Unusual intraparenchymal pontomedullary epidermoid cyst in a 2 year-old: case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Intrinsic brainstem epidermoid cysts are rare, benign, slow growing lesions. Their eloquence preclude complete excision, however subtotal resection will often result in prolonged or sometimes permanent relief of presenting symptoms and signs. We describe an unusual case and review the literature of this pathology in the paediatric population. CASE DESCRIPTION: We report an intra-axial pontine epidermoid cyst in a 2-year-old girl who presented with developmental delay, multiple cranial nerve palsies and pneumonia. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated an intrinsic pontine lesion with partial restricted diffusion and an enhancing plaque, the latter not typically seen in congenital lesions like epidermoid. However, gross surgical inspection and histopathology confirmed an epidermoid. CONCLUSION: Our case, supported by the literature, shows that brain stem epidermoid cysts may have atypical radiological characteristics, and that near total resection remains safe and can improve outcome

Hematological changes among Beninese motor-bike taxi drivers exposed to benzene by urban air pollution

Exposure to high-concentration of benzene in polluted air has been associated with bone marrow deficiency, aplastic anemia and leukemia. However, epidemiological studies have reported conflicting data following human exposure to benzene levels below 1 ppm (that is, 3.2 mg/m3). Therefore we investigated the influence of outdoor air benzene on peripheral blood cells among exposed motor-biketaxi drivers (MBTD) in which specific IgG antibodies against reactive benzene metabolites, such as hydroquinone (HQ) and para-benzoquinone (p-BQ) are identified and quantified for further use as biomarker of exposure. We compared 144 MBTD with 30 unexposed age and sex-matched controls. The mean age ± SD (95% CI) were: MBTD 39.5 ± 7.82 (38.2 - 40.7) and village residents 40.3 ± 10.56 (39.1-43.0). Personal benzene exposure was assessed using GABIE diffusive samplers. The levels of specific IgG antibodies to HQ and p-BQ were determined by ELISA. The peripheral blood cells were counted by an automated analyzer. Benzene, Toluene and Xylene levels were much higher in MBTD in comparison to the control group. Benzene exposure levels ranged from 0.012 to 0.550 ppm in MBTD. Their average exposure level per one week was 0.126±0.206 ppm. Accordingly, MBTD had significantly higher levels of specific IgG antibodies to HQ and p-BQ compared to the controls (p< 0.001). WBC, lymphocytes, eosinophils and platelets were significantly decreased in MBTD, whereas RBC and other blood cell numbers remained unchanged. Total WBC, lymphocytes and eosinophils counts were decreased among exposed MBTD compared to unexposed controls. We suggest the use of these blood parameters together with specific IgG antibodies to HQ and p-BQ as biomarkers in biological monitoring of low level benzene exposure. Larger studies are however required to validate this new approach of health survey in workers exposed to benzene.Key words: Benzene, motor-bike-taxi drivers, specific immune responses, peripheral blood cell count

Ouidah et son patrimoine

L'étude sur Ouidah, petite ville de la côte du Bénin, se divise en trois parties. La première présente l'histoire de la cité du 18ème au début du 20ème siècle, les cultes vodouns qui s'y sont développés et le processus d'urbanisation. La 2ème partie inventorie les lieux patrimoniaux qui renvoient à cette histoire et aux traits culturels de cette société. La 3ème dresse un diagnostic des actions et des acteurs dans la ville, rappelle les caractéristiques du patrimoine bâti et propose des mesures pour sa conservation et sa valorisatio

Evaluation de la qualité sanitaire des poudres de feuilles de Moringa oleifera Lam. commercialisées au profit des Personnes Vivant avec le VIH à Cotonou (Bénin)

Face au péril des carences nutritionnelles, la promotion des compléments alimentaires prend de l’ampleur au Bénin. L’objectif de cette étude est d’évaluer la qualité hygiénique des poudres de feuilles de Moringa oleifera commercialisées à Cotonou. 24 échantillons ont été achetés dans 12 points de vente et soumis à des analyses de laboratoire. L’enquête a révélé que, 25% des échantillons ne sont pas scellés, 58% des emballages sont non opaques, les dates de conditionnement et dates limites d’utilisation ne figurent pas sur 50% des échantillons. 43% des poids marqués ne sont pas conformes aux poids nets réels. La concentration moyenne des germes aérobies mésophiles (1,4.106 à 3.106 UFC/g) dépasse significativement la limite maximale d’acceptation du produit au plan microbiologique. Cette insalubrité des échantillons se confirme par la forte présence de Staphylocoques à coagulase positive (3.104), Escherichia coli (1,5.103 à 30.103), levures (1,1.103 à 15.103) et moisissures (3,4.103 à 30.103) respectivement dans 100%, 92%, 50% et 17% des poudres analysées. Par ailleurs, les bactéries Anaérobies Sulfito-Réductrices sont dans les limites d’acceptation de l’aliment. Au total, l’innocuité des poudres de Moringa commercialisées n’est pas garantie et il importe que les fabricants corrigent les failles en matière d’hygiène dans le processus de fabrication.Mots clés : Moringa oleifera, Complément alimentaire, nutrition, qualité, hygiène

Removal of PCR Error Products and Unincorporated Primers by Metal-Chelate Affinity Chromatography

