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Wolman disease is an ultrarare lysosomal storage disease caused by a mutation in the LIPA gene. The clinical features of Wolman disease include early onset of vomiting, diarrhea, failure to thrive, hepatosplenomegaly, and bilateral adrenal calcification. We report the case of a 3-month-old infant who presented clinical features of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. Genetic sequence analysis of the LIPA gene revealed homozygous mutation c.153 CA (p.Tyr51*). The parents were heterozygous for this mutation. Prenatal diagnosis has been carried out in the next pregnancy. To our knowledge, this mutation has never been reported before, and this is an unusual case of secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis complicating Wolman disease.

International audience; We study the three-dimensional stationary exterior Stokes problem with non standard boundary conditions corresponding to a slip-without-friction boundary conditions. Because the flow domain is unbounded , we set the problem in weighted spaces in order to control the behavior at infinity of solutions. This functional framework allows to prescribe various behaviors at infinity of the solutions. The results established are related to the existence and the uniqueness of strong and very weak solutions. Our strategy relies on the fact that due to the boundary conditions, the pressure and the velocity can be decoupled and, as a result, we solve two separate systems to find these quantities.

Resume L’echographie medullaire est un examen simple, disponible, peu couteux et facile a realiser chez le nouveau-ne et le nourrisson de moins de 4 mois, idealement au cours du premier mois de vie. Elle permet le depistage des anomalies medullaires congenitales et en particulier des dysraphismes occultes. L’echographie medullaire est indiquee principalement en cas d’anomalies du revetement cutane sacro-coccygien. La decouverte d’une fossette sacro-coccygienne ne justifie la realisation d’une echographie medullaire que lorsqu’elle est atypique par la presence d’une depression mediane de plus de 5 mm, situee a plus de 25 mm de l’anus ou associee a d’autres anomalies cutanees. L’echographie medullaire permet d’etudier aussi bien la moelle epiniere que les racines et les espaces peri-medullaires. Elle permet de preciser le niveau du cone medullaire, qui doit normalement se situer au-dessus du niveau du disque L2-L3, et de visualiser la mobilite des racines de la queue de cheval. La connaissance de l’echo-anatomie normale de la moelle et de ses variantes est fondamentale afin de repondre au mieux aux attentes du clinicien et d’orienter les indications de l’imagerie par resonance magnetique. La decouverte d’une variante de la normale a l’echographie ne justifie en aucun cas la realisation d’une IRM medullaire. Cet examen ne doit etre indique qu’en cas de dysraphisme ouvert, d’anomalie malformative decouverte a l’echographie, de tumeur medullaire ou dans un contexte post-traumatique ou post-infectieux.

Foreign body ingestion is a frequent issue in paediatrician's practice. Foreign bodies often pass the gastro-intestinal tract spontaneously but can sometimes generate complications (1% of the cases). The migration of ingested foreign bodies is rare, but their spontaneous extrusion through the skin is even rarer and was previously described only in the neck. We report an unusual case of a spontaneous extrusion of an ingested foreign body through the skin of the lower abdomen. Observation: A 2 year-old boy, presented with a 2cm inflammatory swelling of the hypogastric region. Laboratory analysis showed hyperleukocytosis (16 7770 /mm3) and high C reactive protein level at 12mg/L. Ultrasonography and computed tomography allowed us to diagnose a parietal foreign body extruding through the skin and to eliminate associated complication (perforation, vascular fistula…). The foreign body was extracted by a surgical incision. This observation is very rare but it is also uncommon because of the nature of the ingested foreign body which was a wooden piece. Its ingestion was explained by a paediatric mental disorder.

In the present paper we study the vector potential problem in exterior domains of R^3. Our approach is based on the use of weighted spaces in order to describe the behaviour of functions at infinity. As a first step of the investigation, we prove important results on the Laplace equation in exterior domains with Dirichlet or Neumann boundary conditions. As a consequence of the obtained results on the vector potential problem, we establish usefull results on weighted Sobolev inequalities and Helmholtz decompositions of weighted spaces.

