Gender-specific differences in COPD symptoms and their impact for the diagnosis of cardiac comorbidities

Background In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), gender-specifc diferences in the prevalence of symptoms and comorbidity are known. Research question We studied whether the relationship between these characteristics depended on gender and carried diag nostic information regarding cardiac comorbidities. Study design and methods The analysis was based on 2046 patients (GOLD grades 1–4, 795 women; 38.8%) from the COSYCONET COPD cohort. Assessments comprised the determination of clinical history, comorbidities, lung function, COPD Assessment Test (CAT) and modifed Medical Research Council dyspnea scale (mMRC). Using multivariate regres sion analyses, gender-specifc diferences in the relationship between symptoms, single CAT items, comorbidities and functional alterations were determined. To reveal the relationship to cardiac disease (myocardial infarction, or heart failure, or coronary artery disease) logistic regression analysis was performed separately in men and women. Results Most functional parameters and comorbidities, as well as CAT items 1 (cough), 2 (phlegm) and 5 (activities), dif fered signifcantly (p<0.05) between men and women. Beyond this, the relationship between functional parameters and comorbidities versus symptoms showed gender-specifc diferences, especially for single CAT items. In men, item 8 (energy), mMRC, smoking status, BMI, age and spirometric lung function was related to cardiac disease, while in women primarily age was predictive. Interpretation Gender-specifc diferences in COPD not only comprised diferences in symptoms, comorbidities and func tional alterations, but also diferences in their mutual relationships. This was refected in diferent determinants linked to cardiac disease, thereby indicating that simple diagnostic information might be used diferently in men and women. Clinical trial registration The cohort study is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov with identifer NCT01245933 and on Ger manCTR.de with identifer DRKS00000284, date of registration November 23, 2010. Further information can be obtained on the website http://www.asconet.net

Reduced decline of lung diffusing capacity in COPD patients with diabetes and metformin treatment

We studied whether in patients with COPD the use of metformin for diabetes treatment was linked to a pattern of lung function decline consistent with the hypothesis of anti-aging efects of metformin. Patients of GOLD grades 1–4 of the COSYCONET cohort with follow-up data of up to 4.5 y were included. The annual decline in lung function (FEV1, FVC) and CO difusing capacity (KCO, TLCO) in %predicted at baseline was evaluated for associations with age, sex, BMI, pack-years, smoking status, baseline lung function, exacerbation risk, respiratory symptoms, cardiac disease, as well as metformin-containing therapy compared to patients without diabetes and metformin. Among 2741 patients, 1541 (mean age 64.4 y, 601 female) fulflled the inclusion criteria. In the group with metformin treatment vs. non-diabetes the mean annual decline in KCO and TLCO was signifcantly lower (0.2 vs 2.3, 0.8 vs. 2.8%predicted, respectively; p < 0.05 each), but not the decline of FEV1 and FVC. These results were confrmed using multiple regression and propensity score analyses. Our fndings demonstrate an association between the annual decline of lung difusing capacity and the intake of metformin in patients with COPD consistent with the hypothesis of anti-aging efects of metformin as refected in a surrogate marker of emphysema

Elucidating the aetiology of human Campylobacter coli infections

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Update and review of control options for Campylobacter in broilers at primary production

The 2011 EFSA opinion on Campylobacter was updated using more recent scientific data. The relative risk reduction in EU human campylobacteriosis attributable to broiler meat was estimated for on‐farm control options using Population Attributable Fractions (PAF) for interventions that reduce Campylobacter flock prevalence, updating the modelling approach for interventions that reduce caecal concentrations and reviewing scientific literature. According to the PAF analyses calculated for six control options, the mean relative risk reductions that could be achieved by adoption of each of these six control options individually are estimated to be substantial but the width of the confidence intervals of all control options indicates a high degree of uncertainty in the specific risk reduction potentials. The updated model resulted in lower estimates of impact than the model used in the previous opinion. A 3‐log10 reduction in broiler caecal concentrations was estimated to reduce the relative EU risk of human campylobacteriosis attributable to broiler meat by 58% compared to an estimate larger than 90% in the previous opinion. Expert Knowledge Elicitation was used to rank control options, for weighting and integrating different evidence streams and assess uncertainties. Medians of the relative risk reductions of selected control options had largely overlapping probability intervals, so the rank order was uncertain: vaccination 27% (90% probability interval (PI) 4–74%); feed and water additives 24% (90% PI 4–60%); discontinued thinning 18% (90% PI 5–65%); employing few and well‐trained staff 16% (90% PI 5–45%); avoiding drinkers that allow standing water 15% (90% PI 4–53%); addition of disinfectants to drinking water 14% (90% PI 3–36%); hygienic anterooms 12% (90% PI 3–50%); designated tools per broiler house 7% (90% PI 1–18%). It is not possible to quantify the effects of combined control activities because the evidence‐derived estimates are inter‐dependent and there is a high level of uncertainty associated with each.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Degradation of green copper-based pigments in easel paintings from the 15th-17th centuries : study of the darkening mechanism of copper acetate and copper resinate

