Mucormycose Otocerebrale: À Propos D\'un Cas

La mucormycose est une affection mycosique rare mais souvent fatale, survenant sur des terrains débilités. Elle est due à la prolifération de champignons cosmopolites de la famille de mucorales. Elle entraîne des lésions délabrantes et extensives des parties molles avec risque de thromboses vasculaires. Observation : nous rapportons l\'observation d\'une petite fille, âgée de 3 ans , issue d\'un mariage consanguin, hypotrophe, hospitalisée pour otite externe évoluant depuis 3 semaines. La patiente a bénéficié d\'une antromastoidectomie et a été mise sous antibiotiques. Devant une aggravation de l\'état local, avec extension de la nécrose et destruction du conduit auditif externe, une infection mycosique est fortement suspectée, sur un terrain particulier de déficit immunitaire probable. L\'examen parasitologique d\'un prélèvement local a mis en évidence la présence de filaments mycéliens dont la culture a isolé un Rhizopus oryzae, confirmé aussi par l\'étude anatomopathologique. L\'exploration de l\'immunité a mis en évidence un déficit de l\'immunitaire céllulaire.Un traitement par amphotéricine B était mal toléré (choc anaphylactique), l\'évolution spontanée était rapidement défavorable avec une extension locorégionale importante et une thrombophlébite du sinus latéral homolatéral, aboutissement au décés. Conclusion : la localisation oto cérebrale de la mucormycose est exeptionnelle, on doit y penser devant une otite externe maligne sur un terrain particulier. La prise en charge doit être urgente afin d\'augmenter les chances de survie.Mucormycosis is a relatively rare, potentially life-threatening, fungal infection. It occurs predominately in immunocompromised hosts. Vascular invasion, thrombosis and rapid ischemic necrosis of infected tissue are the most characteristic features of this pathology. Early diagnosis and consequently effective treatment are needed to save life in this fatal condition. Report: We report a case of otocerebral mucormycosis occurring in an hypotrophic 3-years old girl suffering from language retardation and chronic diarrhea. Immune system\'s exploration revealed a profound cell-mediated immunity defect. The diagnosis was suspected because of the rapidly extensive necrosis of the external ear conduct, the existence of lateral sinus thrombosis and the resistance to an aggressive antibiotic therapy.The diagnosis was confirmed by identifying Rhizopus oryzae by pathological examination of the necrotic tissue. Treatment by intravenous amphotericin B was certainly lately begun and unfortunately complicated by anaphylactic shock. Because no alternative drug was possible, such as liposomal amphotericin B, the girl rapidly died. Conclusion: Otocerebral mucormycosis is extremely rare.It must be considered when ear lesions are necrotic and rapidly extensive mainly in patients with predisposing conditions. Successful treatment requires tissue excision and early injection of amphotericin B, preferably in its liposomal presentation. Journal Tunisien d\'ORL et de chirurgie cervico-faciale Vol. 16 2006: pp. 42-4

Les Tumeurs Malignes De La Parotide

Buts : Analyser les divers aspects cliniques, histologiques et thérapeutiques des tumeurs malignes de la parotide. Méthode : Étude rétrospective portant sur 17 cancers parotidiens opérés dans le service d\'ORL de la Rabta entre 1994 et 2006. Résultats : Sur une période de13 ans, suite à 77 parotidectomies pour tumeur parotidienne, nous avons diagnostiqué 17 cas de cancers parotidiens soit un pourcentage de 22% de l\'ensemble des tumeurs parotidiennes, réparties en 6 types histologiques. L\'âge moyen des patients est de 49 ans avec des extrêmes allant de 16 à 86 ans et un pic à la 7ème décade de vie. Le sex-ratio est égal à 1,8. Quatre cas de Paralysies faciales (PF) transitoires et un cas de PF définitive ont été déplorés. Deux cas de récidive ont été notés et repris chirurgicalement. Conclusion : Les cancers de la parotide se caractérisent par une grande diversité histologique. Le pronostic dépend du type histologique, du stade évolutif et du traitement.Aim : to analyse clinical, histopathologic and therapeutic aspects of parotid cancers. Method : data from a retrospective study of 17 cases treated in the ENT department of Rabta hospital between 1994 and 2006. Result : in this period 77 patients were operated of parotid tumors, 17 of them were malignants (22%) divided on 6 different histological types. Mean age was 49 years and sex ratio was 1.8. Transitory facial pulsy was observed in 4 patients. Only one definitive facial palsy was observed. Recurrence was observed in 2 patients.They were operated and received a complement of radiptherapy. Conclusion : Parotid cancers are caracterised by great histopathological variety. Their prognosis depends on histological type, tumor stage and treatment Keywords: Parotid gland, cancer, parotid tumor. Journal Tunisien d\'ORL et de chirurgie cervico-faciale Vol. 18 2007: pp. 25-2