Resume Le teratome intracrânien est la tumeur cerebrale congenitale la plus frequente. Son diagnostic antenatal peut etre suspecte sur les donnees de l’imagerie mais sa confirmation reste histologique. Nous rapportons le cas d’un teratome intracrânien de diagnostic antenatal, evoque sur les donnees de l’imagerie (echographie antenatale et imagerie par resonance magnetique [IRM]) et confirme par l’etude histopathologique suite a une interruption therapeutique de la grossesse. A travers cette observation, les auteurs attirent l’attention sur les particularites radiologiques de cette tumeur et sur l’importance d’un depistage et d’un diagnostic precoce afin d’etablir un pronostic et d’orienter la prise en charge therapeutique.

International audience; Familial CCM is a rare entity associated with the mutation of three genes: CCM1 (KRIT1), CCM2 (MGC4607), and CCM3 (PDCD10). We report here the first description of a Tunisian familial CCMs composed of six members. The father and two daughters were affected and symptomatic. The two other kindred were healthy. Surgical treatment was performed in only one affected patient. Molecular analysis of KRIT1, MGC4607 and PDCD10 genes identified a large KRIT1 deletion of the first ten exons. To the best of our knowledge, this large deletion has never been reported before.

Anthracene (ANT) and permethrin (PER) are two of the more toxic compounds reaching the marine environment. This study aimed to determine the impact of these molecules on Venerupis decussata, an economically important species cultured on the Tunisian coast. Shell structure and its possible transformation upon exposure to the two contaminants were studied by X-ray diffraction and gravimetric analyses. Results revealed a phase transition in shell composition from aragonite to calcite after PER exposure, to a mixture of PER and ANT (Mix) but not for ANT alone. Catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione transferase (GST) activities were determined in digestive gland and gills after exposure to ANT, PER and Mix to assess the impact of the contamination on the oxidative status of V. decussata. Enzyme activities increased in the digestive gland after PER treatment and in the gills after ANT treatment. PER exposure significantly reduced the levels of free thiols and increased levels of carbonylated proteins in the digestive gland, as compared to controls. In contrast, ANT exposure significantly reduced free thiols and increased the number of carbonylated proteins in the gills. Mix induced additive effects as measured by both enzymatic and proteomic approaches. The present study suggests that PER has a strong effect on shell structure; that PER and ANT exposure generate compound-dependent oxidative stress in the tissues of V. decussata and that a mixture of the two compounds has synergistic effects on biochemical response.

In this paper, we study the steady-state Navier–Stokes equations in $$\mathbb {R}^3$$ . First, we establish the existence of very weak solution in $$\varvec{L}^p(\mathbb {R}^3)$$ with $$3/2< p < +\infty $$ under smallness conditions on the data. A uniqueness result is also given in case the data belong to $$\mathbb {L}^r(\mathbb {R}^3)\cap \mathbb {L}^{3/2}(\mathbb {R}^3)$$ with $$3/2

cited By 1; International audience; The objectives of this study were (1) to assess the responses of benthic nematodes to a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contamination and (2) to test bioremediation techniques for their efficiency in PAH degradation and their effects on nematodes. Sediments with their natural nematofauna communities from Bizerte lagoon (Tunisia) were subjected to a PAH mixture (100 ppm) of phenanthrene, fluoranthene, and pyrene during 30 days. Nematode abundance and diversity significantly decreased, and the taxonomic structure was altered. Results from multivariate analyses of the species abundance data revealed that PAH treatments were significantly different from the control. Spirinia parasitifera became the dominant species (70 % relative abundance) and appeared to be an “opportunistic” species to PAH contamination while Oncholaimus campylocercoides and Neochromadora peocilosoma were strongly inhibited. Biostimulation (addition of mineral salt medium) and bioaugmentation (inoculation of a hydrocarbonoclastic bacterium) were used as bioremediation techniques. Bioremediation treatments enhanced degradation of all three PAHs, with up to 96 % degradation for phenanthrene resulting in a significant stimulation of nematode abundance relative to control microcosms. Nevertheless, these treatments, especially the biostimulation provoked a weak impact on the community structure and diversity index relative to the control microcosms suggesting their feasibility in biorestoration of contaminated sediments.

