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Chunking mechanisms, the processes of grouping several items together into a single processing unit, are central to several cognitive processes in human and non-human primates and notably to the acquisition of visuomotor sequences. Individuals segment sequences into chunks to perform visuomotor tasks more fluidly, rapidly, and accurately. Using an operant conditioning device, we previously studied the precise mechanisms by which chunks are formed and reorganized during sequence learning. Eighteen Guinea baboons (Papio papio) repeatedly produced the same fixed sequence of nine movements during 1,000 trials by pointing to a moving target on a touch screen. We found that chunking patterns are reorganized during the course of learning, with chunks becoming progressively fewer and longer. We also identified two forms of reorganization of the chunking pattern: the recombination of preexisting chunks and the concatenation of two distinct chunks into a single one. To understand the conditions under which these reorganizations occur, we study here how the stability of a chunk and the stability of chunk boundaries are related to these reorganizations. Our analyses showed that less stable chunks and less stable boundaries are more likely to produce reorganizations. These results provide new evidence about the fine-grained dynamics of chunking mechanisms during sequence learning.

The detection and quantification of defects in pipes by non-destructive testing techniques plays a crucial role in several industries (petrochemical and nuclear in particular). Once a defect is detected, assessing its severity enables to schedule maintenance appropriately, hence reducing maintenance cost and rupture or leakage risks. Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) is an approach that consists in instrumenting a structure with permanent sensors to monitor its health status throughout its life. Guided elastic waves are particularly suitable for SHM applications on thin structures (such as pipes) thanks to their ability to propagate over long distances and their high sensitivity. An SHM approach called "passive guided waves tomography" has emerged in recent years to detect and quantify corrosion in pipes (or plate-like structures). This technology is based on the combination of guided elastic wave tomography algorithms and a passive method such as the so-called ambient noise cross-correlation. It allows to obtain absolute and precise maps of the thickness of an area surrounded by a distribution of sensors without emitting waves, simply by analyzing the elastic noise that exists naturally in the pipe (due to vibrations, fluid-structure interactions with a moving fluid, etc.). In this paper passive guided waves tomography is tested in representative conditions thanks to an erosion loop that circulates air and sand. By impacting the tube wall, sand grains erode the structure, creating thickness losses that we monitor with passive tomography.

L’utilisation d’un état de référence, c’est-à-dire d’une baseline, pour l’analyse des données dans le cadre du contrôle santé des intégré (Structural Health Monitoring, SHM) par ondes guidées limite le champ d’application de ces approches. Cela a largement été démontré dans la littérature en présence de changement de température, mais c’est également vrai en présence de variations d’autres conditions environnementales et opérationnelles, ainsi que des effets du vieillissement. Cet article présente une nouvelle méthodologie auto-référencée, conçue pour être intrinsèquement robuste à l’influence des effets externes, y compris ceux qui n’ont pas été identifiés lors de la conception du système. La méthode repose sur le concept de baseline instantanée, c’est-à-dire la comparaison de plusieurs mesures acquises sur des mesures présentant un degré élevé de similitude du point de vue des ondes guidées. La subtilité de l'approche réside dans la détection de défauts ayant une faible influence sur les mesures en présence de variabilités extrinsèques et intrinsèques ayant une influence comparativement plus importante sur plusieurs échantillons similaires. La méthode comprend également une réduction de la dimension par l'extraction de quantités d'intérêt à partir des signaux acquis, permettant potentiellement l'analyse de plusieurs échantillons avec un volume de données limitées. La méthode proposée est validée avec succès sur 12 plaques d'aluminium, chacune présentant une fissure traversante de 1 à 30mm de longueur, dans un environnement de laboratoire avec des paramètres externes limités. Ensuite, l'approche est testée sur 2 échantillons composites tissés de forme complexe avec jusqu'à 7 trajectoires similaires du point de vue des ondes guidées. La détection d'une masse ajoutée est réussie sur toute la plage de températures considérée (-30◦C à 30◦C) pour toutes les fréquences d'interrogation étudiées (50, 100 et 150 kHz). La méthodologie proposée est nettement plus performante qu'un algorithme d'imagerie de l’état de l’art avec compensation de température appliqué aux mêmes données.

