Attaching metabolic expenditures to standard occupational classification systems: perspectives from time-use research.

BACKGROUND: Traditionally, time-use data have been used to inform a broad range of economic and sociological research topics. One of the new areas in time-use research is the study of physical activity (PA) and physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE). Time-use data can be used to study PAEE by assigning MET values to daily activities using the Ainsworth Compendium of Physical Activities. Although most diarists record their daily activities accurately and in detail, they are only required to record their paid working hours, not the job-specific tasks they undertake. This makes it difficult to assign MET values to paid work episodes. METHODS: In this methodological paper, we explain how we addressed this problem by using the detailed information about respondents' occupational status included in time-use survey household and individual questionnaires. We used the 2008 ISCO manual, a lexicon of the International Labour Organization of occupational titles and their related job-specific tasks. We first assigned a MET value to job-specific tasks using the Ainsworth compendium (2011) then calculated MET values for each of the 436 occupations in the ISCO-08 manual by averaging all job-specific MET values for each occupation. RESULTS: The ISCO-08 Major Groups of 'elementary occupations' and 'craft and related trades workers' are associated with high PAEE variation in terms of their job-specific MET values and together represented 21.6% of the Belgian working population in 2013. We recommend that these occupational categories should be prioritised for further in-depth research into occupational activity (OA). CONCLUSIONS: We developed a clear and replicable procedure to calculate occupational activity for all ISCO-08 occupations. All of our calculations are attached to this manuscript which other researchers may use, replicate and refine.

Respiratory morbidity of preterm infants of less than 33 weeks gestation without bronchopulmonary dysplasia: a 12-month follow-up of the CASTOR study cohort.

The aim of this study was to describe the incidence and risk factors for respiratory morbidity during the 12-month period following the first respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) season in 242 preterm infants [<33 weeks gestational age (GA)] without bronchopulmonary dysplasia and 201 full-term infants (39-41 weeks GA) from the French CASTOR study cohort. Preterm infants had increased respiratory morbidity during the follow-up period compared to full-terms; they were more likely to have wheezing (21% vs. 11%, P = 0·007) and recurrent wheezing episodes (4% vs. 1%, P = 0·049). The 17 infants (14 preterms, three full-terms) who had been hospitalized for RSV-confirmed bronchiolitis during their first RSV season had significantly more wheezing episodes during the follow-up period than subjects who had not been hospitalized for RSV-confirmed bronchiolitis (odds ratio 4·72, 95% confidence interval 1·71-13·08, P = 0·003). Male gender, birth weight <3330 g and hospitalization for RSV bronchiolitis during the infant's first RSV season were independent risk factors for the development of wheezing episodes during the subsequent 12-month follow-up period.

Hospitalizations for respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis in preterm infants at <33 weeks gestation without bronchopulmonary dysplasia: the CASTOR study.

This study was conducted during the 2008-2009 respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) season in France to compare hospitalization rates for bronchiolitis (RSV-confirmed and all types) between very preterm infants (<33 weeks' gestational age, WGA) without bronchopulmonary dysplasia and full-term infants (39-41 WGA) matched for date of birth, gender and birth location, and to evaluate the country-specific risk factors for bronchiolitis hospitalization. Data on hospitalizations were collected both retrospectively and prospectively for 498 matched infants (249 per group) aged <6 months at the beginning of the RSV season. Compared to full-term infants, preterm infants had a fourfold [95% confidence interval (CI) 1·36-11·80] and a sevenfold (95% CI 2·79-17·57) higher risk of being hospitalized for bronchiolitis, RSV-confirmed and all types, respectively. Prematurity was the only factor that significantly increased the risk of being hospitalized for bronchiolitis. The risk of multiple hospitalizations for bronchiolitis in the same infant significantly increased with male gender and the presence of siblings aged ⩾2 years.

Improved growth of preterm infants receiving mother's own raw milk compared with pasteurized donor milk.

AIM: To determine whether growth, feeding tolerance and infectious events of preterm infants is related to the proportion of intake of mother's own raw milk (maternal milk) versus pooled pasteurized banked breast milk (donor milk). METHODS: This is a prospective observational study of 55 premature infants born less than 32 weeks of gestational age admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit at the Children's Hospital of Toulouse during two 6-month periods from 2003 to 2005. Enrolled infants were exclusively on enteral feeds with maternal milk ± donor milk. RESULTS: Mean gestational age was 28.6 weeks (SD 1.5) and mean birth weight 1105 grams (SD 282). During the time of exclusively breast milk feeds, weight gain (g/kg/day) was correlated to the proportion of maternal milk consumed (p = 0.0048, r = 0.4). Necrotizing enterocolitis was inversely correlated to the amount of maternal milk. The amount of maternal milk did not impact on infectious events. CONCLUSION: Mother's own raw milk improves weight gain compared with donor milk in preterm infants. Lactation strategies should be sought that helps mothers to increase their milk production.

[Necrotizing enterocolitis in a full-term infant. Is acyclovir involved?]. / Entérocolite ulcéronécrosante chez un nouveau-né à terme. Rôle de l'acyclovir?