Hematome organise du sinus maxillaire a propos d’un cas

L’hématome organisé du sinus maxillaire est une entité rare. Son étiopathogénie reste incertaine. Nous rapportons le cas d’une patiente âgée de 16 ans présentant une épistaxis unilatérale droite de grande abondance avec une endoscopie nasale strictement normale. L’imagerie était en faveur d’une tumeur vasculaire du sinus maxillaire. Une exérèse chirurgicale complète a été réalisée par voie combinée avec des suites simples. L’examen anatomopathologique a conclu à un hématome organisé du sinus maxillaire. Nous discutons, dans ce travail, l’étiopathogénie, les caractéristiques cliniques, radiologiques et les volets thérapeutiques de cette entité.Mots clés : Hématome organisé, sinus maxillaire, tomodensitométrie, chirurgie

Averages of b-hadron Properties at the End of 2005

This article reports world averages for measurements on b-hadron properties obtained by the Heavy Flavor Averaging Group (HFAG) using the available results as of at the end of 2005. In the averaging, the input parameters used in the various analyses are adjusted (rescaled) to common values, and all known correlations are taken into account. The averages include lifetimes, neutral meson mixing parameters, parameters of semileptonic decays, branching fractions of B meson decays to final states with open charm, charmonium and no charm, and measurements related to CP asymmetries

Exploratory study of the acute and mid-term effects of using a novel dynamic meeting environment (Aeris®) on cognitive performance and neurophysiological responses

The purpose of the present study was to assess the acute and mid-term effects of the dynamic aeris®-meeting- environment on brain activity, cognitive performance, heart rate variability (HRV), sleepiness, mental workload (EEG-MWI), as well as local experienced discomfort (LED) in healthy adults. Twenty-four healthy adults (16 females, age: 25.2 ± 3.1 years old) were randomly assigned to either the control (i.e., conventional meeting environment, CG) or experimental (Aeris® dynamic meeting-environment, DG) group with a 1:1 allocation. Participants reported to the laboratory on two test sessions separated by a 2-week intervention period (5 meetings of 90 min each week). Spontaneous resting EEG and HRV activities, as well as attentional (D2-R test) and vigilance (PVT) cognitive performances, sleepiness perceptions, and EEG-MWI, were recorded at the beginning of each test session and immediately following the 90-min meeting. The LED was measured pre- and post-intervention. The changes (Δ) from pre- to post-90 min meeting and from pre- to post- intervention were computed to further examine the acute and mid-term effects, respectively. Compared to the CG, the DG showed higher Δ (pre-post 90 min-meeting) in fronto-central beta (z = −2.41, p = 0.016, d = 1.10) and gamma (z = −2.34, p = 0.019, d = 0.94) frequencies at post-intervention. From pre- to post-intervention, only the DG group showed a significant increase in fronto-central gamma response (Δ) to the meeting session (z = −2.09, p = 0.04, d = 1.08). The acute use of the Aeris®-meeting-environment during the 90-min meeting session seems to be supportive for (i) maintaining vigilance performance, as evidenced by the significant increase in N-lapses from pre- to post-90 min session only in the CG (p = 0.04, d = 0.99, Δ = 2.5 ± 3 lapses), and (ii) improving alertness, as evidenced by the lower sleepiness score (p = 0.05, d = −0.84) in DG compared to CG. The mid-term use of such an environment showed to blind the higher baseline values of EEG-MWI recorded in DG compared to CG (p = 0.01, d = 1.05) and may prevent lower-back discomfort (i.e., a significant increase only in CG with p = 0.05 and d = 0.78), suggesting a less mentally and physically exhausting meeting in this environment. There were no acute and/or mid-term effects of the dynamic meeting environment on any of the HRV parameters. These findings are of relevance in the field of neuroergonomics, as they give preliminary support to the advantages of meeting in a dynamic office compared to a static office environment

