[Spirometric profile of narghile smokers]. / Profil spirométrique des fumeurs de narguilé

INTRODUCTION: Studies of the spirometric profile of narghile smokers are few, have some methodologic limits (ie. small sample size) and present contradictory conclusions. OBJECTIVE: (i) To determine the percentage of smokers having an obstructive ventilatory defect (OVD) and/or a restrictive ventilatory defect (RVD) or static hyperinflation (SHI). (ii) To compare the chronological and the estimated lung ages. INCLUSION CRITERIA: men aged 20-60 years smoking narghile (>1 narghile-year (NA). Non-inclusion criteria: cigar or cigarettes smoker and co-morbidity. Narghile consummation quantification: NA and kg of cumulated tobacco (1 NA=9.125 kg of cumulated tobacco). DEFINITIONS: large airway OVD: FEV1/FVCLLN and forced mid expiratory flowupper limit of normal. Spirometric measures (Vmax 22 Series/6200 Autobox, Yorba Linda, California, USA with measurement of functional residual capacity by nitrogen washout). Measurements were made according to international recommendations. RESULTS: 110 narghile smokers were included (34+/-10Yr; 1.76+/-0.07m; 84+/-14kg). 36% of subjects had SHI; 14% had small airway OVD; 14% had RVD and 6% had large airway OVD. (ii) Estimated lung age was higher than the chronological lung age (47+/-18Yr vs 34+/-10Yr, p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Narghile consumption accelerates ageing of the lung. This study provides the health authorities with valid arguments to fight this blight on society which increasingly involves children and pregnant women.

Understanding of plagiarism among North-African university hospital doctors (UHDs): A pilot study.

No previous North-African study has evaluated the UHDs understanding of plagiarism (UP). This descriptive study aimed to assess UP among Tunisian UHDs. UHDs were recruited via electronic mails sent to all the Tunisian UHDs through the national health networks and by convenience sampling via a questionnaire provided directly to some UHDs. The French survey, available from the Laval University website, includes 11 questions related to UP, with three-choice answers (yes/no/may be). One point was awarded for each correct answer. A total score lower than six corresponded to a low level of UP. 96 UHDs (69 females) responded to the survey either through emails (39.6%) or by filled in the paper (60.4%). The mean ±SD (95% confidence interval) score of UP was considered low at 5.4 ± 1.9 (5.0 to 5.8); 74% of the participants had a low UP. The UP score was significantly different between the categories of assistants and professors. Data comparison between subjective and objective assessments revealed that significant percentages of UHDs underestimated their low UP. This was more marked in the professors' category. There was no significant correlation between the UP total score and the UHDs' age or professional experience. To conclude, plagiarism is not well-known to North African UHDs. Abbreviations: MD: medical doctor; MSc: master of sciences; PhD: doctor of philosophy; r: Spearman correlation coefficient; SD: standard deviation; UHDs: university hospital doctors; UP: understanding of plagiarism; 95% CI: 95% confidence interval.

Chloroformic and Methanolic Extracts of Olea europaea L. Leaves Present Anti-Inflammatory and Analgesic Activities.

Olea europaea L. is used in traditional medicine in the Mediterranean areas. Its natural products are used in the treatment of different disorders, like fighting fever and some infectious diseases such as malaria, the treatment of arrhythmia, and relief of intestinal spasms. The aim of the current study is to investigate the possible anti-inflammatory and anatinociceptive effects of methanol and chloroformic extracts prepared from leaves of Olea europaea L. The anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects of the different extracts of Olea europaea leaves were assessed after intraperitoneal administration into rats and mice, using the carrageenan-induced paw edema model in rats to test the anti-inflammatory effect and the acetic acid-induced writhing in mice to test the analgesic effect. The chloroformic and methanolic leaves extracts, studied at the doses of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg (Body Weight: BW), exhibited significant dose-dependent anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities. Based on the results obtained, it can be concluded that Olea europaea leaves extracts have anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects.