Predictive factors of success at the French National Ranking Examination (NRE) : a retrospective study of the student performance from a French medical school

Background The national ranking examination (NRE) marks the end of the second cycle (6th university year) of French medical studies and ranks students allowing them to choose their specialty and city of residency. We studied the potential predictive factors of success at the 2015 NRE by students attending a French School of Medicine. Methods From March 2016 to March 2017, a retrospective study of factors associated with the 2015 NRE success was conducted and enrolled 242 students who attended their sixth year at the school of medicine of Reims. Demographic and academic data collected by a home-made survey was studied using univariate and then multivariate analysis by generalized linear regression with a threshold of p <  0.05 deemed significant. Results The factors independently associated with a better ranking at the NRE were the motivation for the preparation of the NRE (gain of 3327 ± 527 places, p <  0.0001); to have participated in the NRE white test organized by la Revue du Praticien in November 2014 (gain of 869 ± 426 places, p <  0.04), to have participated in the NRE white test organized by la conférence Hippocrate in March 2015 (+ 613 places ±297, p <  0.04). The factors independently associated with poor NRE ranking were repeating the first year (loss of 1410 places ±286, p <  0.0001), repeating a year during university course (loss of 1092 places ±385, p <  0.005), attendance of hospital internships in 6th year (loss of 706 places ±298, p <  0.02). Conclusions The student motivation and their white tests completion were significantly associated with success at the NRE. Conversely, repeating a university year during their course and attendance of 6th year hospital internships were associated with a lower ranking

QuEChERS Method Followed by Solid Phase Extraction Method for Gas Chromatographic-Mass Spectrometric Determination of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Fish

A gas chromatography equipped with mass spectrometer (GCMS) method was developed and validated for determination of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in fish using modified quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) method for extraction and solid phase extraction for sample cleanup to remove most of the coextract combined with GCMS for determination of low concentration of selected group of PAHs in homogenized fish samples. PAHs were separated on a GCMS with HP-5ms Ultra Inert GC Column (30 m, 0.25 mm, and 0.25 µm). Mean recovery ranged from 56 to 115%. The extraction efficiency was consistent over the entire range where indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene and benzo(g,h,i)perylene showed recovery (65, 69%), respectively, at 2 µg/kg. No significant dispersion of results was observed for the other remaining PAHs and recovery did not differ substantially, and at the lowest and the highest concentrations mean recovery and RSD% showed that most of PAHs were between 70% and 120% with RSD less than 10%. The measurement uncertainty is expressed as expanded uncertainty and in terms of relative standard deviation (at 95% confidence level) is ±12%. This method is suitable for laboratories engaged daily in routine analysis of a large number of samples

The impact of component performance on the overall cycle performance of small-scale low temperature organic Rankine cycles

Low temperature organic Rankine cycles offer a promising technology for the generation of power from low temperature heat sources. Small-scale systems (~10kW) are of significant interest, however there is a current lack of commercially viable expanders. For a potential expander to be economically viable for small-scale applications it is reasonable to assume that the same expander must have the ability to be implemented within a number of different ORC applications. It is therefore important to design and optimise the cycle considering the component performance, most notably the expander, both at different thermodynamic conditions, and using alternative organic fluids. This paper demonstrates a novel modelling methodology that combines a previously generated turbine performance map with cycle analysis to establish at what heat source conditions optimal system performance can be achieved using an existing turbine design. The results obtained show that the same turbine can be effectively utilised within a number of different ORC applications by changing the working fluid. By selecting suitable working fluids, this turbine can be used to convert pressurised hot water at temperatures between 360K and 400K, and mass flow rates between 0.45kg/s and 2.7kg/s, into useful power with outputs between 1.5kW and 27kW. This is a significant result since it allows the same turbine to be implemented into a variety of applications, improving the economy of scale. This work has also confirmed the suitability of the candidate turbine for a range of low temperature ORC applications

Utilisation des lambeaux dans les pertes de substances maxillo-faciales: à propos de 32 cas au Niger

Diverses lésions peuvent rompre l’harmonie anatomique, esthétique et fonctionnelle de la face, parmi lesquelles les pertes de substances (PDS) qui peuvent être d’origine traumatique, infectieuse ou tumorale. L’objectif de ce travail est de décrire les aspects épidémiologiques, cliniques et thérapeutiques des patients ayant bénéficiés de prise en charge par lambeaux dans les pertes de substances (PDS) maxillo-faciales. Il s’agit d’une étude rétrospective (du 1er janvier 2016 au 15 juillet 2019) et prospective (du 16 juillet 2019 au 31 octobre 2020), soit une période de 4 ans 10 mois (58mois) réalisée dans les services de Stomatologie et Chirurgie Maxillo-Faciale de l’hôpital national et l’hôpital général de référence de Niamey. Pendant la durée de l’étude, 32 patients de tout âge et des deux sexes ont été enregistré dans le service. La moyenne d’âge était de 34 ans avec des âges inférieur et supérieur de 02 ans et 65 ans. Le sexe féminin était prédominant de 59% des cas. la tranche d’âge de 31-45 ans est la plus touchée avec 31,25% des cas. L’étiologie tumorale était la plus fréquente dans 43,75% suivi des (PDS) post- traumatique dans 34,38% des cas. la région parotidienne représentait la partie la plus atteinte avec 21,88% des cas. Les lambeaux régionaux et ceux à distance étaient les plus utilisés dans 35,29% des cas chacun, et les locaux dans 29,42%. Les nécroses partielles étaient les complications les plus fréquentes soit 15,63% des cas. Les PDS maxillo-faciale sont souvent responsables de certains préjudice fonctionnel et esthétique qui peuvent altérer la personnalité. Ces PDS font appel à des techniques de reconstruction par lambeaux locorégionaux et à distance avec des indications bien précises. &nbsp; Various lesions can disrupt the anatomical, aesthetic and functional harmony of the face, including loss of substances that can be of traumatic, infectious or tumor origin. The objective of this work is to describe the epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic aspects of patients who have benefited from flap management in maxillofacial loss of substances. This is a retrospective (from January 1, 2016 to July 15, 2019) and prospective (from July 16, 2019 to October 31, 2020), i.e. 4 years 10 months (58 months) carried out in the departments of Stomatology and Maxillofacial surgery at the national hospital and the general reference hospital of Niamey. During the study period, 32 patients of all ages and two sexes were registered in the department. The average age was 34 years with lower and upper ages of 02 years and 65 years. The female sex was predominant in 59% of cases. the 31- 45 age group is the most affected with 31.25% of cases. Tumor etiology was the most frequent in 43.75% followed by post-traumatic (PDS) in 34.38% of cases. the parotid region represented the most affected part with 21.88% of cases. Regional and remote flaps were used the most in 35.29% of cases each, and local ones in 29.42%. Partial necrosis was the most frequent complication, i.e. 15.63% of cases. Maxillofacial loss of substance is often responsible for certain functional and aesthetic damage that can alter the personality. These losses of substance use locoregional and remote flap reconstruction techniques with very precise indications