21 research outputs found
Indoor secondhand tobacco smoke emission levels in six Lebanese cities
Background: To date, Lebanon has failed to enact comprehensive clean indoor air laws despite ratification of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which calls for the protection of non-smokers from exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke (SHS). Complicating the problem of SHS exposure in Lebanon is the widespread use of the tobacco water-pipe. While most research on SHS has involved cigarette smoking as a source of emissions, other sources, including tobacco water-pipes, may be an important contributor. Methods: concentrations were measured in a sample of 28 public venues located in six major Lebanese cities. Active smoker density (number of smokers) was calculated for both water-pipe and cigarette smokers. Venues were then categorised as having higher density of water-pipe smokers or higher density of cigarette smokers, and resultant emission levels were compared between the two groups. Results: Cigarette and water-pipe smoking was observed in 14 venues, while cigarette smoking only and water-pipe smoking only were found in 12 venues and one venue, respectively. Among all smoking-permitted venues, the mean concentration was . Venues with a higher density of water-pipe smokers showed a similar median concentration compared with venues with a higher density of cigarette smokers . The mean concentration in the single venue with a voluntary smoke-free policy was . Conclusions: Despite ratification of the FCTC in 2005, both cigarette and water-pipe smoking are commonly practised in enclosed public places throughout Lebanon, leading to unsafe levels of indoor particulate pollution. Smoke-free policies are needed in Lebanon to protect the public's health, and should apply to all forms of tobacco smoking
Data sharing: A new editorial initiative of the international committee of medical journal editors. Implications for the editors´ network
The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) provides recommendations to improve the editorial standards and scientific quality of biomedical journals. These recommendations range from uniform technical requirements to more complex and elusive editorial issues including ethical aspects of the scientific process. Recently, registration of clinical trials, conflicts of interest disclosure, and new criteria for authorship -emphasizing the importance of responsibility and accountability-, have been proposed. Last year, a new editorial initiative to foster sharing of clinical trial data was launched. This review discusses this novel initiative with the aim of increasing awareness among readers, investigators, authors and editors belonging to the Editors´ Network of the European Society of Cardiolog
Data sharing: A new editorial initiative of the international committee of medical journal editors. Implications for the editors´ network
The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) provides recommendations to improve the editorial standards and scientific quality of biomedical journals. These recommendations range from uniform technical requirements to more complex and elusive editorial issues including ethical aspects of the scientific process. Recently, registration of clinical trials, conflicts of interest disclosure, and new criteria for authorship -emphasizing the importance of responsibility and accountability-, have been proposed. Last year, a new editorial initiative to foster sharing of clinical trial data was launched. This review discusses this novel initiative with the aim of increasing awareness among readers, investigators, authors and editors belonging to the Editors´ Network of the European Society of Cardiolog
Salvage abdominal irradiation for refractory non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
Background: Abdominal irradiation, as a part of treatment, is often
ignored in the management of refractory non-Hodgkin′s lymphoma
(NHL). Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and the toxicity of this
approach after failure of chemotherapy. Materials and Methods: 27
patients with intraabdominal lymphoma underwent salvage irradiation
between 1982 and 2001. All patients were treated with a Cobalt-60
machine. The total dose administered to the abdomen was 18-20 Gy at the
rate of 1.5-1.8 Gy per daily fraction, followed by a boost to gross
disease up to 20 Gy. All patients had previously been heavily
pretreated with chemotherapy. Fourteen patients, nine with follicular
and five with diffuse lymphomas, had primary refractory tumors that had
never achieved remission. Thirteen patients, six with follicular and
seven with aggressive tumors, had refractory relapsed tumors after
achieving one or more complete remissions. Results: The response rate
was 77%. The median follow-up was 53 months. The 5-year and 10-year
survival rates were 25 and 17%, respectively. The in-field and
out-of-field recurrence rates were 22 and 33%, respectively. Survival
rates were significantly better for patients with refractory relapse
compared to those with primary refractory lymphoma (P < 0.01). There
was no significant difference in terms of response, recurrence, or
survival rates between follicular and aggressive types. Out-of-field
recurrence occurred more frequently in initial stage III and IV
disease. Toxic deaths occurred in three patients (11%). Conclusion:
Salvage radiotherapy for refractory abdominal NHL is a feasible
alternative for both follicular and diffuse subtypes and may provide
significant palliation and prolongation of survival. It is less
effective in patients with primary refractory NHL than in those with
refractory relapsed NHL
Salvage abdominal irradiation for refractory non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
Background: Abdominal irradiation, as a part of treatment, is often
ignored in the management of refractory non-Hodgkin\u2032s lymphoma
(NHL). Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and the toxicity of this
approach after failure of chemotherapy. Materials and Methods: 27
patients with intraabdominal lymphoma underwent salvage irradiation
between 1982 and 2001. All patients were treated with a Cobalt-60
