Rate of Corneal Collagen Crosslinking Redo in Private Practice: Risk Factors and Safety

Objective. To report the rate of progression of keratectasia after primary crosslinking (CXL) and evaluate the safety and efficiency of CXL redo. Materials and Methods. We conducted a retrospective analysis of the patients who underwent CXL between 2010 and 2013 at the Beirut Eye Specialist Hospital, Lebanon. Progression of keratectasia was based on the presence of an increase in maximum keratometry of 1.00 D, a change in the map difference between two consecutive topographies of 1.00 D, a deterioration of visual acuity, or any change in the refraction. Primary and redo CXL were done using the same protocol. Results. Among the 221 eyes of 130 patients who underwent CXL, 7 eyes (3.17%) of five patients met the criteria of progression. All patients reported a history of allergic conjunctivitis and eye rubbing and progressed within 9 to 48 months. No complications were noted and all patients were stable 1 year after CXL redo. Conclusion. Allergic conjunctivitis and eye rubbing were the only risk factors associated with keratoconus progression after CXL. A close followup is thus mandatory, even years after the procedure. CXL redo seems to be a safe and efficient technique to halt the progression after a primary CXL

La part des anges

Ce travail porte sur l étude des phénomènes de transport et d échange entre le bois et des liquides tels que l eau ou l éthanol. Le bois est un matériau poreux, anisotrope, hétérogène et hydrophile. Malgré sa présence massive sur la Terre, son étude demeure complexe, vue la grande disparité de ses propriétés. Le transport de l eau et de l éthanol dans le bois s effectue avec la même cinétique et la même thermodynamique que celui de l eau ou de l éthanol dans les polymères semi-cristallins. La cellulose, constituant majoritaire du bois, se comporte comme une membrane perméable aux molécules qui la traversent. Le coefficient de diffusion, mesuré grâce à une série d expériences de sorption et de désorption, est de l ordre de 10-11 m /s à 20C, ordre de grandeur typique de la diffusion de l eau dans les polymères. Le transport des liquides dans le bois et l extraction des molécules du bois dans le liquide sont deux phénomènes indissociables lors du stockage dans un contenant de bois.PARIS-BIUSJ-Physique recherche (751052113) / SudocSudocFranceF

تأثير أخلاقيات العمل في تحسين الأداء التسويقي (دراسة ميدانية في المصارف الخاصة في محافظة اللاذقية)

هدفت الدراسة بشكل رئيس إِلى تحديد تأثير أخلاقيات العمل بأبعادها (الأمانة والاستقامة، النزاهة والشفافية، الاستقلالية والموضوعية) في تحسين الأداء التسويقي في المصارف الخاصة في محافظة اللَّاذقيَّة.  اتَّبعت الباحثة المنهج الوصفي التحليلي، ومجموعة طرائق منها الاعتماد على البيانات الثَّانوية، والأوليَّة من خلال استبانة تمَّ تصميمها، وتمَّ توزيعها على (120) مبحوث، استردت منها (115)، وكانت (99) استبانة صالحة للتَّحليل، وتكوَّن مجتمع البحث من كادر العاملين في المصارف الخاصة في محافظة اللاذقية، ثم تمَّ الاعتماد على برنامج الـــ SPSS كأداة لتحليل البيانات المتوَّفرة. توصلت الدراسة إلى وجود تأثير معنوي لأخلاقيات العمل في تحسين الأداء التسويقي للمصارف الخاصة في اللاذقية، ولا يتجنب العامل أي علاقات قد تبدو أنها تفقد الموضوعية والاستقلالية عند القيام بالأعمال، ولا يسعى المصرف باستمرار إلى الحفاظ على حصته السوقية وتوسيعها، ولا يسعى المصرف إلى زيادة مبيعاته من خلال استراتيجياته التسويقي

Plasma volume variation with exercise: a crucial consideration for obese adolescent boys

International audiencePrevious studies have demonstrated that considerable plasma volume variations (ΔPV) occur during and after exposure to different environmental and physiological conditions. Such changes have an important effect on plasma concentration of metabolite values. Currently, no study has examined ΔPV in individuals with different body weight status and used ΔPV to correct plasma solute values. The aims of this study were to assess (i) the effect of body weight status on ΔPV and (ii) the impact of these variations on lactate ([La]) and glucose ([Glu]) concentrations in normal-weight, overweight, and obese adolescent boys. Participants performed a cycling sprint test at their maximal power output. ΔPV were calculated using 2 methods, and both lactate and glucose concentrations were compared using total circulating values (T) and corrected values (cr) for ΔPV: [La]T vs. [La]cr and [Glu]T vs. [Glu]cr. Following exercise, ΔPV values decreased significantly from rest value and were higher in obese compared with overweight and normal-weight boys (p \textless 0.01). Moreover, ΔPV were correlated with body weight status (r = 0.85; p \textless 0.05). While [La]T and [Glu]T differed among the groups, no difference persisted when these values were corrected for ΔPV. The differences between total circulating and corrected values were significant. The impact of body weight status on ΔPV and thus on various plasma measures in response to exercise is important and should be considered in further studie

Sacral Anatomical Orientation in the Lebanese Population

Introduction. PI is currently used as the gold standard measurement in spinopelvic anatomy. There is a need for a reliable method to calculate sacral anatomic orientation (SAO) independent of posture and to establish its association with PI, which was previously established in a single study (Peleg et al., 2007). Therefore, the aim of our study is the application and verification of this association on a Lebanese sample. Methods. Methods for measuring SAO and PI on living individuals are described. The study was carried out on 200 adult individuals using CT 3D images (volume-rendering method). Reliability (intratester and intertester) was evaluated using the intraclass correlation test. A regression analysis was carried out to evaluate the association between the two measurements. Results. There were 103 females (51%) and 97 males (49%) with a mean age of 58.68 ± 19.6 years (min = 20; max = 93). The mean SAO and PI in our population were found to be 52.65° (SD = 8.16°) and 59.08° (SD = 12.53°), respectively. SAO and PI measurements were highly correlated (Pearson correlation test; r = −0.296, P<0.0001 for our general population). PI can be predicted via SAO, i.e., SAO = (−0.193 × PI) + 64.057. Conclusions. SAO may be an important tool, alongside PI, in defining the sagittal shape of the spine and useful for understanding its association with spinal diseases as they are not affected by postural changes