Combination of ground rice husk and polyvinyl alcohol fiber in cementitious composite.

In this study, ground rice husks (GRH) in combination with polyvinyl-alcohol (PVA) fiber were used to produce low-cost and high-quality hybrid cementitious composites. Different amounts of GRH (2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 12.5% in weight of cement) were added to the concrete. The work presented in this paper provides an insight into the use of an agricultural waste as effective additive in cement based materials. The properties of resultant cementitious composites including density, water absorption, flexural behavior and compressive strength were investigated. The results have shown that incorporation of ground rice husk in combination with PVA fiber can be effective in improvement of the flexural properties of cementitious composite. The study explored the effectiveness of this type of agricultural waste as a beneficial material in fine aggregate concrete materials.

[Which is the role of parasites and yeasts in the genesis of chronic blepharitis?]. / Quel est le rôle des parasites et des levures dans la genèse des blépharites chroniques?

INTRODUCTION: The chronic blepharitis is a current ophthalmic disease posing a therapeutic problem. The etiologic diagnosis is essential for adapting the treatment. PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to describe the role of Demodex sp, Malassezia sp and Candida sp in the pathogenesis of chronic blepharitis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: It's a prospective study realized during a period of 14 months. It interested 69 patients with chronic blepharitis and 96 controls. The prevalence of Demodex sp, Malassezia sp and Candida sp on the eyelash of chronic blepharitis patients and controls was investigated. RESULTS: Demodex folliculorum was found in 58% of patients with chronic blepharitis and in 15,6% of controls. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0,00001). The sex and the age intervene neither in the frequency, nor in the abundance of D. folliculorum in the two groups. Malassezia sp was identified in 10,4% of the control group and 31,88% of the group with chronic blepharitis. The difference is significant (P<0,00001). There is no correlation between frequency and abundance of Malassezia, sex and age in the two groups. CONCLUSION: In our study, D. folliculorum and Malassezia sp seem to be accused in the genesis of the chronic blepharitis. Their systematic search is necessary in order to adapt the treatment.

[Association study between diabetic retinopathy and aldose reductase gene polymorphism in Tunisians]. / Etude de l'association entre la rétinopathie diabétique et un polymorphisme du gène de l'aldose réductase dans la population tunisienne.

INTRODUCTION: Aldose reductase (ALR2), the enzyme of the polyol pathway, may play an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetic microvascular complications, namely diabetic retinopathy. The study aimed to determine whether the aldose reductase gene is involved in diabetic retinopathy in the Tunisian population. MATERIAL: and methods: A case-control study was conducted in 47 type 2 diabetic patients who have diabetic retinopathy and 28 diabetic patients without diabetic retinopathy in spite of diabetes lasting for more than 5 years and over 10 years in 13 cases. We investigated the association between the (CA)n polymorphism located at 2.1 kb upstream of the transcription start site of ALR2 and diabetic retinopathy. The distribution of genotypes and alleles was compared between cases and controls by chi2 test using Epi info software. RESULTS: Genotyping of the two groups did not demonstrate any association between the alleles of this marker and diabetic retinopathy in the Tunisian population studied. DISCUSSION: An association between one of the alleles (Z - 2) of this microsatellite and diabetic retinopathy was identified in Chinese and Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes. Discordant results were obtained for the different populations studied. The lack of an association between diabetic retinopathy and ALR2 alleles indicates that the ALR2 gene is not a genetic marker of predisposition to diabetic retinopathy for type 2 diabetic patients in the Tunisian population studied.

[Urgent penetrating keratoplasty in perforated infectious corneal ulcers]. / Kératoplastie transfixante à chaud dans les ulcères cornéens infectieux perforés.

