Madrasat al Firdaws : Essai d’analyse

Cet essai a été écrit pour accompagner une exposition photographique consacrée à l’un des plus beaux monuments d’architecture de Syrie, construit par la princesse ayyubide Dayfat Khatun à Alep au début du xiiie siècle. Afin de rendre l’édifice compréhensible, la description physique des lieux est doublée d’une interprétation de la disposition spatiale des volumes architecturaux et des éléments décoratifs. Les trois inscriptions monumentales de l’édifice sont exploitées pour en tirer les éléments sémantiques nécessaires à la compréhension des oppositions fondamentales articulant les lieux : clôture/ouverture, obscurité/lumière, bas/haut, devoir/vouloir, pouvoir/savoir… Au passage, l’analyse d’un rébus figuratif permet d’accéder à un message relatif à l’illumination mystique par la lumière divine. L’analyse sémiotique résout ainsi l’une des énigmes de l’histoire de l’architecture orientale.This essay has been written in order to accompany a photographic exhibition devoted to one of the most beautiful architectural monuments of Syria, built by the ayyubid princess Dayfat Khatun in Aleppo (Syria) at the beginning of the thirteenth century. In order to make sense out of the building, the physical description of the place has been coupled with an interpretation of spatial arrangement, architectural volumes and decorative items. The three monumental inscriptions of the building have been used in order to extract the semantic elements necessary to the comprehension of the main oppositions articulating the place : closure/openness, darkness/light, obligation/volition… Meanwhile, the analysis of a figurative rebus allows access to a message pertaining to the mystical illumination by divine light. Semiotic analysis resolves thus one of the enigmas of oriental architectural history

Un musée dans une usine

Le musée de la Centrale Montemartini à Rome présente des œuvres antiques dans un cadre industriel. Conçu comme un lieu d’accueil temporaire pour les œuvres évacuées des musées capitolins pendant les travaux d’aménagement du Palais Caffarelli, il a été l’occasion de tester des idées muséographiques qui seraient à mettre en œuvre sur le site capitolin lors du retour des œuvres. Il est ici soumis à une analyse sémiotique

Un amphithéâtre à Tadmor-Palmyre?

Une lecture attentive de deux photographies aériennes datant de l’époque du Mandat français permet de repérer la trace claire d’une structure ovale dans le quartier nord-est de la ville antique de Palmyre, non loin de l’actuel musée. La comparaison avec d’autres monuments de ce type laisse envisager qu’il s’agit bien d’un amphithéâtre, ce qu’une prospection magnétique et des sondages ultérieurs pourraient confirmer.Studying with great attention two aerial photographs dating from the French Mandate leads a trained observer to note the light mark of an oval structure in the north-east area of the ancient Palmyra, close to the present museum. Comparison with other such monuments allows considering that this is indeed an amphitheatre, what could be later confirmed with magnetic prospecting and probe trenches.خلاصة – تتيح القراءة الممحـّصة لصورتين جويتين عائدتين إلى فترة الإنتداب الفرنسي في سورية التوصل إلى تفرّس أثرٍ واضحٍ لمنشأة بيضوية الشكل في القسم الشمالي الشرقي من مدينة تدمر الغابرة، بالقرب من المتحف الحالي. و تؤدي مقارنة هذا الأثر مع الأوابد المماثلة إلى إستنتاج أنه ملعب رياضي روماني الطراز معد للمصارعة المسلحة و لصراع الحيوانات (أي أمفيثياتر). و هذا ما قد يمكن إثباته بواسطة إستكشاف مغنطيسي أو بواسطة تنقيبات أثرية لاحقة

O ESPAÇO DO SEMINÁRIO

Introdução. – Estudo da expressão: 1.1 Sistema /vs/ Sistemas; 1.2. Terceiro sistema ou o envelope; 1.3. O segundo sistema, ou o envelope mobiliado; 1.4 O primeiro sistema, ou o envelope mobiliado e contendo usuários. – II. Estudo do conteúdo: 2.1 Programa e contrato; 2.2 Nível de superfície: o deslocamento, o fazer visual, a fala; 2.3. Nível profundo. – III. Ensaio de pôr em relação expressão e conteúdo: 3.1 Semiose e comutação; 3.2 Os polos, expressões de signos do nível profundo. – IV Conclusão.   Introduction. – I. Étude de l’expression: 1.1 Système /vs/ Systèmes ; 1.2 Le troisième système ou l’enveloppe ; 1.3 Le deuxième systeme, ou l’enveloppe meublée ; 1.4 Le premier système, ou l’enveloppe meublée et contenant des usagers. – II. Étude du contenu : 2.1 Programme et contrat ; 2.2 Niveau de surface : le déplacement, le faire visuel, la parole ; 2.3 Niveau de profundeur. – III. Essai de mise en relation de l’expression et du contenu : 3.1 Sémiose et commutation ; 3.2 Les pôles, expressions de signes du niveau profond. – IV. Conclusion

The Effect of Ephedra Foeminea Extract as an Antimicrobial and Antifungal Agent

Drugs derived from natural sources play a significant role in the prevention and treatment of human diseases. In many developing countries, traditional medicine is an essential part of primary healthcare systems (Abdallah, 2011). Due to the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria, it is essential to investigate new drugs with lesser resistance especially ones that can be derived from natural resources like plants. Ephedra is likely one of the oldest medicinal plants that are still currently in use. Antimicrobial and antifungal activities of some ephedra species have been noticed in recent years (ZHANG Ben-Mei et al,2018). The aim of the study is to observe and understand the effects of E. foeminea extracts as antimicrobial and antifungal agents. It is an experimental study; four different types of bacteria including, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, MRSA, and Escherichia coli as well as two different types of fungi including, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Candida albicans were used as test microorganisms. Maceration extraction technique (William P. Jones,2012) for the dried stem of E. foeminea will be used by methanol / water 90/10 for 2 days (Ali Parsaeimehr et el,2010). Three concentrations of the extract will be used on 30 plates for each type of microorganism in the laboratories of the University of Palestine. Antimicrobial activity will be tested by using plate methods in which a variable diameter of a growth inhibition zone in most types of bacteria will appear. The MIC values may also be evaluated using the broth serial dilution method according to standard methods (CLSI, 2012)

Phytic acid attenuates acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity via modulating iron-mediated oxidative stress and SIRT-1 expression in mice

Introduction: Administration of high doses of acetaminophen (APAP) results in liver injury. Oxidative stress and iron overload play roles in the pathogenesis of APAP-induced hepatotoxicity. The present study assessed the potential hepatoprotective effects of phytic acid (PA), a natural antioxidant and iron chelator, on APAP-induced hepatotoxicity and the possible underlying mechanism through its effects on CYP2E1 gene expression, iron homeostasis, oxidative stress, and SIRT-1 expression levels.Methods: Twenty-four adult male albino mice were used in this study. Mice were divided into four groups (six mice in each group): control, APAP-treated, PA-treated and APAP + PA-treated groups. Liver function tests, serum and liver tissue iron load were evaluated in all the study groups. Hepatic tissue homogenates were used to detect oxidative stress markers, including malondialdehyde (MDA) and reduced glutathione (GSH). Histological hepatic evaluation and immunohistochemistry of SIRT-1 were performed. Quantitative real-time PCR was used for the assessment of CYP2E1 and SIRT-1 gene expressions. APAP-induced biochemical and structural hepatic changes were reported.Results: PA administration showed beneficial effects on APAP-induced hepatotoxicity through improvements in liver functions, decreased CYP2E1 gene expression, decreased serum and liver iron load, decreased MDA, increased GSH, increased SIRT-1 expression level and improvement in hepatic architecture.Conclusion: Conclusively, PA can be considered a potential compound that can attenuate acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity through its role as an iron chelator and antioxidant, as well as the up-regulation of SIRT-1 and down-regulation of CYP2E1

