Appendagite épiploïque primitive: à propos de cinq cas

La torsion de frange épiploïque (ou appendagite) est une pathologie rare qui survient principalement chez les adultes entre 20 et 50 ans.L'incidence de cette pathologie n'est pas réellement connue et elle varie de 2 à 7% chez les patients hospitalisés pour suspicion d'appendicite oude sigmoïdite. Nous rapportons cinq cas d'appendagites dont nous précisons les particularités cliniques, radiologiques et thérapeutiques. Il s'agit de 5 patients dont l'âge moyen est de 34.6 ans (24-55). Le sexe ratio est de 1.5. Le principal motif de consultation était un syndrome douloureux de l'abdomen principalement au niveau de la fosse iliaque droite. L'examen abdominal montrait toujours une sensibilité localisée. La fièvre était présente chez 3 patients. Le bilan biologique révèle un syndrome inflammatoire biologique chez trois patients. Les examens complémentaires radiologiques en particulier échographie abdominale et TDM abdominale ont éliminé formellement une urgence chirurgicale et ont évoqué le diagnostic d'appendagite dans trois cas. Trois patients ont bénéficié d'une coelioscopie diagnostique confirmant le diagnostic  d'appendagite. L'évolution était favorable chez tous les patients. Les appendagites épiploïques primitives sont des étiologies rares et  sous-estimées de syndrome abdominal aigu. Le diagnostic peut être affirmé par imagerie notamment avec le scanner hélicoïdal injecté,  permettant d'instaurer ainsi un traitement médical premier et d'éviter un traitement chirurgical et des hospitalisations excessives

Current Opinion and Practice on Peritoneal Carcinomatosis Management: The North African Perspective.

The status of peritoneal surface malignancy (PSM) management in North Africa is undetermined. The aim of this study was to assess and compare current practice and knowledge regarding PSM and examine satisfaction with available treatment options and need for alternative therapies in North Africa. This is a qualitative study involving specialists participating in PSM management in North Africa. The survey analyzed demographic characteristics and current knowledge and opinions regarding PSM management in different institutions. We also looked at goals and priorities, satisfaction with treatment modalities and heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) usefulness according to specialty, country, years of experience, and activity sector. One-hundred and three participants responded to the survey (response rate of 57%), including oncologists and surgeons. 59.2% of respondents had more than 10 years experience and 45.6% treated 20-50 PSM cases annually. Participants satisfaction with PSM treatment modalities was mild for gastric cancer (3/10 [IQR 2-3]) and moderate for colorectal (5/10 [IQR 3-5]), ovarian (5/10 [IQR 3-5]), and pseudomyxoma peritonei (5/10 [IQR 3-5]) type of malignancies. Good quality of life and symptom relief were rated as main priorities for treatment and the need for new treatment modalities was rated 9/10 [IQR 8-9]. The perceived usefulness of systemic chemotherapy in first intention was described as high by 42.7 and 39.8% of respondents for PSM of colorectal and gastric origins, while HIPEC was described as highly useful for ovarian (49.5%) and PMP (73.8) malignancies. The management of PSM in the North African region has distinct differences in knowledge, treatments availability and priorities. Disparities are also noted according to specialty, country, years of expertise, and activity sector. The creation of referral structures and PSM networks could be a step forward to standardized PSM management in the region

Egg parasitoids of the genus Trichogramma (Hymenoptera, Trichogrammatidae) in olive groves of the Mediterranean region

A survey of egg parasitoids of the genus Trichogramma (Hymenoptera, Trichogrammatidae) was carried out in olive groves in Portugal, Greece, Egypt, and Tunisia during the years 2002–2004. Parasitoids were obtained either by exposing sentinel eggs (Sitotroga cerealella Olivier or Ephestia kuehniella Zeller) on olive trees or by collecting eggs of lepidopterous olive pests. Parasitized egg samples were reared separately in the laboratory for emergence of parasitoids. These were further reared in separate lines and processed by morphological and molecular biology techniques for species characterization. The recorded fauna of Trichogramma parasitoids in olive groves was species poor and consisted of species mainly known from the Mediterranean region. Trichogramma bourarachae Pintureau and Babault was found in Tunisia and Egypt, T. cordubensis Vargas and Cabello, and T. euproctidis Girault in Egypt, Trichogramma cacoeciae Marchal in Portugal, Greece, Egypt, Tunisia and Trichogramma nerudai Pintureau and Gerding in Portugal. Apart from that, Trichogramma oleae Voegele´ and Pointel was collected in Tunisia. This species is probably not indigenous, but has established after several releases of a French strain were made in recent years. For selected strains, the sequence of the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS-2) region of rDNA was determined and deposited in the GenBank database. Differences in important biological attributes were found among collected strains of T. bourarachae, suggesting the existence of biotypes. The results contribute to the limited knowledge on distribution and biodiversity of the genus Trichogramma in the Mediterranean region. They can be helpful for the preservation and use of indigenous Trichogramma species in biological control of lepidopterous pests in olive and other local crops

Triphelio – an international research project for sustainable control of lepidopterous pests in olive groves.

The olive moth (Prays oleae, Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) is known as one of the key pests in olive cultivation. In particular areas, also the jasmine moth (Pal pita zmionalis, Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) can cause serious damage to both leaves and fiuits of the olive tree. Both pests are mainly controlled by insecticide applications. In November 200 I, an international research project was started to promote biological and biotechnical methods for the control of these pests

Continuous Takagi–Sugeno's Models: Reduction of the Number of LMI Conditions in Various Fuzzy Control Design Technics

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