Anthelmintic activity of Stevia multiaristata extract against Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto.

Cystic echinococcosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the larval stage of the parasite Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato. The available anti-parasitic treatment is mostly limited to a continuous administration of albendazole. However, due to its numerous side-effects and efficacy of around 50%, there is a need to find new drugs to improve the treatment for this disease. In the current study, the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of a Stevia multiaristata extract against E. granulosus sensu stricto (s.s.) was demonstrated. Stevia multiaristata extract (100 and 50 µg mL−1) caused a quick viability decrease on protoscoleces which was consistent with the observed tegumental alterations. Loss of turgidity was detected in 95 ± 3.4% of cysts incubated with S. multiaristata extract during 2 days (100 µg mL−1) and the collapse of the germinal layer was observed in 60 ± 9.3% of cysts treated with 100 µg mL−1 of the S. multiaristata extract during 4 days. The half maximal effective concentration value was 69.6 µg mL−1 and the selectivity index for E. granulosus s.s. cysts was 1.9. In this clinical efficacy study, the treatment of infected mice with the S. multiaristata extract (50 mg kg−1) caused a significant decrease in the weight of the cysts compared with the control group. These results coincided with the tissue damage observed in the cysts at the ultrastructural level. In conclusion, we observed high protoscolicidal and cysticidal effects, and significant reduction in the weight of the cysts in experimentally infected mice following treatment with the S. multiaristata extract.

Experimental murine model of neurocysticercosis: first report of cerebellum as a location for Mesocestoides corti tetrathyridia.

Neurocysticercosis is a parasitic disease caused by encysted larvae of Taenia solium in the human central nervous system. Cysts mainly affect the cerebral hemispheres, although they can also be found in ventricles, basal cisterns, and subarachnoid spaces, and rarely in the cerebellum. Given the impossibility of studying the disease in human patients, Cardona et al. (1999) developed a mouse model of neurocysticercosis, using Mesocestoides corti, a closely related cestode. This allows us to study the parasite-host relationship and the mechanisms involved in the disease, in order to improve the therapy. In this murine model of neurocysticercosis, the location of tetrathyridia in parenchyma, ventricles and meninges has already been reported. The aim of this work is to report the cerebellum as a new location for M. corti tetrathyridia in the murine model of neurocysticercosis. A murine model that reproduces the human pathology is essential to evaluate the symptomatology and response to drug treatment in experimentally infected mice.

Specifications for hard condensed matter specimens for three-dimensional high-resolution tomographies.

Tomography is a standard and invaluable technique that covers a large range of length scales. It gives access to the inner morphology of specimens and to the three-dimensional (3D) distribution of physical quantities such as elemental composition, crystalline phases, oxidation state, or strain. These data are necessary to determine the effective properties of investigated heterogeneous media. However, each tomographic technique relies on severe sampling conditions and physical principles that require the sample to be adequately shaped. For that purpose, a wide range of sample preparation techniques is used, including mechanical machining, polishing, sawing, ion milling, or chemical techniques. Here, we focus on the basics of tomography that justify such advanced sample preparation, before reviewing and illustrating the main techniques. Performances and limits are highlighted, and we identify the best preparation technique for a particular tomographic scale and application. The targeted tomography techniques include hard X-ray micro- and nanotomography, electron nanotomography, and atom probe tomography. The article mainly focuses on hard condensed matter, including porous materials, alloys, and microelectronics applications, but also includes, to a lesser extent, biological considerations.

Antiparasitic Effects of Asteraceae Species Extracts on Echinococcus granulosus s.s.

