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Abstract: Here we report a case of sustentorial brain abscess due to Listeria monocytogenes. Blood culture and procalcitonine blood measurement were negative. L. monocytogenes was isolated from CSF after inoculation in Castañeda medium. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Blons H, Feldmann D, Duval V, Messaz O, Denoyelle F, Loundon N, Sergout-Allaoui A, Houang M, Duriez F, Lacombe D, Delobel B, Leman J, Catros H, Journel H, Drouin-Garraud V, Obstoy M-F, Toutain A, Odent S, Toublanc JE, Couderc R, Petit C, Garabédian E-N, Marlin S. Screening ofSLC26A4(PDS) gene in Pendred's syndrome: a large spectrum of mutations in France and phenotypic heterogeneity.Sensorineural hearing defect and goiter are common features of Pendred's syndrome. The clinical diagnosis of Pendred's syndrome remains difficult because of the lack of sensitivity and specificity of the thyroid signs. The identification ofPDSas the causative gene allowed molecular screening and enabled a re-evaluation of the syndrome to identify potential diagnostic characteristics. This report presents the clinical and genotypic findings of 30 French families, for whom a diagnosis of Pendred's syndrome had been made. Twenty-seven families had at least one mutated allele. Twenty-eight different mutations were identified, 11 of which had never been previously reported. The main clinical characteristics were: early hearing loss, fluctuation in terms of during deafness evolution, and the presence of an enlarged vestibular aqueduct. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Hydrolysis of PBT grades differing by initial molar mass and / or presence of pigments. • Kinetic modeling of PBT hydrolysis auto accelerated by chain ends. • Embrittlement criteria common for all PBT's marterials. This paper reports the hydrolysis of several PBT materials (pigmented or not). Degradation was monitored by gel permeation chromatography (chain scission), DSC (crystalline morphology), tensile test (residual mechanical properties) and DVS (polymer-water interaction). The embrittlement comes from chain scission associated with a small chemicrystallization effect. Results lead to the proposal of a kinetic model for the chain scission rate aimed to describe the auto-acceleration effect induced by carboxylic acids (chain ends) and successfully compared to results both from this work or literature. The mixed "average molar mass – crystallinity" criterion proposed in a previous paper was specified. At last, the effect of pigments is illustrated and shows that carbon black (present in particular in one masterbatch) plays an aggravating role on hydrolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Study of PBT thermal and hydrolytic ageinginducing plasticity loss. • Study of molar mass decrease induced by chain scissions. • Study of crystalline changes (annealing and chemicrystallization). • Proposal of a mixed (Mw,xC) failure criterion separating ductile and brittle behavior. This paper reports the study of embrittlement of PBT submitted either to thermal or hydrolytic ageing. All changes were followed up by tensile tests, rheometry in molten state and gel permeation chromatography for molar mass changes, SAXS and DSC experiments for crystallinity changes. Both kind of ageing were shown to induce predominant chain scissions with moderate crystallinity increase, in great part due to annealing. The combination of all results were used to establish a M w - χ c embrittlement window helping for a determination of an end of life criterion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aim of the study: To develop a fast and reliable real time PCR technique for detecting plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance genes qnrA, qnrB and qnrS. Methods: A real-time PCR assay using SYBR Green I and Roche LightCycler® was developed to detect qnr genes. Detection of qnr genes was based on comparison of melting temperature differences with a positive control of each qnr genes. This assay was performed to study 138 isolates collected from diagnostic and screening samples in the Champagne-Ardenne region in 2004 (France). Results: In optimized conditions, the three positive controls tested alone and with isolates confirmed the specificity of the PCR primers. Each PCR assay was able to test 30 strains in 60min for 1 qnr gene. Out of 138 isolates screened, 3.6 % isolates were positive for a qnrA1, 1.5 % for qnrS1 and no qnrB-like gene. Prevalence of qnr determinants was 5 % and reached 9.5 % in clinical isolates. Conclusion: Real-time PCR is a fast and reliable technique for screening of qnr-positive strains. This study shows a relatively high prevalence of qnr determinants (5 %) among ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Injection moulding of PBT parts with various processing conditions (barrel temperature, residence time). • Embrittlement induced by the process, in link with average molar mass decrease. • Embrittlement map common for all PBT's materials was established in line with previous works. • Thermolysis seems here the main cause of thermal degradation. • Kinetic modeling of PBT thermolysis. Embrittlement caused by injection molding was investigated on a commercial grade of Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT). The effect of temperature and residence time in the barrel on mechanical properties was studied. Results were discussed from macromolecular analysis by Gel Permeation Chromatography and crystallinity measurements by differential scanning calorimetry. It was shown that embrittlement exclusively occurs by a chain scission process in those conditions. Oxygen is shown to play a negligible role in degradation while thermolysis seems to be the main source of degradation. It was here described by a first simple kinetic model based on the beta abstraction of hydrogen at the vicinity of ester groups. A processing window was thus determined using this model and might help practitioners for processing PBT parts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Results Cumulative bleeding events, cumulative joint bleeding events, and cumulative major bleeding events were estimated to be 186.6, 155.9 and 0.4 for octocog alfa and 235.3, 174.4 and 0.5 for antihemophilic factor (recombinant). Hospitalizations and hospitalization days were reduced by 20% for octocog alfa compared to antihemophilic factor (recombinant) (with a total of 0.4 hospitalizations for octocog alfa versus 0.5 for antihemophilic factor (recombinant)), with a mean of 1.3 days (versus 1.7 for antihemophilic factor (recombinant)). [Extracted from the article]

