Acute Acalculous Cholecystitis as a Presenting Manifestation in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is known to involve the gastrointestinal tract, but gallbladder involvement is rare. The authors report the case of a 26-year-old postpartum female who presented with acute right upper quadrant abdominal pain and was diagnosed with acute acalculous cholecystitis (AAC). In the presence of concomitant features of nephritis, pericardial effusion, anaemia and positive ANA titre, the diagnosis of SLE was confirmed during hospitalisation. Histopathological analysis of the gall bladder revealed evidence of vasculitis. Although rare, AAC can be the first presentation of patients diagnosed with SLE. Prompt diagnosis and management results in a better patient outcome.

A surface plasmon resonance system for the underwater detection of domoic acid

Over the past decade Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) techniques have been applied to the measurement of numerous analytes. In this article, an SPR biosensor system deployed from an oceanographic vessel was used to measure dissolved domoic acid (DA), a common and harmful phycotoxin produced by certain microalgae species belonging to the genus Pseudo-nitzschia. During the biosensor deployment, concentrations of Pseudo-nitzschia cells were very low over the study area and measured DA concentrations were below detection. However, the in situ operational detection limit of the system was established using calibrated seawater solutions spiked with DA. The system could detect the toxin at concentrations as low as 0.1 ng mL−1 and presented a linear dynamic range from 0.1 ng mL−1 to 2.0 ng mL−1. This sensor showed promise for in situ detection of DA.

Bilan 2015 du dispositif national de surveillance de la santé des mollusques marins

Depuis 1992, la surveillance de la santé des mollusques marins du littoral français est assurée par le réseau de Pathologie des Mollusques (Repamo). Ses activités s’inscrivent dans le cadre de la Directive Européenne 2006/88/CE. Depuis son évaluation par la plateforme nationale d’épidémiosurveillance en santé animale en 2012, l’objectif de surveillance est la détection précoce des infections dues à des organismes pathogènes exotiques et émergents affectant les mollusques marins sauvages et d’élevage. L’année 2015 est la première année de transition pour laquelle un début d’évolution des modalités de surveillance de la santé des mollusques marins animées par l’Ifremer a été amorcé. Un dispositif hybride de surveillance a été mis en place, s’appuyant sur l’existant et intégrant des débuts d’évolution. La surveillance événementielle a constitué l’activité principale du dispositif en 2015 et s’est appuyée sur des réseaux existants : (1) la surveillance des mortalités observées sur des animaux sentinelles déployés sur les sites ateliers des réseaux Ifremer RESCO 2 (12 sites) pour l’huître creuse Crassostrea gigas et MYTILOBS 2 (8 sites) pour la moule bleue Mytilus edulis. Pour l’huître creuse Crassostrea gigas, la mortalité cumulée moyenne était de 50,3% (écart-type 10,9%) pour le naissain standardisé Ifremer (NSI), de 11,0% (écart-type 9,1%) pour les huîtres de 18 mois et de 7,3% (écart-type 5,6%) pour les huîtres de 30 mois. Les mortalités ont été observées principalement entre le début du mois de mai et la mi-juillet. Lors de ces épisodes de mortalité, des prélèvements d’animaux ont été réalisés en vue d’analyses diagnostiques : 7 prélèvements pour le NSI, 2 pour les huîtres de 18 mois et 1 pour les huîtres de 30 mois. Aucun agent réglementé n’a été détecté dans les échantillons d’huîtres creuses prélevés et analysés. Le virus OsHV-1 a été détecté dans les 7 échantillons analysés de NSI, dans 2 échantillons analysés d’huîtres de 18 mois et dans 1 échantillon analysé d’huîtres de 30 mois. La bactérie Vibrio aestuarianus a été détectée dans 5 échantillons analysés de NSI, dans 1 échantillon d’huîtres de 18 mois et dans 1’échantillon d’huîtres de 30 mois. Pour la moule bleue Mytilus edulis, des mortalités cumulées variant de 9% sur le site du Vivier à 51% sur le site des filières du Pertuis Breton ont été estimées. Les mortalités ont été observées au printemps sur des moules âgées d’une année et en automne sur des moules plus jeunes. Lors de ces épisodes de mortalités, des prélèvements d’animaux ont été réalisés en vue d’analyses diagnostiques : 2 prélèvements pour les moules d’une année et 1 pour les jeunes moules. Ces prélèvements ont eu lieu dans le Pertuis Breton. Aucun agent réglementé n’a été détecté dans les échantillons de moules prélevés et analysés. Des bactéries du groupe Splendidus ont été détectées dans les 3 échantillons de moules analysés. (2) la surveillance s’appuyant sur les déclarations de mortalités de mollusques par les conchyliculteurs et pêcheurs à pied professionnels auprès des Directions départementales des territoires et de la mer (DDTM). Cette modalité s’applique aux huîtres creuses et aux moules bleues lorsqu’il n’existe pas de site atelier RESCO 2 ou MYTILOBS 2 dans la zone où des mortalités sont déclarées par les conchyliculteurs ou pêcheurs à pied. Le réseau REPAMO 2 a réalisé 22 interventions, dont 15 pour les moules Mytilus edulis, 4 pour les coques Cerastoderma edule, 2 pour les palourdes Ruditapes sp. et 1pour les coquilles saint Jacques Pecten maximus. La recherche d’agents infectieux dans ces espèces de mollusques prélevés lors de hausse de mortalité a permis de mettre en évidence les parasites réglementés Perkinsus olseni dans 1 lot de palourdes, et Marteilia refringens dans 4 lots de moules, ainsi que le virus OsHV-1 dans 1 lot de palourdes et 1 lot de coques, la bactérie Vibrio aestuarianus dans 3 lots de coques, et des bactéries du groupe Splendidus dans 3 lots de coques et dans 13 lots de moules. L’année 2015 a également permis la démonstration sur un site atelier d’un exercice de surveillance programmée, ciblée et fondée sur les risques d’introduction et d’installation d’un organisme pathogène exotique. Elle a concerné le parasite Mikrocytos mackini de l’huître creuse Crassostrea gigas, sur un site atelier de la Charente-Maritime, suivi par le réseau RESCO 2. Le parasite Mikrocytos mackini n’a pas été détecté. En revanche, le parasite Marteilia refringens a été détecté dans ¾ des prélèvements d’huîtres réalisés. Dans le cadre du soutien scientifique et technique de l’évolution de la surveillance événementielle, l’année 2015 a également permis de poursuivre la démarche relative aux développements méthodologiques en lien avec la surveillance événementielle des mortalités de mollusques marins. Une étude de faisabilité de la recherche prospective de regroupements spatio-temporels d’événements de mortalités d’huîtres creuses a été préparée en collaboration avec tous les acteurs de la santé des mollusques marins en Normandie. Un outil de collecte et d’analyse des données de signalements des mortalités, automatisé, simple d’utilisation et flexible, a été élaboré.

