Risk Factors associated with frequent exacerbations in asthma

peer reviewedBackground: Asthma is a chronic airway inflammatory disease with various degrees of severity. Exacerbations are commonly seen in uncontrolled asthma and their treatment involves oral corticosteroids use with a lot of side effects. Objective: The aim of the study was to identify easily available predictors for future exacerbations in patients with asthma. Methods: This is a prospective study on 250 consecutive patients with asthma with a successful sputum induction. Exacerbation rate in the following year was assessed by telephone interview. Logistic regression was used to test the relationship between the binary outcomes (<1 or ≥1 exacerbation, <2 or ≥2 exacerbations) and a set of covariates including demographic, clinical, functional and inflammatory characteristics such as FeNO, sputum and blood cell counts. The results were then applied and validated in a new cohort of 1450 patients. Results: Sputum and blood eosinophils were able to identify patients presenting ≥1 or ≥2 exacerbations with the same discriminative power (AUC:0.65 and 0.64 respectively). The multiple regression analysis identified that exacerbations in the previous year (OR = 9.3), treatment with high doses ICS (OR = 27.1), blood eosinophils (cells/mm3, OR = 1.8) and FEV1/FVC (OR = 0.93) were independent predictors of exacerbations in the year following the visit with an AUC of 0.93 for this model. Frequent exacerbations (≥2) were also predicted by exacerbations in the previous year (OR = 10.5), treatment with high doses ICS (OR = 39.2) and blood eosinophils (OR = 3.5) with an AUC of 0.95 for the model. Conclusion: Blood and sputum eosinophils have similar predictive value for future exacerbations. Prediction could be improved by combining this information with lung function, ICS dose and history of previous exacerbations

CIRIR programs: drilling and research opportunities at the Rochechouart Impact Structure

International audienc

Evolutionary Patterns of the Mitochondrial Genome in Metazoa: Exploring the Role of Mutation and Selection in Mitochondrial Protein–Coding Genes

The mitochondrial genome is a fundamental component of the eukaryotic domain of life, encoding for several important subunits of the respiratory chain, the main energy production system in cells. The processes by means of which mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) replicates, expresses itself and evolves have been explored over the years, although various aspects are still debated. In this review, we present several key points in modern research on the role of evolutionary forces in affecting mitochondrial genomes in Metazoa. In particular, we assemble the main data on their evolution, describing the contributions of mutational pressure, purifying, and adaptive selection, and how they are related. We also provide data on the evolutionary fate of the mitochondrial synonymous variation, related to the nonsynonymous variation, in comparison with the pattern detected in the nucleus

Comparative values of various wastewater streams as a soil nutrient source

In order to assess whether wastewaters from different industries (winery, abattoir, dairy and municipal) could be used safely to irrigate agricultural crops, a pot experiment in glass house was conducted in a sandy clay loam soil (pH = 6.12) from South Australia. Different concentrations (0, 0.05, 5, 25, 50, 75 and 100%) of the wastewaters diluted in an ordinary tap water were applied to soils sown with sunflower and maize seeds, and the effect of these irrigation treatments were evaluated at the early crop growth stages by recording the biomass yields, plant mineral nutrient contents, and also the soil chemical properties. Results showed that the winery effluent reduced the early growth of maize and sunflower when applied without any dilution, but increased yields of both plants when applied at 25% dilution with tap water. At this dilution of the winery wastewater, 80% more dry shoot yield (DSY) of sunflower and 58% more DSY of maize were obtained in comparison to the application of 100% concentration of the wastewater. Abattoir wastewater showed the highest yields at 100% concentration. Furthermore, municipal effluent did not show any inhibitory effect on both the crops. It was observed that metal contents in both the crops were different due to the application of different wastewaters, but did not exceed any toxic level. This study demonstrated that abattoir wastewater as such, and winery and dairy wastewaters at appropriate dilutions could be used for irrigation in agricultural fields to enhance crop productivity

M. Chevremont to Viktor Hamburger, December 23, 1948

Typewritten letter, 1 pageCorrespondenc

Optimisation multivariée d’un traitement des eaux usées par DEL-UV en vue d’une réutilisation pour l’irrigation

