First report of eprinomectin-resistant isolates of Haemonchus contortus in 5 dairy sheep farms from the Pyrénées Atlantiques département in France.

Infection of sheep by gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) in pastoral systems such as those found in the South Western area of France, the Pyrénées Atlantiques, is one of the main reasons for economic loss and degradation of their welfare. In the present study, the efficacy of eprinomectin (EPN) was monitored on farms from this area following suspicion of lack of anthelmintic efficacy. Suspicions were raised by veterinarians, based on clinical signs ranging from milk and body condition loss, to anaemia, and mortality. Resistance was evaluated according to the World Association for the Advancement for Veterinary Parasitology (WAAVP) guidelines using fecal egg count reduction tests reinforced by individual analysis of drug concentration in the serum of all treated ewes by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). EPN was administered by subcutaneous (SC) and topical (T) route according to manufacturer's requirements, as well as by the oral route (O) with the topical solution according to off-labelled practices in the field. For the first time in France, the presence of resistant isolates of Haemonchus contortus to EPN was observed in 5 dairy sheep farms. The HPLC dosages showed exposure of worms to concentrations compatible with anthelmintic activity for animals treated by the SC and O routes. By contrast, they showed under exposure to the drug of most individuals treated by the T route. EPN is the only null milk withdrawal anthelmintic molecule currently available. The presence of resistant isolates of the pathogenic H. contortus to EPN in this important dairy region requires an urgent change in grazing, and sometimes production, systems.

Low compliance with colonoscopic screening in first-degree relatives of patients with large adenomas.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about compliance with colonoscopy as a screening method in first-degree relatives of patients with large adenomas. Aims To evaluate the compliance with screening colonoscopy among this population, and its determinants. METHODS: Data were obtained from the family part of the GEADE study, a study on genetic factors of colorectal adenomas. Index cases were 306 patients with adenomas > or = 10 mm. All living first-degree relatives aged 40-75 who could be contacted by the index case were asked to undergo a colonoscopy, unless they had had one in the previous 5 years. RESULTS: Among 674 eligible relatives, 56 had had a colonoscopy within the preceding 5 years and 114 underwent a screening colonoscopy resulting in a compliance with screening colonoscopy of 18%. This was not related to most characteristics of index cases. Compliance was significantly lower when the index case lived in the Greater Paris area than when he/she lived in other areas (12% vs. 21%). It was higher in siblings (18%) and offspring (23%) than in parents (9%) and in relatives under 55 years old (22%) than in relatives aged 55 and over (15%). CONCLUSIONS: Compliance with colonoscopy was low in first-degree relatives of patients with large adenomas. The reasons for this should be determined and appropriate strategies developed to increase compliance.

Observation of laser driven supercritical radiative shock precursors.

We present a supercritical radiative shock experiment performed with the LULI nanosecond laser facility. Using targets filled with xenon gas at low pressure, the propagation of a strong shock with a radiative precursor is evidenced. The main measured shock quantities (electronic density and propagation velocity) are shown to be in good agreement with theory and numerical simulations.

Calcium phosphate apatites with variable Ca/P atomic ratio III. Mechanical properties and degradation in solution of hot pressed ceramics.

Calcium deficient hydroxyapatite powders Ca(10-x)(PO4)(6-x)(HPO4)x(OH)(2-x) (0 < or = x < or = 1) were hot pressed to produce dense hydroxyapatite-tricalcium phosphate (HAP/TCP) biphasic materials. Ceramics hot pressed at 1000 degrees C were composed of an homogeneous distribution of the HAP and beta-TCP grains with an average size of 0.2 microm. Grain growth was observed for TCP loading > 70 wt%. The strength exhibited a maximum of sigma(f) = 150 MPa for 90/10 (w/w) HAP/TCP and it dropped for smaller and greater amounts of TCP. This value was twice that of pure HAP. When placed in Ringer's solution, only the surface of biphasic compounds was degraded after 60 days of immersion with a preferential etching of the TCP phase. After hot pressing at 1200 degrees C, grain growth was observed and the mechanical properties were decreased. This was explained by the allotropic transformation alpha/beta of TCP.

