Search

Global resources of heavy Rare Earth Elements (REE) are dominantly sourced from Chinese regolith-hosted ion-adsorption deposits in which the REE are inferred to be weakly adsorbed onto clay minerals. Similar deposits elsewhere might provide alternative supply for these high-tech metals, but the adsorption mechanisms remain unclear and the adsorbed state of REE to clays has never been demonstrated in situ. This study compares the mineralogy and speciation of REE in economic weathering profiles from China to prospective regoliths developed on peralkaline rocks from Madagascar. We use synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy to study the distribution and local bonding environment of Y and Nd, as proxies for heavy and light REE, in the deposits. Our results show that REE are truly adsorbed as easily leachable 8- to 9-coordinated outer-sphere hydrated complexes, dominantly onto kaolinite. Hence, at the atomic level, the Malagasy clays are genuine mineralogical analogues to those currently exploited in China.

Background: Understanding of coronary anatomy is essential to the advancement of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) techniques. We determined whether the difficulties associated with catheterization of the coronary sinus (CS) and its lateral branches could be overcome by a preliminary angiographical study of the coronary venous system carried out during a pre-operative coronary angiography with examination of venous return., Methods and Results: All patients were scheduled for an exploratory angiography procedure and indicated for CRT. Group A patients were implanted with a CRT device after a right arterial angiographical procedure while group B patients had a selective left angiogram including examination of venous return. Data analyzed in group B were: position of CS ostium, number and distribution of lateral branches, and ability to preselect a marginal vein suitable for catheterization. Subsequent device implantation was guided by these parameters. A total of 96 and 89 patients were included in groups A and B, respectively. Implantation success rates were not different (98% and 100%, respectively), but CS catheterization time was reduced in group B (6 minutes vs 4 minutes; P < 10(-6)) as well as total time required to position the left ventricular lead (25 minutes vs 15 minutes; P < 10(-6)), fluoroscopy exposure (7 minutes vs 5 minutes; P < 10(-6)), and volume of contrast medium required (45 mL vs 15 mL; P < 10(-6))., Conclusion: A coronary angiographical study, including examination of the coronary venous return prior to implantation of a CRT device, can simplify the device implant and allows patient-specific preselection of appropriate tools for the procedure.

Objective: The objective of this work is to give epidemiological data, established in a prospective way, on the myocardial infarction in young and its risk factors., Methods: All patients admitted to the CHG of Pau for myocardial infarction, old, for the men of less than 45 years and for the women of less than 55 years, of November the 1st 2002 to October 31st, 2003, are included., Results: Twenty-seven patients (11.2%) do a myocardial infarction including 44.4% women. The found traditional risk factors are: smoking (92.6%), absence of regular physical activity (81.5%), dyslipidaemia (66.7%), family history of cardiovascular disease (48.2%), hypertension (37.0%), obesity (18.5%), oral contraception (11.1%), diabetes (7.4%), personal thrombotic history (7.4%). The principal emergent risk factors highlighted are: stress (66.7%), inhibitor of the activation of the plasminogene (57.1%), C-reactive protein (50%), lipoprotein a (41.7%), fibrinogen (33.3%), elevated plasma homocysteine (25%), excessive alcohol use (22.2%). None patients does not have an absolute cardiovascular risk > 20%. The clinical characteristics, coronarographic data and the acute treatments were also listed. The prognosis is worse for the women with more risk factors, more complications, and risk of more significant ventricular replanning., Conclusion: The principal risk factors of the myocardial infarction in young can be modifiable. The prevention is of primary importance. The therapeutic education of the patients corresponds to the total assumption of responsibility required by this pathology.

Unlabelled: Takayasu arteritis is an uncommon inflammatory arteritis especially in children. We report a case., Case Report: A 11-year-old boy presented dorsalgia with inflammatory syndrome. One year later, the investigation of an hypertension with asymmetric blood pressure revealed an aortic coarctation and a bilateral renal arteries stenosis leading to Takayasu's arteritis diagnosis., Conclusion: Takayasu's arteritis must be evokated in young children in case of associated hypertension and inflammatory syndrome.