Antimicrobial resistance among migrants in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising globally and there is concern that increased migration is contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe. However, the effect of migration on the burden of AMR in Europe has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and synthesise data for AMR carriage or infection in migrants to Europe to examine differences in patterns of AMR across migrant groups and in different settings. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus with no language restrictions from Jan 1, 2000, to Jan 18, 2017, for primary data from observational studies reporting antibacterial resistance in common bacterial pathogens among migrants to 21 European Union-15 and European Economic Area countries. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to report data on carriage or infection with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant organisms in migrant populations. We extracted data from eligible studies and assessed quality using piloted, standardised forms. We did not examine drug resistance in tuberculosis and excluded articles solely reporting on this parameter. We also excluded articles in which migrant status was determined by ethnicity, country of birth of participants' parents, or was not defined, and articles in which data were not disaggregated by migrant status. Outcomes were carriage of or infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We used random-effects models to calculate the pooled prevalence of each outcome. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016043681. FINDINGS: We identified 2274 articles, of which 23 observational studies reporting on antibiotic resistance in 2319 migrants were included. The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or AMR infection in migrants was 25·4% (95% CI 19·1-31·8; I2 =98%), including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (7·8%, 4·8-10·7; I2 =92%) and antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (27·2%, 17·6-36·8; I2 =94%). The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or infection was higher in refugees and asylum seekers (33·0%, 18·3-47·6; I2 =98%) than in other migrant groups (6·6%, 1·8-11·3; I2 =92%). The pooled prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms was slightly higher in high-migrant community settings (33·1%, 11·1-55·1; I2 =96%) than in migrants in hospitals (24·3%, 16·1-32·6; I2 =98%). We did not find evidence of high rates of transmission of AMR from migrant to host populations. INTERPRETATION: Migrants are exposed to conditions favouring the emergence of drug resistance during transit and in host countries in Europe. Increased antibiotic resistance among refugees and asylum seekers and in high-migrant community settings (such as refugee camps and detention facilities) highlights the need for improved living conditions, access to health care, and initiatives to facilitate detection of and appropriate high-quality treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections during transit and in host countries. Protocols for the prevention and control of infection and for antibiotic surveillance need to be integrated in all aspects of health care, which should be accessible for all migrant groups, and should target determinants of AMR before, during, and after migration. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, the Wellcome Trust, and UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimictobial Resistance at Imperial College London

Surgical site infection after gastrointestinal surgery in high-income, middle-income, and low-income countries: a prospective, international, multicentre cohort study

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the most common infections associated with health care, but its importance as a global health priority is not fully understood. We quantified the burden of SSI after gastrointestinal surgery in countries in all parts of the world. Methods: This international, prospective, multicentre cohort study included consecutive patients undergoing elective or emergency gastrointestinal resection within 2-week time periods at any health-care facility in any country. Countries with participating centres were stratified into high-income, middle-income, and low-income groups according to the UN's Human Development Index (HDI). Data variables from the GlobalSurg 1 study and other studies that have been found to affect the likelihood of SSI were entered into risk adjustment models. The primary outcome measure was the 30-day SSI incidence (defined by US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for superficial and deep incisional SSI). Relationships with explanatory variables were examined using Bayesian multilevel logistic regression models. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02662231. Findings: Between Jan 4, 2016, and July 31, 2016, 13 265 records were submitted for analysis. 12 539 patients from 343 hospitals in 66 countries were included. 7339 (58·5%) patient were from high-HDI countries (193 hospitals in 30 countries), 3918 (31·2%) patients were from middle-HDI countries (82 hospitals in 18 countries), and 1282 (10·2%) patients were from low-HDI countries (68 hospitals in 18 countries). In total, 1538 (12·3%) patients had SSI within 30 days of surgery. The incidence of SSI varied between countries with high (691 [9·4%] of 7339 patients), middle (549 [14·0%] of 3918 patients), and low (298 [23·2%] of 1282) HDI (p < 0·001). The highest SSI incidence in each HDI group was after dirty surgery (102 [17·8%] of 574 patients in high-HDI countries; 74 [31·4%] of 236 patients in middle-HDI countries; 72 [39·8%] of 181 patients in low-HDI countries). Following risk factor adjustment, patients in low-HDI countries were at greatest risk of SSI (adjusted odds ratio 1·60, 95% credible interval 1·05–2·37; p=0·030). 132 (21·6%) of 610 patients with an SSI and a microbiology culture result had an infection that was resistant to the prophylactic antibiotic used. Resistant infections were detected in 49 (16·6%) of 295 patients in high-HDI countries, in 37 (19·8%) of 187 patients in middle-HDI countries, and in 46 (35·9%) of 128 patients in low-HDI countries (p < 0·001). Interpretation: Countries with a low HDI carry a disproportionately greater burden of SSI than countries with a middle or high HDI and might have higher rates of antibiotic resistance. In view of WHO recommendations on SSI prevention that highlight the absence of high-quality interventional research, urgent, pragmatic, randomised trials based in LMICs are needed to assess measures aiming to reduce this preventable complication