Modulated super-Gaussian laser pulse to populate a dark rovibrational state of acetylene.

A pulse-shaping technique in the mid-infrared spectral range based on pulses with a super-Gaussian temporal profile is considered for laser control. We show a realistic and efficient path to the population of a dark rovibrational state in acetylene (C2H2). The laser-induced dynamics in C2H2 are simulated using fully experimental structural parameters.

Phage Treatment Trial to Eradicate LA-MRSA from Healthy Carrier Pigs.

The increase of livestock-associated methicillin-resistant (LA-MRSA) causes a threat to human health. LA-MRSA can be transmitted from animals to animal caretakers, which may further spread MRSA to communities and health care facilities. The objective of this work was to study the efficacy of phage treatment in the eradication of LA-MRSA from healthy carrier pigs.

Fortnightly or fractionated weekly docetaxel-cisplatin-5-FU as first-line treatment in advanced gastric and gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma: The randomized phase II DoGE study.

Background: While docetaxel/cisplatin/5-fluorouracil (DCF) outperforms CF in first-line gastric adenocarcinoma, toxicity remains an issue.

Methods: This multicenter phase II trial randomized chemonaïve metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma patients to fractionated weekly DCF (D 40 mg/m , C 35 mg/m², F 1800 mg/m² over 24 h, on days 1 and 8 every 3 weeks, arm (1) or fortnightly DCF (D 50 mg/m , C 50 mg/m², F 2000 mg/m² over 48 h every 2 weeks, arm (2). Prophylactic granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) was not allowed.

Bioimpedance Alerts from Cardiovascular Implantable Electronic Devices: Observational Study of Diagnostic Relevance and Clinical Outcomes.

Background: The use of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) and cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) devices is expanding in the treatment of heart failure. Most of the current devices are equipped with remote monitoring functions, including bioimpedance for fluid status monitoring. The question remains whether bioimpedance measurements positively impact clinical outcome.

Protocol-driven remote monitoring of cardiac resynchronization therapy as part of a heart failure disease management strategy.

Background: Cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) is an established treatment for heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction. CRT devices are equipped with remote monitoring functions, which are pivotal in the detection of device problems, but may also facilitate disease management. The aim of this study was to provide a comprehensive overview of the clinical interventions taken based on remote monitoring.

Relevance of Geriatric Assessment in Older Patients With Colorectal Cancer.

Introduction: This study aims to evaluate the relevance of geriatric assessment (GA) in older patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) and to study functional status (FS) and chemotherapy-related toxicity during treatment.

Methods: Patients with CRC aged ≥ 70 years were evaluated at baseline using a GA. Results were communicated to the treating physician.

Clinical validation of a low-power and wearable ECG patch for long term full-disclosure monitoring.

Background: Detection of intermittent atrial fibrillation (AF) is done using a 24-h Holter. Holter recordings are powerful but lack the comfort and have limited recording times resulting in under diagnosing of intermittent AF.

Objective: Within this work we evaluated and compared a novel miniaturized three-channel ECG monitoring patch versus a 24-h Holter system.

Line broadening of confined CO gas: from molecule-wall to molecule-molecule collisions with pressure.

The infrared absorption in the fundamental band of CO gas confined in porous silica xerogel has been recorded at room temperature for pressures between about 5 and 920 hPa using a high resolution Fourier transform spectrometer. The widths of individual lines are determined from fits of measured spectra and compared with ab initio predictions obtained from requantized classical molecular dynamics simulations. Good agreement is obtained from the low pressure regime where the line shapes are governed by molecule-wall collisions to high pressures where the influence of molecule-molecule interactions dominates.

A randomized multicenter study of optimal circadian time of vinorelbine combined with chronomodulated 5-fluorouracil in pretreated metastatic breast cancer patients: EORTC trial 05971.

Studies in animals synchronized with an alternation of 12 h of light and 12 h of darkness have showed that hematological and systemic toxicities could be reduced if vinorelbine were administered 19 or 23 hours after light onset (HALO), corresponding to 17:00 and 21:00 h in diurnally active humans. This trial aimed to define the least toxic time of vinorelbine administration in metastatic breast cancer patients. Initially, the study treatment consisted of three courses of vinorelbine of 30 mg/m(2)/d on D1 and D6 and chronomodulated 5-fluorouracil of 850 mg/m(2) from D2 to D5 every 21 days.

Contrast-enhanced MR imaging of breast lesions and effect on treatment.

Purpose: To assess the value of local staging with preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with suspect breast lesions and the effect on therapeutic approach.

Materials And Methods: Two hundred and four consecutive women with suspect breast lesions on clinical examination (CE) and/or mammography (MX) and/or ultrasound (US) underwent preoperative contrast-enhanced MRI. Detection of multifocal, multicentric and bilateral breast cancer by all three imaging modalities was evaluated.

Risk factors for recurrent urinary tract infection in 4,332 Belgian schoolchildren aged between 10 and 14 years.