The effects of permethrin (PER) on a panel of antoxidant enzymes; superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) and indices of protein oxidation status (carbonylation and free thiols) were determined in digestive gland and gills of the clam Ruditapes decussatus. Animals were exposed to 100 ppb PER for 2 days. These enzyme activities increased significantly in digestive gland (p

Effects of sediment-released contaminants and nitrogen were assessed on phytoplankton communities sampled from Thau lagoon (France, Mediterranean Sea) and one close offshore marine station. Phytoplankton was exposed to sediment elutriate (seawater containing a mix of metals, organic chemicals, and nutrients) or to ammonium enrichment for four days using immersed microcosms exposed to natural conditions of light and temperature. Functional (production - respiration balance) and structural (taxonomy and cell densities) responses of the phytoplankton community were assessed. In the lagoon, both treatments stimulated phytoplankton growth, compare to controls. Conversely in the offshore station, the phytoplankton growth was stimulated only with the sediment elutriate addition. In offshore and lagoon stations, both treatments caused a shift in the taxonomic composition of the phytoplankton. Proliferation of potentially toxic diatoms and dinoflagellates resulted from the addition of elutriate. Correspondence analysis determined that phytoplankton from the offshore station was more sensitive to both treatments compared to the lagoon community. According to daily production and respiration balance, lagoon community metabolism remained heterotrophic (P < R) for all treatments, whereas only transient shifts to net autotrophy (P > R) were observed in the offshore community. Direct toxicity of contaminants released from sediment, if any, was therefore masked by nutrient enrichment effects, whereas indirect evidence of contaminant pressure was highlighted by changes in community composition and metabolism.

This study evaluates the in vitro impact of three bioremediation techniques: biostimulation, bioaugmentation, and a combination of biostimulation and bioaugmentation on microflora and nematofauna after an artificial contamination of la- goon sediments by anthracene. This sediment contamination tends to reduce the average load in aerobic heterotrophic bacte- ria in the water column, at the sediment interface and at the same time induces a highly significant decrease in the average densities of nematodes in all microcosms contaminated by this pollutant. After inoculation with the Staphylococcus sp. bac- terial strain, the increase in bacterial load was significant (p < 0.05) in the three compartments of anthracene-contaminated microcosms with relation to the controls. The addition of nitrates and phosphates to the contaminated microcosms generated a highly significant increase in the average concentration of free-living nematodes with relation to the controls.

A microcosm experiment was used to examine the response of nematode in terms of density and diversity at different levels of permethrin contamination. The sediments were contaminated with three permethrin concentrations [P1: low (5 mg kg−1), P2: medium (25 mg kg−1) and P3: high (250 mg kg−1)] and the effects were evaluated after 30 days. The results from univariate and multivariate analyses showed significant differences between nematode assemblages from uncontaminated control and those from permethrin treatments. All univariate indices changed significantly at all the levels of permethrin contamination. In fact, the total nematode abundance (I), Shannon-Weaner index (H′), species richness (d), evenness (J′) and number of species (S) decreased significantly in all the contaminated microcosms. In addition, the results from multivariate analyses of the species abundance data demonstrated that permethrin affects the responses of nematode species. These significant modifications in nematode community structures with response to permethrin contamination were the consequences of a different specific tolerance to this pesticide. Thus, Araeolaimus bioculatus, Calomicrolaimus honestus, Oncholaimus campylocercoides and Theristus pertenuis characterized by increased abundances in all treated replicates, appeared to be “permethrin-resistant” species. Daptonema trabeculosum was eliminated in all the doses tested and seemed to be a very sensitive species to permethrin contamination.

Dysplasia epiphysealis hemimelica (DEH), also known as Trevor's disease, is a rare congenital skeletal developmental disorder in childhood. It is characterized by an asymmetric osteocartilaginous overgrowth arising from epiphyses or epiphyseal equivalents. Lesions have hemimelic topography, usually occur in the lower limbs, most commonly in the ankle and the knee and affect either the medial or lateral part of one epiphysis. Objective The purpose of this study is to describe the imaging features of DEH by reporting four cases. Materials and methods We present four cases of DEH in one female and three males aged between 7 and 15 years. Lower limb is involved in all cases and patients suffer from pain, limited function and deformity. Radiographs and CT findings were reviewed. All patients were treated by surgical excision. Results Plain X-ray revealed in all cases an irregular ossification arising from the affected epiphysis. The CT scan revealed an irregular fragmented osteocartilaginous mass involved from the epiphysis, with enlargement of epiphyses and intra-articular extension. Conclusion The early diagnosis and treatment of DEH is necessary in preventing articular function, CT assists in defining the anatomic relationship between the mass and its parent epiphysis and in evaluating the condition of the articular cartilage and soft tissue. The distinct clinical and radiographic features should enable to differentiate the osteochondroma and the DHE.

