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When the central nervous system (CNS) is the primary affected site in an initial attack of Behçet's disease (BD), the differential diagnosis is particularly challenging. Some cases remain unclassified or qualified as probable neuro-Behçet's disease (NBD). Several cytokines are involved in the immunopathogenesis of this disease; however, studies establishing the differential cytokine pattern between probable and definite NBD are scarce. Twenty-eight parenchymal NBD patients, diagnosed according to the International Consensus Recommendation (ICR) criteria and classified into definite (D-NBD; n = 17) and probable (P-NBD; n = 11), were sampled at their first neurological symptoms, and compared with healthy control subjects (n = 20). Oligoclonal bands (OCB) of IgG were detected by isoelectric focusing on agarose, and immunoblotting of matched serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) sample pairs. T cell cytokines (INF-γ, IL-4, IL-17, and IL-10) and transcription factors related to Th1, Th2, Th17, and T regulatory populations (respectively T-bet, GATA-3, ROR-γt, and Foxp3) were studied by quantitative RT-PCR in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and CSF cells. Inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β were also analyzed. CSF OCB pattern 2 was present in only 1 out of 28 neuro-Behçet's patients who belonged to the P-NBD group. Two D-NBD patients had OCB in CSF showing pattern 4. In the D-NBD CSF samples, IL-17 and IL-10 expressions were significantly elevated compared to P-NBD. Moreover, D-NBD patients had increased levels of T-bet/GATA-3 and ROR-γt/Foxp3 ratios compared to P-NBD. Furthermore, a significant increase of CSF IL-6 in D-NBD, compared to P-NBD and the controls, was found. In addition to the increased IL-6 level, the data obtained suggest the existence in D-NBD patients of a significantly disrupted balance between Th17 effector and T regulatory cells, as reflected by the enhanced ROR-γt/Foxp3 ratio. This could be considered as an additional criterion for definite neuro-Behçet's disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammatory demyelinating disorders of the central nervous system are debilitating conditions of the young adult, here we focus on multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuro-Behçet disease (NBD). MS is an autoimmune disorder of the central nervous system. NBD, a neurological manifestation of an idiopathic chronic relapsing multisystem inflammatory disease, the behçet disease. The diagnosis of MS and NBD relies on clinical symptoms, magnetic resonance imaging and laboratory tests. At first onset, clinical and imaging similarities between the two disorders may occur, making differential diagnosis challenging and delaying appropriate management. Aiming to identify additional discriminating biomarker patterns, we measured and compared gene expression of a broad panel of selected genes in blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cells of patients suffering from NBD, MS and non inflammatory neurological disorders (NIND). To reach this aim, bivariate and multivariate analysis were applied. The Principal Analysis Component (PCA) highlighted distinct profiles between NBD, MS, and controls. Transcription factors foxp3 in the blood along with IL-4, IL-10, and IL-17 expressions were the parameters that are the main contributor to the segregation between MS and NBD clustering. Moreover, parameters related to cellular activation and inflammatory cytokines within the CSF clearly differentiate between the two inflammatory diseases and the controls. We proceeded to ROC analysis in order to identify the most distinctive parameters between both inflammatory neurological disorders. The latter analysis suggested that IL-17, CD73 in the blood as well as IL-1β and IL-10 in the CSF were the most discriminating parameters between MS and NBD. We conclude that combined multi-dimensional analysis in blood and CSF suggests distinct mechanisms governing the pathophysiology of these two neuro-inflammatory disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) is characterized by seizures, severe cognitive abnormalities, and behavior impairments. These features could evolve over time and get worse, especially when the encephalopathy is pharmacoresistant. Thus, genetic studies should provide a better understanding of infantile epilepsy syndromes. Herein, we investigate the genetics of JME in a consanguineous family analyzing the copy number variations detected using over 700 K SNP arrays. We identified a 254-kb deletion in the 22q11.2 region, including only the TOP3B gene, detected in the patient and her father. TOP3B encodes a topoisomerase DNA (III) β protein and has been implicated in several neurological diseases such as schizophrenia and autism. In this study, we discuss the implication of the 22q11.2 region in neurodevelopmental disorders and the association of TOP3B with epilepsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The treatment of urban wastewater has been significant progress along with the development of submerged biofiltration technology. Undeniably, the combination of biological processes to physical one was a promising alternative to treat wastewater. In this study, the main objective was the application of aerobic bed reactor in urban gray wastewater treatment. Afterward, treated wastewater effects on soil properties, on seeds germination, and on plants growth were investigated. Treated wastewater showed physico-chemical and microbiological qualities that meet the required standards for reuse in irrigation. In fact, after 130 days of treatment, the average chemical oxygen demand removal reached 84%, the average five-day biochemical oxygen demand removal attained 91% and the effluent pH was in the right range, varying between 7.3 and 7.8. Moreover, treated water was exempt from pathogenic germs as Salmonella, Staphylococcus, and Pseudomonas. The application of such treated water for irrigation of the soil and plants has significant results. Indeed, we noticed the improvement of soil water retention capacity by an average of 12%, soil organic matter content which increased by an average of 30%, and enhancement in soil microflora count by 80%. Besides, the germination indexes of tomato ( Lycopersicon esculentum) and alfalfa ( Medicago sativa) were increased by 30 and 50%, respectively, in soil irrigated by untreated and treated gray wastewater. Furthermore, better growth levels for tested plant species, wheat ( Triticum durum), barley ( Hordeum vulgare), and sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor), were obtained in the presence of treated wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]