Two of every thousand pregnancies are complicated by Graves' disease. Diagnosis is suggested by maternal disorders (tachycardia, exophthalmia, weight loss.) or fetal disorders (tachycardia, intra-uterine growth retardation, preterm birth.). Due to transfer into the fetal compartment of maternal antibodies which stimulate the fetal thyroid by binding to the thyroid thyrotropin (TSH) receptor, only 1% of children born to these mothers are described as having hyperthyroidism. Neonatal thyrotoxicosis disappears with clearance of the maternal antibodies; clinical signs usually disappear during the first four Months of life. The most frequent neonatal clinical signs of thyrotoxicosis are tachycardia, goiter, hyperexcitability, poor weight gain, hepatosplenomegaly, stare and eyelid retraction. Diagnosis is based on determination of the blood level of triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4) and TSH. To confirm the nature of hyperthyroidism, thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulins (TSI) should be assayed. The kinetics of TSI provides a guide for therapeutic adaptation and disappearance of TSI is a sign of recovery. Rare cases of familial non-autoimmune hyperthyroidism have been shown to be caused by germline mutation of the thyrotropin receptor. We report a case of severe neonatal hyperthyroidism which led to the diagnosis of maternal Graves' disease.

Aim: To evaluate the risks and the significance of the use of an anti-GPIIb/IIIa, in this case Eptifibatide, during angioplasty following presumed failure of thrombolysis in the acute phase of myocardial infarction., Method: Patients thrombolyzed following MI < 6 hours. Presumed failure of reperfusion with full dose thrombolysis. Analysis evaluated the success of angioplasty associated with anti-GPIIb/IIIa treatment and the hospital phase outcome., Results: 41 consecutive patients, 32 male (78%) and 9 female (22%), were included. Infarction concerned the anterior region in 22 cases (54%) and inferior in 19 cases (46%). Fibrinolysis was performed using Alteplase in 28 patients (68%) and Reteplase in 13 patients (32%). Radial access was performed in 32 cases (78%). All of the patients received Eptifibatide with a bolus then infusion from their admission to the haemodynamic suite, on average 1 h 30 after the start of thrombolytic treatment. A total of 49 stents were implanted in 41 patients. A flux of TIMI 3 was obtained in 37 patients (90.2%). TIMI 2 in 2 patients (4.9%) and no reflow in 2 patients (4.9%). Four counter-pulsions by intra-aortic balloon were necessary (9.8%) for cardiogenic shock. No decrease in TIMI flux was observed after the angioplasty procedure. The main complications were a death from cardiogenic shock in one patients (2.4%), a non-fatal digestive tract haemorrhage in 2 cases (4.9%) and a single femoral haematoma requiring transfusion., Conclusion: The initial results were encouraging: high success rates, rare vascular complications, a probable consequence of the radial approach. The association of an anti-GPIIb/IIIa, Eptifibatide, therefore appears achievable during angioplasty with the positioning of a coronary endoprosthesis following the presumed failure of full dose thrombolysis.

BACKGROUND: In acute myocardial infarction (AMI), immediate outcome seems to be better after direct coronary angioplasty (DCA) than thrombolysis. Right transradial approach (RTRA) has been currently advocated as an alternative catheterization method for coronary angioplasty, but it is an exceptional technique in the treatment of AMI. PURPOSE: The goal of this prospective study was to evaluate feasibility and safety of DCA using the RTRA in elderly patients. METHODS: All patients, 70 years or older with AMI (less than 6 hours after the onset of symptoms), were included in this study. Exclusion criteria were ischemic Allen Test, and previous thrombolytic treatment. Left heart catheterization, with selective coronary angiograms were realized in all of them, using RTRA. RESULTS: Forty six patients, (mean age 76Â+/-5, range 70-85), (31 men, 15 women), were included. Coronary catheterization using RTRA was not possible in 4 patients, (9.1%), and DCA was not necessary in 2 other patients with two distal lesions (4.5%). In the 40 remaining patients, transradial coronary angioplasty of the infarct related vessel could be successfully achieved in 40 patients, (100%) with balloon alone in 21 patients, (52.5%), or stents in 19 patients, (47.5%). Two patients with cardiogenic shock died (in hospital mortality: 4.5%). In 2 patients, recurrent angina needed new angioplasty using the same RTRA (4.5%), and in 2 other patients, asymptomatic postprocedural right radial artery occlusion was observed. Before the 24th hr, 30/40 patients (75%) could stand up with an early discharge, (7Â+/-4 days). CONCLUSION: DCA using RTRA for AMI in elderly patients can be easily realized, with a high rate of success, without any more major local complications than using the usual femoral route, allowing earlier getting up and discharge.