Background: The PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway is frequently altered in breast cancer (BC). Alterations in PIK3CA or inactivation of PTEN are observed in 10-40% and in up to 50% of breast tumors, respectively. The PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway can be further activated through various receptor classes or cross-talk with other pathways, making it a rational target for therapeutic intervention in BC. BEZ235 is an oral dual inhibitor of mTOR and PI3K. It has demonstrated anti-proliferative activity, substantial growth inhibition, and induction of apoptosis in preclinical studies. In a Ph I study, single-agent BEZ235 (600 mg BID) was shown to have less toxicity than the equivalent once-daily dosing, and have preliminary evidence of activity in advanced solid tumors (Arkenau, et al. ASCO 2012:#3097). Methods: This is a multicenter, open-label Ph IB/II study of continuous, oral BEZ235 twice daily (BID) in combination with paclitaxel (80 mg/m² ; IV weekly [QW]) in women with HER2- negative (HER2-), metastatic or inoperable locally advanced BC (NCT01495247 ). For the Ph IB part, women with HER2-, metastatic or inoperable locally advanced BC, who are suitable for treatment with paclitaxel, are eligible for enrollment. The primary objective is to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD)/recommended Ph II dose (RP2D) of BEZ235 in combination with paclitaxel based on dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) using an adaptive 5-parameter Bayesian logistic regression model with overdose control. The MTD is defined as the highest drug dosage not causing medically unacceptable DLTs in more than 35% of the treated patients during Cycle 1 (1 cycle = 28 days). Secondary objectives include safety (CTCAE), preliminary activity (RECIST), and pharmacokinetics (PK). Estimated enrollment is 15-30 patients into the Ph IB part. Results: As of June 2012, 13 pts have been enrolled into the Ph IB part of the trial. The first cohort (n = 7 pts) received BEZ235 200 mg BID + 80 mg/m² QW paclitaxel. Of these 7 pts, 3 are ongoing, with 2 pts having received treatment for more than 12 weeks so far, and 4 pts have discontinued (2 due to an adverse event [AE]; 1 due to an AE/pt's decision; and 1 due to disease progression). Of the 6 evaluable pts in the first cohort, 2 experienced DLTs: Grade 3 stomatitis (1 pt) and Grade 2/3 neutropenia (1 pt). Most common AEs included stomatitis and GI toxicity (e.g. diarrhea, nausea/vomiting). To date, reported Grade 3 AEs related to study drug were stomatitis (2 pts), neutropenia (1 pt), and skin rash (1 pt). Among the 3 pts with at least one tumor evaluation, 1 pt with a triple-negative metastatic BC, who had previously been treated with paclitaxel, experienced a RECIST partial response which was confirmed on second tumor evaluation. PK analysis is ongoing. Conclusions: Additional patients have been enrolled at BEZ235 200 mg BID/paclitaxel 80 mg/m² QW to provide further information on the safety and activity profile of this combination. Updated safety and efficacy results will be presented. Upon determination of the MTD/RP2D, the randomized Ph II part will begin to compare weekly paclitaxel given with or without BEZ235 BID as the first-line treatment of HER2- metastatic BC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: L’importance pronostique sur la mortalité et sur l’incidence des complications d’un traitement précoce et adapté des pneumonies à pneumocoque est connue. Streptococcus pneumoniae constitue l’étiologie la plus fréquente et la plus grave. Le but de cette étude était d’évaluer le test BINAX NOW S. pneumoniae dans le diagnostic précoce des pneumonies chez les patients ventilés en réanimation. Matériel et méthodes: Étude prospective de 2003 à 2006, incluant les pneumopathies communautaires hypoxémiantes (score de FINE V). Le diagnostic de pneumonie reposait sur les critères d’ANDREW. Recueil : âge, sexe, IGS II, antibiothérapie préalable. Un lavage broncho-alvéolaire (LBA), des hémocultures (HC), une antigénurie S. pneumoniae étaient effectués dès l’admission. Deux groupes étaient individualisés. Groupe I : patients infectés àS. pneumoniae, Groupe II : patients non infectés àS. pneumoniae. Résultats: Inclusion de 333 patients. Âge moyen : 59 ans, sex ratio de 3, IGS II à 41, 65 % avaient reçu une antibiothérapie avant les prélèvements. 52 patients (groupe I) présentaient une pneumonie àS. pneumoniae dont 11 associés à une bactériémie. Le groupe II comprenait 281 patients. 60 patients avaient une antigénurie positive, 21 patients du groupe I et 39 patients du groupe II. La sensibilité (Se) est égale à 40,4 % [24 %-62,8 %] IC 95 % et la spécificité (Sp) à 86,1 % [64,4 %-85,6 %] IC 95 %. La VPP n’était que de 35 % alors que la VPN était de 88,6 %. En prenant comme test de référence l’HC seule, la Se était de 45,5 % [22,1 %-59,3 %] IC 95 % et la Sp de 82,9 % [57,7 %-85,6 %] IC 95 %. Conclusions: L’intérêt du test réside dans la rapidité du résultat et du caractère non invasif de cette technique, mais la sensibilité médiocre de ce test incite à ne plus pratiquer cet examen en réanimation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]