Walking Age Does Not Explain Term Versus Preterm Difference in Bone Geometry

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the relationship between bone geometry and onset of walking in former term and preterm children.STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 128 preschool children aged 3 to 5 years who underwent peripheral quantitative computerized tomography measures of bone size at the distal tibia. Linear models were developed, stratifying by sex, to determine whether bone differences between children born term and preterm were caused by differences in walking age.RESULTS: Children with a history of preterm birth walked later than children born at term (12.4 +/- 0.5 versus 10.9 +/- 0.2 months; P = .004); however, gestation-corrected walking age (11.4 +/- 0.5 for children born preterm) did not differ. In multiple regression analysis, boys born preterm had larger periosteal and endosteal circumferences and smaller cortical thickness and area than boys born term (least square means, 49.7 +/- 1.3 mm, 43.0 +/- 1.8 mm, 1.1 +/- 0.11 mm, and 49.3 +/- 3.2 mm2 versus 47.0 +/- 0.5 mm, 38.5 +/- 0.7 mm, 1.4 +/- 0.04 mm, and 56.9 +/- 1.2 mm2, respectively; all P \u3c .05). Preterm birth remained statistically significant after adding the age of walking to the models, but no longer significant when current activity levels were included.CONCLUSION: Greater periosteal and endosteal circumferences, with smaller cortical bone thickness and area, were found in former preterm boys, but not girls, and were explained by differences in current activity levels, not age of walking

Politiques linguistiques, contraintes sociolinguistiques et usages des langues dans les écoles de l’UNRWA au Liban

En nous intéressant à l’usage des langues dans les écoles de l’UNRWA au Liban, nous développerons la notion de contexte selon une approche spatiale et socioculturelle. Nous nous proposons ici d’analyser, à la lumière de données sociopolitiques et sociolinguistiques, comment l’emploi du français comme médium d’enseignement dans ce contexte précis de la scolarisation des réfugiés palestiniens peut influer sur les réalisations linguistiques. Pour ce faire, nous nous appuierons sur des observations de classes, des textes officiels, des manuels et des témoignages d’apprenants et d’enseignants.Studying the use of languages in UNRWA’s schools in Lebanon, we are going to develop the notion of context according to a spatial and sociocultural approach. In the light of sociopolitical and sociolinguistic data, we are going to analyze how the teaching of curricular subjects through the medium of French in this context of the schooling of the Palestinian refugees can influence the linguistic realizations. In order to do so, we are going to base our work on class observations, official texts, textbooks and accounts given by pupils and teachers

Recherches d’épigraphie

Les quatre conférences données au mois de mai et au début du mois de juin 2009 ont étudié plusieurs documents inédits découverts au Liban, en Syrie et en Iraq et se trouvant actuellement dans des collections privées libanaises. Toutes les photographies de ces documents ont été présentées en powerpoint afin d’assurer une bonne participation du public. I. Inscriptions sur pointes de flèche et sur jarres phéniciennes La première conférence a été consacrée à l’étude de six pointes de flèches phén..

