O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar a hipótese que condições orais (uso de prótese dentária removível, machucados recorrentes devidos a prótese mal adaptada ou a dentes mal posicionados ou quebrados, consumo freqüente de bebidas quentes e escovação dentaria irregular ou pouco freqüente) poderiam interagir com tabaco, álcool, padrão alimentar e condição socioeconômica na carcinogênese oral. Foi realizado estudo de caso-controle de base hospitalar (Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo), com 124 pacientes (22 mulheres e 102 homens) com câncer de boca e igual número de controles sem experiência de câncer atendidos no mesmo hospital para condições não relacionadas à boca. Os pacientes do grupo caso apresentavam neoplasia em diferentes sítios da boca: mucosa jugal (5), área retromolar (6), lábio inferior, aspecto interno (10), gengiva (11), palato (17), assoalho bucal (27) e língua (48). A seleção dos pacientes do grupo controle observou pareamento individual por sexo e idade (± cinco anos) com o grupo caso; e pareamento por freqüência quanto à condição de fumantes ou ex-fumantes (não-fumantes não foram incluídos no estudo). Todos os participantes do estudo responderam um questionário detalhando características sócio-demográficas, padrão de consumo de bebidas alcoólicas e tabaco, hábitos alimentares e informações sobre as condições orais de interesse do estudo. A análise estatística usou modelos multivariados de regressão logística condicional, com estrutura hierárquica dos níveis de determinação. Como resultado desse procedimento de análise, indicou-se que o uso de prótese dentária não associou com câncer de boca (p=0,090); no entanto, a lembrança de feridas recorrentes na mucosa oral devido ao uso de prótese mal adaptada teve associação positiva com a chance da doença (p=0,007). A lembrança de machucados por dentes quebrados ou fora de oclusão não associou com câncer de boca em fumantes (p=0,084). A associação entre câncer de boca e consumo de bebidas quentes ficou no limiar da significância estatística (p=0,050). Machucados recorrentes na mucosa oral, devido a próteses mal adaptadas pode ser um fator que contribui com a carcinogênese dos tumores da boca em fumantes; e esse resultado não seria devido à falta de controle pelos demais fatores relevantes na determinação do câncer bucal. / The aim of this study was to assess the hypothesis that conditions of mouth status (the use of dentures, recurrent sores by ill-fitting dentures or ill-positioned or broken teeth, frequent intake of hot beverages and irregular or infrequent tooth brushing) may interact with tobacco, alcohol, diet and socioeconomic status in the carcinogenesis of oral cancer. We performed a hospital-based (\"Hospital das Clínicas\", School of Medicine, University of São Paulo) case-control study comprising 124 patients (22 women and 102 men) with oral cancer, and the same number of controls without previous or current experience of cancer and with treatment needs unrelated to mouth status. Patients in the case group presented tumors at different sites of the mouth: cheek mucosa (5), retromolar area (6), lower lip, inner aspect (10), gum (11), palate (17), floor of mouth (27) and tongue (48). The selection of controls observed the concurrent pairing for gender and age (± five years) with cases, and matching by frequency by smoking status: current or former smokers (never-smokers were not included in the study). All participants responded a detailed questionnaire on socio-demographic characteristics, patterns of alcohol and tobacco consumption, dietary habits and information on conditions of mouth status. Data analysis used multivariate models of conditional logistic regression, observing a hierarchical structure of levels of determination. As a result of this analytical scheme, the use of dentures was reported as not associated with the adjusted odds of mouth cancer (p=0.090). When adjusted by covariates on smoking, alcohol drinking and diet, the association of recurrent sores caused by ill-fitting dentures with the odds of mouth cancer was significant (p=0.007). However, recurrent sores by defective teeth were not indicated as a significant contributing factor for the odds of oral cancer in smokers. The association between mouth cancer and the frequent intake of hot beverage was assessed at the threshold of significance (p=0.050). Recurrent oral sores due to ill-fitting dentures may be a contributing factor for the carcinogenesis of mouth neoplasms in smokers; and this result is unlikely to be due to insufficient control of covariates.