Optical fiber transducers such as Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBG) are promising solutions for guided waves Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) due to their low intrusivity and their ability to cope with harsh environments (extreme temperatures, radiations, explosive atmospheres…). We present here a solution enabling measurements under varying environmental and operational conditions, which is mandatory for many applications in SHM, the low complexity of the solution ensuring good integration capacities. The effect of the length of the FBG was also studied to enable the optimization of the system sensitivity.

Las preposiciones en lenguas romanas son generalmente definidas como palabras semánticamente vacías que no cumplen sintácticamente ninguna función cualquiera. El objetivo de este artículo es mostrar que las preposiciones españolas son elementos léxicos vacíos capaces de cumplir una función bien determinada. Por eso, haremos intervenir durante este análisis autores tales como Alarcos Llorach, Marcos Marín y también la RAE.

The use of guided waves enables to monitor wide areas of structures with a limited number of sensors and/or a limited acquisition time. In particular, guided wave tomography algorithms give a quantitative image of the residual thickness of the monitored structured, for example a corroded pipe. The idea is to use the dispersion curves to link a change in phase or group velocity to a change in thickness. The method developed at CEA-List includes an auto-calibration phase, eliminating the need of a baseline to work, therefore enabling its use in presence of varying environmental and operational conditions. One drawback of tomography techniques is that they need many sensors compared to more conventional algorithms such as RAPID or Delay and Sum. We propose here a passive version of tomography to limit its intrusiveness by using data obtained by post-processing the ambient elastic noise in the structure. This enables the use of Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBG) on optical fibers as ultrasonic sensors. The use of FBGs drastically reduces the burden of the system, as several gratings can be multiplexed on a single optical fiber. Furthermore, these sensors are suited for many applications because of their resistance to harsh conditions (extreme temperatures, explosive atmosphere, radiations…).

This paper presents a study of guided wave tomography for corrosion monitoring under varying environmental conditions. Guided wave tomography can be computed in an ‘absolute’ mode thanks to an automatic calibration using solely the data of the current acquisition. This is interesting because no baseline is needed. In particular, this paper studies the capacity of absolute tomography algorithms to be robust to temperature fluctuations. Experimental validations of the method are presented and results on the method’s robustness to temperature variations are shown through acquisitions carried out in a climate chamber over a wide range of temperatures.

Los conceptos de frase y de oración son conceptos lingüísticos que nos permiten estructurar nuestro lenguaje en función del contexto comunicativo en presencia. Se considera generalmente como frase a toda estructura no sintáctica capaz de vincular una información bien precisa. Y a la oración por su parte se define como toda construcción sintáctica respectando el esquema S + V (conjugado) ± Compl . En nuestro caso, el objetivo será de mostrar a través la gramática española lo que son ambos conceptos basándonos en recursos sintácticos en la enseñanza de la sintaxis y de sus diferentes conceptos aferentes. Para llevar a cabo nuestra investigación sobre ambos conceptos tan problemáticos, utilizaremos algunas muestras que nos permiten observar y analizar el comportamiento de los docentes del secundario de ELE de Libreville salidos de la Universidad Omar Bongo del Gabón.

Reading in public is an experience of shared reading or even of collective reading. In the body of the person reading, as much as through his voice and his imagination, a multitude of I’s converge—I’s that are Others—including and especially when the reader is also the writer. Read and write are then shown to be the two sides of a same creative and participative gesture that makes possible the exploration and confrontation of the otherness inside us all.

Cet article s’intéresse aux discours traitant du sport (politique, institutionnel, olympique, etc.) ainsi qu’aux discours issus de pratiques sportives (forums, réseaux sociaux et applications dédiées au sport), afin de questionner les valeurs de l’Olympisme et la manière dont elles sont mises en discours et polarisées. Le corpus est composé de textes institutionnels majeurs (chartes et codes essentiellement). Son étude est complétée par l’analyse d’un second corpus comprenant des « posts » diffusés sur les forums et réseaux sociaux sportifs ainsi que des publications relatives à la communauté Strava. Nous décrivons comment les textes qui régissent l’Olympisme formulent une topique instituante, et comment le sens des valeurs évolue à travers l’actualisation discursive, dans des contextes renvoyant à la pratique du sport amateur. Nous interrogeons en particulier le Respect, l’Amitié et l’Excellence (les trois valeurs essentielles revendiquées par le mouvement olympisme) et leurs liens avec d’autres valeurs (la paix entre les peuples, l’égalité, la solidarité, l’intégrité). L'analyse discursive in situ permet de cerner les enjeux de la reconfiguration de ces fondamentaux dans les pratiques numériques des amateurs, autour du fair-play, de la performance, et plus généralement de ce qui est entendu par « valeurs du sport ».

