Effects of deltamethrin, dimethoate, and chlorpyrifos on survival and reproduction of the collembolan Folsomia candida and the predatory mite Hypoaspis aculeifer in two African and two European soils.

Indiscriminate use of pesticides is rampant in most parts of Africa, but only scanty ecotoxicological data exist for the protection of soil organisms-and these data were usually obtained under temperate conditions, including the use of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) standard test protocols. In order to assess the effects of 3 commonly used pesticides (deltamethrin, dimethoate, chlorpyrifos) on soil fauna in Africa, noncontaminated natural soils were collected from Nigeria and Tunisia. In addition, 2 common test soils, OECD artificial soil and European (Landwirtschaftliche Untersichungs- und Forschungsanstalt [LUFA]) 2.3 soil, were used in OECD standard reproduction tests. Two microarthropod species, the springtail Folsomia candida and the predatory mite Hypoaspis aculeifer, were exposed in these 4 soils spiked individually with the 3 insecticides. Results show that the collembolan F. candida was more sensitive than the mite H. aculeifer for all 3 insecticides. The toxicity of each insecticide in the 4 soils differed, with few exceptions, by less than an order of magnitude. However, the pattern of toxicity was not consistent, that is, the lowest toxicity was often but not always found in OECD artificial soil. Soil- and pesticide-specific patterns of toxicity to F. candida and H. aculeifer might be related to the physicochemical properties of the soils and thus the availability of the 3 pesticides. Following the rules laid down in the European Union for the registration of pesticides and using standard European exposure scenarios, neither an acute nor a chronic risk of dimethoate and chlorpyrifos can be excluded (with few exceptions) in all 4 soils. Lower risks were identified for deltamethrin. For pesticide used in Africa, an environmental risk assessment based on data gained in tests with at least 1 additional natural field soil, preferably of African origin, should be performed using the same risk assessment principles as in the European Union. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2018;14:92-104. © 2017 SETAC.

Value of Cine-MRI sequences before and after injection in the diagnosis of acute myocarditis.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) has become the examination of choice in case of suspicion of acute myocarditis. Late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) imaging is very important to establish this diagnosis. Cine MRI sequences are useful for the study of the myocardial contractility. AIMS:   The purpose is to estimate the value of cine MRI sequences before and after injection for the diagnosis of acute myocarditis compared with late gadolinium enhanced sequences. METHODS: We prospectively included 40 patients having a high suspicion of acute myocarditis and examined using a 1.5 Tesla CMR. Cine MRI sequences before and after injection were performed. The protocol also include  T2-weighted  short- tau-inversion-recovery (STIR T2) fast spin echo MRI and LGE imaging eight minutes after injection with visual adjustment of inversion time. RESULTS: Delayed enhancement was found among 23 patients. Fifteen patients (65 %) presented a spontaneous hyper signal detected visually on Cine MRI sequences before injection and 11 patients (48 %) on STIR T2. The hyper signal on Cine MRI sequences after injection of gadolinium was the same topography that the late raising at 23 patients. In addition, we highlighted a significant difference between this hyper signal before injection and the left ventricle ejection fraction (p=0.022) as well as with the telesystolic volume of the left ventricle (LV) indexed by the body mass (p=0.039). CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that Cine MRI sequences after injection are of equal performance in the diagnosis of acute myocarditis as the LGE sequences and its contibution is important when we want to shorten the examination or when inversion time isn't optimal.

Clinical and genetic investigation of atrial septal defect with atrioventricular conduction defect in a large consanguineous Tunisian family.

BACKGROUND: Atrial septal defect (ASD) is an autosomal dominant disease characterized by left-to-right shunting and increased right ventricular output. Approximately 5-10% of congenital heart diseases (CHD) are due to ASD, which is one of the most frequent CHD found in adults. The gene responsible for ASD was mapped to chromosome 5q35 encoding the transcription factor NKX2-5 that plays an important role for the regulation of septation during cardiac morphogenesis. METHODS: A Tunisian family including four affected members was investigated. Individuals were genotyped using the polymorphic microsatellite markers D5S394 and D5S2069 overlapping the NKX2-5 gene. RESULTS: We report here clinical and molecular investigation of a Tunisian consanguineous family with four affected members. Two presented with ASD associated with prolonged PR interval, whereas the other two presented only a prolonged PR interval. We also identified five asymptomatic individuals in the same family with ventricular preexcitation. Although the patients were products of a consanguineous marriage, no other abnormalities were observed in this family. Genotyping and linkage analysis showed exclusion of linkage between the gene responsible for ASD in this family and NKX2.5 gene. CONCLUSIONS: Our results further confirm the genetic heterogeneity of ASD.