Laurostrongylus hoineffae n. gen., n. sp., a relict trichostrongylid from an endemic madagascan rodent

A new nematode, the type of a new genus and a new species Laurostrongylus hoineffae, parasitic in the cricetid rodent Gymnuromys roberti in Madagascar, is described. The species belongs to the Graphiidinae subfamily of Trichostrongylidae but some features point to its affinity to certain Libyostrongylinae, especially to two monospecific genera endemic in Madagascar Pararhabdonema and Cnizostrongylus. This ensemble of relict species seems thus to support the concept of a common ancestor for the Libyostrongylinae and Graphidiinae. The two subfamilies were supposed to originate in the Ethipian region. The presence of the three generain Madagascar could either indicate their Madagascan origin or, more likely, a continental origin with an insular niche allowing the preservation of the species.

Revision of the genus Vampirolepis Spasskij, 1954 (Cestoda: Hymenolepididae)

The genus Vampirolepis Spasskij, 1954 is re-defined on the basis of the original description and the first detailed redescription by Andreiko et al. (1969). A restricted definitions is proposed, the main features being the arrangement of testicles on a straight line snd numerous hooks of fraternoid shape. Other important characters are the strobila with numerous proglottids, the cirrus pouch of moderate size and the cirrus, smooth or armed with minute spines. Formerly included Hymenolepidid cestodes with reduced strobila, particularly long cirrus pouch and different arrangement of gonads do not belong to Vampirolepis. Members of Vampirolepis in the restricted sense show a cosmopolitan repartition and parasitize only bats. The author does not accept the synonymy of Rodentolepis Spasskiji, 1954 with Vampirolepis. A tentative list of the species belonging to the genus is proposed.

L'imaginaire du sabbat. Edition critique des textes les plus anciens (1430 c.- 1440 c.)

Résumé : Une importante littérature rédigée dans les années trente et quarante du XVe siècle décrit et définit pour la première fois et avec force détails, ce que l'on peut appeler l'imaginaire du sabbat des sorciers. En l'espace d'une décennie et dans un cadre territorial restreint - l'arc alpin qui va du Dauphiné au Simmental en passant par le Valais, le val d'Aoste et le Pays de Vaud, le fantasme du sabbat des sorciers et sorcières se met en place, avant de s'installer dans l'horizon mental de l'Europe pendant plusieurs siècles. Les textes écrits, qui rendent compte de l'émergence de cet imaginaire si lourd de conséquences pour l'histoire de l'Europe à la fin du Moyen Age et pendant une grande partie de l'époque moderne, ne sont pas nombreux. Ils proviennent de cinq auteurs : le dominicain allemand Jean Nider, deux laïcs (le chroniqueur lucernois Hans Fründ et le juge dauphinois Claude Tholosan), le chanoine de Lausanne Martin Le Franc et l'auteur anonyme des Errores gazariorum. En offrant une édition critique, une traduction française et une analyse détaillée de ces cinq textes, le présent ouvrage permet de saisir leur véritable contribution à la genèse de l'imaginaire du sabbat des sorciers et des sorcières.

Immunopathology of American cutaneous leishmaniasis

American mucocutaneous leishmaniasis is a granulomatous disease clinically characterized by ulcerated skin lesions that can regress spontaneously. A small percentage of the affected individuals can however develop a severe destruction of the nasal, oral, pharyngeal and/or laryngeal mucous membranes many years after the healing of the primary lesion. The human immune response to the infection and the possible mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of the disease, determining either the self-healing or the development of chronic and destructive mucosal lesions, are discussed.

A Salmonella agona outbreak in a pediatric hospital in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Six Salmonella Agona strains from an outbreak of 15 days duration which occurred in a public hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, were analyzed. The outbreak involved six infants (mean age, 24 days; mean body weight, 1612 g), all of them with severe clinical signs and symptoms. Two of them had surgical implications, two were preterm and two had respiratory distress at birth. The Salmonella strains were resistant to nine antimicrobial agents (ampicillin, cephalotin, cefriaxone, gentamicin, amykacin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, chloramphenicol, and tetracyclin). Analysis of the plasmid pattern of the wild strains and of the transconjugants confirmed that these were identical strains.

Helicobacter pylori in dyspeptic children and adults: endoscopic, bacteriologic and histologic correlations

Using different bacteriological (urease test, Gram staining and culture) and histological (Steiner staining and modified Giemsa staining) techniques, we searched for the presence of Helicobacter pylori in the gastric antrum of 200 dyspeptic Brazilian patients (106 females and 94 males aged 19 days to 81 years). The presence of bacteria was then correlated with the endoscopic and histological findings. H. pylori was present in 59.5 of the population studied. In Brazil, colonization occurs early, involving 37 of the dyspeptic population by 20 years of age. The presence of H. pylori in the gastric antrum was strongly associated with duodenal ulcer (P < 0.001) and a normal endoscopic examination did not exclude the possibility of colonization of the gastric antrum by H. pylori. The most sensitive test was the preformed urease test (89). We conclude that more than one diagnostic method should preferably be used for the detection of H. pylori and that the presence of H. pylori is closely correlated with active chronic gastritis (P < 0.001).

