Comparative Clinical Study Testing the Effectiveness of School Based Oral Health Education Using Experiential Learning or Traditional Lecturing in 10 Year-Old Children

Background School based oral health education through traditional lecturing has been found successful only in improving oral health knowledge, while has low effectiveness in oral hygiene and gingival health. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of experiential learning (EL) oral health education to traditional lecturing (TL), on enhancing oral health knowledge, attitude and behavior as well as oral hygiene, gingival health and caries of 10-year-old children. Methods Eighty-four children were recruited for the EL and 100 for the TL group from 3 locations in Greece. Data regarding oral health knowledge, attitude and behavior were collected via questionnaires. Data regarding dental plaque, gingivitis and caries were collected by clinical examination. The evaluation using questionnaires and clinical examination was assessed at baseline and 6 and 18 months afterwards. Two calibrated pediatric dentists examined the students using a periodontal probe and artificial light. Modified hygiene index (HI) was used for dental plaque recording, the simplified gingival index (GI-S) was used for gingivitis and DMFT, based on BASCD criteria, for dental caries. Based on a dedicated manual, the teacher applied in the classroom the oral health educational program using EL. Results EL group had statistically significant better hygiene than the TL at 6 months (p \u3c 0.05). Within the same group, both groups had enhanced oral health knowledge at 6 and 18 months (p \u3c 0.05) and improved oral health behavior (p \u3e 0.05) and attitude (p \u3e 0.05) at 6 months in comparison to baseline. Conclusion EL program was found more successful than TL in oral hygiene improvement. Both oral health education programs improved the oral health knowledge, attitude and behavior of children

Comportement du phosphore dans le sédiment des barragesde la partie aval du bassin versant d'Oum Rabiaa (Maroc)

L'étude du phosphore, facteur clef responsable de l'eutrophisation des eaux continentales, a été entreprise afin d'évaluer les potentialités de mobilité de cet élément dans les sédiments de la partie aval du bassin versant d'Oum Rabiaa : Imfout - Océan atlantique ; caractérisé par la présence de trois retenues de barrages en série (Imfout, Daourat et Sidi Maachou).La présence de ces trois retenues de barrages en série conditionne la répartition du phosphore des sédiments de ce tronçon en réduisant les apports fluviaux vers l'aval. La spéciation du phosphore des sédiments montre que le phosphore se trouve majoritairement sous forme inorganique (68 %) ; la fraction CaCO3 -P étant majoritaire par rapport à celle de Fe(OOH)-P. Les fractions organiques représentent 32 %. La mobilité mesurée du phosphate est de 20 % du phosphore total, les fractions du phosphore présentent une mobilité représentant prés de 15 % du PT. La différence mesurée entre la mobilité considérée par fraction et la mobilité totale, observée lors d'un cycle annuel, s'explique par la mobilité interne, au sein du sédiment, entre les différentes fractions. Les conditions environnementales (pH, oxygène dissous)en sont responsables puisqu'elles favorisent le relargage par une fraction en même temps que le stockage par une autre.The study of the phosphorus, factor responsible for the freshwater eutrophication, has been undertaken in order to evaluate potentialities of mobility of this element in sediments of the down part of the Oum Rabiaa basin (Imfout - Atlantic Ocean); characterized by the three dams in series (Imfout, Daourat and Sidi Maachou).The presence of these three dams in series is responsible of the distribution of the phosphorus in the sediments of this section by reducing fluvial contributions to the endorsement. The speciation of phosphorus of sediment show that the phosphorus was principally present in inorganic form (68%); the fraction CaCO3 -P was higher than that of the Fe(OOH)-P. The organic fractions represented 32% of total phosphorus. The phosphate mobility accounted for 20% of total phosphorus, the fractions mobility accounted for 15% of PT. The difference measured between the mobility considered by fraction and the total mobility, observed during of an annual cycle, was explained by the internal mobility, to the breast of the sediment, between the different fractions. Environnemental conditions (pH, dissolved oxygen) are responsible since they favor the release by a fraction at the same time that the stocking by an other

Characterizing Quantum Properties of a Measurement Apparatus: Insights from the Retrodictive Approach

Using the retrodictive approach of quantum physics, we show that the state retrodicted from the response of a measurement apparatus is a convenient tool to fully characterize its quantum properties. We translate in terms of this state some interesting aspects of the quantum behavior of a detector, such as the non-classicality or the non-gaussian character of its measurements. We also introduce estimators - the projectivity, the ideality, the fidelity or the detectivity of measurements perfomed by the apparatus - which directly follow from the retrodictive approach. Beyond their fundamental significance for describing general quantum measurements, these properties are crucial in several protocols, in particular in the conditional preparation of non-classical states of light or in measurement-driven quantum information processing