Sickle cell anemia is the most common hemoglobinopathy worldwide; its musculoskeletal complications consist more often of medullary infarctions involving long bones. Orbital infarction is uncommon. We report on a case of orbital subperiosteal hematoma in a 9-year-old male with a medical history of sickle cell thalassemia.

Resume Les lesions post-traumatiques de l’oreille moyenne sont peu communes chez l’enfant et s’integrent le plus souvent dans le cadre d’un traumatisme crânien, se manifestant cliniquement par une otorragie et/ou une paralysie faciale. La clinique et l’audiometrie permettent de suspecter le diagnostic. L’examen cle est la tomodensitometrie multicoupes (TDM), fournissant une evaluation precise des lesions sur les coupes natives et les reconstructions multiplanaires. Notre etude porte sur une serie de 15 enfants presentant des lesions post-traumatiques de l’oreille moyenne. Les differents aspects TDM sont illustres et compares aux resultats de la litterature.

Thirty-one hips in 27 young girls, treated for developmental dysplasia of the hip in the authors' institute since 2003, showed persistent radiographic evidence of residual acetabular dysplasia. These hips were registered as candidates for pelvic osteotomy. A prospective study was conducted and these hips were evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); the average age of the patients was 5 years. MRI measurement of acetabular angle and acetabular head index in 2 different landmarks (bone and cartilage) was performed. The results were correlated with plain radiographic film evolution. MRI studies revealed sufficient cartilaginous acetabular coverage in 27 hips, cartilaginous acetabular dysplasia in 2 hips, and short acetabulum in 2 others. The 27 hips with thick cartilage of the acetabular roof were subsequently followed up by plain radiographs. The average follow-up period was 2.1 years. The authors observed a spontaneous progressive ossification of the cartilaginous acetabular roof in all the 27 cases. In 4 cases, the correction of the acetabular angle was complete. They concluded that MRI promotes more accurate selection of patients for pelvic osteotomy and aids in the choice of the most appropriate type of osteotomy. Clinical imaging examples are presented and need to be further evaluated.

Resume But Evaluer l’apport de l’IRM dans la surveillance de la biocolonisation des implants intra-orbitaires. Patients et methode Nous avons mene une etude retrospective incluant 10 enfants (10 yeux) ayant eu une enucleation pour un retinoblastome evolue. Les implants etaient tous en hydroxyapatite de synthese. Nous avons realise une IRM en postoperatoire a des delais differents allant de 2 mois a 1 an. L’exploration orbitaire a comporte, pour chaque patient, des sequences ponderees en T1 sans et avec injection de Gadolinium dans les plans axial et sagittal. Resultats L’IRM montrait une prise de contraste de l’implant dans cinq cas, une prise de contraste nodulaire autour de l’implant en rapport avec une recidive du retinoblastome dans un cas, et une absence de prise de contraste dans quatre cas. La prise de contraste de l’implant etait peripherique dans deux cas et etendue au centre dans trois cas. Une dissemination meningee a ete notee dans deux cas, mais aucun cas de rejet de l’implant n’a ete detecte. Conclusion La colonisation fibrovasculaire de l’implant orbitaire reduit le risque d’expulsion et permet d’assurer une meilleure mobilite de la keratoprothese superficielle. L’IRM est un moyen sensible pour objectiver cette biocolonisation et l’integration de l’implant orbitaire.

Bronchial foreign body inhalation is a frequent and potentially serious accident in children. It can provoke long-term complications such as bronchiectasis and recurrent pulmonary infections. The foreign body is generally blocked in a bronchus and induces obstructive emphysema with superinfection. We report 2 cases of bronchial inhalation of a migrating cereal-ear, eliminated by parietal fistulization, in 9- and 11-year-old boys.

Resume L’osteochondrite dissequante est une affection touchant essentiellement le condyle femoral medial. Nous rapportons ici deux localisations rares au niveau du genou, une tibiale proximale et une rotulienne. Il s’agissait de deux garcons âges de 14 ans qui consultaient pour des gonalgies evoluant depuis, respectivement, quatre et trois mois sans notion de traumatisme avec des episodes de blocage articulaire. La radiographie standard et l’IRM ont conclu a une osteochondrite dissequante, respectivement, du plateau tibial lateral associee a un menisque discoide fissure et de la rotule compliquee d’une liberation intra-articulaire du fragment osteochondral. Une arthroscopie a ete faite pour les deux patients avec une regularisation du menisque discoide pour le premier et une ablation du fragment osteochondral pour l’autre. A travers ces deux observations, nous discutons essentiellement la pathogenie de cette affection dans ces localisations particulieres.

