Volume et profil de consommation d’alcool des élèves et des camarades scolaires comme prédicteurs de l’agression et de la victimisation: une analyse multiniveaux auprès d’adolescents suisses

Volume and profile of alcohol consumption among students and classmates as predictors of aggression and victimization: a multilevel analysis among Swiss adolescents

Objective:  

To test the effects of the volume of alcohol consumption and drinking patterns on alcohol-related aggression and victimization, both at the individual and class levels.     

Conversion from mycophenolate mofetil to enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium in liver transplant patients presenting gastrointestinal disorders: a pilot study.

Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders are one of the main adverse events in patients treated by mycophenolic acid (MPA). The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the effect of conversion from mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) to enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium (EC-MPS) in liver transplant patients presenting GI side-effects Since January 2003, stable liver transplant patients receiving MMF and presenting GI disorders, without evidence of other origin than MMF were enrolled. Conversion was performed without a washout period at an equimolar daily dosage. Thirty-six patients were included after a median delay of 45 months after liver transplantation (LT) (16 women and 20 men, median age of 47 years). Diarrhoea was the main clinical symptom (n = 28, 77.7%). At the time of inclusion, patients were treated with MMF since 18 months (range 3-28) and GI disorders were known for 9 months (range 3-12). After a median follow-up of 12 months after conversion, GI disorders were resolved in 20 patients (55%), improved in 6 patients (17%) and not modified or worsened in 10 patients (28%). Our results strongly suggest that conversion from MMF to EC-MPS in liver transplant patients can improve gastrointestinal disorders in a majority of the patients, and therefore might be considered as the best therapeutic option.     

Safety considerations for operating room personnel during hyperthermic intraoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy perfusion.

The new treatment strategy for Peritoneal Surface Malignancy combines a cytoreductive surgery and perioperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy. Cytoreduction removes all macroscopic tumor. Intraperitoneal chemotherapy avoids implantation of microscopic residual tumor cells on intra-abdominal surfaces when it is administered intraoperatively and/or early in the postoperative period. Delivering cytotoxic drugs directly into the peritoneal cavity maximizes dose intensity and minimizes systemic toxicity. Hyperthermia is selectively cytotoxic for malignant cells and potentiates the effect of chemotherapy. Implementation of this procedure makes the perioperative personnel to face a risk of exposure to cytotoxic agents. Furthermore, peritonectomies and electro-evaporation of tumor nodules are performed with high voltage electrocautery, generating a large amount of surgical smoke during several hours. Inhalation of these fumes may be also a risk for healthcare workers. In this article, we analyse in depth these new risks of the operating room personnel, we review the literature, and we give guidelines for secure performance of cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy, as well as for early postoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy administration. These new procedures are safe techniques for patients and healthcare workers provided adequate policies are adopted to avoid occupational exposure.     

Relationship between the superior attachment type of uncinate process and presence of agger nasi cell: A computer-assisted anatomic study

OBJECTIVE: The uncinate process (UP) is an important anatomic landmark in frontal recess surgery. Its superior attachment shows great anatomic variability. The agger nasi (AN) cell is another important structure that affects frontal recess anatomy and there is a close neighborhood between them. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between superior attachment type of UP and the presence of AN cell. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective anatomical study. METHOD: Computed tomography scans were evaluated of 486 sides of 243 patients who had had paranasal sinus. In 125 (26%) sides, the superior attachment of the UP could not be identified. In the remaining 361 (74%) sides, the prevalence of superior attachment of UP types and the presence of AN cell in each side were recorded. The results were evaluated with chi2 test. RESULTS: The AN cell was found in 290 (80.3%) of 361 sides. The prevalence of AN cell according to superior attachment of UP types were 79.6% for type 1/2, 90.1% for type 3, 71.4% for type 4, 86.5% for type 5, and 83.3% for type 6. The presence of AN cell according to superior attachment types of UP was not statistically significant (chi2= 3.54, P = 0.315). CONCLUSIONS: The AN cell was found to be present in 80.3% of the cases. However, the relationship between the presence of the AN cell and the superior attachment types of UP was not statistically significant.     

Quantification of refractive error: comparison of autorefractor and focometer.