Les pigments verts à base de cuivre étaient très répandus en peinture de chevalet entre le XVe et le XVIIe siècle. En effet, l’acétate et le résinate de cuivre étaient fort appréciés à l’époque pour leurs qualités optiques. Malheureusement, il a été très vite remarqué que ces pigments se dégradent avec le temps, leur altération se manifestant sous la forme d’un brunissement de zones autrefois vertes.L’objet de cette thèse est ainsi l’étude de ce changement chromatique, dans le but d’aboutir à une meilleure compréhension du phénomène de brunissement qui touche les pigments verts à base de cuivre. Pour cela, une approche particulière a été adoptée, basée sur l’étude multi-analytique comparative de deux types d’échantillons : d’une part, des prélèvements de taille submillimétrique provenant d’œuvres historiques appartenant aux collections des musées de France ; et d’autre part des systèmes simplifiés, constitués du mélange entre le pigment et l’huile, préparés au laboratoire et soumis à différents traitements visant à reproduire le phénomène de brunissement.L’étude du corpus d’échantillons historiques a mené à considérer la lumière et le dioxygène atmosphérique comme des facteurs influençant la dégradation des verts au cuivre. L’analyse des deux types d’échantillons (historiques et systèmes modèles) par les spectroscopies de photoluminescence, vibrationnelles et d’absorption des rayons X a permis d’obtenir des résultats comparables, validant ainsi notre méthodologie.Le suivi, par combinaison des spectroscopies RPE et d’absorption UV-Visible, de l’évolution du complexe de cuivre au cours du brunissement des systèmes modèles a abouti à une proposition de mécanisme chimique dans lequel l’altération des pigments est due à l’action conjointe de la lumière et du dioxygène atmosphérique, avec la formation de complexes peroxo [CuII(CH3CO2)2O22-CuII] responsables du changement chromatique.Copper-based green pigments were very common in easel painting between the 15th and 17th centuries. Copper acetate and copper resinate were indeed highly appreciated at that time for their optical properties. Unfortunately, these pigments have quickly been recognized to degrade over time, their alteration manifesting as a browning of formerly green areas.The purpose of this thesis is thus to study this chromatic change, with the aim of achieving a better understanding of the browning phenomenon that affects copper-based green pigments. To this end, a particular approach has been adopted, based on the comparative multi-analytical study of two types of samples: on the one hand, submillimeter-sized samples taken from historical masterpiece paintings belonging to French Museums collections; and on the other hand simplified systems, consisting of a mixture of pigment and oil, prepared in laboratory and subjected to different treatments aiming to reproduce the browning phenomenon.The study of the historical sample corpus led to consider light and atmospheric oxygen as factors influencing the degradation of copper greens. The analysis of the two types of samples (historical and model systems) by photoluminescence, vibrational and X-ray absorption spectroscopies allowed us to obtain comparable results, thus validating our methodology.The monitoring of the evolution of the copper complex during the browning of model systems, by combining EPR and UV-Visible absorption spectroscopies, led us to propose a chemical mechanism that presents alteration of pigments as due to the combined action of light and atmospheric oxygen with the formation of peroxo complexes [CuII(CH3CO2)2O22 CuII] which are responsible for the chromatic change

Pregnancy outcomes and genetic analysis of globozoospermic patients : a case series and review of the literature.

International audienc

Globozoospermie et Assistance médicale à la procréation : A propos de 4 cas.

International audienc

Human Sperm Morphology as a Marker of Its Nuclear Quality and Epigenetic Pattern

International audienceHuman sperm chromatin condensation is a sum of epigenetic events that allows for the near-complete replacement of histones with protamines. Under high-magnification microscopy, nuclear vacuoles have been described as thumbprints with poor chromatin condensation. The objective of this study is to examine whether vacuolated spermatozoa carry specific epigenetic marks, which may influence embryo development. Methods: The presence and three-dimensional distribution of ten epigenetic marks (protamine-P2, histone-H3, H3K4me1/me2/me3, H3K9me1/me2/me3, H3K27me3, H4k20me2) were evaluated and compared in morphometrically normal spermatozoa according to the presence or absence of a large vacuole occupying more than 15% of the head surface (n = 4193). Vacuolated spermatozoa were significantly more frequently labelled with H3 and H3K4me3 than normal spermatozoa (88.1% ± 2.7 and 78.5% ± 5.2 vs. 74.8% ± 4.8 and 49.1% ± 7.4, respectively; p = 0.009 and p < 0.001) and significantly less marked by P2 and H3K27me3 (50.2% ± 6.2 and 63.9% ± 6.3 vs. 82.1% ± 4.4 and 73.6% ± 5.1, respectively; p < 0.001 and p = 0.028). In three dimensions, vacuoles are nuclear concavities filled with DNA carrying the H3K4me3 marker. High-magnification microscopy is a simple tool to estimate in real time the sperm epigenetic profile. The selection of normal spermatozoa without vacuoles and the deselection of spermatozoa with vacuoles appear to be epigenetically favorable to embryo development and safe offspring