[Cervical myelopathy revealing bone fluorosis]. / Myélopathie cervicale révélant une fluorose osseuse.

Bone fluorosis is a rare metabolic disease characterized by massive bone fixation of fluorine. It is seen endemically around phosphate mines in North Africa. Neurologic complications, such as medullar compression may rarely reveal the disease. We report a case of cervical myelopathy due to bone fluorosis causing tetraparesis. Medullar compression was caused by posterior vertebral ligament calcification. Diagnosis was based on the characteristic radiologic aspect, and confirmed by the dosage of serum and urine levels of fluorine. Cervical laminectomy resulted in significant pain improvement, despite persistent motor deficit.

Bioactivities of seven chrysanthemum species flowers powder on Spodoptera littoralis (Boiduval) larvae.

We have screened seven Chrysanthemum species, collected from different biotope in Tunisia for the antifeeding and growth regulatory activity against S. littoralis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) an insect pest of tomato. The flowers powder was added to the Poitout and Bues (1974) artificial diet at three concentrations: 4, 8, and 16%. After ten days of treatment, the consumed quantity determination revelled that these species have an antifeeding activity proportional to the concentration, more considerable for the C. fuscatum and C. Myconis flowers powder. At the concentration of 16% the larvae weight was significantly delayed in the average time to the control, these results were compared to the effect of Cestrum parquii on S. littoralis and Pieris brassicae The moulting date determination showed an elongation of the third, fourth and fifth stages at the high concentration probably due to the presence of juvenile hormones Analogues.

[Meningeal melanocytoma: a rare meningeal tumor]. / Une tumeur méningée rare: mélanocytome méningé

Meningeal melanocytoma is a rare benign pigmented tumor. It develops from melanocytes normally present in the meninges of the posterior fossa and medulla. It is an extra axial tumor, that manifests due to compression of adjacent structures. The authors report a case of meningeal melanocytoma located at the foramen magnum. They insist on the characteristic paramagnetic signal of the tumor on the different MRI sequences.

[Effect of olive leaves (Olea europea) feeding on the in vitro JH III biosynthesis by the corpora allata in Schistocerca gregaria during vitellogenesis]. / Action d'une alimentation à base de feuilles d'olivier (Olea europea) sur la biosynthèse in vitro de la JH III par les corpora allata chez Schistocerca gregaria au cours de la vitellogenèse.

Per os administration of olive leaves (Olea europea) to females of Schistocerca gregaria results in stopping vitellogenesis. These vitellogenins are not synthesised by the fat body in the heamolymph. The vitellogenin inhibition is induced by the stopping of juvenile hormone JH III by the corpora allata. These corpora allata (Medicago sp.) Synthesise 10 times less JH III than those of alfalfa fed females.

[Primary psoas abscess in children: 6 cases]. / Les abcès primitifs du psoas chez l'enfant: six cas.

BACKGROUND: Primary psoas abscess is very rare in childhood; its diagnosis and treatment can be improved by the use of recent imaging techniques. PATIENTS: Six children, aged 11 months to 10 years (mean: 51 months) were admitted from January 1987 to 15 December 1993 because they suffered mainly from fever, lumbar pain and/or homolateral flexed hip. Examination showed a painful inguinal mass in five patients and hyperleucocytosis in all. X-rays showed disappearance of the external limit of psoas in two patients; ultrasonography showed enlarged psoas in all, associated with hypoechogenic mass in two and without echo in four patients. CT scan showed the abscess in all cases, permitting a needle aspiration for bacteriological studies: Staphycococcus aureus was present in five cases. Drainage of the abscess by CT-guided percutaneous catheter was performed in two patients. Surgical drainage was performed in three including one for whom percutaneous catheter drainage did not succeed. The two other patients were only given antibiotics. CONCLUSION: CT-guided needle aspiration to establish presence and nature of fluid collection is a well established technique that may be extended to treatment of psoas abscesses.

A chemical basis for differential allelopathic potential of sorghum hybrids on wheat.