machine. The total dose administered to the abdomen was 18-20 Gy at the
rate of 1.5-1.8 Gy per daily fraction, followed by a boost to gross
disease up to 20 Gy. All patients had previously been heavily
pretreated with chemotherapy. Fourteen patients, nine with follicular
and five with diffuse lymphomas, had primary refractory tumors that had
never achieved remission. Thirteen patients, six with follicular and
seven with aggressive tumors, had refractory relapsed tumors after
achieving one or more complete remissions. Results: The response rate
was 77%. The median follow-up was 53 months. The 5-year and 10-year
survival rates were 25 and 17%, respectively. The in-field and
out-of-field recurrence rates were 22 and 33%, respectively. Survival
rates were significantly better for patients with refractory relapse
compared to those with primary refractory lymphoma (P < 0.01). There
was no significant difference in terms of response, recurrence, or
survival rates between follicular and aggressive types. Out-of-field
recurrence occurred more frequently in initial stage III and IV
disease. Toxic deaths occurred in three patients (11%). Conclusion:
Salvage radiotherapy for refractory abdominal NHL is a feasible
alternative for both follicular and diffuse subtypes and may provide
significant palliation and prolongation of survival. It is less
effective in patients with primary refractory NHL than in those with
refractory relapsed NHL
Prospecting potential links between PRRSV infection susceptibility of alveolar macrophages and other respiratory infectious agents present in conventionally reared pigs
International audiencePorcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome virus (PRRSV) is one of the main component of the porcine respiratory disease complex (PRDC), which strongly impact the pig production. Although PRRSV is often considered as a primary infection that eases subsequent respiratory coinfections, the possibility that other PRDC components may facilitate PRRSV infection has been largely overlooked. The main cellular targets of PRRSV are respiratory macrophages among them alveolar macrophages (AM) and pulmonary intravascular macrophages (PIM). AM, contrarily to PIM, are directly exposed to the external respiratory environment, among them co-infectious agents. In order to explore the possibility of a co-infections impact on the capacity of respiratory macrophages to replicate PRRSV, we proceed to in vitro infection of AM and PIM sampled from animals presenting different sanitary status, and tested the presence in the respiratory tract of these animals of the most common porcine respiratory pathogens (PCV2, Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, Mycoplasma hyorhinis, Mycoplasma floculare, Pasteurella multocida, Bordetella bronchiseptica, Streptoccocus suis). In this exploratory study with a limited number of animals, no statistic differences were observed between AM and PIM susceptibility to in vitro PRRSV infection, nor between AM coming from animals presenting very contrasting respiratory coinfection loads
Performance of the Parasympathetic Tone Activity (PTA) index to assess the intraoperative nociception using different premedication drugs in anaesthetised dogs
International audienceThe dynamic variations of the Parasympathetic Tone Activity (PTA) index were evaluated to assess nociception in dogs undergoing anaesthetic protocols with different premedication drugs. Sixty-six dogs, divided into three groups of 22 dogs each, were given different premedication drugs “morphine” (0.2 mg/kg), “morphine + medetomidine (5 μg/kg)”, “morphine + acepromazine (0.03 mg/kg)”, then similarly induced and maintained under general anaesthesia. The PTA, HR (heart rate) and MAP (mean arterial pressure) were assessed at S (steady-state), Cut (cutaneous incision), PTAE (PTA Event, assessed 1 min before a significant PTA decrease), HDR (Haemodynamic reaction, assessed 5 min before an increase of ≥ 20% in HR and/or MAP). For each group, the dynamic variation of PTA (ΔPTA) was calculated and a Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curve was performed to detect if any of the premedication drugs may alter the performance of PTA index to predict intraoperative haemodynamic reactions. In all groups, a haemodynamic reaction was detected after Cut, PTAE and HDR and was preceded with a significant decrease of PTA, except for “morphine + medetomidine” group which showed a significant drop of PTA only at PTAE and HDR. The ΔPTA showed a fair performance in all groups (a mean [95% CI] AUC of 0.73 [0.62–0.82], 0.70 [0.59–0.79] and 0.71 [0.59–0.80] respectively in morphine, morphine + ACP and morphine + medetomidine). Although ΔPTA was rather altered by the premedication drug, it was able to predict, to a certain extent, haemodynamic reactions in all groups
DIAPH3 deficiency links microtubules to mitotic errors, defective neurogenesis, and brain dysfunction.
Diaphanous (DIAPH) three (DIAPH3) is a member of the formin proteins that have the capacity to nucleate and elongate actin filaments and, therefore, to remodel the cytoskeleton. DIAPH3 is essential for cytokinesis as its dysfunction impairs the contractile ring and produces multinucleated cells. Here, we report that DIAPH3 localizes at the centrosome during mitosis and regulates the assembly and bipolarity of the mitotic spindle. DIAPH3-deficient cells display disorganized cytoskeleton and multipolar spindles. DIAPH3 deficiency disrupts the expression and/or stability of several proteins including the kinetochore-associated protein SPAG5. DIAPH3 and SPAG5 have similar expression patterns in the developing brain and overlapping subcellular localization during mitosis. Knockdown of SPAG5 phenocopies DIAPH3 deficiency, whereas its overexpression rescues the DIAHP3 knockdown phenotype. Conditional inactivation of in mouse cerebral cortex profoundly disrupts neurogenesis, depleting cortical progenitors and neurons, leading to cortical malformation and autistic-like behavior. Our data uncover the uncharacterized functions of DIAPH3 and provide evidence that this protein belongs to a molecular toolbox that links microtubule dynamics during mitosis to aneuploidy, cell death, fate determination defects, and cortical malformation