Une Baisse Visuelle Révélant Une Pachyméningite Hypertrophique Idiopathique

Idiopathic hypertrophic pachymeningitis is a rare fibrosing inflammatory disorder that causes thickening of the dura matter of the base of skull. We report a case of a 27 year-old man presented with this pathological form causing a visual decrease. The diagnosing is a dural matter biopsy and the main treatment is steroid and immunosuppressive therapy. Idiopathic hypertrophic pachymeningitis is a differential diagnosis of optic neuropathy

Posterior epidural migration of lumbar intervertebral fragment: case report

Disc fragments are well known to migrate to superior, inferior, or lateral sites in the anterior epidural space, posterior epidural migrated lumbar disc fragments is an extremely rare disorder. Posterior epidural migrated lumbar disc fragments are often confused with other posterior epidural space-occupying lesions (cysts, abscesses, tumors, and hematomas). We reported the case of a 52- year-old man presented with progressive not systematizes bilateral radiculopathy complicated one week before admission a difficulty dorsiflexion prevents the start, and the stared to use crutches. Clinical examination revealed steppage gait and a strength score of 3/5 on dorsiflexion of feet. MR imaging of lumbar spine showed right posterolateral epidural mass that compressed the dural sac at the L3-4 level. Patient underwent surgery using posterior approach, an L3 laminectomy was performed, the extruded disk fragment was gently removed and L3-L4 interspace was explored. Histopathology confirmed the (PEMLIF). Postoperative course was uneventful

Artificial neural network modeling of the water quality index using land use areas as predictors

This paper describes the design of an artificial neural network (ANN) model to predict the water quality index (WQI) using land use areas as predictors. Ten-year records of land use statistics and water quality data for Kinta River (Malaysia) were employed in the modeling process. The most accurate WQI predictions were obtained with the network architecture 7-23-1; the back propagation training algorithm; and a learning rate of 0.02. The WQI forecasts of this model had significant (p rubber > forest > logging > urban areas > agriculture > oil palm. These findings show that the ANNs are highly reliable means of relating water quality to land use, thus integrating land use development with river water quality management

Serum Vitamin D and Vaspin Levels Among Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction and Their Association with Risk Factors

Mukhtiar Baig,1 Kamal Waheeb Alghalayini,2 Zohair Jamil Gazzaz,3 Manal Abdulaziz Murad4 1Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Rabigh, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Internal Medicine, Consultant Cardiologist, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Rabigh, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 4Department of Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Rabigh, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Mukhtiar Baig, Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine in Rabigh, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Tel +966581083289, Email [email protected]: The current study investigated and compared serum levels of vitamin D (VD) and vaspin in AMI patients and healthy subjects and correlated these biomarkers with other biochemical risk factors for AMI.Patients and Methods: The research was carried out at King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH) in Jeddah. Blood samples and additional information were gathered from 110 admitted AMI patients in the Intensive Coronary Care Unit (ICCU) (ages 40– 65 years) and 50 adult, healthy volunteers whose BMI and age were similar to those of the patients.Results: AMI patients had significantly lower vaspin (p 20 - < 30 ng/mL), and 35 (31.8%) had sufficient levels (≥ 30 ng/mL). In healthy subjects, VD levels were deficient in 4(8%), insufficient in 13 (26%), and sufficient in 33 (66%). VD insufficiency was more prevalent in AMI patients compared to the healthy group (54.5% vs 26%; p < 0.001). In AMI patients, serum vaspin was found to be related to age and HbA1c in the control group. VD did not show a significant correlation with any variable in AMI patients and healthy subjects. Serum vaspin (p = 0.89) and VD levels (p = 0.29) did not differ significantly between female and male control groups.Conclusion: Compared to the healthy group, AMI patients showed significantly lower vaspin and VD levels. Additionally, AMI patients had a higher prevalence of VD deficiency and insufficiency, suggesting its possible role in the occurrence of AMI.Keywords: vitamin D, vaspin, myocardial infarction, BMI, vitamin D deficiency, HDL-

Transient mutism after anterior transcallosal approach

Postoperative mutism is an infrequent complication of brain surgery. We report a third ventricular astrocytoma in a 16-year-old boy. The tumor was totally removed via anterior transcallosal approach. The operation was uneventful. On the second postoperative day he became mute. He could follow verbal commands, and write and read. Histopathological examination revealed a pilocystic astrocytoma. Four days postoperatively, he began to say simple words, and two weeks later he could talk normally. The possible cause and pathophysiological mechanism of mutism in the lesions of this region are discussed in this paperKey words: Mutism; Third ventricle; Corpus callosum; Transcallosal approac

Oral thearubigins do not protect against acetaminopheninduced hepatotoxicity in mice

