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.     

Prevalence and risk factors of diabetic retinopathy in children and young adults

BACKGROUND: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a severe complication of diabetic microangiopathy. The prevalence is low in children and increases with patient age and duration of diabetes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Full ophthalmologic examination was completed by fluorescein angiography in 36 diabetic patients diagnosed in childhood, with duration of diabetes more than 5 years. RESULTS: After 5 years of diabetes, 44% of the patients had DR. Background retinopathy was found in 31%, preproliferative retinopathy in 5% and proliferative retinopathy in 8% of cases. DR was associated with diabetic maculopathy in 8 patients and cataract in 4 patients. DR was correlated with the age of patients at diagnosis of diabetes, time of ophthalmologic examination, sex, duration and balance of diabetes. CONCLUSION: The frequency of DR increases with the duration and the imbalance of diabetes. The importance of well balanced diabetes and regular ophthalmologic examination were necessary to decrease the frequency of DR.     

Factors influencing homocysteineamia in type 2 diabetic patients

Previous studies have suggested that hyperhomocysteinaemia (Hcy) could be a strong and independent cardiovascular risk factor. Many factors could influence the serum concentration of Hcy such as vitamin B 12, folic acid, renal failure, hypothyroid status, ovarian failure and cancers. So the aim of our study was to evaluate the prevalence of hyperhomocysteinaemia among 54 type 2 diabetic patients and to study, its relationship with vitamin B12, folic acid and Metformin. Were excluded all patients with an evident cause of hyperhomocysteinaemia. Mean age of patients was 52.8 years. Mean Hcy was 11.7 + 6.9 micromol/l. The prevalence of hyperhomocysteinaemia was 27.8% in our group. There were eight (14%) patients with vitamin B12 deficiency and three among them had hyperhomocysteinaemia. There was no folic acid deficiency and no relationship with Metformin treatment. We suggest a wide screening of hyperhomocysteinaemia in type 2 diabetic patients and folic acid or vitamin B12 supplements if necessary.