[Colon amyloidosis secondary to tuberculosis: Case report and review of the literature]. / L'amylose colique secondaire a la tuberculose: A propos d'une observation et revue de la litterature.

The authors report the first case of amyloidosis diagnosed by histology and documented in Mali. The patient was a young lady of 31 years old who was hospitalized in internal medicine at the University Hospital of "Point G" for edema and ascites syndrome. She had a history of diarrhea, fever, vomiting, exercise dyspnea and diffused abdominal pain. The biological assessment such as HIV serology was negative. The research of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in sputum was positive. The diagnosis hypothesis of amyloidosis has been evoked and a biopsy of the rectal mucosa has been performed. The fragments showed by histology an acellular band between the basal membrane and the periglandular area. This band was stained in red by Rouge Congo. That confirmed the diagnosis of amyloidosis.

Les auteurs rapportent le premier cas d'amylose diagnostiqué à l'histologie et documenté au Mali. Il s'agissait d'une jeune dame de 31ans ayant été hospitalisée en médecine interne au CHU du «Point G" pour syndrome oedemato-ascitique. Elle a comme antécédent: une diarrhée, une fièvre, des vomissements, une dyspnée d'effort et des douleurs abdominales diffuses. Le bilan biologique y compris la sérologie VIH était sans particularité. La recherche de BAAR dans les crachats était positive. L'hypothèse diagnostique d'amylose a été évoquée et une biopsie de la muqueuse rectale a été effectuée. Les fragments présentaient à l'histologie une bande acellulaire entre la membrane basale et la zone périglandulaire. Cette bande a été colorée en rouge par le rouge Congo. Ceci a permis de confirmer le diagnostic d'amylose.

[Atypical fibrous epulis: Surgical treatment of 1 case]. / Epulis fibreuse remaniee: Prise en charge chirurgicale d'un cas.

Benign tumors are frequently encountered pathologies on the oral mucosa. They comprise a number of different lesions, including fibrous epulis. Its diagnosis is only possible by histological examination. We are presenting the case of a patient who consulted for an externalized maxillary swelling. Clinical examination showed an oval, painless swelling of solid consistency, independent of the alveolar bone, covered by a fibrous grayish membrane, prolonging the gingival fibro-mucosa at the vestibular level. The treatment was surgical excision of the tumor. Histological examination concluded that there was a lack of cytonuclear atypia and retained the diagnosis suggesting atypical fibrous epulis. We reviewed the clinical data, diagnosis and treatment of this type of tumor.

Les tumeurs bénignes sont des pathologies fréquemment rencontrées au niveau de la muqueuse buccale. Elles regroupent un ensemble de lésions dont l'épulis fibreuse. Le diagnostic positif de cette dernière n'est confirmé que par l'examen histologique.Nous rapportons le cas d'un patient ayant consulté pour une tuméfaction maxillaire extériorisée. L'examen clinique a permis de trouver une tuméfaction de forme ovalaire, indolore, de consistance ferme n'intéressant pas l'os alvéolaire, recouverte par une membrane grisâtre d'aspect fibreux, prolongeant la fibro-muqueuse gingivale au niveau vestibulaire. Le traitement réalisé fut l'exérèse chirurgicale de la tumeur. L'examen histologique a conclu en une absence d'atypie cytonucléaire et a retenu le diagnostic d'épulis fibreuse remaniée. Nous avons passé en revue les données cliniques, diagnostiques et thérapeutiques de ce type de tumeur.

Fifty-kDa hyaluronic acid upregulates some epidermal genes without changing TNF-α expression in reconstituted epidermis.

BACKGROUND: Due to its strong water binding potential, hyaluronic acid (HA) is a well-known active ingredient for cosmetic applications. However, based on its varying molecular size, skin penetration of HA may be limited. Recent studies have demonstrated that low-molecular-weight HA (LMW HA) may show a certain proinflammatory activity. We thus aimed to characterize an LMW-sized HA molecule that combines strong anti-aging abilities with efficient skin penetration but lacks potential proinflammatory effects. METHODS: Total RNA and total protein were isolated from reconstituted human epidermis following incubation with HAs of various molecular weights (20, 50, 130, 300, 800 and 1,500 kDa). Tumor necrosis factor-α expression was determined using quantitative PCR. Genomic and proteomic expression of various junctional proteins was determined using Affymetrix and common Western blotting techniques. RESULTS: LMWHA of approximately 50 kDa did not significantly alter tumor necrosis factor-α expression compared to 20-kDa HA, but revealed significantly higher skin penetration rates than larger sized HA associated with increased expression of genes and proteins known to be involved in tight junction formation and keratinocyte cohesion. CONCLUSION: LMW HA of approximately 50 kDa shows better penetration abilities than larger-sized HA. In addition, LMW HA influences the expression of various genes including those contributing to keratinocyte differentiation and formation of intercellular tight junction complexes without showing proinflammatory activity. These observations contribute to current knowledge on the effects of LMW HA on keratinocyte biology and cutaneous physiology.

