“Breakthrough Therapies” for Breast Cancer Metastasis.

Breast Cancer Metastasis (MBC) is an ultimate death sentence remains a challenge for clinicians worldwide.According to the Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC) Awareness Network about 155,000 patients are living nowadays with MBC, and about 40,000 deaths are reported annually in the United States of America. About 10% of the patients visiting the clinic or appearing at the emergency sittings are diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer at the initial screening and require an urgent and effective treatment, which mainly focuses on controlling the disease and improve the quality of life. A breakthrough in the clinical trials for the treatment of breast cancer metastasis has been observed recently, most of these treatments are mainly drug therapies

Use of Multiplex PCR for Diagnosis of Bacterial Infection Respiratory Mixed

Atypical bacteria grow very slowly in culture or they do not grow at all leading to delays in detection and diagnosis. PCR multiplex was performed on template DNAs extracted from seventy three collected specimens. Thirty seven showed positive indication for the presence of bacterial infection. The incidence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia pneumonia and Legionella pneumophila as a single infecting agent was 31.5%, 27.5% and 20 % respectively. Dual agent infection caused by Mycoplasma + Chlamydia, Mycoplasma + Legionella and Legionella + Chlamydia was 24%, 20% and 15% respectively. Triple agent infection caused by Legionella + Mycoplasma + Chlamydia was 17.5%. The etiology of the infection was M. pneumoniae, L. pneumophila or C. pneumoniae as a single etiology or in combination of two or three organisms

Mesure de l'intensité et de la sélectivité du bronzage zooplanctonique diurne et nocturne sur le peuplement physoplanctonique de la retenue Al Massira (Maroc)

La retenue de barrage Al Massira (Maroc) constitue une pièce maîtresse dans le plan d'aménagement du bassin versant de l'Oum Er Rbia. Elle se situe dans la province de Settat, à 120 km au sud-est de Casablanca. La mesure de l'intensité du broutage zooplanctonique sur le peuplement phytoplanctonique a été réalisée à trois périodes différentes; le 20 mars 1992 d'une part et les 27 et 28 mai 1992 d'autre part, avec respectivement des mesures de jour et de nuit . Pour cela, une analyse de l'évolution des densités phytoplanctoniques au sein d'enceintes immergées in situ à 5 et 15 m pendant 8 heures, en absence (enceintes témoins) et en présence (enceintes expérimentales) de zooplancton, a été réalisée. Les résultats obtenus montrent que:- La technique adoptée est performante dans la mesure où les différences entre les densités algales entre les temps initial et final sont en général significatives dans les deux enceintes. - Conformément aux données de la littérature, le broutage apparaît bien comme sélectif; de nombreuses espèces n'apparaissant pas être consommées. - La sélection effectuée par le zooplancton est principalement basée sur la taille des cellules. Toutefois, à tailles égales, certaines espèces phytoplanctoniques semblent être consommées préférentiellement par les copépodes. - Seules les espèces algales présentant un développement important dans les enceintes témoins sont soumises à la prédation.The Al Massira reservoir, located in the district of Settat 120 km south-east of Casablanca, is of great importance notably at the level of the management of the Oum Er Rbia River-catchment basin.Several grazing experiments were performed to assess the intensity of phytoplankton predation by zooplankton species, on 20 March l992, 27 and 28 May 1992, respectively, over the day and the night. Two enclosures were used and incubated in situ at 5 and 15 m over 8 hours, The first enclosure consisted of a mixture of several phytoplankton and zooplankton species. The second was free of zooplancton.The results clearly demonstrated that the technique used in this work seemed to be effective in that a signifïcant difference between the initial and final numbers of phytoplankton species incubated in the enclosure was detected. In addition, we confirmed several literature reports relative to the selective characteristics of herbivore predation on algae: large phytoplankton (e.g., Peridinium cinctum, Ceratium hirundinellaand Staurastrum pingue) were not affected. The grazing pressure depended on the size of preys and on the exudates released by the physiofogically active small phytoplankton species (e.g., Oocystis crassa, Cyclotella sp.) evolving in the enclosures. Among small preys, only species with high growth rate (estimed in the control flask, e.g., Cosmarium sp. and Tetraedron sp.) were subjected to the zooplankton predation. The copepod nightgrazing was lower than that recorder during the day, probably due to a decrease in their ability to detect preys in the dark.Our result contradict several results obtained by the method of NANEY (1971) according to which grazing increases during the night.Two assumptions may be proposed to explain such a discrepancy:- The zooplankton community of the Al Massira Reservoir was quantitatively dominated by the Calanoid Neolovenula alluaudi.Yet, according to HANEY and HALL (1975), these Copepods showed a slight diel grazing change compared to that of Cladocera. It seemed likely that these temporal variabilities were not statistically significant but rather inherent to the overall internal fluctuation oftlte cell metabolism.- The HANEY (1971) method allows estimation of the water volume per unit time, which transits along the digestive tract of zooplankters. Nevertheless, this technique was mostly performed in markedly stratified natural lakes. From a strictly physiological point of view, and as demonstrated by MC LAREN (1963), organisms which evolved in deep layers (low temperature) became metabolically more active when they reached superficial layers (increased temperature). Clearly, this increase in the cell metabolism abilities is translated into a higher volume of water passing through the digestive tract but not necessarily into an increase in ingested phytoplankton preys. Our results went along with the aforementioned interpretation since we clearly demonstrated an optimal Copepoda-grazing selectivity. However, the selection of preys would not imply a direct relationship between the ingested volume of water and energetic inputs

