Volume, intensity, and timing of muscle power potentiation are variable

Whereas muscle potentiation is consistently demonstrated with evoked contractile properties, the potentiation of functional and physiological measures is inconsistent. The objective was to compare a variety of conditioning stimuli volumes and intensities over a 15-min recovery period. Twelve volleyball players were subjected to conditioning stimuli that included 10 repetitions of half squats with 70% of 1-repetition maximum (RM) (10 × 70), 5 × 70, 5 × 85, 3 × 85, 3 × 90, 1 × 90, and control. Jump height, power, velocity, and force were measured at baseline, 1, 3, 5, 10, and 15 min. Data were analysed with a 2-way repeated measure ANOVA and magnitude-based inferences. The ANOVA indicated significant decreases in jump height, power, and velocity during recovery. This should not be interpreted that no potentiation occurred. Each dependent variable reached a peak at a slightly different time: peak jump height (2.8 ± 2.3 min), mean power (3.6 ± 3.01 min), peak power (2.5 ± 1.8 min), and peak velocity (2.5 ± 1.8 min). Magnitude-based inference revealed that both the 5 × 70 and 3 × 85 protocol elicited changes that exceeded 75% likelihood of exceeding the smallest worthwhile change (SWC) for peak power and velocity. The 10 × 70 and the 5 × 70 had a substantial likelihood of potentiating peak velocity and mean power above the SWC, respectively. Magnitude-based inferences revealed that while no protocol had a substantial likelihood of potentiating the peak vertical jump, the 5 × 70 had the most consistent substantial likelihood of increasing the peak of most dependent variables. We were unable to consistently predict if these peaks occurred at 1, 3, or 5 min poststimulation, though declines after 5 min seems probable.     

Thrombophilic polymorphisms – factor V Leiden G1691A,prothrombin G20210A and MTHFR C677T – in Tunisian patients with cerebral venous thrombosis

Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) has been associated with thrombophilic defects. We performed a study to evaluate the role of three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP), factor V Leiden G1691A (FVL), prothrombin gene mutation G20210A (FII-G20210A) and methylenotetrahydrofolate reductase variant C677T (MTHFR-C677T), as risk factors for CVT in Tunisian patients. A single center case-control study (26 patients with CVT and 197 controls) was performed. Genomic DNA was tested for the three SNP. The principle finding was the association between FVL and CVT (p < 0.001, Odds ratio = 6.1, 95% confidence interval = 2.3–16.5). However, neither the FII-G20210 (p = 0.536) nor the homozygous MTHFR-C677T genotype (p = 0.325) variant contributed to the risk of CVT in these Tunisian patients.     

Soil contamination with olive mill wastes negatively affects microbial communities,invertebrates and plants

Ecotoxicology - The aim of the present study was to evaluate the ecotoxicological effects of olive mill waste (OMW) on soil habitat function. To this end, soil samples from OMW evaporating ponds...     

E-learning pour la Continuité de la Formation en Ophtalmologie Pendant la Pandémie COVID-19 : Degré de Satisfaction des Résidents de l'Institut Hédi Raies d'Ophtalmologie de Tunis

Introduction:

COVID-19 pandemic created great challenges for the continuity of medical education. At the Hédi Raies Institut of Ophthalmology of Tunis (HRIO), the need to ensure continuity in the teaching of ophthalmology has stimulated the development of a new e-learning resource based on clinical case studies.

Aim: 

To evaluate level of satisfaction of HRIO residents in regard to clinical case-study-based e-learning of ophthalmology.

Methods:

Cross-sectional survey including 40 ophthalmology residents doing their internship at the ROHI during the first half of 2020. Learners were tutored in e-learning via the Moodle online learning platform and using a problem-solving format based on clinical case studies describing various ophthalmologic conditions. Data collection was carried out through an online survey after four months of training, designed to assess learners'' satisfaction with the e-learning.