Cystic echinococcosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the parasite Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato (s.l.), which is worldwide distributed and causes long-lasting infections in animals and humans. The existing treatment is limited to the use of benzimidazoles, mainly albendazole (ABZ). However, it has unwanted side effects and its efficacy is about 50%. The Asteraceae family includes plants that have therapeutic applications (medicinal species) and has an important role in new drug development. The species belonging to a different genus of this family show a wide range of anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, and antiparasitic activities, among others. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the in vitro efficacy of extracts of four Asteraceae species against protoscoleces of E. granulosus sensu stricto (s.s.). On the other hand, the Stevia aristata extract was assessed on the murine cyst of E. granulosus (s.s.) and the efficacy of S. aristata extract was investigated in a murine model of CE. Stevia satureiifolia, S. aristata, Grindelia pulchella, and G. chiloensis extracts at 100 µg/mL caused a decrease in protoscoleces viability; however, S. aristata extract produced the greatest in vitro protoscolicidal effect. After 20 days of treatment with the highest concentration (100 µg/mL) of S. aristata extract, protoscoleces viability decreased to 0%. The tegumental changes observed by scanning electron microscopy were consistent with the reduction in vitality. The collapse of the germinal layer was registered in 60 ± 5.8% and 83.3 ± 12.0% of cysts treated during 4 days with 50 and 100 µg/ml, respectively. The half maximal effective concentration (EC50) value of the S. aristata extract against E. granulosus (s.s.) cysts was 47.86 µg/mL (96 h). The dosage of infected animals with the 50 mg kg-1 dose of S. aristata extract resulted in a significant reduction in cyst weight in comparison with the control group. In conclusion, S. aristata extract was demonstrated to exert a marked effect, both in vitro and in the murine model.

Aligned carbon nanotube based ultrasonic microtransducers for durability monitoring in civil engineering.

Structural health monitoring of porous materials such as concrete is becoming a major component in our resource-limited economy, as it conditions durable exploitation of existing facilities. Durability in porous materials depends on nanoscale features which need to be monitored in situ with nanometric resolution. To address this problem, we put forward an approach based on the development of a new nanosensor, namely a capacitive micrometric ultrasonic transducer whose vibrating membrane is made of aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT). Such sensors are meant to be embedded in large numbers within a porous material in order to provide information on its durability by monitoring in situ neighboring individual micropores. In the present paper, we report on the feasibility of the key building block of the proposed sensor: we have fabricated well-aligned, ultra-thin, dense SWNT membranes that show above-nanometer amplitudes of vibration over a large range of frequencies spanning from 100 kHz to 5 MHz.

Could beta-myrcene be an alternative to albendazole for the treatment of experimental cystic echinococcosis?

Echinococcus granulosus causes hydatidosis or cystic echinococcosis in humans and livestock. In humans, this disease can be managed with surgery, percutaneous treatment, chemotherapy and/or observation. The chemotherapeutic agents used and approved for treatment of hydatidosis are benzimidazoles. Because of the difficulties in achieving successful treatment, considerable efforts have been made to find new natural compounds against hydatid disease. Beta-myrcene is a monoterpene presented in the essential oils of different plants. It is the principal component of essential oil of Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary). The goal of the present study was to evaluate the in vitro effects of beta-myrcene against germinal cells, protoscoleces and murine cyst of E. granulosus, as well also, investigate its chemoprophylactic activity in a murine model of cystic echinococcosis. For the in vitro assays, the parasites were incubated with beta-myrcene at 10, 5 and 1 µg/mL. The treatments were dose and time-dependent, and consistent with the observed morphological alterations. In the chemoprophylactic efficacy study, the effect of beta-myrcene was similar to albendazole, the reference drug for human echinococcosis treatment.

[Social disparities in dental health: measuring risks and health needs]. / Inégalités sociales de santé dentaire: la mesure du risque et des besoins sanitaires.

Our aim was to compare the dental health level of the general population to that of beneficiaries of universal health coverage (CMUC) in order to define their needs and to measure the dental health risk associated with precariousness. The study sample was composed of requests for prior approval in eight administrative regions. Accordingly, 3118 patients covered by the CMUC and 3310 beneficiaries of the general fund stricto sensu were examined by the fund's salaried dental advisors (chirurgiens-dentistes-conseils) and enrolled in the study. With a similar average DMF index, CMUC recipients had more missing teeth than was found in the general population. In the DMF index, this greater number of missing teeth was compensated by fewer filled teeth than in the general population. The F/DMF index allows a better functional evaluation of dental health. The risk of not receiving conservative care is increased by one and half to three in destitute individuals. The overall results suggest that CMUC recipients fail to obtain sufficient early dental care.

Monochromatic electron photoemission from diamondoid monolayers.

We found monochromatic electron photoemission from large-area self-assembled monolayers of a functionalized diamondoid, [121]tetramantane-6-thiol. Photoelectron spectra of the diamondoid monolayers exhibited a peak at the low-kinetic energy threshold; up to 68% of all emitted electrons were emitted within this single energy peak. The intensity of the emission peak is indicative of diamondoids being negative electron affinity materials. With an energy distribution width of less than 0.5 electron volts, this source of monochromatic electrons may find application in technologies such as electron microscopy, electron beam lithography, and field-emission flat-panel displays.