The social and identity representations of a country or a people can be determined through certain major factors, but the discourses seem to be a key factor (Gumperz 1982, Benwell and Stokoe 2006, Gréco et al. 2014). In view of the current situation in the Middle East, the statements made by political leaders on the international scene highlight the complexity of the conflict in Syria struggling with multiple points of view. However, these expressions are discursively developed through several paradoxes, recorded in the variations of angles under which the circulating discourses are discussed, notably media and institutional (see Charaudeau 2005). Our work will be devoted to questioning this reality in terms of the discursive representations of the refugees themselves, in contrast withtheir reflection in the media, and this in the context of an anthropological and materialistic linguistics as proposed by the praxematics (Détrie et al. 2017 [2001]), by way of a corpus composed of Syrian refugees’ life stories.

In 1937, more than 30,000 Haitians and Dominicans of Haitian descent were massacred in a few days by the army and the Dominican police forces under the presidency of Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Molina. This genocide remains little known in modern world history. It remains marked with the seal of the language and its use as a tool to detect the origin of the speakers. Indeed, the Spanish language was used through the specific word "perejil" (parsley) to identify individuals unable to pronounce "correctly" this term. If any hesitation or failure to production a proper /r/ ("r" rolled) followed by a /x/ (jota), it was death with a machete or a knife for most of the time. The notion of shibboleth makes it possible to discuss this criminal use of the language. We shall examine the socio-historical contextualization of these events and then put into perspective the phonological and pragmatic dimensions of such a term with deadly ends.

Abstract: Although they have already been the particular focus of scholarly attention, the series of tableaux vivants at the heart of Zola’s La Curée (1871) still continue to fascinate and raise questions. Like any image constructed by means of a work of literature, "The Loves of Narcissus and Echo" draw upon several different interwoven discursive and iconic modes which both contradict and substantiate each other. Usually analysed solely for their narrative value (as a "mise en abyme" of the novel), these tableaux vivants provide much more than a mere thematic and structural framework. The eroticism of the performance and that of the associated textua witticism (which provides the link between the silent images and those words) is enhanced by the much more disturbing eroticism of a lurking image which is both denied and revealed through the dressing room scene, bringing the chapter to a virtual close. It is a far from attractive affair of under layers which is brought to the fore in this scene. Résumé: Bien qu’ayant déjà fait l’objet de quelques études spécifiques, la série des tableaux vivants qui est au coeur de La Curée (1871) de Zola n’en continue pas moins de fasciner et de soulever mainte question. Comme toute image construite par le biais d’une oeuvre littéraire, « Les amours du beau Narcisse et de la nymphe Echo » sollicitent plusieurs logiques, discursives ou iconiques, qui s’entrecroisent, se contredisent, se renforcent mutuellement. Généralement analysés pour leur seule fonction narrative (comme « mise en abyme » du roman), les tableaux vivants proposent bien plus qu’un enchâssement thématique et structural. A l’érotique du spectacle, à l’érotique du « bon mot » qui accompagne celui-ci (et permet d’articuler l’ordre des images muettes à l’ordre du mot d’esprit), ils joignent l’érotique bien plus troublante d’une image occultée, à la fois niée et mise en avant par la scène du cabinet de toilette qui clôt quasiment le chapitre du roman : une histoire de dessous, tout sauf affriolants, qu’on tente ici de mettre au jour.