The classical form of late infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis is a childhood hereditary neurodegenerative disease usually fatal in the first decade of life. We report a two-year-old Tunisian boy who presented this form of ceroid lipofuscinosis. A febrile seizure was the presenting symptom without psychomotor delay. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed mild cerebellar atrophy. Fundus oculi showed bilateral posterior polar cataract, which is a new finding in the classical form of late infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis. A homozygous R208X mutation was identified in the NLC2 gene. On follow up, this patient presented with myoclonic epilepsy and regression of acquired milestones.

This work solves Dirichlet problem for the Laplace operator in an exterior domain of \(\mathbb{R}^{3}\). We are interested in the existence and the uniqueness of weak and strong solutions in L p -theory which makes our work more difficult. Our analysis is based on the principle that linear exterior problems can be solved by combining their properties in the whole space \(\mathbb{R}^{3}\) and the properties in bounded domains. Our approach rests on the use of weighted Sobolev spaces.

1. IntroductionLesduplicationsdigestivessontrarementlocalise´esauniveaududuode´num.Danscecasleurincorporationdanslepancre´asest exceptionnelle. Le tableau pre´sente´ est ge´ne´ralementcelui d’un abdomen aigu. L’e´chographie sugge`re le diagnosticde duplication digestive mais c’est la tomodensitome´trie etsurtout l’imagerie par re´sonance magne´tique (IRM) qui per-mettent un diagnostic topographique pre´cis. Sa prise encharge doit eˆtre chirurgicale vues les nombreuses complica-tions auxquelles elles exposent.2. ObservationUne fille de 12 ans aux ante´ce´dents de gastrite antrale ayantbien e´volue´ sous traitement me´dical s’e´tait pre´sente´e enurgencedansuntableaudevomissementsetd’e´pigastralgiesintenses d’installation aigue¨ 24 heures avant son admission.Elle e´tait apyre´tique et l’examen abdominal re´ve´lait unede´fense e´pigastrique. Il n’y avait pas de syndrome infectieuxbiologique et le bilan pancre´atique e´tait normal. La radio-graphie de l’abdomen sans pre´paration e´tait sans anomalie.La fibroscopie digestive e´tait e´galement normale.L’e´chographie abdominale montrait une formation kystiquebilobe´eaucontactdelateˆtedupancre´aslimite´eparuneparoidont l’aspect e´voquait une structure digestive. La tomoden-sitome´trie montrait la situation re´trope´ritone´ale de la massekystique qui se de´veloppait dans la re´gion isthmique dupancre´as (fig. 1). Cette masse posse´dait un contact e´troit avecla troisie`me portion du duode´num bien visible sur les recon-structions coronales (fig. 2). Elle se prolongeait en intratho-raciquedansleme´diastinposte´rieurenarrie`redel’œsophage(fig. 3). Sa paroi e´tait faiblement rehausse´e par le produit decontraste confortant l’hypothe`se d’une paroi digestive.Le diagnostic de duplication digestive kystique thoracoabdo-minale a` de´veloppement intrapancre´atique avec une compo-sante me´diastinale poste´rieure e´tait donc retenu.L’intervention montrait qu’il s’agissait d’une duplication duo-de´nale de´veloppe´e en partie au sein du pancre´as et se pro-longeant dans l’orifice hiatal. Une exe´re`se subtotale de lamasse e´tait pratique´e. Il n’existait pas de fistule biliaire oupancre´atique. L’examen anatomopathologique montrait quela duplication e ´tait tapissee par une muqueuse de type gas-trique.3. DiscussionLalocalisationintrapancre´atiquedesduplications duode´nalesest[()TD$FIG] tre`s rare. Seuls quelques cas ont e´te´ rapporte´s dans la