A SIMPLE WAY TO MEASURE THE DYNAMIC VISCOSITY OF A FLUID

In this paper, we measured the viscosity of different fluids, including edible oils and soaps, at a constant temperature, using two experimental methods. Namely, the falling ball and the oscillation of the mass-spring system inside a fluid. Three different masses were used to evaluate the viscosity obtained by the falling ball method. The results were very similar. More precision of the viscosity value is done using a calibration curve. The results are compared with those measured by the mass-spring system and they show good agreement. This simple way of viscosity measurement using mechanical physics concepts can be used for educational purposes such as the practical work of a bachelor

Anévrysme de l’aorte ascendante associé à une insuffisance aortique massive: complication rare et grave de la maladie de Behçet

L'atteinte artérielle au cours de la maladie de Behçet survient chez 2 à 12% des patients et se traduit par des lésions oblitérantes et/ou anévrysmales prédominant sur les gros troncs. Les complications cardiaques sont plus rares (1 à 6%) touchant les trois tuniques. En revanche, les anévrysmes de l'aorte ascendante associés à une insuffisance aortique restent une complication très rare de la maladie de Behçet. Nous rapportons l'observation d'un jeune patient de 35ans suivie pour une maladie de Behçet compliquée d'un anévrysme de l'aorte ascendante associé à une régurgitation aortique massive. Le diagnostic a été posé sur les données cliniques radiologiques de l'échocardiographie et de la tomodensitométrie puis confirmé à l'examen histologique de la pièce. Le traitement était chirurgical et a consisté en un remplacement total de la racine de l'aorte à coeur ouvert selon la technique de Bentall afin d'éviter le risque de rupture ou de dissection. L'évolution à 18 mois de l'intervention était favorable. Le traitement médical associant la corticothérapie et les immunosuppresseurs est la règle en postopératoire pour éviter les récidives

