Prediction of organic carbon and total nitrogen contents in organic wastes and their composts by Infrared spectroscopy and partial least square regression.

Middle and near infrared (MIR and NIR) were employed to determine organic carbon (OC) and total nitrogen (TN) in different soil organic amendments including wastes, composts and mixtures of composts and organic wastes. Prediction models based on partial least squares (PLS) regression from the spectra of untreated samples were built. Different spectra preprocessing strategies were adopted and the best number of latent variable was evaluated using leave-one-out cross-validation. Attenuated total reflectance (PLS-ATR-MIR) and diffuse reflectance (PLS-DR-NIR) models were built and evaluated from root mean square error of cross validation and prediction (RMSECV and RMSEP), coefficients of determination for prediction (R2 pred) and residual predictive deviation (RPD). ATR-MIR provided a better prediction capability than DR-NIR with RMSEP, R2pred and RPD values of 2.2%, 0.76 and 2.0 for OC and values of 0.2%, 0.82 and 2.4 for TN, respectively.

Determination of total phenolic compounds in compost by infrared spectroscopy.

Middle and near infrared (MIR and NIR) were applied to determine the total phenolic compounds (TPC) content in compost samples based on models built by using partial least squares (PLS) regression. The multiplicative scatter correction, standard normal variate and first derivative were employed as spectra pretreatment, and the number of latent variable were optimized by leave-one-out cross-validation. The performance of PLS-ATR-MIR and PLS-DR-NIR models was evaluated according to root mean square error of cross validation and prediction (RMSECV and RMSEP), the coefficient of determination for prediction (Rpred(2)) and residual predictive deviation (RPD) being obtained for this latter values of 5.83 and 8.26 for MIR and NIR, respectively.

A phase II and pharmacodynamic study of sunitinib in relapsed/refractory oesophageal and gastro-oesophageal cancers.

BACKGROUND: Blockade of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathway shows evidence of activity in gastro-oesophageal (GE) and oesophageal cancer. We investigated the efficacy of sunitinib, a multikinase VEGF inhibitor, in patients with relapsed/refractory GE/oesophageal cancer. METHODS: This was a single-stage Fleming phase II study. The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS) at 24 weeks. If five or more patients out of a total of 25 were free of progressive disease at 24 weeks, sunitinib would be recommended for further study. Patients received sunitinib 37.5 mg orally daily and imaged every 6 weeks. Exploratory correlative analysis included serum growth factors, tumour gene expression and dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI). RESULTS: Twenty-five evaluable patients participated in the study. Progression-free survival at 24 weeks was 8% (n=2 patients; confidence interval (CI): 95% 1.4-22.5%), and the duration of best response for the patients was 23 and 72 weeks. Ten patients (42%) had stable disease (SD) for >10 weeks. Overall response rate is 13%. Median PFS is 7 weeks (95% CI: 5.6-11.4 weeks) and the median overall survival is 17 weeks (95% CI: 8.9-25.3 weeks). Most common grade 3/4 toxicities included fatigue (24%), anaemia (20%) thrombocytopenia (16%), and leucopenia (16%). No patients discontinued therapy due to toxicity. Serum VEGF-A and -C levels, tumour complement factor B (CFB) gene expression, and DCE-MRI correlated with clinical benefit, defined as SD or better as best response. CONCLUSION: Sunitinib is well tolerated but only a select subgroup of patients benefited. Serum VEGF-A and -C may be early predictors of benefit. On this study, patients with clinical benefit from sunitinib had higher tumour CFB expression, and thus has identified CFB as a potential predictor for efficacy of anti-angiogenic therapy. These findings need validation from future prospective trials.

Preliminary results on the use of leather chrome shavings for air passive sampling.

A new passive sampler based on low-density polyethylene (LDPE) layflat tube filled with chrome shavings from tannery waste residues was evaluated to determine volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in indoor and outdoor areas. VOCs were directly determined by head space-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-GC-MS) without any pretreatment of the sampler and avoiding the use of solvents. Limit of detection values ranging from 20 to 75 ng sampler(-1) and good repeatability values were obtained for VOCs under study with relative standard deviation values from 2.8 to 9.6% except for carbon disulfide for which it was 22.5%. The effect of the amount of chrome shavings per sampler was studied and results were compared with those obtained using empty LDPE tubes, to demonstrate the capacity of chrome shavings to adsorb VOCs.