Com o objetivo de avaliar a hipótese de redução da sensibilidade do hemicampo nasal do campo visual, o que aumentaria a assimetria temporal-nasal dos hemicampos, nos pacientes com estrabismo convergente de aparecimento precoce (antes de dois anos de idade) em comparação aos normais, foram estudados os dois olhos de 66 pacientes, 33 estrábicos e 33 normais, com idade que variou de 7 a 30 anos, com o método da perimetria estática, utilizando-se o programa SITA Standard, do perímetro Humphrey HFA-II Série 700. / With the objective of analysing the hypothesis that a reduction in sensitivity of the nasal hemifield, that in turn would lead to an increase in the nasotemporal asymmetry of the visual field, in patients with early onset convergent strabismus - before 2 years of age - if compared to normal patients, both eyes of 66 patients - 33 esotropes and 33 normal - were studied. Patient's age varied from 7 - 30 years. The method of examination was that of Static Perimetry utilizing the Sita Standard program, of the Humphrey perimeter HFA II 700 Series. The results depicted a clear accentuation of the nasotemporal asymmetry in esotropes if compared to normal patients. This asymmetry was due to the evident decrease of sensitivity in the most peripheral of the chosen points of study. The quantitative sum of values of sensitivity of these points exhibited an average reduction of -15,71% in relation to the normal patients. For both groups, normal and esotropes, there was no difference in values of sensitivity between the to eyes.

Introdução: Tem se afirmado que não há a possibilidade de haver melhora da estabilidade dinâmica postural utilizando exercícios na água, isto é, onde a gravidade apresenta-se diminuída. Neste estudo randomizado e controlado avaliamos e comparamos a estabilidade dinâmica postural em indivíduos saudáveis que realizaram exercícios sensório-motor no solo ou na água. Métodos: Através do Biodex Balance System®, foram avaliados os limites de estabilidade postural, antes e após um programa de exercícios, de 60 indivíduos saudáveis do sexo masculino divididos em 3 grupos (solo, piscina e controle). Os indivíduos dos grupos solo e piscina realizaram um treinamento sensório-motor por 2 meses no solo e na água respectivamente; o grupo controle não realizou nenhum tipo de exercício. Resultados: 1) Foram encontradas diferenças significativas na estabilidade dinâmica entre o grupo solo e controle; 2) Foram encontradas diferenças significativas na estabilidade dinâmica entreo grupo piscina e controle; 3) Não foram encontradas diferenças significativas entre o grupo solo e piscina. Conclusões: realizar exercícios sensório-motor melhora a estabilidade postural em indivíduos saudáveis do sexo masculino, sem diferenças significativas entre os ambientes de treino (solo e água) comparados / Introduction: It has been stated that there is no way to improve dynamic postural stability using exercises in water, i.e. where there is reduced gravity. In this controlled, randomized study, we evaluate and compare postural dynamic stability in healthy individuals who performed sensory-motor exercises on the ground or in water. Methods: Through the Biodex Balance System®, the limits of postural stability were evaluated before and after a program of exercises, in 60 healthy males, divided into three groups (ground, swimming pool and control). The individuals in the ground and swimming pool groups carried out sensorial-motor training for two months, on the ground and in the water, respectively; the control group did not perform any kind of exercises. Results: 1) Significant differences were found in dynamic stability between the ground and control groups; 2) Significant differences were found in dynamic stability between the swimming pool and control groups; 3) No significant differences were found between the ground and swimming pool groups. Conclusions: performing sensory-motor exercises improves postural stability in healthy males, without significant differences between the training environments (ground and water) compared in this study