This study aimed at analyzing the impact of a toxic polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), anthracene (ANT), on Ruditapes decussatus collected from a Tunisian coastal lagoon (Bizerte Lagoon). Filtration rates, several antioxidant enzymes--superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), and glutathione transferase (GST)--as well as indices of protein oxidation status were determined in various tissues of this bivalve. Specimens were exposed to 100 μg/L of ANT for 2 days. ANT levels were evaluated using HPLC and were detected in the gill and digestive gland at different amounts. ANT exposure altered the behavior of bivalves by changing the siphon movement and decreasing filtration rate significantly. The enzymatic results indicated that ANT exposure affected the oxidative stress status of the gills of R. decussatus. In addition, modification of proteins was detected in the gills using redox proteomics after ANT treatment. Three protein spots were successfully identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization tandem time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). These proteins can be roughly related to muscle contraction function. In contrast, no significant modification of enzymatic and protein responses was detected in the digestive gland after ANT treatment. These data demonstrate that combined behavioral and biochemical analyses are a powerful tool to provide valuable insights into possible mechanisms of toxicity of anthracene in R. decussatus. Additionally, the results highlight the potential of the gill as a valuable candidate for investigating PAH toxicity.

cited By 4; International audience; Sediments from Bizerta lagoon were used in an experimental microcosm setup involving three scenarios for the bioremediation of anthracene-polluted sediments, namely bioaugmentation, biostimulation, and a combination of both bioaugmentation and biostimulation. In order to investigate the effect of the biotreatments on the benthic biosphere, 16S rRNA gene-based T-RFLP bacterial community structure and the abundance and diversity of the meiofauna were determined throughout the experiment period. Addition of fresh anthracene drastically reduced the benthic bacterial and meiofaunal abundances. The treatment combining biostimulation and bioaugmentation was most efficient in eliminating anthracene, resulting in a less toxic sedimentary environment, which restored meiofaunal abundance and diversity. Furthermore, canonical correspondence analysis showed that the biostimulation treatment promoted a bacterial community favorable to the development of nematodes while the treatment combining biostimulation and bioaugmentation resulted in a bacterial community that advantaged the development of the other meiofauna taxa (copepods, oligochaetes, polychaetes, and other) restoring thus the meiofaunal structure. The results highlight the importance to take into account the bacteria/meiofauna interactions during the implementation of bioremediation treatment.

cited By 2; International audience; A microcosm experiment was used to examine (1) the effects of different bioremediation schemes on degradation of anthracene and the structure of free-living marine nematodes in a lightly contaminated (4.5 μg g -1) sediment from Bizerte lagoon and (2) the responses of the nematode community upon an artificial spiking of a low dose anthracene (1 μg g-1). For that purpose sediment microcosms were incubated in laboratory for 40 days. Bioremediation techniques decreased the anthracene contamination, and interestingly, biodegradation were more efficient when anthracene was artificial supplied into the sediment suggesting that the addition of bioavailable anthracene stimulated the bacterial community to adjust towards a PAH-degrading community. Spiking with this low dose of anthracene provoked significant changes in the nematode community structure and abundance, with the elimination of specific species such as Mesacanthion diplechma, the decrease of the dominant species Oncholaimus campylocercoides and the increase in abundance of opportunistic species such as Spirinia parasitifera. This would suggest a low tolerance of the nematode community despite the presence of a weak anthracene contamination in the sediment that could have allow dominance of an anthracene tolerant nematode species. Anthracene toxicity was alleviated in biostimulation treatments, leading to a strong increase in nematode abundance, concomitantly with changes in the nematode community structure; Prochromadorella neapolitana became the most abundant species.

cited By 3; International audience; A microcosm experiment was setup to examine (1) the effect of phenanthrene contamination on meiofauna and bacteria communities and (2) the effects of different bioremediation strategies on phenanthrene degradation and on the community structure of free-living marine nematodes. Sediments from Bizerte lagoon were contaminated with (100 mg kg-1) phenanthrene and effects were examined after 20 days. Biostimulation (addition of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer or mineral salt medium) and bioaugmentation (inoculation of a hydrocarbonoclastic bacterium) were used as bioremediation treatments. Bacterial biomass was estimated using flow cytometry. Meiofauna was counted and identified at the higher taxon level using a stereomicroscope. Nematodes, comprising approximately two thirds of total meiofauna abundance, were identified to genus or species. Phenanthrene contamination had a severe impact on bacteria and meiofauna abundances with a strong decrease of nematodes with a complete disappearance of polychaetes and copepods. Bioremediation counter balanced the toxic effects of phenanthrene since meiofauna and bacteria abundances were significantly higher (p < 0.01) than those observed in phenanthrene contamination. Up to 98 % of phenanthrene removal was observed. In response to phenanthrene contamination, the nematode species had different behavior: Daptonema fallax was eliminated in contaminated microcosms, suggesting that it is an intolerant species to phenanthrene; Neochromadora peocilosoma, Spirinia parasitifera, and Odontophora n. sp., which significantly (p < 0.05) increased in contaminated microcosms, could be considered as "opportunistic" species to phenanthrene whereas Anticoma acuminata and Calomicrolaimus honestus increased in the treatment combining biostimulation and bioaugmentation. Phenanthrene had a significant effect on meiofaunal and bacterial abundances (p < 0.05), with a strong reduction of density and change in the nematode communities. Biostimulation using mineral salt medium strongly enhanced phenanthrene removal, leading to a decrease of its toxicity. This finding opens exciting axes for the future use of biostimulation to reduce toxic effects of PAHs for meiofauna and bacteria in lagoon sediment.