Study of antioxidant, antiproliferative and apoptosis-inducing properties of wild mushrooms from the Northeast of Portugal

Mushrooms are known as a powerful source of bioactive compounds including antioxidants, inhibitors of human tumour cell lines growth, inducers of apoptosis and enhancers of immunity. Indeed, many pre-clinical studies have been conducted in human tumour cell lines and in some cases a number of compounds isolated from mushrooms have followed to clinical trials. The Northeast of Portugal is one of the European regions with higher wild mushrooms diversity. However, to our knowledge, no studies had been conducted so far to verify their bioactivities. The main aim of this work was the evaluation of the bioactive properties (antioxidant properties and growth inhibitory potential on human tumour cell lines) of wild edible mushrooms collected in the Northeast of Portugal. Once properly identified, methanolic, ethanolic and boiling water extracts were prepared from thirty eight wild mushroom species collected in that region. Chemical characterization was obtained by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to a photodiode array detector (DAD) or to a refraction index detector (RI). Antioxidant activity assays were carried out in those extracts, including evaluation of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals scavenging capacity, reducing power and inhibition of β-carotene bleaching. Extract-induced cell growth inhibition was assessed with the sulforhodamine B assay in four human tumour cell lines (NCI-H460 - lung cancer, MCF-7 -breast cancer, HCT-15 -colon cancer and AGS - gastric cancer). The effects on cell cycle profile and apoptosis were evaluated by flow cytometry and the effect on the expression levels of proteins related to cell cycle and apoptosis was further investigated by Western blotting. Three wild edible mushroom species revealed growth inhibitory activity in the studied human tumour cell lines: Clitocybe alexandri ethanolic extract, Lepista inversa methanolic extract and Suillus collinitus methanolic extract. C. alexandri ethanolic extract induced an S-phase cell cycle arrest and increased the percentage of apoptotic cells, in the NCI-H460 cell line. The analysed mushroom species also provided interesting antioxidant potential, mainly the boiling water extract of L. inversa which showed the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity, reducing power and β-carotene bleaching inhibition. S. collinitus methanolic extract induced a slight increase in the number of cells in G1, with a concomitant decrease in the percentage of cells in the S phase of the cell cycle and an increase in the percentage of apoptotic cells, in the MCF-7 cell line. The combined use of the S. collinitus methanolic extract and etoposide caused a greater decrease in the percentage of cell growth, when compared to either of them used individually, indicating the potential benefit of this combination. The tested extracts were chemically characterized and protocatechuic, p-hydroxybenzoic, p-coumaric and cinnamic acids were the main compounds identified on the phenolic (methanolic and ethanolic) extracts, while mannitol, trehalose and arabinose were the main sugars found in the polysaccharidic (boiling water) extracts after hydrolysis. The individual compounds identified in the extracts were submitted to a screening of tumour cells growth inhibitory activity, but only the phenolic acids and a related compound, cinnamic acid, presented activity. This compound was found to be the most potent one regarding cell growth inhibition in the NCI-H460 cell line. The effect of the individual and combined treatment with the identified compounds was also evaluated. Cinnamic and protochatequic acids caused a statistically significantly reduction in the number of viable cells. In addition, p-hydroxybenzoic acid did not show any significantly reduction in the viable cell number. Nevertheless, it was verified that the concomitant use of the three compounds provided the strongest decrease in the viable cell number, suggesting a possible concomitant effect of those compounds. Overall, the present work has contributed to further understand the bioactive potential of wild edible mushrooms from the Northeast of Portugal. This study allowed to identify some species with antioxidant or tumour cell growth inhibitory potential.