Early sporogonic development in local vectors of Plasmodium falciparum in rural Cameroon

In ongoing studies on experimental transmission of Plasmodium falciparum in the city of Yaounde gametocyte carriers are daily being identified among dispensary patients with malaria-like complaints. This species comprises 93 of all parasitemias and because of the selection criteria most patients have it as a recent infection. 17 of all P. falciparum-positives carry detectable gametocytes with little difference between youngsters and adults. Blood of adult carriers is taken and infection of Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes is attempted by membrane feeding; the establishment of infection is judged by the presence of oocysts.

A novel merozoite surface antigen of Plasmodium falciparum (MSP-3) identified by cellular-antibody cooperative mechanism antigenicity and biological activity of antibodies

We report the identification of a 48kDa antigen targeted by antibodies which inhibit Plasmodium falciparum in vitro growth by cooperation with blood monocytes in an ADCI assay correlated to the naturally acquired protection. This protein is located on the surface of the merozoite stage of P. falciparum, and is detectable in all isolates tested. Epidemiological studies demonstrated that peptides derived from the amino acid sequence of MSP-3 contain potent B and T-cell epitopes recognized by a majority of individuals living in endemic areas. Moreover human antibodies either purified on the recombinant protein, or on the synthetic peptide MSP-3b, as well as antibodies raised in mice, were all found to promote parasite killing mediated by monocytes.

Self-identity and religion/spirituality

Although medicine is practised in a secular setting, religious and spiritual issues have an impact on patient perspectives regarding their health and the management of any disorders that may afflict them. This is especially true in psychiatry, as feelings of spirituality and religiousness are very prevalent among the mentally ill. Clinicians are rarely aware of the importance of religion and understand little of its value as a mediating force for coping with mental illness. This book addresses various issues concerning mental illness in psychiatry: the relation of religious issues to mental health; the tension between a theoretical approach to problems and psychiatric approaches; the importance of addressing these varying approaches in patient care and how to do so; and differing ways to approach Christian, Muslim, and Buddhist patients. This is the first book to specifically cover the impact of religion and spirituality on mental illness.

Four new species of Oswaldocruzia (Nematoda: Trichostrongylina, Molineoidea) Parasitizing amphibians and lizards from Ecuador

Description of four new species of Oswaldocruzia parasitizing Iguanidae and Leptodactylidae from Ecuador, demonstrate that they are morphologically close to each other. Like most of the other neotropical and holarctic Oswaldocruzia , they are characterized by spicules with three main branches: blade, shoe and fork; the division of the fork within the distal third of the spicule length appears to be characteristic of the neotropical species. - Oswaldocruzia bainae n. sp. parasitizing Anolis chrysolepis and Anolis fuscoauratus possesses a synlophe visible only on transversal sections of the body. It is composed of rounded and not pointed ridges. - Oswaldocruzia tcheprakovae n. sp. parasitizing Eleutherodactylus altamazonicus is closely related to O. bainae , but the synlophe is present only in the anterior and posterior extremities of the body. - Oswaldocruzia cassonei n. sp. parasitizing Eleutherodactylus lanthanites is closely related to O. taranchoni, Ben Slimane and Durette-Desset, 1995, a parasite of Bufo marinus from Brazil. It is differentiated by the synlophe and the measurements. - Oswaldocruzia petterae n. sp. parasitizing Leptodactylus pentadactylus is closely related to O. chambrieri, Ben Slimane and Durette-Desset, 1993, parasitizing Bufo and Eleutherodactylus in the same region. It is differentiated since, for an equivalent length of the body, the ridges are almost two times fewer and the spicules smaller.

Le Messie, fils de Joseph

(Résumé de l'ouvrage) Vrai ou faux, attendu ou advenu, réel ou supposé, le Messie sous ses multiples figures traverse notre histoire, façonnant nos univers religieux et culturels. Vingt chercheurs, venus de différentes disciplines, confrontent leurs analyses sur les origines de cette idée, sa prégnance, et les transformations qu'elle a connues jusqu'à nos jours. Quelle place la figure du Messie occupe-t-elle dans le judaïsme, le christianisme et l'islamisme ? Comment l'idée de Messie a-t-elle fécondé l'ensemble de notre univers culturel ? Telles sont quelques-unes des pistes explorées par cet ouvrage.