[The consequences of the lockdown on cardiovascular diseases]. / Les conséquences du confinement sur les maladies cardiovasculaires.

BACKGROUND: The Sars COV-2 infection causing the covid-19 disease has started in December 2019 inWuhan, China, then spread quickly to more than 100 countries in less than 3 months. On March, 11th the WHO declared officially the pandemic of Covid 19. In the absence of an effective treatment of the SARS-Cov2 the measures of social distancing and lockdown remain the most effectives ways against the pandemic. However, these measures can have repercussions in particular on patients followed for chronic diseases, the goal of our study will be to evaluate the impact of the lockdown on non-Covid cardiac patients. METHODS: We have chosen a random sample of patients followed in the cardiology department of the CHU Tangier Tetouan Alhouceima, and we collected their demographic data as well as the symptoms, vital constants, lifestyle before and 60 days after the lockdown. RESULTS: A total of 100 patients were included in the study. The average age of our population is 55.34 years±15.86. The average BMI (body mass index) is 26.40 Kg/m2±5.84. The coronary artery disease was present in 27% of the patients, valvular disease in 40% and heart failure in 37%. Finally, arrhythmias appear in 22% and more than the half of our sample has high blood pressure. We noted a significant weight gain of 1.71 Kg (P<0.000) after 60 days of lockdown, with an increase of BMI of 0,58 kg/m2 (P<0,005). The percentage of patients with SBP (systolic blood pressure) ≥140mmHg has evolved from 38 to 44%, thus an increase of 6 % (P<0,0001), while the percentage of the patients with DBP (diastolic blood pressure) ≥90mmHg has passed from 21 to 15 % (thus a decrease of 6 %, P<0,0001). Twenty patients stop smoking, thus a decrease of 7% (P<0,0001). The sedentary lifestyle rate presented an elevation of 22% (P<0,0001). The daily calorie intake has increased of 35,4 % and 46,8 % of the patients increased their salt intake by more than 4 g per day. The increase of the daily calorie intake concerned more the men than the women (41,9 % of men vs 31,3 % of the women). In the population with high blood pressure, we have not observed a statistically significant difference of the SBP, the DBP and the heart rate between the beginning and two months after the lockdown. Concerning patients with heart Failure, we have noted an worsen of the symptoms of HF. Thus, 8,1% of the patients presenting a stage two dyspnea has passed to a stage three of the NYHA (32,4 vs 40,5%), while the percentage of patients with lower limbs edema has increased of 13,5% but in a non-statistically significant way (P=0,267). We have noticed a diet gap with an increase of salt intakes (more than 4g per day) in more than the half of this subpopulation (55,6 %) during the period of the lockdown. In the subpopulation of patients with valvular pathology, we have identified a worsening of the dyspnea in 7,5% of the patients; this one has passed from stage two to stage three of the NHYA with an increase of the percentage of patients with lower limbs edema from 7,5% to 25% (P=0,065). Furthermore, we have noticed an incidence of 10% of cardiovascular events (2 cases of myocardial infarction [among which one has deceased], one death because of end stage heart failure, three hospitalizations for congestive heart failure, two cases of aortic dissections and 2 cases of rapid atrial fibrillation). OUR OBSERVATION: Depending on the results of this study, the sanitary lockdown induced important repercussions on the patients followed for cardiac diseases, hence the necessity of an awareness of these patients, and mostly a restructuring of our care system strongly disturbed by the Covid 19.

New Insight in the Q

Virtual Compton scattering on the proton has been investigated at three yet unexplored values of the four-momentum transfer Q^{2}: 0.10, 0.20, and 0.45 GeV^{2}, at the Mainz Microtron. Fits performed using either the low-energy theorem or dispersion relations allowed the extraction of the structure functions P_{LL}-P_{TT}/ε and P_{LT}, as well as the electric and magnetic generalized polarizabilities α_{E1}(Q^{2}) and ß_{M1}(Q^{2}). These new results show a smooth and rapid falloff of α_{E1}(Q^{2}), in contrast to previous measurements at Q^{2}=0.33 GeV^{2}, and provide for the first time a precise mapping of ß_{M1}(Q^{2}) in the low-Q^{2} region.

A glimpse of gluons through deeply virtual compton scattering on the proton.

The internal structure of nucleons (protons and neutrons) remains one of the greatest outstanding problems in modern nuclear physics. By scattering high-energy electrons off a proton we are able to resolve its fundamental constituents and probe their momenta and positions. Here we investigate the dynamics of quarks and gluons inside nucleons using deeply virtual Compton scattering (DVCS)-a highly virtual photon scatters off the proton, which subsequently radiates a photon. DVCS interferes with the Bethe-Heitler (BH) process, where the photon is emitted by the electron rather than the proton. We report herein the full determination of the BH-DVCS interference by exploiting the distinct energy dependences of the DVCS and BH amplitudes. In the regime where the scattering is expected to occur off a single quark, measurements show an intriguing sensitivity to gluons, the carriers of the strong interaction.

Rosenbluth Separation of the π

We report the first longitudinal-transverse separation of the deeply virtual exclusive π^{0} electroproduction cross section off the neutron and coherent deuteron. The corresponding four structure functions dσ_{L}/dt, dσ_{T}/dt, dσ_{LT}/dt, and dσ_{TT}/dt are extracted as a function of the momentum transfer to the recoil system at Q^{2}=1.75 GeV^{2} and x_{B}=0.36. The ed→edπ^{0} cross sections are found compatible with the small values expected from theoretical models. The en→enπ^{0} cross sections show a dominance from the response to transversely polarized photons, and are in good agreement with calculations based on the transversity generalized parton distributions of the nucleon. By combining these results with previous measurements of π^{0} electroproduction off the proton, we present a flavor decomposition of the u and d quark contributions to the cross section.