PURPOSE: To evaluate anatomical and functional prognosis of urgent penetrating keratoplasty in perforated infectious corneal ulcers. METHODS: Seven eyes of seven patients had an urgent penetrating keratoplasty for perforated infectious corneal ulcers. Anatomical success was defined by eradication of infection and preservation of eye from enucleation and phthisis bulbi. Corneal graft survival was defined by the presence of a clear graft. RESULTS: The patients'mean age was 40.5 years. Four eyes had bacterial corneal ulcer and three eyes had herpetic corneal ulcer. Anatomical success was obtained in six eyes. The graft remained clear in two eyes. Graft rejection was noted in four eyes after a mean period of 4.5 months. Postoperative complications were ocular inflammation (one eye), ocular hypertension (three eyes), cataract (one eye), peripheral anterior synechiae (one1 eye), graft ectasia (one eye), bacterial infection (one eye) and recurrent herpetic keratitis (one eye). The mean follow-up period was 22 months, ranging from 9 to 32 months. CONCLUSION: Urgent penetrating keratoplasty can preserve eye integrity and eradication of the infectious process in a large part of perforated bacterial and herpetic corneal ulcers. Visual rehabilitation is often a secondary objective. Adapted antimicrobial treatment reduces graft reinfection and steroid treatment reduces the frequency of some complications, especially graft rejection.

[Diabetic retinopathy in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus at time of diagnosis]. / Rétinopathie diabétique concomitante du diagnostic de diabète de type I.

Diabetic retinopathy is one of the diabetic microangiopathy complications generally occurring after insulin-dependent diabetes has evolved for a few years. We report a 27-year-old woman with severe nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy discovered at the time of insulin-dependent diabetes diagnosis. Argon laser photocoagulation of retinal ischemic territories was initiated. The disease progressed to proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy incidence, onset and severity in insulin-dependent diabetics is discussed. Systematic ophthalmic examination seems necessary at the onset of insulin-dependent or non-insulin-dependent diabetes.

[Antiphosphoplipid antibodies and retinal occlusive vasculopathy]. / Anticorps antiphospholipides et occlusion vasculaire rétinienne.

PURPOSE: to determine the prevalence of antiphospholipid antibodies in patients with occlusive retinal vascular events, exempt from conventional risk factors of retinal thrombosis. METHODS: eleven patients with retinal vascular occlusion, free of main accepted risk factors for retinal thrombosis, were retrospectively screened for antiphospholipid antibodies (anticardiolipin and anti-beta2 glycoprotein 1 antibodies) by an Elisa method. Prevalence of antiphospholipid antibodies were compared with those in a homogenous control group of 100 patients. RESULTS: the prevalence of antiphospholipid antibodies in the study group was 27% (three of 11). Comparison with control group prevalence (3%) showed a statistically significant difference (p < 0,001). One patient in the study disclosed positivity for IgG anticardiolipine antibodies, one for IgM anticardiolipine antibodies and one for anti-beta2 glycoprotein 1 antibodies. CONCLUSION: our results lead us to recommend a systematic search for specific antiphospholipid antibodies in such young patients which could have an importance for the diagnosis of primary antiphospholipid syndrome.

[Full optical correction after cycloplegia in headache]. / Apport de la correction optique totale après cycloplégie dans les céphalées.

PURPOSE: To study the advantages of cycloplegia in the accurate assessment of refractive errors and to evaluate the impact of full optical correction in the course of headache. MATERIAL: and methods: A prospective study was carried out in 164 eyes of 82 patients with headache. Corrected visual acuity was 10/10 in all cases. Refraction was measured before and under cycloplegia by cyclopentolate with a CANON R 50 infrared autorefractometer. Full optical cycloplegic correction based on the value of refraction under cycloplegia was prescribed in all cases. Mean follow-up was 10 months. Statistical analyses were used: Student's t test, Pearson coefficient correlation, and Chi2. RESULTS: Under cycloplegia, hypermetropia was significantly the most frequent ametropia (67.1%, p<10(- 9)). The difference between the spherical equivalent, before and during cycloplegia, was highly significant (p<10(- 5)) at 0.79. Optical correction eliminated headaches in 76.5% of the cases. CONCLUSION: The authors conclude on the role of accommodation in headache onset and the need to continue cycloplegia until the age of 45. The importance of optical correction in alleviating headaches is underlined.

