Risk of herpes zoster among diabetics: a matched cohort study in a US insurance claim database before introduction of vaccination, 1997–2006

Abstract Purpose To assess whether diabetes is a risk factor for herpes zoster (HZ). Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the Integrated Health Care Information Services database, during the period 1997–2006. A type I diabetes cohort, a type II diabetes cohort and two non-diabetic cohorts matched for date of enrolment and duration of follow-up were defined. HZ and diabetes were defined using a combination of ICD-9 and prescription drug codes. Individuals with immunosuppressive conditions or treatments were excluded. Cox Proportional Hazards regression analysis using a stepwise method with backward elimination was applied to estimate the hazard ratios (HR) of HZ, including age, gender and co-morbidities as covariates. Results The study population comprised 380,401 and 20,397 type II and type I diabetic subjects respectively, as well as 1,521,604 and 81,588 matched controls. The median ages were 55, 35, 33 and 29 years, respectively. HZ incidence was 4.59, 2.13, 1.97, and 1.82 per 1,000 person-years, respectively. There was no evidence of an impact of type I diabetes on the risk of HZ. Type II diabetes was associated with an increased risk for HZ in subjects ≥65 (HR 3.12; 95 % CI 2.77–3.52, adjusted for gender) and in subjects between 40 and 64 (HR 1.51; 95 % CI 1.42–1.61) years of age. Cardiac disease and chronic pulmonary disease were also risk factors (HR 1.92; 95 % CI 1.73–2.13 and HR 1.52; 95 % CI 1.38–1.67) in non-diabetic subjects. Conclusions This study suggests that type II diabetes is associated with an increased risk of developing HZ, which was particularly high in adults 65 years and older and moderately increased in adults under 65 years of age. </jats:sec

Laboratory, field and airborne spectroscopy for monitoring organic carbon content in agricultural soils

This study explains the potential and the limits of a field ASD spectrometer and a CASI airborne instrument to assess the Soil Organic Carbon, in the context of soil carbon mapping

Qualité des eaux de surface dans la vallée du Sourou : cas des rivières Mouhoun, Sourou, Debe et Gana au Burkina Faso.

Dans le cadre d’une gestion participative des eaux dans la vallée du Sourou, un suivi de la qualité des eaux des rivières Mouhoun, Sourou, Débé et Gana a été réalisé en Novembre 2007, Février 2008 et Juin 2008. Les analyses physico-chimiques et bactériologiques ont mis en évidence la relation entre les activités anthropiques et la qualité physico-chimique et bactériologique des plans d’eau particulièrement sur certains sites. Les concentrations de nitrates relativement plus élevées dans les eaux à Di aval (9,2 mg/L) et Débé aval (5,6 mg/L) en début d’hivernage sont liées principalement aux pratiques agricoles aux abords des plans d’eau. L’abreuvement intensif d’animaux au point de contrôle du Gana et les activités domestiques à Toma-île sont la cause de fortes contaminations fécales des eaux : 12200 UFC/100 ml pour Escherichia coli et 12800 UFC/100 ml pour les eaux du Gana contre 1260 et 5000 UFC/100 ml respectivement pour les eaux en aval de Toma-île. Les pollutions apparaissent plus prononcées en période sèche et d’harmattan et particulièrement en début d’hivernage. D’une manière générale, les eaux des petits réservoirs comme celui du Gana sont plus sensibles aux pollutions que celles des grands réservoirs (Mouhoun, Sourou, Débé) caractérisés par une qualité différenciée des eaux d’un emplacement à un autre

Macrophyte biological index for rivers (MBIR) application for an ecological assessment of walloon rivers, prelilminary investigations.

Samples were collected from 45 sites along the Walloon river network in 2007, in accordance with the Water Framework Directive (WFD, European Union, 2000), used to define the overall ecological status of rivers. Within each collected sample, macrophyte data were gathered at species level and the main water quality parameters were analyzed. This involved the use of two approaches: firstly, methods of ordination and classification (Principal Component Analysis and Multiple Factorial Analysis) and secondly, aquatic macrophyte community indexes. The Macrophyte Biological Index for Rivers (MBIR) was used to define the ecological status of the macrophyte community in response to eutrophication pressure. Four trophic qualities were detected in all the monitored stations: 56% of the sites showed a good trophic quality, with the Ardennes region in the leading position and only 2% of the sites showed a poor trophic quality. A Multiple Factorial Analysis (MFA) made it possible to regroup the species according to their ecological affinities and to specify their indicator values in relation to some abiotic parameters. As a result, a rivers typology was outlined based on this analysis. The dendrogram of the Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) gave three clusters determined by active variables of each compartment that defined functional parts of the Walloon network: Chiloscyphus polyanthos (L.) Corda, Rhynchostegium riparioides(Hedw.)C.Jens., Fontinalis squamosa(Hedw) and Ranunculus penicillatus (Dum.)Bb. showed an oligotrophic status and low mineralization in the Ardennes (GI), while P. pectinatus(Linne), Cladophora glomerata(Linnaeus)proved to be found more often in eutrophicated waters in the Region limoneuse (GIII). Pellia endvifolia (Dicks.)Dum, Fissidens crassipes(Br.Eur);Cinclidotus riparius (Web. & Mohr.) appeared in the Condroz and Famenne, rivers characterized by a high concentration of nitrogen (N-35. NO3-) (GII)

A new generation of hydrocolloid dressings in combination with topical corticosteroids in the treatment of psoriasis vulgaris

Aim : A clinical, randomized, parallel, multicenter study was undertaken to compare the efficacy and Ihe tolerability of two known steroid creams, betamethasone 17-valerate and clobetasol propionate, alone or left under a hydrocolloid dressing (Contreei'* Derma Cover), in the treatment of chronic plaques of psoriasis. Methods : A total of 70 patients with symmetrical localized psoriasis were divided randomly into two groups for the study. Each patient applied ihe corticosteroid preparation under Contreet° Derma Cover once a week on one plaque and the same topical corticosteroid alone h.i.d on the other plaque; the treatment lasted 3 weeks for betamethasone 17-valerate, and 2 weeks for clobetasol propionate. Results : The heahng rate reached 79% with the Contreet" combined treatment versus 15% (P < 0,0001) with the standard treatment for betamethasone 17-valeratc (group I) and Sb% versus 14*70 (P < 0. 0001) for clobetasol propionate (group It). The mean difference in healing rate was 65% {95% confidence interval (C.I), 46-84%) and 69% (95% CL, 50-87%) in groups I and II, respectively. Conclusion : The use of the new generation of hydrocolloid dressings in combination with steroid preparations can be considered as another therapeutic option for the treatment of chronic localized psoriatic lesions. Furthermore, with this method the amount of the topical corticosteroid used can be reduced