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Civil Engineering / Sunanda Dissanayake / Lane-departure crashes are the most predominant crash type in Kansas which causes very high number of motor vehicle fatalities. Therefore, the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) has implemented several different types of countermeasures to reduce the number of motor vehicle fatalities associated with lane-departure crashes. This research was conducted to estimate the safety effectiveness of commonly used lane-departure countermeasures in Kansas on all crashes and lane-departure crashes using Crash Modification Factors (CMFs). Paved shoulders, rumble strips, safety edge treatments and median cable barriers were identified as the commonly used lane-departure countermeasures on both tangent and curved road segments while chevrons and post-mounted delineators were identified as the most commonly used lane-departure countermeasures on curved road segments. This research proposes a state-of-art method of estimating CMFs using cross-sectional data for chevrons and post-mounted delineators. Furthermore, another state-of-art method is proposed in this research to estimate CMFs for safety edge treatments using before-and-after data. Considering the difficulties of finding the exact date of implementation of each countermeasure, both cross-sectional and before-and-after studies were employed to estimate the CMFs. Cross-sectional and case-control methods, which are the two major methods in cross-sectional studies were employed to estimate CMFs for paved shoulders, rumble strips, and median cable barriers. The conventional cross-sectional and case-control methods were modified when estimating CMFs for chevrons and post-mounted delineators by incorporating environmental and human behaviors in addition to geometric and traffic-related explanatory variables. The proposed method is novel and has not been used in the previous cross-sectional models available in the literature. Generalized linear regression models assuming negative binomial error structure were used to develop models for cross-sectional method to estimate CMFs while logistic regression models were used to estimate CMFs using case-control method. Results showed that incorporating environmental and human-related variables into cross-sectional models provide better model fit than in conventional cross-sectional models. To validate the developed models for cross-sectional method, mean of the residuals and the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) were used. For the case-control method, Receiver Operational Characteristic (ROC) was used to evaluate the predictive power of models for a binary outcome using classification tables. However, it was seen that the case-control method is not suitable for estimating CMFs for all crashes since the range of the crash frequency is wide in each road segment. A regression-based method of estimating CMFs using before-and-after data was proposed to estimate CMFs for safety edge treatments. This method allows researchers to identify the safety effectiveness of an individual CMFs on road segments where multiple treatments have been applied at the same time. Since this method uses road geometric and traffic-related characteristics in addition to countermeasure information as the explanatory variables, the model itself would be the Safety Performance Function (SPF). Therefore, developing new SPF is not necessary. Finally, the CMFs were estimated using before-and-after Empirical Bayes method to validate the results from the regression-based method. The results of this study can be used as a decision-making tool when implementing lane-departure countermeasures on similar roadways in Kansas. Even though there are readily available CMFs from the national level studies, having more localized CMFs will be beneficial due to differences in traffic-related and geometric characteristics on different roadways.

Abstract Background: Maternal mortality is one of the most sensitive indicators of the health disparities between poorer and richer nations. It is also one of the most difficult health outcomes to measure reliably. In many settings, major challenges remain in terms of both measuring and reducing maternal mortality effectively. This thesis aims to quantify overall levels, identify specific causes, and evaluate local interventions in relation to efforts to reduce maternal mortality in Tigray Region, Northern Ethiopia, thereby providing a strong empirical basis for decision making by the Tigray Regional Health Bureau using methods that can be scaled at national level.   