Étude numérique de l'essai au cône effilé instrumenté dans les argiles Champlain

RÉSUMÉ Une nouvelle sonde conique, tronquée et légèrement effilée, appelée cône effilé instrumenté (ISC) est étudiée dans la présente thèse. L’essai au cône effilé instrumenté (ISCT) consiste à pousser continuellement le cône effilé instrumenté (ISC) à une vitesse constante de 2 cm/s dans un trou pilote pré-foré. Plusieurs mesures comme la pression interstitielle, la contrainte latérale totale appliquée sur le fût du cône et la force motrice appliquée sur ce cône lors de son insertion peuvent être enregistrées. La résistance au cisaillement non drainé Su peut être déduite à partir d’une méthode de détermination appropriée. Des simulations axisymétriques ont été effectuées en utilisant la méthode des éléments finis afin de modéliser le processus de pénétration profond (PPP) du ISC. Deux prototypes du cône effilé instrumenté ont été étudiés dans cette thèse : le cône effilé numéro 1 (ISC-1) et le cône effilé numéro 2 (ISC-2). Le site étudié est celui de Mascouche qui est un dépôt argileux représentatif des argiles naturelles raides de la mer Champlain. Il a été présumé que l’essai ISCT a l’avantage de combiner l’essai pressiométrique (c.-à.-d., réalisé par un pressiomètre autoforeur et noté par la suite SBPM) à celui du piézocône puisque la pénétration continue de ce cône dans un sol cohérent produit une expansion quasi pressiométrique. La pertinence de cette hypothèse a été le sujet de cette étude. Dans des conditions axisymétriques, des études paramétriques ont été menées afin d’étudier l’influence de l’adhésion sur les résultats escomptés des essais réalisés avec le cône 1 (ISCT-1) et le cône 2 (ISCT-2). Le sol modélisé est supposé élastique-parfaitement plastique et dans des conditions non drainées. Dans un sol pesant et non pesant, les courbes des pressions de contact (CPRESS) versus les profondeurs de fonçage des cônes (1 et 2) sont prédites. Les diagrammes quasi pressiométriques (ln (pression radiale) versus la déformation volumétrique), ainsi que les courbes forces de fonçage versus la profondeur de fonçage du cône (D), pour différentes contraintes d’adhésion, ont été déterminées.----------ABSTRACT A new truncated and slightly tapered probe called instrumented scarp cone (ISC) is studied in this thesis. The instrumented sharp cone test is performed by pushing continually this probe at a constant rate of 2 cm/s in a pre-bored pilot hole. When the cone is inserted, several measures such as pore pressure, total lateral stress, and driving force can be registered. An appropriate method allows determination of undrained shear strength (Su). Axisymmetric simulations were performed using the finite element method in order to model the process of deep penetration (PPP) of the ISC. Two prototypes of the instrumented sharp cone have been studied in this thesis: the sharp cone number 1 (ISC-1) and the sharp cone number 2 (ISC-2). The studied site is that of Mascouche, which is a clay deposit representing the stiff natural clays of the Champlain Sea. It was assumed that the test has the advantage of combining the pressuremeter test (i.e., performed with a self-boring pressuremeter and noted later SBPM) to that of piezocone as the continued penetration of this cone in a cohesive soil almost produces a pressuremetric expansion. The relevance of this hypothesis has been the subject of this study. In axisymmetric conditions, parametric analyses were conducted in order to determine the influence of the adhesion on the expected results of the tests performed with the sharp cone number 1 (ISCT-1) and the sharp cone number 2 (ISCT-2). The undrained soil is assumed to behave as an elastic-perfectly plastic material. For a weighty and weightless soil, the contact pressures (CPRESS) versus depth of penetration (D) curves of the cones (1 and 2) are predicted. The quasi-pressurmetric curves (i.e. ln(radial pressure) versus volumetric strain) and the driving force versus D curves were determined for several values of adhesion

Safety and efficacy of topical tacrolimus 0.03% in the management of vernal keratoconjunctivitis: a non-randomized controlled clinical trial

Background: Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) is a bilateral, recurrent, chronic conjunctival inflammatory disease with seasonal exacerbations. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of tacrolimus 0.03% eye ointment in the management of chronic VKC. Methods: This was an open-label, prospective, non-randomized, comparative interventional study that enrolled 50 patients with chronic VKC, who were allocated to one of two groups. The first group was treated with tacrolimus 0.03% eye ointment twice daily for 2 months then once daily for 2 months, followed by once every other day for another 2 months. The control group was treated with standard anti-allergic drugs, topical fluorometholone 0.1% eye drops three times daily for 2 weeks and gradually tapered for another 2 weeks, with topical olopatadine 0.1% administered twice daily during the follow-up period. Disease severity was assessed using a four-point scale for symptoms and signs. Treatment efficacy was assessed by analyzing changes in symptoms and signs, and by clinical photography. Results: Fifty patients with bilateral chronic VKC completed the follow-up. The mean (standard deviation) ages of the tacrolimus and control groups were comparable (16.20 [5.10] years versus 16.48 [4.19] years, P > 0.05). The most commonly reported symptom was itching, and the most common signs were papillary hypertrophy and conjunctival hyperemia. All symptoms and signs were significantly reduced after treatment in both groups. The tacrolimus group showed a more significant improvement at 3 and 6 months in the mean composite symptom score (both P < 0.05) and in the mean composite sign score (both P < 0.05). Regarding complications, one case of increased intraocular pressure occurred in the control group (4%) after 2 weeks of steroid treatment, while there were no complications in the tacrolimus group, except for some reports of stinging sensation, which was well tolerated. Conclusions: Treatment of chronic bilateral VKC with tacrolimus 0.03% eye ointment is effective and safe. It could be considered an alternative treatment to reduce steroid-associated complications in patients with chronic VKC. Future double-blinded clinical trials with a longer follow-up period are necessary to confirm our findings and to determine the long-term safety of topical tacrolimus 0.03% ointment in VKC

The Association of Peptide Hormones with Glycemia, Dyslipidemia, and Obesity in Lebanese Individuals

Peptide-hormones, including pancreatic peptide-YY(PYY), glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), cholecystokinin (CCK), insulin, and leptin function as satiety signals, while ghrelin promotes hunger. These hormones are also involved in glucose homeostasis and body-weight regulation. The aim of this cross-sectional analysis was to examine the association of these peptide-hormones with obesity-markers, insulin-resistance, and dyslipidemia (total-cholesterol (TC), low-density-lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density-lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), triglyceride (TG)). Sixteen-obese (OB) adults and 21 normal-weight (NW) age-and gender-matched counterparts were recruited. OB-participants showed significantly higher levels of leptin, insulin, Homeostatic-Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), and TG. NW participants had significantly higher levels of ghrelin. GLP-1 was positively correlated with insulin, HOMA-IR, and obesity-markers except percent body fat. Leptin was positively correlated with all markers (except glucose and dyslipidemia). PYY was positively correlated with BMI, insulin and HOMA-IR. Ghrelin was inversely correlated with all of the markers except glucose, TC, and LDL-C. In the regression analysis model, leptin was positively associated with obesity markers and insulin resistance. Our results indicate a significant difference in peptide hormones among OB and NW Lebanese individuals. Since there is controversial evidence regarding body-weight and peptide-hormones in the literature, this study highlights a step forward towards finding ethnic based strategies to treat obesity and its consequences

Do angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers prevent diabetes mellitus? A meta-analysis

Background: The prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) has increased exponentially in recent years, with 100 million people expected to develop diabetes in the coming 15 years. The impact of medical therapy on the incidence of new onset DM is not clear. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to study the impact of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) on the incidence of new onset DM. Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, BIOSIS, Cochrane databases from inception until February 2009 for randomized controlled trials (RCT) that reported new incident DM with ACEI or ARB therapy. A total of 18 RCT are included in this meta-analysis. A random-effect model was used and between-studies heterogeneity was estimated with I2. Results: There were 50,451 patients randomized to ACEI or ARB and 50,397 patients randomized to other therapies. ACEI/ARB use was associated with a decrease in new onset DM (RR 0.78, 95% CI 0.70-0.88, p = 0.003 for ACEI and RR 0.8, 95% CI 0.75-0.86, p < 0.0001 for ARB). Treating 100 patients with ACEI or 50 patients with ARB prevents one case of new onset DM. Conclusions: The cumulative evidence suggests that the use of ACEI/ARB prevents diabetes mellitus. This finding may be of special clinical benefit in patients with hypertension and prediabetes or metabolic syndrome. (Cardiol J 2010; 17, 5: 448-456