Time-dependent CP Asymmetries in B0→KS0ρ0γB^0\to K^0_S\rho^0\gamma Decays

We report the first measurement of CP-violation parameters in B^0 -> K_S^0\rho^0\gamma decays based on 657 million B\bar B pairs collected with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy collider. We measure the time-dependent CP violating parameter S_{K_S^0\rho^0\gamma}= 0.11 +/- 0.33(stat.)^{+0.05}_{-0.09}(syst.). We also obtain the effective direct CP violating parameter A_eff=0.05 +/- 0.18(stat.) +/- 0.06(syst.) for m_{K_S\pi^+\pi^-}<1.8 GeV/c^2 and 0.6 GeV/c^2<m_{\pi^+\pi^-}<0.9 GeV/c^2.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, to be submitted to PR

Setting and analysis of the multi-configuration time-dependent Hartree-Fock equations

In this paper we motivate, formulate and analyze the Multi-Configuration Time-Dependent Hartree-Fock (MCTDHF) equations for molecular systems under Coulomb interaction. They consist in approximating the N-particle Schrodinger wavefunction by a (time-dependent) linear combination of (time-dependent) Slater determinants. The equations of motion express as a system of ordinary differential equations for the expansion coefficients coupled to nonlinear Schrodinger-type equations for mono-electronic wavefunctions. The invertibility of the one-body density matrix (full-rank hypothesis) plays a crucial role in the analysis. Under the full-rank assumption a fiber bundle structure shows up and produces unitary equivalence between convenient representations of the equations. We discuss and establish existence and uniqueness of maximal solutions to the Cauchy problem in the energy space as long as the density matrix is not singular. A sufficient condition in terms of the energy of the initial data ensuring the global-in-time invertibility is provided (first result in this direction). Regularizing the density matrix breaks down energy conservation, however a global well-posedness for this system in L^2 is obtained with Strichartz estimates. Eventually solutions to this regularized system are shown to converge to the original one on the time interval when the density matrix is invertible.Comment: 48 pages, 1 figur

Moments of the Hadronic Invariant Mass Spectrum in B --> X_c l nu Decays at Belle

We present a measurement of the hadronic invariant mass squared (M^2_X) spectrum in charmed semileptonic B meson decays B --> X_c l nu based on 140 fb^-1 of Belle data collected near the Y(4S) resonance. We determine the first, the second central and the second non-central moments of this spectrum for lepton energy thresholds ranging between 0.7 and 1.9 GeV. Full correlations between these measurements are evaluated.Comment: published version of the paper (one figure added, minor changes in the text); 16 pages, 3 figures, 10 table

Dalitz analysis of B --> K pi psi' decays and the Z(4430)+

From a Dalitz plot analysis of B --> K pi psi' decays, we find a signal for Z(4430)+ --> pi+ psi' with a mass M= (4443(+15-12)(+19-13))MeV/c^2, width Gamma= (107(+86-43)(+74-56))MeV, product branching fraction BR(B0 --> K- Z(4430)+) x BR(Z(4430)+ --> pi+ psi')= (3.2(+1.8-0.9)(+5.3-1.6)) x 10^{-5}, and significance of 6.4sigma that agrees with previous Belle measurements based on the same data sample. In addition, we determine the branching fraction BR(B^0 --> K*(892)^0 psi')= (5.52(+0.35-0.32)(+0.53-0.58)) x 10^{-4} and the fraction of K*(892)^0 mesons that are longitudinally polarized f_L= 44.8(+4.0-2.7)(+4.0-5.3)%. These results are obtained from a 605fb^{-1} data sample that contains 657 million B-anti-B pairs collected near the Upsilon(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric energy e+e- collider.Comment: Final version published in PRD(RC

Improved measurement of CP-violating parameters in rho+rho- decays

We present a measurement of the CP-violating asymmetry in rho+rho- decays using 535 million BBbar pairs collected with the Belle detector at the KEKB e+e- collider. We measure CP-violating coefficients A = 0.16 +- 0.21(stat) +- 0.07 (syst) and S = 0.19 +- 0.30(stat) +- 0.07 (syst}. These values are used to determine the unitarity triangle angle phi_2 using an isospin analysis; the solution consistent with Standard Model lies in the range 53 < phi_2 < 114 deg. at 90 C.L.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, presented at JPS/DPF 2006 (Added KEK, BELLE preprint numbers, submitted to PRD(RC)