Stability domains of actin genes and genomic evolution

In eukaryotic genes the protein coding sequence is split into several fragments, the exons, separated by non-coding DNA stretches, the introns. Prokaryotes do not have introns in their genome. We report the calculations of stability domains of actin genes for various organisms in the animal, plant and fungi kingdoms. Actin genes have been chosen because they have been highly conserved during evolution. In these genes all introns were removed so as to mimic ancient genes at the time of the early eukaryotic development, i.e. before introns insertion. Common stability boundaries are found in evolutionary distant organisms, which implies that these boundaries date from the early origin of eukaryotes. In general boundaries correspond with introns positions of vertebrates and other animals actins, but not much for plants and fungi. The sharpest boundary is found in a locus where fungi, algae and animals have introns in positions separated by one nucleotide only, which identifies a hot-spot for insertion. These results suggest that some introns may have been incorporated into the genomes through a thermodynamic driven mechanism, in agreement with previous observations on human genes. They also suggest a different mechanism for introns insertion in plants and animals.Comment: 9 Pages, 7 figures. Phys. Rev. E in pres

Histopathologic profile of esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula

Purpose Few reports are available in the literature on the histology of the congenital atretic esophagus in humans. Histologic abnormalities  including congenital esophageal stenosis (CES) may contribute toward the abnormal esophageal motility after successful repair of esophageal atresia (EA) and tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF). The main aim of this study is to document the histopathologic profile in cases of EA.Methods One hundred and nineteen surgical specimens were collected from 69 consecutive EA patients who underwent surgical repair at the Aseer Central Hospital, Abha, and Armed Forces Hospital Southern Region, Saudi Arabia, from May 1999 through May 2009. This included 62 cases with EA and distal TEF, five cases of pure EA, and two cases of N-type TEF. Samples from tips of the upper pouch (UP), lower pouch (LP), and mid portion of the TEF were preserved in 10% formalin, sectioned, and stained with hematoxylin and eosin.Results The combined three elements of tracheobronchial tissue were observed in only three LP specimens. Gastrictype mucosa was seen in one UP and one LP specimen. Except for one N-type fistula, all sections showed fullthickness muscle coats. Distortion of muscles by fibrosis was most commonly seen in the UP. The muscle layer in the LP was more commonly distorted by glands with or without cartilage. Fourteen samples (10.8%) showed a histological picture consistent with CES.Conclusion Glands in the submucosa may be abnormal innumber and type, and may extend to different esophageal  coats. Muscle distortion by fibrosis, glands, or cartilage and associated CES may contribute toward esophageal dysmotility and stricture after surgery. Cutting the TEF B3–5mm distal to its origin from the trachea is adequate histologically for primary anastomosis of the atretic esophagus. The histological changes associated with the TEF need to be revised.Keywords: congenital esophageal stenosis, esophageal atresia,  esophageal dysmotility, histopatholog

Predictive model of biliocystic communication in liver hydatid cysts using classification and regression tree analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Incidence of liver hydatid cyst (LHC) rupture ranged 15%-40% of all cases and most of them concern the bile duct tree. Patients with biliocystic communication (BCC) had specific clinic and therapeutic aspect. The purpose of this study was to determine witch patients with LHC may develop BCC using classification and regression tree (CART) analysis</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A retrospective study of 672 patients with liver hydatid cyst treated at the surgery department "A" at Ibn Sina University Hospital, Rabat Morocco. Four-teen risk factors for BCC occurrence were entered into CART analysis to build an algorithm that can predict at the best way the occurrence of BCC.</p> <p>Results</p> <p><b>I</b>ncidence of BCC was 24.5%. Subgroups with high risk were patients with jaundice and thick pericyst risk at 73.2% and patients with thick pericyst, with no jaundice 36.5 years and younger with no past history of LHC risk at 40.5%. Our developed CART model has sensitivity at 39.6%, specificity at 93.3%, positive predictive value at 65.6%, a negative predictive value at 82.6% and accuracy of good classification at 80.1%. Discriminating ability of the model was good 82%.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>we developed a simple classification tool to identify LHC patients with high risk BCC during a routine clinic visit (only on clinical history and examination followed by an ultrasonography). Predictive factors were based on pericyst aspect, jaundice, age, past history of liver hydatidosis and morphological Gharbi cyst aspect. We think that this classification can be useful with efficacy to direct patients at appropriated medical struct's.</p