The basis for differential allelopathic potentials among sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) hybrids was investigated by conducting quantitative and qualitative studies of their phenolic contents. Total phenolic content in sorghum plant parts varied within hybrids, among hybrids, and between growing seasons. Inhibition of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) radicle growth was positively associated (r=0.66) with concentrations of total phenolics contained in plant parts. Extracts from culms contributed the higherst proportion of toxicity from sorghum plants, inhibiting radicle growth up to 74.7%. Concentrations of five phenolic acids,p-hydroxybenzoic (POH), vanillic (VAN), syringic (SYR),p-coumaric (PCO), and ferulic (FER), differed in all plant parts of the three sorghum hybrids. Concentrations of POH, VAN, and SYR were consistently higher than PCO and FER. PCO and FER wer absent from some plant parts, with FER being the most frequently missing. Inhibition of wheat radicle growth was found to be positively associated with the concentration of each phenolic acid. Vanillic acid was most highly associated (r=0.44) with inhition. Thus, above-ground sorghum tissues contained phenolic acids that contributed to allelopathic potential. Additionally, sorghum roots exuded POH, VAN, and SYR that may enhance the overall allelopathic potential of sorghum during growth and after harvest when residues remain on the soil surface or are incorporated prior to planting a subsquent crop.

[Osteochondroma of the mandibular condyle. Apropos of a case]. / Ostéochondrome du condyle mandibulaire. A propos d'un cas.

The authors report a case of mandibular condyle osteochondroma on a 33 years-old woman, similar to osteocartilaginous exostosis of the long bones. The lesion was revealed by a facial asymmetry and a change of the occlusion. The diagnosis was performed on the computed-tomography examination and histopathology. The removal of the lesion has conserved the condyle without recurrence after 20 months following-up. The authors remind the uncommonly location of osteochondroma in the facial skeleton and discuss the histogenesis of this lesion in its mandibular condyle site.

[Primary malignant non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the salivary glands. An anatomo-clinical and immunohistochemical study of 2 cases and a review of the literature]. / Les lymphomes malins non hodgkiniens primitifs des glandes salivaires. Etude anatomo-clinique et immunohistochimique de 2 cas et revue de la littérature.

The authors reports two cases of primary non Hodgkin's lymphomas of the right submandibular gland in a 50 years old woman, and of a minor gland in another woman also 50 years old. The diagnosis was difficult for the second case, and was established on the immunochemistry study. The authors discuss the epidemiological, clinical, radiological, pathological features of this neoplasm and its management.

[Diagnosis of extruded herniated disks]. / Diagnostic des hernies discales exclues.

In a patient with disk herniation it is often difficult to establish that the disk is free in the spinal canal. A retrospective medical record study comparing 65 cases of free herniated disk (FHD) confirmed upon surgery and 65 cases of disk protrusion (DP) demonstrated that FHD was more common in young male blue collar workers, especially those who worked in the sitting position. No clinical findings were diagnostic of FHD although the straight-leg raising test was positive at smaller angles than in disk protrusion. In this study, sensitivity and specificity of CT scan for the diagnosis of FHD were 75% and 80%, respectively. CT scan findings suggestive of FHD included a free disk fragment, found in 22.5% of cases, and an acute connecting angle. Saccoradiculography was more sensitive but less specific than CT scan in this study. In FDH, migration was common and ragged hernia contours were seen on the saccoradiculography images.

[Solitary plasmacytoma. Apropos of a case of craniofacial involvement]. / Plasmocytome solitaire. A propos d'un cas de localisation cranio-faciale.

The authors report the case of a 24 years-old man who had a first tumor in the right maxilla diagnosed as Ewing's sarcoma and treated by chemotherapy and radiotherapy. A second tumor appeared in the skull vault twenty seven months later. The histological diagnosis after removal of the lesion was IgG Lambda plasmacytoma. The revision of the histological cut of the maxillary tumor retained the same diagnosis. The patient is without evidence of local recurrence and systemic diffusion of the disease two years after treatment. The authors insist on the necessity of immunochemistry to establish the diagnosis.

Cerebral candidiasis. Computed tomography appearance.

A three year old child who had been suffering from oral candidiasis since the age of 1 year presented with osteitis of the clavicle, 2 cerebral frontal abscesses and an occipital abscess which extended across the calvaria and was associated with osteolysis. Histological and microbiological studies following surgery confirmed the diagnosis of candidiasis in this girl who was found to have IgA immunodeficiency. The authors report the computed tomographic appearance of the cerebral lesions and review the literature.