Gender, social relationships and depressive disorders in adults aged 65 and over in Quebec.

The objective of this study was to examine if social relationships have a differential association with the presence of depression in men and women aged 65 and over. Data came from a survey of a representative sample of 2670 community-dwelling older adults in Quebec. Depressive disorders were measured using DSM-IV criteria. The prevalence of depression was 17.8% for women and 7.6% for men. Men reported a greater diversity of ties but less support than women. Having a confidant and/or being engaged in a good marital relationship was negatively associated with depression in both men and women. Compared with married people in general, widowhood was associated with a considerably higher risk of depression in men than in women. Compared with non-volunteers in general, men who volunteer were at considerably lower risk of depression than women who volunteer. This exploratory study could serve as a basis for future longitudinal studies on the impact of community activities and volunteering on the incidence and remission of depression in older men and women in Canada.

Thermal behaviour of chrome shavings and of sludges recovered after digestion of tanned solid wastes with calcium hydroxide.

The thermal behaviour of chrome shavings and of sludges recovered after digestion of tanned wastes with Ca(OH)2 was studied. Ashes obtained after incineration of wastes at various temperatures were analysed by X-ray diffraction and EDX method. The main crystallized phases present in the ash obtained at 600 degrees C are Cr2O3 and NaCl. The diffractograms revealed an increase in the intensities of the chromium oxide peaks and a very notable decrease of the amount of sodium chloride at 1100 degrees C. EDX analysis revealed a total disappearance of the chlorine peak at this temperature. Scanning electron micrographs show that the waste lost its fibrous aspect when the temperature increases. Formation of aggregates was noted after 550 degrees C. Combustion of organic matters and decarbonation phenomenon are the main stages observed on GTA and DTA curves of sludges. These phenomena are, respectively, exothermic and endothermic. The diffractogram of sludges recorded at 550 degrees C, in the presence of a constant oxygen surplus, revealed the presence of CaCrO4 and CaCO3.

Separation of motor oils, oily wastes and hydrocarbons from contaminated water by sorption on chrome shavings.

In this paper, the ability of chrome shavings to remove motor oils, oily wastes and hydrocarbons from water has been studied. To determine amount of hydrocarbons sorbed on tanned wastes, a FT-NIR methodology was used and a multivariate calibration based on partial least squares (PLS) was employed for data treatment. The light density, porous tanned waste granules float on the surface of water and remove hydrocarbons and oil films. Wastes fibers from tannery industry have high sorption capacity. These tanned solid wastes are capable of absorbing many times their weight in oil or hydrocarbons (6.5-7.6g of oil and 6.3g of hydrocarbons per gram of chrome shavings). The removal efficiency of the pollutants from water is complete. The sorption of pollutants is a quasi-instantaneous process.

Partial least-squares near-infrared determination of hydrocarbons removed from polluted waters by using tanned solid wastes.

A new procedure has been developed for the determination of hydrocarbons retained in solid tanned wastes from polluted waters. The method uses near-infrared (NIR) transmission spectra obtained from leachates of the hydrocarbons with CCl4 using a partial least-squares (PLS) calibration model based on the use of mixtures of n-hexane, isooctane, and toluene diluted with CCl4. This methodology was applied to the evaluation of the absorption capacity of chrome shavings in water samples polluted with hydrocarbons, resulting in a maximum absorption capacity of 6.30 g hydrocarbons per g solid waste.

Prevalence of erectile dysfunction and its correlates: a population-based study in Morocco.

To obtain data on the prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) and its correlates, along with help-seeking behaviour, 655 randomly selected men at least 25 y old, residing in Casablanca, Morocco, were recruited. They responded to a questionnaire administered by five trained sociologist interviewers. Information on demographics, concomitant diseases, drugs, and sexual activity was collected. ED was prevalent in 54%, increased noticeably with age, and was highly prevalent between both the illiterate and those employed. Risk factors were diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and smoking. Limited sexual satisfaction, low frequency of intercourse, and a disturbed psychological state with depressed mood had negative effects on erectile function. Given its prevalence in our country, ED should be considered an important medical problem with a multifactorial aetiology, making the cooperation of a multidisciplinary management team highly recommended.

[Assessment of premenstrual dysphoric disorder symptoms: population of women in Casablanca]. / Evaluation des symptômes dysphoriques prémenstruels dans une population de femmes à Casablanca.

