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Osteoarthritis is the most prevalent form of arthritis in the world. Certain signaling pathways, such as the wnt pathway, are involved in cartilage pathology. Osteoarthritic chondrocytes undergo morphological and biochemical changes that lead to chondrocyte de-differentiation. We investigated whether the Wnt pathway is involved in de-differentiation of human articular chondrocytes in vitro. Human articular chondrocytes were cultured for four passages in the presence or absence of IL-1 in monolayer or micromass culture. Changes in cell morphology were monitored by light microscopy. Protein and gene expression of chondrocyte markers and Wnt pathway components were determined by Western blotting and qPCR after culture. After culturing for four passages, chondrocytes exhibited a fibroblast-like morphology. Collagen type II and aggrecan protein and gene expression decreased, while collagen type I, matrix metalloproteinase 13, and nitric oxide synthase expressions increased. Wnt molecule expression profiles changed; Wnt5a protein expression, the Wnt target gene, c-jun, and in Wnt pathway regulator, sFRP4 increased. Treatment with IL-1 caused chondrocyte morphology to become more filament-like. This change in morphology was accompanied by extinction of col II expression and increased col I, MMP13 and eNOS expression. Changes in expression of the Wnt pathway components also were observed. Wnt7a decreased significantly, while Wnt5a, LRP5, β-catenin and c-jun expressions increased. Culture of human articular chondrocytes with or without IL-1 not only induced chondrocyte de-differentiation, but also changed the expression profiles of Wnt components, which suggests that the Wnt pathway is involved in chondrocyte de-differentiation in vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteoarthritis is the most prevalent form of arthritis in the world and it is becoming a major public health problem. Osteoarthritic chondrocytes undergo morphological and biochemical changes that lead to de-differentiation. The involvement of signaling pathways, such as the Wnt pathway, during cartilage pathology has been reported. Wnt signaling regulates critical biological processes. Wnt signals are transduced through at least three intracellular signaling pathways including the canonical Wnt/β-catenin pathway, the Wnt/Ca2 + pathway and the Wnt/planar cell polarity pathway. We investigated the involvement of the Wnt canonical and non-canonical pathways in human articular chondrocyte de-differentiation in vitro. Human articular chondrocytes were cultured through four passages with no treatment, or with sFRP3 treatment, an inhibitor of Wnt pathways, or with DKK1 treatment, an inhibitor of the canonical pathway. Chondrocyte-secreted markers and Wnt pathway components were analyzed using western blotting and qPCR. Inhibition of the Wnt pathway showed that the canonical Wnt signaling probably is responsible for inhibition of collagen II expression, activation of metalloproteinase 13 expression and regulation of Wnt7a and c-jun expression during chondrocyte de-differentiation in vitro. Our results also suggest that expressions of eNOS, Wnt5a and cyclinE1 are regulated by non-canonical Wnt signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Several studies have mentioned the link between psychotrauma and psychosis. A direct causal link remains to be discussed. Objectives: Evaluate the link between sexual abuse and psychosis. Methods: We report the case of a male patient who developed schizophrenia following sodomy rape. We performed a literature review based on a PubMed search with the following keywords: "rape sodomy psychosis". Results: Mr. M., 26 years old, with a personal psychiatric history of chronic psychosis evolving for 10 years, consulted us for follow-up of his schizophrenia. When he was 16, the patient was raped by sodomy by a 40-year-old man under stabbing threat. After this incident, the patient did not verbalize this trauma, he isolated himself, became irritable and aggressive and has had olfactory hallucinations. The symptomatology worsened until the age of 24 when the patient presented a delusional syndrome with a theme of persecution, mysticism, bewitchment by a mechanism of interpretation and visual hallucinations. Then, he was hospitalized in psychiatry for psychomotor instability, verbal hetero-aggression. He had been diagnosed with schizophrenia evolving over 9 years. Treatment with an antipsychotic: risperidone and valproic acid was started. The evolution was quickly favorable but the patient currently presents blunted affect, a sexual disinterest and a strong desire for revenge from his rapist. Treatment adjustment and psychotherapy would be considered. Conclusions: The onset of subsequent rape psychosis and the persistence of symptoms related to the trauma are arguments in favor of a direct causal link between sexual abuse and schizophrenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider a nongradient interacting particle system whose macroscopic behavior is described by a d-dimensional nonlinear parabolic equation on a square with boundary conditions. Assuming that the diffusion coefficient is Lipschitz, we