The present study was focused on the assessment of Catalase (CAT) and Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities in Mediterranean clams (Ruditapes decussatus) exposed to 50, 100 and 150 μg/L of Permethrin for 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 days. In water, the measured concentrations of Permethrin in the treated aquariums were respectively 16.66, 38.24 and 55.61 μg/L. Results showed that CAT activity was increased after 5 days of exposure to high concentration reaching maximum value of 10.14 μmol/min/mg proteins after 25 days. However, no significant changes in AChE activity after 5 days of exposure were detected in all treated groups. AChE activity was significantly inhibited after 10 days with 100 and 150 μg/L and still depending on concentration and time. Maximum inhibition of AChE activity was reached after 25 days with the highest concentration of Permethrin. Our data indicated that exposure to Permethrin modifies biomarker profiles inducing oxidative stress and reducing AChE activity in Mediterranean clams.

cited By 14; International audience; Biological interactions between metazoans and the microbial community play a major role in structuring food webs in aquatic sediments. Pollutants can also strongly affect the structure of meiofauna and microbial communities. This study aims investigating, in a non-contaminated sediment, the impact of meiofauna on bacteria facing contamination by a mixture of three PAHs (fluoranthene, phenanthrene and pyrene). Sediment microcosms were incubated in the presence or absence of meiofauna during 30. days. Bioremediation treatments, nutrient amendment and addition of a hydrocarbon-degrading bacterium, were also tested to enhance PAH biodegradation. Results clearly show the important role of meiofauna as structuring factor for bacterial communities with significant changes observed in the molecular fingerprints. However, these structural changes were not concomitant with changes in biomass or function. PAH contamination had a severe impact on total meiofaunal abundance with a strong decrease of nematodes and the complete disappearance of polychaetes and copepods. In contrast, correspondence analysis, based on T-RFLP fingerprints, showed that contamination by PAH resulted in small shifts in microbial composition, with or without meiofauna, suggesting a relative tolerance of bacteria to the PAH cocktail. The PAH bioremediation treatments were highly efficient with more than 95% biodegradation. No significant difference was observed in presence or absence of meiofauna. Nutrient addition strongly enhanced bacterial and meiofaunal abundances as compared to control and contaminated microcosms, as well as inducing important changes in the bacterial community structure. Nutrients thus were the main structural factor in shaping bacterial community composition, while the role of meiofauna was less evident.

International audience; Purpose: The main goals of this study were to investigate (1) the behavior of microbial communities in response to low-dose bioavailable anthracene addition in lightly contaminated sediment from Bizerte Lagoon and (2) the effects of bioremediation treatments on microbial biomass, activity, and community structure. Methods: Sediment microcosms amended with 1 ppm anthracene were incubated in triplicate during 30 days. Biostimulation (addition of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer) and bioaugmentation (inoculation of a hydrocarbonoclastic bacterium) were used as bioremediation treatments. Bacterial biomass was estimated using flow cytometry. Sediment oxygen consumption was measured with oxygen microelectrodes. Bacterial community structure was assessed by molecular fingerprints (terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism; T-RFLP) analysis. Results: Anthracene contamination resulted in a significant reduction of bacterial abundance with an impact on cell integrity. Concomitantly, sediment oxygen consumption was strongly inhibited. Correspondence analysis on T-RFLP data indicated that bacterial community structures from anthracene-contaminated microcosms were different from that of the control. Interestingly, the changes observed in microbial biomass, structure, and activities as a result of anthracene contamination were not alleviated even with the use of biostimulation and combination of biostimulation and bioaugmentation strategy for anthracene bioremediation. Nevertheless, both treatment methods resulted in different community structures relative to the contaminated and control microcosms with the appearance of distinct populations. Conclusion: Anthracene spiking severely affected microbial communities, suggesting dominance of nontolerant populations in this lightly-contaminated sediment. Although biostimulation and/or bioaugmentation treatments did not alleviate the anthracene toxic effects, the changes observed in microbial population and structure suggest that the proposed treatments might be promising to promote bacterial growth. Further works are still required to propose a more efficient strategy to stimulate biodegradation that takes into account the complex interactions between species for resource access. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.