Acyclovir is a synthetic nucleoside analogue active against herpes viruses. Exposure during human pregnancy and during the neonatal period seems safe. We report a case of early necrotizing enterocolitis in a full term infant treated with acyclovir as a prophylactic therapy. The mother had herpes genitalis with preterm, premature ruture of membranes at 32 weeks of gestational age and was treated with acyclovir until vaginal delivery. Acyclovir treatment in utero and after birth is discussed as a possible cause of necrotizing enterocolitis in the infant. Acyclovir should be used only if its benefit outweighs the potential risk to the baby.

[Antenatal closure of ductus arteriosus following maternal intoxication by niflumic acid]. / Fermeture anténatale du canal artériel chez un foetus suite à une intoxication maternelle par acide niflumique.

Antenatal closure of the ductus arteriosus is an uncommon event that has been considered as a risk factor for development of congestive heart failure and persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn. We report here on a case of antenatal ductus arteriosus closure due to niflumic acid maternal intoxication at 32 weeks of gestation. Fetal extraction was performed few days later because of echographic signs of congestive heart failure. The child survived after 3 days of severe persistent pulmonary hypertension. This case emphasizes the potential risk of niflumic acid during pregnancy and the need of antenatal echographic monitoring for optimal management.

[Unusual diagnosis of partial left abnormal pulmonary venous return in neonate]. / Découverte inhabituelle d'un retour veineux anormal partiel du poumon gauche chez un nouveau-né.

The authors report on a case of a newborn with partial anomalous pulmonary venous return of the lower left pulmonary vein. Diagnosis was performed during the introduction of a central venous catheter. The complications of partial anomalous pulmonary venous rely principally in the risk of endothelium damage and subsequent pulmonary arterial hypertension.

[Determinants of doxapram utilization: a survey of practice in the French Neonatal and Intensive Care Units]. / Enquête sur l'utilisation du doxapram dans les unités de néonatologie en France.

UNLABELLED: Methylxanthines and doxapram have been used to stimulate breathing and to prevent apnea in preterm infants. The use of doxapram is controversial because the therapeutic index seems to be narrow and short-term adverse effects have been described. OBJECTIVE: To determine the use of doxapram in the French neonatal and intensive care units. METHODS: A structured postal questionnaire was sent to all the 236 neonatology and neonatal intensive care units of level IIa, IIb and III in France. The questionnaires were analysed after four months. RESULTS: Answers were obtained from 159 chiefs of department (67.4%), 102 used doxapram (64.1%). Doxapram was mainly used as a second step, if methylxanthines failed to reduce the frequency of apneic spells (102/159 units, 64.1%). Doxapram was usually administered intravenously (91/102 units, 89.2%). Only 57 respondents (35.8%) did not use doxapram, because they were aware of the potential adverse effects or they did not know the drug. Monitoring of drug plasma concentrations was rarely performed (11/102 services, 10.8%). Nevertheless, there was a significant interest in this monitoring. CONCLUSION: Doxapram is frequently used in France to reduce apnea of prematurity if methylxanthine therapy fails. Further studies are needed to determine safety of doxapram at short and long-term. A multicenter, randomised, double-blinded clinical trial would be interesting to perform, similar to the ongoing caffeine for Apnoea of Prematurity trial (CAP) . The French setting seems appropriate for this kind of study.

[Autoimmune hemolytic anemia associated with a mature ovarian teratoma]. / Anémie hémolytique auto-immune associée à un tératome mature de l'ovaire.

UNLABELLED: The association of autoimmune hemolytic anemia and mature teratoma of the ovary is rare, particularly in childhood, but must be known and looked for since the treatment of teratoma allows to cure anemia as well. CASE REPORT: A 9 year-old girl was admitted for hemolytic anemia. The etiologic work-up revealed an autoimmune mechanism (IgG autoantibodies with complement), as well as an ovarian tumor after ultrasound sonography of the abdomen and pelvis. Surgical excision of the tumor was complete and uncomplicated. Pathological examination concluded to a mature teratoma. Anemia, as well as the signs of autoimmunity, disappeared a few weeks later and the child is doing well with several months of follow-up. CONCLUSION: This second reported pediatric case shows that an ovarian teratoma should be searched for with ultrasound sonography in any girl presenting with autoimmune hemolytic anemia, since surgical excision is sufficient to cure both anemia and the tumor.

[Time, cultures, and coexistence]. / Temps, cultures et coexistence.

"In this essay, the authors try to illustrate the relevance of the sociology of time for the study of migration and inter-cultural relations. It is argued that by taking the time-dimension more explicitly into account, our insights in the dynamics of these relations can be [improved].... In connection with international migration processes, this relationship appears to be influenced by at least six different factors: 1) the sudden transition from a rural to an urban, industrial environment; 2) the perspective of the return to the homeland; 3) the confrontation with the culture of the host country and with other migrants' cultures; 4) the religious, ideological and political developments in the homeland; 5) the reactions of the host country and the problems these create; 6) the minority position of the migrants." (SUMMARY IN ENG)