Ingestion of a bacterivorous ciliate by the oyster Crassostrea gigas: Protozoa as a trophic link between picoplankton and benthic suspension-feeders

The linked concepts of 'microbial loop' and 'protozoan trophic link' have been very well documented in filter-feeding microzooplankton such as copepods, but have not been applied to energy transfer to benthic suspension-feeding macrofauna, with the exception of the recent demonstration of heterotrophic flagellate assimilation by mussels. The oyster Crassostrea gigas obtains energy resources by filtering microalgae (similar to 5 to 100 mu m). However, in turbid estuaries, light-limited phytoplanktonic production cannot entirely account for oyster energy requirements. Conversely, picoplankters (<2 mu m), which are main effecters of coastal energy flow and matter cycling, are not efficiently retained by oyster filtration. Ciliate protozoal as both micro-sized cells (similar to 5 to 100 run) and bacteria grazers, may represent a major intermediary in trophic transfer between picoplankton and metazoa. The ciliate Uronema was intensely cultured and labelled, using the cyanobacteria Synechococcus as an auto-fluorescent biomarker. The labelled ciliates were offered as potential prey to oysters. We report here the first experimental evidence of a significant retention and ingestion of ciliates by oysters, supporting the role of protozoa as a realistic trophic link between picoplankters and filter-feeding bivalves and thus enhancing their potential importance in estuarine microbial food webs.

Kinetics of tidal resuspension of microbiota: Testing the effects of sediment cohesiveness and bioturbation using flume experiments

Resuspension of the top few sediment layers of tidal mud flats is known to enhance planktonic biomass of microbiota (benthic diatoms and bacteria). This process is mainly controlled by tidal shear stress and cohesiveness of mud, and is also influenced by bioturbation activities. Laboratory experiments in a race track flume were performed to test the interactive effects of these factors on both the critical entrainment and resuspension kinetics of microbiota from silt-clay sediments from the Marennes-Oleron Bay, France. The marine snail Hydrobia ulvae was used to mimic surface bioturbation activities. As expected, the kinetics of microbial resuspension versus shear stress were largely controlled by the cohesiveness of silt-clay sediments. However, our results indicate that the effect of surface tracking by H. ulvae on microbial resuspension was clearly dependent on the interaction between sediment cohesiveness and shear velocity. Evidence was also found that microphytobenthos and bacteria are not simultaneously resuspended from silt-clay bioturbated sediments. This supports the theory that diatoms within the easily eroded mucus matrix behave actively and bacteria adhering to fine silt particles eroded at higher critical shear velocities behave passively.

Espèces de thonidés d'intérêt potentiel pour l'aquaculture en Méditerranée

Bluefin tuna is particularly concerned in the project of tuna rearing in the Mediterranean sea. However there are no reasons to neglect the other tuna species of the Mediterranean sea which present an interesting material for the development of the research on tuna cultivation.

Développement d'un drone nautique pour le prélèvement d'échantillons d'eau en milieu côtier et estuarien (SPEEdoo)

A nautical drone was designed for the monitoring of estuarine and coastal waters in the context of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) to : - go up to 500 m off the coastline in less than 5 minutes, - perform in situ measurements (temperature, salinity, turbidity), - collect water samples for later analysis in the laboratory (phytoplankton identification, chlorophyll, nutrients, ...).