Resume Les syndromes neurocutanes ou phacomatoses incluent un groupe heterogene d’affections complexes, dont la plupart sont d’origine genetique. Ces affections sont secondaires a une atteinte dysplasique des differents feuillets embryonnaires, et particulierement du neuroectoderme, expliquant le caractere multi-systemique de ces affections ainsi que leur polymorphisme clinico-radiologique. Etant les plus constantes et souvent revelatrices de ces affections, les lesions cutanees constituent un marqueur pour la plupart d’entre elles. L’atteinte du systeme nerveux central est egalement frequente, vu la communaute d’origine genetique entre la peau et ce dernier. Elle constitue un element capital pour le pronostic. A travers ce travail, les auteurs rappellent les caracteristiques cliniques et neuroradiologiques des affections les plus courantes (telles que la neurofibromatose type 1, la sclerose tubereuse de Bourneville, la maladie de Sturge-Weber et la maladie de Von Hippel-Lindau) et attirent l’attention sur la place de l’imagerie, et particulierement l’imagerie par resonance magnetique (IRM), dans le diagnostic precoce, le pronostic ainsi que le suivi evolutif de ces affections.

The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of Multi Slice Computed Tomography (MSCT) on the understanding of the spatial displacement of supracondylar humeral (SCH) fractures, their classification and their management. A prospective study was conducted on 63 children with SCH fractures Gartland II or Lagrange 2 and 3, over a period of 30 months. The patients were 42 boys and 21 girls, aged between 3 and 14. All patients were imaged using conventional radiography. Thirty-two patients underwent MSCT and 3-dimensional reconstructions. According to the Lagrange classification system, 16 patients had type 2 fractures and 47 had type 3 fractures. In type 2, the posterior cortices of both medial and lateral columns were bent on CT (n = 6). In type 3, CT-scan made it possible to distinguish two subgroups. In the first subgroup (n = 12) there was fracture of both anterior and posterior cortices of the lateral column; however, the posterior cortical surface of the medial column was preserved. In the second subgroup (n = 14), there was no cortical surface contact in the medial column, but the continuity of the posterior cortical surface of the lateral column was preserved. Based on a new concept of column stability, the use of CT-scan has allowed for a better understanding of supracondylar fractures in children.

The aim of this retrospective study is to report eight cases of blunt duodeno-pancreatic trauma in infants, emphasizing on the role of imaging in acute assessment of the lesions and in further management.We reported eight cases of duodeno-pancreatic injuries between 2006 and 2008, 5 boys and 3 girls with an age ranging from 3 to 12 years (median age: 7 years). Trauma circumstances were: car accident (n=2), domestic injury (n=5) and bicycle's fall injury (n=1). All patients underwent abdominal ultrasonography and CT scan in the initial evaluation and during the follow-up.Imaging showed the following pancreatic lesions: 3 corporeal fractures, 2 caudal fractures and one between the corporeal and the caudal portions. Four pancreatic haematomas were found. The associated lesions were duodenal, splenic, hepatic and renal. Two isolated duodenal haematomas were found. Two patients improved spontaneously, the six others developed complications: 4 acute pancreatitis, two infections, 3 pseudocysts and one retroperitoneal collection. Management was chirurgical in one case, medical in two cases, endoscopic in 2 cases and three percutaneaous drainages were performed.Blunt duodeno-pancreatic injuries in children have to be evaluated by an early imaging modality, in order to perform acute assessment of the lesions. Primary conservative treatment is advocated while clinic, biologic and imaging follow-up is required to detect complications, which management can be endoscopic, percutaneous or surgical.