[Mycoplasma hominis empyema following pleuropneumonia in late pregnancy]. / Mycoplasma-hominis-Empyem nach Pleuropneumonie in der Spätschwangerschaft.

Mycoplasma hominis (M. hominis) frequently colonizes the genital tract, but is rarely isolated from the respiratory tract. Dissemination of M. hominis has been documented in women with a febrile illness after delivery. Spontaneous recovery is the rule. A 32-year-old woman in the 29th week of pregnancy was hospitalized for pneumonia. She had to be ventilated for respiratory insufficiency and thoracic empyema. The child was delivered by section due to signs of stress in cardiotocography. In the ensuing days the mother's condition worsened, with fever, weight loss and persistent pleural effusion. Even after decortication and treatment with ceftriaxone fever and pleural effusion persisted. M. hominis was found in pleural fluid cultures. Treatment with doxycycline led to rapid defervescence and an improvement of the patient's condition.

[Cervical lymphadenitis due to Mycobacterium malmoense in a child: case report and differential diagnosis of cervical lymphadenitis and lymphadenopathies]. / Zervikale Lymphadenitis mit Mycobacterium malmoense bei einem Kind: Fallbeschreibung und Differentialdiagnose der zervikalen Lymphadenitis und Lymphadenopathien.

Cervical lymphadenitis and lymphadenopathy are common in children and may be caused by local or systemic infection. There are a large number of possible etiologies. We report the case of a five-year-old boy with unilateral cervical lymphadenitis who was in good health and showed neither clinical nor laboratory signs of systemic infection. Despite repetitive empirical antimicrobial treatment, the lymph nodes increased in size. After surgical excision Mycobacterium malmoense grew from the lymph node culture. Based on a literature search (Embase and Medline 1980-1992), the most frequent infectious etiologies of pediatric cervical lymphadenitis and lymphadenopathies are summarized. Nontuberculous mycobacterial lymphadenitis is most frequent in children between one and five years of age, and is more common in girls than boys. The treatment of choice is surgical excision. In immunocompetent children treatment with antimycobacterial drugs is not needed even if relapse occurs.

[Profibrinolytic activity of recombinant hirudin?]. / Profibrinolytische Aktivität von rekombinantem Hirudin.

Recombinant hirudin (rH, CGP 39393) is a potent thrombin inhibitor. In addition to its anticoagulant effect, we investigated its profibrinolytic activity in vitro and ex vivo. The fibrinolytic activity of the euglobulin fraction of 15 normal plasmas with or without urokinase was tested in a fibrin plate assay both before and after addition of rH. The same cycle was repeated in 8 plasmas with heparin instead of rH. For the ex vivo evaluation 12 healthy volunteers received 0.1-0.3 mg/kg/h rH for 6 h. Blood samples were drawn at 0 h, 6 h, 12 h and 24 h and various fibrinolytic parameters were assayed. In the presence of rH or heparin a slightly stronger fibrinolytic effect was observed, measured as fibrin plate lysis activity, both when rH was added to plasma in vitro and when it was administered intravenously. However, this may be explained by the specific anticoagulant action of rH and heparin in the dynamic equilibrium of fibrinolysis and clotting in the test system. Moreover, under rH treatment the observed changes in the various fibrinolytic parameters could not be differentiated from the normal circadian rhythm of these proteins. There was no convincing evidence to indicate enhancement of plasma fibrinolytic activity by recombinant hirudin.

[Dysphagia, cavernous changes of the lungs and subarachnoid hemorrhage following kidney transplantation]. / Dysphagie, kavernöse Lungenveränderungen und Subarachnoidalblutung nach Nierentransplantation.

A 54-year-old patient with polycystic kidney disease developed relapsing urinary-tract infections after renal transplantation. In the post-transplantation period he underwent two rejection episodes. The general condition worsened without obvious reason. Six months after transplantation the patient was hospitalized due to gram-negative sepsis. Despite adequate antimicrobial treatment he continued to lose weight and complained of dysphagia. Chest X-ray and computer tomogram of the thorax showed multiple cavitating infiltrations of the lung. A few days later the patient died from an extended subarachnoidal hemorrhage.