Successful combination therapy of polyarteritis nodosa associated with a pre-core promoter mutant hepatitis B virus infection.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To describe the clinical and virological evolution of a polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) case associated with a hepatitis B virus (HBV) pre-core promoter mutant infection that was successfully treated with plasma exchanges, corticosteroids, and interferon alpha (IFN-alpha). METHODS: Viral markers were used, including HBV DNA quantified by the branched DNA assay and detected by PCR, the HBV genome sequence, pre-S1Ag and anti-HBC IgM which were studied throughout the treatment period and the entire follow-up in the serum, while the presence of virus in extrahepatic sites was detected by immuno-staining. RESULTS: The patient was infected with a typical pre-core promoter mutant harboring four point mutations. Pre-S1Ag was cleared rapidly from serum, most likely via the formation of immune complexes since HBV DNA declined more progressively. Viral infection was then cleared after a second episode of hepatocyte lysis. This was accompanied by a recovery from all clinical manifestations. CONCLUSIONS: The favorable treatment outcome observed in this first case of pre-core promoter HBV mutant associated PAN underlines that combination therapy based on IFN-alpha can clear pre-core promoter HBV infection and cure PAN. It also provides new insight in the pathogenesis of HBV associated PAN.

[Infection of submucosal tumor after endosonography-guided needle biopsy]. / Infection d'une tumeur sous-muqueuse après ponction sous écho-endoscopie.

Endosonography fine needle guided aspiration (EUS-FNA) biopsy is an interesting technique for the diagnosis of suspected gastrointestinal lesions, and is rarely complicated by infection. We report one case of severe infection after EUS-FNA of benign oesophageal leiomyoma, leading to an oesophagectomy. Recent studies about this technique described only infectious complications after biopsy of cystic lesions. They also show that EUS-FNA may misdiagnose leiomyosarcoma. Our report confirms these data, and relates a hitherto non-reported complication, i.e. the infection of a non-cystic lesion.

Colonoscopic screening in first-degree relatives of patients with 'sporadic' colorectal cancer: a case-control study. The Association Nationale des Gastroentérologues des Hôpitaux and Registre Bourguignon des Cancers Digestifs (INSERM CRI 9505)

BACKGROUND & AIMS: A screening policy has not been well defined in first-degree relatives of patients with sporadic colorectal cancer. This study estimated the risk of colorectal adenoma in a cohort of individuals with only 1 affected first-degree relative. METHODS: A total of 476 first-degree relatives (age, 40-74 years) of 195 patients with sporadic colorectal cancer were offered a colonoscopy. Each examined relative was matched with 2 controls for age, sex, symptoms, and center. The prevalence of colorectal adenomas was compared using a multiple logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: In 185 relatives, odds ratios were 1.5 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.0-2.4) for adenomas, 2.5 for large adenomas (95% CI, 1.1-5.4), 1.2 for small adenomas (95% CI, 0.7-1.9), and 2.6 (95% CI, 1.3-5.1) for high-risk adenomas (> or = 1 cm in size and/or with a villous component). The prevalence of high-risk adenomas in relatives was higher when the index patient was younger than 65 years, was male, and had distal rather than proximal cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Subjects with only 1 affected first-degree relative are at increased risk for developing large adenomas.

Cutaneous and gastrointestinal mastocytosis associated with cerebral toxoplasmosis.

A patient with systemic cutaneous and gastrointestinal mastocytosis and associated meningoencephalitic toxoplasmosis is reported. The simultaneous occurrence of the two conditions and their regression after treatment of the toxoplasmosis suggest a possible relationship between the mast cell proliferation and the parasitic infection. Mast cell activation and stimulation may be transitory in response to a stimulus, causing reactional mastocytosis.