Primates humains et non-humains disposent dès la naissance de capacités d'apprentissage des régularités de leur environnement. Nous sommes ainsi en mesure de mémoriser qu'un évènement A sera souvent, voire toujours, suivi d'un évènement B. L'association formée entre A et B nous permet par la suite d'anticiper la venue de B, si A est présent. Pour étudier ces mécanismes fondamentaux d'apprentissage des régularités de l'environnement, plusieurs protocoles expérimentaux ont été utilisés dont le paradigme de pointage sériel (Nissen and Bullemer, Cognitive Psychology, 1987, 19, 1-32). Dans ce type d'expérience, une cible se déplace à différentes positions sur un écran tactile et la tâche consiste à suivre cette cible du doigt. Dans un premier temps, la cible se déplace aléatoirement sur l'écran et on mesure le temps mis pour appuyer sur la cible à chaque position. Ensuite, les déplacements de la cible suivent une certaine logique et certaines régularités. On constate alors que les temps pour suivre la cible diminuent au cours de l'exposition à ces régularités et que l'on finit par anticiper les positions suivantes. Nous avons adapté ce paradigme expérimental utilisé chez l'humain au système d'expérimentation automatisé de la station de primatologie de Rousset-sur-Arc afin d'étudier les capacités d'apprentissage de ces régularités par des babouins ("Papio papio"). Plus spécifiquement, nous avons étudié l'apprentissage de séquences régulières composées de trois pointages ABC en cherchant à savoir quelle régularité serait apprise en premier par les singes: AB ou bien BC? Les résultats obtenus indiquent que les singes apprennent très rapidement ces régularités et qu'ils semblent apprendre les dernières plus rapidement que les premières. Ces nouveaux résultats permettent de préciser la dynamique fine des processus d'apprentissage associatif chez les primates humains et non-humains.

This article purports to analyze the way Derby interrogates through a parodic history of a post-apocalyptic future the consequences of the destruction of a common experience of a world so radically other that it eludes the grasp of language.

This paper aims at interpreting on a sociological point of view the supposed lack of concern of farmers related to mitigation of climate change. Based on a survey of 29 farmers of west of France, our results show that most farmers have a confused and incomplete knowledge of theory of climate change and of its links with agriculture. But in the same time, ignoring it, most farmers have climate friendly practices. We show that the lack of interest in changing work practices is caused by farmer’s focus on the stakes involved in the risk climate change injunctions pose to their social hierarchies. Hence, for many farmers, climate change mitigation becomes a struggle to reassert the value of weakened professional identities.

The best way to prevent psychosocial risk is to support the teams in terms of their dynamics and their difficulties. We need to take care of caregivers and other hospital staff. Management has an essential role to play to achieve this objective., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Schizophrenic patients have increased cardiovascular risk factors and morbi-mortality as compared with the general population., Objective: To assess the level of French psychiatrists vigilance regarding cardiovascular risk factors in schizophrenic patients., Methods: Prospective, transverse, multicentric observational study implemented in France in 2007 and conducted by psychiatrists with a liberal activity. The included patients had to meet the following selection criteria: patients ≥ 18 years old, fulfilling the DSM-IV-TR criteria for schizophrenia, treated or not treated for their schizophrenia, with an ambulatory follow-up, without schizophreniform, schizoaffective, or other psychotic disorder. The psychiatrists "vigilance level" for a given cardiovascular risk factor was defined as a systematic investigation of this cardiovascular risk factor for at least 75% of the schizophrenic patients included in the study by the psychiatrist., Results: A total of 382 psychiatrists included 2242 patients, the data collected for 2222 patients were finally analysed. The mean age was 41 years old, 59% were men. The mean BMI was 27 kg/m(2), 34% of the patients were overweight, 23% were obese. The paranoid and residual schizophrenia were the most frequently described subtypes of the disease (41.3 and 25.0% respectively), 58% of the patients were moderately or markedly ill according to the CGI-S scale. Most of the patients were treated with atypical antipsychotics (77%). Only 58% of the psychiatrists were vigilant for the weight of their patients, 38% for the arterial tension, 25% for the family history of premature coronary disease, 14% for the glycemia, 12% for the triglycerides, 10% for HDL cholesterol, 6% for the waist measurement; 35% of the psychiatrists were vigilant for no cardiovascular risk factor. Less than 30% of the psychiatrists recommended their patients to other specialists to manage cardiovascular disorders., Conclusion: Similarly to other countries, French psychiatrists provide insufficient care of cardiovascular risk factors of schizophrenic patients in their current clinical practice., (Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.)