Menstruation is a biological phenomenon that has been subject of myths and taboos within and among various cultures. These myths distort the reality surrounding menstruation and create ambivalent feelings about the value and usefulness of this function outside of its necessity as mean of reproduction. Thus studies concerning menstruation need to take into account cultural and psychosocial factors that define the meaning, values and behavior associated with this biological phenomenon. According to several studies, 70% of women experience psychological faintness during this menstrual phase, 40% of them have these symptoms at each menstruation and between 3 to 8% of them suffer severely reacquiring medical support. This entity called premenstrual dysphoric disorder is defined by the presence of several symptoms (distress, tension, irritability, moodiness.) with a significant impairment in work or social functioning beginning during the week before and ending within a few days after the onset of menses. Several studies conducted over the past few years suggested that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotoninergic tricyclic drugs may be more effective than other types of antidepressants in treating PMS symptoms. Two protocols are proposed; a continuous treatment or intermittent use during few days during pre-menstrual and menstrual phase for several cycles. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the prevalence of a potential premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) during one menstrual cycle, in a representative sample of general population of Casablanca, according the DSM IV criteria. On the other hand, a questionnaire, available from the authors, was used to explore socio-demographic data. Among 618 women interviewed, 310 met the criteria of a potential PMDD (50.2%). The mean age of the population with PMDD was 32.2 8 years ranging from 20 to 50 years; 54.8% of them were married, 33.9% of them were single and 66.5% of them had between 1 to 4 children. Two third of them were without a professional activity. During this premenstrual phase the following symptoms were found among the whole sample: marked depressive mood, feeling of hopelessness, or self-depreciation thoughts (77.7%, n=241%); difficulty of concentration (65%, n=201); marked change in appetite, overeating or specific food craving (82.8%, n=256); marked affective lability, with sadness tearful and increased sensitivity to rejection (65.8%, n=204); hypersomnia or insomnia (59.7%, n=185); subjective sense of being overwhelmed or out of control (55.7%, n=172); lethargy, excessive fatigability (91.6%, n=283); physical symptoms including breast tenderness, swelling, headache, joint or muscular pain, and a sensation of bloating and weight gain (81.9%, n=253). The most severe symptoms were fatigue and irritability. On the other hand, 73.9% of the sample had a disturbance in their socio-professional lives as a consequence to the psychological disturbances. Half of these women consulted a physician, mostly a general practitioner. These data are in accordance with the literature, confirming that this disorder is common and has a bad impact on mental health and on quality of life of the women suffering from PMDD.

Sexual dysfunction in women: population based epidemiological study.

Sexual dysfunction is defined as a disturbance of the processes that characterise the sexual response cycle or as pain associated with sexual intercourse. The objective of this epidemiological study, conducted in a representative sample of the population of women aged 20 and older in Casablanca, Morocco, is to determine the prevalence of sexual dysfunction in women. Criteria of sexual dysfunction followed classification by DSM-IV. The mean age of the sample (n = 728) was 36.76 +/- 12.67 years; 29% had no education, 78% pursued no professional activity; and 58% were married. The main results were that 26.6% had sexual dysfunction always or often during the 6 months before the study. The most common finding was hypoactive sexual desire disorder, and age, financial dependency, number of children, and sexual harassment were positively associated. The prevalence of remaining disorders resembled that found in the literature. Even though these women were aware about their disorder and its negative impact on their lives, only 17% of them asked for help.

La prevalence des dysfonctions craniomandibulaires chez les patients ages

Ce travail rapporte les resultats d'une enquete epidemiologique transversale et analytique sur la prevalence des dysfonctions craniomandibulaires. Notre etude a ete realisee au Centre de Consultations et Traitements Dentaires de Casablanca chez 100 patients ages de 50 ans et plus. Pour evaluer les symptomes des dysfonctions de l'appareil manducateur (DAM); nous avons utilise l'indice d'anamnese d'Helkimo ; 72de notre echantillon rapportent des symptomes de DAM; le bruit articulaire est le symptome le plus rapporte (64). 67de notre population cible decrivent des habitudes nocives : 28ont de mauvaises postures; 18serrent leurs machoires et 16grincent des dents. L'analyse statistique a revele une association entre les habitudes nocives et l'apparition des DAM. 32de ces individus ont une perte de calage posterieur; 23sont porteurs de PAT; et 10sont des edentes complets non appareilles; nous n'avons pas trouve d'association entre l'etat dentaire et l'apparition des DCM

Irritability during the month of Ramadan.