Electric interactions between dust and hot plasmas in the solar system.

Interaction of the charged particles of a plasma with a solid body is an old problem which has been investigated under various conditions, in particular by the authors in several papers. However, the electric potential of the grains may be more sensitive than expected to the physical state of grain matter and the physical parameters of plasmas in the solar system. Using a new model accounting for porosity, a characteristic feature of grains observed in the solar system, we have investigated the secondary electron emission under electron impact for porous materials. The conclusion is that porosity has a significant influence on the rate of electron ejection. It follows that the floating potential of porous grains can be different from that of grains made of bulk material, with consequences for grain dynamics in the environment of planets or comets.

[Hemobilia caused by biliary cyst]. / Hémobilie par kyste biliaire.

Recurrent angiocholitis attacks occurred in an 80-year-old woman, and repeated investigations could not provide any diagnosis. Subsequently, the patient developed haematemesis. Angiography revealed haemobilia from an intrahepatic cause. Surgical constatations and pathological examination of the resected specimen revealed that haemobilia was due to a non-parasitic cyst of the liver. In this case, haemobilia resulted from two unusual complications of this hepatic lesion: intra-cystic bleeding and communication with an intrahepatic duct. Haemobilia has never been reported as a complication of non-parasitic cyst of the liver.

[Benign papillomatosis of Wirsung's duct associated with adenomyoma of the distal common bile duct]. / Papillomatose bénigne du canal de Wirsung associée à un adénomyome du bas cholédoque.

We report the case of a 42 year-old man, with a history of alcohol and tobacco abuse, who was referred for suspicion of carcinoma of the head of pancreas. Pancreatoduodenectomy was performed. Histological study demonstrated obstructive benign adenomyoma of the distal common bile duct associated with villous papillomatosis of the pancreatic ducts and patchy lesions of chronic pancreatitis. Two years later, the patient was completely asymptomatic, but the risk of malignant transformation of villous papillomatosis requires periodic examination of the remaining pancreas and biliary tract.

[Hearing in the elderly and hearing aids]. / L'audition des personnes âgées et l'appareillage auditif.

Statistically progressive deteriorations in the population, due more to pathological impairments than to aging properly speaking, must be distinguished from presbycusis. The onset of auditive impairment varies with genetic factors. In a statistical audiometric study, it is found that the better the hearing of a subject before the impact of presbycusis, the better the chances are of maintaining hearing; the opposite applies in the case of major auditive deterioration. Loss of hearing due to presbycusis affects all frequencies. The elderly patient has a better social value of hearing in the phonetic test than that expected from tonal audiometry, except in the case of disorders of central auditive integration.

[Analysis of word perception in deaf children. A longitudinal study]. / Analyse de la perception de la parole de l'enfant sourd. Etude longitudinale.

The assessment of speech perception and speech reading has been studied with the phonetic test of J.C. Lafon (lists of 17 french words with 3 phonemes each). 168 children from 7 to 17 have been collected. Deafness was moderate, severe or profound. It was always congenitaly sensoneural hearing loss. In order to precise data, results are giving regard to educational program: mainstream or special classes. Comparative data for each degree of deafness are given for speech perception, lipreading and both auditory and visual sensorial ways.

[Adsorbed plant extracts, use of extracts of dried seeds of Orthosiphon stamineus benth]. / Elaboration d'extraits végétaux adsorbés, réalisation d'extraits secs d'Orthosiphon stamineus benth.

The work presented is related to the elaboration and the control of spray dried vegetable extracts of Orthosiphon Stamineus Benth. From these studies, it feasibility of the spray dried extracts. The best result concerning a pulverulent structure and the stability under moisture conditions is obtained using Aerosil 200. Pharmacological studies on rats have shown a diuretic activity under our experimental conditions with alcoholic and water extracts.