Osteoblastoma of scaphoid of the carpus: a case report

Osteoblastoma is a rather uncommon tumor, especially when located in the wrist (and hand). Its diagnosis therefore appears to be problematic. We describe a case of osteoblastoma of the scaphoid bone and its management. To our knowledge, this is the fourth case of osteoblatoma of the carpus reported in the literature. Proximal row carpectomy was chosen because of the aggressive nature of the tumor. A tendon transfer was performed in the same session for wrist stabilization. Other authors have opted for a more conservative approach (tumor curettage with bone grafting).Key words: Osteoblastoma, scaphoid, hand, proximal row carpectomy, Morocc

Spatio-temporal evolution of the physico-chemical parameters of the Inaouen wadi and its tributaries

In order to assess the water quality of the Inaouen Wadi and its main tributaries, a monitoring of the physico-chemical parameters of twelve stations has been carried out during an entire annual cycle (year 2019). We measured ten parameters (T°, pH, electrical conductivity, total hardness, sulphates, ortho-phosphates, dissolved oxygen and nitrogen compounds) and five heavy metals were determined (iron, zinc, copper, lead, silver). The upstream stations (S1, S3, S4, S5 and S6) are the most polluted. These stations have the highest sulphate, ortho-phosphate, biological oxygen demand and nitrogen compounds. This pollution is a consequence of the solid and liquid wild discharges brought by the S1 and S5 tributaries and the urban agglomerations installed on the Inaouen river banks, which have a direct and important impact on the quality of water in the whole wadi. In addition, heavy metals (Zn, Iron, Ag and Cu) present high levels upstream of the Inaouen while passing downstream. A statistical multi-variate study using PCA (Principal Component Analysis) revealed that the content of these parameters remains low downstream of this river (S11) and the tributaries S10, S9 and S7 compared to upstream (S5). This pollution generated upstream is mainly caused by human actions (wastewater discharges, agricultural and industrial activities) without prior treatment. The main factors that reduce the pollution load downstream of the Inaouen wadi are self-purification and the tributaries leaving the Middle Atlas characterized by good water quality

Chemical analysis of the essential oils of three cistus species growing in North-West of Algeria

The study reports for the first time the chemical composition and the antibacterial activity of the essential oil hydrodistilled from three Cistaceae growing in Algeria: Cistus ladaniferus L., C. albidus L. and C. monspeliensis L. The oils were analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS analyses. The major components of C. ladaniferus were 5-epi-7-epi-α-eudesmol (13.6%) and borneol (12.5%) whereas for C. albidus the main constituents were epi-α-bisabolol (11.4%) and β-bourbonene (8.7%). Epi-13-manoyl oxide (28.6%), kaur-16-ene (8.1%) and nonanal (5.4%) were the principal ones for C. monspeliensis. In vitro, antimicrobial activity of the oils was investigated against nine microorganisms by disk diffusion and agar dilution assays. The Gram-positive bacteria resulted sensitive to the three oils, especially Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923. The volatiles of C. monspeliensis showed the best activity compared with other oils, comparable to or better than Gentamicin, a conventional antibiotic used as positive control in this study. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of the oil was 0.25μg/L

Autoantibodies to Osteoprotegerin are Associated with Low Hip Bone Mineral Density and History of Fractures in Axial Spondyloarthritis: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study

Osteoporosis is a recognised complication of axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) and is thought to be due to functional impairment and the osteoclast-activating effects of proinflammatory cytokines. The development of autoantibodies to OPG (OPG-Ab) has been associated with severe osteoporosis and increased bone resorption in rheumatoid arthritis. In this study, we screened for the presence of OPG-Ab in axSpA and reviewed their clinical significance. We studied 134 patients, recruited from two centres in the United Kingdom. Their mean age was 47.5 years and 75% were male. Concentrations of OPG-Ab were related to bone mineral density (BMD) and fracture history using linear and logistic regression models adjusting for age, gender, disease duration and activity, body mass index and bisphosphonate use. We detected OPG-Ab in 11/134 patients (8.2%). Femoral neck and total hip BMD were significantly reduced in OPG-Ab positive patients (0.827 vs. 0.967 g/cm2, p = 0.008 and 0.868 vs. 1.028 g/cm2, p = 0.002, respectively). Regression analysis showed that the presence of OPG-Ab was independently associated with total hip osteopenia (ORadj 24.2; 95% CI 2.57, 228) and history of fractures (ORadj 10.5; 95% CI 2.07, 53.3). OPG-Ab concentration was associated with total hip BMD in g/cm2 (ß = −1.15; 95% CI −0.25, −0.04). There were no associations between OPG-Ab concentration and bone turnover markers, but free sRANKL concentrations were lower in OPG-Ab-positive patients (median 0.04 vs. 0.11 pmol/L, p = 0.050). We conclude that OPG-Ab are associated with hip BMD and fractures in axSpA suggesting that they may contribute to the pathogenesis of bone loss in some patients with this condition

Synthesis, physicochemical, conformation and quantum calculation of novel N-(1-(4-bromothiophen-2-yl)ethylidene)-2-(piperazin-1-yl)ethanamine Schiff base

N-(1-(4-bromothiophen-2-yl)ethylidene)-2-(piperazin-1-yl)ethanamine Schiff base ligand was prepared in very good yield by condensation of equimolar amounts of 1-(4-bromothiophen-2-yl)ethanone with 2-(piperazin-1-yl)ethanamine under reflux condition using alcohol media. The desired Schiff base was analyzed on the basis of its MS, elemental analysis, UV-visible, FT-IR and NMR analysis. The E and Z optimization was performed to figure out the most stable isomer. Several DFT quantum calculation like: TD-SCF, MPE, IR-vibration, NMR, Mulliken population were carried out by B3LYP level of theory. The experimental analyses of the compound were compared to their theoretical coordinates

Alzheimer's early detection in post-acute COVID-19 syndrome: a systematic review and expert consensus on preclinical assessments.

The risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD) in older adults increasingly is being discussed in the literature on Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome (PACS). Remote digital Assessments for Preclinical AD (RAPAs) are becoming more important in screening for early AD, and should always be available for PACS patients, especially for patients at risk of AD. This systematic review examines the potential for using RAPA to identify impairments in PACS patients, scrutinizes the supporting evidence, and describes the recommendations of experts regarding their use. We conducted a thorough search using the PubMed and Embase databases. Systematic reviews (with or without meta-analysis), narrative reviews, and observational studies that assessed patients with PACS on specific RAPAs were included. The RAPAs that were identified looked for impairments in olfactory, eye-tracking, graphical, speech and language, central auditory, or spatial navigation abilities. The recommendations' final grades were determined by evaluating the strength of the evidence and by having a consensus discussion about the results of the Delphi rounds among an international Delphi consensus panel called IMPACT, sponsored by the French National Research Agency. The consensus panel included 11 international experts from France, Switzerland, and Canada. Based on the available evidence, olfaction is the most long-lasting impairment found in PACS patients. However, while olfaction is the most prevalent impairment, expert consensus statements recommend that AD olfactory screening should not be used on patients with a history of PACS at this point in time. Experts recommend that olfactory screenings can only be recommended once those under study have reported full recovery. This is particularly important for the deployment of the olfactory identification subdimension. The expert assessment that more long-term studies are needed after a period of full recovery, suggests that this consensus statement requires an update in a few years. Based on available evidence, olfaction could be long-lasting in PACS patients. However, according to expert consensus statements, AD olfactory screening is not recommended for patients with a history of PACS until complete recovery has been confirmed in the literature, particularly for the identification sub-dimension. This consensus statement may require an update in a few years

Composición química parcial y actividad antimicrobiana de extractos de Daucus critinus Desf

The chemical composition of fatty acids and the unsaponifiable fraction of the roots, leaves and stems from Daucus crinitus Desf. were, determined using gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The fatty acid fractions of different organs (leaves, stems and roots) were characterized by lauric acid (17.9, 17.5 and 18.1 % respectively) and other long chain fatty acids (until C22). Qualitative and quantitative differences were reported between the unsaponifiable fractions of different organs from D. crinitus. The unsaponifiable fractions of the leaves, roots and stem showed high amounts of aliphatic components (83.4%, 87.2% and 91.4%, respectively). The monoterpen, diterpen and sesquiterpen components were only present in small percentages. The antimicrobial properties of the D. critinus extracts were tested on four different microorganisms. These extracts were found to be active against Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans.La composición química de los ácidos grasos y la fracción insaponificable de raíces, hojas, y tallos de Daucus crinitus Desf. fueron establecidas utilizando cromatografía de gases (GC) y cromatografía de gases-espectrometría de masas (GC-MS). La fracción de ácidos grasos de los diferentes órganos (hojas, tallos y raíces) se caracterizó por el ácido láurico (17.9, 17.5 y 18.1% respectivamente) y otros ácidos grasos de cadena larga (hasta C22). Diferencias cualitativas y cuantitativas se registraron entre las fracciones insaponificable de los diferentes órganos de D. crinitus. De hecho, las fracciones insaponificable de la raíz, de la hoja y del tallo mostraron cantidades altas de componentes alifáticos (83.4%, 87.2% y 91.4%, respectivamente). Los componentes monoterpénicos, diterpénicos y sesquiterpénicos solo estuvieron presentes en un pequeño porcentaje. Las propiedades antimicrobianas de los extractos de D. critinus fueron ensayadas en cuatro microorganismos diferentes. Estos extractos fueron activos contra Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli y Candida albicans

Structural and Chemical Profiling of the Human Cytosolic Sulfotransferases

The human cytosolic sulfotransfases (hSULTs) comprise a family of 12 phase II enzymes involved in the metabolism of drugs and hormones, the bioactivation of carcinogens, and the detoxification of xenobiotics. Knowledge of the structural and mechanistic basis of substrate specificity and activity is crucial for understanding steroid and hormone metabolism, drug sensitivity, pharmacogenomics, and response to environmental toxins. We have determined the crystal structures of five hSULTs for which structural information was lacking, and screened nine of the 12 hSULTs for binding and activity toward a panel of potential substrates and inhibitors, revealing unique “chemical fingerprints” for each protein. The family-wide analysis of the screening and structural data provides a comprehensive, high-level view of the determinants of substrate binding, the mechanisms of inhibition by substrates and environmental toxins, and the functions of the orphan family members SULT1C3 and SULT4A1. Evidence is provided for structural “priming” of the enzyme active site by cofactor binding, which influences the spectrum of small molecules that can bind to each enzyme. The data help explain substrate promiscuity in this family and, at the same time, reveal new similarities between hSULT family members that were previously unrecognized by sequence or structure comparison alone