Aim: One of the aims of the TEMPPO study was to describe the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of a cohort of adult outpatients with type I or type II bipolar disorders (as defined by DSM-IV criteria) in France., Methods: TEMPPO is a multicenter, cross-sectional, non-interventional study conducted in France between November 2008 and May 2009, with a random sample of academic and private practice psychiatrists. Each psychiatrist who agreed to participate in the study had to: complete a register with data on all consecutive patients (up to 20 patients) consulting during a 2-month period and fulfilling inclusion criteria; include in the study the first five patients of the register with an on-going consultation for at least 6 months; for each of which a detailed questionnaire had been assessed, notably their sociodemographic and bipolar clinical characteristics. Adult outpatients diagnosed with bipolar disorders (BD) were enrolled if fulfilling the following inclusion criteria: man or woman, aged 18 and above, diagnosed bipolar type I or II according to DSM-IV criteria, treated (whatever the treatment strategy) or not, and followed-up for at least 6 months by the participating psychiatrist., Results: One hundred and thirty-five psychiatrists included 619 patients with bipolar disorder (197 and 422 followed-up in public and private practice respectively). The estimated prevalence of patients with bipolar disorders consulting psychiatrists was 0.43%. Type I bipolar disorder was the most frequent condition (58% of the patients). As a whole, bipolar disorder was associated with severe handicap (mean global disease Clinical Global Impression [CGI]-Severity score of 4.4 and mean GAF [Global Assessment of Functioning] score of 59), with more depressive episodes than manic episodes (6 vs. 4) or hypomania (6 vs. 3), a high proportion of rapid cycles (11%), psychiatric comorbidities (45% of patients), obesity (16% of patients), libido dysfunction and associated psychotic symptoms. Current manic phase was associated with more pronounced illness severity and lowest functioning. More than half of the patients (57%) had a family history of psychiatric disorders., Conclusion: This study could shed some light for a better understanding of demographics and clinical patterns of patients with bipolar disorders consulting psychiatrists in France. The results emphasize the severity of bipolar disorders with mainly depressive episodes, a high proportion of rapid-cycling, comorbidities and associated psychotic symptoms; these characteristics being more marked in patients suffering from BD I. Furthermore, this study confirms the strong negative impact on social and professional life of French bipolar patients, requiring specific management in addition to the symptomatic treatment., (Copyright © 2012 L’Encéphale, Paris. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

TEMPPO is an observational, cross-sectional and multicentre study, initiated in the French metropolitan territory in 2009. Set up from a random sample of 135 psychiatrists, it has observed the procedures for therapeutic management of a population (n=619) of their outpatients (respectively 197 and 422 in public and private practice) with bipolar disorder type I or II disorders (DSM-IV). The patients who were followed were mostly very sick. Every patient received a pharmacological treatment. The prescription included at least one mood stabilizer or an antipsychotic (71 % atypical) in 78 % and 56 % of cases respectively. Treatment regimen changes were frequent (61 % of patients had at least one change in treatment during the last 12 months). A single molecule by therapeutic class was generally prescribed. The presence of an antipsychotic in combination therapy was often associated with the severity or difficulty of care of the patient (mixed states, severity of the global functioning impairment, manic states, high number of hospitalizations and history of suicide attempt). The combination of two antipsychotics is found only in the difficult situations of manic states. Patients with severe depressive phase are those who benefit from the combination mood stabilizer+antipsychotic+antidepressant (16 % of the sample). In this study, the prescription of antidepressants significantly differs from recommendations for good prescribing practices. Indeed antidepressants were commonly prescribed in mixed-phase (63 %), particularly as a monotherapy in 5 % of cases. It was also found in patients in euthymic phase (48 %), manic phase (12 %) and hypomanic phase (29 %). The prescription of atypical antipsychotics (monotherapy or combination) is now fully established in the management of all phases of the disease. The importance of non-pharmacological treatment is acknowledged by psychiatrists and proposed whether a psychotherapeutic support, information about the disease and/or lifestyle changes. The data collected in this study allowed to demonstrate that the participant psychiatrists have a pharmacological management of patients with bipolar disorder mostly in line with national and international guidelines., (Copyright © 2011 L’Encéphale, Paris. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