Qualité physico-chimique des eaux du réservoir Daourat ; impact e la vidange sur son fonctionnement

Ce travail concerne l'étude de la qualité physico-chimique de la masse d'eau du réservoir Daourat au Maroc ; situé sur le cours inférieur du bassin Oum Rbia. Une vidange du réservoir a lieu le 23 décembre 2001, l'impact de cette vidange sur la qualité physico-chimique de l'eau a été déduit à travers l'augmentation du débit à l'entrée et à la sortie du réservoir en décembre ; l'élévation du taux de la matière en suspension ; des concentrations en éléments nutritifs et de la chlorophylle " a ". Cette étude inclue également une analyse de régression qui a permis de déterminer une relation entre le phosphore et la chlorophylle " a " ; ainsi qu'une évaluation du niveau d'eutrophisation du réservoir Daourat.Les résultats fournis par les paramètres physico-chimiques ont révélé que la masse d'eau ne présente aucune stratification thermique ni anoxie et que le pH est alcalin. L'évolution des concentrations en éléments nutritifs dans la masse d'eau du réservoir dépend des apports exogènes et endogènes. Les apports exogènes sont dominés par les apports latéraux venant du bassin versant local peu boisé et caractérisé par un sol à vocation agricole responsable de l'enrichissement du milieu récepteur en éléments azotés. Les apports endogènes sont gouvernés par les interactions eau - sédiment suite à la minéralisation de la matière organique en période estivale et par le relargage d'éléments à partir du sédiment suite à la vidange et à la crue en période hivernale. L'impact de la vidange sur l'écosystème étudié a été déduit à partir des modifications des paramètres abiotiques et biotique enregistrés en décembre (période de vidange) dans le milieu du réservoir (S2) et son aval (S3). L'étude de la relation entre les orthophosphates et la chlorophylle " a " dégage une forte corrélation significative. Les données du phosphore et de la chlorophylle " a " classe le réservoir Daourat dans l'état hypereutropheThe Oum Rbia River is the longest river in Morocco with a total length of about 550 km. Studies conducted on this river have shown that agricultural activity is the main factor affecting the water quality. The current study focused on Daourat Reservoir, a part of the Oum Rbia River.The aim of this study was to investigate the water quality of the Daourat reservoir (physico-chemical parameters, nutrients and chlorophyll a) in order to estimate its eutrophication status. The influence of draining reservoir on water quality was also analysed. This survey also included a regression analysis that permitted the determination of the relationship between phosphorus and chlorophyll a, as well as an assessment of the level of eutrophication of the Daourat reservoir.A monthly survey was conducted to monitor changes in the hydrological cycle as well as possible seasonal variations during the period from 2001-2002. Water parameters (T°, pH, dissolved oxygen, suspended solids), nutrients (NH4+, NO3-, P-PO4, Tot-P) and chlorophyll a were determined according to standard French protocols (AFNOR, 1994). Annual nutrient inputs and outputs were calculated from the monthly discharge from the river and the monthly mean nutrient concentrations. The annual nutrient output was calculated similarly.The physico-chemical parameters and nutrient concentrations varied temporally in the Daourat Reservoir. The highest concentrations of nutrients were observed during summer and winter, with the lowest concentrations occurring in the spring. This evolution seemed to be influenced by the nature of the loads. Nutrient loading from the upstream regions of the reservoir was minimal compared to the contributions from the local catchment area and from internal loading from the sediments. Significant nutrient loading to the reservoir came from sediment resuspension on December 23, 2001 and by internal loading from sediments during the summer. The upstream reservoirs (Al Massira and Imfout) had minimal influence and were in fact responsible for the reduced fluvial contributions to the Daourat Reservoir. The increase in nutrient loads in the reservoir was responsible for high phytoplankton biomass, indicated by the high chlorophyll a values (mean 35 µg/L). The trophic state of the Daourat Reservoir was classified as hypereutrophic. Due to the large intra-annual variability of water quality, a properly designed monitoring program of reservoir water is recommended

Boundary regularity of rotating vortex patches

We show that the boundary of a rotating vortex patch (or V-state, in the terminology of Deem and Zabusky) is of class C^infinity provided the patch is close enough to the bifurcation circle in the Lipschitz norm. The rotating patch is convex if it is close enough to the bifurcation circle in the C^2 norm. Our proof is based on Burbea's approach to V-states. Thus conformal mapping plays a relevant role as well as estimating, on H\"older spaces, certain non-convolution singular integral operators of Calder\'on-Zygmund type.Comment: Various proofs have been shortened. One added referenc

Improved Survival of HIV-1-Infected Patients with Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy Receiving Early 5-Drug Combination Antiretroviral Therapy

