Poussée de maladie de Kaposi et élévation du CA 19-9: Penser à la tuberculose!

La maladie de Kaposi (MK) est une entité pathologique qui peut survenir chez les patients VIH positifs et dans le cadre d'une immunodépression, d'origine tuberculeuse très rarement. On décrit le cas d'une MK chez un patient VIH négatif au décours d'une tuberculose. Nous rapportons le cas d'un patient âgé de 81 ans, VIH négatif, ayant présenté deux nodules angiomateux de l'avant bras gauche dont la biopsie cutanée était en faveur d'une MK. L'évolution était marquée 2 mois plus tard, par  l'apparition de placards angiomateux extensifs des deux membres supérieurs et d'adénopathies cervicales jugulo-carotidiennes bilatérales. La biopsie ganglionnaire était en faveur d'une  tuberculose ganglionnaire. Par ailleurs, il avait un taux sérique élevé des CA 19-9. La régression de l'étendue des lésions au niveau des membres  supérieurs et la  normalisation du taux sérique des CA 19-9 ont été obtenues sous traitement anti-tuberculeux. Chez les patients atteints d'une MK avec une élévation des CA 19-9, il faut penser à la tuberculose

Occupational health and safety in the industry 4.0 era: A cause for major concern?

Real-time communication, Big Data, human–machine cooperation, remote sensing, monitoring and process control, autonomous equipment and interconnectivity are becoming major assets in modern industry. As the fourth industrial revolution or Industry 4.0 becomes the predominant reality, it will bring new paradigm shifts, which will have an impact on the management of occupational health and safety (OHS). In the midst of this new and accelerating industrial trend, are we giving due consideration to changes in OHS imperatives? Are the OHS consequences of Industry 4.0 being evaluated properly? Do we stand to lose any of the gains made through proactive approaches? Are there rational grounds for major concerns? In this article, we examine these questions in order to raise consciousness with regard to the integration of OHS into Industry4.0. It is clear that if the technologies driving Industry 4.0 develop in silos and manufacturers’ initiatives are isolated and fragmented, the dangers will multiply and the net impact on OHS will be negative. As major changes are implemented, previous gains in preventive management of workplace health and safety will be at risk. If we are to avoid putting technological progress and OHS on a collision course, researchers, field experts and industrialists will have to collaborate on a smooth transition towards Industry 4.0

Broadband Fields Radiated in a Solid by Water-Coupled Transducers: A Comparison of Approximate Models, Numerical Approaches and Experiments

In number of configurations, ultrasonic tests in the French nuclear industry are made using water-coupled focused transducers. To study the influence of the various parameters involved in transducer/piece configurations, model-based predictions of the field radiated by transducers are very useful. A model (called Champ-Sons) has been developed at the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) to calculate the field radiated by focused or unfocused transducer through liquid/solid interface at normal or oblique incidence [1]. It can deal with radiating surface of complex (3-D) shape (spherical focusing, Fermat’s surfaces, multiple-elements [2] etc.). The calculation is done directly in the time domain for broadband sources and in the frequency domain for narrowband sources. In its present form Champ-Sons deals with either plane or cylindrical interfaces between a fluid and an isotropic solid. It is implemented in a user-friendly software developed at the CEA called CIVA [3] for NDT data processing (eddy-current, ultrasonics, neutrongraphy, radiography). Since non-canonical configurations are considered and pure numerical schemes are too computer intensive, the model treats the refraction at the fluid/solid interface in an approximate way. It has been validated experimentally [1]

The effects of cognitive behavioral therapy on selected physical, physiological parameters, exercise and nutritional behaviors in diabetic persons

OBJECTIVE Due to the high prevalence of diabetes in the world, it seems that one of the most important strategies to prevent and treat this disease are lifestyle changes. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of cognitive behavioral therapy on selected physical and psychological parameters, exercise, and nutritional behaviors in diabetic patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS This was a cross-sectional study of volunteers with type 2 diabetes. Patients were randomized into two groups: an intervention (n=32) and a control group (n=31). The Beck Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to assess physical activity in combination with the Beck Depression Inventory and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index to assess the levels of depression and the quality of sleep. Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) training consisted of six sessions of cognitive behavioral therapy interventions. The intervention consisted of a face-to-face individual counseling session. The patients received a special diet according to their basal metabolic rate (BMR). At all sessions, dietary advice was reviewed, and during the treatment period, they were asked to record their diet and physical activity. Body composition and blood samples were measured before and after three months of the experiment for both groups. RESULTS Blood glucose, blood lipid profiles (except high-density lipoprotein), lifestyle, behavior patterns and body composition were significantly improved following CBT intervention (p≤0.05). CONCLUSIONS CBT can play a key role in improving physiological and psychological parameters in diabetic patients

Sleep and psychological factors are associated with meeting discharge criteria to return to sport following ACL reconstruction in athletes

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to determine if sleep quality and psychological factors were associated with time to meet the discharge criteria to return to sport (RTS) following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACL-R) among athletes experiencing better quality of sleep and psychological responses returning faster to full activity. METHOD: A cohort-study design included 89 athletes following ACL-R. Each participant completed a battery of questionnaires at 6 different time points: within 3 days of injury occurrence and at post-surgery (1.5m, 3m, 4.5m, 6m and when discharge criteria were met). Assessment included sleep quality and quantity, symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, psychological readiness to RTS and fear of re-injury. The primary outcome was the time needed to meet all discharge criteria to RTS. RESULTS: Sleep parameters and psychological factors were not associated with time to meet the discharge criteria to RTS. However, athletes that had low anxiety and insomnia scores at baseline and better sleep quality at 3m, 4.5m, 6m and at discharge were more adherent to the rehabilitation program and more likely to meet the RTS discharge criteria OR 1.2 (95% CI 1.0-1.34), 1.3 (95% CI 1.1, 1.7) and 2.0 (95% CI 1.1-3.4) respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Sleep quality and psychological factors were not associated with time to meet the discharge criteria to RTS but impacted whether athletes adhered and completed their rehabilitation program or not. Monitoring sleep quality and psychological factors of athletes before and following ACL-R surgery is important to identify athletes who could have difficulties in adhering to and completing their rehabilitation program to RTS

Coexistence of pyoderma gangrenosum and sweet’s syndrome in a patient with ulcerative colitis

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) and Sweet's Syndrome (SS) are inflammatory skin diseases caused by the accumulation of neutrophils in the skin and, rarely, in internal organs. These neutrophilic dermatosis (NDs) are distinguished by the existence of forms of transition or overlap. They are frequently associated to systemic diseases especially hematologic and gastrointestinal ones. We report a case of a patient with ulcerative colitis (UC) who successively developed two types of NDs: PG then SS. A 66 years old patient with a history of UC consulted in July 2012 for an erythematous swelling of the back of the right hand treated with antibiotics without improvement. At that time, bacteriological samples were negative. In October 2012, he was hospitalized for polyarthralgia and impaired general condition. In physical examination, he had vesiculobullous plaque of 10 cm long of the right hand and wrist, infiltrated erythematous plaque on the right leg and another topped with a large pustule at the left ankle. Skin biopsy showed at the back of the right hand an aspect of PG and at the infiltrated plaques of the ankle an aspect of SS. Prednisone was started with improvement of the skin lesions and a recovery condition. The combination of PG and SS has already been described in cases of hematologic malignancy and rarely in UC. There is also the notion of passage from a neutrophilic dermatosis to another. Indeed, a typical lesion initially of SS can evolve to a future PG. This case demonstrates that neutrophilic dermatoses form a continous spectrum of entities that may occur in UC

SPECTROPHOTOMETRIC DETERMINATION OF PHENOL BY CHARGE-TRANSFER COMPLEXATION

The phenol is used in pharmaceutical domain as agent of preservation, a rapid and reliable spectrophotometric method was validated for its determination in routine control. This method is based on the formation of a charge transfer complex between phenol and 2,6-dichloroquinone-4-chloroimide (DCQ) in basic medium. This produced a blue product with maximum absorption at 610nm. Beer's law is obeyed and the calibration curve was linear (r = 0.999) over the range 7.5 10 -6 M -7.5 10 -

Major heretofore intractable biotic constraints to African food security that may be amenable to novel biotechnological solutions

The input costs of pesticides to control biotic constraints are often prohibitive to the subsistence farmers of Africa and seed based solutions to biotic stresses are more appropriate. Plant breeding has been highly successful in dealing with many pest problems in Africa, especially diseases, but is limited to the genes available within the crop genome. Years of breeding and studying cultural practices have not always been successful in alleviating many problems that biotechnology may be able to solve. We pinpoint the major intractable regional problems as: (1) weeds: parasitic weeds (Striga and Orobanche spp.) throughout Africa; grass weeds of wheat (Bromus and Lolium) intractable to herbicides in North Africa; (2) insect and diseases: stem borers and post-harvest grain weevils in sub-Saharan Africa; Bemesia tabaci (white fly) as the vector of the tomato leaf curl virus complex on vegetable crops in North Africa; and (3) the mycotoxins: fumonisins and aflatoxins in stored grains. Abiotic stresses may exacerbate many of these problems, and biotechnological alleviations of abiotic stress could partially allay some predicaments. Some of these constraints are already under study using biotechnological procedures, but others may require longer-term research and development to alleviate the problems. Despite the huge impacts of post-harvest weevils and of mycotoxins in grains, these issues had not been given high priority in national biotechnological programs, possibly due to a lack of knowledge of their immensity. The need for public sector involvement is accentuated for cases where immediate profits are not perceived (e.g. lowering mycotoxin levels in farmer utilized grain, which does not increase yield) but where the public weal will gain, and will be invaluable, especially where the private sector supplies genes already isolated

Broadband Fields Radiated in a Solid by Water-Coupled Transducers: A Comparison of Approximate Models, Numerical Approaches and Experiments

In number of configurations, ultrasonic tests in the French nuclear industry are made using water-coupled focused transducers. To study the influence of the various parameters involved in transducer / piece configurations, model-based predictions of the field radiated by transducers are very useful. A model (called Champ-Sons) has been developed at th