It is becoming clear to clinicians that functional prognosis is the issue that should be guiding their choice of therapeutic strategy offered to people with schizophrenic disorders. An individual's degree of social autonomy is one of the principal factors determining functional prognosis, and it has become essential to identify the variables that influence it. The ESPASS survey was set up to follow a cohort of 6000 schizophrenic patients in a naturalistic setting, and was conducted over six months by 1170 psychiatrists. Patients were required to meet DSM-IV TR criteria for schizophrenia, with the exception of those suffering from an acute psychotic episode, and to either need a change in their antipsychotic treatment or its initiation. Data collected included patients' sociodemographical characteristics, types of treatment (pharmacological and non-pharmacological), illness characteristics (as determined by the DSM-IV TR criteria), degree of social autonomy (EAS), effectiveness (IAQ scale), overall severity of the illness (CGI - S scale) and patient satisfaction with medical treatment (PASAP self-questionnaire). Concerning the non-pharmacological aspects of treatment that offer patients programmes to increase their autonomy, the survey made it possible to collect data describing real practices and to measure the actual availability of rehabilitation services. It has been verified that the sample of psychiatrists included in this survey, as well as the schizophrenic patients under evaluation, were representative of the French psychiatrist and patient populations. Most importantly, the survey made it possible to objectively evaluate the healthcare services available in France. It seems that the vast majority of public-service psychiatrists have access to hospital and ambulatory facilities for treatment (medical-psychological centers, day-care hospitals and rest centers), as well as access to facilities providing simulated real-life activities. Psychiatrists who are private practitioners have less access to such arrangements for their patients. The vast majority of psychiatrists in both categories are unable to offer their patients active rehabilitation techniques: training in social skills (25%), cognitive remediation (16%), cognitive-behavioral therapies (20%), even though psychoeducation is quite widespread (44%). However, the survey demonstrated that the actual use of these methods was much lower still (2%, 1% and 2%, respectively), although the use of alternative facilities to hospitalization was quite high (day-care hospitals 9%, rest-centers 8%). In total, at the end of the study, the proportion of patients benefiting from some kind of programme to increase their level of autonomy was 41%. These results have demonstrated a link between the evolution of patients' clinical symptoms and their social autonomy. Within the findings, the items that varied most were patient's level of personal care and relations with others, whereas the ability to manage resources seems difficult to influence. Moreover, the results have shown that better development of social autonomy is significantly correlated with the prescription of second-generation antipsychotics. Regarding non-pharmacological treatment, better development of social autonomy is significantly correlated with setting up programmes to achieve this objective, including the use of active rehabilitation techniques. Overall, the survey confirmed the results of earlier work to validate the scale of social autonomy (EAS), and confirmed the robustness of its objective measurements., (Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.)

Surgery is sometimes indicated in cases of recurrent temporomandibular joint dislocation (luxation). Among the panel of available techniques, therapeutic arthroscopy with retrodiscal tissue and oblique protuberance coagulation has been used to prevent new episodes. Therapeutic arthroscopy was used for 6 patients. Outcome was considered to be satisfactory in 66% with a mean 3.1-year follow-up. This technique can be recommended as first line therapy when surgery is indicated. In case of failure, eminectomy is scheduled.