Purpose: To investigate the potential protective effect of oral repeated doses of thearubigins against acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in mice.Methods: Mice were randomly divided into six groups (n=8) and administered the following: Control group (saline), acetaminophen group (saline), N-acetylcysteine group (500 mg/kg/day), and thearubigins groups (60, 70, 100 mg/kg/day). The drugs were given orally by gavage for seven days. On day 7, 1 h after the last dose of treatment, the mice (except control group) were given a single dose of acetaminophen (n-acetyl-p-aminophenol, APAP) orally by gavage (350 mg/kg) and then sacrificed 4 h post-APAP intake. Blood was collected for biochemical measurements and their liver were subjected to biochemical and histopathological assessment.Results: The acetaminophen group showed significant increases (p &lt; 0.001) in serum alanine aminotransferase level, hepatic cytochrome P2E1 level, and serum and hepatic malondialdehyde levels. Moreover it showed significant decrease (p &lt; 0.001) in serum and hepatic glutathione levels. Morphologically, the liver sections showed cellular necrosis, vacuolization, and degeneration around the centrilobular veins. Pretreatment with N-acetylcysteine reversed all acetaminophen-induced changes (p &lt; 0.001 for all biomarkers except for hepatic MDA (p = 0.014) while pretreatment with thearubigins failed to reverse any of them.Conclusion: Oral repeated doses of thearubigins failed to protect against acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in mice and didn't affect hepatic cytochrome P2E1 level.Keywords: Acetaminophen, Hepatotoxicity, Thearubigins, N-acetylcysteine, Cellular necrosis, Vacuolization, Hepatic cytochrome P2E

Les metastases meningees solitaires prevalentes

Objectif Intérêt d’avoir une confirmation histologique, en présence d’un processus leptoméningée solitaire dont le diagnostic de méningiome bénin est souvent évoqué en premier. Introduction Les métastases méningées sont observées de plus en plus fréquemment chez les patients connus porteur d’une néoplasie, du fait de l’allongement de la survie des patients et l’amélioration des moyens diagnostiques ; elles représentent environ 8 % des métastases du système nerveux central.Observation Nous rapportons deux observations originales de patients sans histoire néoplasique, opérés pour un processus leptomeningé solitaire dont le diagnostic préopératoire était celui d’un méningiome. L’étude histologique révélait la nature néoplasique métastatique de la lésion, alors que le bilan radiologique a permis de détecter la localisation primitive méconnue. Conclusion et discussion La découverte à l’occasion d’une imagerie cérébrale (TDM et/ou IRM) chez un patient, sans histoire néoplasique, d’une ou plusieurs lésions leptoméningées, pose un problème diagnostique. Lorsque lalocalisation est unique, le diagnostic de méningiome est évoqué en premier ; alors que les lésions inflammatoires et secondaires des hémopathies malignes représentent un diagnostic différentiel lorsque les lésions sont diffuses. Seront discutées à lumière de ces observations et d’une revue de la littérature, les aspects physiopathologiques, cliniques, paracliniques, thérapeutiques et évolutifs de cette pathologie

Hand hygiene knowledge and attitude of medical students in western Saudi Arabia

Background The practice of hand hygiene (HH) has prime importance among Health Care Professionals (HCPs) and non-compliance could cause adverse consequences. By keeping the importance of HH in mind, this study aims at investigating the knowledge and attitudes towards HH among medical students and interns at King Abdulaziz University (KAU), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (SA). Methods The study includes 453 medical students and interns (189 males & 264 females). This study was completed in three months; from September to November 2017. The World Health Organization (WHO) HH questionnaire was used and data were analyzed on SPSS-21. Results Two-third of the participants 292 (64.2%) had formal training in HH in the last three years. Almost half of the participants 254 (56.1%) had correct knowledge regarding the major course of transmission of potentially detrimental microbes among patients in the healthcare premises. Just 124 (27.4%) of the respondents had the correct knowledge about the most common basis of germs accountable for healthcare-related infections. Females had significantly better knowledge than males regarding the type of HH technique needed before palpation of the abdomen (177(54%) Vs. 151(46%); P < 0.002), before an injection (175(54.5%) Vs. 146(45.5%); P < 0.007), after emptying a bedpan (207(64.7%) Vs. 113(35.3%); P < 0.001), following discarding examination gloves (256(60.4% Vs. 168(39.6%); P < 0.001] and after exposure to blood (200(64.1%) Vs. 112(35.%); P < 0.001). Female participants had better knowledge than males regarding the type of HH actions. Females also had a significantly better attitude towards the importance of HH than males (240(62.5%) Vs. 144(37.5%); P < 0.001). Conclusion The majority of the participants’ knowledge regarding HH was not up to the mark; however, female students had better knowledge compared to male students. The medical students and interns’ knowledge and positive attitude towards HH can play a pivotal role in preventing HCPs associated infections and it would overall decrease the infection-related burden on the hospital and governmental budgets. It is suggested that multi-dimensional plans are required to change this low compliance to a higher rate