Incorporating family function into chronic pain disability: the role of catastrophizing

Background. Observers' responses to pain are recently investigated to more comprehensively explain chronic pain (CP) and disability. However, the role of family context, defined as interference in roles, communication, and problem-solving, and how (i.e., through which mechanisms) these variables contribute to CP related disability have yet to be examined. Objectives. The aim of the present study is to examine family context in relationship to pain catastrophizing, fear of movement, and depression and its role in understanding CP disability. Three different models were examined. Methods. A total sample of 142 patients with musculoskeletal chronic pain was recruited to examine the role of fear of movement, pain intensity, pain catastrophizing, and depression in relationship to family functioning as predictors of disability. Results. Findings indicated that two models showed acceptable fit, but one of them revealed superior fit indices. Results of the model with superior fit indices indicated that family dysfunction may contribute to catastrophic thinking, which, in turn, contributes to patients' disability through increasing fear of movement and depression. Discussion. The current study provides further support for the notion that the impact of emotional and cognitive variables upon CP-related disability can be better understood when we consider the social context of pain patients and family function in particular

Neoadjuvant ifosfamide and epirubicin in the treatment of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors

Background and Objectives. Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) are aggressive soft tissue sarcomas with poor overall survival. Response to chemotherapy has been debated for these tumors. Methods. We performed a retrospective analysis of the patients at our institution with a biopsy-proven diagnosis of MPNST that underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy prior to surgery. Results. We retrospectively identified five patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy with epirubicin and ifosfamide that demonstrated a 30% reduction in tumor growth and a 60% response rate by RECIST criteria. Additionally, a metabolic response was observed in all three patients who received serial PET scans during neoadjuvant treatment. The clinical benefit rate, which includes stable disease, was 100%. Conclusions. Our data suggest that MPNSTs do respond to epirubicin and ifosfamide based chemotherapy and prospective studies are warranted to further define the clinical benefit

A statistical method for removing unbalanced trials with multiple covariates in meta-analysis

In meta-analysis literature, there are several checklists describing the procedures necessary to evaluate studies from a qualitative point of view, whereas preliminary quantitative and statistical investigations on the “combinability” of trials have been neglected. Covariate balance is an important prerequisite to conduct meta-analysis. We propose a method to identify unbalanced trials with respect to a set of covariates, in presence of covariate imbalance, namely when the randomized controlled trials generate a meta-sample that cannot satisfy the requisite of randomization/combinability in meta-analysis. The method is able to identify the unbalanced trials, through four stages aimed at achieving combinability. The studies responsible for the imbalance are identified, and then they can be eliminated. The proposed procedure is simple and relies on the combined Anderson-Darling test applied to the Empirical Cumulative Distribution Functions of both experimental and control meta-arms. To illustrate the method in practice, two datasets from well-known meta-analyses in the literature are used

Activité biologique d'un agoniste non stéroïdien de l’hormone de mue sur Culiseta longiareolata: analyses morphométrique, biochimique et énergétique

