Digital image ratio: a new radiographic method for quantifying changes in alveolar bone.Part II: Clinical application

International audienceAs reported in a previous paper (1) we have developed a new technique, Digital Image Ratio (DIR), which theoretically avoids some of the drawbacks of quantitative digital substraction radiography. DIR allows the direct computation and visualization of bone-mass-ratio changes. This second paper describes the use of DIR analysis to examine 20 sites in 8 patients undergoing regenerative periodontal therapy. Standardized reproducible radiographs of these 20 sites were taken before and 12 months after surgery. Ten experimental sites were treated with bone graft substitutes (natural coral or natural coral+collagen), and 10 control sites by debridement alone. None of the experimental sites had a density ratio below 1, where I indicates no change. The error was ±0.07 (0.93–1.07). The experimental sites showed an 18% mean increase in bone density (1.18), which increased to 23% (1.23) for sites filled with natural coral alone. All the control sites had values close to 1.00 (1.00±0.07) except for 3 sites, which showed a 9–15% loss of bone density. It is thus possible to compare and quantify the changes in experimental and control sites in the same patient using the percentage gain or loss of bone density. This demonstrates that DIR is suitable for clinical applications, and can be used in clinical analysis when bone changes are expected

Digital image ratio: a new radiographic method for quantifying changes in alveolar bone.Part 1: theory and methodology

International audienceA new method, digital image ratio (DIR), has been developed for directly measuring changes in alveolar bone. The image on the computer monitor represents the relative mass change between two radiographs. Fourier filtering is used to reduce noise artefacts. This method is validated through an experiment with a step wedge. DIR needs only a preliminary calibration of the experimental conditions of operation and avoids tedious calibrations for each measurement as in the case of digital image substraction. Low-voltage X-ray techniques are suggested for long-term quantitative studies of patients to minimize irradiation doses

Case-Control Cohort Study of Patients' Perceptions of Disability in Mastocytosis

BACKGROUND: Indolent forms of mastocytosis account for more than 90% of all cases, but the types and type and severity of symptoms and their impact on the quality of life have not been well studied. We therefore performed a case-control cohort study to examine self-reported disability and impact of symptoms on the quality of life in patients with mastocytosis. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In 2004, 363 mastocytosis patients and 90 controls in France were asked to rate to their overall disability (OPA score) and the severity of 38 individual symptoms. The latter was used to calculate a composite score (AFIRMM score). Of the 363 respondents, 262 were part of an ongoing pathophysiological study so that the following data were available: World Health Organization classification, standard measures of physical and psychological disability, existence of the D816V KIT mutation, and serum tryptase level. The mean OPA and AFIRMM scores and the standard measures of disability indicated that most mastocytosis patients suffer from disabilities due to the disease. Surprisingly, the patient's measurable and perceived disabilities did not differ according to disease classification or presence or absence of the D816V KIT mutation or an elevated (> or = 20 ng/mL) serum tryptase level. Also, 32 of the 38 AFIRMM symptoms were more common in patients than controls, but there were not substantial differences according to disease classification, presence of the D816V mutation, or the serum tryptase level. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of these results and for the purposes of treatment, we propose that mastocytosis be first classified as aggressive or indolent and that indolent mastocytosis then be categorized according to the severity of patients' perceived symptoms and their impact on the quality of life. In addition, it appears that mastocytosis patients suffer from more symptoms and greater disability than previously thought, that mastocytosis may therefore be under-diagnosed, and that the symptoms of the indolent forms of mastocytosis might be due more to systemic release of mediators than mast cell burden

Utilization of mechanical power and associations with clinical outcomes in brain injured patients: a secondary analysis of the extubation strategies in neuro-intensive care unit patients and associations with outcome (ENIO) trial

Background: There is insufficient evidence to guide ventilatory targets in acute brain injury (ABI). Recent studies have shown associations between mechanical power (MP) and mortality in critical care populations. We aimed to describe MP in ventilated patients with ABI, and evaluate associations between MP and clinical outcomes. Methods: In this preplanned, secondary analysis of a prospective, multi-center, observational cohort study (ENIO, NCT03400904), we included adult patients with ABI (Glasgow Coma Scale ≤ 12 before intubation) who required mechanical ventilation (MV) ≥ 24 h. Using multivariable log binomial regressions, we separately assessed associations between MP on hospital day (HD)1, HD3, HD7 and clinical outcomes: hospital mortality, need for reintubation, tracheostomy placement, and development of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Results: We included 1217 patients (mean age 51.2 years [SD 18.1], 66% male, mean body mass index [BMI] 26.3 [SD 5.18]) hospitalized at 62 intensive care units in 18 countries. Hospital mortality was 11% (n = 139), 44% (n = 536) were extubated by HD7 of which 20% (107/536) required reintubation, 28% (n = 340) underwent tracheostomy placement, and 9% (n = 114) developed ARDS. The median MP on HD1, HD3, and HD7 was 11.9 J/min [IQR 9.2-15.1], 13 J/min [IQR 10-17], and 14 J/min [IQR 11-20], respectively. MP was overall higher in patients with ARDS, especially those with higher ARDS severity. After controlling for same-day pressure of arterial oxygen/fraction of inspired oxygen (P/F ratio), BMI, and neurological severity, MP at HD1, HD3, and HD7 was independently associated with hospital mortality, reintubation and tracheostomy placement. The adjusted relative risk (aRR) was greater at higher MP, and strongest for: mortality on HD1 (compared to the HD1 median MP 11.9 J/min, aRR at 17 J/min was 1.22, 95% CI 1.14-1.30) and HD3 (1.38, 95% CI 1.23-1.53), reintubation on HD1 (1.64; 95% CI 1.57-1.72), and tracheostomy on HD7 (1.53; 95%CI 1.18-1.99). MP was associated with the development of moderate-severe ARDS on HD1 (2.07; 95% CI 1.56-2.78) and HD3 (1.76; 95% CI 1.41-2.22). Conclusions: Exposure to high MP during the first week of MV is associated with poor clinical outcomes in ABI, independent of P/F ratio and neurological severity. Potential benefits of optimizing ventilator settings to limit MP warrant further investigation