Methods: This study employed a combination of community-based study designs to investigate the level and determinants of maternal mortality in six randomly selected rural districts of Tigray Region. A census of all households in the six districts was conducted to identify all live births and all deaths to women of reproductive age occurring between May 2012 and September 2013. Pregnancy-related deaths were screened through verbal autopsy with the data processed using the InterVA-4 model, which was used to estimate Maternal Mortality Ratio. To identify independent determinants of maternal mortality, a case-control study using multiple logistic regression analysis was done, taking all pregnancy-related deaths as cases and a random sample of geographical and age matched mothers as controls. Uptake of ambulance services in the six districts was determined retrospectively from ambulance logbooks, and the trends in pregnancy-related death were analyzed against ambulance utilization, distance from nearest health center, and mobile network coverage at local area level. Lastly, implementation of the Family Folder paper health register, and its potential for accurately capturing demographic and health events, were evaluated using a capture-recapture assessment.   Results: A total of 181 deaths to women of reproductive age and 19,179 live births were documented from May 2012 to April2013. Of the deaths, 51 were pregnancy-related. The maternal mortality ratio for Tigray region was calculated at 266 deaths per 100,000 live births (95% CI 198-350), which is consistently lower than previous “top down” MMR estimates. District–level MMRs showed strong inverse correlation with population density (r2 = 0.86). Direct obstetric causes accounted for 61% of all pregnancy–related deaths, with hemorrhage accounting for 34%. Non-membership in the voluntary Women’s Development Army (AOR 2.07, 95% CI 1.04-4.11), low husband or partner involvement during pregnancy (AOR 2.19, 95% CI 1.14-4.18), pre-existing history of other illness (AOR 5.58, 95% CI 2.17-14.30), and never having used contraceptives (AOR 2.58, 95% CI 1.37-4.85) were associated with increased risk of maternal death in a multivariable regression model. In addition, utilization of free ambulance transportation service was strongly associated with reduced MMR at district level. Districts with above-average ambulance utilization had an MMR of 149 per 100,000 LB (95% CI: 77-260) compared with 350 per 100,000 (95% CI: 249-479) in districts with below average utilization. The Family Folder implementation assessment revealed some inconsistencies in the way Health Extension Workers utilize the Family Folders to record demographic and health events.   Conclusion: This work contributes to understanding the status of and factors affecting maternal mortality in Tigray Region. It introduces a locally feasible approach to MMR estimation and gives important insights in to the effectiveness of various interventions that have been targeted at reducing maternal mortality in recent years.

Após o primeiro ano de transplante cardíaco (TC) o desenvolvimento da doença coronária do transplante se torna a principal causa de morbidade e mortalidade desses pacientes. Neste período, aproximadamente 40% dos pacientes com (TC) desenvolvem hiperlipidemias que contribuem para a gênese da doença coronária do transplante. Alterações no metabolismo lipídico, entre elas, no metabolismo dos quilomícrons e da lipoproteína de baixa densidade (LDL) já foram reportadas no pós transplante. Por outro lado, a concentração da lipoproteína de alta densidade (HDL) nesses pacientes é ainda controversa. Tem sido reportado que a avaliação somente da concentração da HDL não é o suficiente para avaliar todo o papel protetor, portanto aspectos funcionais da HDL devem ser testados. Neste estudo, a propriedade fundamental da HDL de receber lipídeos das outras lipoproteínas foi avaliada em pacientes com TC, através da lipoproteína artificial (LDE). Foi também avaliado o diâmetro da HDL e a sua enzima antioxidante, a paraxonase 1 (PON1). Foram estudados 20 pacientes com TC e 20 indivíduos normolipidêmicos pareados por sexo, idade e índice de massa corpórea. Amostras de sangue foram coletadas, após jejum de 12hs, para determinação do perfil lipídico, glicose, atividade da PON1, diâmetro da HDL e transferência de lipídeos da LDE para a HDL. A concentração de colesterol total e LDL-colesterol não foram diferentes entre os grupos, enquanto a concentração de HDL_colesterol foi menor no grupo TC (p=0.01). A concentração de triglicérides no TC foi aproximadamente 40% (p=0.001). A concentração de apo A-I e apo B foram similares entre os grupos. A glicose plasmática está aumentada nos pacientes transplantados (p=0.008). O diâmetro da HDL é menor nos pacientes do grupo TC quando comparados ao do grupo controle (p=0.047), enquanto a atividade da PON1 não diferiu entre os grupos. A transferência de colesterol e éster de colesterol da LDE para a HDL foi menor