Rosenbluth Separation of the π

We present deeply virtual π^{0} electroproduction cross-section measurements at x_{B}=0.36 and three different Q^{2} values ranging from 1.5 to 2 GeV^{2}, obtained from Jefferson Lab Hall A experiment E07-007. The Rosenbluth technique is used to separate the longitudinal and transverse responses. Results demonstrate that the cross section is dominated by its transverse component and, thus, is far from the asymptotic limit predicted by perturbative quantum chromodynamics. Nonetheless, an indication of a nonzero longitudinal contribution is provided by the measured interference term σ_{LT}. Results are compared with several models based on the leading-twist approach of generalized parton distributions (GPDs). In particular, a fair agreement is obtained with models in which the scattering amplitude includes convolution terms of chiral-odd (transversity) GPDs of the nucleon with the twist-3 pion distribution amplitude. This experiment, together with previous extensive unseparated measurements, provides strong support to the exciting idea that transversity GPDs can be accessed via neutral pion electroproduction in the high-Q^{2} regime.

[Tongue base schwannoma in a child]. / Schwannome de la base de la langue chez l'enfant.

INTRODUCTION: A schwannoma is a benign slow growing tumor originating from the peripheral nerve sheath. Its tongue base location is extremely rare, especially in very young patients. CASE REPORT: A 15-year-old female patient was admitted in emergency for moderate hematemesis. The clinical examination revealed swelling of the tongue base, causing the bleeding. This lesion had appeared when she was 3years of age and no treatment was done. A complete surgical excision was performed and the histopathological examination allowed diagnosing a tongue base schwannoma. The postoperative outcome was uneventful, and no recurrence was detected 6months after surgery. DISCUSSION: The particularities of this report are the patient's very young age and the tumor's tongue base location. The prognosis is usually good after complete excision, if there is only one tumor. Type 2 neurofibromatosis should be excluded, given the risk of malignant degeneration.

Innovative methods to assess upper limb strength and function in non-ambulant Duchenne patients.

Upper limb assessment in non-ambulant patients remains a challenge. We have designed new tools to precisely assess pinch (MyoPinch), grip (MyoGrip), wrist flexion and extension (MyoWrist) strength. We have also designed a new tool to assess the ability of patients to produce repetitive flexion/extension movements of wrist and fingers (MoviPlate). We have assessed the feasibility and reliability of these new tools in 30 non-ambulant patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and in 30 age-matched male controls. Existing measures, such as Motor Function Measure, Tapping, and the Brooke Upper Extremity Functional Rating Scale were also performed. Results demonstrated that assessments were feasible in nearly all upper limbs tested for MyoGrip, MyoPinch and MoviPlate. The reliability of all tests, including MyoWrist which was not feasible in the patients presenting with contractures, was excellent in patients as in controls. Motor capacities decrease with the number of months spent in the wheelchair. The scores in the tests were partially correlated with each other, and with clinical measures such as vital capacity, Motor Function Measure, functional hand scale and Brooke score. This study validates a panel of upper limb muscle strength and function measures for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy which can be applied from controls to extremely weak patients.

Antibacterial activity of the essential oils from the leaves of Eucalyptus globulus against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the in vitro antimicrobial activities of essential oil of the leaves of Eucalyptus globulus (E. globulus). METHODS: The essential oils of this plant were obtained by the hydrodistillation method. The inhibitory effects of this essential oil were tested against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) by using agar disc diffusion and dilution broth methods. RESULTS: The results obtained showed that essential oil of the leaves of E. globulus has antimicrobial activity against gram negative bacteria (E. coli) as well as gram positive bacteria (S. aureus). CONCLUSION: The encouraging results indicate the essential oil of E. globulus leaves might be exploited as natural antibiotic for the treatment of several infectious diseases caused by these two germs, and could be useful in understanding the relations between traditional cures and current medicines.

[Mycobacterial cervical lymphadenitis: role of surgery]. / Adénopathies cervicales tuberculeuses: place de la chirurgie.

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the place of surgery in the management of mycobacterial cervical lymphadenitis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: It's a retrospective study (1982-2002) about 246 patients treated in the ENT department of Farhat Hached Sousse for cervical lymph node tuberculosis. Resolution was considered when neither symptoms nor lymphadenopathy in examination were noted. RESULTS: The mean age of our patients was 28 years. A light female prevalence was noted. In 5 patients diagnosis was established by lymph node punction. A medical treatment of first intention was then managed with a failure in 3 cases, after deadlines from 3 to 4 months. All other patients were operated: cellulolymphadenectomy (47%), adenectomy (47%) or drainage of a cervical abscess (4%). Recurrence and antituberculosis treatment resistance were noted respectively in 6% and 3% of cases. DISCUSSION: Two questions are still discussed in the management of mycobacterial cervical lymphadenitis: 1- Is surgery necessary for the diagnosis? 2- When is surgery indicated directly? Histological specimen established the diagnosis in all cases and excluded a mestastatic lymph node. In some situations surgery must be indicated at first: cold abscess, lymph node fistulation. CONCLUSION: Surgery still has an important place in the treatment of tuberculosis lymphadenopathy.