Results:

Mean age of participants was 29.95 ± 1.73 years. The majority had found the navigation easy, the content relevant to their training objectives, and were satisfied with the discussion forums as a method of communication. All respondents were satisfied with clinical cases presented through the platform and felt that they helped them to better understand the content. Among them, 97.5% considered that this teaching method corresponded to their training needs. There was a statically significant difference in the level of knowledge before and after e-learning teaching, taking into account the residents'' appreciation (p<0.001).

Conclusions:

This study highlights the importance of virtual learning in ophthalmology in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic. E-learning is well appreciated by ophthalmology residents, relatively easy to integrate to their training program, and reduces issues of time, patient availability and case exposure.     

Central corneal thickness in a healthy Tunisian population

Aim:To study the central corneal thickness of a Tunisian population and determine the influence of age, gender, axial length and refractive error on central corneal thickness (CCT) values. Methods:An observational, cross-sectional study was conducted on 608 eyes of consecutive Tunisian patients without ophthalmic disease. Corneal tomography (Oculus Pentacam, USA) and a complete eye examination were performed on all patients. The relationship between the central corneal thickness values and variables of age, refractive error, axial length and gender was assessed. Results:The mean central corneal thickness was 522±37.17μm (range 461 to 655 μm). No statistical association was found between central corneal thickness values and variables of age, refractive error, axial length and gender. Conclusions:The normal CCT value in the Tunisian population was of 522±37.17 µm. We have analyzed, for the first time, normal central corneal thickness values of a healthy Tunisian population.     

Filiation hamartoma polyposis dysplasia and small bowel adenocarcinoma

Peutz-Jeghers syndrome is a hereditary affection with dominant autosomal transmission. The risk of cancerisation is largely higher than that in the general population. Dysplasia is rare. Transformation of the polyposis hamartoma into a site of dysplasia then into adenocarcinoma has been rarely reported. The authors report the case of a 14 year-old patient, having a severe dysplasia on ileal polyposis hamartoma related to the syndrome of Peutz-Jeghers.     

Hepatitis A virus cellular receptor 1/kidney injury molecule-1 is a susceptibility gene for clear cell renal cell carcinoma and hepatitis A virus cellular receptor/kidney injury molecule-1 ectodomain shedding a predictive biomarker of tumour progression

Aim of the studyTo correlate hepatitis A virus cellular receptor (HAVCR)/kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) expression in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) tumours with patient outcome and study the consequences of HAVCR/KIM-1 ectodomain shedding.MethodsHAVCR/KIM-1 expression in ccRCC, oncocytomes, papillary carcinomas and unaffected tissue counterparts was evaluated. Minimal change disease and pre-clamping normal and ccRCC tissue biopsies were included. Tissue microarrays from 98 ccRCC tumours were analysed. Tumour registry data and patient outcome were retrospectivelly collected. Deletions in HAVCR/KIM-1 ectodomain and lentiviral infection of 786-O cells with HAVCR/KIM-1 mutated constructs to determine their subcellular distribution and invasive capacity were performed.ResultsHAVCR/KIM-1 was expressed in ccRCC, papillary tumours and in tubule cells of adjacent and distal unaffected counterparts of ccRCC tumours. The latest was not related to ischemic or tumour-related paracrine effects since pre-clamping normal biopsies were positive for HAVCR/KIM-1 and unaffected counterparts of papillary tumours were negative. HAVCR/KIM-1 analyses in patients and the invasive capacity of HAVCR/KIM-1 shedding mutants in cell lines demonstrated that: (i) relative low HAVCR/KIM-1 membrane levels correlate with activated shedding in ccRCC patients and mutant cell lines; (ii) augmented shedding directly correlates with higher invasiveness and tumour malignancy.Concluding statementsConstitutive expression of HAVCR/KIM-1 in kidney might constitute a susceptibility trait for ccRCC tumour development. Enhanced HAVCR/KIM-1 ectodomain shedding promotes invasive phenotype in vitro and more aggressive tumours in vivo.