Brugada-type ECG associated with pectus excavatum

Brugada phenocopies (BrP) are new clinical entities characterized by an ECG pattern that is identical to type 1 or type 2 Brugada pattern, despite the absence of the true congenital Brugada syndrome (BrS). BrP are caused by various factors such as mechanical mediastinal compression, myocardial ischemia, pulmonary embolism, pericardial diseases and metabolic conditions. However, only few cases have been reported of patients with pectus excavatum and BrP. They have an ECG showing right bundle branch block, but also mild ST-segment elevation in the right precordial leads, mimicking the ECG patterns of type 2 Brugada syndrome.peer-reviewe

Address block location on flat mail pieces by a bottom-up segmentation method. Evaluation and optimization

We present a textual areas segmentation method for complex documents not or few structured. This method is applied to the address block location on large mail pieces . Among these objects, we have identified two main classes and we present a dedicated method for each . We then give more details about the optimization and evaluation of the implemented techniques .Nous présentons une méthode de segmentation des zones de texte sur des documents complexes, peu ou pas structurés. Cette méthode est appliquée à la localisation du bloc adresse sur les grands objets postaux. Parmi ces objets, nous avons identifié deux catégories principales et nous présentons une méthode adaptée à chacune. Nous portons enfin une attention particulière sur la phase d'optimisation des traitements et d'évaluation des performances

Modelling Blood Flow and Metabolism in the Preclinical Neonatal Brain during and Following Hypoxic-Ischaemia

Hypoxia-ischaemia (HI) is a major cause of neonatal brain injury, often leading to long-term damage or death. In order to improve understanding and test new treatments, piglets are used as preclinical models for human neonates. We have extended an earlier computational model of piglet cerebral physiology for application to multimodal experimental data recorded during episodes of induced HI. The data include monitoring with near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), and the model simulates the circulatory and metabolic processes that give rise to the measured signals. Model extensions include simulation of the carotid arterial occlusion used to induce HI, inclusion of cytoplasmic pH, and loss of metabolic function due to cell death. Model behaviour is compared to data from two piglets, one of which recovered following HI while the other did not. Behaviourally-important model parameters are identified via sensitivity analysis, and these are optimised to simulate the experimental data. For the non-recovering piglet, we investigate several state changes that might explain why some MRS and NIRS signals do not return to their baseline values following the HI insult. We discover that the model can explain this failure better when we include, among other factors such as mitochondrial uncoupling and poor cerebral blood flow restoration, the death of around 40% of the brain tissue. Copyright

In vivo pharmacological evaluations of novel olanzapine analogues in rats: a potential new avenue for the treatment of schizophrenia

Olanzapine (Olz) is one of the most effective antipsychotic drugs commonly used for treating schizophrenia. Unfortunately, Olz administration is associated with severe weight gain and metabolic disturbances. Both patients and clinicians are highly interested in the development of new antipsychotics which are as effective as atypical antipsychotics but which have a lower propensity to induce metabolic side effects. In the present study, we examined two new derivatives of Olz; OlzEt (2-ethyl-4-(4′-methylpiperazin-1′-yl)-10Hbenzo[b]thieno[2,3-e][1,4]diazepine), and OlzHomo (2-ethyl-4-(4′-methyl-1′,4′-diazepan-1′-yl)-10H-benzo[b]thieno[2,3-e] [1,4]diazepine), for their tendency to induce weight gain in rats. Weight gain and metabolic changes were measured in female Sprague Dawley rats. Animals were treated orally with Olz, OlzEt, OlzHomo (3 or 6 mg/kg/day), or vehicle (n = 8), three times daily at eight-hour intervals for 5 weeks. Furthermore, a phencyclidine (PCP)-treated rat model was used to examine the prevention of PCP-induced hyperlocomotor activity relevant for schizophrenia therapy. Male Sprague Dawley rats were pre-treated with a single dose (3 mg/kg/day) of Olz, OlzEt, OlzHomo, or vehicle (n = 12), for 2 weeks. Locomotor activity was recorded following a subcutaneous injection with either saline or PCP (10 mg/kg). Olz was found to induce weight gain, hyperphagia, visceral fat accumulation, and metabolic changes associated with reduced histamatergic H1 receptor density in the hypothalamus of treated rats. In contrast, OlzEt and OlzHomo presented promising antipsychotic effects, which did not induce weight gain or fat deposition in the treated animals. Behavioural analysis showed OlzEt to attenuate PCP-induced hyperactivity to a level similar to that of Olz; however, OlzHomo showed a lower propensity to inhibit these stereotyped behaviours. Our data suggest that the therapeutic effectiveness of OlzHomo may be delivered at a higher dose than that of Olz and OlzEt. Overall, OlzEt and OlzHomo may offer a better pharmacological profile than Olz for treating patients with schizophrenia. Clinical trials are needed to test this hypothesis

Clinical and biochemical characteristics and analysis of risk factors for euglycaemic diabetic ketoacidosis in type 2 diabetic individuals treated with SGLT2 inhibitors: A review of 72 cases over a 4.5-year period.

To study euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis (euDKA) outcomes associated with sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) METHODS: Review of 72 euDKA cases in T2DM between September 2015 and January 2020 (PUBMED). euDKA could occur at any time during SGLT2is treatment, with nausea, abdominal pain and vomiting as main symptoms. Hyperglycemia did not correlate with pH and β-hydroxybutyrates. Low pH and high β-hydroxybutyrates were significantly associated with euDKA. In biguanides users, acidosis was unrelated to lactic acidosis. euDKA occurred during fasting, surgery, acute infection, insulin deprivation (endogenous or exogenous). These data support avoidance of euDKA risk states in SGLT2i users

Cerebral germinoma revealed through a polydipsic polyuric syndrome in a 10-year-old girl: case report

Cerebral germinoma is rare. Although the imaging of the germinoma is very evocative, it’s very polymorphic clinical expression is at the origin of misguided diagnosis, as illustrated in our case. We report the case of a 10-year-old girl with diabetes insipidus evolving for 12 months associated with a decrease in visual acuity. Brain MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) revealed a tumor process in the suprasellar region. The stereotaxic biopsy of the tumor confirmed the diagnosis of the hypothalamic germinoma, which allowed the patient to be treated by radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The incidence of cerebral germinoma, its clinical (principally diabetes insipidus) and radiological features as well as therapeutic strategies are discussed hereby