em pacientes com TC quando comparados aos controles (p= 0,045 and 0,003 respectivamente). Por outro lado, não encontramos diferenças entre os grupos na transferência de triglicérides e fosfolípides. Os resultados nos mostram que a transferência de colesterol e éster de colesterol está diminuída no TC. Como o éster de colesterol é o principal constituinte do núcleo da HDL, a menor transferência de colesterol para a HDL pode ter contribuído para o menor diâmetro da HDL observado neste grupo. Estas alterações no metabolismo da HDL podem potencialmente desestabilizar o pool de colesterol plasmático e o transporte reverso de colesterol. Este achado pode contribuir para o acelerado processo aterosclerótico que frequentemente ocorre nestes pacientes. / After the first year from the transplantation procedure transplant coronary heart disease becomes a major complication and the leading cause of late morbity and mortality of those patients. After the first year, roughly 40% of heart transplantation (HT) patients develop hyperlipidemias what is implicated in the genesis of transplant coronary heart disease. Alterations in plasma lipid metabolism such as disturbed chylomicron and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) metabolism were also reported. On the other hand, levels of high-densitylipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol are controversy in those patients. It has been perceived that the estimation of the lipoprotein concentration does not suffice to evaluate the overall HDL protective role and that the functional aspects of the lipoprotein should be tested. In this study, the fundamental property of HDL to receive lipids from other lipoproteins modeled by a artificial lipoprotein (LDE) was tested in HT patients, together with size and the HDL-associated antioxidant paraxonase 1 (PON 1). We studied 20 heart transplantation patients and 20 healthy normolipidemic subjects paired for sex, age and body mass index. Blood samples were collected after 12h fasting, for determination plasma lipids, glucose, paraxonase 1 activity, HDL size and transfer of lipids from LDE to HDL. The total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol concentration did not differ in the two groups, whereas HDL cholesterol was smaller in HT (p=0.01). Triglycerides were roughly 40% greater than those of the controls (p=0.001). Apo A-I e apo B concentration values were similar comparing HT patients with controls. Plasma glucose was greater in HT than in controls (p=0.008). HDL particle diameter was smaller in HT patients then in controls (p=0.047), whereas the activity of PON 1 is not different in both groups. The transfer of cholesterol and cholesteryl ester from LDE to HDL were smaller in HT patients than in controls (p= 0.045 and 0.003, respectively). On the other hand, there was no difference in the transfer of triglycerides and phospholipids between HT patients and controls. The results showed that the acceptance of cholesterol and cholesteryl esters by the HDL fraction is diminished in HT. Since cholesteryl ester constitute most of the HDL core and cholesterol is transformed in cholesteryl ester, decreased acceptance of both cholesterol from other lipoprotein particles may account for the smaller HDL particle diameter found in the HT patient group. These alterations in HDL metabolism can potentially destabilizing the plasma cholesterol pool and the reverse cholesterol transport. This finding can contribute for the accelerated atherosclerotic process that commonly occurs in those patients.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess factors associated with the development of drug resistant tuberculosis in Ethiopia. DESIGN: A quantitative case-control study was conducted to determine if there were any significant differences in prevalence of pre-defined factors between cases and controls. METHODS: Cases were patients with drug resistant tuberculosis who had a confirmed diagnosis by culture drug-susceptibility or gene expert tests. Successfully treated, tuberculosis symptom free patients who had been on first-line tuberculosis treatment and who were registered as cured or treatment completed were taken as controls. An equal number of cases (N=181) and controls (N=181) was selected using a systematic random sampling method and was used in the study. A structured questionnaire developed by the researcher was used to collect data. Odds ratio and multiple logistic regression were used to quantify the strength of association between dependent and independent variables. RESULTS: The