Le développement de nouvelles technologies pour le recyclage des eaux usées est une priorité pour les régions arides et semi-arides tels que les pays du bassin méditerranéen. L'objectif de ce travail a été, dans un premier temps, de développer un système de traitement tertiaire des eaux usées en testant l'efficacité de diodes électroluminescentes émettant des UV-A et/ou des UV-C (DEL-UV) sur l'inactivation de souches bactériennes indicatrices de pollution fécale (Escherichia coli et Enterococcus faecalis) puis sur des effluents urbains, en étudiant la diminution des pollutions microbiennes et chimiques. Cette première étape a mis en évidence l'efficacité accrue du couplage UV-A et UV-C, permettant d'obtenir une eau de qualité répondant aux exigences législatives relatives à la réutilisation des eaux usées pour l'irrigation. La deuxième partie de ce travail était l'étude de l'impact de l'arrosage avec des eaux usées traitées par DEL-UV sur les paramètres du sol et sur le devenir de certain polluant aromatiques dans les sols (anthracène et carbamazépine). L'arrosage avec des eaux usées traitées par DEL-UV ne modifie pas la composition chimique de la matière organique de sol, l'activité catabolique globale des microorganismes, et le nombre et la diversité de bactéries indicatrices de pollution fécale par rapport au sol arrosé avec de l'eau d'irrigation. Certaines activités enzymatiques liées à la dégradation de la matière organique augmentent dans les sols arrosés avec des eaux usées traitées par DEL-UV, montrant que la matière organique apportée par l'effluent est activement dégradée par les microorganismes.The development of new technologies for wastewater reuse is a priority for arid and semi-arid areas such as Mediterranean countries. The objective of this work was, firstly, to develop a system for tertiary treatment of wastewaters testing LEDs emitting UV-A and / or UV-C (UV LEDs) on fecal indicator inactivation (Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis) and then on urban effluents, by studying the decrease in both microbial and chemical pollution. This first step has highlighted a higher efficiency of this system when UV UV-A and UV-C are coupled. Wasterwaters with quality meeting the statutory requirements for the reuse of wastewater for irrigation were obtained and used in the second part of this work was to study the impact of watering with UV-LED- treated wastewaters on soil parameters and on the fate of pollutants (anthracene and carbamazepine) in soils. Watering with UV-LED treated wastewater does not change the chemical composition of soil organic matter, the global catabolic activity of soil microorganisms, and the number and diversity of fecal indicators compared to control (irrigation water). Certain enzymatic activities related to the degradation of organic matter increased in soil watered with UV-LED treated wastewater, showing that the organic matter added by the effluent is actively degraded by microorganisms. In addition, aromatic pollutants are oxidized two to three times faster in soils watered with UV-LED treated wastewater

Optimisation multivariée d’un traitement des eaux usées par DEL-UV en vue d’une réutilisation pour l’irrigation

Le développement de nouvelles technologies pour le recyclage des eaux usées est une priorité pour les régions arides et semi-arides tels que les pays du bassin méditerranéen. L'objectif de ce travail a été, dans un premier temps, de développer un système de traitement tertiaire des eaux usées en testant l'efficacité de diodes électroluminescentes émettant des UV-A et/ou des UV-C (DEL-UV) sur l'inactivation de souches bactériennes indicatrices de pollution fécale (Escherichia coli et Enterococcus faecalis) puis sur des effluents urbains, en étudiant la diminution des pollutions microbiennes et chimiques. Cette première étape a mis en évidence l'efficacité accrue du couplage UV-A et UV-C, permettant d'obtenir une eau de qualité répondant aux exigences législatives relatives à la réutilisation des eaux usées pour l'irrigation. La deuxième partie de ce travail était l'étude de l'impact de l'arrosage avec des eaux usées traitées par DEL-UV sur les paramètres du sol et sur le devenir de certain polluant aromatiques dans les sols (anthracène et carbamazépine). L'arrosage avec des eaux usées traitées par DEL-UV ne modifie pas la composition chimique de la matière organique de sol, l'activité catabolique globale des microorganismes, et le nombre et la diversité de bactéries indicatrices de pollution fécale par rapport au sol arrosé avec de l'eau d'irrigation. Certaines activités enzymatiques liées à la dégradation de la matière organique augmentent dans les sols arrosés avec des eaux usées traitées par DEL-UV, montrant que la matière organique apportée par l'effluent est activement dégradée par les microorganismes.The development of new technologies for wastewater reuse is a priority for arid and semi-arid areas such as Mediterranean countries. The objective of this work was, firstly, to develop a system for tertiary treatment of wastewaters testing LEDs emitting UV-A and / or UV-C (UV LEDs) on fecal indicator inactivation (Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis) and then on urban effluents, by studying the decrease in both microbial and chemical pollution. This first step has highlighted a higher efficiency of this system when UV UV-A and UV-C are coupled. Wasterwaters with quality meeting the statutory requirements for the reuse of wastewater for irrigation were obtained and used in the second part of this work was to study the impact of watering with UV-LED- treated wastewaters on soil parameters and on the fate of pollutants (anthracene and carbamazepine) in soils. Watering with UV-LED treated wastewater does not change the chemical composition of soil organic matter, the global catabolic activity of soil microorganisms, and the number and diversity of fecal indicators compared to control (irrigation water). Certain enzymatic activities related to the degradation of organic matter increased in soil watered with UV-LED treated wastewater, showing that the organic matter added by the effluent is actively degraded by microorganisms. In addition, aromatic pollutants are oxidized two to three times faster in soils watered with UV-LED treated wastewater

L’encadrement règlementaire des anticorps monoclonaux

International audienc