[Epidemiology and development of macular edema in the diabetic]. / Epidemiologie et evolution de l'oedème maculaire chez le diabétique.

Macular edema is the first cause of blindness in diabetics. Macular edema is defined by macular thickening or deposits of hard exudates. On 1000 diabetics examined over 2 years, 60 patients had a macular edema of which we retained 38 cases(54 eyes). All the patients had an ophthalmologic examination with a retinal angiography. Laser photocoagulation with green Argon laser was instituted in 50 eyes. 63% had background rethinopathy. Total or partial regression of the edema happened in 84.4%. Laser photocoagulation decrease by the half vision loss risk. Interest of early detection and treatment to decrease blindness incidence of macular edema in diabetics.

[Primary open-angle glaucoma and diabetes]. / Glaucome primitif à angle ouvert et diabète.

UNLABELLED: Open-angle glaucoma is most frequent in diabetics. Its evolution seems to be most severe although an equilibrated tonometry under glaucoma treatment in literature. AIM OF THE STUDY: comparison of evolution of glaucoma between diabetics and non diabetics. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective study of 72 glaucomatous patients diabetic and non diabetic was performed. A complete ophthalmologic examination with tonometry, funduscopy: sup disc measurement and automated perimetry was realised. Evolution was studied after chirurgical or medical treatment each four months with a mean follow up of 2 years. RESULTS: We observed that the evolution of Open-angle glaucoma in diabetics is significatively not different from non diabetics. CONCLUSION: Open-angle glaucoma evolution in diabetics is not more severe than general population.

[Value of clindamycin in the treatment of ocular toxoplasmosis]. / Intérêt de la clindamycine dans le traitement de la toxoplasmose oculaire.

PURPOSE: Chorioretinal toxoplasmosis can threaten visual function when located in the posterior pole. The aim of this study was to compare the advantages and disadvantage of combination of malocid-sulfadiazine and clindamycin subconjunctivally. METHODS: Two groups of patients affected by unilateral chorioretinal toxoplasmosis were studied. The diagnosis was performed in 77% of cases on acqueous humor analysis. The first group of twenty-six patients was treated with a combination of malocid-sulfadiazine while the second group (seventeen patients) was treated with clindamycin subconjunctivally. Local and general corticosteroids were associated in all cases. Mean follow-up was 19 months in the first group and 16.5 months in the second. RESULTS: Visual acuity was increased in 88.5% of cases in the first group and in 94% of cases in the second group. Cicatrization obtained in both groups was comparably delayed 1.68 months for the first and 1.26 months for the second. Recurrences were rarely observed in the two groups: respectively 8% and 6% of cases. No local and general complication was noted. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest the advantages of subconjunctival clindamycin treatment due to the absence of general hematological toxicity.

[Wermer syndrome associated with a bilateral renal tumor]. / Syndrome de Wermer associé à une tumeur rénale bilatérale.

Wermer's syndrome is a polyendocrinopathy characterized by neoplasia of the parathyroidis, pancreas and the pituitary. We report a case, unique in our knowledge, of an unusual association of a bilateral renal tumors and Wermer's syndrome. The originality of this case is: Bilateral renal blow. Therapeutic difficulties. This manifestation may represent a new manifestation of this pleiotropic syndrome.

[The cornea of diabetics]. / La cornée du diabétique.

PURPOSE: The aim of the study is to investigate corneal sensitivity and the risk factors of corneal hypoesthaesia in diabetics. METHODS: General examination and full ophthalmologic examination completed by exploration of corneal sensitivity were performed in one hundred thirty diabetic patients. RESULTS: Eleven per cent of patients showed microkystic oedema, whereas corneal hypoesthaesia was found in 45% of cases. Corneal hypoesthaesia was correlated with the duration and balance of diabetic mellitus, the age of patients and the presence of diabetic retinopathy. On the other hand, peripheral neuropathy was found in 88% of cases. CONCLUSION: Ophthalmologic examination of diabetics should not be limited to retina only but should also include the entire eye ball and especially the cornea in patients with high risk.