development of drug resistant tuberculosis was significantly associated with two or more previous episodes of tuberculosis illness (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 14.84; 95% CI 8.90 –24.75), previous first-line tuberculosis treatment not directly observed by a health worker for 7 to 8 weeks (AOR: 13.41; 95% CI 8.06 – 22.29) and previous first-line tuberculosis treatment outcome of failure (AOR: 39.19; 95% CI 12.05 -127.46). Interruption of first-line tuberculosis treatment for one day or more (AOR = 4.28; 95% CI 2.76 – 6.64) and history of treatment in the first-line tuberculosis treatment category for previously treated patients (AOR: 3.70; 95% CI 2.40 – 5.72) were also significantly associated with the development of drug resistant tuberculosis in the current study. CONCLUSION: Patients with a history of previous first-line tuberculosis treatment, patients who interrupted previous first-line tuberculosis treatment and patients with previous first-line tuberculosis treatment outcome of failure were at high risk of developing drug resistant tuberculosis. Therefore, the full course of first-line tuberculosis treatment should be given, following the Directly Observed Treatment (DOT) guide. Patients with recurrent tuberculosis and unfavourable first-line tuberculosis treatment outcome should be tested for drug susceptibility. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)

Le carcinome hépatocellulaire (CHC) est, dans le monde, le 5ème cancer le plus fréquent pour les hommes et le 7ème pour les femmes. En Europe, la France a un taux élevé à 7,8/100 000 habitants en 2018 (10 624 nouveaux cas estimés). Malgré les progrès, le pronostic du CHC est encore très sombre : il est la 4ème cause de mortalité par cancer au niveau mondial, avec une médiane de survie de 10 à 11 mois.Le CHC se développe dans 80% des cas sur une cirrhose due à une intoxication alcoolique chronique, une infection virale B ou C, ou plus rarement une pathologie métabolique. Les patients atteints de cirrhose ont un risque très élevé de développer un cancer mais également d’autres complications infectieuses liées à des processus d’inflammation chronique du foie. Il est donc indispensable d’identifier les facteurs intervenant dans le risque de complications et en particulier de CHC dans cette population pour mettre en place des actions préventives adaptées. L’alimentation est une source importante de composés bioactifs, en particulier pro- et anti-inflammatoires et représente un facteur modifiable potentiel. Les facteurs nutritionnels liés à la carcinogenèse hépatique sont donc encore mal définis. De plus, ces études ne sont pas toujours transposables dans une population aux habitudes alimentaires occidentales, et surtout n’ont pas été réalisées chez des patients atteints de cirrhose, pourtant les plus à risque de développer un CHC mais qui ont sans doute une alimentation spécifique.L’étude cas-témoin "CiRCE" (investigateur principal : Pr Hillon) offre l’opportunité de travailler sur les facteurs de risques environnementaux, nutritionnels et métaboliques du CHC chez des patients cirrhotiques, toute étiologie confondue. Cette étude est coordonnée par l’équipe EPICAD du centre de Recherche Inserm UMR 1231 « Lipides, Nutrition Cancer » avec le soutien du Centre d’Investigation Clinique Inserm1432/CHU de Dijon. Six centres hospitaliers (Besançon, Dijon, Metz, Nancy, Reims, Strasbourg) ont inclus entre 2008 et 2012 des malades atteints de cirrhose compliquée de CHC (428 cas) ou non compliquée de CHC (760 témoins). En plus du recueil standardisé de données cliniques, et d’une collection biologique, un questionnaire alimentaire a permis l’estimation de la consommation de 208 aliments, boissons et plats.La comparaison des cas et des témoins permet d’étudier le risque de CHC chez des patients atteints de cirrhose. L’ensemble de ces données constitue une base de travail très riche pour une thèse d’Université dans l’objectif de préciser le rôle des facteurs alimentaires dans la survenue de complications chez des patients atteints de cirrhose, en particulier la survenue d’un CHC. Plusieurs approches ont été abordées :1/ par aliments permettant de confirmer les hypothèses du WCRF/AICR mais chez des patients atteints de cirrhose2/ par profils de consommation alimentaire définis à priori permettant une approche plus intégrée de l’alimentation.3/Utilisation du Diet Inflammatory Index conçu pour estimer le potentiel inflammatoire de l’alimentation.4/ Focus les lipidesCes résultats qui manquaient encore dans la littérature pourraient