Immobilized Metal Affinity Chromatography (IMAC) has been used for decades to purify proteins on the basis of amino acid content, especially surface-exposed histidines and “histidine tags” genetically added to recombinant proteins. We and others have extended the use of IMAC to purification of nucleic acids via interactions with the nucleotide bases, especially purines, of single-stranded RNA and DNA. We also have demonstrated the purification of plasmid DNA from contaminating genomic DNA by IMAC capture of selectively-denatured genomic DNA. Here we describe an efficient method of purifying PCR products by specifically removing error products, excess primers, and unincorporated dNTPs from PCR product mixtures using flow-through metal-chelate affinity adsorption. By flowing a PCR product mixture through a Cu2+-iminodiacetic acid (IDA) agarose spin column, 94–99% of the dNTPs and nearly all the primers can be removed. Many of the error products commonly formed by Taq polymerase also are removed. Sequencing of the IMAC-processed PCR product gave base-calling accuracy comparable to that obtained with a commercial PCR product purification method. The results show that IMAC matrices (specifically Cu2+-IDA agarose) can be used for the purification of PCR products. Due to the generality of the base-specific mechanism of adsorption, IMAC matrices may also be used in the purification of oligonucleotides, cDNA, mRNA and micro RNAs

AS-Path Prepending: There is no rose without a thorn

Inbound traffic engineering (ITE) - -the process of announcing routes to, e.g., maximize revenue or minimize congestion - -is an essential task for Autonomous Systems (ASes). AS Path Prepending (ASPP) is an easy to use and well-known ITE technique that routing manuals show as one of the first alternatives to influence other ASes' routing decisions. We observe that origin ASes currently prepend more than 25% of all IPv4 prefixes. ASPP consists of inflating the BGP AS path. Since the length of the AS path is the second tie-breaker in the BGP best path selection, ASPP can steer traffic to other routes. Despite being simple and easy to use, the appreciation of ASPP among operators and researchers is diverse. Some have questioned its need, effectiveness, and predictability, as well as voiced security concerns. Motivated by these mixed views, we revisit ASPP. Our longitudinal study shows that ASes widely deploy ASPP, and its utilization has slightly increased despite public statements against it. We surprisingly spot roughly 6k ASes originating at least one prefix with prepends that achieve no ITE goal. With active measurements, we show that ASPP effectiveness as an ITE tool depends on the AS location and the number of available upstreams; that ASPP security implications are practical; identify that more than 18% of the prepended prefixes contain unnecessary prepends that achieve no apparent goal other than amplifying existing routing security risks. We validate our findings in interviews with 20 network operators

Anemia in relation to body mass index and waist circumference among Chinese women

Extent: 3 p.BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the relationship of anemia and body mass index among adult women in Jiangsu Province, China. Data were collected in a sub-national cross-sectional survey, and 1,537 women aged 20 years and above were included in the analyses. Subjects were classified by body mass index (BMI) categories as underweight, normal weight, overweight and obese according to the Chinese standard. Central obesity was defined as a waist circumference ≥ 80 cm. Anemia was defined as hemoglobin concentration < 12 g/dl. Prevalence ratios (PRs) of the relationship between anemia and BMI or waist circumference were calculated using Poisson regression. FINDINGS: Overall, 31.1% of the Chinese women were anemic. The prevalence of overweight, obesity and central obesity was 34.2%, 5.8% and 36.2%, respectively. The obese group had the highest concentrations of haemoglobin compared with other BMI groups. After adjustment for confounders, overweight and obese women had a lower PR for anemia (PR: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.62-0.89; PR: 0.59, 95% CI: 0.43-0.79). Central obesity was inversely associated with anemia. CONCLUSION: In this Chinese population, women with overweight/obesity or central obesity were less likely to be anemic as compared to normal weight women. No measures are required currently to target anemia specifically for overweight and obese people in China.Yu Qin, Alida Melse-Boonstra, Xiaoqun Pan, Baojun Yuan, Yue Dai, Jinkou Zhao, Michael B. Zimmermann, Frans J. Kok, Minghao Zhou and Zumin Sh

La stimulation electrique transcutanee associee a l’infra rouge et au massage pour le traitement des douleurs du rachis : cas de quarante conducteurs de taxi moto "zemidjan" de la ville de Porto-Novo (Benin).

Electric Stimulation (ES) is a method that is more and more used in re-education as analgesia means. The aim of that study is to show the efficiency of that technical in the frame of the fight against spinal columnpains. We have associated to the T.E.N.S effect, massage and infrared to obtain a faster and efficient relaxation. The real purpose is to get progressively more numerous patients who will be interest in naturalmedicine to expect to be less dependant to pharmaceutical products. Nowadays ES is used as an antalgic power. The main research during this study of ES is to show how many it’s powerful in treating back aches. La Stimulation Electrique (S.E.) est une méthode de plus en plus utilisée en rééducation comme moyen antalgique. L’objectif visé au cours de cette étude est de montrer l’efficacité de la technique dans le cadre de la lutte contre les douleurs du rachis. Nous avons, en plus de l’effet T.E.N.S. (Transcutanous Electrical Nerve Stimulation), associé le massage et l’infrarouge pour obtenir une récupération plus rapide et efficace. L’objectif à terme est d’amener progressivement les patients de plus en plus nombreux à s’intéresser à la physiothérapie pour espérer être moins dépendants des produits pharmaceutiques

Poverty reduction and employment generation The case of Agetur, Benin

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:m01/25429 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo