ARIA 2016 : Care pathways implementing emerging technologies for predictive medicine in rhinitis and asthma across the life cycle

European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing Reference Site MACVIA-France, EU Structural and Development Fund Languedoc-Roussillon, ARIA.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Endotypes of allergic diseases and asthma: An important step in building blocks for the future of precision medicine

Discoveries from basic science research in the last decade have brought significant progress in knowledge of pathophysiologic processes of allergic diseases, with a compelling impact on understanding of the natural history, risk prediction, treatment selection or mechanism-specific prevention strategies. The view of the pathophysiology of allergic diseases developed from a mechanistic approach, with a focus on symptoms and organ function, to the recognition of a complex network of immunological pathways. Several subtypes of inflammation and complex immune-regulatory networks and the reasons for their failure are now described, that open the way for the development of new diagnostic tools and innovative targeted-treatments. An endotype is a subtype of a disease condition, which is defined by a distinct pathophysiological mechanism, whereas a disease phenotype defines any observable characteristic of a disease without any implication of a mechanism. Another key word linked to disease endotyping is biomarker that is measured and evaluated to examine any biological or pathogenic processes, including response to a therapeutic intervention. These three keywords will be discussed more and more in the future with the upcoming efforts to revolutionize patient care in the direction of precision medicine and precision health. The understanding of disease endotypes based on pathophysiological principles and their validation across clinically meaningful outcomes in asthma, allergic rhinitis, chronic rhinosinusitis, atopic dermatitis and food allergy will be crucial for the success of precision medicine as a new approach to patient management

Comparing the rates of absorption and weight loss during a desorption test using near infrared spectroscopy

The importance of determining skin hydration has over the years prompt the development of many instruments and methods, specifically designed to assess this parameter or water contents especially in the stratum corneum, and have greatly matured to suit different anatomical sites and measure multiple attributes. Of those, Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) has gained wide interest as a precise, safe, fast and noninvasive technique for determining skin hydration due to its high sensitivity to hydrogen bonding and ability to measure the amount of water in skin directly using the intensities of overtone and combination bands of OH and HOH water bonds occurring in the NIR region, that are good indicators of the state of skin hydration. This paper reports near infrared spectrophotometric measurements using a highly sophisticated spectrophotometer in the region of 1000-2500 nm to study the water uptake and dehydration properties of skin in vitro using samples of porcine skin. Initial results of pure liquid water and skin samples have clearly displayed the prominent bands associated with water content, and desorption tests have been able to verify changes in these bands associated with water content, although a clear correlation between the rates of weight loss and absorbance loss at various hydration periods has not yet been established. These preliminary results are expected to further explain the relationship between water and skin, and its role within, in hope to aid the future development of a portable instrument based on near infrared spectroscopy that would be capable of directly measuring skin hydration and/or water content in a fast and noninvasive manner

Classroom composition, classroom quality and German skills of very young dual language learners and German-only learners

This study examined associations between the classroom percentage of dual language learners (DLLs), observed classroom quality, and children's German majority language skills. The cross-sectional sample of 2.5 years olds (n = 93 immigrant DLLs and n = 363 monolingual German-only learners) was clustered within n = 197 classrooms. Classrooms with higher percentages of DLLs demonstrated slightly lower levels of overall classroom process quality. DLLs scored about 1 SD below monolingual children on German language skills when adjusting for family and classroom covariates. Moderation analyses revealed that this difference did not depend on the percentage of DLLs in a classroom. In fact, the classroom percentage of DLLs was related to children's German skills only when omitting the child level language status (DLL vs. monolingual) from the analyses. However, classroom quality moderated the difference between DLLs’ and monolingual children's German skills. This difference was estimated as about only 0.5 SD for DLLs and monolingual children experiencing higher classroom quality, but as about 1.5 SD for those experiencing lower quality. We conclude that high quality classrooms may promote the majority language skills of DLLs

Impact of retrograde transillumination while securing the airway in obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery

Video laryngoscopy (VL) is a well-established technique used in anaesthetising obese patients who present with higher risks of airway-related difficulties and desaturations due to shorter safe apnoea periods. However, VL has certain limitations and may fail. We present the Infrared Red Intubation System (IRRIS), a new technique facilitating glottis identification in severely obese patients undergoing anaesthesia for bariatric surgery. This single-centre, prospective trial assessed the efficacy of the IRRIS for VL tracheal intubation in 20 severely obese adult patients undergoing elective bariatric surgery under general anaesthesia. We assessed the ability of the IRRIS to differentiate the transilluminated glottis from the oesophagus and laryngeal folds and evaluated the ease of intubation. The average weight in the investigated patient cohort was 145 ± 29 kg, the suprasternal tissue thickness was 12 ± 4 mm. The median IQR [range] larynx recognition time was 10 [2–50] s, which was similar to that of lean patients. The degree of obesity correlated with the duration to achieve optimal laryngoscopic view and complete the intubation procedure. We achieved successful VL insertion on the first attempt in 13 of 20 cases (65%), and on the second attempt in 7 cases (35%), emphasising the increased probability of successful intubation on the first attempt. Tracheal intubation with the IRRIS lasted 50 [IQR 20–100] s. The lowest SpO2 during intubation was 98 [IQR 83–100] %. Addition of IRRIS to VL insertion facilitated the intubation of difficult airways in severely obese patients. IRRIS improves the visualization of the intubation pathway by selectively highlighting the airway entrance and shortens the time to successfully conclude the intubation procedure

Allergen immunotherapy for allergic asthma: protocol for a systematic review

Background: The European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) is in the process of developing the EAACI Guidelines for Allergen Immunotherapy (AIT) for Allergic Asthma. We seek to critically assess the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and safety of AIT in the management of allergic asthma. Methods: We will undertake a systematic review, which will involve searching international biomedical databases for published, in progress and unpublished evidence. Studies will be independently screened against pre-defined eligibility criteria and critically appraised using established instruments. Data will be descriptively and, if possible and appropriate, quantitatively synthesised. Discussion: The findings from this review will be used to inform the development of recommendations for EAACI’s Guidelines on AIT

Alteration of superconductivity of suspended carbon nanotubes by deposition of organic molecules

We have altered the superconductivity of a suspended rope of single walled carbon nanotubes, by coating it with organic polymers. Upon coating, the normal state resistance of the rope changes by less than 20 percent. But superconductivity, which on the bare rope shows up as a substantial resistance decrease below 300 mK, is gradualy suppressed. We correlate this to the suppression of radial breathing modes, measured with Raman Spectroscopy on suspended Single and Double-walled carbon nanotubes. This points to the breathing phonon modes as being responsible for superconductivity in carbon nanotubes

A Campanha da Nacionalização no Colégio Concórdia e o ensino de matemática

Disponível em: http://histemat.com.br/index.php/HISTEMAT/article/view/269/208A Campanha da Nacionalização foi um movimento organizado pelo governo ditatorial de Getúlio Vargas que teve início no ano de 1938 até o final da Segunda Guerra Mundial. Esta Campanha teve como alvo os moradores estrangeiros do Brasil e seus filhos, principalmente os imigrantes e descendentes de alemães. A principal medida que afetaria a vida destas pessoas seria a proibição de ler, escrever ou falar em outro idioma que não fosse o português. Por este motivo, muitas instituições que tinham sido organizadas pelas comunidades teuto-brasileiras, inclusive escolas comunitárias, clubes e igrejas, não tiveram outra opção senão a de adaptar-se as novas normas, ou simplesmente fechar as portas. Neste artigo analisamos como o Colégio Concórdia, de confissão luterana, adaptou-se a esse contexto. Buscamos por indícios sobre mudanças no ensino de matemática e nas práticas relacionadas a este ensino. Constatamos que os livros de matemática utilizados no ambiente escolar, como todo o material relacionado a vida escolar dos alunos foi traduzido integralmente para o português, no entanto, algumas práticas como a memorização da tabuada e a preocupação com a as quatro operações, no contexto de exercícios aplicados ao comércio, permaneceram até o final dos anos 1940