Le halofenozide (RH-0345), un régulateur de croissance des insectes mimétique de l’hormone de mue, a été évalué sur une espèce de moustique ayant un intérêt vétérinaire, Culiseta longiareolata (Diptera: Culicidae). Les traitements ont été réalisés en conditions de laboratoire sur des larves nouvellement exuviées des troisième et quatrième stades avec une durée d’exposition à l’insecticide de 24h conformément aux recommandations de l’Organisation Mondiale de la Santé relatives aux tests d’efficacité des régulateurs de croissance des insectes sur les moustiques. L’insecticide est additionné dans l’eau d’élevage à deux concentrations finales (12,58 μg/L and 28,58 μg/L). Les résultats montrent que le composé affecte le volume corporel, le contenu en lipides, glucides et protéines, et les indices caloriques. Ces modifications morphométriques et biochimiques suggèrent des effets dépressifs du traitement insecticide sur la fécondité et le pouvoir pathogène de l’espèce utilisée.Mots clés: régulateurs de croissance des insectes; halofenozide; toxicologie; biochimie; moustiques; Culiseta longiareolata. The halofenozide, an insect growth regulator (IGR) belonging to the ecdysteroid agonists class, has been evaluated on Culiseta longiareolata (Diptera: Culicidae). The insecticidal bioassays were conducted on newly ecdysed 3rd and 4th instar larvae under laboratory conditions. The insecticide was added to the rearing water at two final concentrations (12,58 μg/L and 28,58 μg/L). The larvae were exposed to the insecticide for 24h according to instructions of World Health Organization guidelines concerning the insecticidal bioassays using IGRs against mosquitos. The compound affected the body volume as well as contents on lipids, carbohydrates and proteins, and the caloric indexes. These morphometric and biochemical modifications could be indicative of negative effects of this insecticidal treatment on the fecundity and pathogeny of the species used.Keywords: insect growth regulators; halofenozide; toxicology; biochemistry; mosquitos; Culiseta longiareolata

Experimental study of slow sand filtration for the treatment of various wastewaters in tropical environment

Wastewater treatment by slow sand filtration is a biological process which consists in filtering wastewater through a porous media. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performances of this biotechnology under tropical climate. Three sand filters were monitored at ONAS (Cambérène wastewater treatment plant in Dakar, Senegal). The filters were built with local materials, and were constituted with a feeding tank of approximately 180 litters, a column (two meters high and 30-25 cm diameter). The filters were filled with sand (75 cm), gravel (25 cm) and wastewater (90 cm). The results showed that with sand of d10 equal to 0.58 mm and flow rate of 0.05 m/h, the filtration cycle was relatively long for the first run with pretreated wastewater. At the level of the primary settling tank, with flow a rate of 0.08 m/h, the removal rates were about 12.75%, 16.31%, 12.92%, 5.45%, 7.09% and 10.50% for TSS, COD, BOD5, nitrogen phosphorus and faecal coliforms respectively. At the level of the clarifier, with a filtration of 0.15 m/h, the removals were 1.4% for TSS, 1.84% for COD, 1.09% for BOD5 11.38% for nitrogen, 5.18% for phosphorus and 1.74% of faecal coliforms.Keywords: Flow rate; filtration cycle, removal; sand filtration; tropical climate, wastewater

Nodule d’Endométriose pariétale sur cicatrice abdominale : à propos d’un cas rare et revue de la littérature: Endometiosis nodule on abdominal scar: about a rare case and review of the literature

L’endométriose cicatricielle de la paroiabdominale est une entité rare. Elle survient leplus souvent sur cicatrice de césarienne chezune femme en activité génitale. Saphysiopathologie reste imprécise et il sembleque l’hypothèse d’une greffe cellulaire in situlors de l’ouverture des espaces musculoaponévrotiquesaprès hystérotomie est la plusadmise. L’association d’une masse cicatricielleplus ou moins algique avec des douleurscycliques est évocatrice du diagnostic. Laconfirmation ne peut être qu’histologique et lemeilleur traitement est chirurgical. Nousrapportons un cas d’endométriose pariétalesurvenues sur cicatrice de laparotomie médianesous ombilicale pour césarienne. Le diagnosticétait fortement évoqué par l’examen clinique etconfirmé par l’examen anatomopathologique.L’exérèse large de la lésion pariétale a permisune guérison sans récidive Abdominal wall endometriosis is a rarecondition. It occurs in most of the cases inWomen of reproductive age with a history ofcesarean section. The pathophysiology of thescar Endometriosis is unknown but a directimplantation of the endometrial tissue in scarsoriginated At operation is the most likelymechanism underlying its development. Ifsymptoms are a mass Located in scar areaassociated with cyclic pain, scar edometriosisshould be considered. Histopathologicalexamination revealed diagnosis ofendometriosis and surgical excision is thechoice treatment. We report a case of parietalendometriosis occurring on midline laparotomyscar under umbilical for caesarean section. Thediagnosis was strongly suggested by the clinicalexamination and confirmed by theanatomopathological examination. Wideexcision of the parietal lesion allowed healingwithout recurrenc