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a rare devastating demyelinating disease caused by the polyomavirus JC (JCV), occurs in severely immunocompromised patients, most of whom have advanced-stage HIV infection. Despite combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), 50% of patients die within 6 months of PML onset. We conducted a multicenter, open-label pilot trial evaluating the survival benefit of a five-drug cART designed to accelerate HIV replication decay and JCV-specific immune recovery.All the patients received an optimized cART with three or more drugs for 12 months, plus the fusion inhibitor enfuvirtide during the first 6 months. The main endpoint was the one-year survival rate. A total of 28 patients were enrolled. At entry, median CD4+ T-cell count was 53 per microliter and 86% of patients had detectable plasma HIV RNA and CSF JCV DNA levels. Seven patients died, all before month 4. The one-year survival estimate was 0.75 (95% confidence interval, 0.61 to 0.93). At month 6, JCV DNA was undetectable in the CSF of 81% of survivors. At month 12, 81% of patients had undetectable plasma HIV RNA, and the median CD4+ T-cell increment was 105 per microliter. In univariate analysis, higher total and naive CD4+ T-cell counts and lower CSF JCV DNA level at baseline were associated with better survival. JCV-specific functional memory CD4+ T-cell responses, based on a proliferation assay, were detected in 4% of patients at baseline and 43% at M12 (P = 0.008).The early use of five-drug cART after PML diagnosis appears to improve survival. This is associated with recovery of anti-JCV T-cell responses and JCV clearance from CSF. A low CD4+ T-cell count (particularly naive subset) and high JCV DNA copies in CSF at PML diagnosis appear to be risk factors for death.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00120367

Serum IL-33, a new marker predicting response to rituximab in rheumatoid arthritis

Background. Recent works have suggested a possible link between IL-33 and B-cell biology. We aimed to study in different cohorts and with an accurate ELISA assay the possible association between serum IL-33 detection and response to rituximab (RTX) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Method. Serum IL-33, rheumatoid factor (RF), anti-citrullinated cyclic peptide antibodies (anti-CCP), high serum IgG level were assessed in 111 RA patients receiving a first course of 2 grams RTX (cohort 1) in an observational study and in 74 RA patients treated with the same schedule in routine care (cohort 2). Uni and multivariate analyzes identified factors associated with a European League Against Rheumatism response at 24 weeks. Results. At week 24, 84/111 (76%) and 54/74 (73%) patients reached EULAR response in the cohorts 1 and 2, respectively. Serum IL-33 was detectable in only 33,5% of the patients. In the combined cohorts, presence of RF or anti-CCP (OR 3.27, 95%CI [1.13-9.46]; p=0.03), high serum IgG (OR 2.32, 95%CI [1.01-5.33]; p=0.048) and detectable serum IL-33 (OR 2.40, 95%CI [1.01-5.72]; p=0.047) were all associated with RTX response in multivariate analysis. Combination of these 3 factors increased the likelihood to response to RTX. When serum IL-33 detection was added to seropositivity and serum IgG level, 100% of the patients with the 3 risk factors (corresponding to 9% of the population) responded to RTX (OR versus patients with none of the 3 risk factors = 29.61; 95% CI [1.30-674.79] p=0.034) Conclusion. Detectable serum IL-33 may predict clinical response to RTX, independently of and synergistically with autoantibodies and serum IgG level

Methodology for classification and definition of epilepsy syndromes with list of syndromes: Report of the ILAE Task Force on Nosology and Definitions

Epilepsy syndromes have been recognized for >50 years, as distinct electroclinical phenotypes with therapeutic and prognostic implications. Nonetheless, no formally accepted International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) classification of epilepsy syndromes has existed. The ILAE Task Force on Nosology and Definitions was established to reach consensus regarding which entities fulfilled criteria for an epilepsy syndrome and to provide definitions for each syndrome. We defined an epilepsy syndrome as "a characteristic cluster of clinical and electroencephalographic features, often supported by specific etiological findings (structural, genetic, metabolic, immune, and infectious)." The diagnosis of a syndrome in an individual with epilepsy frequently carries prognostic and treatment implications. Syndromes often have age-dependent presentations and a range of specific comorbidities. This paper describes the guiding principles and process for syndrome identification in both children and adults, and the template of clinical data included for each syndrome. We divided syndromes into typical age at onset, and further characterized them based on seizure and epilepsy types and association with developmental and/or epileptic encephalopathy or progressive neurological deterioration. Definitions for each specific syndrome are contained within the corresponding position papers

Indoor Air Pollutants and Health in the United Arab Emirates

Background: Comprehensive global data on the health effects of indoor air pollutants are lacking. There are few large population-based multi–air pollutant health assessments. Further, little is known about indoor air health risks in the Middle East, especially in countries undergoing rapid economic development