PURPOSE: The advantages of a focometer (FOCOMETER) over other methods of refraction for use in developing countries are that it is lightweight, compact, relatively inexpensive, fairly quick, and easy to use with minimal training. This clinical trial compared the repeatability, validity, and ease of use of the focometer with an autorefractor. METHODS: The refractive status of the right eye of 80 participants was determined with an autorefractor (Canon RK3). Three measurements were also taken with the focometer. RESULTS: The spherical equivalent (M) of the focometer was 0.25 D more positive than the autorefractor (p < 0.001) and 84% of measurements were within 0.75 D of the autorefractor. The autorefractor detected astigmatism in 91% (73) of the eyes, whereas the focometer identified only 32% (26). The design of the clock target restricts cylinder axis accuracy to the nearest 15 degrees . There was evidence of a learning effect for the focometer: the second and third measurements were more repeatable in the untrained group. There were no differences between the mean (1.03 +/- 2.28) and third focometer (-1.05 +/- 2.32) measurements (p = 0.34). However, using the third focometer measurement, 94% of participants had visual acuities of at least 6/12(-2). CONCLUSIONS: This study highlighted the focometer's restricted power range, inaccuracy of astigmatism and axis determination, and dependence on subject understanding and compliance. Therefore, in most clinical settings, the focometer would not be adequate for quantifying refractive error, but the focometer spherical equivalent was within acceptable limits of the autorefractor, and the visual acuity with lenses determined by the focometer indicates its potential usefulness in public health settings, especially where only spherical ready-made spectacles are dispensed. There may be more cost-effective ways to determine refractive error in these circumstances. A potentially important enhancement in focometer methodology that improves its ease of use was identified: use only the third measurement for each eye.     

Effect of partial proteolysis on the activation energy of beta-n-acetylhexosaminidase precursor and mature forms.

Using 3,3'-diclorophenolsulfoftaleinil N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminide as a substrate, the apparent activation energy of beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase (Hex) was determined in samples of plasma and urine, as well as in leukocyte and platelet lysates. Incubation with papain produced an increase in this thermodynamic variable for plasma Hex (precursor forms with high molecular mass) that would be caused by the proteolytic action of papain on the Hex A isoenzyme. However, digestion with papain did not significantly modify the activation energy of Hex in leukocyte and platelet lysates (mature enzymatic forms). In 11 healthy subjects and 28 patients with different renal diseases, no statistically significant differences were found with regard to the values obtained in cellular lysates for variations in the activation energy of urinary Hex, regardless of whether they presented normoalbuminuria, microalbuminuria or macroalbuminuria. These results support the hypothesis that even in patients with proteinuria, no significant amounts of plasma Hex precursor forms are found in urine samples, and the source of the enzyme activity is the kidney itself.     

Social phobia, fear of negative evaluation and harm avoidance.

This naturalistic, prospective investigation examined the role of fear of negative evaluation and the personality trait of harm avoidance in the anxiety levels of treated social phobia patients. One hundred and fifty-seven patients with DSM-IV social phobia were assessed before starting treatment and were then followed for up to two years. As expected, greater fear of negative evaluation and higher scores of harm avoidance were associated with greater anxiety at the 6 month follow-up, and harm avoidance remained a significant predictor at 24 months. However, no evidence was found for an interaction between the personality and cognitive variables examined. The findings are discussed in terms of the relative independence of these factors, as well as their potential implications for the treatment of this disorder.     

三维骨建模在全膝关节置换术中韧带平衡的作用

目的探讨以三维骨建模为基础、无需影像的计算机辅助系统在人工全膝关节置换术(totalknee arthroplasty,TKA)中韧带平衡的作用。方法2002年11月～2003年6月,采用后稳定型人工全膝关节,在Ceravision无需影像资料的三维骨建模系统导航监控下,辅助完成TKA21例。男5例,女16例,年龄64～79岁,平均72.4岁。其中2例既往行胫骨近端截骨术,1例行股骨远端截骨术。14例膝内翻,7例膝外翻。术前下肢全长X线正位片测量,内翻13°～外翻13°,平均2.36°;膝关节X线正位片测量,应力下内翻平均8.47°(内翻2°～内翻20°),应力下外翻平均3.63°(内翻7°～外翻12°)。结果术中导航系统测量,额面内翻12°～外翻10°,平均3.33°,与术前比较差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);额面应力下内翻平均6.47°(内翻0°～内翻24°),应力下外翻平均4.32°(内翻8°～外翻15°),与术前比较差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。术毕导航系统测得膝内外翻平均0.175°(内翻2°～外翻3°),而术后下肢全长X线正位片测量平均0.3°(内翻3.5°～外翻1.5°),二者差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。术后3个月关节活动度为105～130°,平均115°,膝关节额面松弛度0.2～0.5cm,平均0.27cm。人工膝关节胫、股骨假体取得满意的对位置入和韧带平衡,无关节失稳和髌骨脱位等并发症发生。结论以三维骨建模为基础、无需影像的Ceravision系统,具有三维立体定位、优化截骨,并通过旋转对位和韧带松解获得伸屈膝关节等距间隙与韧带平衡稳定的作用,近期临床疗效满意,可在TKA中常规使用。