Tumeur phyllode géante chez une jeune femme: à propos d’un cas : Giant phyllodes tumor in a young woman: a case report

Les tumeurs phyllodes sont rares, il faut ypenser devant un nodule tissulaire enaccroissement rapide. L’imagerie n’est passpécifique. Les micro-biopsies permettent deposer un diagnostic histologique pré-opératoire.Les tumeurs phyllodes, comme lesadénofibromes, sont des tumeurs fibroépithéliales,c’est-à-dire, des tumeurs à doubleprolifération, à la fois épithéliale glandulaire etconjonctive. L’intérêt de ce cas clinique est derappeler les caractéristiques cliniques etradiologiques ainsi les indicationsthérapeutiques de ce type de tumeurs à traversune observation clinique Phyllodes tumors are rare, you have to thinkabout it before a rapidly growing tissue nodule.Imaging is not specific. Micro-biopsies make itpossible to make a pre-operative histologicaldiagnosis. Phyllodes tumors, likeadenofibromas, are fibro-epithelial tumors, thatis, tumors with double proliferation, bothglandular epithelial and conjunctiva. Theinterest of this clinical case is to recall theclinical and radiological characteristics as wellas the therapeutic indications of this type oftumors through clinical observation

Light and Submerged Macrophyte Communities in Chesapeake Bay: A Scientific Summary

The initial focus of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) research in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) was evaluation of the structural and functional ecology of these communities. In the upper Bay, Myriophyllum spicatum and Potamogeton perfoliatus are the dominant species; the dominant species in the lower Bay are Zostera marina and Ruppia maritima. Studies centered on various aspects of productivity (both primary and secondary), trophic structure, and resource utilization by both ecologically and economically important species. Much of the initial research was descriptively oriented because of a general lack of information on Chesapeake Bay submerged plant communities. These investigations created the data base necessary for the development of ecologically realistic simulation models of the ecosystem. Following these initial studies, the research programs in both Maryland and Virginia evolved toward more· detailed analyses of specific factors ~hat potentially limit or control plant growth and productivity. Previous results indicated certain environmental parameters and biological processes that possibly limited and controlled SAV distribution and abundance. Specifically, these included light, nutrients, herbicides and fouling (epibiotic growth). Laboratory and field studies were devoted in the later phases of the CBP-SAV program toward investigating these interactions. This work is among the first studies in North America to investigate light quality as a major environmental factor affecting the survival of sea grasses.https://scholarworks.wm.edu/vimsbooks/1098/thumbnail.jp

Sein surnuméraire axillaire : à propos d’un cas: Supernumerary axillary breast: A case report

RésuméNous rapportons l’observation d'un cas de localisation axillaire de sein surnuméraire chez une femme âgée 25 ans. Chez qui une masse axillaire droite a été diagnostiquée pour la première fois comme un lipome à examen clinique et échographique. Ce travail explique la possible de confusion entre un sein surnuméraire et un lipome. L’objectif est de préciser les caractéristiques cliniques et échographiques voir mammographiques;une masse axillaire qui orientent vers un sein surnuméraire. Exérèse chirurgicale et étude histologique ont permis de confirmer le diagnostic de sein surnuméraire. We report the case of a case of axillary localization of supernumerary breast in a 25-year-old woman. In whom a right axillary mass was first diagnosed as alipoma on clinical and ultrasound examination. This work explains the possible confusion between a supernumerary breast and a lipoma. Theobjective is to specify the clinical and ultrasound or even mammographic characteristics of an axillary mass which point to a supernumerary breast. Surgicalexcision and histological study confirmed the diagnosis of supernumerary breast