Chronic co-administration of digoxin and several antiarrhythmic drugs increases digoxin plasma levels. To determine the effects of the administration of oral cibenzoline on digoxin plasma levels and its effects on clinical and electrocardiographic parameters, we conducted a prospective multicenter study in 22 cardiac patients with a mean age of 66 +/- 12 years (39-85), who were on long term digoxin therapy (0.25 mg once daily for at least 2 weeks) and who required oral cibenzoline therapy in the prevention of recurrence of symptomatic atrial tachyarrhythmias. Cibenzoline was given for 4 weeks at a dose of 130 mg twice daily in patients aged less than 70 years (group I, n = 15) and this dosage was reduced by half in patients over 70 years of age (group II, n = 7). Evaluation of the effects of this combination on clinical and electrocardiographic tolerability as well as the drawing of blood samples for assay of cibenzoline and digoxin took place before and after 4 weeks treatment with cibenzoline. The digoxin plasma levels were (mean +/- sem) 0.96 +/- 0.1 ng.ml-1 before cibenzoline administration and remained unchanged after 4 weeks of combination therapy (1.0 +/- 0.1 ng.ml-1), p > 0.05. Digoxin plasma levels in group I varied from respectively 0.8 +/- 0.1 ng.ml-1 (0.5-1.7) to 0.8 +/- 0.1 ng.ml-1 (0.4-1.5) and in group II from 1.2 +/- 0.2 ng.ml-1 (0.6-2) to 1.4 +/- 0.3 ng.ml-1 (0.7-2.5). This therapy was well tolerated in 16 patients out of 21 evaluable patients (76%) and there was no significant change in vital signs during the study.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Cibenzoline (C) was compared with propafenone (P) in 18 adult patients (7 women and 11 men) aged 50 +/- 7 in double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial. After a therapeutic wash-out period corresponding to 5 times the half-life of previous anti-arrhythmic drugs, patients with more than 100 premature ventricular contractions (PVC) per hour in two 24 hour Holter records obtained at an interval of 7 days were treated in succession and after randomised by C (390 mg/day in 3 divided doses) and P (900 mg/day in 3 divided doses) for a period of two weeks, each active sequence being followed by a two week wash-out period. Efficacy (based upon the decrease in PVC/hour in a 24 hour Holter) and tolerability were evaluated at the end of each sequence, with samples drawn at the same times for assay of the study drugs. Three patients dropped out of the trial, 1 with each active drug (for epigastric pain) and 1 with dummy. No significant difference was seen between the two drugs regarding the decrease in the total number of PVC/hour in the 15 patients completing the cross-over protocol. A reduction in PVC/hour of more than 70 per cent was seen in 7 patients with C and in 9 patients with P. C was better tolerated than P on the basis of both clinical and electrocardiographic parameters. One patient developed troublesome adverse reactions with C as compared with 4 patients in the case of P. A more than 20 per cent increase in QRS was seen in 7 patients with C and in 10 patients with P, the figures for PR being 2 and 6 patients respectively. One patient showed a proarrhythmic effect with P. Plasma levels of C were significantly higher in responders (328 +/- 149 ng/ml) than in non-responders (137 +/- 41 ng/ml, p less than 0.05). No significant difference was found concerning plasma levels of P (578 +/- 477 ng/ml compared with 646 +/- 457 ng/ml, p greater than 0.05). In conclusion, the efficacy/tolerability ratio in this population with a low risk of serious rhythm events appeared to be better with C than with P.

Postoperative wound dehiscence is a serious complication. Various surgical procedures have been proposed to prevent it but only few studies have compared their effectiveness. The authors report a retrospective study on 292 high risk patients operated between 1980 and 1988. These patients were divided in two groups according to the methods of abdominal wall support: 226 patients (group I) with total reinforced extraperitoneal sutures and 66 (group II) with a polyglactin 910 mesh. Preoperative risk factors, surgical pathology and the incisions performed were similar in the two groups. Only two parameters were different: the number of previous operations and emergency surgery which were more frequent in group II (p less than 0.05). Fourteen patients in group I developed postoperative wound dehiscence and none in group II (p = 0.02). Nine of these patients were reoperated with a mortality of 28.5%. The frequency of the other complications was similar in the two groups. Polyglactin 910 mesh was more effective than total reinforced extraperitoneal sutures in the prevention of post operative wound dehiscence justifying its use in high risk patients.

A blood unit is transfused to a female patient, urgently. The names written on the form and on the vial are not identical. The determination of blood group is made by one person, instead of two, because the second one has been affected to a new hospital which is opening its doors. The only name of the vial is read. That is two mistakes. Thirdly, the blood grouping of the patient had already been realized, but is not looked for. Fourthly, the anaesthetist makes a wrong verification in the operating room. On the wrong blood unit was written the right name of the patient. No clinical symptoms appears during the intervention, on by oliguria 7 hours later. Haemodialysis. 13 days later the patient goes out in good health.

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is a Mr 6045 polypeptide first characterized for its ability to stimulate mitogenesis in epidermal and epithelial cells. The first step in the action of the growth factor is its binding to specific, high affinity membrane receptors. These receptors have been studied in a number of tissues and cell culture lines. The level of EGF receptors is modulated by many agents. EGF down-regulates its receptor. In addition, the number of EGF receptors is decreased by other growth factors (platelet-derived growth factor; transforming growth factor), by many tumor promoters and by viral transformation. Several hormones also can regulate EGF binding in its target tissues.

The last two years, artificial Kidneys have been used for purification and concentration of human serum albumin solutions coming from plasma cracking in two Blood Transfusion Centers. Results are easily reproducible and the apparatus is reliable and of low cost. The properties of dialysis and ultrafiltration of the A.N. 69 membrane are useful for eliminating ethanol and water. The artificial Kidneys are effective at low pressure. It is then possible to use peristaltic pumps and to have a closed circuit. The whole apparatus must be sterilized with chemical reagents.