Monitoring and apportioning sources of indoor air quality using low-cost particulate matter sensors.

Air quality is one of the most important factors in public health. While outdoor air quality is widely studied, the indoor environment has been less scrutinised, even though time spent indoors is typically much greater than outdoors. The emergence of low-cost sensors can help assess indoor air quality. This study provides a new methodology, utilizing low-cost sensors and source apportionment techniques, to understand the relative importance of indoor and outdoor air pollution sources upon indoor air quality. The methodology is tested with three sensors placed in different rooms inside an exemplar house (bedroom, kitchen and office) and one outdoors. When the family was present, the bedroom had the highest average concentrations for PM2.5 and PM10 (3.9 ± 6.8 ug/m3 and 9.6 ± 12.7 µg/m3 respectively), due to the activities undertaken there and the presence of softer furniture and carpeting. The kitchen, while presenting the lowest PM concentrations for both size ranges (2.8 ± 5.9 ug/m3 and 4.2 ± 6.9 µg/m3 respectively), presented the highest PM spikes, especially during cooking times. Increased ventilation in the office resulted in the highest PM1 concentration (1.6 ± 1.9 µg/m3), highlighting the strong effect of infiltration of outdoor air for the smallest particles. Source apportionment, via positive matrix factorisation (PMF), showed that up to 95 % of the PM1 was found to be of outdoor sources in all the rooms. This effect was reduced as particle size increased, with outdoor sources contributing >65 % of the PM2.5, and up to 50 % of the PM10, depending on the room studied. The new approach to elucidate the contributions of different sources to total indoor air pollution exposure, described in this paper, is easily scalable and translatable to different indoor locations.

[Neonatal healthcare associated-infections in the Maghreb. A systematic review and meta-analysis]. / Infections associées aux soins en néonatalogie dans la région du grand Maghreb. Revue systématique et méta-analyse.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare-associated infections are a major source of morbidity and mortality in neonatology. Our aim was to describe the epidemiology of Healthcare-associated infections in neonatology (frequency, associated factors and prognosis). METHODS: Articles were searched in the PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science databases. We included observational studies describing prevalence, incidence or mortality among new-born babies having developed infections more than 48hours after hospitalization. The pooled prevalence, incidence and mortality estimates were analysed using the random effects model. Publication bias was analysed using the funnel plot and Egger's test statistics. Data analysis was carried out using R Studio software v1.2. RESULTS: Among the initially identified 137 studies, ten articles fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in the metanalysis. They mainly concerned Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria. Pooled incidence was 10% (95% CI [4%-18%]) and overall mortality was 49% (95% CI [33%-66%]). Heterogeneity between studies was significantly high, with rates of 98% and 90% respectively. CONCLUSION: This review underlined a need to undertake more large-scale multicentric surveys and studies on monitoring systems and the attitudes and practices of relevant caregivers, the objective being to better understand the realities of healthcare-associated infections in Greater Maghreb neonatology units.

Magnitude of prematurity in the countries of the Great Maghreb.

BACKGROUND: Prematurity is the leading cause of death in neonates, accounting for 75% of neonatal mortality, and the second leading cause of death among children under 5 years of age. OBJECTIVE: To study the extent of prematurity in the Great Maghreb, concerning its various aspects: frequency, risk factors and complications. METHOD: We conducted a systematic review of the literature by searching for all data from the Greater Maghreb related to prematurity published between 2000 and 2018. The search strategy relied on the Medline and Google Scholar databases. Prematurity is defined as any birth occurring at a gestational age less than 37 weeks of amenorrhea. RESULTS: In the Maghreb, the prevalence of prematurity ranged from 6.7% to 15.4%. The main risk factors were infections and chronic maternal conditions, extreme maternal ages and adverse socio-economic conditions. The mortality rate among premature infants ranged from 28% to 45%. Short-term complications were dominated by respiratory and metabolic disorders and infections. CONCLUSION: In view of the serious complications and high mortality caused by prematurity, prevention strategies must be put in place. These should be based on the development of pregnancy surveillance programs, the fight against precariousness and the upgrading of neonatal care structures.

