[Dysmenorrhea and pelvic pain secondary to an accessory and cavitated uterine mass]. / Dysménorrhée et douleurs pelviennes secondaires à une masse utérine cavitaire accessoire.

An accessory and cavitated uterine mass (ACUM) is a rare anomaly with an embryological origin of dysfunctionning female gubernaculum. It is an accessory mass internally lined with normal endometrium, separated from the uterine cavity and located near the insertion of the round ligament. ACUM's clinical manifestations are severe dysmenorrhea and/or chronic pelvic pain. It is a relatively unknown condition, which makes its diagnosis complicated and suggests a large differential diagnosis. We report the case of a 31-year-old female presenting with pelvic chronic pain and crippling dysmenorrhea. The initial work-up consists of a magnetic resonance imaging showing an interstitial lesion possibly corresponding to an ACUM. This supposition was then confirmed by histopathology.

La masse utérine cavitaire accessoire (MUCA) est une anomalie rare dont l'origine est embryologique et serait liée à un dysfonctionnement du gubernaculum féminin. Il s'agit d'une masse accessoire non communicante située à proximité de l'insertion du ligament rond, tapissée par un endomètre normal. La MUCA se manifeste par une dysménorrhée sévère et/ou des douleurs pelviennes chroniques. Il s'agit d'une pathologie relativement méconnue, ce qui rend son diagnostic difficile, et qui suggère un large diagnostic différentiel. Nous rapportons ici le cas d'une femme de 31 ans présentant des douleurs pelviennes chroniques et une dysménorrhée invalidante. La mise au point initiale par résonance magnétique pelvienne a montré la présence d'une lésion interstitielle pouvant correspondre à une MUCA, qui a ensuite été confirmée à l'examen histopathologique.

Self-assemblage and quorum in the earthworm Eisenia fetida (Oligochaete, Lumbricidae).

Despite their ubiquity and ecological significance in temperate ecosystems, the behavioural ecology of earthworms is not well described. This study examines the mechanisms that govern aggregation behaviour specially the tendency of individuals to leave or join groups in the compost earthworm Eisenia fetida, a species with considerable economic importance, especially in waste management applications. Through behavioural assays combined with mathematical modelling, we provide the first evidence of self-assembled social structures in earthworms and describe key mechanisms involved in cluster formation. We found that the probability of an individual joining a group increased with group size, while the probability of leaving decreased. Moreover, attraction to groups located at a distance was observed, suggesting a role for volatile cues in cluster formation. The size of earthworm clusters appears to be a key factor determining the stability of the group. These findings enhance our understanding of intra-specific interactions in earthworms and have potential implications for extraction and collection of earthworms in vermicomposting processes.