amener à des recommandations nutritionnelles spécifiques à cette population de patients bien particulière et très à risque de complications graves et en particulier de CHC. / Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is worldwide the 5th most common diagnosed cancer in men and the 7th in women and the 4th cause of cancer death with a median survival between 10 and 11 months. The incidence rate in France is relatively high (7.8/100 000 with 10 624 estimated new cases in 2018). HCC prognosis is very poor due to the difficulty to diagnose it at an early stage. Around 80% of HCC occur in the setting of cirrhosis, mainly caused by alcoholism, chronic infections with HBV and HCV or metabolic syndrome. Cirrhotic patients have a high-risk to develop chronic inflammation or other liver complications that can progress toward cancer. Thus, it is important to identify the risk factors of these complications, and mainly HCC, in this specific population in order to define preventive tools.Diet is composed of several bioactive components and represents a modifiable factor with preventive potential. Associations between dietary factors and HCC risk have been little investigated and results were conflicting. It has been suggested that some foods, such as fruit, vegetables, fish and white meat, have a protective effect, whereas red and processed meat seem to be associated with an elevated risk of HCC. Strong evidence exists only for the relationship between liver carcinogenesis and coffee consumption. The previous results require confirmation especially in occidental countries and in such a high-risk population suffering from cirrhosis, for which food choices may differ.The French multicenter case-control study CiRCE (main investigator: Pr Hillon) was conducted to identify the environmental, nutritional and metabolic risk factors of developing HCC in cirrhotic patients with different etiologies. This study is coordinated by the EPICAD team from the National Institute for Health and Medical Research Inserm UMR1231 “Lipid Nutrition Cancer” with the collaboration of the Clinical Investigation Center of Dijon CHU. Between June 2008 and December 2012, cirrhotic patients with HCC (428 cases) or without HCC (760 controls) were recruited in six academic hospitals of the North-East of France (Besancon, Dijon, Metz, Nancy, Reims and Strasbourg). In addition to clinical data, every patient has to fill a diet history questionnaire that included 208 food items. A biobank has been also constituted.The comparisons between cases and controls allow investigating the HCC risk in cirrhotic patients.All these data are of great interest to investigate the relationships between dietary and metabolic factors and the risk of HCC or occurrence of complications in cirrhotic patients.

No description available.

Yes / To determine whether or not jugular venous reflux (JVR) is associated with structural brain parenchyma changes in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). 16 AD patients (mean (SD): 81.9 (5.8) years), 33 MCI patients (mean (SD): 81.4 (6.1) years) and 18 healthy elderly controls (mean (SD): 81.5 (3.4) years) underwent duplex ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging scans to quantify structural brain parenchyma changes. Normalized whole brain (WB), gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) volumes were collected, together with CSF volume. JVR was strongly associated with increased normalized WB (p = 0.014) and GM (p = 0.002) volumes across all three subject groups. There was a trend towards increased WB and GM volumes, which was accompanied by decreased CSF volume, in the JVR-positive subjects in both the MCI and AD groups. When the MCI and AD subjects were aggregated together significant increases were observed in both normalized WB (p = 0.009) and GM (p = 0.003) volumes for the JVR-positive group. No corresponding increases were observed for the JVR-positive subjects in the control group. Through receiver operating characteristic analysis of the brain volumetric data it was possible to discriminate between the JVR-positive and negative AD subjects with reasonable accuracy (sensitivity = 71.4%; specificity = 88.9%; p = 0.007). JVR is associated with intracranial structural changes in MCI and AD patients, which result in increased WB and GM volumes. The neuropathology of this unexpected and counterintuitive finding requires further investigation, but may suggest that JVR retrogradely transmits venous hypertension into the brain and leads to brain tissues swelling due to vasogenic edema.