[Epidemiology and morphology of breast benign tumors in Mali: about 186 cases]. / Epidemiologie et morphologie des tumeurs benignes du sein au Mali: a propos de 186 cas.

BACKGROUND: Mammary tumors are frequent. Benign tumors are more frequent, and are characterized by a possibility of recurrence or malignant transformation. The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiological and morphological characteristics of breast benign tumors. METHODS: The authors have undertaken a retrospective study from January 1998 to December 2003. This study was led in the laboratory of pathology of the National Institute of Public Health, in surgical and gynecological services of Bamako. The study had concerned all benign tumors confirmed by histology. FINDINGS: In total, 186 benign tumors were diagnosed over 611 mammary pathologies (30.44%). The average age was 27.1 +/- 11.7 years. Sex ratio was 17.6 in favour of women. The main complaint was feeling a nodule in the breast (91.9%). The most affected breast was the right side (50.8%). Tumor sizes were variable, and the color changed through white to yellow. Histological aspects were: fibroadenoma (72%), lipoma (8.6%), tubular adenoma (5.9%), papilloma (5.4%), lactating adenoma (3.8%), phyllodes tumor (3.8%), and syringomatous tumor (0.5%). CONCLUSION: Benign tumors are frequent in mammary pathology. The patients need a follow-up because of the recurrence or the malignant transformation of these tumors.

Attention to behavioral events during interaction: two actor-observer gaps and three attempts to close them.

In social interactions, people must pay attention to many behavioral events unfolding in themselves and the other person-events that can be observable or unobservable, intentional or unintentional. Three studies explored how people distribute their attention to these different event types and, as a result, build up representations of self and partner during the interaction. Relying on basic principles of attention, the authors predicted 2 actor-observer gaps: Actors pay more attention to unobservable events and less to observable events than do observers, and actors pay more attention to unintentional events and less to intentional events than do observers. Study 1 documents both gaps. Studies 2 and 3 explore factors that might close the gaps, such as relational intimacy and empathy. Implications of these results for the role of attention in attribution and interpersonal behavior are discussed.

Conceptual structure and social functions of behavior explanations: beyond person--situation attributions.

The traditional approach to studying behavior explanations involves treating them as either person causes or situation causes and assessing them by using rating scales. An analysis of people's free-response behavior explanations reveals, however, that the conceptual distinctions people use in their explanations are more complex and sophisticated than the person-situation dichotomy suggests. The authors, therefore, introduce a model of the conceptual structure of folk behavior explanations (the network of concepts and assumptions on which explanations are based) and test it in 4 studies. The modes and features of behavior explanations within this conceptual structure also have specific social functions. In 2 additional studies, the authors demonstrate that people alter distinct features of their explanations when pursuing particular impression-management goals and that listeners make inferences about explainers' goals on the basis of these features.

How people explain behavior: a new theoretical framework.

This article presents a theoretical framework of how people explain behavior. The framework, based on the folk concept of intentionality, distinguishes two major modes of explanation-reason explanation and cause explanation-as well as two minor modes and identifies conditions under which they occur. Three studies provide empirical support for these distinctions. As part of the framework, a detailed model of people's reason explanations is developed, which emphasizes the unique conceptual and linguistic features of reasons. This model points to limitations of traditional attribution concepts, which are examined theoretically and empirically. Finally, the theoretical framework incorporates attribution concepts, which apply to some but not all modes of explanation. Several paths for future research are outlined-on novel topics such as the roles of rationality and subjectivity in explanations and on classic topics such as the actor-observer asymmetry and the self-serving bias.

[EEG mapping in schizophrenia and depression--a multivariate approach]. / EEG-Mapping bei Schizophrenie und Depression--ein multivariater Zugang.

EEG Brain Mapping offers a promising approach to study complex pattern of brain function. However, traditional usage of this method was focussed mainly on isolated details of the whole specter. The present study was, therefore, aimed at the simultaneous observation of all available parameters. Discriminant analysis was used to distinguish between 4 groups of patients suffering from either schizophrenia (acute/off drugs; improved/on drugs) or depression (acute/off drugs; improved/on drugs) and healthy volunteers, each group with n = 10. The multivariate pattern of 50 topographical spectral variables brought about correct group classification of 49 out of 50 probands. Results suggest that more complex statistical paradigms that take advantage of all available parameters add to an integrative explanation of psychophysiological mechanisms in mental illness.