Climat et qualité des vins du Haut-Médoc depuis 1900

National audienceA partir de séries de données phénologiques depuis 1825 et de séries climatiques et qualitatives depuis 1895, les auteurs ont analysé quelle a été l'influence des fluctuations du climat sur la qualité des vins du Haut-Médoc

Phénologie et climat dans le Haut-Médoc (1800-2005)

National audienceWe analyze the effects of climate (temperature and pluviometry) on the phenologic stages of the vine (débourrement, flowering, ripening and grape harvest). We rebuilt time series starting from the beginning of the XIXth century for the Medoc and the area of Bordeaux, data very seldom mobilized by researchers. This analysis will be the occasion to show that the use of the grape harvest dates as a marker of climate evolution is problematic, in particular for the last twenty years, owing to the fact that they strongly depend on the evolution of the interventions by man (maintenance of the ground, stripping, grape harvest in green, etc). With too much emphasis on these dates of vintage, it would even be possible to assert that the climate has cooled since they are held ever more tardily. That is the reason why we privilege the dates of flowering and ripening to try to connect phenology and climate. nitially, the climatic series of variables and those concerning phenology will be mobilized to answer the interrogations on the climatic evolution of the area of Bordeaux. Because of the « cyclical » fluctuations recorded for the whole of the variables, we will show that it is difficult, to date, to demonstrate climatic warming. It seems even possible to us to show that there is a relative stability of the climate during the last two centuries in the area of Bordeaux. We will also show that « laws », such as that of Arrhenius, took some wrinkles. In addition, we will invite to prudence when it comes to the use of climatic series because of their great heterogeneity. Hence, it is very important to put in parallel the cimatic data and the phenologic data. In addition, the differences between the various major phenologic stages of the vine cycle will be compared with various indices of temperatures (temperature in base 0°C and base 10°C, a number of days at maximum temperature higher than 30°C, etc.). The annual distribution of pluviometry will be also taken into account in our analysis. In spite of the interrogations which the data raise, it seems possible to mobilize them in order to show the evolution of the climate of Bordeaux and its influence on the phenology of the vine

Fertilisation du maïs : juste ce qu'il faut

National audienc

Chaudron en bronze de l’âge du Fer découvert à Ouzilly-Vignolles, Vienne (France)

This note describes a well-preserved bronze – and iron – cauldron discovered in a marsh in Poitou (France). This object, found alone and out of any relevant context, is compared to similar cauldrons from Britain and Ireland and ascribed to the First Iron Age.Cette note décrit un chaudron en bronze et fer découvert, en bon état, dans un marais du Poitou (France). L’objet, trouvé isolément en dehors de tout contexte, est comparé aux vaisselles similaires des îles britanniques et attribué au 1er âge du Fer.Pautreau Jean-Pierre, Soyer Claire. Chaudron en bronze de l’âge du Fer découvert à Ouzilly-Vignolles, Vienne (France). In: Aquitania : une revue inter-régionale d'archéologie, tome 18, 2001. pp. 403-410

Grapevine fruiting cuttings: validation of an experimental system to study grapevine physiology. II. Study of grape development

The study was carried out in order to compare the development of berries growing on fruiting cuttings and on vines from the field, and to evaIuate this experimentaI system for grapevine physiology studies. The results show that the main developmental characteristics of the berries are close to those of berries from the vineyard. Fruit set is good and berry growth follows a double sigmoid curve. Final size is smaller than usual, even if seed number is higher for fruiting cuttings. The evolution of organics acids, sugar and mineral content is classical. At maturity, the berries from fruiting cuttings reach the same sugar content, but are less acidic, because the components of acid equilibrium are slightly modified. At flowering polyamine content is higher in the cluster of fruiting cutting but the variations aIong cluster development is the same than in the vineyard. Finally the application of exogenous putrescin on fruiting cuttings at flowering time improves fruit set, as in the field. Our data allow to conclude that fruiting cuttings behave mostly as bigger vines and could be a usefull tool for grapevine physiology studies

Apport de matières fertilisantes avant plantation de vigne. Résultats d'un essai en sol de Graves du Bordelais

In an open-field assay on a sandy, gravelly soil quite degraded the influence of addition of some fertilizers on the vine, before planting, was studied. A complete basic fertilizer with joined organic, calcary and phospho-potassic elements enhances plant development and gives a normal crop yield four years after planting. No or incomplete basic fertilizer leads to very low crop yields and is followed by a replacement of a large number of vinestocks