia. However, little information exists on its impact on recessive disorders. In this study, we evaluate the impact of consanguineous marriages on the occurrence of some specific autosomal recessive disorders and consider how other factors, such as population substructure and mutation frequency, may be of equal importance in disease prevalence. Methods Consanguinity profiles were retrospectively studied among 425 Tunisian patients suffering from autosomal recessive xeroderma pigmentosum, dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa, nonsyndromic retinitis pigmentosa, Gaucher disease, Fanconi anemia, glycogenosis type I, and ichthyosis, and compared to those of a healthy control sample. Results Consanguinity was observed in 341 cases (64.94%). Consanguinity rates per disease were 75.63, 63.64, 60.64, 61.29, 57.89, 73.33, and 51.28%, respectively. First-cousin marriages were the most common form of consanguinity (48.94%) with the percentages of 55.46, 45.46, 47.87, 48.39, 45.61, 56.66, and 35.90%, respectively. A very high level of geographic endogamy was also observed (93.92%), with the values by disease ranging between 75.86 and 96.64%. We observed an overall excess risk associated to consanguinity of nearly sevenfold which was proportional to the number of affected siblings and the frequency of disease allele in the family. Consanguinity was significantly associated with the first five cited diseases (odds ratio=24.41, 15.17, 7.5, 5.53, and 5.07, respectively). However, no meaningful effects were reported among the remaining diseases. Conclusions This study reveals a variation in the excess risk linked to consanguinity according to the type of disorder, suggesting the potential of cryptic population substructure to contribute to disease incidence in populations with complex social structure like Tunisia. It also emphasizes the role of other health and demographic aspects such as mutation frequency and reproductive replacement in diseases etiology. (c) 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc