Inhalable desert dust, urban emissions, and potentially biotoxic metals in urban Saharan-Sahelian air.

Saharan dust incursions and particulates emitted from human activities degrade air quality throughout West Africa, especially in the rapidly expanding urban centers in the region. Particulate matter (PM) that can be inhaled is strongly associated with increased incidence of and mortality from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and cancer. Air samples collected in the capital of a Saharan-Sahelian country (Bamako, Mali) between September 2012 and July 2013 were found to contain inhalable PM concentrations that exceeded World Health Organization (WHO) and US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) PM2.5 and PM10 24-h limits 58 - 98% of days and European Union (EU) PM10 24-h limit 98% of days. Mean concentrations were 1.2-to-4.5 fold greater than existing limits. Inhalable PM was enriched in transition metals, known to produce reactive oxygen species and initiate the inflammatory response, and other potentially bioactive and biotoxic metals/metalloids. Eroded mineral dust composed the bulk of inhalable PM, whereas most enriched metals/metalloids were likely emitted from oil combustion, biomass burning, refuse incineration, vehicle traffic, and mining activities. Human exposure to inhalable PM and associated metals/metalloids over 24-h was estimated. The findings indicate that inhalable PM in the Sahara-Sahel region may present a threat to human health, especially in urban areas with greater inhalable PM and transition metal exposure.

[Amoebic liver abscess: echographic aspects]. / Abcès amibiens du foie: aspects échographiques.

Amoebic liver abscess is the most frequent location of the extra-intestine amibiasis with an epidemio-endemic repartition in our areas. We are reporting in this study the main echographic patterns that can be found. 117 documents were collected and studied between 1982 and 1988 in the main hospitals of Dakar (SENEGAL). Most of the patients were young, the range of age being between 25 and 55 years old and 83% of them, were male. The diagnosis of the amoebic liver abscess was evocated on the basis of the following clinical and biological symptoms: 54.38% of painful haetomegaly, 42.10% of pleuro-pulmonary and digestive signs, 3.50% of long lasting isolated fever, non specific biological sign of inflammation, 74.57% of positive hemaglutination test. An echographic test was performed before the anti-parasitic treatment with an echotomograph PHILIPS SDR 1500 in real time using a probe of 3 MHZ. The amoebic abscess of liver was detected by the echography in all cases. The unique abscess (83.10%) was the most frequent form. It was localized in the right liver (64%) and had an heterogeneous echostructure (55.70%). The hypo-echogeneous form (36.50%) was the earlier stage of the collecting abscess. The liquid form (07.80%) was observed in the latter stages of the disease. Some difficulties to determine the amoebic abscess may appear when primitive liver cancer or pyogensus abscess are present. In these cases it is necessary to analyse the liquid of ponction to be affirmative.

[Experience in long-term clofelin use in the treatment of glaucoma]. / Opyt dlitel'nogo primeneniia klofelina v terapii glaukomy.

A long (4-14 years, the mean period 7.8 +/- 1.5) follow-up of 52 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma, regularly administered clofelin instillations (over the entire follow-up) has demonstrated a manifest hypotensive and a good functional result of such therapy. Despite reduction of systemic arterial pressure induced by clofelin instillations, rheo-ophthalmography has shown enhanced blood stream in ocular vessels. 52 percent of patients were administered no miotics but only clofelin (16 patients, 28 eyes) or clofelin+timolol (11 patients, 17 eyes).

[Effectiveness of anaprilin in the treatment of glaucoma]. / Effektivnost' anaprilina v lechenii glaukomy.

Effects of 1% anaprilin instillations on intraocular pressure, ocular hydro- and hemodynamics, anterior chamber depth, pupil width, ocular functions, systemic arterial pressure and pulse rate were studied in 57 patients (94 eyes) with primary open-angle glaucoma. Anaprilin has shown a manifest hypotensive effect, explained by depression of aqueous humor production. The drug did not influence the visual functions, pupil width, or anterior chamber depth. A synergic effect on intraocular pressure was observed when anaprilin was combined with pilocarpine or clopheline.

[Effectiveness of magnetotherapy in optic nerve atrophy. A preliminary study]. / Effektivnost' magnitoterapii pri atrofii zritel'nogo nerva. Predvaritel'noe issledovanie.

Magnetotherapy effects on visual functions (vision acuity and field), on retinal bioelectric activity, on conductive vision system, and on intraocular circulation were studied in 88 patients (160 eyes) with optic nerve atrophy. A Soviet Polyus-1 low-frequency magnetotherapy apparatus was employed with magnetic induction of about 10 mT, exposure 7-10 min, 10-15 sessions per course. Vision acuity of patients with its low (below 0.04 diopters) values improved in 50 percent of cases. The number of patients with vision acuity of 0.2 diopters has increased from 46 before treatment to 75. Magnetotherapy improved ocular hemodynamics in patients with optic nerve atrophy, it reduced the time of stimulation conduction along the vision routes and stimulated the retinal ganglia cells. The maximal effect was achieved after 10 magnetotherapy sessions. A repeated course carried out in 6-8 months promoted a stabilization of the process.

[Effects of phosphaden on hemodynamics of the eye in patients with post-thrombotic retinopathy]. / Vliianie fosfadena na gemodinamiku glaz u bol'nykh s posttromboticheskoi retinopatiei.

A course of treatment with phosphaden, a rheologic agent, has been administered to 33 patients with postthrombotic retinopathy. The treatment resulted in improvement of the fundus oculi status and of vision acuity in the majority of patients. Rheo-ophthalmography data indicate an improvement of blood supply to the eyes after such treatment. The authors claim that ocular hemodynamics improvement is related to correction of impaired blood rheology. The findings evidence the efficacy of phosphaden in the management of postthrombotic retinopathy.

[Renal needle biopsy under echography. Apropos of 413 examinations]. / Ponction-biopsie rénale sous échographie. A propos de 413 examens.

Blindly executed for a long period with only X-ray detection, renal biopsy benefits nowadays of precision and security of real-time echoguiding. The authors describe their technique without bondage between needle and transducer and comment their results about 413 examinations.

[Echoguided renal needle biopsy. Technique and results. Report of 413 examinations]. / La ponction-biopsie rénale échoguidée. Technique et résultats. A propos de 413 examens.

Blindly executed for a long period with only X- Ray detection, renal biopsy benefits nowadays of precision and security of real-time echoguiding. The authors describe their technique without bondage between needle and transducer and comment their results about 413 examinations.

Ultrasonographic features of splenic lymphosarcoma in dogs: 12 cases (1980-1986).

The ultrasonographic appearance of the spleen and adjacent organs in 12 dogs with splenic lymphosarcoma was reviewed. Poorly marginated hypoechoic to anechoic nodules (4 mm to 3 cm in diameter) were found in all dogs. The anechoic nodules did not result in reflective shadowing or acoustic enhancement of the underlying tissues. The remainder of the splenic parenchyma appeared relatively hypoechoic when compared with the liver or renal cortices in 9 dogs. Recognition of this ultrasonographic pattern appears to be a useful diagnostic tool. Needle aspiration guided ultrasonographically will then enable histologic confirmation of lymphosarcoma.

Ultrasonographic features of splenic hemangiosarcoma in dogs: 18 cases (1980-1986).

The medical records of 18 dogs in which ultrasonography was useful in making a diagnosis of splenic hemangiosarcoma were reviewed. Splenic ultrasonography revealed masses with echo patterns that ranged from anechoic fluid to hyperechoic tissue. In 7 dogs, metastasis was detected ultrasonographically as anechoic to hypoechoic lesions in the liver.

Bilateral hydronephrosis attributable to bilateral ureteral fibrosis in a cat.

A 4-year-old castrated male Burmese cat was evaluated because of nonregenerative anemia (PCV, 20%) and was found to have renal failure. Renal ultrasonography revealed bilateral hydronephrosis. Antegrade pyelography of the right kidney failed to indicate obstructive disease. Necropsy and histologic examination of the ureters revealed a markedly stenotic lumen and massive fibrosis of the mucosa. An etiologic agent could not be found.

Ultrasonographic diagnosis of portacaval shunts in young dogs.

Ultrasonography was performed on 21 young dogs with portacaval shunts. Initial ultrasonography revealed a small hypovascular liver in all dogs. Eight portacaval shunts (4 intrahepatic, 4 extrahepatic) were detected. Supplementary ultrasonography of dogs under general anesthesia and subjected to positive-pressure ventilation identified 6 additional intrahepatic portacaval shunts.

Comparison of radiography and ultrasonography in the evaluation of renal lesions in the dog.

Survey abdominal radiographs, excretory urograms, and nephrosonograms were obtained from 14 dogs with renal lesions. Renal enlargement was suspected on survey radiographs and confirmed by excretory urography in 13 dogs. Radiographic differentiation between a solid and cystic renal lesion was not possible in 9 dogs. Ultrasonography determined the presence of solid masses in 12 dogs, established the presence of a renal cyst in the opposite kidney in 1 dog, and revealed hydronephrosis in 2 dogs. Ultrasonography appeared to be more sensitive than radiography in differentiating the internal characteristics of renal lesions.