Acute Q Fever in an Ankylosing Spondyloarthritis Patient Treated with Etanercept.

Q fever is a rare zoonotic infection caused by Coxiella burnetii. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) has an important role in the early control of this infection. However, TNF-α blockers increase the risk of infectious diseases. We present herein a patient who developed acute Q fever under anti-TNF-α who had a good evolution after anti-TNF stoppage and treatment with doxycycline.

Brief Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire in rheumatoid arthritis: A cross-sectional study of 100 patients.

Studies focused on rheumatoid hand (RA) function are rare. The aims of our study were to evaluate the function of both hands during RA and investigate possible predictive factors associated with their damage. One hundred patients were enrolled consecutively between December 2013 and March 2014. Their hand function was evaluated with the brief Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire (bMHQ). In 85 women and 15 men with a mean age of 55 years, the mean bMHQ was 42.43±21.19 for the right hand and 44.09±20.29 for the left hand. Being≥65 years was associated with lower scores (P=0.003 for both hands), as was a disease duration of more than 2 years (P=0.006 right hand, P=0.016 hand left), a high DAS28 (P=0.022 right hand, P=0.032 left hand), and joint deformity (P=0.000 for both hands). Treatment with biologics was associated with the highest scores (P=0.000). Physical therapy, occupational therapy, splints (P=0.034, 0.048 and 0.020, respectively) and surgery (P=0.012) were also associated with the highest scores. Age, disease duration, disease activity score and deformity were associated with the lowest bMHQ scores in RA patients. RA-specific treatment and hand therapy were associated with the highest scores.

[State resistance of the mosquito Culex pipiens towards temephos central Morocco]. / État de la résistance du moustique Culex pipiens vis-à-vis du téméphos au centre du Maroc.

In Morocco, Culex pipiens plays a role in the high annoyance experienced by most urban cities, suburban and rural areas, especially since it was strongly suspected as the most likely vector in the transmission of West Nile virus epidemics that have hit Morocco in 1996. Chemical insecticides are generally the way in which they use the programs against harmful mosquitoes and disease vectors. However, the repeated and excessive use of these products regularly led to the emergence of the phenomenon of insect resistance. At the center of Morocco, information on the susceptibility or resistance to insecticides in mosquitoes (larvae and adults) vectors of diseases or pests, are almost nonexistent. This article reports the results of studies conducted between 2007 and 2010 with sensitivity tests WHO on larvae local populations of Culex pipiens collected in three lodging in the city of Fez, towards the insecticide mostly used by hygienic services: temephos. Five concentrations of insecticide (0.0025 mg/l, 0.005 mg/l, 0.0125 mg/l, 0.025 mg/l, 0.0625 mg/l) in addition to control, were used to determine the LC50 and LC 90 of Culex pipiens species towards temephos. Sensitivity tests were carried out at the entomology unit and monitoring of insect sensitivity towards insecticides installed at the Regional Diagnostic Laboratory Epidemiological and Environmental Hygiene (LRDEHM), Fez, under the Regional Directorate of Health in Fes Boulemane Region. The LC50 and LC90, concentrations corresponding to 50 and 90% mortality were determined graphically, by the linear relationship between the decimal logarithm of insecticide concentrations (x-axis) and the percentage of mortality transformed into probit values (ordinate) on logarithmic gausso paper. Resistance rates were determined on the basis of the sensitivity of a reference strain (S-Lab). The bioassay results affirmed the presence of resistance in larvae Culex pipiens towards temephos and that this species has also equally developed resistance levels similar and comparable in the three lodging studied, resistance rates recorded varying between 12.17 and 14.34. Facing such a situation, the surveillance of susceptibility of mosquitoes to insecticides used in mosquito control and anti-malarial fight has become imperative. This would undoubtedly allow a good management of the products available and consequently to adopt suitable measures for the best management of this resistance which must be an integral part of any program of vector control.

A possible role of intracellular and membrane thiols of rat pancreatic islets in calcium uptake and insulin release.

To distinguish between the significance of membrane thiols and intracellular thiols of rat pancreatic islets in calcium uptake and insulin secretion, lanthanum-nondisplaceable uptake of 45Ca and secretion of insulin were studied in the presence of the membrane-penetrating thiol oxidant diazene dicarboxylic acid bis-(N'-methylpiperazide) (DIP), on the one hand, and the corresponding nonpenetrating thiol oxidant salt of DIP (bis-N'-methyl iodide, i.e. DIP + 2), on the other hand. In contrast to DIP + 2, DIP inhibited glucose-induced (20 mM) uptake of 45Ca and insulin secretion. Furthermore, DIP + 2 stimulated 45Ca uptake and insulin secretion in the presence of low glucose (3 mM). DIP inhibited these effects of DIP + 2. 45Ca uptake and insulin release evoked by the ionophore A-23187 were not inhibited by DIP, however. The present data collected from isolated pancreatic islets have several implications. Firstly, the reduced state of the intracellular glutathione to GSSG ratio, which causes the superficial thiol to remain in the reduced state, constitutes a prerequisite for glucose-stimulated 45Ca uptake and insulin release. Secondly, direct oxidation of superficial thiols leads to 45Ca uptake and subsequent secretion of insulin. Finally, the redox state of the intracellular glutathione system does not appear to be of importance in the stimulus-secretion coupling steps following the uptake of calcium.