Phytopharmacological and ethnomedicinal uses of the Genus Berberis (Berberidaceae): A review

Plants belonging to Berberis are reported in several folklore medicinal pharmacopeias and are used in traditional medicines in Asia and European countries. The plants have been used in the preparation of various traditional and synthetic medicines since pre-historic times for wound healing, fever, eye disease, jaundice, vomiting during pregnancy, rheumatism, kidney and gall balder stones, and several other illnesses. Their healing properties are appear to be due to the presence of secondary metabolites and important alkaloids with different pharmacological activities. Their antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, anti-diabetic, and anti-tumor activities as well as positive effects on the cardiovascular and body immune systems have been reported. Root extracts of some species of the plant genus contain quinine which acts as a powerful anti-malarial agent. The main chemical constituents of Berberis plants are alkaloids, steroids, glycosides, flavonoids, saponins, terpenoids and reducing sugars. Of these alkaloids, berberine is the most important. The present review focuses on recent advances in phytopharmacological and ethnomedicinal uses of plants belonging to Berberis genus.

Multiplicação do nematoide Meloidogyne paranaensis e velocidade de enraizamento de estacas caulinares em sete espécies de plantas medicinais

Dissertação (mestrado)—Universidade de Brasília, Faculdade de Agronomia e Medicina Veterinária, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Agronomia, 2016.

Ora et labora : Los jardines monacales en el Alto Medioevo

El huerto-jardín en el Alto Medioevo manifiesta la capacidad humana para domesticar una naturaleza salvaje y hostil y para transformarla en un lugar apacible, acogedor. Tanto en el ámbito citadino en las casas privadas, como en el ámbito rural en los monasterios, en estos recintos se cultivaban variados vegetales, legumbres, árboles frutales y también flores, ya sea para el consumo como para la delectación. Ahora bien, nuestra propuesta se centrará en los huertos-jardines que integraban la estructura monástica en cuanto espacios privilegiados en donde se pone en acto la consigna que sustenta la Regla de san Benito, el ora et labora. Para ello analizaremos un plano realizado en el período carolingio, conservado en la abadía benedictina de Saint-Gall. Este documento icónico nos permitirá acercarnos virtualmente a los espacios abaciales ya que el paso del tiempo y los sucesivos actos de vandalismo y de pillaje destruyeron total o parcialmente la arquitectura monacal alto medieval. Plano "ideal" que da cuenta de los conocimientos teórico-prácticos sobre la agricultura y la horticultura pero que además nos acerca la concepción filosófica-teológica de la época

Ora et labora : Los jardines monacales en el Alto Medioevo

El huerto-jardín en el Alto Medioevo manifiesta la capacidad humana para domesticar una naturaleza salvaje y hostil y para transformarla en un lugar apacible, acogedor. Tanto en el ámbito citadino en las casas privadas, como en el ámbito rural en los monasterios, en estos recintos se cultivaban variados vegetales, legumbres, árboles frutales y también flores, ya sea para el consumo como para la delectación. Ahora bien, nuestra propuesta se centrará en los huertos-jardines que integraban la estructura monástica en cuanto espacios privilegiados en donde se pone en acto la consigna que sustenta la Regla de san Benito, el ora et labora. Para ello analizaremos un plano realizado en el período carolingio, conservado en la abadía benedictina de Saint-Gall. Este documento icónico nos permitirá acercarnos virtualmente a los espacios abaciales ya que el paso del tiempo y los sucesivos actos de vandalismo y de pillaje destruyeron total o parcialmente la arquitectura monacal alto medieval. Plano "ideal" que da cuenta de los conocimientos teórico-prácticos sobre la agricultura y la horticultura pero que además nos acerca la concepción filosófica-teológica de la época

Phytochemical mediated-modulation of the expression and transporter function of breast cancer resistance protein at the blood-brain barrier:an in-vitro study

Clinical translation of BCRP inhibitors have failed due to neurotoxicity and novel approaches are required to identify suitable modulators of BCRP to enhance CNS drug delivery. In this study we examine 18 compounds, primarily phytochemicals, as potential novel modulators of AhR-mediated regulation of BCRP expression and function in immortalised and primary porcine brain microvascular endothelial cells as a mechanism to enhance CNS drug delivery. The majority of modulators possessed a cellular viability IC50 > 100 µM in both cell systems. BCRP activity, when exposed to modulators for 1 hour, was diminished for most modulators through significant increases in H33342 accumulation at < 10 µM with 2,6,4-trimethoflavone increasing H33342 intracellular accumulation by 3.7–6.6 fold over 1–100 µM. Western blotting and qPCR identified two inducers of BCRP (quercetin and naringin) and two down-regulators (17-β-estradiol and curcumin) with associated changes in BCRP efflux transport function further confirmed in both cell lines. siRNA downregulation of AhR resulted in a 1.75 ± 0.08 fold change in BCRP expression, confirming the role of AhR in the regulation of BCRP. These findings establish the regulatory role AhR of in controlling BCRP expression at the BBB and confirm quercetin, naringin, 17-β-estradiol, and curcumin as novel inducers and down-regulators of BCRP gene, protein expression and functional transporter activity and hence potential novel target sites and candidates for enhancing CNS drug delivery.