Unlabelled: To analyse the risk factors for recurrent urinary tract infection (UTI) and the possible influence of potty-training, a questionnaire with 41 questions was completed by 4,332 parents of children completing the last 2 years of normal primary school. Statistical analysis was done with the Chi-squared test and Yates correction. Three groups of children emerged: one without any history of UTI ( n=3818), a group with one actual or former UTI ( n=382) and a group with recurrent UTI ( n=132).

MR mammography in the pre-operative staging of breast cancer in patients with dense breast tissue: comparison with mammography and ultrasound.

The aim of this study was to determine whether pre-operative MR mammography could predict the extent of breast cancer in patients with dense breasts or whether dense parenchyma will lead to false-positive or inconclusive examinations. Sixty-seven patients with dense breasts with a malignant breast tumor planned for conservative surgery were reviewed. Detection rates of mammography, ultrasound, and MR mammography were studied, and the diameters of the lesions were measured and compared with pathological examination.

Early use of high frequency ventilation in the premature neonate.

Unlabelled: This study evaluated whether the early use of high frequency ventilation (HFV) decreased the incidence of oxygen dependency at 36 weeks postconceptual age [chronic lung disease (CLD)] and improved developmental outcome. Neonates of less than 32 weeks gestational age needing ventilatory support for RDS who were admitted to a tertiary academic neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) within 6 h of birth were included in a prospective controlled clinical trial. With randomisation they were given either HFV (n=147) or conventional ventilation (CV) (n=153).

Lower incidence of the upper respiratory tract infections among general practitioners as compared to their patients.

A retrospective cohort study suggest that general practitioners (GPs) run a significant reduced risk (more then 50%) to develop an upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) with fever compared to their patients. This difference can't be explained by variables such as gender, age, children and particularly young children, vaccination against influenza, presence of chronic illness or allergies, medication taken on a regular basis, smoking habits and regular physical exercise.

Voiding habits and wetting in a population of 4,332 Belgian schoolchildren aged between 10 and 14 years.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of daytime- with/without night-time wetting, in Belgium, in a group of 10 to 14 year old schoolchildren, and to study the voiding habits.

Subjects And Methods: A questionnaire of 41 questions was developed and completed by 4,332 parents at home.

Results: Wetting or soiling episodes were reported by a total of 528 (12%) of the children: monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis by 62 (1%), daytime wetting with/without night-time wetting by 343 (8%), and faecal soiling by 123 (3%).

Antibiotics for coughing in general practice: a questionnaire study to quantify and condense the reasons for prescribing.

Background: Antibiotics are being overprescribed in ambulant care, especially for respiratory tract infections (RTIs). Gaining insight into the actual reasons for prescribing remains important for the design of effective strategies to optimise antibiotic prescribing. We aimed to determine items of importance for the antibiotic prescribing decision and to make them operational for an intervention trial.

Calcium, iron and zinc availability from weaning meals.

Unlabelled: During the weaning period, solid foods are introduced in the diet to complement human milk or infant formula. Consequently, marginal deficiencies may easily develop because of inappropriate feeding and low bioavailability of nutrients. The objective of this study was to determine calcium, iron and zinc availability from weaning foods that contained a variety of ingredients but almost the same dietary fibre content, and to describe dietary factors that influence availability in a linear matter.

Reference values for plasma dipeptidyl-peptidase IV activity and their association with other laboratory parameters.

In blood, the exopeptidase dipeptidyl-peptidase IV (DPPIV; EC 3.4.14.

Jaundice caused by a pancreatic mass: an exceptional presentation of Crohn's disease.

It is well known that Crohn's disease can involve the pancreas. However, granulomatous inflammation of the pancreas causing jaundice is extremely rare. In this report, we describe a patient presenting with jaundice in whom a Whipple procedure was performed because of the suspicion of a malignant pancreatic tumor.

Associations of leptin with body fat distribution and metabolic parameters in non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients: no effect of apolipoprotein E polymorphism.

Leptin levels have been shown previously to be associated with anthropometric parameters such as the body mass index (BMI), total body fat, and subcutaneous fat. Since apolipoprotein E (apoE) polymorphism is known to be a genetic marker affecting the relationship between certain anthropometric and metabolic parameters, we evaluated whether the leptin level and/or associations between the leptin level and body composition in non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients could be determined by apoE polymorphism. In 171 type 2 diabetic patients (105 male and 66 female), body composition (BMI, waist to hip ratio [WHR], fat mass, and visceral fat) was measured and fasting blood samples were obtained to determine the apoE genotype, leptin, glucose, and insulin levels, and the lipid profile.

Conventional retinal detachment surgery: technique, complications and results.

A uniform conventional technique, modified by Dr. Zivojnovic, was performed on 104 consecutive patients with rhegmatogenous retinal detachments including pseudophakic eyes (23.1%) and cases with preoperative proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) A-C2 (21.

Aspirin versus indomethacin treatment of patent ductus arteriosus in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome.

Indomethacin (Indo) is commonly used for treatment of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) but has renal failure as a main side effect. Aspirin (ASA) is an alternative, but there are no controlled trials on its efficacy. We randomly assigned 75 premature infants suffering from respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) (mean gestational age: 29.