The authors report the case of a 48-year old patient admitted to hospital for unstable angina 13 years after primary myocardial revascularisation by a saphenous vein aorto-coronary bypass graft. Routine chest X-ray showed a left para-hilar opacity which CT scan and angiography confirmed to be aneurysmal and pseudoaneurysmal dilatations of the saphenous vein bypass graft.

Congenital diverticulum of the right ventricle is an extremely rare abnormality, usually discovered by chance during evaluation of a more complex cardiac malformation. We report a case of isolated diverticulum of the right ventricle in a 14-year old boy who also had pulmonary valve endocarditis secondary to acute osteomyelitis. Owing to the evolutive risks inherent in the diverticulum and to the persistence of highly mobile pulmonary valve vegetations 5 years after the initial infectious episode, surgical treatment of the lesions had to be performed. The diagnostic, evolutive and therapeutic problems raised by right ventricular diverticula are discussed.

The dimensions of the cardiac chambers and left ventricular function were studied by echocardiography in 40 patients with homozygous sickle cell disease (SS) and 25 patients with heterozygous sickle cell trait (12 AS, 10 SC, 3 BS) and compared with the same parameters in 30 normal subjects. Patients with homozygous SS disease had significantly larger left atrial (32.2 +/- 6.47 mm vs 26.62 +/- 5.64 mm; p less than 0.001), left ventricular (46.4 +/- 8.49 mm vs 39.97 +/- 5.29 mm; p less than 0.001) and right ventricular (17.95 +/- 5.08 mm vs 15.5 +/- 3.17 mm; p less than 0.02) dimensions: they also had higher indexed myocardial surfaces (11.48 +/- 2.36 cm2/m2 vs 8.21 +/- 1.97 cm2/m2; p less than 0.001) and indexed end diastolic left ventricular volumes (101.84 +/- 22.74 ml/m2 vs 65.05 +/- 10.81 ml/m2; p less than 0.001), a higher cardiac index (4.77 +/- 1.33 l/mn/m2 vs 3.58 +/- 1.08 l/mn/m2; p less than 0.001) and stroke volume (71.77 +/- 32.86 ml vs 49.56 +/- 13.39 ml; p less than 0.001). Peripheral resistances were significantly lower (1341 +/- 469 vs 1626 +/- 368 dynes/s/cm-5; p less than 0.01) as were the velocities of circumferential fibre shortening (VCF) (1.11 +/- 0.20 circ/s vs 1.28 +/- 0.24 circ/s; p less than 0.01). Two thirds of homozygous SS disease patients (27/40) had appearances of an anaemic heart with eccentric left ventricular hypertrophy, normal left ventricular systolic function, an increased cardiac index (5.01 +/- 1.19 l/mn/m2) and low peripheral arterial resistances.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

A case of neuromyopathy due to chronic chloroquine intoxication is reported. The neuromyopathy developped 9 months after malaria suppression therapy with chloroquine was started. The clinical picture was that of a peripherical neuropathy in the lower limbs and of a generalized myasthenic syndrome. Muscular biopsy showed typical pictures of "vacuolar myopathy". The metabolism of the drug was normal. The patient improved soon after chloroquine was discontinued.

The authors report the case of a Bothrops lanceolatus snake bite complicated by severe pulmonary embolism a few hours after admission. This thromboembolic complication developed despite heparin therapy and was followed by disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Vascular thrombosis and pulmonary embolism are rare after Bothrops lanceolatus snake bite as patients are usually hypocoagulable due to DIC. In this case, the thromboembolism was probably caused by the procoagulant effect of the thrombin-like enzymes of the snake venom which may have been injected directly into the vein of a young woman taking a contraceptive pill. A specific antivenin which has recently become available fort treatment may decrease the complications of Bothrops lanceolatus snake bite.