OBJECTIVES: We hypothesized that people in Morocco are more irritable during the month of Ramadan than during the rest of the year. Our objectives were to measure irritability in fasting Muslims during the month of Ramadan, to describe its various modes of expression, and to examine risk factors for this irritability. METHODS AND SUBJECTS: We studied 100 healthy volunteers during the month of Ramadan for two successive years (1994 and 1995). All subjects were male (mean age, 32+/-5.8 years), and 51% of them were smokers. Irritability was assessed over a 6-week period (before, four times during, and after the end of Ramadan). We assessed both subjective (visual analog scale) and objective irritability. We also recorded the consumption of psychostimulants, duration of sleep, and anxiety level as measured by the Hamilton Anxiety Scale. RESULTS: Irritability was significantly higher in smokers than in nonsmokers before the beginning of Ramadan. It was higher in both groups during the Ramadan month. Irritability increased continuously during Ramadan and reached its peak at the end of the month. Consumption of psychostimulants (coffee and tea) and anxiety level followed the same pattern. Smokers and nonsmokers had a similar pattern of irritability over time, but irritability increased more in smokers than in nonsmokers.

[Frequency of improper diagnosis of hypertension]. / Fréquence des diagnostics abusifs de l'hypertension artérielle.

The aim of this work is to estimate the real prevalence of hypertension in a population declared hypertensive by general practitioners. This prospective study has lasted 30 months from October 1994 to March 1997). It has concerned 2,151 patients that had been declared hypertensive by general practitioners. Each patient had 2 visits at 15 days interval. During each visit the blood pressure (BP) is measured 4 times at 5 min interval with a mercury tensiometer. The patient remains supine for 20 min. Patients declared normotensive on these 8 measurements are controlled once every 6 months. Those that are declared hypertensive are distributed in 2 groups: the patients that have a systolic blood pressure (SBP) superior to 160 mm of mercury (mmHg) and/or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) superior to 95 mmHg are treated with the habitual follow-up. Those that have a SBP and DBP between 140-160 mmHg and 90-95 mmHg have a control visit at the end of the first and the third month. After this period patients whose BP remains between 140-160 mmHg and 90-95 mmHg have an ambulatory blood pressure measurement (ABPM). This study included 1,635 women and 516 men. Average age was 54 +/- 11 years. The average of 8 measurements of SBP/DBP was 148.3 +/- 22.5/93 +/- 13 mmHg. After 8 measurements, out of 2,151 patients, 37.8% (841 patients) were declared normotensive and 62.2% (1,337 patients) had a SBP and/or DBP > 140/90 mmHg. This group was controlled after one month and 3 months. A subgroup (254 patients) was declared normotensive, and the 588 patients whose BP remained between 140-160 mmHg and 90-95 mmHg had an ABPM : 481 (48%) were then declared normotensive and 307 (52%) were declared normotensive patients. After repeated controls, with the use of ABPM, only 37.3% were truly hypertensive. This study confirms that a long follow-up is necessary before labelling a patients as hypertensive. BP can remain abnormal for weeks and months. A large group of "hypertensive" patients are normotensive people with a white coat effect or so labelled because of errors in technique or the absence of a sufficient delay so that BP returns to normal.

[Arterial blood pressure in Moroccan children and adolescents]. / La tension artérielle chez l'enfant et l'adolescent marocains.

To develop blood pressure reference values for Maroccan children, a survey was carried out in 1987-88 in a group of 10,000 children 4 to 18 years of age. Study subjects were randomly selected among schoolchildren from the Great Casablanca Wilaya. There were 4,818 boys and 5,182 girls. To ensure optimal reliability of data, a precise, standardized methodology was used; blood pressure was measured in the supine position after at least five minutes rest, two cuffs of different sizes were available and selected according to age and body weight, and diastolic blood pressure was defined as Korotkow phase V. Distribution of blood pressure values was studied by age, sex and stature. Results were expressed as means +/- standard deviations and as percentiles. Blood pressure values were found to increase gradually with age, with sex-specific variations. Values were higher in post-pubertal girls. A linear positive correlation between arterial blood pressure and stature was found. This correlation was stronger than the blood pressure-age correlation. These data were compared with previous reports in the literature, although this analysis proved difficult because of variations in methods and results across studies.