prove that the rescaled density field converges to a unique weak solution of the parabolic equation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both genetic and environmental factors probably influence the severity of spondyloarthropathies. Hip involvement, which may be used as a marker of disease severity, is more frequent in spondyloarthropathies developed in North Africa. The objective of this study was to determine the predisposing factors of hip involvement in spondyloarthropathy in North Africa. Patients fulfilled the Amor or European Spondyloarthropathy Study Group (ESSG) criteria of spondyloarthropathy. The study was retrospective, cross-sectional, multicentre and carried out in North Africa. The data collected were demographic data, socio-cultural factors and clinical presentation at onset. The risk of hip involvement with regard to disease duration was estimated using Kaplan—Meier's method. The predictive value of each variable with regard to time to hip involvement was evaluated using a uni- and then a multivariate Cox proportional hazard model. Five hundred and eighteen patients were included. The risk of hip involvement was estimated at 39 ± 3% after 10 yr disease duration. The factors picked up by the multivariate analysis were: diagnostic delay less than 7 yr, age at onset below 24 yr and a combination of ‘lower social class’ and ‘no refrigerator at home’. This study confirms the high prevalence of hip involvement during the course of spondyloarthropathy in North Africa and suggests a role of environmental factors in its appearance. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Metastasis to bone in the pelvis occurred in a woman with a choriocarcinoma. The diagnosis was made on the basis of high levels of HCG and a bone biopsy. The presence of bone metastases in a young woman requires vigorous systemic search for a primary lesion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Le but de ce travail était de décrire une méthodologie de sélection longitudinale de radiomique extraite des tomographies coniques embarquées de patients atteint d'un carcinome épidermoïde de la sphère ORL et d'établir une signature radiomique permettant de prédire la réponse thérapeutique à 3 mois. Chez 102 patients (validation n = 68, entraînement n = 34), les volumes tumoraux primitifs et ganglionnaires issus de la planification ont été importés sur les tomographies coniques hebdomadaires. Quatre-vingt-huit radiomiques ont été extraits de chaque volume primitifs. Des courbes ROC ont été construites pour chaque radiomiques, sur chacunes des tomographies coniques afin d'évaluer leur pouvoir prédictif sur la réponse thérapeutique. Les radiomiques significatifs à chaque semaine ont été présélectionnés. Le plus petit changement détectable avec son intervalle de confiance à 95 % (IC95 %) a été déterminé (C = 1,96 × sd) pour chaque radiomique (SD = déviation standard des valeurs des calculs [tomographie conique 2 − tomographie conique 1]). Les différences absolues des calculs de [tomographie conique n − tomographie conique 1] (Δ radiomiques) ont été calculées. Les radiomiques présentant un changement au-delà de l'IC95 % chez plus de 10 % des patients ont été conservés. Une signature radiomique a été recherchée à la semaine durant laquelle se produisait le plus de changements. trois modèles ont été comparés : clinique, radiomique et combiné. La signature radiomique a été établie à la semaine 3. Pour le volume tumoral primitif : les AUC (aire sous la courbe, prédiction de la réponse thérapeutique) étaient de 0,78 (p < 0,001), 0,71 (p = 0,006) et 0,74 (p < 0,001) pour les modèles cliniques, radiomique et combiné, respectivement ; pour le volume primitif ganglionnaire : le modèle clinique (AUC : 0,74, p < 0,001) était plus performant que les deux autres. Sur la cohorte de validation, la radiomique avait le meilleur pouvoir prédictif pour le volume tumoral primitif (AUC = 0,64) tandis que la clinique était plus performante pour le volume ganglionnaire. Il s'agit de la première étude décrivant une méthodologie de sélection longitudinale de radiomiques extraits de tomographies coniques de patients avec un cancer de la sphère ORL et évaluant leur valeur pronostique. Le modèle radiomique à la troisième semaine semble avoir un potentiel prédictif pour le volume tumoral primitif mais pas pour le volume ganglionnaire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast cancer is a complex and heterogeneous group of tumors in both their clinical behavior and their prognosis. Molecular classification of breast cancer is an important prognostic factor. In a retrospective study of 670 patients with breast cancer over 5 years (2009-2013) we classified breast cancer according to molecular markers (ER, PR, HER2) by means of immunohistochemical assays. The patients' average age was 48 years. The highest frequency was seen between 25 and 53 ans. Our study was characterized by an average tumoral size at the diagnosis of 5 cm, many nodular forms (51%). The histological study shows that most of tumours were invasive duct carcinoma (82.4%) with high histo-prognostic SBR grade (level II - III: 86.3%). Axillary node metastases were more common (69.2%), blood vessel invasion has been