[Survey of general practioners in the management of diabetes in primary health facilities of Casablanca city, Morocco: opportunities and constraints]. / Enquête d'opinion auprès des médecins généralistes sur leur Prise en charge de diabétiques dans les structures de 1ère ligne de las ville de Casablanca (Marco): Contraintes et Opportunités.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes is a global health problem in full expansion, because of its increasing frequency, it frightening complications and the costs of its medical covering. AIM: In this study, we tried to make the current situation of the diabetes management in first-line public structures of the city of Casablanca. METHODS: The survey of transverse observation to descriptive aiming was conducted using a pre questionnaire tested and selfadministered. RESULTS: It shows that 46.7 % of the questioned general practitioner judged that the quantity and the quality of average therapeutic existing in the center were insufficient to meet the needs for their diabetic patients. The weak socio-economic statute of the patients (78.8% of the cases), the lack of personnel (76.6%), the low educational level of patients (75.2%) and the problem of access to hospital (73.3%) constituted major problems of the correct diabetic medical covering. However, the majority of the doctors (98.1%) estimated to need training on diabetes management. The most required topics requested are: The control of the insulin treatment (97%), the diabetic education (91%) and the follow-up of diabetic (89%). CONCLUSION: The training of general practitioners particularly motivated and interested in diabetes could be the solution to improve the management of diabetes especially because of the lack of specialists in our country.

[Evaluation of the care for diabetes patients by general practitioners in the province of Khourigba, Morocco]. / Evaluation de la prise en charge des diabétiques par le médecin généraliste dans la province de Khouribga (Maroc).

Diabetes is a disease of concern due to its increasing frequency and high cost of care. This cross-sectional study evaluated the types of care provided to diabetes patients in primary care for management of the condition. Between December 2010 and March 2011, 54 general practitioners (CPs) in health centres in Khouribga province were asked to complete a pretested questionnaire on their care of diabetes patients. For type 2 diabetes, 46% of the CPs would prescribe diet and lifestyle treatment alone. The practice setting influenced how treatment was managed for typel diabetes patients: 88.5% of rural doctors prescribed premixed insulin versus 58.3% of urban GPs (P = 0.02). Insulin analogues were prescribed by 20.8% of urban GPs as against 3.8% of rural GPs (P = 0.09). There are several shortcomings in the quality of care for diabetes patients. Training GPs could be a solution, especially with the lack of specialists in our country.

Planar system for magnetic induction conductivity measurement using a sensor matrix.

In this study the performance of an axial gradiometer sensor for magnetic induction tomography was investigated and the results of measurements to determine the precision and sensitivity of the sensor were undertaken. In the first part of the study a single gradiometer sensor was used and the noise and drift were measured for two excitation current values at a single frequency of 600 kHz. The variations of the real and imaginary received signal components with conductivity were then obtained for samples with 0-5 S m(-1). Both sets of measurements were repeated using two different forms of capacitive shielding. In the second part of the study the results of preliminary measurements obtained with a 2 x 2 planar matrix of axial gradiometers are given. The results of a simulation of a similar matrix using a commercial electromagnetic field calculation programme are also presented for comparison. For the sample utilized, the sensor output showed a linear variation with conductivity for the imaginary component of 0.033 mV S(-1) m using an excitation current of 316 mA at 600 kHz. No apparent correlation with conductivity for the real component was observed. The noise and drift of the imaginary component of the sensor output were 0.001 mV and 0.006 mV respectively, for the same excitation current. The results of the planar matrix measurements and simulations suggest that significant sensitivity is provided by using the measurement coils of the adjacent sensors. The measurement results however suggest that large improvements in the sensor noise and drift performance are required for these data to be of use.

Pregnancy termination in dogs with novel non-hormonal compounds. Studies of 2-(3-ethoxy-phenyl)-5,6-dihydro-s-triazole [5,1-a] isoquinoline (DL 204-IT).

Pregnancy termination was obtained in both Beagle and mongrel bitches after a single s.c. or i.m. injection of 2-(3-ethoxy-phenyl)-5,6-dihydro-s-triazole[5,1-a]isoquinoline (DL 204-IT) dissolved or suspended in an oily vehicle. The activity of the compound was dependent on the dose and time of pregnancy. The optimal time of treatment was found to be day 20 of gestation, at which time the smallest effective dose was 6.25 ng/kg. Pregnancy arrest normally occurs during the first stage of embryonic development (between day 25 and 30) due to the degeneration and subsequent resorption of the products of fertilization. Pregnancy termination is never accompanied by intrauterine or placental hemorrhage. After pregnancy arrest the animals return to estrus within a normal interval of time; they exhibit normal mating behaviour and their ability to conceive is not impaired. Later, pregnancies can be interrupted again by the same treatment. After subeffective doses normal parturition occurs at the expected time and the pups do not have any external malformations. High doses given every 15 days for more than one year are well tolerated and do not inhabit either the return of estrous cycle or fertility. Studies of the mechanism of action suggest that the primary site of action is the uteroplacental complex.