shown in 42% of all tumors. The prevalence of the luminal A, luminal B, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), and triple-negative subtypes were 48.6%, 25.6%, 10.2%, and 15.6%, respectively. The triple-negative and HER2 subtypes were associated with poorer outcomes compared with the luminal A subtype among these Moroccan women. The characterization of these tumors and the establishment of a prognosis have significantly improved the therapeutic management and patient survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To estimate the degree of severity of CTS in hands of diabetic patients in comparison with non-diabetic patients. Introduction : Carpal tunnel syndrom (CTS) is the most common mononeuropathy in which diabetes is a risk factor. Methods : It's a retrospective study of one month collecting patients with hands' paresthesia. G1 represents the diabetic group and G2 the non-diabetic group. A nerve conduction study (NCS) of both nerves median and ulnar was done, evaluating the sensory and motor functions. The ulnar nerve's NCS was normal in both groups. The severity of CTS was classified in normal, sensory, or both sensory and motor injury. Pearson test was used. Results : 36 patient (G1=18 and G2=18) were matched in age: G1 had a mean age 56±9,2 and G2 50,6±7,1 year-old. There was a statistically predominance of sensory injury in G2 and a statistically predominance of both injuries (sensory and motor) in G1 with p= 0,04. Discussion : It appears that in CTS of diabetic patients no exposed to hand work, density of myelinated nervous fibers and capillars would be reduced. Inflammatory cytokines and vascular growth factors would be in origin of disturbance of microvascular circulation leading to a demyelination and axonal degeneration, explaining why G1 had more severe stages than G2. Conclusion : Diabetes is not the only risk factor of CTS but it would be an accelerator of its aggravation consequently to the metabolic dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Clozapine is the drug of choice for patients with an unsatisfactory response to classic antipsychotic treatment. Little is known about the involvement of clozapine in the development of parotid disease. Objectives: Identify the clinical characteristics of Clozapineinduced parotitis through a case and literature review. Methods: We report the case of a patient with a refractory schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type and who developed recurrent parotitis while taking clozapine. We conducted a literature review based on a PubMed search of articles published on this subject with the following keywords: 'parotitis clozapine'. Results: Miss W., 34 years old, suffers from a severe schizoaffective disorder that has been diagnosed for several years. She has received various psychotropic medications. She suffered from frequent relapses that required recurrent hospital admissions. One year ago, a diagnosis of treatment-resistant schizoaffective disorder was made. The decision to introduce clozapine, associated with mood stabilizer treatment, was made on the basis of her treatment refractory symptoms. She experienced considerable sialorrhea after beginning clozapine treatment. Miss W. developed bilateral recurrent swelling over both temporal-mandibular areas after 6 months of treatment. It often appears after eating and lasts from 4 to 6 hours. There was no change in white blood cell count and she was afebrile. An otolaryngologist was consulted and a diagnosis of clozapineinduced parotitis was suggested. A spasmolytic and an anticholinergic treatment were prescribed and clozapine was continued. Conclusions: This iatrogenic effect of clozapine must be recognized by clinicians in order to be better prevented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The dynamic nature of the skeleton is achieved by a remodeling process. Receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B (RANK) ligand (RANKL) stimulates bone resorption by activating RANK signaling. Therefore it is considered as a candidate gene regulating susceptibility to osteoporosis. In the current study, we have investigated the association between the RANKL gene -693G > C and -643 C > T polymorphisms and bone mineral density (BMD) in a population of postmenopausal Tunisian women.Methods: Polymorphic sites in RANKL gene (rs9533155 -693G > C and rs9533156 -643 C > T polymorphisms) were determined using PCR-RFLP analysis in 566 postmenopausal Tunisian women. All statistical analysis were examined by SPSS software.Results: We have detected a significant difference in lumbar spine and hip BMD for -643C > T genotypes. For -693G > C genotypes, a significant difference was detected only in hip BMD. The distribution of -643C > T genotypes and alleles between three groups (osteoporotic, osteopenic and normal women) revealed a significant association of the TT genotype with development of osteoporosis (p = 0.01; odds ratio 2.15), although for the -693G > C polymorphism, no significant results were found.Conclusion: We have demonstrated the association of the -643C > T polymorphism with BMD variation and osteoporosis risk in postmenopausal Tunisian women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]